Showing geo-located information in a 3D geographical space

• US 8,941,685 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2011
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Chapin, Charles, Varadhan, Gokul
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, M Good
• Application Number:
  US13/043,045
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 345/632, 345/629
• US Class Current: 345/632
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing a graphic, such as an advertisement, in a 3D geographical information system (GIS) view are described. A method for providing a graphic in a 3D GIS view may include obtaining a graphic and determining a 3D geographical space in the GIS view based on a geographical reference in the GIS view. The method may also include rendering and displaying a curvilinear representation of the graphic in the geographical space. The method may further include adjusting the curvilinear representation of the graphic according to an updated viewpoint of the GIS view. The curvilinear representation may be oriented directly towards the updated viewpoint. A system for providing a graphic in a 3D GIS view may include a geographical space manager, a graphic representation generator and a display module.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a graphic in a 3D geographical information system (GIS) view comprising:

obtaining, with one or more computing devices, a graphic;

determining, with the one or more computing devices, a 3D geographical space in the GIS view based on a geographical reference in the GIS view;

rendering, using the one or more computing devices, a curvilinear representation of the graphic;

providing for display on a display surface, with the one or more computing devices, the curvilinear representation of the graphic in the geographical space; and

continually adjusting the curvilinear representation of the graphic according to an updated viewpoint of the GIS view, wherein the curvilinear representation is oriented directly towards the updated viewpoint, including adjusting a shape and a position of the curvilinear representation of the graphic relative to the geographical reference based on a change of the GIS viewpoint relative to the geographical reference, such that the curvilinear representation of the graphic appears to at least partially rotate on the display surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the rendering a curvilinear representation includes rendering a cylindrical representation of the graphic.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the rendering a curvilinear representation includes rendering a ellipsoidal representation of the graphic.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the rendering a curvilinear representation includes rendering a spherical representation of the graphic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rendering a curvilinear representation includes rendering a convex representation of the graphic.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the rendering a curvilinear representation includes rendering a concave representation of the graphic.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphic is displayed proportionally the same from any viewpoint in the GIS view.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining includes determining the geographical space based on a size and location of the geographical reference in the GIS view.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a size of the curvilinear representation of the graphic based on a field of view of the GIS view and a distance from the GIS viewpoint to the geographical reference.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the adjusting includes adjusting the size of the curvilinear representation of the graphic relative to the geographical reference based on a change in the GIS viewpoint.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a position of the curvilinear representation of the graphic relative to the geographical reference based on an angle of a GIS viewpoint and a distance from the GIS viewpoint to the geographical reference.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the shape includes converting a spherical shape to a cylindrical shape as the GIS viewpoint approaches the altitude of the geographical reference.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining includes determining a level of detail for the graphic based on the position of the GIS viewpoint relative to the geographical reference.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the rendering includes rendering the curvilinear representation of the graphic with texture and shading comparable to objects around the geographical space.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting includes adjusting the display of the curvilinear representation of the graphic based on a position of a user cursor relative to the geographical space.

16. A system for providing a graphic in a 3D geographical information system (GIS) view comprising:

a geographical space manager, implemented on a computing device, configured to determine a 3D geographical space in the GIS view based on a geographical reference in the GIS view;

a graphic representation generator configured to obtain a graphic and render a curvilinear representation of the graphic; and

a display module configured to display the curvilinear representation of the graphic in the geographical space on a display, wherein the graphic representation generator is further configured to continually adjust the curvilinear representation of the graphic according to an updated viewpoint of the GIS view, wherein the curvilinear representation is oriented directly towards the updated viewpoint, and adjust a shape and a position of the curvilinear representation of the graphic relative to the geographical reference based on a change of the GIS viewpoint relative to the geographical reference, such that the curvilinear representation of the graphic appears to at least partially rotate on the display.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the graphic representation generator is further configured to render a cylindrical representation of the graphic.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the graphic representation generator is further configured to render an ellipsoidal representation of the graphic.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the graphic representation generator is further configured to render a spherical representation of the graphic.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the graphic representation generator is further configured to render a convex representation of the graphic.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the graphic representation generator is further configured to render a concave representation of the graphic.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the graphic is displayed proportionally the same from any viewpoint in the GIS view.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the geographical space manager is further configured to determine the geographical space based on a size and location of the geographical reference in the GIS view.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the graphic representation generator is further configured to determine a size of the curvilinear representation of the graphic based on a field of view of the GIS view and a distance from the GIS viewpoint to the geographical reference.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the graphic representation generator is further configured to adjust the size of the curvilinear representation of the graphic relative to the geographical reference based on a change in the GIS viewpoint.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein the geographical space manager is further configured to determine a position of the curvilinear representation of the graphic relative to the geographical reference based on an angle of a GIS viewpoint and a distance from the GIS viewpoint to the geographical reference.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the graphic representation generator is further configured to convert a spherical shape to a cylindrical shape as the GIS viewpoint approaches the altitude of the geographical reference.

28. The system of claim 16, wherein the graphic representation generator is further configured to provide a level of detail for the graphic based on the position of the GIS viewpoint relative to the geographical reference.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein the display module is further configured to render the curvilinear representation of the graphic with texture and shading comparable to objects around the geographical space.

30. The system of claim 16, wherein the display module is further configured to adjust the display of the graphic based on a position of a user cursor relative to the geographical space.

31. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor for performing a method comprising:

obtaining a graphic;

determining a 3D geographical space in the GIS view based on a geographical reference in the GIS view;

rendering a curvilinear representation of the graphic;

providing for display on a display surface the curvilinear representation of the graphic in the geographical space; and

continually adjusting the curvilinear representation of the graphic according to an updated viewpoint of the GIS view, wherein the curvilinear representation is oriented directly towards the updated viewpoint, including adjusting a shape and a position of the curvilinear representation of the graphic relative to the geographical reference based on a change of the GIS viewpoint relative to the geographical reference, such that the curvilinear representation of the graphic appears to at least partially rotate on the display surface.