Abstract: Camera pose optimization, which includes determining the position and orientation of a camera in three-dimensional space at different times, is improved by detecting a higher-confidence reference object in the photographs captured by the camera and using the object to increase consistency and accuracy of pose data. Higher-confidence reference objects include objects that are stationary, fixed, easily recognized, and relatively large. In one embodiment, street level photographs of a geographic area are collected by a vehicle with a camera. The captured images are geo-coded using GPS data, which may be inaccurate. The vehicle drives in a loop and captures the same reference object multiple times from the substantially same position. The trajectory of the vehicle is then closed by aligning the points of multiple images where the trajectory crosses itself. This creates an additional constraint on the pose data, which in turn improves the data's consistency and accuracy.

Abstract: Camera pose optimization, which includes determining the position and orientation of a camera in three-dimensional space at different times, is improved by detecting a higher-confidence reference object in the photographs captured by the camera and using the object to increase consistency and accuracy of pose data. Higher-confidence reference objects include objects that are stationary, fixed, easily recognized, and relatively large. In one embodiment, street level photographs of a geographic area are collected by a vehicle with a camera. The captured images are geo-coded using GPS data, which may be inaccurate. The vehicle drives in a loop and captures the same reference object multiple times from the substantially same position. The trajectory of the vehicle is then closed by aligning the points of multiple images where the trajectory crosses itself. This creates an additional constraint on the pose data, which in turn improves the data's consistency and accuracy.

Abstract: Camera pose optimization, which includes determining the position and orientation of a camera in three-dimensional space at different times, is improved by detecting a higher-confidence reference object in the photographs captured by the camera and using the object to increase consistency and accuracy of pose data. Higher-confidence reference objects include objects that are stationary, fixed, easily recognized, and relatively large. In one embodiment, street level photographs of a geographic area are collected by a vehicle with a camera. The captured images are geo-coded using GPS data, which may be inaccurate. The vehicle drives in a loop and captures the same reference object multiple times from the substantially same position. The trajectory of the vehicle is then closed by aligning the points of multiple images where the trajectory crosses itself. This creates an additional constraint on the pose data, which in turn improves the data's consistency and accuracy.

Abstract: Embodiments of this invention relate to detecting and blurring images. In an embodiment, a system detects objects in a photographic image. The system includes an object detector module configured to detect regions of the photographic image that include objects of a particular type at least based on the content of the photographic image. The system further includes a false positive detector module configured to determine whether each region detected by the object detector module includes an object of the particular type at least based on information about the context in which the photographic image was taken.

Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for utilizing the effort expended by a user in responding to a CAPTCHA request to automatically transcribe text from images in order to verify, retrieve and/or update geographic data associated with geographic locations at which the images were recorded.

Abstract: Camera pose optimization, which includes determining the position and orientation of a camera in three-dimensional space at different times, is improved by detecting a higher-confidence reference object in the photographs captured by the camera and using the object to increase consistency and accuracy of pose data. Higher-confidence reference objects include objects that are stationary, fixed, easily recognized, and relatively large. In one embodiment, street level photographs of a geographic area are collected by a vehicle with a camera. The captured images are geo-coded using GPS data, which may be inaccurate. The vehicle drives in a loop and captures the same reference object multiple times from the substantially same position. The trajectory of the vehicle is then closed by aligning the points of multiple images where the trajectory crosses itself. This creates an additional constraint on the pose data, which in turn improves the data's consistency and accuracy.

Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for utilizing the effort expended by a user in responding to a CAPTCHA request to automatically transcribe text from images in order to verify, retrieve and/or update geographic data associated with geographic locations at which the images were recorded.

Abstract: A live wallpaper for a computing device is disclosed. The live wallpaper displays imagery from various image sources (e.g. Picasaweb, Panoramio, Google+, Facebook, Twitter) and displays new imagery upon the occurrence of various trigger conditions, such as upon user interaction with the live wallpaper or upon the passage of a period of time. In a particular implementation, the live wallpaper can be configured to display geolocated photographs associated with a geographic area input into the computing device. For instance, geolocated photographs associated with a user's current location can be displayed and can change automatically as the user's locality changes. The live wallpaper can be configured to display imagery that has not previously been displayed as the wallpaper on the computing device to present new and unseen images and different backgrounds for the computing device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for updating geographic data based on a transaction are provided. In some aspects, one or more transaction records associated with a business are accessed from a memory. Each transaction record identifies a transaction time, geographic location data, and transaction information. A geocoded record of the business is selected to update, based on the geographic location data of the one or more transaction records. The selected geocoded record is updated based on at least one of the transaction time or the transaction information identified in the transaction records.

Abstract: Embodiments of this invention relate to detecting and blurring images. In an embodiment, a system detects objects in a photographic image. The system includes an object detector module configured to detect regions of the photographic image that include objects of a particular type at least based on the content of the photographic image. The system further includes a false positive detector module configured to determine whether each region detected by the object detector module includes an object of the particular type at least based on information about the context in which the photographic image was taken.

Abstract: Embodiments of this invention relate to detecting and blurring images. In an embodiment, a system detects objects in a photographic image. The system includes an object detector module configured to detect regions of the photographic image that include objects of a particular type at least based on the content of the photographic image. The system further includes a false positive detector module configured to determine whether each region detected by the object detector module includes an object of the particular type at least based on information about the context in which the photographic image was taken.