Method, system, and computer program product for gamifying the process of obtaining panoramic images

1. A computer-implemented method of obtaining panoramic images by a user device, the computer-implemented method comprising:

generating a plurality of targets for a panoramic image, each of the plurality of targets defining a portion of the panoramic image, and each of the plurality of targets being located at a center of a prospective target image;

monitoring a position of the user device with respect to a current target of the plurality of targets;

responsive to determining that the user device is properly positioned with respect to the current target in accordance with one or more thresholds for corresponding image quality factors, capturing a first image for the current target using a camera of the user device, the first image defining a first portion of the panoramic image;

monitoring the position of the user device with respect to a next target of the plurality of targets;

responsive to determining that the user device is properly positioned with respect to the next target in accordance with the one or more thresholds for corresponding image quality factors, capturing a second image for the next target using the camera of the user device, the second image defining a second portion of the panoramic image; and

generating the panoramic image using the first image and the second image.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to determining that a targeting guide of the user device is within a threshold distance of the current target, displaying a high quality indicator at the current target.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:

displaying a low quality indicator at the current target while the targeting guide of the user device is outside the threshold distance.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

calculating a quality of the first image based on at least one of velocity of the user device during the capture of the first image, exposure of the camera during the capture of the first image, rotational position of the user device during the capture of the first image, distance of a targeting guide of the user device from the first target during the capture of the first image, and overlap of the first image with the second image; and

determining whether the quality of the first image satisfies a quality threshold.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:

responsive to determining that the quality of the first image is below the quality threshold, discarding the first image; and

capturing a new image for the current target using the camera of the user device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the quality threshold is determined based on historical quality data of a user of the user device, the historical quality data being generated based on image quality of a plurality of previously captured panoramic images.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:

calculating a quality of the second image based on at least one of velocity of the user device during the capture of the second image, exposure of the camera during the capture of the second image, rotational position of the user device during the capture of the second image, distance of a targeting guide of the user device from the first target during the capture of the second image, and overlap of the second image with the first image; and

determining a quality of the panoramic image based on the quality of the first image and the quality of the second image.

8. A system, comprising:

one or more memories;

one or more processors, each operatively connected to the one or more memories;

a target graph module stored on the one or more memories and configured to be executed by the one or more processors to generate a plurality of targets for a panoramic image, each of the plurality of targets defining a portion of the panoramic image, and each of the plurality of targets being located at a center of a prospective target image;

a user interface controller stored on the one or more memories and configured to be executed by the one or more processors to:

monitor a position of a user device with respect to a current target of the plurality of targets,

responsive to determining that the user device is properly positioned with respect to the current target in accordance with one or more thresholds for corresponding image quality factors, request that a camera of the user device capture a first image for the current target, the first image defining a first portion of the panoramic image,

monitor the position of the user device with respect to a next target of the plurality of targets, and

responsive to determining that the user device is properly positioned with respect to the next target in accordance with the one or more thresholds for corresponding image quality factors, request that a camera of the user device capture a second image for the next target, the second image defining a second portion of the panoramic image;

a stitching module stored on the one or more memories and configured to be executed by the one or more processors to generate the panoramic image using the first image and the second image; and

the camera configured to capture the first image and the second image.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the user interface controller is further configured to be executed by the one or more processors to:

responsive to determining that a targeting guide of the user device is within a threshold distance of the current target, display a high quality indicator at the current target.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the user interface controller is further configured to be executed by the one or more processors to:

display a low quality indicator at the current target while the targeting guide of the user device is outside the threshold distance.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the user interface controller is further configured to be executed by the one or more processors to:

calculate a quality of the first image based on at least one of velocity of the user device during the capture of the first image, exposure of the camera during the capture of the first image, rotational position of the user device during the capture of the first image, distance of a targeting guide of the user device from the first target during the capture of the first image, and overlap of the first image with the second image, and

determine whether the quality of the first image satisfies a quality threshold.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the user interface controller is further configured to be executed by the one or more processors to:

responsive to determining that the quality of the first image is below the quality threshold, discard the first image, and

request that the camera of the user device capture a new image for the current target.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the quality threshold is determined based on historical quality data of a user of the user device, the historical quality data being generated based on image quality of a plurality of previously captured panoramic images.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the user interface controller is further configured to be executed by the one or more processors to:

calculate a quality of the second image based on at least one of velocity of the user device during the capture of the second image, exposure of the camera during the capture of the second image, rotational position of the user device during the capture of the second image, distance of a targeting guide of the user device from the first target during the capture of the second image, and overlap of the second image with the first image, and

determine a quality of the panoramic image based on the quality of the first image and the quality of the second image.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer-executable program instructions embodied therein that when executed cause a computer processor to:

generate a plurality of targets for a panoramic image, each of the plurality of targets defining a portion of the panoramic image, and each of the plurality of targets being located at a center of a prospective target image;

monitor a position of a user device with respect to a current target of the plurality of targets;

responsive to determining that a targeting guide of the user device is within a threshold distance of the current target, display a high quality indicator at the current target;

responsive to determining that the user device is properly positioned with respect to the current target in accordance with one or more thresholds for corresponding image quality factors, capture a first image for the current target using a camera of the user device, the first image defining a first portion of the panoramic image;

monitor the position of the user device with respect to a next target of the plurality of targets;

responsive to determining that the user device is properly positioned with respect to the next target in accordance with the one or more thresholds for corresponding image quality factors, capture a second image for the next target using the camera of the user device, the second image defining a second portion of the panoramic image; and

generate the panoramic image using the first image and the second image.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computer processor to:

display a low quality indicator at the current target while the targeting guide of the user device is outside the threshold distance.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computer processor to:

calculate a quality of the first image based on at least one of velocity of the user device during the capture of the first image, exposure of the camera during the capture of the first image, rotational position of the user device during the capture of the first image, distance of a targeting guide of the user device from the first target during the capture of the first image, and overlap of the first image with the second image; and

determine whether the quality of the first image satisfies a quality threshold.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computer processor to:

responsive to determining that the quality of the first image is below the quality threshold, discard the first image; and

capture a new image for the current target using the camera of the user device.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the quality threshold is determined based on historical quality data of a user of the user device, the historical quality data being generated based on image quality of a plurality of previously captured panoramic images.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computer processor to:

calculate a quality of the second image based on at least one of velocity of the user device during the capture of the second image, exposure of the camera during the capture of the second image, rotational position of the user device during the capture of the second image, distance of a targeting guide of the user device from the first target during the capture of the second image, and overlap of the second image with the first image; and

determine a quality of the panoramic image based on the quality of the first image and the quality of the second image.