WO2013112756A1

WO2013112756A1 - Systems and methods for monetizing advertisement locations of virtual tour applications

Info

Publication number: WO2013112756A1
Application number: PCT/US2013/023016
Authority: WO
Inventors: Charles Robert ARMSTRONG; Alexander I. GORSTAN
Original assignee: Tourwrist, Inc.
Priority date: 2012-01-25
Filing date: 2013-01-24
Publication date: 2013-08-01

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for monetizing advertisement locations of virtual tours. A virtual tour author generates a virtual tour for mobile devices, and reserves a suitable modifiable ad location in the virtual tour. One or more annotated links can be assigned to this ad location. The ad location can now be monetized by renting the ad location and/or the one or more annotated links assigned to this ad location. Examples of monetization strategies include auctions and direct/indirect sale channels. The present invention also relates to a mobile device is configured to receive requests for panoramas and related supplemental panoramic data from a user. If the user elects to view supplemental panoramic data, the mobile device retrieves the supplemental panoramic data from a datasource server, and presents the at least one supplemental panoramic data together with the requested panorama to the user. In some embodiments, the supplemental panoramic data is associated with placement data from the datasource server. Examples of supplemental panoramic data include temporal data, climatic data, geographical data, marketing data, announcement data and contact data.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONETIZING ADVERTISEMENT LOCATIONS

OF VIRTUAL TOUR APPLICATIONS

BACKGROUND

[0001] The present invention relates to systems and methods for monetizing ad locations of virtual tours. More particularly, the present invention relates to renting ad locations for placing annotated links to advertisements.

[0002] Conventional virtual tours can be pre-annotated during the design phase to include static links to hotspots. These hotspots may be designated to display various forms of advertising media when they are subsequently clicked or tapped by an end user. Where appropriate, revenue may be realized by the virtual tour author or editor as a result of these pre-determined static advertisements they support.

[0003] However, these static links to hotspots are inflexible and require re-design of the virtual tours whenever relatively minor changes are required. There is also a lack of competitive marketplace for extracting the optimal monetary value of these potentially lucrative advertisement locations within the virtual tours.

[0004] The present invention also relates to systems and methods for displaying supplemental panoramic data. More particularly, in this regard, the present invention relates to offering, retrieving and presenting panoramas with supplemental data thereby enabling users to view enhanced panoramic images.

[0005] The increasing wideband capabilities of wide area networks and proliferation of smart devices has been accompanied by the increasing expectation of users to be able to experience viewing of panoramas in real-time with supplemental information on-demand. However, conventional techniques for storing and retrieving panoramas with supplemental data are generally unintuitive and/or cumbersome.

[0006] Further, in many viewing circumstances, it may be preferable for the user to control their viewing experience, for example, affecting which supplemental information is displayed, through physical movement of their mobile device.

[0007] It is therefore apparent that an urgent need exists for a real-time interactive marketplace which empowers virtual tour authors and advertisers to engage one another during the design, construction and/or deployment phase(s) of the virtual tours. [0008] There is also an urgent need for efficiently offering, retrieving and presenting panoramas with supplemental data thereby enabling users to view enhanced panoramic images with optional intuitive user motion controls.

SUMMARY

[0009] To achieve the foregoing and in accordance with the present invention, systems and methods for monetizing ad locations of virtual tours is provided. In particular, the systems and methods for renting ad locations of virtual tours for placement of annotated links to advertisements.

[0010] In one embodiment, a virtual tour author generates a virtual tour for mobile devices, and reserves a suitable modifiable ad location in the virtual tour. One or more annotated links can be assigned to this ad location.

[0011] The ad location can now be monetized by renting the ad location and/or the one or more annotated links assigned to this ad location. Examples of monetization strategies include auctions and direct/indirect sale channels.

[0012] In some embodiments, the ad location can be modified by either the author, the host or the advertiser. It may be possible to place ad locations at dead spaces of the virtual tours, e.g. along the peripheral areas or at nadirs.

[0013] In addition to the above, to achieve the foregoing and in accordance with the present invention, systems and methods for displaying panoramas is provided. In particular the systems and methods for offering, retrieving and presenting panoramas with

supplemental data thereby enabling users to view enhanced panoramic images are provided.

[0014] In another embodiment, a mobile device receives a request for a panorama from a user and offers the user supplemental panoramic data that is related to the requested panorama. If the user elects to view supplemental panoramic data, the mobile device retrieves the supplemental panoramic data from a datasource server, and presents the at least one supplemental panoramic data together with the requested panorama to the user.

[0015] In some embodiments, the supplemental panoramic data is associated with placement data from the datasource server. Examples of supplemental panoramic data include temporal data, climatic data, geographical data, marketing data, announcement data and contact data. [0016] Note that the various features of the present invention described above may be practiced alone or in combination. These and other features of the present invention will be described in more detail below in the detailed description of the invention and in conjunction with the following figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order that the present invention may be more clearly ascertained, some embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the

accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary virtual tour using a mobile device with an advertisement location suitable for an annotated link in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 illustrates an integrated advertisement for the embodiment of Figure i;

[0020] Figure 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary auction model for monetizing the ad locations;

[0021] Figure 4 is an exemplary flow diagram illustrating an advertiser initiating a bid for the ad locations suitable for an annotated link;

[0022] Figure 5 is an exemplary flow diagram illustrating the presentation of ads in dead spaces of virtual tours;

[0023] Figure 6 illustrates peripheral dead spaces suitable for the presentation of ads;

[0024] Figure 7 illustrates a nadir dead space suitable for ad presentation;

[0025] Figures 8 and 9 are exemplary flow diagrams illustrating the selection, retrieval and presentation of panoramas with supplemental data in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 10 is a mobile device screenshot with an exemplary menu of user selectable panoramic images for the embodiment of Figure 8;

[0027] Figure 11 is a mobile device screenshot with an exemplary menu of user selectable supplemental data for the embodiment of Figure 8; [0028] Figures 12 to 16 are screenshots of exemplary panoramas with and without supplemental data for the embodiment of Figure 8;

[0029] Figure 17 is a perspective view showing the three exemplary rotational axes for the mobile device of Figure 10;

[0030] Figure 18 is a front view illustrating the Y-axis rotation useful for navigational control of the mobile device of Figure 10; and

[0031] Figure 19 is a top view illustrating a plurality of exemplary user viewing perspectives associated with navigating virtual tours using the mobile device of Figure 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to several embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps and/or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention. The features and advantages of embodiments may be better understood with reference to the drawings and discussions that follow.

[0033] The present invention relates to systems and methods for renting modifiable advertisement ("ad") locations of virtual tours ("VT") for placement of annotated links to advertisements. Note that the term "mobile device" is intended to include all portable electronic devices including cellular phones, computerized tablets, cameras, and hand-held gaming devices. Note also that the term "rent" is intended to include many temporal and/or permanent monetization models including lease, purchase and/or license.

[0034] To facilitate discussion, Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary display 110 of a mobile device 100 which includes an available-for-rent modifiable advertisement location 140 appropriate for the placement of an annotated link to a potential automobile

advertisement in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows an exemplary integrated advertisement 230 provided by an advertiser who has rented the advertisement location 140. Modifiable ad locations, e.g., ad location 140, are intended to be configurable by the VT author, host and/or advertiser. Modifications of ad locations may range from adding/removing/replacing annotated link(s) to changing images in the respective virtual tours.

[0035] As illustrated by the exemplary flow diagram of Figure 3, in one

embodiment, an author of a virtual tour (steps 310, 315), configured for a mobile device 100, can elect to include one or more annotated links at suitable ad location(s) of the virtual tour (325). The VT host and/or the VT author can now monetize the impressions from these annotated links by using one or more of a variety of methods including auctions and direct/indirect sales, while potentially sharing in the revenue with whichever service provider, e.g., VT host, has facilitated the auction/sale and delivery. Note that in some embodiments, depending on the contractual arrangements, subsequent to the initial release of the virtual tours, the VT host may present or remove ad(s) without knowledge and/or consent of the VT author, and vice versa.

[0036] An auction of the annotated link may include defining an auction start date and time (step 330), defining the auction cycle (step 335), and defining an optional minimum bid price or reserve price (step 340). If a service fee or percentage is expected by the service provider for facilitating an auction or the subsequent annotated link delivery, such a fee or percentage may be disclosed at the point of auction creation.

[0037] Once an auction has been created, it may be added to an available advertising directory, where third-party advertisers may review it among currently open auctions (355) and bid on those annotated links which they'd like to receive impressions through.

Advertisers may also directly encounter and bid on any annotated link within a virtual tour, if it is currently available through an open auction (350).

[0038] Upon a successful bid, the winner can present a web page URL or media, to be presented each time the annotated link is subsequently triggered.

[0039] Conversely, as exemplified by the flow diagram of Figure 4, an advertiser can initiate the monetization process. For example, if an advertiser encounters a desirable ad location with an available, i.e., unassigned, annotated link that is not the subject of an auction (step 410), the advertiser may send the author and/or host an offer to pay for placement of an annotated link within the author's virtual tour (step 415). Should the author and advertiser subsequently come to an agreement on terms, the advertiser may be invoiced and debited (step 455). [0040] In some embodiments, a potential advertiser can initiate the monetization process when the potential advertiser visits a virtual tour and encounters a potentially desirable ad location that has yet to be assigned to any annotated link. In this instance, the advertiser may send the VT author and/or the VT host an offer to pay for initiating and placement of a new annotated link within the author's virtual tour. Should the author and advertiser subsequently come to an agreement on terms, the newly initiated annotated link can be monetized.

[0041] It is contemplated that the display of the advertisement ("Ad") locations on mobile device 100 can be static/dynamic, elective and/or reactive/interactive. For example, a paid tour model may have minimal advertisement locations in combination with ads-on- demand. Conversely, with an unpaid tour model, there could be many more ads, including pop-up ads.

[0042] It is also contemplated that ads are intended to include a wide range of speeches, including advertisements for commercial products and/or services, product recalls, political ads, and public service announcements such as Amber alerts, public health warnings and disaster relief announcements.

[0043] Ads may also be direct ads or indirect ads. An ad showing the full contact information of a local used car dealer is an example of a direct ad. An example of an indirect ad is an annotated link, e.g., a hotspot with a link to an online ad.

[0044] Ads may also be optimally presented in accordance with user profiles within the same virtual tours, i.e., dynamic presentation of contextually relevant ads. For example, a parent of a private middle school student may be presented with an ad for tax-deferred college saving program(s), while the student may be presented with fast food option(s) in the college neighborhood.

[0045] Ads may also be presented in accordance with the route taken by the virtual visitor. For example, upon arrival at the gift shop of a virtual tour of a college campus, a potential college student who just toured the weight training facility may be presented with different ad choice(s) than a different potential college student who just toured the music department.

[0046] Many modifications and additions are also possible. For example, multiple ranked ads may also be presented to a VT visitor. Ranking may be arranged based on monetization models and/or contextual relevance such as user profiles or geographical factors.

[0047] It should be appreciated that many variations of payment models are also possible, including flat base fee with pay-per-link-activation, pay-per-activation only, and flat fee only. Fees can also vary according to one or more variables such as time-of-day, virtual traffic density, an advertiser's predefined threshold for outbidding other bids that may be submitted, the collective number of impressions generated, and more.

[0048] In some embodiments, as illustrated by the flow diagram of Figure 5 and also by the exemplary VT views of Figures 6 and 7, ads may be presented in any available dead spaces, wherever there are dead spaces can be found in the virtual tours. These dead spaces may be the result of gaps in video coverage. Hence, it should also be appreciated that dead spaces may be found along the peripheral(s), along nadir(s), or in between otherwise adjacent video faces of panoramic video environments.

[0049] For example, the VT author and/or host may present lower peripheral ad(s) in a lower peripheral dead space 620 of a cylindrical panoramic video environment 600 for a virtual tour (step 520). Upper peripheral ad(s) may also be presented in an upper peripheral dead space 610 the cylindrical panoramic video environment 600 for the virtual tour (step 530).

[0050] Similarly, the VT author and/or host may present lower nadir ad(s) in a lower nadir 710 of a spherical panoramic video environment 700 for a virtual tour (step 580). As shown in step 590, upper nadir ad(s) may be presented in an upper nadir (not shown) of the spherical panoramic video environment 700 of the virtual tour.

[0051] The present invention also relates to systems and methods for offering, retrieving and presenting panoramas with optional supplemental data, and navigating the viewing experience with, for example, user motion controls. To facilitate discussion, Figures 8 and 9 are exemplary flow diagrams illustrating the selection, retrieval and presentation of panoramas with supplemental data for mobile devices in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a screenshot showing an exemplary menu of user selectable panoramic images for a mobile device 1300, while Figure 11 is a screenshot showing an exemplary menu of user selectable supplemental data for mobile device 1300. Note that the term "mobile device" is used to describe a variety of portable electronic appliances including cellular phones, tablets, laptops and cameras. Note also that panoramic images (also referred to as panoramas) are used to describe a variety of images including both static and moving images and also virtual tours.

[0052] In this embodiment, mobile device 1300 receives a user request for a panorama which may be selected by the user (not shown) from a customizable menu of choices as shown in Figure 10 (step 1110). As shown in the exemplary screenshot 1310 of Figure 10, mobile device 1300 offers choices of panoramic icons, for example, geographical locations such as "Pebble Beach" 1321, "Paris" 1322, "Cape Cod" 1323, "New York" 1324 ... "Las Vegas" 1328 and "San Francisco" 1329.

[0053] The mobile device 1300 may respond to the panorama request by offering the user one or more customizable optional forms of supplemental data from menu (step 1120). Supplemental data may be based on, for example, metadata such as visual data from the panorama itself or any objects or individuals displayed within the panorama, the known location of the environment shown in the panorama, the known weather at the location displayed within the panorama, the seasonal or daily time at which the panorama is being viewed, or personal data known to pertain to the user. In Figure 11 , exemplary screenshot 1410 of mobile device 1300 provides the user with a plurality of supplemental data choices such as "weather" 1421, "geographical distance and/or direction" 1422, "proximate contacts" 1423, "favorite restaurants" 1424 and "lodging choices" 1429, described in greater detail below. Other examples of supplemental data include targeted messages including advertisements and/or announcements for products, services, and/or events.

[0054] In steps 1130 and 1140, if the user elects to display one or more supplemental data, then the mobile device 1300 retrieves and displays the optional supplemental data together with the requested panorama.

[0055] Referring now to Figure 9 which illustrated step 1140 in greater detail, mobile device 1300 sends a request for supplemental data, e.g., by sending reference metadata, to a (real-time) datasource server(s) via for example a wide area network such as the Internet (step 1241). The datasource server(s) can be one or more of other mobile devices up to large stationary dedicated data storage facilities.

[0056] In step 1242, if the requested supplemental data is associated with placement data, then the server provides both supplemental data and associated placement data to be presented by mobile device 1300 to the user (steps 1243, 1244). Conversely, in step 1242, if the requested supplemental data does not require placement, then the server provides supplemental data be presented by mobile device 1300 to the user (steps 1245, 1246). [0057] In some embodiments, the mobile device 1300 is pre-loaded with and/or caches the supplemental data, and hence only requires periodic updates from the datasource server(s). It may also possible to share and update supplemental data amongst groups of users.

[0058] As discussed above and illustrated by the screenshot 1550 of Figure 12, if the user selects supplemental data choice 1421 which is the "weather", then the default current local weather may be overlaid onto the scenery of the original screenshot 1510.

[0059] Supplemental geographical data may also be displayed as shown in screenshot 1650 of Figure 13, wherein the distance from the user's location is shown in the top right of the original scenery 1610.

[0060] Referring now to the screenshot 1750 of Figure 14, it is also possible for the user to select the display of contact(s), such as friend(s), business associate(s) and/or favorite restaurant(s) or hotel(s) together with the original scenery 1710. The server may also provide associated placement data for these contact(s) so that the contact(s) may be displayed proximate to their respective locations within the scenery. It is also possible for the server to provide mobile device 1300 with contact information associated with these contacts for display.

[0061] In the exemplary screenshot 1850 of Figure 15, targeted notices such as wrinkle cream advertisement 1854 and/or shoe advertisement 1852 may also be displayed together with the original scenery 1810.

[0062] As exemplified by the daytime screenshot 1910 and nighttime screenshot

1950 of Figure 16, supplemental data can include temporal data such as current date and/or time. Accordingly, a different panoramic image may be selected to correspond with the current or specified time and/or date.

[0063] In some embodiments, supplemental data choices may also be combined by the user. For example, choosing both "weather" 1421 and "lodging" 1429 may result in the overlaying of current weather and also lodging locations that have vacancies at the displayed geographic location.

[0064] Alternatively, if the user chooses "weather" 1421 and "current time or season" (not shown), the resulting display on mobile device 1300 may include temporal weather, i.e., the local weather at a specific season, date and/or time. Other exemplary combinations include hotel room availability and dinner reservation availability, and travel time estimates, each of which require an understanding of the location and date/time. In the case of travel time, other data sources such as weather and traffic conditions can also be combined.

[0065] Figure 17 is a perspective view showing the three exemplary rotational axes for the mobile device 1300, while Figure 18 is a front view illustrating the Y-Axis rotation useful for menu navigational control of the mobile device 1300.

[0066] In some embodiments, mobile device 1300 includes one or more

accelerometer(s), magnetometer(s), gyroscope(s) and/or imaging sensor(s) (not shown) for measuring the angular rotations along the X-Axis 2002, Y-Axis 2003, and Z-Axis 2004. Suitable accelerometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes, and imaging sensors for mobile device 1100 are commercially available from a variety of manufacturers including ST Electronics Ltd of Berkshire, United Kingdom, AKM Semiconductor Inc. of San Jose, California, InvenSense Inc. of Sunnyvale, California, and Sony Electronics of San Diego, California.

[0067] In order to enable the user's hand-held mobile device 1300 to navigate the supplemental data menu without the need to use touch-screen or physical buttons of mobile device 1300, translational planar and/or angular acceleration may be measured using, for example, the mobile device 1300's accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope and/or image sensor.

[0068] Accordingly, rotational angular acceleration can be used as a menu navigational control of mobile device 1300, namely, a quick rotation in the Y-Axis rotation 2003 to "flick" mobile device 1300 in the "clockwise" or "counter-clockwise" axially. This somewhat "abrupt" rotation in the Y-Axis 2003 may be performed in a short, finite period of time to better discern the user's desire to flick mobile device 1300, rather than a relatively slower rotation intended to, for example, adjusting the horizon of the scenery.

[0069] To successfully register a valid "clockwise" flick, mobile device 1300 should for example achieve between approximately 20° to approximately 45° in relative Y-Axis rotation within approximately 500 milliseconds. Conversely, to successfully register a "counter-clockwise" flick, mobile device 1100 should for example achieve between approximately -20° to approximately -45° in relative Y-Axis rotation within approximately 500 milliseconds. [0070] In this embodiment as shown in Figure 11, flicking "clockwise" causes the mobile device 1300 to advance to the next menu choice to the "right" of the current menu choice. Conversely, flicking "counter-clockwise" causes the mobile device 1300 to advance to the next menu choice to the "left" of the current menu choice. For example, a

"clockwise" flick of mobile device 1300 may cause mobile device 1300 to transition from displaying the contact location(s) to displaying the dining choice(s), i.e., transition from icon 1423 to icon 1424.

[0071] The above described menu navigational control for mobile device 1300 can be implemented in place of or in addition to a touchscreen based menu navigational control. It is also possible to use the above described Y-Axis flick(s) to scroll the menu choice(s) in combination with X-Axis flick(s) to select specific menu choice(s).

[0072] The above described detection of flicking motion(s) of mobile device 1300, in one or more of the X-Axis, Y-Axis and/or Z-Axis, can also be used to navigate panoramas and/or virtual tours.

[0073] For example, as illustrated by Figure 19, a top view illustrating a plurality of user viewing perspectives 2280a, 2280b, 2280c, 2280d, 2280e and 2280f, a user can use "right" flicks and/or "left" flicks of mobile device 1300 in the Z-Axis, i.e., "teleshift" motions to laterally navigating during a virtual tour. In this example, teleshifting includes "teleturning" from a first lateral viewing perspective to a second lateral viewing perspective around an object of interest, e.g., from perspective 2280a to perspective 2280b positioned around car 2210.

[0074] In this exemplary embodiment, to successfully register a valid "right" flick, mobile device 1300 should for example achieve between approximately 20° to

approximately 45° in relative Z-Axis rotation within approximately 500 milliseconds.

Conversely, to successfully register a "left" flick, mobile device 1100 should for example achieve between approximately -20° to approximately -45° in relative Z-Axis rotation within approximately 500 milliseconds. Accordingly, the user viewing car 2210 can use a "right" flick to transition from viewing perspective 2280c to viewing perspective 2280d, and/or use a "left" flick to transition from viewing perspective 2280c to viewing perspective 2280b.

[0075] The user may also use double "right" or "left" flicks of mobile device 1300 to continually view around car 2210 in the right or left directions, respectively. In this continually laterally "moving" viewing mode, a flick of mobile device 1300 in the opposite direction can be used to freeze the user's viewing perspective.

[0076] It is also possible to use the above described Z-Axis flick(s) to laterally transition viewing perspective in combination with X-Axis flick(s) to cause the user's viewpoint to advance and/or to retreat. For example, a "forward" flick can be accomplished by quickly rotating the top of mobile device 1300 away from the user, thereby causing the user viewpoint to advance from the exterior of car 2210 into the interior of car 2210.

Conversely, a "backward" flick can be accomplished by quickly rotating the top of mobile device 1300 toward the user, thereby causing the user viewpoint to retreat from the interior of car 2210 back to viewing the exterior of car 2210.

[0077] In sum, the present invention provides systems and methods for offering, retrieving and presenting panoramas with optional supplemental data. The advantages of such systems and methods include providing contextually relevant details which may not be readily apparent or available through panoramic imagery alone, more fully immersing a user in a panoramic environment, and allowing a user to affect their view or the data presented through more natural, tactile methods than afforded by conventional virtual or physical button pressing.

[0078] Additionally, the present invention also provides systems and methods for renting modifiable ad locations of virtual tours for placement of annotated links to advertisements. The advantages of such systems and methods include increased potential revenue stream from ads, ability to modify ad locations to the needs of advertisers and ability to utilize dead spaces for the placement of ads.

[0079] While this invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, there are alterations, modifications, permutations, and substitute equivalents, which fall within the scope of this invention. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, modifications, permutations, and substitute equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A computerized method for monetizing ad locations within a virtual tour configured for display on a mobile device, the method comprising: generating a virtual tour configured for display on a mobile device; reserving a modifiable ad location within the virtual tour; assigning at least one annotated link to be located substantially within the modifiable ad location; and monetizing the at least one annotated link by offering to associate the at least one annotated link to a renter.

2. A computerized method for monetizing ad locations within a virtual tour configured for display on a mobile device, the method comprising: generating a virtual tour configured for display on a mobile device; reserving a modifiable ad location within the virtual tour; and monetizing the modifiable ad location by offering to associate the ad location with a renter.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the ad location is designed by an author of the virtual tour.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the ad location is configured to be modifiable by a renter of the at least one annotated link.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the monetization of the at least one annotated link includes auctioning the at least one annotated link.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the monetization of the at least one annotated link includes tracking a plurality of activations of the at least one annotated link.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising modifying the ad location to include a direct ad.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising assigning at least one annotated link to be located substantially within the ad location.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the modifiable ad location is located in a dead space of the virtual tour.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the dead space is a peripheral dead space.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the dead space is a nadir dead space.

12. A computerized method for monetizing ad locations within a virtual tour configured for display on a mobile device, the method comprising: retrieving a virtual tour configured for display on a mobile device; identifying an existing annotated link in the virtual tour suitable for an advertisement; and offering to rent the existing annotated link for the advertisement.

13. A computerized method for monetizing ad locations within a virtual tour configured for display on a mobile device, the method comprising: retrieving a virtual tour configured for display on a mobile device; identifying a potential modifiable ad location in the virtual tour suitable for locating an annotated link to an advertisement; and offering to rent the modifiable ad location for the annotated link to the advertisement.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the modifiable ad location is designed by an author of the virtual tour.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the modifiable ad location is configured to be modifiable by a renter of the at least one annotated link.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the modifiable ad location is located in a dead space of the virtual tour.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the dead space is a peripheral dead space.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the dead space is a nadir dead space.

19. A computerized method for monetizing ad locations within a virtual tour configured for display on a mobile device, the method comprising: retrieving a virtual tour configured for display on a mobile device; viewing at least one ad location of the virtual tour; and activating an existing annotated link located substantially within the ad location to view an advertisement;

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the advertisement presented is a contextually relevant advertisement.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the contextually relevant advertisement is based on at least one of a visitor profile and a visitor virtual tour route.

22. A virtual tour host server configured to monetize advertisement locations of virtual tours, the host server comprising: memory configured to store a plurality of virtual tours; an input-output port configured to communicate with a renter; and a processor configured to: generate a virtual tour configured for display on a mobile device; reserve a modifiable advertisement location within the virtual tour; assign at least one annotated link to be located substantially within the modifiable ad location; and monetize the at least one annotated link by offering to associate the at least one annotated link to the renter.

23. In a mobile device, a computerized method for displaying panoramas with supplemental panoramic data, useful in association with a datasource server, the method comprising: receiving a request for a panorama from a user; offering at least one supplemental panoramic data to the user, wherein the at least one supplemental data is related to the requested panorama; receiving a request for the at least one supplemental panoramic data from the user, retrieving the at least one supplemental panoramic data from a datasource server; and presenting the at least one supplemental panoramic data with the panorama to the user.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising receiving placement data from the datasource server, and wherein the placement data is associated with the at least one supplemental panoramic data.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the at least one supplemental panoramic data includes at least one of temporal data, climatic data, geographical data, marketing data, announcement data and contact data.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the at least one supplemental panoramic data is optional.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the at least one supplemental panoramic data is cached.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein retrieving the supplemental data includes sending reference metadata to the server.

29. In a datasource server, a computerized method for providing supplemental panoramic data, useful in association with a mobile device, the method comprising: receiving a request for at least one supplemental panoramic data from a mobile device, wherein the at least one supplemental data is related to a panorama requested by a user viewing the mobile device; and providing the at least one supplemental panoramic data to the mobile device, wherein the supplemental panoramic data is intended to be displayed with the panorama on the mobile device.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising providing placement to the mobile device, and wherein the placement data is associated with the at least one supplemental panoramic data.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the at least one supplemental panoramic data includes at least one of temporal data, climatic data, geographical data, marketing data, announcement data and contact data.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the at least one supplemental panoramic data is optional.

33. The method of claim 29 further includes receiving reference metadata associated with the supplemental data.

34. A mobile device configured to display panoramas with supplemental panoramic data, useful in association with a datasource server, the mobile device comprising: a user interface configured to receive a request for a panorama and at least one supplemental panoramic data from a user, wherein the at least one supplemental data is related to the requested panorama; a processor configured to retrieve the at least one supplemental panoramic data from a datasource server; and a display configured to present the at least one supplemental panoramic data with the panorama to the user.

35. The mobile device of claim 34 wherein the processor is further configured to receive placement data from the datasource server, and wherein the placement data is associated with the at least one supplemental panoramic data.

36. The mobile device of claim 34 wherein the at least one supplemental panoramic data includes at least one of temporal data, climatic data, geographical data, marketing data, announcement data and contact data.

37. The mobile device of claim 34 wherein the at least one supplemental panoramic data is optional.

38. The mobile device of claim 34 wherein the at least one supplemental panoramic data is cached.

39. The mobile device of claim 34 wherein retrieving the supplemental data includes sending reference metadata to the server.

40. A datasource server configured to provide supplemental panoramic data, useful in association with a mobile device, the datasource server comprising: a receiver configured to receive a request for at least one supplemental panoramic data from a mobile device, wherein the at least one supplemental data is related to a panorama requested by a user viewing the mobile device; and a processor configured to provide the at least one supplemental panoramic data to the mobile device, wherein the supplemental panoramic data is intended to be displayed with the panorama on the mobile device.

41. The server of claim 40 wherein the processor is further configured to provide placement to the mobile device, and wherein the placement data is associated with the at least one supplemental panoramic data.

42. The server of claim 40 wherein the at least one supplemental panoramic data includes at least one of temporal data, climatic data, geographical data, marketing data,

announcement data and contact data.

43. The server of claim 40 wherein the at least one supplemental panoramic data is optional.