PANORAMIC RING USER INTERFACE

• US 20080066000A1
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Welsh, Ricky Dean, Ofek, Eyal
• Granted Patent: US 8,453,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A computer-readable medium and user interface for displaying media objects on a geographic map to a user are described. Indications from the user are received specifying a target location and a view direction on the geographic map. A database is accessed to retrieve media objects, either individually or in a panoramic view, that were captured in a geographic location in the proximity of the target location. The retrieved media objects are displayed on the map according to their geographic location from the target location. Enlarged versions of any of the retrieved media objects captured in the view direction from the target location are then presented to the user.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface embodied on a computer-readable medium and executable on a computer, said graphical user interface comprising:

a first display area configured for depicting a target location on an interactive map; and

a second display area configured for displaying a first media object around the target location, wherein the second display area is positioned such that the media object is placed on the interactive map in the direction from the target location that the media object was captured.

2. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising a third display area configured for displaying a second media object around the target location, wherein the third display area is positioned such that the second media object is placed on the interactive map in the direction from the target location that the second media object was captured.

3. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising a fourth display area configured for displaying an enlarged version of the first media object.

4. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the first media object is a photographic image.

5. The graphical user interface of claim 4, wherein the photographic image is a panoramic image.

6. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps to display one or more media objects on a geographic map, wherein the one or more media objects are related to a target location and view direction specified by a user, comprising:

receiving an indication from a user specifying a view direction on the geographic map from the target location;

accessing a database for one or more media objects that were captured in the user-specified direction from the target location; and

presenting the one or more media objects to the user.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the target location is specified by one of either an indication from the user or an administrator.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein receiving the indication from the user specifying the view direction on the geographic map from the target location further comprises the user dragging a mouse pointer in a direction on the geographic map.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, further comprising:

accessing the database for at least one media object that was captured around the target location; and

presenting the at least one media object around the target location on the geographic map, wherein the at least one media object is positioned on the geographic map according to the location at which it was captured.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving an indication of one or more parameters;

searching for at least one of the one or more media objects that contains the one or more parameters; and

presenting the at least one of the one or more media objects that contains the one or more parameters.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein accessing the database for the one or more media objects further comprises searching the database for media objects assigned a geocode in the proximity of the target location.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving an indication for a panoramic image around the target location;

locating the panoramic image around the target location; and

displaying the panoramic image on the geographic map around the target location.

13. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method of providing a geographic map on the display and presenting one or media objects related to a target location and view direction selected by a user on the geographic map, comprising:

displaying one or more media objects around a target location on the geographic map, such that each of the one or more media objects is placed in the direction from the target location that each of the one or more media objects was captured;

receiving an indication from the user specifying a direction from the target location on the geographic map; and

displaying an enlarged version of the one or more media objects in the specified direction.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving an indication of one or more parameters;

searching for at least one of the one or more media objects that contains the one or more parameters; and

presenting the at least one of the one or more media objects that contains the one or more parameters.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising accessing the database for media objects assigned a geocode in the proximity of the target location.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the indication from the user specifying the view direction on the geographic map from the target location further comprises the user dragging a mouse pointer in a direction on the geographic map.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the indication from the user specifying the view direction on the geographic map from the target location further comprises the user entering a street address into a text field.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the target location is specified by one of either an indication from the user or an administrator.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more media objects further comprise a panoramic image.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving an indication of one or more parameters;

searching for a portion of the panoramic image containing the one or more parameters; and

presenting the portion of the panoramic image containing the one or more parameters.