Communication terminal, display method, and computer program product

A display method for displaying an image using a communication terminal comprising a memory that stores therein image identification information for identifying a pre-stored spherical panoramic image, which is configured to appear disposed on an inner surface of a virtual sphere when viewed, predetermined-region information for specifying a predetermined region in the panoramic image and related information related to the predetermined region, in a manner corresponding to each other, wherein the predetermined-region information is created by at least one other communication terminal which also stores the spherical panoramic image, the display method comprising, by the communication terminal:

• accepting a selection of predetermined related information;
• searching the memory based on the predetermined related information accepted at the accepting so as to extract the image identification information and the predetermined-region information corresponding to the predetermined related information;
• and
• controlling a predetermined display to display each of one or more thumbnails for predetermined-region images specified in the extracted predetermined-region separately from and smaller than a display region in which the pre-stored spherical panoramic image is configured to be viewed or navigated;
• wherein
• the accepting includes accepting a selection of a predetermined thumbnail out of the displayed thumbnails;
• and
• the controlling includes controlling the display to display the predetermined-region image indicated by the predetermined-region information corresponding to the selected thumbnail,
• wherein the predetermined-region information is created based on inputs received at a plurality of other communication terminals which also store the spherical panoramic image and the predetermined-region information is used by the communication terminal to extract a predetermined region from the pre-stored spherical panoramic image for generation and display of image data corresponding to the extracted predetermined region without receiving separate image data for the extracted predetermined region from an external device,
• wherein
• the memory stores therein image identification information for identifying the spherical panoramic image and related information related to the predetermined regions, in a manner corresponding to the predetermined-region information, and
• the method further includes
• accepting a selection of a type of predetermined related information that pertains to creation of each of the predetermined-region images, which is separate from creation of the spherical panoramic image, the type of the predetermined related information is a specification date of creation of a predetermined-region image and a name of a user specifying a predetermined-region image,
• filtering the predetermined-region information by controlling the display to display only the one or more thumbnails for one or more predetermined-region images indicated by the predetermined-region information corresponding to the selected predetermined related information, in the spherical panoramic image identified by the image identification information corresponding to the selected predetermined related information,
• accepting the selection of the predetermined thumbnail out of the displayed thumbnails after filtering of the predetermined-region information, and
• controlling the display to display the predetermined-region image indicated by the predetermined-region information corresponding to the selected thumbnail.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing a computer program that causes a computer to function as a communication terminal comprising a memory that stores therein image identification information for identifying a pre-stored spherical panoramic image, which is configured to appear disposed on an inner surface of a virtual sphere when viewed, predetermined-region information for specifying a predetermined region in the panoramic image, and related information related to the predetermined region, in a manner corresponding to each other, and to perform a method comprising:

• accepting a selection of predetermined related information;
• searching the memory based on the predetermined related information accepted at the accepting so as to extract the image identification information and the predetermined-region information corresponding to the predetermined related information, wherein the predetermined-region information is created by at least one other communication terminal which also stores the panoramic image;
• and
• controlling a predetermined display to display each of one or more thumbnails for predetermined-region images specified in the extracted predetermined-region separately from and smaller than a display region in which the pre-stored spherical panoramic image is configured to be viewed or navigated;
• wherein
• the accepting includes accepting a selection of a predetermined thumbnail out of the displayed thumbnails;
• and
• the controlling includes controlling the display to display the predetermined-region image indicated by the predetermined-region information corresponding to the selected thumbnail,
• wherein the predetermined-region information is created based on inputs received at a plurality of other communication terminals which also store the spherical panoramic image and the predetermined-region information is used by the communication terminal to extract a predetermined region from the pre-stored spherical panoramic image for generation and display of image data corresponding to the extracted predetermined region without receiving separate image data for the extracted predetermined region from an external device,
• wherein
• the memory stores therein image identification information for identifying the spherical panoramic image and related information related to the predetermined regions, in a manner corresponding to the predetermined-region information, and
• the method further includes
• accepting a selection of a type of predetermined related information that pertains to creation of each of the predetermined-region images, which is separate from creation of the spherical panoramic image, the type of the predetermined related information is a specification date of creation of a predetermined-region image and a name of a user specifying a predetermined-region image,
• filtering the predetermined-region information by controlling the display to display only the one or more thumbnails for one or more predetermined-region images indicated by the predetermined-region information corresponding to the selected predetermined related information, in the spherical panoramic image identified by the image identification information corresponding to the selected predetermined related information,
• accepting the selection of the predetermined thumbnail out of the displayed thumbnails after the filtering of the predetermined-region information, and
• controlling the display to display the predetermined-region image indicated by the predetermined-region information corresponding to the selected thumbnail.