Matching views between a two-dimensional geographical image and a three-dimensional geographical image

1. An apparatus for determining matching viewpoints between a geographical area displayed in a two-dimensional geographical image and a corresponding three-dimensional geographical image, the apparatus comprising:

a memory to store:

a transformation extension to interact with a host application to determine three-dimensional geographical image parameters from two-dimensional geographical image parameters; and

one or more processors, in communication with the memory, the one or more processors configured to:

receive a geographical identifier for a geographical location;

transmit the geographical identifier to receive two-dimensional geographical image instructions for displaying the two-dimensional geographical image;

display the two-dimensional geographical image;

receive a request from a user to adjust a zoom level of the displayed two-dimensional geographical image;

adjust the zoom level of the displayed two-dimensional geographical image based on the request;

use the transformation extension to determine three-dimensional geographical image parameters including an altitude parameter, a latitude parameter, and a longitude parameter based on the adjusted zoom level of the displayed two-dimensional geographical image;

transmit the three-dimensional geographical image parameters;

receive, in response to the transmitting, three-dimensional geographical image instructions for displaying the three-dimensional geographical image according to the three-dimensional geographical image parameters; and

display the three-dimensional geographical image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional geographical image is displayable within a viewport of the host application and the transformation extension is further operative to display the three-dimensional geographical image in the viewport of the host application instead of the two-dimensional geographical image.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the geographical identifier is a postal address for the geographical location.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional geographical image instructions comprise instructions to display the two-dimensional geographical image as a plurality of vector graphics, and wherein the corresponding three-dimensional geographical image includes photorealistic textures and appears realistic.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the host application is a web browser.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising two-dimensional geographical image parameters for generating the two-dimensional geographical image, wherein the two-dimensional geographical image parameters include a latitude angle for a pixel displayed in the two-dimensional geographical image.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors further applies a scaling factor to display the three-dimensional geographical image when the zoom level exceeds a predetermined threshold.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transformation extension interacts with the host application and upon a user request determines two-dimensional geographical image parameters for generating a second two-dimensional geographical image based on the displayed three-dimensional geographical image.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors further:

determine a tilt parameter value and a heading parameter value based on a prior interaction with the displayed first three-dimensional geographical image;

displays a second three-dimensional geographical image with the determined tilt parameter value and heading parameter;

stores the tilt parameter value and heading parameter value when a request is received to display a second two-dimensional geographical image corresponding to the second three-dimensional geographical image; and

applies the stored tilt parameter value and heading parameter value to a third three-dimensional geographical image when a request is received to display the third three-dimensional geographical corresponding to the second two-dimensional geographical image.

10. A method for determining matching viewpoints between a geographical area displayed in a two-dimensional geographical image and a corresponding three-dimensional geographical image, the method comprising:

establishing a transformation extension operative to interact with a host application to determine three-dimensional geographical image parameters from two-dimensional geographical image parameters;

receiving, with a processor in communication with a memory, a geographical identifier for a geographical location;

transmitting the geographical identifier to receive two-dimensional geographical image instructions for displaying the two-dimensional geographical image;

providing for display, on a display device in communication with the processor, the two-dimensional geographical image;

receiving a request from a user to adjust a zoom level of the displayed two-dimensional geographical image;

adjusting the zoom level of the displayed two-dimensional geographical image based on the request;

invoking, with the processor, the transformation extension to determine the three-dimensional geographical image parameters including an altitude parameter, a latitude parameter, and a longitude parameter based on the adjusted zoom level of the displayed two-dimensional geographical image;

transmitting the three-dimensional geographical image parameters;

receive three-dimensional geographical image instructions for displaying the three-dimensional geographical image according to the three-dimensional geographical image parameters; and

displaying, on the display device, the three-dimensional geographical image.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the two-dimensional geographical image is displayed within a viewport of the host application and the three-dimensional geographical image is displayed in the viewport of the host application instead of the two-dimensional geographical image.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the geographical identifier is a postal address for the geographical location.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the two-dimensional geographical image instructions comprise instructions to display the two-dimensional geographical image as a plurality of vector graphics, and wherein the three-dimensional geographical image includes photorealistic textures and appears realistic.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the host application is a web browser.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising two-dimensional geographical image parameters for generating the two-dimensional geographical image, wherein the two-dimensional geographical image parameters include a latitude angle for a pixel displayed in the first two-dimensional geographical image.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising applying a scaling factor to display the three-dimensional geographical image when the zoom level exceeds a predetermined threshold.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining two-dimensional geographical image parameter values for generating a second two-dimensional geographical image based on the displayed three-dimensional geographical image.

18. The method of claim 10 ,

further comprising:

determining a tilt parameter value and a heading parameter value based on a prior interaction with the displayed three-dimensional geographical image;

displaying a second three-dimensional geographical image with the determined tilt parameter value and heading parameter value;

storing the tilt parameter value and heading parameter value when a request is received to display a second two-dimensional geographical image corresponding to the second three-dimensional geographical image; and

applying the stored tilt parameter value and heading parameter value to a third three-dimensional geographical image when a request is received to display the third three-dimensional geographical corresponding to the second two-dimensional geographical image.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium recorded with instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for determining matching viewpoints between a geographical area displayed in a two-dimensional geographical image and a corresponding three-dimensional geographical image, the method comprising:

establishing a transformation extension operative to interact with a host application to determine three-dimensional geographical image parameters from two-dimensional geographical image parameters;

receiving, with a processor in communication with a memory, a geographical identifier for a geographical location;

transmitting the geographical identifier to receive two-dimensional geographical image instructions for displaying the two-dimensional geographical image of the geographical location;

providing for display, on a display device in communication with the processor, the two-dimensional geographical image;

receiving a request from a user to adjust a zoom level of the displayed two-dimensional geographical image;

adjusting the zoom level of the displayed two-dimensional geographical image based on the request;

invoking, with the processor, the transformation extension to determine the three-dimensional geographical image parameters including an altitude parameter, a latitude parameter, and a longitude parameter based on the adjusted zoom level of the displayed two-dimensional geographical image;

transmitting the three-dimensional geographical image parameters;

receive three-dimensional geographical image instructions for displaying the three-dimensional geographical image according to the three-dimensional geographical image parameters; and

displaying, on the display device, the three-dimensional geographical image.

20. The recording medium of claim 19 , wherein the two-dimensional geographical image is displayable within a viewport of the host application and the transformation extension is further operative to display the three-dimensional geographical image in the viewport of the host application instead of the two-dimensional geographical image.

21. The recording medium of claim 19 , wherein the geographical identifier is a postal address for the geographical location.

22. The recording medium of claim 19 , wherein the two-dimensional geographical image instructions comprise instructions to display the two-dimensional geographical image as a plurality of vector graphics, and wherein the three-dimensional geographical image includes photorealistic textures and appears realistic.

23. The recording medium of claim 19 , wherein the host application is a web browser.