Google Inc.

Gokul Varadhan

Daniel Barcay

Francois Bailly

Greg Coombe

Emil Constantin Praun

Charles Chapin

Marcin Romaszewicz

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

Methods and systems for providing a graphic, such as an advertisement, in a 3D geographical information system (GIS) view are described. A method for providing a graphic in a 3D GIS view may include obtaining a graphic and determining a 3D geographical space in the GIS view based on a geographical reference in the GIS view. The method may also include rendering and displaying a curvilinear representation of the graphic in the geographical space. The method may further include adjusting the curvilinear representation of the graphic according to an updated viewpoint of the GIS view. The curvilinear representation may be oriented directly towards the updated viewpoint. A system for providing a graphic in a 3D GIS view may include a geographical space manager, a graphic representation generator and a display module.

Showing geo-located information in a 3D geographical space

A capability for guided navigation in an interactive virtual three-dimensional environment is provided. Such a capability may enhance user experience by providing the feeling of free-form navigation to a user. It may be necessary to constrain the user to certain areas of good visual quality, and subtly guide the user towards viewpoints with better rendering results without disrupting the metaphor of freeform navigation. Additionally, such a capability may enable users to 'drive' down a street, follow curving roads, and turn around intersections within the interactive virtual three-dimensional environment. Further, this capability may be applicable to image-based rendering techniques in addition to any three-dimensional graphics system that incorporates navigation based on road networks and/or paths.

Guided navigation through geo-located panoramas

Embodiments relate to navigating along a street network in a geographic information system. In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method navigates a virtual camera in a three-dimensional environment at street-level. The virtual camera defines a perspective to display the three-dimensional environment. In the method, a target location is determined in the three-dimensional environment. A path along a representation of a street in the three-dimensional environment is determined. The path is from a first position corresponding to an initial location of the virtual camera to a second position corresponding to the target location. A virtual camera is moved in the three-dimensional environment toward the target location along the path. Finally, the virtual camera is oriented to face the target location as the virtual camera moves along the path.

Path planning for street level navigation in a three-dimensional environment, and applications thereof

Embodiments render polygonal data in a geographical information systems according to a viewing perspective of a geographical information systems user. The user may define a viewing perspective. A bounding box may be determined that includes the area being viewed in the viewing perspective. A spherical coordinate to Cartesian coordinate matrix may be determined to approximately convert spherical coordinates of the polygonal data to Cartesian coordinates to be rendered by a graphics processor. The graphics processor may then render the polygonal data and bias detail towards the viewing perspective of the user.

Rendering spherical space primitives in a cartesian coordinate system

The present invention relates to panning a virtual camera in a three dimensional environment. In an embodiment of the present invention, a computer-implemented method pans a virtual camera in a three dimensional environment. In the method embodiment, a first point is determined on a three dimensional model in the three dimensional environment. According to the first point, the three dimensional model, and a position of a virtual camera in the three dimensional environment, a virtual surface is determined. A second point is determined on the virtual surface. Finally, a location of the three dimensional model is changed according to the first point and the second point.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Gokul Varadhan