Television – Special applications – Navigation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-12
2001-04-24
Kelley, Chris (Department: 2713)
Television
Special applications
Navigation
C348S116000, C382S255000, C382S154000, C345S440000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222583
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and system for providing information to a user regarding an image filmed by using a sight image input device such as a camera on a moving body or the like, by overlaying geographical information regarding each sub-domain of the image on an image display device or a transmissive screen.
The present application is based on Patent Applications Nos. Hei 9-75471, Hei 9-186679, Hei 9-213251 and Hei 9-280727 filed in Japan, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Conventional Art
As conventional systems for notifying users of geographical information relating to the user's surroundings, there are various types of navigation systems. For example, Japanese Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-273000 discloses a navigation device comprising a position renewal section for renewing the position of a vehicle by referring to road map data when position data and movement data of the vehicle are input, a display data generating section for generating display road data and display background data based on map data and the like, a three-dimensional video image data generating section for preparing three-dimensional video image data based on these display data, and a memory section. When a user presets a travel route including a destination area and transit areas, this navigation device offers the capability of setting routes while regarding a video image display screen prepared by a computer which reproduces actually existing roads and the surroundings thereof, instead of a two-dimensional map screen. Additionally, according to this device, a user is able to see a moving image display which follows the route over which the user is actually traveling.
However, when performing route guidance using the same device, the user must ultimately compare the actual scenery with the geographical information from the computer, in order to identify what the objects in the actual scenery are. In other words, in order to identify what a building, road or mountain actually in the user's perspective is, the user must subconsciously work the brain in order to perform correspondence work between what the user sees and the symbols in the map which is displayed as a moving image. In cities, the user compares the map prepared by the computer with the actual scenery in order to grasp the user's orientation or to find landmarks, and after recognizing the features of buildings in the direction of progression, reconsiders the map to identify the building. For this reason, the work of comparing the map in the computer with the actual scenery several times to correlate objects on the part of the user cannot be eliminated. Particularly in darkness or at night, the actual scenery is difficult to see, and it is difficult to make a correlation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has the object of offering a device and system for labeling sight images for informing users by correlating geographical information in a computer with parts of an image displayed on a monitor filing the actual scenery or a video image (hereinafter referred to as a sight image) displayed on an object such as a windshield capable of transmitting the actual scenery.
A first embodiment of the present invention is a device for sight labeling comprising an image acquiring section for taking images; a position information acquiring section for acquiring a camera position while the images are being taken; a camera descriptive information acquiring section for acquiring a camera angle, a focal distance and an image size while the images are being taken; a map information management section for managing map information, determining a view space inside a map information space based on the acquired position, camera angle, focal distance and image size, and capturing constructions present inside the view space; a label information preparation section for preparing label information including names or descriptive information of the constructions and their transfer positions; a labeling information output section for overlaying the names or descriptive information from the map information at positions in the images corresponding to position information in the prepared label information, and outputting the overlayed images to a visual device; and a control section for controlling the sections described above.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a system for sight labeling comprising a sight labeling terminal and a sight labeling center; the sight labeling terminal comprising an image acquiring section for taking images, a position information acquiring section for acquiring a camera position while the images are being taken, a camera descriptive information acquiring section for acquiring a camera angle, a focal distance and an image size while the images are being taken, an image processing section for dividing the taken images into a plurality of sub-domains, a communication control section for sending information relating to division of the images into sub-domains, the camera angle, the focal distance and the image size through the communication network to the sight labeling center, and receiving label information from the sight labeling center, a label information output section for overlaying names or descriptive information of constructions inside the label information at corresponding positions in the images, and outputting the overlayed images to a visual device, and a terminal control section for controlling the sections described above; and the sight labeling center comprising a communication control section for receiving information relating to division of the images into sub-domains, the camera angle, the focal distance and the image size through the communication network from the sight labeling terminal, and sending the label information to the sight labeling terminal, a map information management section for managing map information, determining a view space inside map information space based on the received position, camera angle, focal distance and image size, and capturing constructions present inside the view space, a label information preparation section for correlating the captured constructions with respect to the sub-domains of the images, and preparing label information including the names or descriptive information of the correlated constructions and their transfer positions, and a center control section for controlling the sections described above.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a device for sight labeling comprising an image acquiring section for taking images; a position information acquiring section for acquiring a camera position while the images are being taken; a camera descriptive information acquiring section for acquiring a camera angle, a focal distance and an image size while the images are being taken; an image processing section for dividing images acquired by the image acquiring section into a plurality of sub-domains; map information management section for managing map information, determining a view space inside a map information space based on the acquired position, camera angle, focal distance and image size, and capturing constructions present inside the view space; a label information preparation section for correlating the captured constructions with respect to sub-domains of the images, and preparing label information including the names or descriptive information of the correlated constructions and their transfer positions; a communication address memory section for storing communication addresses of communication devices relating to the constructions; a communication processing section for setting up communication paths with the communication addresses based on the received communication addresses; a label information output section for overlaying the names or descriptive information from the map information at positions in the images corresponding to the transfer positions in the prepared label information, and outputting the overlayed
Ikeda Takeshi
Katagiri Masaji
Matsumura Takahiro
Nakano Hirotaka
Sugimura Toshiaki
Kelley Chris
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
Pennie & Edmonds LLP
Wong Allen
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