Map-like summary visualization of street-level distance data and panorama data

Abstract

Architecture that summarizes a large amount (e.g., thousands of miles) of street-level image/video data of different perspectives and types (e.g., continuous scan-type data and panorama-type data) into a single view that resembles aerial imagery. Polygons surfaces are generated from the scan patterns and the image data is projected onto the surfaces, and then rendered into the desired orthographic projection. The street-level data is processed using a distributed computing approach across cluster nodes. The collection is processed into image tiles on the separate cluster nodes representing an orthographic map projection that can be viewed at various levels of detail. Map features such as lower-level roads, that are at lower elevations than higher-level roads, and are hidden by higher-level overpassing roads, can be navigated in the map. With the summarized data, the maps can be navigated and zoomed efficiently.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 transmitting instructions to a LIDAR scanning system to scan a street-level scene using a specified scan pattern;   receiving scan data from the LIDAR scanning system, the scan data including a plurality of scan data points, each scan data point indicating a three-dimensional coordinate;   generating polygon data using the scan data, the polygon data including a plurality of polygons, each polygon generated by interpolating three or more scan data points of the scan data; and   aligning each polygon of the polygon data to a captured image using the three-dimensional coordinates of the scan data points associated with the polygon.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the LIDAR scanning system comprises a laser array, the specified scan pattern causing a plurality of lasers of the laser array to rotate along a vertical axis. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the laser array comprises thirty two lasers. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the rotation along the vertical axis is clockwise. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the laser array is grouped into one or more subsets of lasers, each subset of lasers arranged on a single plane, and each subset of lasers having individual lasers each aligned at a different pitch relative to each other. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the generating the polygon data further comprises:
 joining at least three scan data points of the scan data to form a three dimensional surface element, each three dimensional surface element forming a polygon.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the at least two of the at least three scan data points are captured at consecutive times. 
     
     
         8 . A system to generate a three-dimensional oblique aerial map view, comprising:
 one or more processors;   a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 transmit instructions to a LIDAR scanning system to scan a street-level scene using a specified scan pattern; 
 receive scan data from the LIDAR scanning system, the scan data including a plurality of scan data points, each scan data point indicating a three-dimensional coordinate; 
 generate polygon data using the scan data, the polygon data including a plurality of polygons, each polygon generated by interpolating three or more scan data points of the scan data; and 
 align each polygon of the polygon data to a captured image using the three-dimensional coordinates of the scan data points associated with the polygon. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the LIDAR scanning system comprises a laser array, the specified scan pattern causing a plurality of lasers of the laser array to rotate along a vertical axis. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the laser array comprises thirty two lasers. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the rotation along the vertical axis is clockwise. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the laser array is grouped into one or more subsets of lasers, each subset of lasers arranged on a single plane, and each subset of lasers having individual lasers each aligned at a different pitch relative to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprises further instructions for the generation of the polygon data, that when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
 join at least three scan data points of the scan data to form a three dimensional surface element, each three dimensional surface element forming a polygon.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least two of the at least three scan data points are captured at consecutive times. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 transmit instructions to a LIDAR scanning system to scan a street-level scene using a specified scan pattern;   receive scan data from the LIDAR scanning system, the scan data including a plurality of scan data points, each scan data point indicating a three-dimensional coordinate;   generate polygon data using the scan data, the polygon data including a plurality of polygons, each polygon generated by interpolating three or more scan data points of the scan data; and   align each polygon of the polygon data to a captured image using the three-dimensional coordinates of the scan data points associated with the polygon.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the LIDAR scanning system comprises a laser array, the specified scan pattern causing a plurality of lasers of the laser array to rotate along a vertical axis. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the laser array comprises thirty two lasers. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the rotation along the vertical axis is clockwise. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the laser array is grouped into one or more subsets of lasers, each subset of lasers arranged on a single plane, and each subset of lasers having individual lasers each aligned at a different pitch relative to each other. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprises further instructions for the generation of the polygon data, that when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:
 join at least three scan data points of the scan data to form a three dimensional surface element, each three dimensional surface element forming a polygon.