Method and apparatus for accessing multi-dimensional mapping and information

A system of providing an interactive mapping and panoramic imaging application for utilization by a user input device, the system comprising:

• a computer;
• a memory;
• a computer display screen;
• a panoramic database stored in the memory;
• a map database stored in the memory;
• a text database stored in the memory;
• the user input device;
• and
• a computer program stored in the memory and executed by the computer to display on the computer display screen one of a plurality of panoramic images stored on the panoramic database, each panoramic image corresponding to a geographical location, the panoramic image navigable in response to input by the user input device, the panoramic image having embedded hotspots therein corresponding to selected panoramic images of geographically adjacent locations,
• display on the computer display screen, simultaneous with displaying the panoramic image, a map image corresponding with the displayed panoramic image, the map image stored on a map database, the map navigable in response to input by the user input device, the map having embedded hotspots therein corresponding to the plurality of panoramic images,
• display on the computer display screen, simultaneously with displaying the panoramic image and the map image, a text panel, the text panel displaying textual information corresponding to the displayed panoramic image, the text panel capable of receiving textual input from the user input device for activating a search of the text database having a plurality of text data corresponding to the plurality of panoramic images, and
• update the displayed panoramic image, the displayed map image and the displayed textual information, in response to the user activating a hotspot, such that each of the displayed map image and the displayed textual information correspond to the displayed panoramic image.

A computer program product for providing an interactive mapping and panoramic imaging application for utilization by a user input device, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium storing computer executable program code that, when executed by a processor, cause the computer executable program code to perform a method comprising the steps of:
• displaying on a screen one of a plurality of panoramic images stored on a panoramic database, each panoramic image corresponding to a geographical location, the panoramic image navigable in response to input by the user input device, the panoramic image having embedded hotspots therein corresponding to selected panoramic images of geographically adjacent locations,
• displaying on the screen, simultaneous with displaying the panoramic image, a map image corresponding with the displayed panoramic image, the map image stored on a map database, the map navigable in response to input by input device, the map having embedded hotspots therein corresponding to the plurality of panoramic images,
• displaying on the screen, simultaneously with displaying the panoramic image and the map image, a text panel, the text panel displaying textual information corresponding to the displayed panoramic image, the text panel capable of receiving textual input from the user input device for activating a search of a text database having a plurality of text data corresponding to the plurality of panoramic images, and
• updating the displayed panoramic image, the displayed map image and the displayed textual information, in response to the user input device activating a hotspot, such that each of the displayed map image and the displayed textual information correspond to the displayed panoramic image.