Interactive system for displaying detailed view and direction in panoramic images

• US 6,563,529 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1999
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Empire IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Jerry Jongerius
• Inventors: Jongerius, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Philippe, Gims S.
• Application Number:
  US09/416,505
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.718, 348/36, 348/37, 348/38, 348/39, 348/580, 348/147, 348/144, 348/563, 348/564, 348/565, 345/629, 345/419, 345/619, 345/848, 345/420, 382/154, 382/284, 382/294
• US Class Current: 348/36
• 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: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

A method and system for indicating the camera position, direction, and field of view in a map or panoramic image comprises a map image window which displays a map or panoramic image of the site to be studied (house, apartment, city, etc.). A detailed view window displays a portion of the map image, taken from a point in the site. A highlighted sector in the map image represents the viewing position, direction, and field of view that the detailed view window displays. When the user changes the field of view in the detailed view window, the highlighted sector in the map image changes in synchronism. The resulting interactive windows allow a person to easily and quickly view and understand the field of view, position, and direction of the image being displayed in the detail view window.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a detailed view of an area within a territory, taken from a predetermined location within said territory, and indicating the area and direction in which said detailed view is taken from within said territory, comprising:

providing a display that can display a map of a territory and a detailed view of an area within said territory, said detailed view being taken from a predetermined location within said territory,

displaying said map of said territory on said display,

displaying said detailed view, as taken from said predetermined location within said territory, as an image on said display,

providing an input means for a human operator to change the angular direction and area of said detailed view as seen from said location within said territory,

using said input means to change said angular direction and said area of said detailed view, thereby to move virtually through said territory,

indicating on said map said angular direction and said area of said detailed view, thereby providing, on said map, an indication of said angular direction and said area of said detailed view as seen from said location within said territory,

causing any change in said angular direction and said area of said detailed view to be simultaneously indicated by a corresponding change in said indication on said map, such that both said detailed view and said indication on said map change substantially simultaneously,

thereby to create a highly interactive display, which allows a human operator to better understand, by looking at said map, the area and direction of said detailed view.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said indicating on said map is done by causing said detailed view on said map to have a different brightness than the rest of said map.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said rest of said map is darkened relative to said detailed view so that said detailed view is effectively highlighted.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said change of angular direction or area of said detailed view is effected by manipulating the image of said detailed view.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said change of angular direction or area of said detailed view is effccted by manipulating said detailed view image on said map.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said map of said territory is a geographical image.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said map of said territory is an image of the inside of a building.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein said map and said detailed field are selectively arranged to change direction automatically and continuously.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said input means for a human operator to change the angular direction and area of said detailed view is also arranged to change said location from where said detailed view is taken, said input means is used to change said augural direction and origin of said detailed view, and said map and said detailed view image are arranged to indicate any changes in angular direction and origin of said detailed view.

10. A system for indicating the origin, area, and angular direction of a detailed view of an area within a territory, as seen from a point within said territory, and for also indicating changes in said origin, area, and angular direction, comprising:

detail display means for displaying a detailed view of an area within a territory, as seen from a point within said territory, and for enabling a user to change the origin, area, and angular direction of said area shown in said detailed view,

map display means for displaying a map of said territory and indicating the origin, area, and angular direction of said area within said territory, as shown in said detailed view, and

synchronization means for changing, in said map, the origin, area, and angular direction of said territory shown in said detailed view, said changing occurring in response to and in correspondence with changes in the origin, area, and angular direction of said territory shown in said detailed view, or for changing said detailed view in response to and in correspondence with changes in the origin, area, and angular direction of said detailed view of said area of said territory shown in said map.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said map display means is arranged to indicate the area of said territory shown in said detailed view in a different brightness than the rest of said map.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said map display means is arranged to darken the rest of said image relative to said area so that said area is effectively highlighted.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said synchronization means is responsive to manipulations of said detailed view.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein said synchronization means is responsive to manipulations of said area in said detailed view.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein said map is an image of a territory selected from the group consisting of geographic and inside-building images.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein said synchronization means is arranged to change direction and field of view of said map and said detailed view automatically and continuously.

17. A system for indicating the origin, area, and angular direction of a detailed view of an area within a territory, and for also indicating changes in said origin, area, and angular direction, as seen from a point within said territory, comprising:

a display for displaying a detailed view of an area of a territory, as seen from a point within said territory, and for enabling a user to change the origin, area, and angular direction of said area within said territory, as shown in said detailed view,

map display means for displaying a map of said territory and indicating the origin, area, and angular direction said area of said territory shown by said detailed view, and

a synchronizer for changing, in said map, the origin, area, and angular direction of said area of said area within said territory shown in said detailed view in response to and in correspondence with changes in said origin, area, and angular direction of said territory shown in said detailed view.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said map display means is arranged to indicate the portion of said territory shown in said detailed view in a different brightness than the rest of said map.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said map display means is arranged to darken the rest of said image relative to said field of view so that said the field of view is effectively highlighted.

20. The system of claim 17 further including:

a timer for automatically changing said field of view at a predetermined interval, and

a timer stop for enabling an operator to end said automatic changing of said field of view.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein said territory represents a room in a building and said map image is a floor plan of said building.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein said territory represents a part of a geographical area and said map represents said geographical area.

23. A system for indicating the origin and area of a detailed view of an area within in a territory, as seen from a point within said territory, comprising:

a display for displaying a detailed view of an area within a territory as seen from a point within said territory, and for enabling a user to change the location of said point, said area, and the angular direction of said area as seen from said point, as shown in said detailed view,

a map display for displaying a map of said territory and indicating said point, said area, and said angular direction of said area as seen from said point, as shown in said detailed view, and

a synchronizer for changing, in said map, said point, said area, and said angular direction of said area within said territory indicated by said detailed view in response to and in correspondence with changes in said point origin, said area, or said angular direction as shown in said detailed view.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein said map display is arranged to indicate said area of said territory shown in said detailed view in a different brightness than the rest of said map.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said map display is arranged to darken the rest of said image relative to said area of said territory so that said area is effectively highlighted.

26. The system of claim 23 further including:

a module for automatically changing said area at a predetermined interval, and

a module for enabling an operator to end said automatic changing of said area.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein said territory represents a plan of a floor of a building and said detailed view shows a room on said floor of said building.

28. The system of claim 23 wherein said territory represents a geographical area and said detailed view shows a sector of said geographical area.