Panoramic images within driving directions

A system for displaying panoramic images within driving directions, comprising:

• a processor;
• a driving directions module that displays a plurality of driving direction steps that form a driving directions path between a start address and a destination address and that receives user input selecting a driving direction step of the plurality of driving direction steps;
• and
• a panorama viewer that displays a panoramic image of a geographic area where a driving action associated with the selected driving direction step would be performed by a driver,
• wherein the panorama viewer further displays a first panoramic navigation control on the panoramic image, wherein the first panoramic navigation control illustrates the driving action associated with the selected driving direction step, and simulates the driving action when the first panoramic navigation control is selected, and
• wherein the panorama viewer renders one or more segments of a polyline representative of the driving directions path on the panoramic image when the panoramic image is sufficiently proximate to the driving directions path;
• one or more first modules that:
• determine the location of the panoramic image;
• determine a distance from the location of the panoramic image to a nearest vertex of the polyline;
• determine a distance from the location of the panoramic image to a nearest segment of the polyline;
• associate the panoramic image with the nearest vertex when the panoramic image is sufficiently close to the nearest vertex based on a specified distance;
• associate the panoramic image with the nearest segment of the polyline when the panoramic image is not sufficiently proximate to the nearest vertex but is sufficiently close to the nearest segment based on the specified distance;
• wherein
• when the panoramic image is sufficiently proximate to the driving directions path, determine the one or more segments of the polyline to render on the panoramic image;
• and
• a second module that:
• selects a first segment and a second segment of the polyline, immediately adjacent to the nearest vertex to render on the panoramic image, when the panoramic image is associated with the nearest vertex of the polyline;
• and
• selects a third segment and a fourth segment of the polyline both parallel to the nearest segment of the polyline to render on the panoramic image, when the panoramic image is associated with the nearest segment.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor to display panoramic images within driving directions, the computer program logic comprising:

• first means for enabling a processor to display a plurality of driving direction steps that form a driving directions path between a start address and a destination address;
• means for enabling a processor to receive user input selecting a driving direction step of the plurality of driving direction steps;
• second means for enabling a processor to display a panoramic image of a geographic area where a driving action associated with the selected driving direction step would be performed by a driver,
• means for enabling a processor to display a first navigation control on the panoramic image, wherein the first navigation control illustrates the driving action associated with the driving direction step;
• means for enabling a processor to simulate the driving action when said first navigation control is selected;
• and
• means for enabling a processor to render one or more segments of a polyline, which is representative of the driving directions path and which includes one or more segments and one or more vertices, on the panoramic image when the panoramic image is sufficiently proximate to the driving directions path, by:
• determining that the panoramic image is sufficiently proximate to the driving directions path based on the polyline;
• determining whether the sufficient proximity of the panoramic image to the driving directions path is based on a nearest vertex of the one or more vertices of the polyline, or on a nearest segment of the one or more segments of the polyline;
• in a case where the sufficient proximity is based on the nearest vertex, rendering a first segment and a second segment of the polyline, adjacent to the nearest vertex, on the panoramic image;
• and
• in a case where the sufficient proximity corresponds to the nearest segment, rendering a third segment and a fourth segment of the polyline, both parallel to the nearest segment, on the panoramic image.