Annotated Street View Images with Contextual Metadata
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional street view applications provide limited contextual information, restricting users' ability to utilize street view images effectively, as they often present a limited view of a location and lack detailed information typically available in other mapping views.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a mapping application that generates annotated street view images by combining street view images with a horizontal metadata panel containing contextual information, allowing users to quickly associate metadata with objects in the image, thereby enhancing the usability of street view images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If street view applications present a limited view of a location, then the device complexity is reduced, but the quantity of information provided is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the contextual information into multiple categories (e.g., business information, transportation, amenities) and presents them in separate annotated elements overlaid on the street view image. This allows comprehensive information to be provided without overwhelming the user or increasing system complexity, as each information type is independently managed and displayed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a dimensional layer by overlaying annotated elements (text labels, icons, highlighted regions) onto the two-dimensional street view image. This creates a multi-layered information presentation where contextual data exists in a separate visual dimension, allowing extensive information to be displayed without cluttering the base image or requiring complex interface restructurings.
2Quantity of substance
If street view applications provide detailed contextual information, then the quantity of information is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by placing contextual information directly adjacent to or overlaid on the specific objects or areas they describe within the street view image. Annotations such as business names, addresses, and amenity icons are positioned locally relative to their corresponding real-world objects, allowing users to access information contextually without navigating through separate menus or lists, thereby maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The annotated elements serve as intermediaries between the user and the detailed contextual information. Instead of requiring users to interact with complex data structures or separate information panels, the patent uses visually intuitive annotations (text labels, icons, highlighted regions) as mediators that directly convey information about objects in the street view, simplifying user interaction while providing comprehensive details.
3Productivity
If street view applications display comprehensive location details, then the productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal annotation system that can handle multiple types of contextual information (business details, transportation options, amenities, etc.) using a consistent set of visual conventions and interaction mechanisms. This multi-functional approach allows the system to provide comprehensive location details efficiently without requiring separate complex subsystems for each information type, as the same annotation framework serves all purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques to annotate street level images with contextual information are described. A map application may comprise a street level component that when executed by a processor is operative to generate annotated street view images of a location. The street level component may comprise a street view component operative to generate a street view image from multiple street level images, the street view image having one or more objects located within the street view image. The street level component may further comprise a metadata component communicatively coupled to the street view component, the metadata component operative to generate a horizontal metadata panel having object metadata positioned in approximate vertical alignment with a corresponding object in the street view image, and combine the horizontal metadata panel with the street view image to form an annotated street view image. Other embodiments are described and claimed.