US 8,570,329 B1 · Subtle camera motions to indicate imagery type in a mapping system

Abstract

A technique for providing a subtle indication of imagery type can be implemented in a software application, such as a mapping application, that displays interactive imagery in a three-dimensional scene and allows users to tap, click, or otherwise select points within the displayed images to pull up corresponding detailed photographs. A pulled-up photograph may be laid out on a surface having a curvature (e.g., the surface of a sphere or a cylinder), in which case the viewport slides along the photograph in a three-dimensional space as the photograph is inspected, or on a surface having no curvature (i.e., the photograph is flat), in which case the viewport pans along the photograph in a two-dimensional space. However, at the time when a user selects a point within the interactive image, the user does not know whether the photograph associated with this point is laid out on a curved surface or a flat surface. To provide a subtle indication of whether the photograph is laid out on a curved surface or a flat surface, the user interface temporarily repositions the viewport along the surface of the photograph.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method for indicating available types of interaction with an interactive digital image, the method comprising:

rendering an interactive scene via a user interface;
receiving, via the user interface, a selection of points within the interactive scene;
identifying interactive digital images associated with the respective selected points for display via the user interface;
determining respective image types of the identified interactive digital images;
and
rendering an animated indication of available types of movement of the identified interactive digital images via the user interface as a function of the respective determined image types, including:
when the respective determined image type is a three-dimensional panoramic photograph having a non-zero curvature, temporarily repositioning the interactive digital image along a surface with a non-zero curvature, and
when the respective determined image type is a two-dimensional flat photograph having zero curvature, temporarily repositioning the interactive digital image along a surface with zero curvature.

5 more elements

A computer system for indicating the curvature of a digital image, the system comprising:

a first processor;
a first memory communicatively coupled to the first processor;
and
a user interface communicatively coupled to the first processor;
wherein the first memory includes a digital image, and
wherein the first memory includes instructions that when executed by the first processor cause the first processor to:
i) render a representation of the digital image via the user interface;
ii) receive a selection of the representation of the digital image from the user interface;
iii) determine the curvature of at least one axis of the digital image, wherein zero curvature corresponds to two-dimensional flat digital imagery and non-zero curvature corresponds to three-dimensional panoramic imagery;
and
iv) render an animated indication of the determined curvature
wherein:
the animated indication includes movement of a virtual camera along a first trajectory when the determined curvature is zero, and
the animated indication includes movement of the virtual camera along a second trajectory, different from the first trajectory, when the determined curvature is non-zero.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Subtle camera motions to indicate imagery type in a mapping system

Life of this patent

Subtle camera motions to indicate imagery type in a mapping system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23