Method for the viewing of visual information with an electronic device

• US 20080181464A1
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Makela, Kaj, Nurminen, Jukka, Immonen, Olli, Saarinen, Petteri, Vartiainen, Panu
• Granted Patent: US 8,351,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/113
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/422 Technical drawings; Geographical maps

Abstract

The invention relates to a method, which comprises the capturing of image data representing a physical object using an electronic device. First visual objects are determined in the image data. Second objects are determined among the first visual objects. Position information is determined for the second visual objects within the physical object. Third visual object are obtained based on the position information from object data storage. The third visual objects are matched to the first visual objects and differences between third visual objects and the first visual object are indicated to a user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing image data of a physical entity using an electronic device;

determining at least one first visual object in the image data;

determining at least one second visual object among said at least one first visual object;

determining at least one first position for the at least one second visual object within said physical entity;

determining at least one second position based on said at least one first position;

obtaining at least one third visual object based on said at least one second position from an object data storage;

matching the at least one third visual object with the at least one first visual object; and

indicating differences between said at least one third visual object and said at least one first visual object to a user.

2. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining at least one change to the physical entity;

determining at least one fourth visual object based on the at least one change; and

providing said at least one fourth visual object to said object data storage.

3. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining position for said at least one first visual object using said at least one second position; and

matching a position of one of said at least one third visual object with the position of one of said at least one first visual object to determine if the first visual object and the third visual object represent a same visual object.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second visual object has associated with it visual information indicating a position of said second visual object relative to boundaries of said physical entity.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said physical entity comprises a blueprint sheet.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said electronic device comprises a mobile communication device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said image data comprises at least one of still picture and video stream.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a camera configured to capture image data of a physical entity;

a processor configured to determine at least one first visual object in the image data, to determine at least one second visual object among said at least one first visual object, to determine at least one first position for the at least one second visual object within said physical entity, to determine at least one second position based on said at least one first position, to obtain at least one third visual object based on said at least one second position from an object data storage, to match the at least one third visual object with the at least one first visual object, to produce information to indicate differences between said at least one third visual object and said at least one first visual object; and

a display.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein

said processor is configured to determine at least one change to the physical entity, to determine at least one fourth visual object based on the at least one change and to provide said at least one fourth visual object to said object data storage.

10. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein

said processor is configured to determine position for said at least one first visual object using said at least one second position and to match a position of one of said at least one third visual object with the position of one of said at least one first visual object to determine if the first visual object and the third visual object represent a same visual object.

11. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein

said processor is configured to detect visual information associated with the at least one second visual object, the visual information indicating the position of said at least one second visual object relative to boundaries of said physical entity.

12. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein said electronic device comprises a mobile communication device.

13. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein said image data comprises at least one of still picture and video stream.

14. An electronic device comprising:

means for capturing image data of a physical entity;

means for determining at least one first visual object in the image data;

means for determining at least one second visual object among said at least one first visual object;

means for determining at least one first position for the at least one second visual object within said physical entity;

means for determining at least one second position based on said at least one first position;

means for obtaining at least one third visual object based on said at least one second position from an object data storage;

means for matching the at least one third visual object with the at least one first visual object; and

means for producing information for indicating differences between said at least one third visual object and said at least one first visual object.

15. A network node comprising:

a communication entity configured to receive image data of a physical entity and to transmit augmented visual data; and

a visual data processing entity configured to determine at least one first visual object in the image data, to determine at least one second visual object among said at least one first visual object, to determine position information for said at least one second visual object within said physical entity, to determine-second position information based on said position information, to obtain at least one third visual object based on said second position information from an object data storage, to match the at least one third visual object with the at least one first visual object and to produce the augmented visual data indicating differences between said at least one third visual object and said at least one first visual object to a user.

16. A network node comprising:

means for receiving image data of a physical entity and for transmitting augmented visual data;

means for determining at least one first visual object in the image data;

means for determining at least one second visual object among said at least one first visual object;

means for determining position information for said at least one second visual object within said physical entity;

means for determining second position information based on said position information;

means for obtaining at least one third visual object based on said second position information from an object data storage;

means for matching the at least one third visual object with the at least one first visual object; and

means for producing the augmented visual data indicating differences between said at least one third visual object and said at least one first visual object to a user.

17. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising code for controlling a processor to execute a method comprising:

obtaining image data of a physical entity;

determining at least one first visual object in the image data;

determining at least one second visual object among said at least one first visual object;

determining at least one first position for at least one second visual object within said physical entity;

determining at least one second position based on said at least one first position;

obtaining at least one third visual object based on said at least one second position from an object data storage;

matching the at least one third visual object with the at least one first visual object; and

indicating differences between said at least one third visual object and said at least one first visual object to a user.

18. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein said computer readable medium is a removable memory card.

19. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein said computer readable medium is a magnetic or an optical disk or a holographic memory.