SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING 3D SCENES WITH TIME ELEMENT FOR DISPLAY

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for generating and visualizing 3D scenes include, in one aspect, a method including: obtaining metadata for 2D images that are related to a location of interest; searching for discrete image correspondences between pairs of the 2D images; grouping the 2D images into different time periods, including inferring one or more time periods for a portion of the 2D images that do not have date metadata; receiving a selection of at least one of the different time periods; finding camera intrinsic and extrinsic parameters for each image grouped into the selected time period; reconstructing a 3D scene of the location during the selected time period from the 2D images grouped into the selected time period using the camera intrinsic and extrinsic parameters; and providing the 3D scene for use in displaying the location of interest from different 3D perspectives.