Imaging apparatus, data recording method and data-display control method, and computer program

• US 20080094499A1
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Liao, Baiping, Ueno, Ichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,742,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/372
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to execute processing to capture an image; a GPS (Global Positioning System) device configured to execute position calculation processing based on data received from a satellite; a power-supply control unit configured to control power supply to the GPS device; an apparatus control unit configured to monitor a state of photographing by a user to calculate a frequency of use of the imaging unit per unit time, and to cause the power-supply control unit to intermittently supply power to the GPS device when the calculated use frequency is lower than a predetermined threshold; and a data-recording control unit configured to generate photographed data attribute information in which positional information acquired in the GPS device is set as attribute information of an acquired image in the imaging unit, and to execute processing to store the photographed data attribute information in a storing unit.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

an imaging unit configured to execute processing to capture an image;

a GPS (Global Positioning System) device configured to execute position calculation processing based on data received from a satellite;

a power-supply control unit configured to control power supply to the GPS device;

an apparatus control unit configured to monitor a state of photographing by a user to calculate a frequency of use of the imaging unit per unit time, and to cause the power-supply control unit to intermittently supply power to the GPS device when the calculated use frequency is lower than a predetermined threshold; and

a data-recording control unit configured to generate photographed data attribute information in which positional information acquired in the GPS device is set as attribute information of an acquired image in the imaging unit, and to execute processing to store the photographed data attribute information in a storing unit.

2. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data-recording control unit is configured to execute processing to record latitude and longitude information and time information acquired in the GPS device in the storing unit as the photographed data attribute information.

3. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a data-display control unit configured to read the photographed data attribute information stored in the storing unit and to generate display information indicating a photographing position on a map based on positional information corresponding to image data included in the photographed data attribute information.

4. An imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the data-display control unit is configured to generate display information indicating a moving locus of the user based on photographing time information corresponding to the image data included in the photographed data attribute information.

5. An imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the data-display control unit is configured to read plural pieces of photographed data attribute information corresponding to plural different photographed image data files, to merge the plural pieces of photographed data attribute information, and to generate display information in which photographing positions of images included in the plural different photographed image data files are displayed on a map.

6. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus control unit is configured to calculate a photographing frequency in the imaging apparatus and to cause the power-supply control unit to intermittently supply power to the GPS device when the calculated photographing frequency is lower than a preset threshold, and to cause the power-supply control unit to supply continuous power to the GPS device when the calculated photographing frequency is equal to or greater than the preset threshold.

7. A data recording method in an imaging apparatus, the method comprising:

capturing an image;

monitoring a state of photographing by a user to calculate a frequency of use of the imaging apparatus per unit time;

controlling power supplied to a GPS (Global Positioning System) device configured to execute position calculation processing based on data received from a satellite so that power is intermittently supplied to the GPS device when the calculated use frequency is lower than a predetermined threshold;

performing positioning by the GPS device; and

generating photographed data attribute information in which positional information acquired in the GPS device is set as attribute information of the captured image and storing the photographed data attribute information in a storing unit.

8. A data recording method according to claim 7, wherein the generating and storing steps include recording latitude and longitude information and time information acquired in the GPS device in the storing unit as the photographed data attribute information.

9. A data-display control method for image data in an imaging apparatus, the method comprising:

reading photographed data attribute information stored in a storing unit and acquiring positional information corresponding to image data included in the photographed data attribute information;

acquiring map information of a position corresponding to the positional information from a map database based on positional information corresponding to the image data; and

generating display information in which identification information indicating the position corresponding to the image data is set on a map acquired from the map database and outputting the display information to a display unit.

10. A data-display control method according to claim 9, further comprising generating display information indicating a moving locus of a user based on photographing time information corresponding to the image data included in the photographed data attribute information.

11. A data-display control method according to claim 9, further comprising reading plural pieces of photographed data attribute information corresponding to plural different photographed image data files, merging the plural pieces of photographed data attribute information, and generating display information in which photographing positions of images included in the plural different photographed image data files are displayed on a map.

12. A computer program that causes a computer to execute a data recording method in an imaging apparatus, the method comprising:

capturing an image;

monitoring a state of photographing by a user to calculate a frequency of use of the imaging apparatus per unit time;

controlling power supplied to a GPS (Global Positioning System) device configured to execute position calculation processing based on data received from a satellite so that power is intermittently supplied to the GPS device when the calculated use frequency is lower than a predetermined threshold;

performing positioning by the GPS device; and

generating photographed data attribute information in which positional information acquired in the GPS device is set as attribute information of the captured image and storing the photographed data attribute information in a storing unit.

13. A computer program that causes a computer to execute a data-display control method for image data in an imaging apparatus, the method comprising:

reading photographed data attribute information stored in a storing unit and acquiring positional information corresponding to image data included in the photographed data attribute information;

acquiring map information of a position corresponding to the positional information from a map database based on positional information corresponding to the image data; and

generating display information in which identification information indicating the position corresponding to the image data is set on a map acquired from the map database and outputting the display information to a display unit.