IP Library Granted Patent US 7,920,072
Granted Patent B2
US 7,920,072 · App. 12/275,970 · Granted Apr 5, 2011

Virtual earth rooftop overlay and bounding

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,920,072
App. No.
12/275,970
Granted
Apr 5, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a single repository for capturing, connecting, sharing, and visualizing information based on a geographic location, for example. Detailed information of a structure or object information can be displayed on a rooftop or over an area of interest. The detailed information can be provided for a single structure or for each structure shown on a map area. According to an embodiment is a system that facilitates surface overlay and bounding on a map. The system can include a receiver component that receives information for an object, a boundary component that ascertains a perimeter of the object, and a rendering component that selectively displays the object information and object on a map based in part on a user perspective.

Claims (40)

1. A system that facilitates information overlay on a map, comprising:

a receiver component that receives a three-dimensional map image, the map image including one or more objects, the receiver component receives geo-coded information associated with at least one of the one or more objects;

a time-shift component that selects a time associated with the map image; and

a rendering component that displays the geo-coded information and the object on a map, the rendering component being capable of displaying the object at a historical time and at a future time, the object being displayed as a three-dimensional image of an object having a plurality of faces, wherein the object is displayed with the geo-coded information overlaid within a perimeter of one of the plurality of faces of the object based at least upon a displayed viewing angle.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a stitching component that maintains the object and the geo-coded information in a retrievable format.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an update module that updates the geo-coded information with a projection of the appearance of a geographical area associated with the object at a future point in time.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an update module that updates the geo-coded information with predicted information associated with the object at a future point in time.

5. The system of claim 1 , the receiver component comprising:

an identification module that identifies the object; and

an information module that receives detailed information relating to the object, wherein portions of the detailed information are selectively provided based upon a level of trustworthiness associated with each portion of the detailed information.

6. The system of claim 1 , the geo-coded information is detailed information about the occupants of a building, wherein each occupant can selectively expose portions of the geo-coded information related to the occupant.

7. The system of claim 1 , the rendering component selectively alters the position of the information based on a user perspective that is determined based upon head-tracking equipment that determines where the user is looking.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the map is adjustable for a viewing angle in at least three dimensions, the geo-coded information is displayed such that it appears to be painted on a face corresponding to a side of the three-dimensional image of the object that is most exposed to a user in the displayed map based on a user selected viewing angle.

9. A method for information overlay on a map, comprising:

receiving a three-dimensional map image, the map image including one or more objects;

receiving a plurality of images from one or more users corresponding to an object from the one or more objects;

ranking the received images corresponding to the object based upon accuracy in depicting the object;

receiving time-stamped geo-coded information associated with the object;

displaying a historical view of the object or a geographical area associated with the object at a user specified past point in time according to the time stamped geo-coded information, the displayed historical view including at least one received image selected based on the accuracy ranking;

determining a perimeter of the object; and

annotating a three-dimensional image of the object on a map with geo-coded information associated with the object, the three-dimensional image of the object having at least two sides,

wherein the geo-coded information is annotated within a perimeter of a side of the object based upon a displayed viewing perspective of the map.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising selectively altering a location of the object information when the viewing perspective is altered.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising displaying the geo-coded information within a side of the three-dimensional image of the object that is most exposed to a user based upon a viewing perspective of the user.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining the user's viewing perspective based upon head-tracking equipment that determines where the user is looking.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising displaying a projection of the appearance of a geographical area associated with the object at a future point in time.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising updating the geo-coded information with predicted information associated with the object at a future point in time.

15. A system for overlaying information on a map, comprising:

means for receiving a three-dimensional map image, the map image including one or more objects;

means for receiving geo-coded information associated with at least one of the one or more objects;

means for selecting one or more time-shifts for the map image or for an object included in the map image;

means for displaying an object on a map as a three-dimensional image of the object having a plurality of faces, the object being displayed at a historical time and a future time based on the selected time-shift;

means for determining a perimeter of a face of an object; and

means for annotating the three-dimensional image of the object on the map with geo-coded information associated with the object,

wherein the geo-coded information is annotated within a perimeter of a face of the object based upon a displayed viewing perspective of the map.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising means for selectively altering a location of the object information when the viewing perspective is altered.

17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising means for displaying the geo-coded information within a face of the three-dimensional image of the object that is most exposed based upon the displayed viewing perspective.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising:

means for determining a viewing perspective of a user looking at the map;

means for adjusting the displayed viewing perspective based upon the determined user viewing perspective.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2014
From: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 034564/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 2, 2008
From: KIMCHI, GUR; SMITH, LEONARD
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021914/0854 →