Image capturing apparatus and navigation system

• US 20060140448A1
• Filed: 10/04/2005
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Ogino, Hiroshi, Fujii, Katsuya, Yamanishi, Atsushi, Ohno, Genzo
• Application Number:
  US11/243,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20060140448A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/265 constructional aspects of navigation devices, e.g. housings, mountings, displays G01C21/3688 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00416 Multi-level menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00453 arranged in a two dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data

Abstract

The present invention provides a portable image capturing apparatus having also a navigation function while preventing increase in the size and manufacturing cost of the apparatus. As a part for displaying a guide screen of a navigation system, a rear LCD capable of displaying a high-definition image of an image capturing apparatus which can be carried by a user is used. In other words, a part in which a display of a car navigation system is formed can be separated from the car navigation system and used as a digital camera. Therefore, only by connecting the image capturing apparatus to a car navigation system body in a data transmittable/receivable manner without providing most of functions necessary for car navigation for the image capturing apparatus, the car navigation system is formed.

Claims

1. An image capturing apparatus which can be carried by a user, comprising:

an image capturing part for capturing an image of a subject;

an image storage part for storing a captured image which is captured by said image capturing part;

an image display part for displaying said captured image stored in said image storage part; and

a connection part for setting a connection state where said image capturing apparatus is connected to a predetermined navigation system body so as to be able to receive data from said predetermined navigation system body, wherein

in said connection state, said image display part functions as a guide screen display part for displaying a guide screen of a navigation system.

2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said image storage part stores said captured image so as to be associated with positional information obtained from said predetermined navigation system body.

3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a position information obtaining part for obtaining said positional information from said predetermined navigation system body when said connection state is canceled.

4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a data transmission part for transmitting said captured image stored in said image storage part to said predetermined navigation system body in said connection state, wherein

said captured image transmitted by said data transmission part is stored in a predetermined information storage part so as to be associated with said positional information in said predetermined navigation system body.

5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data transmission part for transmitting said captured image stored in said image storage part to said predetermined navigation system body in said connection state, wherein

said captured image transmitted by said data transmission part is stored in a predetermined information storage part so as to be associated with positional information obtained by a predetermined positional information detection part in said predetermined navigation system body.

6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said guide screen display part visibly outputs a captured image corresponding to positional information obtained by a predetermined positional information detection part from one or more captured images stored in association with positional information in said predetermined information storage part.

7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data transmission part for transmitting said captured image stored in said image storage part to said predetermined navigation system body in said connection state, wherein

said captured image transmitted by said data transmission part is transmitted to an external device via a predetermined communication line by a communication part of said predetermined navigation system body.

8. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a map data reception part for receiving map data from said predetermined navigation system body in said connection state; and

a map data storage part for storing said map data received by said map data reception part, wherein

said image display part visibly outputs said map data stored in said map data storage part in a state where said connection state is canceled.

9. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a voice data generation part for receiving voice generated by the user and generating voice data, wherein

in said connection state, voice data generated by said voice data generation part and positional information obtained by said predetermined navigation system body is associated with each other and the resultant information is stored as voice guide information in a predetermined voice guide information storage part.

10. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power reception part for receiving supply of power from said predetermined navigation system body in said connection state; and

an accumulation part for accumulating said power received by said power reception part, wherein

said accumulation part is included in a power source of said image capturing apparatus.

11. A navigation system comprising:

an image capturing apparatus which can be carried by a user; and

a predetermined navigation system body, wherein

said image capturing apparatus includes;

an image capturing part for capturing an image of a subject;

an image storage part for storing a captured image which is captured by said image capturing part;

an image display part for displaying said captured image stored in said image storage part; and

a connection part for setting a connection state where said image capturing apparatus is connected to said predetermined navigation system body so as to be able to receive data from said predetermined navigation system body, and

in said connection state, said image display part functions as a guide screen display part for displaying a guide screen of said navigation system.

12. The navigation system according to claim 11, wherein

said image storage part stores said captured image so as to be associated with positional information obtained from said predetermined navigation system body.

13. The navigation system according to claim 12, wherein

said image capturing apparatus further includes:

a positional information obtaining part which obtains said positional information from said predetermined navigation system body when said connection state is canceled.

14. The navigation system according to claim 12, wherein

said image capturing apparatus further includes:

a data transmission part for transmitting said captured image stored in said image storage part to said predetermined navigation system body in said connection state, and

said captured image transmitted by said data transmission part is stored in a predetermined information storage part so as to be associated with said positional information in said predetermined navigation system body.

15. The navigation system according to claim 11, wherein

said image capturing apparatus further includes:

a data transmission part for transmitting said captured image stored in said image storage part to said predetermined navigation system body in said connection state, and

said captured image transmitted by said data transmission part is stored in a predetermined information storage part so as to be associated with positional information obtained by a predetermined positional information detection part in said predetermined navigation system body.

16. The navigation system according to claim 14, wherein

said guide screen display part visibly outputs a captured image corresponding to positional information obtained by a predetermined positional information detection part from one or more captured images stored in association with positional information in said predetermined information storage part.

17. The navigation system according to claim 11, wherein

said image capturing apparatus further includes:

a data transmission part for transmitting said captured image stored in said image storage part to said predetermined navigation system body in said connection state, and

said captured image transmitted by said data transmission part is transmitted to an external device via a predetermined communication line by a communication part of said predetermined navigation system body.

18. The navigation system according to claim 11, wherein

said image capturing apparatus further includes:

a map data reception part for receiving map data from said predetermined navigation system body in said connection state; and

a map data storage part for storing said map data received by said map data reception part, and

said image display part visibly outputs said map data stored in said map data storage part in a state where said connection state is canceled.

19. The navigation system according to claim 11, wherein

said image capturing apparatus further includes:

a voice data generation part for receiving voice generated by the user and generating voice data, wherein

in said connection state, voice data generated by said voice data generation part and positional information obtained by said predetermined navigation system body is associated with each other and the resultant information is stored as voice guide information in a predetermined voice guide information storage part.

20. The navigation system according to claim 11, wherein

said image capturing apparatus further includes:

a power reception part for receiving supply of power from said predetermined navigation system body in said connection state; and

an accumulation part for accumulating said power received by said power reception part, and

said accumulation part is included in a power source of said image capturing apparatus.