Image-based walkthrough system and process employing spatial video streaming

An interactive, client-server based computer network for providing a walkthrough environment in which images of a surrounding scene are displayed to a viewer associated with the client, comprising:

• a client comprising at least one general purpose computing device;
• and
• a computer program comprising program modules executable by the client, wherein the client is directed by the program modules to,
• present a virtual walkthrough space to the viewer in which the viewer can select viewing parameters for viewing the scene;
• ascertain current viewing parameters selected by the viewer, said viewing parameters comprising at least a viewing position and viewing direction within the walkthrough space;
• transmit at least the current viewing position to the server over the network;
• receive from the server over the network descriptive information concerning a source of image data associated with a point in the walkthrough space that is closest to the current viewing position, wherein a source of image data comprises image data from which an image of a part or all of the surrounding scene as viewed from one or more points in the walkthrough space can be rendered, and wherein the descriptive information comprises an indicator of the type of image data and information needed to selectively request portions of the image data and to render an image therefrom,
• request the image data needed to render an image depicting at least a part of the scene as would be viewed from the coordinates of the closest source point in the current viewing direction from the server over the network in a prescribed order,
• receive over the network the requested image data transmitted by the server,
• use the received image data to render the viewer's image.

An interactive, client-server based computer network for providing a walkthrough environment in which images of a surrounding scene are displayed to a viewer associated with the client, comprising:

• a server comprising at least one general purpose computing device;
• and
• a computer program comprising program modules executable by the server, wherein the server is directed by the program modules to,
• define a virtual walkthrough space in which the viewer can select viewing parameters comprising a viewing position on a viewing plane therein and a viewing direction for viewing the scene;
• divide the viewing plane of the walkthrough space into a sectioned grid comprising a plurality of cells;
• assign to each cell of the grid at least one source of image data from which a view of a part or all of the surrounding scene as viewed from that cell can be rendered, wherein each of said image data sources assigned to a cell is associated with at least one point within the cell;
• and
• receive from a client over the network a set of viewer-selected, current viewing parameters comprising at least a viewing position within the walkthrough space;
• determine in which cell the current viewing position resides,
• ascertain which of the points associated with data sources assigned to the cell containing the selected position and any directly adjoining cell is closest to the current viewing position,
• transmit to the client over the network descriptive information concerning the source of image data associated with the point in the walkthrough space that is closest to the current viewing position, wherein the descriptive information comprises an indicator of the type of image data and information needed for the client to selectively request portions of the image data and to render an image therefrom,
• receive requests from the client over the network for image data needed to render an image depicting at least a part of the scene as would be viewed from the current viewing position in the current viewing direction, and
• transmit the requested image data to the client over the network.

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for providing image data, said computer-executable instructions comprising:

• defining a virtual walkthrough space in which the viewer can select viewing parameters comprising a viewing position on a viewing plane therein and a viewing direction for viewing the scene;
• dividing the viewing plane of the walkthrough space into a sectioned grid comprising a plurality of cells;
• assigning to each cell of the grid at least one source of image data from which a view of a part or all of the surrounding scene as viewed from that cell can be rendered, wherein each of said image data sources assigned to a cell is associated with at least one point within the cell;
• inputting the viewer's current viewing parameters comprising at least a viewing position within the walkthrough space;
• determining in which cell the current viewing position resides;
• ascertaining which of the points associated with data sources assigned to the cell containing the selected position and any directly adjoining cell is closest to the current viewing position;
• outputting descriptive information concerning the source of image data associated with the point in the walkthrough space that is closest to the current viewing position, wherein the descriptive information comprises an indicator of the type of image data and information needed to selectively request portions of the image data and to render an image therefrom;
• inputting requests for image data needed to render an image depicting at least a part of the scene as would be viewed from the current viewing position in a currently selected viewing direction, and
• outputting the requested image data.

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for providing images of a surrounding scene to a viewer, said computer-executable instructions comprising:

• presenting a virtual walkthrough space to the viewer in which the viewer can select viewing parameters for viewing the scene;
• ascertaining current viewing parameters selected by the viewer, said viewing parameters comprising at least a viewing position and viewing direction within the walkthrough space;
• outputting the current viewing position;
• inputting descriptive information concerning a source of image data associated with a point in the walkthrough space that is closest to the current viewing position, wherein a source of image data comprises image data from which an image of a part or all of the surrounding scene as viewed from one or more points in the walkthrough space can be rendered, and wherein the descriptive information comprises an indicator of the type of image data and information needed to selectively request portions of the image data and to render an image therefrom,
• outputting requests for the image data needed to render an image depicting at least a part of the scene as would be viewed from the coordinates of the closest source point in the current viewing direction in a prescribed order,
• inputting the requested image data,
• using the received image data to render the viewer's image.