Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Roberto R Molinari

Wenwu Zhu

Dan Hou

Eyal Ofek

Blaise Aguera Y Arcas

Michael Kroepfl

Zheng Li

Scott Vernon Fynn

Hongzhi Li

Tony Ernst

Siyuan Tang

Nathan S Wilfert

Alec Siu

Predictive, multi-layer caching architectures may be used to predict which elements a user is most likely to navigate to within a collection of elements associated with a predefined layout and, in response, to increase the accessibility of these elements to a client device of the user. For instance, the techniques may utilize a predictive, multi-layer caching architecture for storing these predicted elements to decrease the latency to render these images if the user navigates within the collection of elements in the predicted manner. The collection of elements may comprise images (e.g., a 3D model, a map, etc.), video files, audio files, text files, or any other type of file that is consumable on a client device.

Predictive, multi-layer caching architectures

This document describes techniques for creating three-dimensional models of image collections using a network-accessible (e.g., cloud-based) computation service, rather than a client computing device. In some instances described below, the computation service performs at least a portion of the operations for creating these models in parallel.

Computing three-dimensional image models in parallel

Photographs of an object may be oriented with respect to both the geographic location and orientation of the object by registering a 3D model derived from a plurality of photographs of the objects with a 2D image of the object having a known location and orientation. For example, a 3D point cloud of an object created from photographs of the object using a Photosynth&#x2122; tool may be aligned with a satellite photograph of the object, where the satellite photograph has location and orientation information. A tool providing scaling and rotation of the 3D model with respect to the 2D image may be used or an automatic alignment may be performed using a function based on object edges filtered at particular angles. Once aligned, data may be recorded that registers camera locations for the plurality of photographs with geographic coordinates of the object, either absolute latitude/longitude or relative to the object.

Spatially registering user photographs

User-generated content that is associated with a geographic location is uploaded to existing networked services or directly to a digital map updating service. Distinct digital map updating services can be assigned to defined geographic areas, such that they are only notified of, or poll for, new user-generated content within their defined geographic areas. Utilizing the geographic location associated with such user-generated content, the digital map updating service identifies one or more digital map 'tiles', which are updated to include new user-generated content and capable applications on client devices can be notified directly of such new user-generated content if they are accessing the relevant tiles. Additionally, data mining can be performed and deductions of events from data mining can be indicated in the digital map in the same manner.

Real-time markup of maps with user-generated content

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Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Roberto R Molinari