Vehicle navigation system that automatically translates roadside signs and objects
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for interpreting objects alongside a thoroughfare for an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- means for obtaining an image of at least one object in the vicinity of the thoroughfare;
means for displaying the image;
means for receiving a selection of the at least one object in the image;
means for identifying the selected object in the image;
means, responsive to the means for identifying, for providing to a user of the apparatus, information about the selected object in a predetermined language.
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Abstract
A method for interpreting objects alongside a road obtains an image of an object in the vicinity of the road, displays the image to an occupant of the vehicle and receives a signal selecting the object. The method identifies the object by extracting and recognizing text from the image. The method then translates the text into a language with which the occupant of the vehicle is familiar and presents the translated text to the occupant either as a text overlay on the displayed image or as a speech signal.
212 Citations
38 Claims
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1. Apparatus for interpreting objects alongside a thoroughfare for an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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means for obtaining an image of at least one object in the vicinity of the thoroughfare;
means for displaying the image;
means for receiving a selection of the at least one object in the image;
means for identifying the selected object in the image;
means, responsive to the means for identifying, for providing to a user of the apparatus, information about the selected object in a predetermined language. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. Apparatus for identifying objects alongside a thoroughfare for an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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means for obtaining a plurality of successive images of objects in the vicinity of the thoroughfare;
means for continuously analyzing the plurality of successive images as the vehicle moves along the thoroughfare to identify and extract images of signs;
a database of signs;
means for comparing the extracted images of signs with the database of signs to determine if the images of signs match any of the signs in the database of signs;
means for providing an output signal when a matching sign is identified. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. Apparatus for interpreting objects alongside a thoroughfare for an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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means for obtaining an image of at least one object alongside the thoroughfare;
means for displaying the image;
means for receiving a selection of the at least one object in the image and for providing a sub-image of the image, the sub-image including an image of the at least one object;
means for extracting text from the image of the at least one object;
means for recognizing the extracted text; and
means for providing one of a translation of the recognized text and text identifying the at least one object as an output signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. Apparatus for interpreting objects alongside a thoroughfare for an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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means for obtaining an image of at least one object in the vicinity of the thoroughfare;
means for displaying the image;
means for receiving a selection of the at least one object in the image and for providing a sub-image of the image, the sub-image including an image of the at least one object;
means for extracting text from the image of the at least one object;
means for transmitting data including at least the extracted text to a remote location;
means for receiving one of translated text and information concerning the transmitted data from the remote location; and
means for providing the translated text to the occupant of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. Apparatus for interpreting objects alongside a thoroughfare for an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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means for obtaining an image of at least one object in the vicinity of the thoroughfare;
means for displaying the image;
means for receiving a selection of the at least one object in the image and for providing a sub-image of the image, the sub-image including an image of the at least one object;
means for transmitting at least the sub-image to a remote location;
means for receiving information concerning the sub-image from the remote location in a language understood by the occupant of the vehicle; and
means for providing the information to the occupant of the vehicle.
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20. Apparatus for interpreting objects alongside a thoroughfare for an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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means for obtaining an image of at least one object in the vicinity of the thoroughfare;
means for displaying the image;
means for receiving a selection of the at least one object in the image and for providing a sub-image of the image, the sub-image including an image of the at least one object;
a sign database of signs and objects including translations of the signs and objects;
a GPS navigation database of signs and objects including respective locations of the signs and objects, and translations of the signs and objects;
means for matching the selected one of the objects to the signs and objects in the sign database and to the signs and objects in the GPS navigation database and for providing at least one matched sign or object from each of the sign database and the GPS database;
means for comparing the at least one matched sign or object from the sign database to the at least one matched sign from the GPS database and for providing, as an output signal, an identification of any of the matched signs provided by both the sign database and the GPS database; and
means for providing the identification to the occupant of the vehicle.
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21. A method for interpreting objects alongside a thoroughfare for vehicles, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining an image of at least one object in the vicinity of the thoroughfare;
displaying the image;
receiving a selection of the at least one object in the image;
identifying the selected object in the image and providing information about the selected object;
providing the information about the selected object in a predetermined language. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for interpreting objects alongside a thoroughfare for vehicles, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a plurality of successive images of objects in the vicinity of the thoroughfare;
continuously analyzing the plurality of successive images as the vehicle moves along the thoroughfare to identify and extract images of signs;
comparing the images of signs with images in a database of signs to determine if the images of signs match any of the signs in the database of signs;
providing an output signal when a matching sign is identified. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for interpreting objects alongside a thoroughfare for vehicles for an occupant of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining an image of at least one object alongside the thoroughfare;
displaying the image;
receiving a selection of the at least one object in the image and providing a sub-image of the image, the sub-image including an image of the at least one object;
extracting text from the image of the at least one object;
recognizing the extracted text; and
providing one of a translation of the text and text identifying the at least one object as an output signal. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A method for interpreting objects alongside a thoroughfare for vehicles for an occupant of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining an image of at least one object in the vicinity of the thoroughfare;
displaying the image;
receiving a selection of one of the at least one object in the image and providing a sub-image of the image, the sub-image including an image of the at least one object;
extracting text from the image of the at least one object;
transmitting data including at least the extracted text to a remote location;
receiving one of translated text and information concerning the transmitted data from the remote location; and
providing the translated text to the occupant of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. A method for interpreting objects alongside a thoroughfare for vehicles for an occupant of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining an image of at least one of the objects in the vicinity of the thoroughfare;
displaying the image;
receiving a selection of one of the objects in the image and providing a sub-image of the image, the sub-image including an image of the at least one object;
matching the selected one of the objects to the signs and objects in a sign database and to signs and objects in a GPS navigation database and providing at least one matched sign or object from each of the sign database and the GPS database;
comparing the at least one matched sign or object from the sign database to the at least one matched sign from the GPS database and for providing, as an output signal, an identification of any of the matched signs provided by both the sign database and the GPS database; and
providing the identification to the occupant of the vehicle.
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37. Apparatus for interpreting objects alongside a thoroughfare for vehicles for an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a camera for obtaining an image of at least one object in the vicinity of the thoroughfare;
an image processor for displaying the at least one object of the image, receiving a selection of the at least one object and for identifying the at least one object in a first language;
a translator for providing the identification of the at least one object in a second language, different from the first language;
a translation delivery system for providing the identification in the second language to the occupant of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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Specification