Navigation Images

Abstract

A computer-implemented navigational method includes transmitting, from a mobile computing device to a computer server system, data that can be used to determine a start point and an end point of a trip. The method also includes receiving navigational information defining a route between the start point and the end point, and a plurality of digital photographic images that have previously been taken along the route, sensing motion of the mobile computing device along the route, and displaying updated images from the plurality of images that substantially match a geographic position of the mobile computing device along the route.

1 . A computer-implemented navigational method, comprising:
 transmitting, from a mobile computing device to a computer server system, data that can be used to determine a start point and an end point of a trip;   receiving navigational information defining a route between the start point and the end point, and a plurality of digital photographic images that have previously been taken along the route;   sensing motion of the mobile computing device along the route; and   displaying updated images from the plurality of images that substantially match a geographic position of the mobile computing device along the route.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the updated images comprises displaying images from a position that is a determined distance in front of a direction of travel for the mobile computing device, so that a user of the mobile computing device is given a preview of the route ahead. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying map or satellite images of an area around the mobile computing device, and changing a zoom level based upon a current traveling speed of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the zoom level is closer when the mobile computing device is moving slower, and the zoom level is farther when the mobile computing device is moving faster. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising switching from a map or satellite view to a street level photographic view based on a proximity of the mobile computing device to the start point or end point, or based on an observed current speed of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the images show a view forward along the route when the mobile computing device is far from the end point, and the images show a view to a side of the route when the mobile computing device is near to the end point. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the images show a view forward along the route when the mobile computing device is far from the end point, and the images show a view to a side of the route when the mobile computing device is near to the end point. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transitioning between prior and subsequent images along the route using a blurred transitioning technique so as to simulate forward motion in the display of the images. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising caching the images on the mobile computing device for later display as the mobile computing device moves along the route. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein substantially all of the images for a route are transmitted from the computer server system to the mobile computing device before motion of the mobile computing device along the route is sensed. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon, instructions that when executed performed operations comprising:
 transmitting, from a mobile computing device to a computer server system, data that can be used to determine a start point and an end point of a trip;   receiving navigational information defining a route between the start point and the end point, and a plurality of digital photographic images that have previously been taken along the route;   sensing motion of the mobile computing device along the route; and   displaying updated images from the plurality of images that substantially match a geographic position of the mobile computing device along the route.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein displaying the updated images comprises displaying images from a position that is a determined distance in front of a direction of travel for the mobile computing device, so that a user of the mobile computing device is given a preview of the route ahead. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise displaying map or satellite images of an area around the mobile computing device, and changing a zoom level based upon a current traveling speed of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , where in the zoom level is closer when the mobile computing device is moving slower, and the zoom level is farther when the mobile computing device is moving faster. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , further comprising switching from a map or satellite view to a street level photographic view based on a proximity of the mobile computing device to the start point or end point, or based on an observed current speed of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise caching the images on the mobile computing device for later display as the mobile computing device moves along the route. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein substantially all of the images for a route are transmitted from the computer server system to the mobile computing device before motion of the mobile computing device along the route is sensed. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving at a computer server system, from a navigational computing device, a request that includes information identifying geographical locations for a navigational trip;   determining a route for the navigational trip, the route extending from a start location to a destination location;   generating navigation data for a plurality of points along a path defined by the route;   fetching a plurality of pre-captured photographic images taken substantially along the path defined by the route; and   transmitting the navigation data and the plurality of pre-captured images to the navigational computing device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of pre-captured photographic images comprise digital street level photographs of the path. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein a pre-captured images for the entire route are transferred before a user navigates the route, for caching on the navigational computing device.