Dynamic map synchronization

• US 9,792,368 B1
• Filed: 03/04/2010
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Amacker, Matthew W., Ruzon, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Rodney P
• Application Number:
  US12/717,859
• Time in Patent Office: 2,784 Days
• Field of Search: 701400, 701426, 701438, 701440
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3605 Destination input or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services

Abstract

Advantages of both conventional and digital maps can be obtained by utilizing a physical map as a type of input to any of various processing devices. In various embodiments, a user can capture an image of a physical map that includes at least one location of interest. The captured image can be matched with stored map information to obtain location information corresponding to the captured image. The location information can be used to provide any of a variety of types of functionality to the user, such as providing navigation directions to that location, displaying information about attractions around that location or statistics about that location, etc. The user in some embodiments can annotate the map to provide additional input, such as areas of interest, exclusion regions, and/or proposed driving routes.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing navigation directions, comprising:

receiving a query image that includes a representation of a physical map captured by a camera of a computing device;

determining, using a feature extraction algorithm, at least one first feature vector for the physical map represented in the query image;

determining, using the feature extraction algorithm, at least one annotation that is marked on the physical map represented in the query image;

comparing the at least one first feature vector from the physical map to a set of second feature vectors for map information of a map application;

determining matching map information based at least in part upon the at least one first feature vector matching at least one second feature vector of the set of second feature vectors, the matching map information including geographic location information;

determining a set of feature points corresponding to the at least one annotation;

determining a geographic relationship between the set of feature points and the geographic location information;

determining a set of navigation instructions based at least in part on the geographic relationship; and

based at least in part upon a current location of the computing device and the set of navigation instructions, displaying on the computing device a determined route from the current location to an identified location in the query image.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identified location is determined based on the current location and the annotation.

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

determining the current location of the computing device using a location component of the computing device.

4. A computer-implemented method of providing location-specific information, comprising:

receiving a query image of a physical map captured by a computing device;

determining, for the physical map, first features represented in the query image;

determining at least one annotation that is marked on the physical map represented in the query image;

comparing the first features to second features for map information of a map application;

determining matching map information for the query image based at least in part upon at least one first feature matching at least one second feature from the map information, the matching map information including geographic location information;

determining a set of feature points corresponding to the at least one annotation;

determining a geographic relationship between the set of feature points and the geographic location information;

determining a set of navigation instructions based at least in part on the geographic relationship; and

based at least in part upon a current location of the computing device and the set of navigation instructions, displaying location-specific information on the computing device the location-specific information being related to at least one location in the query image.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the geographic location information includes at least two geo-coordinates corresponding to specified locations in the matching map information.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a current location of the computing device,

wherein the location-specific information provided to the computing device is based at least in part upon the current location of the computing device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the matching map information comprises a plurality of zones, the location-specific information corresponding to at least one of the zones identified in the query image.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a presence of an annotation in the query image, the location-specific information being based at least in part upon a determined location of the annotation.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the location-specific information is further based at least in part upon a type of the annotation, the type corresponding to at least one of a color, shape, size, text, symbol, and orientation of the annotation.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein annotation by adding the annotation is present on the physical map before capturing the query image or is added digitally after the capturing.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the annotation corresponds to at least one of a starting point, end point, way point, or point of interest.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the location-specific information is provided to a device other than the computing device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the location-specific information is further based at least in part upon at least one of a type of request, preference information, profile information, and history information.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

when matching map information cannot be determined, utilizing at least one additional process to attempt to match the query image to matching map information.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the at least one additional process includes an optical character recognition process.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the query image comprises a video file.

17. A system for providing location-specific information, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive a query image of a physical map captured by a computing device;

determine, for the physical map, first features represented in the query image;

determine at least one annotation that is marked on the physical map represented in the query image;

compare the first features to second features for map information of a map application;

determine matching map information for the query image based at least in part upon at least one first feature matching at least one second feature from the map information, the matching map information including geographic location information;

determine a set of feature points corresponding to the at least one annotation;

determine a geographic relationship between the set of feature points and the geographic location information;

determine a set of navigation instructions based at least in part on the geographic relationship; and

based at least in part upon a current location of the computing device and the set of navigation instructions, display location-specific information on the computing device the location-specific information being related to at least one location in the query image.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

determine a current location of the computing device,

wherein the location-specific information provided to the computing device is based at least in part upon the current location of the computing device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

determine a presence of an annotation in the query image, the location-specific information being based at least in part upon a determined location of the annotation.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

provide the location-specific information to a device other than the computing device used to capture the query image.

21. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for providing location-specific information, the instructions when executed by a processor causing the processor to:

receive a query image of a physical map captured by a computing device;

determine, for the physical map, first features represented in the query image;

determine at least one annotation that is marked on the physical map represented in the query image;

compare the first features to second features for map information of a map application;

determine matching map information for the query image based at least in part upon at least one first feature matching at least one second feature from the map information, the matching map information including geographic location information;

determine a set of feature points corresponding to the at least one annotation;

determine a geographic relationship between the set of feature points and the geographic location information;

determine a set of navigation instructions based at least in part on the geographic relationship; and

based at least in part upon a current location of the computing device and the set of navigation instructions, display location-specific information on the computing device the location-specific information being related to at least one location in the query image.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

determine a current location of the computing device,

wherein the location-specific information provided to the computing device is based at least in part upon the current location of the computing device.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

determine a presence of an annotation in the query image, the location-specific information being based at least in part upon a determined location of the annotation.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

provide the location-specific information to a device other than the computing device used to capture the query image.