Streaming route panoramas for large area visualization

This paper introduces new developments of route panoramas in data transmission, visualization and area indexing. The route panorama is a compact, continuous, and complete image representation archiving scenes along streets. We model large geospatial areas with route panoramas at a more detailed and complete level than before. Various visualization tools of the route panoramas are designed for flexible observation of environment on different platforms. We stream the route panoramas on the Internet in response to the viewer´s interaction so that viewers can move around in the virtually established space. In addition, we develop data indexing scheme to make the representation a powerful index to geospatial information. The embedded view-to-space links in the route panoramas guides the transition to detailed spaces. Combined with other image media, viewers can look around, traverse in a grid of routes, and retrieve information associated to various locations. Several applications are presented for E-business, E-education, and E-living.