Abstract: In one aspect, a map is provided for display by one or more computing devices. The map includes one or more polygons. The one or more computing devices receive a zoom request for viewing the map. The one or more computing devices then determines whether a visual threshold has been reached based at least in part on the zoom request. When the visual threshold has been reached, the one or more computing devices identify a polygon of the one or more polygons. The one or more computing devices then provide for display alternate imagery corresponding to the polygon on the map.

Abstract: A system and method is provided of detecting user manipulation of an inanimate object and interpreting that manipulation as input. In one aspect, the manipulation may be detected by an image capturing component of a computing device, and the manipulation is interpreted as an instruction to execute a command, such as opening up a drawing application in response to a user picking up a pen. The manipulation may also be detected with the aid of an audio capturing device, e.g., a microphone on the computing device.

Abstract: In one aspect, a map is provided for display by one or more computing devices. The map includes one or more polygons. The one or more computing devices receive a zoom request for viewing the map. The one or more computing devices then determines whether a visual threshold has been reached based at least in part on the zoom request. When the visual threshold has been reached, the one or more computing devices identify a polygon of the one or more polygons. The one or more computing devices then provide for display alternate imagery corresponding to the polygon on the map.

Abstract: A system receives a description of a first set of elements representing physical and/or logical entities in a geographic area to be displayed on a digital map. The system determines current boundaries of a viewport within which the digital map is to be displayed and generates a metric indicative of how frequently the elements in the first set occur within the current boundaries of the viewport relative to at least a second set of elements displayed on the digital map. The system determines one or more visual attributes for the first set of elements based at least in part on the generated metric and displays representations of the first set of elements on the digital map in accordance with the determined one or more visual attributes.

Abstract: Systems and methods for applying one or more route-based modifications to a map are provided. In some aspects, a system includes a pathfinder module configured to determine a primary route from a beginning point to a destination point on the map. The pathfinder module is further configured to generate one or more primary modifications to the map based on the primary route. The system also includes a restyling module configured to apply the primary route and the one or more primary modifications to the map. The one or more primary modifications include at least one of a) adding a first object to the map that would otherwise be excluded from the map if the primary route is not applied to the map and b) excluding a second object from the map that would otherwise be added to the map if the primary route is not applied to the map.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of identifying businesses that honor loyalty programs. The method includes receiving a request for businesses that have a loyalty program within a predetermined proximity to a user, the request including location information of the user, accessing a list of loyalty programs associated with the user, and comparing the list of loyalty programs associated with the user to businesses listings in a business data repository, each business listing having an associated address and a list of loyalty programs honored by the business. The method also includes identifying those businesses that honor at least one of the loyalty programs listed in the loyalty programs associated with the user, selecting the identified businesses that are within the predetermined proximity to the user, and providing a list of the selected businesses to the user.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for displaying information content in a user interface. The content includes an information panel that contains at least one information element. Information indicating a position within the user interface is used to automatically determine whether to display the information panel in its expanded or collapsed state. The title of the information panel is displayed. The title of the information element is displayed beneath the information panel title when the information panel is displayed in its expanded state. The title of the information element is not displayed when the information panel is displayed in its collapsed state.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to determine specularity of an object. As an example an object or area of geometry may be selected. A set of images that include the area of geometry may be captured. This set of images may be filtered to remove images that do not show the area of geometry well, such as if the area is in a shadow or occluded by another object. A set of intensity values for the area are determined for each image. A set of angle values for each image is determined based on at least a direction of a camera that captured the particular image when the particular image was captured. The set of average intensities and the set of angle values are paired and fit to a curve. The specularity of the area may then be classified based on at least the fit.

Abstract: A graphics or image rendering system, such as a map image rendering system, may mark areas of interest on a map based on metadata associated with one or more features of the map. Additional map features may be created to mark the areas of interest or styles of existing map features may be modified to mark the areas of interest.

Abstract: A graphics or image rendering system, such as a map image rendering system, may restyle map features of map data based on a user time parameter. The system may retrieve map data that includes a set of map features representing physical map items wherein each map feature is associated with a style parameter. The style parameter may provide information for a map rendering device to render an appearance of the map feature and each style parameter may be assigned a default style. Modified styles may be assigned to the map data to generate responsive map data. The first modified style may include at least one display attribute different from a display attribute of the default style.

Abstract: To provide digital maps on a portable device, a graphical representation of an object is displayed for display on a digital map, current orientation of the portable device relative to the sun is determined, and orientation of the graphical representation of the object relative to a virtual sun is determined based on the determined current orientation of the portable device relative to the sun. Using the virtual sun as a light source, a shadow cast by the graphical representation is generated for display on the digital map.

Abstract: A mapping system allows a user to interact with any location on a digital map and present the user with location related information associated with the selected location. The location related information may be in the form or a card, pop-up, image, or other graphic and may be displayed on the map at or near the selected location, around the map, etc. The displayed location related information may include predetermined or pre-stored data about the location or may include location related information collected and generated on the fly in response to the user interaction with the digital map. The displayed location related information may be displayed in the same graphical format on the digital map regardless of whether location related information is predetermined information about the location that already exists or information that is collected and generated on the fly in response to the user interaction.

Abstract: Systems, methods, computer programs, and user interfaces are provided to send a map search request including a start location and a search term to a map server, receive a number of routes, each of the routes describing a route from the start location to one of a number of potential destinations, receive a road style for rendering roads in a map extent encompassing the routes, and simultaneously display the routes based on a multiple route style.

Abstract: A user interface for viewing imagery associated with a geographic area, such as street level imagery is disclosed. The interface includes at least one text annotation projected in the three-dimensional space defined by the imagery onto a surface, such as a generally vertical surface, of an object depicted in the imagery. For example, the text annotation can be rendered such that the annotation appears to be located along the façade of a building depicted in the imagery. The projection of text annotations in the three-dimensional space can provide a more immersive, augmented reality-style view of the geographic area of interest.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for determining whether images of a geographic location identify features with characteristics consistent with shadows cast by people, and using such determination to annotate map information. If such features are identified at the location, the map may be annotated to indicate that the location is frequented by pedestrians.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for displaying information content in a user interface. The content includes an information panel that contains at least one information element. Information indicating a position within the user interface is used to automatically determine whether to display the information panel in its expanded or collapsed state. The title of the information panel is displayed. The title of the information element is displayed beneath the information panel title when the information panel is displayed in its expanded state. The title of the information element is not displayed when the information panel is displayed in its collapsed state.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate generally to determine specularity of an object. As an example an object or area of geometry may be selected. A set of images that include the area of geometry may be captured. This set of images may be filtered to remove images that do not show the area of geometry well, such as if the area is in a shadow or occluded by another object. A set of intensity values for the area are determined for each image. A set of angle values for each image is determined based on at least a direction of a camera that captured the particular image when the particular image was captured. The set of average intensities and the set of angle values are paired and fit to a curve. The specularity of the area may then be classified based on at least the fit.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system and computer-readable medium for transitioning between images in a three-dimensional space are provided. A three-dimensional (3D) model of a location that includes multiple two-dimensional images textured onto the 3D model and each image is associated with a set of credentials is provided. A virtual path is generated within the 3D model, the virtual path including at least some of the plurality of images in the sequential order. For each image in the virtual path, a type of a transition within each image and between the adjacent images in the sequential order is determined. The type of transition is based on the set of credentials associated with each image. As the virtual path is traversed using a virtual camera, where the virtual camera activates transitions associated with each image and the transitions ensure that the movement within the 3D model appears constant to the user.

Abstract: A graphics or image rendering system, such as a map image rendering system, renders an indicator of an out-of-view map feature that is generated based on a user context, including a selection of a map feature or a search for a set of map features.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a content based, custom labeled map is provided. A request for a map is received. The request includes a geographical area to be displayed in the map and a type of content item to be displayed in the map. A plurality of orientation points to display on the map is determined based on a ranking of locations in the geographical area, and one or more pieces of content to be associated with each orientation point is determined. Each orientation point is ranked based in part on ranks of the one or more pieces of content associated with each orientation point. A map is generated to display at the locations of the plurality of orientation points the pieces of content associated with each orientation point at a level of prominence that is based on the ranking of each orientation point.