Dynamic map synchronization

Abstract

Advantages of both conventional and digital maps can be obtained by utilizing a physical map as a type of input to any of various processing devices. In various embodiments, a user can capture an image of a physical map that includes at least one location of interest. The captured image can be matched with stored map information to obtain location information corresponding to the captured image. The location information can be used to provide any of a variety of types of functionality to the user, such as providing navigation directions to that location, displaying information about attractions around that location or statistics about that location, etc. The user in some embodiments can annotate the map to provide additional input, such as areas of interest, exclusion regions, and/or proposed driving routes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a query image of a physical map captured by a computing device;   determining a first annotation and a second annotation that is marked on the physical map represented in the query image;   determining first geographic location information for the query image based at least in part upon matching a first feature from the physical map represented in the query image with a second feature from stored map information;   excluding, from the first geographic location information, second geographic location information corresponding to the first annotation to provide third geographic location information;   determining a set of navigation instructions based at least in part on the third geographic location information; and   based at least in part upon a current location of the computing device and the set of navigation instructions, displaying location-specific information related to at least one location from the query image.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one location is determined based at least in part on the current location and a set of feature points corresponding to the second annotation. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the set of navigation instructions is determined based additionally on the set of feature points corresponding to the second annotation. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining the current location of the computing device using a location component of the computing device.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein individual geographic location information of the first geographic location information, the second geographic location information, and the third geographic location information include at least two geo-coordinates corresponding to specified locations in the stored map information. 
     
     
         6 . A system, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
 receive a query image of a physical map captured by a computing device; 
 determine a first annotation and a second annotation that is marked on the physical map represented in the query image; 
 determine first geographic location information for the query image based at least in part upon matching a first feature from the physical map represented in the query image with a second feature from stored map information; 
 exclude, from the first geographic location information, second geographic location information corresponding to the first annotation to provide third geographic location information; 
 determine a set of navigation instructions based at least in part on the third geographic location information; and 
 based at least in part upon a current location of the computing device and the set of navigation instructions, display location-specific information related to at least one location from the query image. 
   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause the system to:
 determine the at least one location based at least in part on the current location and a set of feature points corresponding to the second annotation.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause the system to:
 determine the current location of the computing device using a location component of the computing device.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the stored map information comprises a plurality of zones from the query image, the location-specific information corresponding to at least one of the plurality of zones. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause the system to:
 determine a presence of the first annotation and the second annotation in the query image, the location-specific information being based at least in part upon a determined location of the second annotation.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the location-specific information is further based at least in part upon a type of the second annotation, the type corresponding to at least one of a color, shape, size, text, symbol, and orientation of the second annotation. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the first annotation and the second annotation are annotations present on the physical map before capturing the query image or is added digitally after capturing the query image. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the second annotation corresponds to at least one of a starting point, end point, way point, or point of interest. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the location-specific information is provided to a device other than the computing device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the location-specific information is further based at least in part upon at least one of a type of request, preference information, profile information, and history information. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause the system to:
 utilize an optical character recognition software to match the at least one first feature from the physical map represented in the query image with the at least one second feature from the stored map information.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the query image comprises a video file. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 receive a query image of a physical map captured by a computing device;   determine a first annotation and a second annotation that is marked on the physical map represented in the query image;   determine first geographic location information for the query image based at least in part upon matching a first feature from the physical map represented in the query image with a second feature from stored map information;   exclude, from the first geographic location information, second geographic location information corresponding to the first annotation to provide third geographic location information;   determine a set of navigation instructions based at least in part on the third geographic location information; and   based at least in part upon a current location of the computing device and the set of navigation instructions, display location-specific information related to at least one location from the query image.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
 determine the at least one location based at least in part on the current location and a set of feature points corresponding to the second annotation.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
 determine the current location of the computing device using a location component of the computing device.