Interface for navigating imagery

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting, by one or more computing devices, a user interface on a display device, the user interface including a display area for presenting imagery;

presenting, by the one or more computing devices, a navigation control interface depicted as a compass overlying the imagery, the navigation control interface configured to rotate the imagery about an axis perpendicular to the imagery from a first predefined canonical view to a second predefined canonical view upon user interaction with a static rotation control icon included as part of the compass, the navigation control interface comprising a direction indicating portion included as part of the compass that indicates a compass direction associated with the canonical view presented on the display device;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a user input directed to the static rotation control icon; and

rotating, by the one or more computing devices, the direction indicating portion from a first compass direction associated with the first predefined canonical view to a second compass direction associated with the second predefined canonical view synchronously with the imagery in response to the user input directed to the static rotation control icon,

wherein the static rotation control icon does not change as the image rotates in response to the user input.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the direction indicating portion comprises a single rotating compass needle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface comprises a tilt interface for tilting the imagery, the method comprising tilting, by the one or more computing devices, the direction indicating portion and the imagery synchronously upon user interaction with the tilt interface.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises restoring, by the one or more computing devices, the imagery to a predetermined orientation in the display area upon user interaction with the direction indicating portion.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein presenting the navigation control interface comprises:

determining, by the one or more computing devices, whether a plurality of predefined canonical views associated with the imagery are available; and

presenting, by the one or more computing devices, the navigation control interface overlying the imagery if the plurality of predefined canonical map views associated with the imagery are available.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein presenting, by the one or more computing devices, the navigation control interface overlying the imagery comprises sliding, by the one or more computing devices, the navigation control interface into the display area over the imagery.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises hiding, by the one or more computing devices, the navigation control interface when a plurality of canonical views associated with the imagery are not available.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises presenting, by the one or more computing devices, a primary control interface overlying the imagery, the primary control interface configured to zoom, pan, or tilt the imagery.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method comprises:

determining, by the one or more computing devices, when a user manipulable cursor is located proximate the primary control interface; and

hiding, by the one or more computing devices, the navigation control interface when a user manipulable cursor is located proximate the primary control interface.

10. A system for navigating images; comprising:

a display device;

one or more processors; and

at least one memory coupled to the one or more processors, the at least one memory comprising computer-readable instructions for execution by the one or more processors to cause said one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:

presenting a user interface on the display device, the user interface including a display area for presenting imagery;

presenting a navigation control interface depicted as a compass overlying the imagery, the navigation control interface configured to rotate the imagery about an axis perpendicular to the imagery from a first canonical view to a second canonical view upon user interaction with a static rotation control icon included as part of the compass, the navigation control interface comprising a direction indicating portion included as part of the compass that indicates a compass direction associated with the canonical view presented on the display device;

receiving a user input directed to the static rotation control icon; and

rotating the direction indicating portion from a first compass direction associated with the first canonical view to a second compass direction associated with the second canonical view with the imagery in response to the user input directed to the static rotation control icon,

wherein the static rotation control icon does not change as the image rotates in response to the user input.

11. The system of claim 10 , the direction indicating portion comprises a single rotating compass needle.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the operations comprise:

presenting a primary control interface overlying the imagery, the primary navigation interface configured to zoom, pan, or tilt the imagery.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the operations comprise:

determining when a user manipulable cursor is located proximate the primary control interface; and

hiding the navigation control interface when a user manipulable cursor is located proximate the primary control interface.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the user interface comprises a tilt interface for tilting the imagery, the operations comprising:

tilting the direction indicating portion and the imagery synchronously upon user interaction with the tilt interface.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions that when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:

presenting a user interface on a display device, the user interface including a display area for presenting imagery;

presenting a navigation control interface depicted as a compass overlying the imagery, the navigation control interface configured to rotate the imagery about an axis perpendicular to the imagery from a first view of the imagery to a second view of the imagery upon user interaction with a static rotation control icon included as part of the compass, the navigation control interface comprising a direction indicating portion included as part of the compass that indicates a compass direction associated with the view presented on the display device;

receiving a user input directed to the navigation control interface; and

rotating the direction indicating portion from a first compass direction associated with the first view to a second compass direction associated with the second view with the imagery in response to the user input directed to the navigation control interface;

wherein the static rotation control icon does not change as the image rotates in response to the user input.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the operations comprise:

determining whether a plurality of views associated with the imagery are available; and

presenting the navigation control interface overlying the imagery if the plurality of views associated with the imagery are available.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the operations comprise hiding the navigation control interface when a plurality of views associated with the imagery are not available.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the operations comprise:

presenting a primary control interface overlying the imagery, the primary navigation interface for zooming, panning, or tilting the imagery;

determining when a user manipulable cursor is located proximate the primary control interface; and

hiding the navigation control interface when a user manipulable cursor is located proximate the primary control interface.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the operations comprise:

determining when a user manipulable cursor is located proximate the at least one rotation control icon;

receiving imagery data associated the second view when the user manipulable cursor is located proximate the rotation control icon; and

displaying the second view upon user interaction with the rotation control icon.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15 , wherein the user interface comprises a tilt interface for tilting the imagery, the operations comprising:

tilting the direction indicating portion and the imagery synchronously upon user interaction with the tilt interface.