METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING AND NAVIGATING AN OPTIMAL MULTI-DIMENSIONAL BUILDING MODEL

1 . A method of visualizing a multi-dimensional building model on a computer display, the method comprises:

retrieving a multi-dimensional building model from computer memory;

defining a look angle and field of view for the multi-dimensional building model, the defining a look angle including determining up, down, left and right angles which define an extent of the multi-dimensional building model to be viewed on the computer display;

calculating a first main axis and a second main axis for the retrieved multi-dimensional building model to define an orientation of the multi-dimensional building model;

calculating, for at least a selected facade, an optimal camera position for the retrieved multi-dimensional building model based on the defined look angle, the defined field of view and the orientation, the optimal camera position defining an optimal view including a centered and at least partially unobstructed view of the retrieved multi-dimensional building model; and

displaying the optimal view on the computer display.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is repeated for one or more facades of the multi-dimensional building model.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the optimal view includes an unobstructed view.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the optimal view includes: a group of connected multi-dimensional building models or a group of close proximity multi-dimensional building models.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising adding a visible buffer space around the optimal view.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the optimal view includes visible buffer regions around a centered view of the multi-dimensional building model.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the visible buffer regions comprise any of: white space, elements of the same or different multi-dimensional building models, or other visible structures located in a vicinity of the retrieved multi-dimensional building model within a multi-dimensional map.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the defined look angle is a downwards looking pitch angle.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the downwards looking pitch angle is approximately 20 degrees.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieving a multi-dimensional building model from computer memory is based on building selection information including any of: an address, a geo-location, a position or areas within a displayed map.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieving a multi-dimensional building model from computer memory building model visualization system pre-stores previously calculated ones of the centered at least partially unobstructed optimal views for each facade.

12 . A system for visualizing a multi-dimensional building model, the system comprising:

a view processor for processing an optimal view of a multi-dimensional building model, the processing comprising:

retrieving the multi-dimensional building model from computer memory;

defining a look angle and field of view for the multi-dimensional building models, the defining a look angle including determining up, down, left and right angles which define an extent of the multi-dimensional building model to be viewed on a computer display;

calculating a first main axis and a second main axis for the multi-dimensional building models to define an orientation of the multi-dimensional building model;

calculating, for at least a selected facade, an optimal camera position for the multi-dimensional building model based on the defined look angle, the defined field of view and the orientation, the optimal camera position defining the optimal view as a centered and at least partially unobstructed view of the multi-dimensional building model; and

communicating the optimal view to a remote electronic device to be displayed on the computer display of the remote electronic device.

13 . The system according to claim 12 , wherein the view processor processes the optimal view for one or more facades of the multi-dimensional building model.

14 . The system according to claim 12 , wherein the optimal view for one or more selected facades of the optimal view multi-dimensional building model is stored in memory for future display or multi-dimensional navigation.

15 . A method of visualizing a multi-dimensional building model on a mobile electronic device display, the method comprises:

selecting a multi-dimensional building model based on a location of the multi-dimensional building model;

wirelessly retrieving, from remote computer memory, a previously stored optimal view of the selected multi-dimensional building model, the optimal view based on at least an optimal camera position for the selected multi-dimensional building model, the optimal camera position based on a look angle, a field of view and an orientation of the selected multi-dimensional building model, wherein the optimal view includes a centered at least partially unobstructed view of the selected multi-dimensional building model; and

displaying the optimal view on the mobile electronic device display.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the optimal view is used to navigate within a multi-dimensional map at least partially displayed on the mobile electronic device display.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the look angle for the optimal view is a downwards looking pitch angle.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the downwards looking pitch angle is 10-50 degrees.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the optimal view includes visible buffer regions around a centered view of the multi-dimensional building model.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the visible buffer regions comprise any of: white space, elements of the same or different multi-dimensional building models, or other visible structures located in a vicinity of the selected multi-dimensional building model(s) within a multi-dimensional map.