| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080249702 | Image-based localization for addresses - The present localization system determines a precise location for an address based on images. Some implementations identify the precise location using one image. Other implementations identify the precise location using multiple images. While still other implementations identify the precise location by interpolation, which uses precise locations of addresses nearby that were previously localized using one or more images. The images used in determining the precise locations have a visual feature associated with the address appearing in the image. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20080273795 | FLEXIBLE MATCHING WITH COMBINATIONAL SIMILARITY - Computer-readable media, systems, and methods for flexible matching with combinational similarity are described. In embodiments, an object image is received, a query image is received, and the query image is compared with the object image. In various embodiments matching information is determined based upon combinational similarity and the matching information is presented to a user. In various embodiments, comparing the query image with the object image includes dividing the object image into agents, creating a gradient histogram for the agents, determining map areas for the query image, creating a gradient histogram for the map areas, and creating a similarity array for each of the agents. Further, in various embodiments, determining matching information includes creating a combinational array by combining the similarity arrays for each agent and determining whether the combinational array includes a peak value. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080319658 | LANDMARK-BASED ROUTING - Driving directions can be helpful if in addition to spatial information, landmark information is provided. Landmarks assist in adding context to directions as well as allowing for a greater likelihood of success of an operator following directions. There can be employment of physical identification of landmarks as well as processing regarding the utility of a landmark in regards to driving directions. Driving directions can be highly useful if integrated landmarks relate to knowledge possessed by an operator of a vehicle. Landmark based driving direction can be integrated with advertisements that relate to the directions. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20080319659 | LANDMARK-BASED ROUTING - Driving directions can be helpful if in addition to spatial information, landmark information is provided. Landmarks assist in adding context to directions as well as allowing for a greater likelihood of success of an operator following directions. There can be employment of physical identification of landmarks as well as processing regarding the utility of a landmark in regards to driving directions. Driving directions can be highly useful if integrated landmarks relate to knowledge possessed by an operator of a vehicle. Landmark based driving direction can be integrated with advertisements that relate to the directions. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20080319660 | LANDMARK-BASED ROUTING - Driving directions can be helpful if in addition to spatial information, landmark information is provided. Landmarks assist in adding context to directions as well as allowing for a greater likelihood of success of an operator following directions. There can be employment of physical identification of landmarks as well as processing regarding the utility of a landmark in regards to driving directions. Driving directions can be highly useful if integrated landmarks relate to knowledge possessed by an operator of a vehicle. Landmark based driving direction can be integrated with advertisements that relate to the directions. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090002394 | AUGMENTING IMAGES FOR PANORAMIC DISPLAY - Methods and systems are provided methods and systems for augmenting image data (e.g., still image data or video image data) utilizing image context data to generate panoramic images. In accordance with embodiments hereof, a position and orientation of received image data is utilized to identify image context data (e.g., three-dimensional model data, two-dimensional image data, and/or 360° image data from another source) rendered based upon the same position or a nearby position relative to the image data and the image data is augmented utilizing the identified context data to create a panoramic image. The panoramic image may then be displayed (e.g., shown on a LCD/CRT screen or projected) to create a user experience that is more immersive than the original image data could create. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090003702 | IMAGE COMPLETION - A computer-implemented method and media for completing images are provided. The computer-implemented method receives images having holes, identifies the holes, and searches an image database to locate images that fill the holes. Also, the computer-implemented method generates a multiscale graph of the image to locate images that fill the holes at different resolutions. A guide image may filter the located images that fill the holes at the different resolutions. The images that fill the holes and match the guide are selected to complete the images. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090058855 | ELECTROMECHANICAL SURFACE OF ROTATIONAL ELEMENTS FOR MOTION COMPENSATION OF A MOVING OBJECT - Mechanical surface of rotational elements for motion compensation of a locomotive object. A single layer of rotational elements formed as a mechanical surface on which a human can stand and/or move, and which automatically compensates for diverse human locomotion such as translation in two dimensions and rotation. The surface can be used to actively sense and compensate for varying speeds of human motion while in locomotion on the surface. The layer allows a user to move freely within a confined area and to be maintained within the confined area via motion compensation. Thus, the surface is particularly suited for immersion visualization environments where user motion on the surface is translated into user navigation through a virtual environment such as for computer games and simulation without necessitating constraints on immersive scene projection or participant motion. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090078772 | Techniques for decoding images of barcodes - Techniques for enhancing the reliable and efficient decoding of images of computer-readable symbols, which represent information encoded using a one- or two-dimensional visual symbology, are discussed. In accordance with one technique, prior to attempting to decode a particular image, a likelihood of successfully decoding the visual symbology from the image is determined based on a success metric. The success metric is calculated based on the blurriness of the image, or the tilt of the camera that captured the image, or both. Levels of blurriness or tilt, and the likelihood of decoding success, are ascertained with respect to predetermined reference values associated with generally decodable images. In accordance with another technique, image-sharpening algorithms are applied at select locations within the image. Such locations generally correspond to centers of modules within the visual symbology of the computer-readable symbol, which are assigned values based on grayscale values of proximate pixels in the image. | 03-26-2009 |
| 20090079752 | Generating a texture from multiple images - Techniques are described for generating a texture using a plurality of images and a geometry corresponding to an object. The geometry is mapped to each of the plurality of images. A graph includes a plurality of nodes corresponding to portions of the images. An edge exists between a first node and a second node if a first portion corresponding to the first node and a second portion corresponding to the second node can be neighboring portions in a resulting image. Ways of forming the resulting image are represented by paths in the graph. | 03-26-2009 |
| 20090092277 | Geo-Relevance for Images - Images may be sorted and categorized by defining a frustum for each image and overlaying the frustums in two, three, or four dimensions to create a density map and identify points of interest. Images that contain a point of interest may be grouped, sorted, and categorized to determine representative images of the point. By including many images from different sources, common points of interest may be defined. Points of interest may be defined in two or three Euclidian dimensions, or may include a dimension of time. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090110327 | Semi-automatic plane extrusion for 3D modeling - In accordance with one or more aspects, a plane in a 3D coordinate system in which a 3D model is to be generated based on one or more 2D images is identified. A direction of extrusion for the plane is also identified. Additionally, a user identification of a region of interest on a 2D image is received and projected onto the plane. A location in the 3D model of the region of interest is then automatically identified by extruding the plane along the direction of extrusion until the region of interest in the plane matches a corresponding region of at least one of the one or more 2D images. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090141966 | INTERACTIVE GEO-POSITIONING OF IMAGERY - An interactive user-friendly incremental calibration technique that provides immediate feedback to the user when aligning a point on a 3D model to a point on a 2D image. A can drag-and-drop points on a 3D model to points on a 2D image. As the user drags the correspondences, the application updates current estimates of where the camera would need to be to match the correspondences. The 2D and 3D images can be overlayed on each other and are sufficiently transparent for visual alignment. The user can fade between the 2D/3D views providing immediate feedback as to the improvements in alignment. The user can begin with a rough estimate of camera orientation and then progress to more granular parameters such as estimates for focal length, etc., to arrive at the desired alignment. While one parameter is adjustable, other parameters are fixed allowing for user adjustment of one parameter at a time. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090162042 | GUIDED PHOTOGRAPHY BASED ON IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE RENDERED USER RECOMMENDATIONS - Guided photography with image capturing device rendered user recommendations. Data is accessed that is associated with an intended photograph. A knowledge base is accessed to obtain data that is related to the data that is associated with the intended photograph. Recommendations are determined for the intended photograph based on the knowledge base data. The recommendations are provided to a rendering system of the device before the intended photograph is taken. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090190857 | IMPORTANCE GUIDED IMAGE TRANSFORMATION - Importance guided image transformation. A subject image is accessed, an importance is assigned respective features of the subject image and a scaling scheme is determined for the subject image based on the importance assigned the respective features of the subject image. A transformed image is generated based on the determined scaling scheme and the transformed image is provided to an image presentation system for display. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090208110 | FACTORING REPEATED CONTENT WITHIN AND AMONG IMAGES - The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that factor large-scale repeated content within and/or among images. The system can include devices and components that factor received or acquired images into epitomes that include all the content of the received or acquired images and transform maps that encode how to construct a facsimile or a close approximation of the image by selecting transformed regions from the epitomes. Though use of both the epitomes and the transform maps in conjunction, a facsimile or a close approximation of the input image can be reconstructed and displayed. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090237510 | VISUALIZING CAMERA FEEDS ON A MAP - Feeds from cameras are better visualized by superimposing images based on the feeds onto map based on a two- or three-dimensional virtual map. For example, a traffic camera feed can be aligned with a roadway included in the map. Multiple videos can be aligned with roadways in the map and can also be aligned in time. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090284527 | VALIDATING USER GENERATED THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELS - Three-dimensional model validation. As a part of the model validation, one or more three-dimensional models of a structure and at least one real world image of the structure is accessed. Features of the one or more three-dimensional models of the structure are combined with features of the at least one real world image of the structure to create a composite model of the structure. The composite model is projected into an imaging plane. The composite model of the structure is compared with at least one of the at least one real world images. Based on the results of the comparing, the accuracy of the one or more three-dimensional models of the structure is determined. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090285482 | DETECTING TEXT USING STROKE WIDTH BASED TEXT DETECTION - Detecting text using stroke width based text detection. As a part of the text detection, a representation of an image is generated that includes pixels that are associated with the stroke widths of components of the image. Connected components of the image are identified by filtering out portions of the pixels using metrics related to stroke width. Text is detected in the image based on the identified connected components. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090323029 | MULTI-DIRECTIONAL IMAGE DISPLAYING DEVICE - Methods, devices, and systems are provided for displaying an image using a multi-directional image displaying device in a compact, configurable device having an expansive viewing angle. An image projector projects an image having a plurality of image pixels. A distribution object is aligned with the image projector. The distribution object is utilized to redirect the image pixels projected by the image projector onto one or more display surfaces. As such, in one embodiment, a wide view display of the first image that expands at least the width of a user field of view results from the spreading of the image pixels. A compact housing unit provides support for the image projector and the distribution object. In one embodiment, the multi-directional image displaying device can be adjusted to change the wide view display of the image. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20100074538 | VALIDATION AND CORRECTION OF MAP DATA USING OBLIQUE IMAGES - Technologies are described herein for validating and correcting map data using oblique images or aerial photographs taken at oblique angles to the earth's surface. Pixels within oblique images can be analyzed to detect, validate, and correct other sources of data used in generating maps such as vector data, elevation maps, projection parameters, and three-dimensional model data. Visibility and occlusion information in oblique views may be analyzed to reduce errors in either occluding or occluded entities. Occlusion of road segments due to foliage, z-ordering of freeways, tunnels, bridges, buildings, and other geospatial entities may be determined, validated, and corrected. A learning algorithm can be trained with image-based descriptors that encode visible data consistencies. After training, the algorithm can classify errors and inconsistencies using combinations of different descriptors such as color, texture, image-gradients, and filter responses. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100080466 | Smart Navigation for 3D Maps - An interest center-point and a start point are created in an image. A potential function is created where the potential function creates a potential field and guides traversal from the starting point to the interest center-point. The potential field is adjusted to include a sum of potential fields directed toward the center-point where each potential field corresponds to an image. Images are displayed in the potential field at intervals in the traversal from the start point toward the interest center point. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100080489 | Hybrid Interface for Interactively Registering Images to Digital Models - The first image may be displayed adjacent to the second image where the second image is a three dimensional image. An element may be selected in the first image and a matching element may be selected in the second image. A selection may be permitted to view a merged view where the merged view is the first image displayed over the second image by varying the opaqueness of the images. If the merged view is not acceptable, the method may repeat and if the merged view is acceptable; the first view onto the second view and the merged view may be stored as a merged image. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100080551 | Geotagging Photographs Using Annotations - Labels of elements in images may be compared to known elements to determine a region from which an image was created. Using this information, the approximate image position can be found, additional elements may be recognized, labels may be checked for accuracy and additional labels may be added. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100085350 | OBLIQUE DISPLAY WITH ADDITIONAL DETAIL - A method and system of creating an oblique display with additional detail such as texture and labels is disclosed. The footprint of objects on the image on a digital elevation map may be determined and an outline of the objects may be determined by creating object polygons that outline the bounds of the objects. The objects that are visible in the image and the objects that are occluded are determined using the footprint of the objects and the object polygons. The occluded object sections may be displayed in a modified form as part of the occluding object. Label display locations may be evaluated for objects to determine an optimal label display location based on a label criteria function and labels may be added to the objects in the image at the optimal label display location. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100085371 | OPTIMAL 2D TEXTURING FROM MULTIPLE IMAGES - One or more images of an object are obtained. These are then warped onto the object. The object may be divided into sites where sites are overlapping circular regions of the object. For each site, a neighborhood graph may be created where each site is a node in the graph and each pair of sites with overlapping regions is connected by an edge. A list of covers of each site may be created where the list contains all the possible labels for that node. Each image that covers part of the site may be reviewed including all possible shifts up to some number of pixels. A cost may be assigned to each cover and costs for each of the covers may be calculated. The cover with the lowest cost may be selected. If the costs are too high, the resolution may be lowered, one or more possible covers may be selected and then the analysis may be performed using the selected covers at a higher resolution. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100118025 | MODE INFORMATION DISPLAYED IN A MAPPING APPLICATION - Provided is a single repository for capturing, connecting, sharing, and visualizing information based on a geographic location, for example. Detailed information about a structure or other object information can be displayed as mode information. An object of interest can be identified by monitoring a user activity or inactivity with regard to a displayed map. If the user hovers a pointing device over an object within the displayed map for longer than a predetermined amount of time, it can be inferred that the user should be presented with additional information regarding the object. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100134484 | THREE DIMENSIONAL JOURNALING ENVIRONMENT - A three-dimensional journaling system is described herein. The three-dimensional journaling system comprises a data repository that includes journal data of a user, wherein the journal data corresponds to at least one location in a geographic region. The system additionally includes a display component that causes at least a portion of the journal data to be displayed on a display screen as a journal entry in a computer-implemented three-dimensional representation of the geographic region at the location that corresponds to the journal data. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100218094 | SECOND-PERSON AVATARS - The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can provide for a second-person avatar. The second-person avatar can rely upon a second-person-based perspective such that the avatar is displayed to appear to encompass all or portions of a target user. Accordingly, actions or a configuration of the avatar can serve as a model or demonstration for the user in order to aid the user in accomplishing a particular task. Updates to avatar activity or configuration can be provided by a dynamic virtual handbook. The virtual handbook can be constructed based upon a set of instruction associated with accomplishing the desired task and further based upon features or aspects of the user as well as those of the local environment. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100225665 | MAP AGGREGATION - A system described herein includes a text extractor component that extracts text from a digital image and a determiner component that automatically determines whether or not the digital image is a map of a geographic region based at least in part upon the extracted text. The system additionally includes a correlator component that generates correlation data that causes the digital image to be correlated with a portion of a reference map that pertains to the geographic region if the determiner component determines that the digital image is a map of the geographic region. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100235076 | ESTIMATION OF FUEL CONSUMPTION FROM GPS TRAILS - A method of using locational information for vehicles to determine the cost of traveling on transportation segments is disclosed. The transportation segment costs calculated may be used for many purposes such as providing the lowest cost travel path between two locations at a given time or in general. The cost also may be used to assign tolls and congestion pricing. In addition, the data may be used to determine when a certain vehicle has become less efficient and may require maintenance. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100235078 | DRIVING DIRECTIONS WITH MAPS AND VIDEOS - The illustration may have a separate display window that displays illustrations which may be moving illustration related to the current spot on the map or to future spots on the map. The illustration may be viewed while traveling or may be viewed in advance. The moving illustration may display segments of the travel path with points of interest and substantial changes at a slow speed and/or low altitude and may display segments without points of interest and/or few substantial changes at a high speed and or high altitude. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100235356 | ORGANIZATION OF SPATIAL SENSOR DATA - A measurement of an object from which data is collected may be determined. A scale of the object may be determined by determining the absolute or relative magnitude of the object in comparison to a magnitude of surrounding objects such as the total magnitude of the illustration. An appropriate container shape and size for the object may be determined by searching for a container size with a scale similar to the scale of the object. The object may be stored in a database with the appropriate container shape, size and the scale being attributes. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100241514 | AUTOMATED PROVISION OF USER FEEDBACK - A system described herein includes an information provider component that uses at least one information providing algorithm to transmit data for display on a display screen of a user, wherein the data corresponds to a geographic location. The system also includes a receiver component that receives an indication from a mobile device of the user that the user has travelled to the geographic location. The system further includes an updater component that causes the at least one information providing algorithm to be updated upon the receiver component receiving the indication. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100241525 | IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL COMMERCE - An immersive virtual store can be presented to a user that allows the user to navigate through the store in a manner similar to a physical store. The presented virtual store can allow the user to travel along aisles, stop and browse items at a table of a vendor, as well as perform searches for different items. Items of the store can be arranged in a manner that facilitates purchase and feedback of the arrangement can be collected and used in other arrangements. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100241946 | ANNOTATING IMAGES WITH INSTRUCTIONS - A method described herein includes the acts of receiving an image captured by a mobile computing device and automatically annotating the image to create an annotated image, wherein annotations on the annotated image provide instructions to a user of the mobile computing device. The method further includes transmitting the annotated image to the mobile computing device. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100245344 | ANNOTATING OR EDITING THREE DIMENSIONAL SPACE - In one example, images may be used to create a model of a three-dimensional space, and the three-dimensional space may be annotated and/or edited. When a three-dimensional model of a space has been created, a user may associate various items with points in the three-dimensional space. For example, the user may create a note or a hyperlink, and may associate the note or hyperlink with a specific point in the space. Additionally, a user may experiment with the space by adding images to, or deleting images from, the space. Annotating and editing the space, rather than the underlying images, allows annotations and edits to be associated with the underlying objects depicted in the images, rather than with the images themselves. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100245361 | CONTEXT-BASED MANAGEMENT OF MARKERS - Aspects relate to determining an appropriate time to render markers to a user. Markers includes any type of information, including messages, photos, advertisements, and so forth. The appropriate time can include internal factors that relate to the user (e.g., mood, preferences, and so on), personal external factors (e.g., scheduled events, location of the user), and/or non-personal external factors (general information about the surroundings, information about local entities). Non-personal external factors can also include the content of the marker. One or more of the contexts are evaluated to ascertain whether a particular marker should be rendered to the user or whether it would be more appropriate not the render the marker (e.g., user would not be receptive to the marker). If the user is not receptive to the marker, rendering of the marker is disabled and/or delayed until a more appropriate time. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100245376 | FILTER AND SURFACING VIRTUAL CONTENT IN VIRTUAL WORLDS - The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates displaying virtual content within a virtual environment. A virtual environment can enable at least one user to connect in order to interact with a portion of virtual content. A collection of virtual content can be viewed from a user connected to and being present within the virtual environment. A filter component that can automatically adjust a displayable feature of a portion of the collection of virtual content based upon a relevancy to an index, wherein the adjustment of the displayable features provides at least one of an emphasis of the portion of the collection of virtual content or a de-emphasis of the portion of the collection of the virtual content. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100246890 | DETECTION OF OBJECTS IN IMAGES - A system described herein includes a detector component that automatically determines location of a license plate in a digital image. The system further includes a blurrer component that automatically blurs the digital image at the determined location of the license plate, wherein blurring undertaken by the blurrer component is based at least in part upon confidence scores assigned to pixels in the digital image that correspond to the determined location of the license plate. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100246965 | TAGGING VIDEO USING CHARACTER RECOGNITION AND PROPAGATION - In one example, video may be analyzed and divided into segments. Character recognition may be performed on the segments to determine what text appears in the segments. The text may be used to assign tags to the video and/or to the segments. Segments that appear visually similar to each other (e.g., segments that appear to be different views of the same person) may be grouped together, and a tag that is assigned to one segment may be propagated to another segment. The tags may be used to perform various types of tasks with respect to the video. One example of such a task is to perform a search on the video. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100250120 | MANAGING STORAGE AND DELIVERY OF NAVIGATION IMAGES - The storage and/or transmission of image bubbles may be managed for effective use of space and/or time. In one example, a street-view application allows a user to navigate through an image at ground level. The application makes use of panoramic images called “bubbles,” which are captured at spatial intervals. The user can navigate through the images by changing position, or by changing the direction of view. Various aspects of how the bubbles are stored or transmitted may be controlled, in order to make effective use of the bandwidth that is available to transmit the bubbles. Examples of these aspects may include: how much of a given bubble is transmitted; the resolution at which the bubble is transmitted; and/or the spatial frequency at which the user moves through the bubbles. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100250126 | VISUAL ASSESSMENT OF LANDMARKS - Visual images may be used to detect, or verify the existence of, landmarks. In one example, the landmarks may be used to provide driving or walking directions. A set of records may be examined to identify the street addresses of businesses or other entities. Additionally, street-level images may be captured with a camera, and the locations at which the images were captured may be recorded. The images may be evaluated with an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) process to determine what words appear in the images. The words in the image are compared with the names of entities whose addresses are near where the image was captured. If the words match the entity name, then a sign identifying the entity is presumed to be visible along a particular route, and the entity may be used as a landmark in a set of walking or driving directions. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100250196 | COGNITIVE AGENT - Aspects relate to a cognitive agent that performs functions associated with a desired result. The functions performed by cognitive agent supplement other activities performed at a same time. In such a manner, the cognitive agent can function as a surrogate for a user. A performed activity can trigger implementation of another activity that is an extension of the performed activity. Cognitive agent can perform functions that can be represented as an avatar. Further, cognitive agent can be associated with a diagnostics component that evaluates an operating condition. Based on the operating condition cognitive agent can implement automatic actions associated with mitigating failures and/or prolonging the life of machinery. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100250366 | MERGE REAL-WORLD AND VIRTUAL MARKERS - Various entities might desire to leave markers at various locations in a mapping application for themselves and others. These markers can be provided by an entity physically located near the location associated with the marker and/or at a different location (e.g., entity is at a first location and the marker is associated with a second location). Further, different entities can provide markers associated with a similar geographic area. A user visiting the location (virtually or physically) can review the various markers left by others. In such a manner, the user visiting the location can have further details associated with the location. Different categories of markers can be combined and rendered to the user as a hybrid of markers. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100251169 | AUTOMATIC GENERATION OF MARKERS BASED ON SOCIAL INTERACTION - Aspects relate to observing various activities, interactions, behaviors, and other factors associated with a data exchange and creating one or more markers based on significant details associated with the observance. The one or more markers are retained and selectively rendered as a function of one or more conditions that should be satisfied before the marker is presented to the user. Some markers can contain parameters that should be satisfied in order for the marker to be considered complete. If a parameter is not satisfied, subsequent markers can be created as a function of the rendered marker. The subsequent markers can be rendered when a condition associated with the subsequent marker is satisfied. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100265178 | CAMERA-BASED MULTI-TOUCH MOUSE - Technologies for a camera-based multi-touch input device operable to provide conventional mouse movement data as well as three-dimensional multi-touch data. Such a device is based on an internal camera focused on a mirror or set of mirrors enabling the camera to image the inside of a working surface of the device. The working surface allows light to pass through. An internal light source illuminates the inside of the working surface and reflects off of any objects proximate to the outside of the device. This reflected light is received by the mirror and then directed to the camera. Imaging from the camera can be processed to extract touch points corresponding to the position of one or more objects outside the working surface as well as to detect gestures performed by the objects. Thus the device can provide conventional mouse functionality as well as three-dimensional multi-touch functionality. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100310182 | GEOCODING BY IMAGE MATCHING - Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, methods and computer storage media for associating a known geographic location with a known identity. Feature matching, of at least two images, is performed in at least two iterations. The iterations are based on an orientation of feature vectors associated with points of interest in each image. A geometric model is applied to the matched points of interest to improve the matched pairs. Two images are identified as being related. As a result, the known geographic location is associated with the known identity. Additional embodiments include augmenting feature vectors with a coordinate location of a related point of interest based on a geometric model. Further, an exemplary embodiment includes an additional matching iteration based on the augmented feature vectors. In an exemplary embodiment, the feature matching utilizes a Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT). | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100312470 | Scrubbing Variable Content Paths - Various embodiments provide techniques for scrubbing variable paths in content. By way of example and not limitation, scrubbing can include receiving user input that defines a scrub path and navigating a data path through content based on the scrub path. According to some embodiments, a data path can include one or more predefined paths (e.g., a travel route) through the content. One or more of the techniques can account for variations in a data path and provide ways of maintaining adjacency between a scrub path and navigation along the data path. In some embodiments, a data path can be associated with one or more types of data path content that can be presented in response to a navigation of the data path. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100313113 | Calibration and Annotation of Video Content - Various embodiments provide techniques for calibrating and annotating video content. In one or more embodiments, an instance of video content can be calibrated with one or more geographical models and/or existing calibrated video content to correlate the instance of video content with one or more geographical locations. According to some embodiments, geographical information can be used to annotate the video content. Geographical information can include identification information for one or more structures, natural features, and/or locations included in the video content. Some embodiments enable a particular instance of video content to be correlated with other instances of video content based on common geographical information and/or common annotation information. Thus, a user can access video content from other users with similar travel experiences and/or interests. A user may also access annotations provided by other users that may be relevant to a particular instance of video content. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100315411 | COMPUTING TRANSITIONS BETWEEN CAPTURED DRIVING RUNS - Various embodiments provide a global approach for computing transitions between captured runs through an intersection. In accordance with one or more embodiments, a transition algorithm receives as input various runs that have been captured through an intersection and an input path through the intersection. The transition algorithm processes its inputs and provides, as an output, a set of points and data such as a direction associated with each of the points. The set of points includes points from different captured runs. The output set of points and associated data indicate which images to obtain from a database and which field of view to create a simulated turn for the user. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100316300 | DETECTION OF OBJECTIONABLE VIDEOS - A video that advertises a particular web site may be a form of video spam. For example, pornographers often advertise their web sites by displaying a link to their web sites in videos, and then placing the videos on video-sharing services. This type of video spam may be detected by analyzing the video for the presence of text and then determining whether the text is a URL. If the text is a URL, the URL may be checked to determine whether it points to an objectionable web site. The determination of whether a URL points to an objectionable web site may be made by comparing the URL with a blacklist and/or whitelist, or by retrieving the URL and analyzing the retrieved content. If a video is found to be an advertisement for an objectionable web site, action may be taken, such as removing the video from a content database. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100325589 | BLOCK VIEW FOR GEOGRAPHIC NAVIGATION - Various embodiments provide techniques for geographic navigation via one or more block views. According to some embodiments, a block view can include a visual image of a geographic location that is visually similar to a panoramic image. In some example implementations, a block view can be scrolled to navigate images of a geographic location. In one or more embodiments, a bubble view can be displayed of one or more locations within the block view. The bubble view can include a zoomed image of one or more aspects of a block view. Further to some embodiments, a map view can be utilized along with the block view and/or the bubble view. The map view can include a two-dimensional representation of the geographic location from an aerial perspective, and can include a more general level of detail concerning the geographic location, such as streets, cities, states, bodies of water, and so on. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20110018902 | HYBRID MAPS WITH EMBEDDED STREET-SIDE IMAGES - The claimed subject matter relates to a computer-implemented architecture that can generate a map. The map can be a hybrid between an orthographic projection map and street-side images, thus including useful aspects from both types of representations. For example, an orthographic projection map is very effective at presenting global relationships among the features of the map but not effective at presenting local detail. In contrast, street-side images show excellent detail but do not convey the global information of an orthographic projection map. The hybrid map can thus provide a richer set of information than conventional maps and can also display objects/features of the hybrid map in multiple perspectives simultaneously on a single representation that is printable. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110130950 | TRAVEL DIRECTIONS WITH TRAVEL-TIME ESTIMATES - Travel directions may be provided with an estimate of the amount of time that it takes to traverse the route at various times of day. In one example, data is collected regarding the traffic along a route, as well as other factors that may affect the time it takes to traverse the route. The collected data is associated with a particular time, so that it is possible to know, for example, that traffic moves at an average speed of X from 1-2 p.m., an average speed of Y from 2-3 p.m., and so on. Directions may be presented to a user in a way that reflects the varying amount of time that it takes to traverse a route at different times of day. For example, a chart or graph showing how travel time changes throughout the day may be presented. | 06-02-2011 |
| 20110137741 | PATH QUERIES - Data identifying a path is received between two or more geographic locations. Path information is identified along or near the path. A relevance is associated to the path information. A subset of the path information having a highest relevance is provided. | 06-09-2011 |
