System and Method for Creating an Environment and for Sharing a Location Based Experience in an Environment

Abstract

A system for creating an environment and for sharing an experience based on the environment includes a plurality of mobile devices having a camera employed near a point of interest to capture random, crowdsourced images and associated metadata near said point of interest, wherein the metadata for each image includes location of the mobile device and the orientation of the camera. Preferably, the images include depth camera information. A wireless network communicates with the mobile devices to accept the images and metadata and to build and store a point cloud or 3D model of the region. Users connect to this experience platform to view the 3D model from a user selected location and orientation and to participate in experiences with, for example, a social network.

Description

PRIORITY[0001]The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 602,390 filed Feb. 23, 2012.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to systems and methods for creating indoor and outdoor environments that include virtual models and images, and methods and systems for using such created environments. In preferred forms, the environments are created in part using crowd sourced images and metadata and the environments are applied to social media applications.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Microsoft, Google, and Nokia (Navteq) have employed moving street vehicles through most major cities in the world to capture images of the buildings and environment as the vehicle traverses the street. In some cases, laser radar imagery (e.g. Light Detection and Ranging or “LIDAR”) also captures ranging data from the vehicle to capture data related to building and street positions and structure, such as a building height. ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]Broadly speaking, a system for creating an environment for use with a location based experience includes a plurality of mobile devices accompanying a number of random contributors, each having a camera to capture random images and associated metadata near a point of interest, wherein the metadata for each image includes location of the mobile device and the orientation of the camera. The system includes a wireless network communicating with the mobile devices to accept the images and metadata. An image processing server is connected to the network for receiving the images and metadata, wherein the server processes the images to determine the location of various targets in the images and to build a 3D model of the region near the point of interest. Preferably the server processes the images to create panoramas associated with a number of locations near the point of interest.

Problems solved by technology

Such imagery are very useful, but acquisition is limited to dedicated vehicles traveling along major arteries.

Such photo repositories and social networks are useful in sharing an event with friends, but are limited in realism and interaction.

Additionally, many environments are simply not available, such as parks, indoor locations and any locations beyond major streets in major cities.

Images