Patent ID: 8493380

Claim:
An image processing unit for processing images comprising: a data receiving unit for receiving data over a network; an image acquisition unit for obtaining image information from an image database using the data receiving unit, the image database storing image information stored by a plurality of users, and associated information representing corresponding areas of a three-dimensional virtual space each having a range designated using a latitude and longitude coordinate system commonly used by the users; a control unit for obtaining the image information associated with the areas of the three-dimensional virtual space, each area including a viewing position designated by the coordinates using the image acquisition unit, generating a plurality of three-dimensional display spaces in the three-dimensional virtual space, and rendering images using the obtained image information according to display conditions of three-dimensional display spaces for visualizing the three-dimensional areas; and a display unit for displaying the images rendered in a respective three-dimensional display space according to display conditions, the images rendered changed from a first plurality of images to a second plurality of images in response to transitioning from a first three-dimensional display space to a second three-dimensional display space different from the first three-dimensional display space.