Methods for automated and semiautomated composition of visual sequences, flows, and flyovers based on content and context

• US 9,267,811 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Horvitz, Eric J., Sarin, Raman K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ries, Laurie
• Application Number:
  US13/799,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20140100779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3676 Overview of the route on the road map
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4092 Image resolution transcoding, e.g. by using client-server architectures

Abstract

A system with the ability to dynamically compose a sequence of visual views or flows allowing a single object or region, or multiple objects or regions, to be viewed from different perspectives and visual distances is described. The sequence of views can provide smooth flyovers over positions and details on objects that are deemed to be of interest, with changes in zoom level and/or velocity that are functions of the estimated complexity and/or unfamiliarity with features of the object. In an example, a flyover displaying different views on a map of a city arterial system on a small-screened mobile device is composed based on current traffic conditions, swooping up and down with parabolic trajectories, based on distances being traversed, and pausing at times over key traffic jams and other findings of interest based on the estimated visual complexity and predicted atypicality of situations.

Claims

1. A method of displaying a flyover, the method comprising:

receiving data relating to a roadway system;

receiving a request for a graphical depiction of a flyover of a route on the roadway system and an identification of a location to be represented in the flyover, wherein the location is at least one of a start point of the route, an end point of the route, and a point of interest; and

generating the graphical depiction of the flyover for display on a display of a computing device, wherein the graphical depiction of the flyover includes aspects that simulate different flyover velocities for different portions of the flyover, wherein the different flyover velocities are based at least in part on distances from the location represented in the flyover from each of the different portions of the flyover, and wherein;

the different flyover velocities include a first velocity for a first portion of the flyover and a second velocity for a second portion of the flyover;

the first portion is at a first distance from the location;

the second portion is at a second distance from the location;

the second distance is less than the first distance; and

the first velocity is faster than the second velocity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location is a point associated with the route and is dynamically determined based on a presence of a traffic obstruction on the route.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the graphical depiction of the flyover includes:

automatically generating the graphical depiction of the flyover in response to information relating to a previously traveled route.

4. A system for generating a flyover of a roadway system, the system comprising:

a memory and a processor that are respectively configured to store and execute instructions, including instructions for performing operations that generate a graphical depiction of the flyover of the roadway system for display on a display of a computing device, the operations including;

receiving data relating to the roadway system;

receiving a request for the graphical depiction of the flyover of a route on the roadway system and an identification of a location to be represented in the flyover; and

generating the graphical depiction of the flyover, wherein the graphical depiction of the flyover includes aspects that simulate different flyover velocities for different portions of the flyover, wherein the different flyover velocities are based at least in part on a sequence associated with the different portions of the flyover, and wherein the graphical depiction of the flyover further includes a turn along a route and aspects that simulate a perception of banking for the turn.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the location represented in the flyover is at least one of a start point of the route, an end point of the route, and a point of interest between the start point and the end point.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the graphical depiction of the flyover includes dynamically determined information relating to actual traffic patterns, predicted traffic patterns, and/or a traffic obstruction.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein generating the graphical depiction of the flyover includes:

generating at least some of the aspects of the graphical depiction in response to inferences based on contextual data.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein generating the graphical depiction of the flyover includes:

automatically generating the graphical depiction of the flyover in response to information relating to a predicted route.

9. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for performing operations that generate a depiction of a flyover of an object, the operations comprising:

constructing a flyover of a representation of the object that includes at least one location; and

generating a depiction of the flyover for display on a portable device, wherein the depiction of the flyover includes aspects that simulate different flyover velocities for different portions of the flyover, wherein the different flyover velocities are based at least in part on a sequence of the different portions of the flyover, and wherein;

the different flyover velocities include a first velocity for a first portion of the flyover and a second velocity for a second portion of the flyover;

the first portion is at a first distance from a location of the at least one locations;

the second portion is at a second distance from the location;

the second distance is less than the first distance; and

the first velocity is faster than the second velocity.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the at least one location represented in the flyover includes at least one of a start point of a route, an end point of the route, and a point of interest between the start point and the end point.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the depiction of the flyover further includes aspects that slow or pause the flyover based on a distance from a location of the at least one locations.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the depiction of the flyover includes information relating to actual and/or predicted traffic patterns along a route depicted by the flyover.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the object comprises a map, and wherein the depiction of the flyover of the object includes representations of traffic information for at least one route represented in the flyover.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein generating the depiction of the flyover includes:

generating aspects of the depiction of the flyover that simulate a parabolic or quasi-parabolic perception of altitude change.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the depiction of the flyover further includes a turn along a route and includes aspects that simulate a perception of banking for the turn.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein generating the depiction of the flyover includes:

automatically generating the depiction of the flyover in response to information relating to a previously traveled route.

17. A method of generating a flyover, the method comprising:

receiving data relating to a roadway system;

receiving a request for a graphical depiction of a flyover of a route on the roadway system and an identification of a location to be represented in the flyover, wherein the location is at least one of a start point of the route, an end point of the route, or a point of interest; and

generating the graphical depiction of the flyover for display on a display of a computing device, wherein the graphical depiction of the flyover includes aspects that simulate different flyover velocities for different portions of the flyover, wherein the different flyover velocities are based at least in part on distances from the location represented in the flyover from each of the different portions of the flyover, and wherein generating the graphical depiction of the flyover includes;

generating aspects of the graphical depiction of the flyover that simulate a perception of altitude change, wherein the perception of altitude change includes a perception of an altitude increase in a first portion of the flyover and a perception of an altitude decrease in a second portion of the flyover, and wherein the first portion is farther from the location than the second portion.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the graphical depiction of the flyover includes dynamically determined information relating to actual traffic patterns, predicted traffic patterns, and/or a traffic obstruction.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the depiction of the flyover further includes aspects that slow or pause the flyover based on a distance from a location of the at least one locations.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein generating the depiction of the flyover includes:

automatically generating the depiction of the flyover in response to information relating to a previously traveled route.