Projections to fix pose of panoramic photos

• US 9,310,987 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2013
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Rapoport, Evan, Donsbach, Aaron Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ulrich, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US13/969,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20150052475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30244 Camera pose
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/003 Maps

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to adding or correcting orientation and/or location information for panoramic images. For example, some panoramic images may be associated with inaccurate orientation (or location) information or simply no orientation information at all. In this regard, a user may be provided with the ability to add or adjust the orientation of a panoramic image. The panoramic image can be projected onto a plane using stereographic projection and displayed relative to its location (and orientation, if available) on a map. This can allow a user to quickly identify inaccuracies and to make adjustments or corrections.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by one or more computing devices, a request for a panorama associated with pose information;

generating, by the one or more computing devices, a representation of the panorama;

displaying, on a display, a map based on location information associated with the panorama;

displaying the panorama proximate to the display of the map;

overlaying, by the one or more computing devices, the representation onto the display of the map at a first orientation based on the location information associated with the panorama;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices, user input indicating a change to the first orientation by a dragging action on the panorama;

in response to receiving the user input, rotating the representation relative to the display of the map and sliding features of the panorama in a direction of the dragging action without changing position of the panorama relative to the display of the map; and

updating, by the one or more computing devices, the pose information based on the user input.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the updated pose information to a server computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation is a side view of a frustum with a portion of the panorama projected onto an interior surface of the frustum.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation is a stereo graphic projection.

5. A system comprising:

one or more computing devices, having one or more processors, the one or more computing devices being configured to;

receive a request for a panorama associated with pose information from a user computing device;

provide, in response to the received request, a representation of the panorama to the user computing device for a first orientation based on the pose information associated with the panorama;

provide for display, on the user computing display, a map based on location information associated with the panorama;

provide the panorama for display proximate to the display of the map;

receive, from the user computing device, user input indicating a change to the first orientation by a dragging action on the representation;

in response to receiving the user input, slide features of the panorama without changing position of the panorama relative to the display of the map and rotate the representation relative to the display of the map in a direction of the dragging action; and

update the pose information associated with the panorama based on the user input.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the representation is a stereographic projection.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the representation is a side view of a frustum with a portion of the panorama projected onto an interior surface of the frustum.

8. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a request for the panorama from a second user computing device; and

providing the panorama with the updated pose information to the second user computing device.

9. A non-transitory, computer readable storage device on which computer readable instructions of a program are stored, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a panorama associated with pose information;

generating a representation of the panorama;

displaying a map based on location information associated with the panorama;

displaying the panorama proximate to the display of the map;

overlaying the representation onto the display of the map at a first orientation based on the location information associated with the panorama;

receiving user input indicating a change to the first orientation by a dragging action on the representation;

in response to receiving the user input, sliding features of the panorama without changing position of the panorama relative to the display of the map and rotating the representation relative to the display of the map in a direction of the dragging action; and

updating the pose information based on the user input.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising providing the updated pose information to a server computer.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the representation is a side view of a frustum with a portion of the panorama projected onto an interior surface of the frustum.