Google Inc.

Francois Bailly

Brian McClendon

John H Rohlf

Andrew Timothy Szybalski

Adam Douglas Smith

Mark A Limber

Greg Coombe

Olivier Bailly

Daniel Trawick Egnor

Lawrence Elias Greenfield

John V Hanke

Daniel Barcay

Gokul Varadhan

Michael W Springer

Michael William Springer

Gregory William Coombe

Interactive geographic information systems (GIS) and techniques are disclosed that provide users with a greater degree of flexibility, utility, and information. A markup language is provided that facilitates communication between servers and clients of the interactive GIS, which enables a number of GIS features, such as network links (time-based and/or view-dependent dynamic data layers), ground overlays, screen overlays, placemarks, 3D models, and stylized GIS elements, such as geometry, icons, description balloons, polygons, and labels in the viewer by which the user sees the target area. Also, 'virtual tours' of user-defined paths in the context of distributed geospatial visualization is enabled. Streaming and interactive visualization of filled polygon data are also enabled thereby allowing buildings and other such features to be provided in 3D. Also, techniques for enabling ambiguous search requests in a GIS are provided.

Processing ambiguous search requests in a geographic information system

A staged camera traversal for navigating a virtual camera in a three dimensional environment is provided. The staged camera traversal can include a launch stage and an approach stage. During the launch stage, the tilt angle can be decreased towards zero tilt (i.e. straight down) with respect to the vertical. During an approach stage, the tilt angle of the virtual camera can be increased from about zero tilt towards the tilt angle associated with a target location. In certain implementations, the staged camera traversal can further include a traversal stage occurring between the launch stage and the approach stage. The tilt angle of the virtual camera can be maintained at about zero tilt during the traversal stage. The approach path of the virtual camera can be aligned along a view direction associated with the target destination during the approach stage.

Staged camera traversal for three dimensional environment

A method of reviewing geo-coded information at a geographic information system is disclosed. The method may include receiving information identifying a geo-located object from a submitter of the object, receiving information identifying the location of the geo-located object from the submitter, and receiving a request from a user of the geographic information system for one or more geo-located objects that includes the submitted geo-located object, and transmitting information for permitting display of the geo-located object to the user of the geographic information system.

Shared geo-located objects

Embodiments of the present invention relate to displaying and navigating within photo placemarks in a geographic information system. In one embodiment, a computer implemented method displays a photographic image within geographic information in a geographic information system. The photographic image is displayed at a location within the geographic information when the photographic image is located within a field of view of a virtual camera of the geographic information system. In response to a computer input event, the photographic image is displayed in greater detail.

Displaying and navigating within photo placemarks in a geographic information system and applications thereof

Embodiments of the present invention relate to displaying and navigating within photo placemarks in a geographic information system. In an embodiment, a method registers a photographic image in a geographic information system. A location of the photographic image within geographic information of the geographic information system is determined based on the geographic information and a metadata of the photographic image. The location of the photographic image is stored.

Registering photos in a geographic information system, and applications thereof

A method of reviewing geo-coded information at a geographic information system. The method may include receiving information identifying a geo-located object from a submitter of the object, receiving information identifying the location of the geo-located object from the submitter, and receiving a request from a user of the geographic information system for one or more geo-located objects that includes the submitted geo-located object, and transmitting information for permitting display of the geo-located object to the user of the geographic information system.

The capability to render and navigate three-dimensional panoramic images in a virtual three-dimensional environment so as to create an immersive three-dimensional experience is provided. Such a capability can present a three-dimensional photographic experience of the real world that is seamlessly integrated with the virtual three-dimensional environment. Depth values associated with the panoramic images may be used to create three-dimensional geometry, which can be rendered as part of the virtual three-dimensional environment. Further, such a capability can enable a user to roam freely through the environment while providing a more natural free-form exploration of the environment than existing systems.

Rendering and navigating photographic panoramas with depth information in a geographic information system

A method of providing geo-coded information to a user of a graphical computing device is disclosed. The method includes receiving information identifying a view to be displayed on the graphical computing device, querying a geo-coded database containing information associated with publicly supplied models located in a geography, for one or more models located in the view, and transmitting information identifying the one or more models located in the view.

Identifying geo-located objects

An exemplary method for navigating a virtual camera in a three dimensional environment includes determining a point at an off-center location of a viewport of the virtual camera. The point corresponds to a user selection, and the virtual camera defines a field of view to view content of the three dimensional environment. The method also includes rotating the virtual camera toward the off-center location such that the point is located at a center location of the viewport. The method further includes zooming the virtual camera toward the point located at the center location of the viewport. The method also includes after the zooming the virtual camera, re-rotating the virtual camera such that the point is located at the off-center location of the viewport. The method further includes after the re-rotating, rendering the content from a projection of the viewport.

Street-level zooming with asymmetrical frustum

Displaying and navigating within photo placemarks in a geographic information system, and applications thereof

Interactive geographic information systems (GIS) and techniques provide users with a greater degree of flexibility, utility, and information. A markup language facilitates communication between servers and clients of the interactive GIS, which enables a number of GIS features, such as network links (timebased and/or view-dependent dynamic data layers), ground overlays, screen overlays, placemarks, 3D models, and stylized GIS elements, such as geometry, icons, description balloons, polygons, and labels in the viewer by which the user sees the target area. Also, 'virtual tours' of user-defined paths in the context of distributed geospatial visualization is enabled. Streaming and interactive visualization of filled polygon data are also enabled thereby allowing buildings and other such features to be provided in 3d. Also, techniques for enabling ambiguous search requests in a GIS are provided.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Francois Bailly