Method and apparatus for presenting a first-person world view of content

• US 8,543,917 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ketola, Pekka, Johansson, Panu, Selenius, Jari, Partanen, Lotta Maaria, Reponen, Erika Piia Pauliina, Kernen, Jaakko
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LE V
• Application Number:
  US12/636,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 715/712, 715/738, 715/856, 715/708, 715/863
• US Class Current: 715/712
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• 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

Abstract

An approach is provided for presenting a global view of content. A content mapping platform receives an access address of content, the content including location information. The content mapping platform then determines availability information of the content by causing, at least in part, detection of the content at the access address and causing, at least in part, presentation of the content on a user interface of a user device indicating the location information based on the availability information of the content.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an access address of content, the content including location information;

determining availability information of the content by causing, at least in part, detection of the content at the access address; and

causing, at least in part, presentation of the content on a user interface of a user device indicating the location information based on the availability information of the content,

wherein the user interface depicts an object in which a surface of the Earth closest to a user of the user device is transparent to show the location information on an opposite surface of the Earth.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically verifying the availability information of the content by causing, at least in part, detection of the content at the access address at a predetermined interval; and

updating the availability information of the content based on the periodic verification.

3. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a location, directional heading, and angle of elevation of the user device;

causing, at least in part, rendering of the user interface to include a first person perspective based on the determined location, directional heading, and angle of elevation; and

indicating on the user interface the location information of the content or a direction to the location information of the content in the user interface,

wherein the location, directional heading, and angle of elevation of the user device and the corresponding user interface are updated as the user device moves.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein the object is shown as a mirror image of the object when viewed as being on the surface of the Earth closest to the user.

5. A method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving an input, for the user device, for locking the location, directional heading, and angle of elevation of the user device,

wherein the user interface is rendered based on the locked location, directional heading, and angle of elevation, and movement of the user device does not update the user interface.

6. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input, from the user device, for specifying a time period in the past, present, or future,

wherein the availability information of the content is determined with respect to the time period.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is a map that includes a graphical representation of the content on the map based on the location information and the availability information of the content.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the content includes live media, stored media, metadata associated with media, text information, location information of other user devices, mapping data, geo-tagged data, or a combination thereof.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

receive an access address of content, the content including location information,

determine availability information of the content by causing, at least in part, detection of the content at the access address, and

cause, at least in part, presentation of the content on a user interface of a user device indicating the location information based on the availability information of the content,

wherein the user interface depicts an object in which a surface of the Earth closest to a user of the user device is transparent to show the location information on an opposite surface of the Earth.

10. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

periodically verify the availability information of the content by causing, at least in part, detection of the content at the access address at a predetermined interval; and

update the availability information of the content based on the periodic verification.

11. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine a location, directional heading, and angle of elevation of the user device;

cause, at least in part, rendering of the user interface to include a first person perspective based on the determined location, directional heading, and angle of elevation; and

indicate on the user interface the location information of the content or a direction to the location information of the content in the user interface,

wherein the location, directional heading, and angle of elevation of the user device and the corresponding user interface are updated as the user device moves.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the object is shown as a mirror image of the object when viewed as being on the surface of the Earth closest to the user.

13. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive an input, for the user device, for locking the location, directional heading, and angle of elevation of the user device,

wherein the user interface is rendered based on the locked location, directional heading, and angle of elevation, and movement of the user device does not update the user interface.

14. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive an input, from the user device, for specifying a time period in the past, present, or future,

wherein the availability information of the content is determined with respect to the time period.

15. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the user interface is a map that includes a graphical representation of the content on the map based on the location information and the availability information of the content.

16. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the content includes live media, stored media, metadata associated with media, text information, location information of other user devices, mapping data, geo-tagged data, or a combination thereof.

17. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is a device further comprising:

user interface circuitry and user interface software configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of a mobile phone through use of a display and configured to respond to user input; and

a display and display circuitry configured to display at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile phone, the display and display circuitry configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone.

18. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

receiving an access address of content, the content including location information;

determining availability information of the content by causing, at least in part, detection of the content at the access address; and

causing, at least in part, presentation of the content on a user interface of a user device indicating the location information based on the availability information of the content,

wherein the user interface depicts an object in which a surface of the Earth closest to a user of the user device is transparent to show the location information on an opposite surface of the Earth.

19. A computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:

periodically verifying the availability information of the content by causing, at least in part, detection of the content at the access address at a predetermined interval; and

updating the availability information of the content based on the periodic verification.

20. A computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:

determining a location, directional heading, and angle of elevation of the user device;

causing, at least in part, rendering of the user interface to include a first person perspective based on the determined location, directional heading, and angle of elevation; and

indicating on the user interface the location information of the content or a direction to the location information of the content in the user interface,

wherein the location, directional heading, and angle of elevation of the user device and the corresponding user interface are updated as the user device moves.