Techniques to annotate street view images with contextual information

• US 9,342,998 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2010
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Barnett, Donald, Wantland, Tim, Ramos, Gonzalo
• Primary Examiner(s): Zuberi, Mohammed-Ibrahim
• Application Number:
  US12/947,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20120124461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,009 Days
• Field of Search: 715/230, 715/256, 340/995.14, 340/995.24
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/434 using image data, e.g. images, photos, pictures taken by a user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

Techniques to annotate street level images with contextual information are described. A map application may comprise a street level component that when executed by a processor is operative to generate annotated street view images of a location. The street level component may comprise a street view component operative to generate a street view image from multiple street level images, the street view image having one or more objects located within the street view image. The street level component may further comprise a metadata component communicatively coupled to the street view component, the metadata component operative to generate a horizontal metadata panel having object metadata positioned in approximate vertical alignment with a corresponding object in the street view image, and combine the horizontal metadata panel with the street view image to form an annotated street view image. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a request for one or more panoramic views of a street view image;

generating the panoramic views of the street view image as a multi-level tiled pyramid representation;

generating a metadata panel for the street view image;

storing, at a level of the multi-level tiled pyramid representation, object metadata associated with a plurality of objects shown in the street view image;

positioning the object metadata in the metadata panel in approximate alignment with at least two corresponding objects in the street view image;

combining the street view image and the metadata panel to form an annotated street view image; and

communicating, the object metadata associated with the at least two corresponding objects in the street view image before the street view image.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a request for a street level view of a location at a server device;

retrieving street level images for the location from a map database; and

combining the street level images to form the street view image.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising generating the metadata panel adjacent to the street view image.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising generating the metadata panel contiguous with the street view image.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising generating the metadata panel overlapping with the street view image.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising generating a top metadata panel for the street view image, the top metadata panel positioned above a top portion of the street view image.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising generating a bottom metadata panel for the street view image, the bottom metadata panel positioned below a bottom portion of the street view image.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising positioning object metadata comprising navigation information in the street view image proximate to a corresponding object in the street view image.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising

sending the annotated street view image to a client device for presentation by the client device.

10. An article comprising storage hardware containing instructions that when executed enable a system to:

send a request for a street level view of a location, wherein a street view image includes at least a portion of a street;

receive one or more panoramic views of a street view image as a multi-level tiled pyramid representation where object metadata is stored in a level of the multi-level tiled pyramid representation and is associated with at least two corresponding objects in the street view image; and

present, based upon network-based delays, the street view image and a metadata panel on display hardware, the metadata panel having the object metadata positioned in approximate alignment with the at least two corresponding objects wherein the object metadata associated with the at least two corresponding objects in the street view image is presented before the street view image is presented.

11. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to receive a control directive indicating that the user has rotated the client device and render an alternative street view image based on the control directive indicating a rotation of client device, wherein the alternate street view image corresponds to moving up or down the street.

12. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to present the metadata panel adjacent to the street view image, contiguous with the street view image, or overlapping with the street view image.

13. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to present a top metadata panel for the street view image, the top metadata panel positioned above a top portion of the street view image.

14. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to present a bottom metadata panel for the street view image, the bottom metadata panel positioned below a bottom portion of the street view image.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a mapping application having a street level component that when executed by the processor is operative to generate annotated street view images of a location, the street level component comprising;

a street view component operative to;

generate a street view image from temporary supplemental views of the location in response to network-based delays, the street view image having one or more objects located within the street view image, wherein the street view image includes at least a portion of a street;

receive input from an integrated camera that indicates user head Motion; and

generate an alternative street view image that moves the street view image parallel to the user head motion and shows the portion of the street from a different angle or shows a different portion of the street; and

a metadata component communicatively coupled to the street view component, the metadata component operative to generate a metadata panel having object metadata positioned in approximate alignment with at least two corresponding objects in the street view image, and combine the metadata panel with the street view image to form an annotated street view image.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, the metadata component operative to position the metadata panel adjacent to the street view image, contiguous with the street view image, or overlapping with the street view image.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, the metadata component operative to generate a top metadata panel for the street view image, the top metadata panel positioned above a top portion of the street view image.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, the metadata component operative to generate a bottom metadata panel for the street view image, the bottom metadata panel positioned below a portion of the street view image.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, comprising a datastore arranged to store object metadata indexed by a corresponding object.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, the object metadata comprising information for a corresponding object in located within the street view image, including location information, business information, personal information, event information, social networking information, advertising information, or navigation information.