System and method for updating map views

• US 9,471,834 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Filip, Daniel Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rivera-Martinez, Guillermo
• Application Number:
  US14/134,464
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/987 with the intervention of an operator
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/39 Urban scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/422 Technical drawings; Geographical maps

Abstract

A system and method are provided for updating imagery associated with map data. A request for map data is received, and a first image of a geographical location corresponding to the map data is provided in response to the request. Information relating to a status of an object in the first image is received, and it is determined whether the first image is to be updated based at least on the received information. If it is determined that the first image is to be updated, an updated image is received and used to update the first image.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by one or more computing devices, a request for map data;

providing, by the one or more computing devices in response to the request, a first image of a geographical location corresponding to the map data;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices, information from a first user relating to a status of an object in the first image, the information including one or more annotations added to an image layer associated with the first image;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, whether the first image is to be updated based at least on the received information from the first user, wherein the determining includes at least one of;

(i) determining whether a predetermined number of objects in the first image are indicated to be inaccurate or out of date;

(ii) determining whether a predetermined number of submissions relating to an object in the first image were received;

(iii) determining whether the status information indicates that an object in the first image has changed;

(iv) determining a date when the first image was taken;

or

(v) determining a quality measure of the first image comprising;

resolution, blurriness, or lighting.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying, using the one or more computing devices, a second user associated with the object of the received status information.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising requesting the second user associated with the object to provide the updated image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein it is determined that the first image is to be updated if status information is received for a predetermined number of objects within a given area of the geographical location.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a request to one or more participants to provide the updated image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the updated image comprises:

receiving a second image from a participant; and

determining whether a geographical location in the second image corresponds to the geographical location of the first image.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining whether the geographical location in the second image corresponds to the geographical location of the first image is based at least in part on metadata associated with the second image.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein determining whether the geographical location in the second image corresponds to the geographical location of the first image is based on additional information provided by the participant.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the status indicates that the first image is out of date.

10. A system comprising:

a memory storing map data including at least a first image of a geographical location corresponding to the map data;

one or more computing devices in communication with the memory, the one or more computing devices;

receiving a request for the map data;

providing the first image in response to the request;

receiving information from a first user relating to a status of an object in the first image, the information including one or more annotations added to an image layer associated with the first image;

determining whether the first image is to be updated based at least on the received information from the first user, wherein the determining includes at least one of;

(i) determining whether a predetermined number of objects in the first image are indicated to be inaccurate or out of date;

(ii) determining whether a predetermined number of submissions relating to an object in the first image were received;

(iii) determining whether the status information indicates that an object in the first image has changed;

(iv) determining a date when the first image was taken;

or

(v) determining a quality measure of the first image comprising;

resolution, blurriness, or lighting.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors further sends a notification to a second user associated with the object of the received status information.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors further requests the second user associated with the object to provide the updated image.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein it is determined that the first image is to be updated if status information is received for a predetermined number of objects within a given area of the geographical location.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein receiving the updated image comprises:

receiving a second image from a participant; and

determining whether a geographical location in the second image corresponds to the geographical location of the first image.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein determining whether the geographical location in the second image corresponds to the geographical location of the first image is based on additional information provided by the participant.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the status indicates that the first image is out of date.

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

receiving a request for map data;

providing, in response to the request, a first image of a geographical location corresponding to the map data;

receiving information from a first user relating to a status of an object in the first image, the information including one or more annotations added to an image layer associated with the first image;

determining whether the first image is to be updated based at least on the received information from the first user, wherein the determining includes at least one of;

(i) determining whether a predetermined number of objects in the first image are indicated to be inaccurate or out of date;

(ii) determining whether a predetermined number of submissions relating to an object in the first image were received;

(iii) determining whether the status information indicates that an object in the first image has changed;

(iv) determining a date when the first image was taken;

or

(v) determining a quality measure of the first image comprising;

resolution, blurriness, or lighting.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, the method further comprising sending a notification in response to receiving the status information.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein it is determined that the first image is to be updated if status information is received for a predetermined number of objects within a given area of the geographical location.