System for displaying information in specific region

• US 20020145709A1
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Salto, Akito, Shibasaki, Takao, Akatsuka, Yuichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,088,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/122
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a system for displaying information in a specific region includes a capturing unit for capturing a desired subject, an image capturing unit for capturing an image of the subject, a position and attitude calculating unit for calculating at least the position and the facing direction of the capturing unit on the basis of the captured image, a determining unit for determining the subject in the image captured by the image capturing unit on the basis of an output of the position and attitude calculating unit, a related information obtaining unit for obtaining at least information related to the determined subject, and a related information superimposition display unit for displaying the obtained information together with the image related to the subject on a display unit.

Claims

1. A system for displaying information in a specific region, comprising:

an image capturing unit which captures an image of a subject captured by a capturing unit;

a position and attitude calculating unit which calculates at least the position and the facing direction of the capturing unit on the basis of the image captured by the image capturing unit;

a determining unit;

which determines a subject in the image captured by the image capturing unit on the basis of an output of the position and attitude calculating unit;

a related information obtaining unit which obtains at least one of information related to the subject determined by the determining unit and information related to the position and direction of a user calculated from the subject image; and

a display unit which displays information obtained by the related information obtaining unit together with the image related to the subject.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the determining unit accesses an information source including facilities in the specific region and space coordinates thereof to determine a subject.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the related information obtaining unit accesses an information source including facilities in the specific region and explanatory guide information thereof to obtain explanatory guide information in the information source.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the related information obtaining unit accesses facilities in the specific region and explanatory guide information thereof in radio communication to obtain the explanatory guide information in the information source.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the system for displaying information in a specific region is constructed as a portable terminal device.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a position measuring unit for measuring the position of the terminal device.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein

the position measuring unit measures the position of the terminal device with a GPS signal.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein

the position measuring unit measures the position of the terminal device with a PHS signal radio wave.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the position and attitude calculating unit measures the position of the system with marker information existing on or around the subject included in the image.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the position and attitude calculating unit measures the position of the system with a characteristic portion of a sight included in the image.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the specific region denotes a theme park.

12. A system for displaying information in a specific region, comprising:

image capturing means for capturing an image of a subject captured by capturing means;

position and attitude calculating means for calculating at least the position and the facing direction of the capturing means an the basis of the image captured by the image capturing means;

determining means for determining a subject in the image captured by the image capturing means on the basis of an output of the position and attitude calculating means;

related information obtaining means obtains at least one of information related to the subject determined by the determining means and information related to the position and the direction of a user calculated from the subject image; and

display means for displaying information obtained by the related information obtaining means together with the image related to the subject.