Shared image database with geographic navigation

• US 20070233368A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Friedmann, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,797,019 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/48 adapted for combination with other photographic or optical apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/53 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/587 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

There is disclosed a system and method for operating an image database shared by a plurality of users. In an embodiment, each image captured by a user and stored in a shared image database is associating with the geographic coordinates of the location at which the image was captured. A search engine for the image database is configured to accept geographic coordinates as a search criterion for locating at least one captured image stored in the shared image database. The search engine may be configured to accept as a search criterion user specified numeric geographic coordinates, or geographic coordinates generated by user navigation and selection of a desired point on a map. The search engine may also be configured to accept a range of geographic coordinates to locate a plurality of user-captured images within a certain range of a geographic location.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for operating an image database shared by a plurality of users, comprising:

in the shared image database, associating with each image captured by a user the geographic coordinates of the location at which the image was captured; and

configuring a search engine for the image database to accept geographic coordinates as a search criterion for locating at least one captured image stored in the shared image database.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the search engine for the image database to accept as a search criterion at least one of a user specified and a global positioning system (GPS) device specified numeric geographic coordinates.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the search engine for the image database to accept as a search criterion geographic coordinates generated by user navigation and selection of a desired point on a map.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the search engine for the image database to receive as search criteria a range of geographic coordinates to locate a plurality of user captured images within a certain range of a geographic location.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing each user with a device for acquiring global positioning system (GPS) coordinates at the time of capture of an image, and for associating the acquired GPS coordinates with the captured image.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising configuring the device to transmit the captured image and the associated GPS coordinates for storage in the shared image database.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the device is a wireless communications device, and the method further comprises transmitting the captured image and the associated GPS coordinates wirelessly.

8. A system for operating an image database shared by a plurality of users, comprising:

a shared image database for storing images captured by a user, each image being associated with the geographic coordinates of the location at which the image was captured; and

a search engine for the image database configured to accept geographic coordinates as a search criterion for locating at least one captured image stored in the shared image database.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the search engine is configured to accept as a search criterion at least one of a user specified and a global positioning system (GPS) device specified numeric geographic coordinates.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the search engine for the image database is configured to accept as a search criterion geographic coordinates generated by user navigation and selection of a desired point on a map.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the search engine for the image database is configured to receive as search criteria a range of geographic coordinates to locate a plurality of user captured images within a certain range of a geographic location.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising at least one device for acquiring global positioning system (GPS) coordinates at the time of capture of an image, and for associating the acquired GPS coordinates with the captured image.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the device is configured to transmit the captured image and the associated GPS coordinates for storage in the shared image database.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the device is a wireless communications device, and the device is configured to transmit the captured image and the associated GPS coordinates wirelessly.

15. A computer readable medium storing computer code that, when loaded into a computing device, adapts the advice to operate an image database shared by a plurality of users, the computer readable medium including:

code for associating with each image captured by a user and stored in the image database the geographic coordinates of the location at which the image was captured; and

code for configuring a search engine for the image database to accept geographic coordinates as a search criterion for locating at least one captured image stored. in the shared image database.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further including code for configuring the search engine for the image database to accept as a search criterion at least one of a user specified and a global positioning system (GPS) specified numeric geographic coordinates.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further including code for configuring the search engine for the image database to accept as a search criterion geographic coordinates generated by user navigation and selection of a desired point on a map.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further including code for configuring the search engine for the image database to receive as search criteria a range of geographic coordinates to locate a plurality of user captured images within a certain range of a geographic location.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further including code for receiving from each user device a captured image and associated GPS coordinates for storage in the shared image database.