Geo-coding images

• US 8,712,192 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Thota, Chandrasekhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Chu, Randolph I
• Application Number:
  US11/379,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20070258642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,931 Days
• Field of Search: 382/305, 358/403, 358/404, 707/1
• US Class Current: 382/305
• 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. One or more computer-storage memory having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for storing a system that facilitates geo-based storage and retrieval of images, the system comprising:

a geo-code annotation component that annotates at least one image together with geographic location metadata to create at least one geo-coded image after the at least one image has been dragged and dropped onto a map from a photo sharing application, and transmits the at least one geo-coded image for storage in an image store,

wherein dropping the at least one image onto the map triggers the appearance of a marker that, before annotation, is moveable to any location on the map, and wherein the geographic location metadata correspond to the location of the marker at the time of annotation; and

a map-based display component that displays;

(1) the marker associated with each of the at least one geo-coded image, the marker being indicative of the location associated with the respective at least one geo-coded image, and

(2) the at least one geo-coded image or at least one image icon representative of the at least one geo-coded image on the map at a position indicative of a location corresponding to the geographic location metadata associated with the at least one geo-coded image,

wherein a display of the marker, a geo-coded image or image icon, or both, is based on a zoom view of the map.

2. The computer-storage memory of claim 1, wherein the geographic location metadata comprises coordinates corresponding to the location associated with the at least one geo-coded image.

3. The computer-storage memory of claim 1, wherein the image store stores images and geo-coded images.

4. The computer-storage memory of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a location-based query component that searches through the image store to find at least one match to the location-based search input based on the geographic location metadata stored therein, wherein the location-based search input is a geographic place name.

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

6. The computer-storage memory of claim 1, wherein the system 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 computer-storage memory of claim 1, wherein the system 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.

14. The computer-storage memory of claim 1, wherein the one or more geo-coded images on the map are displayed as part of a story of a trip to an area that includes the location represented by the geographic location metadata of the one or more geo-coded images.

15. The computer storage memory of claim 1, wherein the marker comprises one of a virtual pushpin, flag, or thumbtack.

8. One or more computer-storage memory storing computer-executable instructions for performing a method that facilitates geo-based storage and retrieval of images, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of one or more images or groups of images in a photo sharing application;

receiving a user request to drag and drop the one or more images or groups of images onto a map;

in response to the user request, transmitting an instruction to display a marker corresponding to each image or group of images, the markers being moveable to any location on the map until the images or groups of images are annotated;

after the user has moved at least one marker, annotating the image or group of images corresponding to the at least one marker with geographic location metadata to create a geo-coded image or group of geo-coded images, wherein the geographic location metadata represent the location of the corresponding marker at the time of annotation;

storing the image or group of images together with the geographic location metadata in an image store; and

transmitting instructions to display the at least one geo-coded image or group of geo-coded images or at least one image icon representative of the at least one geo-coded image or group of geo-coded images on the map at a position indicative of a respective location corresponding to the geographic location metadata associated with the at least one geo-coded image or group of geo-coded images, wherein a display of the marker, a geo-coded image or image icon, or both, is based on a zoom view of the map.

9. The computer-storage memory of claim 8, wherein the images or groups of images included in the user selection are located in an image store.

10. The computer-storage memory of claim 8, further comprising verifying a permission level before providing access, editing, or viewing rights to any stored images.

11. The computer-storage memory of claim 8, wherein the displayed at least one geo-coded image or group of geo-coded images are part of customized content.

12. The computer-storage memory of claim 11, wherein the customized content is a story of a trip to an area that includes the location represented by the geographic location metadata of the at least one geo-coded image or group of geo-coded images.

13. The computer-storage memory of claim 11, wherein the customized content is driving directions.

16. The computer storage memory of claim 8, wherein the marker comprises one of a virtual pushpin, flag, or thumbtack.