Patents by Inventor Andrew Ofstad

Andrew Ofstad has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20150116360
    Abstract: A point of interest (POI) viewpoint generation system and method may analyze attributes of photographs captured in the vicinity of a POI to automatically annotate a digital map with a viewpoint marker that corresponds to the POI. The viewpoint may include a geographic location in the vicinity of a POI which serves as a vantage point from where an observer (e.g., a photographer, a person viewing the location, etc.) may view or photograph the POI. The viewpoint marker may include a visible indication (e.g., an icon) included with the visual representation of the digital map. The geographic location of the viewpoint marker may roughly correspond to the cartographic location of the viewpoint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Jonah Jones, Andrew Ofstad
  • Publication number: 20150095831
    Abstract: Systems and methods for navigating an imagery graph are provided. In some aspects, a first image is provided for display, where the first image corresponds to a first image node within an imagery graph, where the imagery graph comprises image nodes corresponding to images from a plurality of different imagery types, and where each image node in the imagery graph is associated with geospatial data. An indication of a selection of a predetermined region within the first image is received, where the predetermined region is associated with a position in the first image that corresponds to geospatial data associated a second image node within the imagery graph. A second image corresponding to the second image node is provided for display in response to the indication of the selection of the predetermined region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Steven Maxwell Seitz, Andrew Ofstad
  • Publication number: 20150062114
    Abstract: To provide information about geographic locations, an interactive 3D display of geolocated imagery is provided via a user interface of a computing device. A view of the geolocated imagery is generated from a perspective of a notational camera having a particular camera pose, where the camera pose is associated with at least position and orientation. A selection of a location within the interactive display is received via the user interface, and a symbolic location corresponding to the selected location is automatically identified, where at least textual information is available for the symbolic location. Automatically and without further input via the user interface, (i) the notational camera is moved toward the selected location, and (ii) overlaid textual description of the symbolic location that includes a link to additional information related to the symbolic location is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventor: Andrew Ofstad
  • Patent number: 8928666
    Abstract: Systems and methods for navigating an imagery graph are provided. In some aspects, a first image is provided for display, where the first image corresponds to a first image node within an imagery graph, where the imagery graph comprises image nodes corresponding to images from a plurality of different imagery types, and where each image node in the imagery graph is associated with geospatial data. An indication of a selection of a predetermined region within the first image is received, where the predetermined region is associated with a position in the first image that corresponds to geospatial data associated a second image node within the imagery graph. A second image corresponding to the second image node is provided for display in response to the indication of the selection of the predetermined region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Ofstad, Steven Maxwell Seitz
  • Publication number: 20140104280
    Abstract: Systems and methods for navigating an imagery graph are provided. In some aspects, a first image is provided for display, where the first image corresponds to a first image node within an imagery graph, where the imagery graph comprises image nodes corresponding to images from a plurality of different imagery types, and where each image node in the imagery graph is associated with geospatial data. An indication of a selection of a predetermined region within the first image is received, where the predetermined region is associated with a position in the first image that corresponds to geospatial data associated a second image node within the imagery graph. A second image corresponding to the second image node is provided for display in response to the indication of the selection of the predetermined region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew OFSTAD, Steven Maxwell SEITZ
  • Publication number: 20140062998
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices and user interfaces for orienting a camera view toward surfaces in a 3D map. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to devices and methods that determine a zoom level associated with a 3D scene and 3D geometry of a map feature with the 3D scene and orient a 3D cursor to a surface of the map feature based on the zoom level and the 3D geometry when a user moves the 3D cursor over the map feature. When a user selects a point within the 3D geometry of the map feature, the 3D map is re-oriented with a view of the surface of the map feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Ofstad, Su Chuin Leong
  • Patent number: 8570329
    Abstract: A technique for providing a subtle indication of imagery type can be implemented in a software application, such as a mapping application, that displays interactive imagery in a three-dimensional scene and allows users to tap, click, or otherwise select points within the displayed images to pull up corresponding detailed photographs. A pulled-up photograph may be laid out on a surface having a curvature (e.g., the surface of a sphere or a cylinder), in which case the viewport slides along the photograph in a three-dimensional space as the photograph is inspected, or on a surface having no curvature (i.e., the photograph is flat), in which case the viewport pans along the photograph in a two-dimensional space. However, at the time when a user selects a point within the interactive image, the user does not know whether the photograph associated with this point is laid out on a curved surface or a flat surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Ofstad