GEO-CODING IMAGES

• US 20070258642A1
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Thota, Chandrasekhar
• Granted Patent: US 8,712,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• 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 16/587 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location

Abstract

A unique system, method, and user interface are provided that facilitate more efficient indexing and retrieval of images. In particular, the systems and methods involve annotating or geo-coding images with their location metadata. Geo-coded images can be displayed on a map and browsed or queried based on their location metadata. Images can be annotated one by one or in bulk to reduce repetitiveness and inconsistency among related images. More specifically, selected images can be dropped onto a map, thereby triggering a virtual marker to appear. The virtual marker facilitates pinpointing the precise location associated with the images on the map with a higher level of granularity. The system and method can also generate customized directions and include geo-coded images throughout to serve as visual landmarks. Privacy controls can be employed as well to control access and modification of the images.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates geo-based storage and retrieval of images comprising:

a geo-code annotation component that annotates at least one image with geographic location metadata; and

a map-based display component that displays one or more geo-coded images on a map according to their respective locations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographic location metadata comprises coordinates corresponding to a location associated with the image.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprises an image store that stores images and geo-coded images.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprises a location-based query component that searches through an image store to find at least one match to the location-based search input based on the location metadata stored therein.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the map-based display component displays any matches to the location-based search input according to their locations on the map.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprises a privacy control component that controls at least one of access, view, and modification of any stored images by verifying permission levels.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprises a map engine processor that generates a customized set of directions comprising one or more geo-coded images, wherein the one or more geo-coded images represent landmarks along a route provided in the directions.

8. A user interface that facilitates geo-based storage and retrieval of images comprising:

a selection component that selects at least one image for geo-coding and moves that image onto a map; and

at least one marker that pinpoints with a high level of granularity a location on a map with which one or more images are associated and thus geo-coded.

9. The user interface of claim 8 further comprises one or more navigational components that manipulate a view of the map and any geo-coded images displayed thereon.

10. The user interface of claim 9, wherein the one or more navigational components comprises a zoom component and a panning component.

11. The user interface of claim 9, wherein the one or more navigational components hovers over the at least one marker to reveal additional details about a corresponding geo-coded image.

12. The user interface of claim 8 further comprises one or more visualization cues that identify geo-coded images.

13. The user interface of claim 8, wherein movement of an image onto the map triggers the at least one marker to appear on the map.

14. The user interface of claim 8, wherein the at least one marker comprises a virtual pushpin, flag, or thumbtack.

15. The user interface of claim 8 further comprises a find component that displays geo-coded images on the map based on their location.

16. A method that facilitates geo-based storage and retrieval of images comprising:

annotating at least one image with geographic location metadata; and

displaying one or more geo-coded images on a map according to their respective locations.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein annotating the at least one image comprises:

selecting the at least one image to be annotated from an image store; and

dragging and dropping the at least one image onto the map to facilitate locating geographic location metadata on the map.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein dropping the one or more images onto the map triggers at least one marker to appear on the map, whereby the marker is movable to provide a high level of granularity when pinpointing the image to a location on the map.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprises verifying a permission level before providing access, editing, or viewing rights to any stored images.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprises generating customized content that includes one or more geo-coded images whereby the images are positioned within the content based in part on their respective locations.