Techniques for managing feature maps

Abstract

This disclosure relates to managing a feature point map. The managing can include adding feature points to the feature point map using feature points captured by multiple devices and/or by a single device at different times. The resulting feature point map may be referred to as a global feature point map, storing feature points from multiple feature point maps. The global feature point map may be stored in a global feature point database accessible by a server so that the server may provide the global feature point map to devices requesting feature point maps for particular locations. In such examples, the global feature point map may allow a user to localize in locations without having to scan for feature points in the locations. In this manner, the user can localize in locations in which the user has never previously visited.