Photography – With data recording
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-07
2001-10-16
Gray, David M. (Department: 2851)
Photography
With data recording
C396S429000, C348S116000, C348S236000, C342S357490
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304729
ABSTRACT:
This application is based on patent application No. 10-99496 filed in Japan, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus capable of generating place information, in particular to a camera capable of recording an optical image of an object in a recording medium together with place information.
There has been known a camera internally provided with a GPS (Global Positioning System) which enables the recording of place information as shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-70727. As well-known, this GPS is a positioning system of high accuracy which receives data transmitted from at least three artificial satellites by a receiver on the earth and measures a three-dimensional position of the receiver based on the received data. In the camera internally provided with such a GPS, place information corresponding to a photographed image can be automatically recorded in a recording medium. This frees a camera operator from a cumbersome operation of manually inputting a place information every time photographing is performed, thereby making the camera much more convenient to use. Further, since the GPS is utilized, the camera can be advantageously used not only in a particular area, but also all over the world.
However, in the camera having a built-in GPS, a power consumption increases since it takes a long time for the data reception of the GPS and highly complicated operations are necessary. This results in a larger built-in battery and thus a larger camera. Further, it is sometimes difficult to receive electromagnetic waves used in the GPS indoors or in a place where large buildings stand one after another. This causes the problem that place information cannot be obtained when necessary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a place information obtainable apparatus which has overcome the problems residing in the prior art.
According to an aspect of the present invention, an apparatus comprises: a radio receiver which receives electromagnetic waves transmitted from a given radio base station, the electromagnetic waves containing base information concerning an identification of the given radio base station; a GPS receiver which receives electromagnetic waves transmitted from each of a plurality of artificial satellites, the electromagnetic waves containing information useable for positioning; a place information generator which generates place information based on one of the base information of the electromagnetic waves received by the radio receiver and the information of the electromagnetic waves received by the GPS receiver; and a selector which selects activation of one of the radio receiver and the GPS receiver, the selector judging whether the receptive state of the radio receiver is satisfactory during activation of the radio receiver, and selecting activation of the GPS receiver if the receptive state of the radio receiver is judged to be unsatisfactory.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus comprises: a radio receiver which receives electromagnetic waves transmitted from a given radio base station, the electromagnetic waves containing base information concerning an identification of the given radio base station; and a GPS receiver which receives electromagnetic waves transmitted from each of a plurality of artificial satellites, the electromagnetic waves containing information useable for positioning; wherein, under a control of a prescribed controller, it is judged whether the receptive state of the radio receiver is satisfactory, and place information is obtained based on the base information of the electromagnetic waves received by the radio receiver if the receptive state of the radio receiver is judged to be satisfactory, and place information is obtained based on the information of the electromagnetic waves received by the GPS receiver if the receptive state of the radio receiver is judged to be unsatisfactory.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus comprises: a first radio receiver which receives electromagnetic waves transmitted from a given radio base station of a first radio communications system, the electromagnetic waves containing base information concerning an identification of the given radio base station; a second radio receiver which receives electromagnetic waves transmitted from a given radio base station of a second radio communications system different from the first radio communications system, the electromagnetic waves containing base information concerning an identification of the given radio base station; and a GPS receiver which receives electromagnetic waves transmitted from each of a plurality of artificial satellites, the electromagnetic waves containing information useable for positioning; wherein, under a control of a prescribed controller, it is judged whether the receptive state of the first radio receiver is satisfactory, and place information is adopted based on the base information of the electromagnetic waves received by the first radio receiver if the receptive state of the first radio receiver is judged to be satisfactory, it is judged whether the receptive state of the second radio receiver is satisfactory if the receptive state of the first radio receiver is judged to be unsatisfactory, and place information is adopted based on the base information of the electromagnetic waves received by the second radio receiver if the receptive state of the second radio receiver is judged to be satisfactory, it is judged whether the receptive state of the GPS receiver is satisfactory if the receptive state of the second radio receiver is judged to be unsatisfactory, and place information is adopted based on the information of the electromagnetic waves received by the GPS receiver if the receptive state of the GPS receiver is judged to be satisfactory, and pre-stored place information is adopted if the receptive state of the GPS receiver is judged to be unsatisfactory.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5335072 (1994-08-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 6181878 (2001-01-01), Honda
patent: 09 190413 (1997-07-01), None
Hamada Masataka
Honda Tsutomu
Gray David M.
Minolta Co. , Ltd.
Morrison & Foerster
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