Interactive geo-referenced source imagery viewing system and method

• US 9,025,810 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2010
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Reinhardt, Tilman, Lafon, Stephane, Szybalski, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Thirugnanam, Gandhi
• Application Number:
  US12/754,066
• Time in Patent Office: 1,856 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/38 with means for controlling the display position

Abstract

The present invention pertains to geographical image applications. A user may transition between nadir and street level imagery using unstitched oblique imagery. Oblique images offer a rich set of views of a target location and provide a smooth transition to or from other images such as nadir photographs taken by satellites or street level photographs taken by ground level users. Using unstitched oblique images avoids artifacts that may be introduced when stitching together one or more images. This allows an application to display images to a user and create the illusion of three dimensional motion.

Claims

1. A method of processing geographical imagery, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, a user request related to orbiting a target location;

issuing, by one or more processors, a request for images, the request including the target location;

receiving, by one or more processors, a plurality of unstitched oblique images in response to the request, wherein each of the unstitched oblique images represent the target location as viewed from a camera position different than the other unstitched oblique images;

selecting, by one or more processors, a sequence of unstitched oblique images from the plurality of unstitched oblique images based at least in part on the creation of a smooth orbiting effect around the target location, wherein the target location is maintained in a general center of each of the unstitched oblique images in the sequence; and

for each unstitched oblique images in the sequence of unstitched oblique images, providing for display, by one or more processors, the unstitched oblique image in conjunction with other imagery from different viewpoints of the target location to create an orbiting effect around the target location in response to the user request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the sequence of unstitched oblique images includes ranking the plurality of received unstitched oblique images according to at least one factor and choosing one of the oblique images having a highest ranking.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the smooth orbiting effect includes smoothly transitioning to or from the selected unstitched oblique image by performing a blending function, wherein the blending function is one of the following:

a linear transition function, a step transition function, or a smooth transition function having an S-curve transition.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising reissuing the request for images upon receipt of a panning input.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising overlaying map information on the unstitched oblique image provided for display.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding a three dimensional depth map to the unstitched oblique image provided for display.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one factor includes one of the following:

image resolution, image coverage, image quality, image date stamp, or proximity of image view point to a view point of the user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the smooth orbiting effect includes the target location remaining in an approximate center of the display.

7. A system for processing geographical imagery, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory including instructions capable of causing the one or more processors to;

receive a user request related to orbiting a target location;

issue a request for images, the request including the target location;

receive a plurality of unstitched oblique images in response to the request, wherein each of the unstitched oblique images represent the target location as viewed from a camera position different than the other unstitched oblique images;

select a sequence of unstitched oblique images from the plurality of unstitched oblique images based at least in part on the creation of a smooth orbiting effect around the target location, wherein the target location is maintained in a general center of each of the unstitched oblique images in the sequence; and

for each unstitched oblique images in the sequence unstitched oblique images, providing for display the unstitched oblique image in conjunction with other imagery of the target location from different viewpoints to create the smooth orbiting effect around the target location in response to the user request.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors rank the plurality of received unstitched oblique images according to at least one factor and choose one of the oblique images having a highest ranking.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the smooth orbiting effect includes smoothly transitioning to or from the selected unstitched oblique image by performing a blending function, wherein the blending function is one of the following:

a linear transition function, a step transition function, or a smooth transition function having an S-curve transition.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one factor includes one of the following:

image resolution, image coverage, image quality, image date stamp, or proximity of image view point to a view point of the user.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the smooth orbiting effect includes the target location remaining in an approximate center of the display.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium recorded with instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method of processing geographical imagery, comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, a user request related to orbiting a target location;

issuing, by one or more processors, a request for images, the request including the target location;

receiving, by one or more processors, a plurality of unstitched oblique images in response to the request, wherein each of the unstitched oblique images represent the target location as viewed from a camera position different than the other unstitched oblique images;

selecting, by one or more processors, a sequence of sequence unstitched oblique images from the plurality of unstitched oblique images based at least in part on the creation of a smooth orbiting effect around the target location, wherein the target location is maintained in a general center of each of the unstitched oblique images in the sequence; and

for each unstitched oblique images in the sequence of unstitched oblique images, providing for display, by one or more processors, the unstitched oblique image in conjunction with other imagery of the target location from different viewpoints to create an orbiting effect around the target location in response to the user request.

15. The recording medium of claim 14, wherein selecting the sequence of unstitched oblique images includes ranking the plurality of received unstitched oblique images according to at least one factor and choosing one of the oblique images having a highest ranking.

16. The recording medium of claim 14, wherein the smooth orbiting effect includes smoothly transitioning to or from the selected unstitched oblique image by performing a blending function, wherein the blending function is one of the following:

a linear transition function, a step transition function, or a smooth transition function having an S-curve transition.

17. The recording medium of claim 14, further comprising reissuing the request for images upon receipt of a panning input.

18. The recording medium of claim 14, further comprising adding a three dimensional depth map to the selected unstitched oblique image provided for display.

19. The recording medium of claim 14, wherein the at least one factor includes one of the following:

image resolution, image coverage, image quality, image date stamp, or proximity of image view point to a view point of the user.

20. The recording medium of claim 14, wherein the selected unstitched oblique image smoothly transitions to or from the other imagery on a display, and the target location remains in an approximate center of the display.