Interface for navigating imagery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9569066-B2
Application number	US-201113287173-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2011
Priority date	Oct 3, 2011
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A user interface for rotating imagery among a plurality of canonical views of a geographic area of interest is disclosed. The interface includes at least one rotation control icon for rotating the imagery among a plurality of canonical views of the geographic area, and a direction indicating portion that indicates a compass direction associated with the canonical view presented on the display device. In particular implementations, the interface can be configured to come into view over the imagery whenever a user navigates to a particular view of the imagery where a plurality of canonical views is available. The motion of the navigation control interface appearing into the imagery is intended to draw attention to the control interface to inform the user that additional canonical views are available.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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, the imagery comprising a canonical view of a geographic area;
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 of the geographic area to a second predefined canonical view of the geographic area 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 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 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.

7. 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.

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. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
determining, by the one or more computing devices, when a user manipulable cursor is located proximate the at least one static rotation control icon;
receiving, by the one or more computing devices, imagery data associated with a second canonical map view when the user manipulable cursor is located proximate the rotation control icon; and
displaying, by the one or more computing devices, the second canonical map view upon user interaction with the static rotation control icon.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the imagery is one of oblique view imagery, satellite imagery, or street map imagery.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of canonical views comprises a north view, a south view, an east view, and a west view.

13. A system for navigating images; comprising:
a display device;
an input 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, the imagery comprising a canonical view of a geographic area;
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 first predefined canonical view of the geographic area to a second predefined canonical view of the geographic area 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 through the input device directed to the static rotation control icon; and
rotating 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.

14. The system of claim 13 , the direction indicating portion comprises a single rotating compass needle.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the operations comprise:
determining whether a plurality of predefined canonical map views associated with a geographic area are available; and
presenting the navigation control interface overlying the imagery if the plurality of predefined canonical map views associated with the geographic area are available.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the operations comprise:
presenting a primary control interface overlying the imagery, the primary navigation interface configured to zoom, pan, or tilt 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.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the operations comprise:
determining when a user manipulable cursor is located proximate the at least one rotation control icon;
receiving imagery data associated with a second canonical map view when the user manipulable cursor is located proximate the rotation control icon; and
displaying the second canonical map view upon user interaction with the rotation control icon.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the imagery is one of oblique view imagery, satellite imagery, or street map imagery and the

Assignees

• Van Lancker Willem
• Harrelson Christopher R
• Simpson Matthew Robert
• Leicht Amanda Marie
• Google Inc

Inventors

• Van Lancker Willem
• Harrelson Christopher R
• Simpson Matthew Robert
• Leicht Amanda Marie

Classifications

• G09G2340/045

  Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it · CPC title

• G09G5/377

  for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns (G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence) · CPC title

• G09B29/106

  using electronic means · CPC title

• G06F3/04815 Primary

  Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional [3D], e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object · CPC title

• G06F3/048

  Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title