Automatically generating panorama tours

• US 10,643,385 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sheridan, Alan, Donsbach, Aaron Michael, Filip, Daniel Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Harandi, Siamak
• Application Number:
  US15/790,315
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/587 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• 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: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20221 Image fusion; Image merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/60 Rotation of whole images or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/16 using multiple overlapping images; Image stitching
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/422 Technical drawings; Geographical maps

Abstract

In one aspect, a request to generate an automated tour based on a set of panoramic images is received. Each particular panoramic image is associated with geographic location information and linking information linking the particular panoramic image with one or more other panoramic images in the set. A starting panoramic image and a second panoramic image are determined based at least in part on the starting panoramic image and the linking information associated with the starting and second panoramic images. A first transition between the starting panoramic image and the second panoramic image is also determined based at least in part on the linking information for these panoramic images. Additional panoramic images as well as a second transition for between the additional panoramic images are also determined. The determined panoramic images and transitions are added to the tour according to an order of the tour.

Claims

1. A method of generating an automated tour, the method comprising:

identifying, by one or more processors, a first image from a plurality of pre-linked images;

displaying, by the one or more processors, the first image at a first orientation;

selecting, by the one or more processors, a second image from the plurality of pre-linked images based on a link between the first image and the second image;

automatically generating, by the one or more processors, a transition between the first image and the second image based on the link, wherein the transition includes rotating the first image from being displayed at the first orientation to being displayed at a second orientation before displaying the second image;

generating, by the one or more processors, the automated tour using the first image, the second image, and the transition between the first image and the second image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the link describes a first orientation of the first image and a second orientation of the second image.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for the automated tour from a first client computing device; and

providing for display the automated tour to the first computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the rotation of the first image from a first orientation to a second orientation corresponds to a first panning rotation in the first image in order to provide a feeling of rotating in place within the first image.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the transition further includes after displaying the second image, a second panning rotation within the second image.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the rotating in the first image corresponds to a first angle change, and the method further comprises, including in the automated tour, after the transition, a panning rotation corresponds to a second angle change within the second image, the first angle change being different from the second angle change.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the transition is further based on a minimum degree of rotation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the transition is further based on a number of transitions within the automated tour that include at least some rotation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the generating the transitions is further based on a percentage of transitions within the automated tour that include at least some rotation.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the transition further based on a percentage of transitions within the automated tour that are followed immediately by a panning rotation in an image of the automated tour.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition corresponds to a user moving forward through a space from the first image to the second image.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition corresponds to a user moving backward through a space from the first image to the second image.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition corresponds to a user moving at an orientation between forward and backward through a space from the first image to the second image.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the transition is further based on an overlap threshold parameter.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the overlap threshold parameter corresponds to projecting a first field of view of the first image and a second field of view of the second image and determining a percentage of overlap between the projections.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein generating the transition further includes determining an amount of the rotation based on whether the overlap threshold parameter is satisfied.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein generating the transition is further includes adjusting a minimum degree of rotation for the transition based on whether the overlap threshold parameter is satisfied.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein generating the transition is further includes forgoing a minimum degree of rotation for the transition based on whether the overlap threshold parameter is satisfied.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition further includes after displaying the second image, a second panning rotation within the second image when the second image is a last image in the automated tour.

20. A system for generating an automated tour, the system comprising one or more processors configured to:

identify a first image from a plurality of pre-linked images;

display the first image at a first orientation;

select a second image from the plurality of pre-linked images based on a link between the first image and the second image;

automatically generate a transition between the first image and the second image based on the link, wherein the transition includes rotating the first image from being displayed at the first orientation to being displayed at a second orientation before displaying the second image;

generate the automated tour using the first image, the second image, and the transition between the first image and the second image.