Methods and Apparatus for Collecting Image Data

• US 20100009700A1
• Filed: 07/08/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Camp, William O. JR., Marcinkiewicz, Walter M., Bowen, Toby John, Kokes, Mark Gavin
• Granted Patent: US 9,509,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.600
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus H04N2201/0013; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0098 User intervention not otherwise provided for, e.g. placing documents, responding to an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data

Abstract

An image processing system identifies desired views of a particular subject and triggers a mobile camera device in proximity to the subject to capture a digital image, thus collecting new image data to augment an existing database. In an exemplary method, location data for a camera-equipped mobile communication device in visual proximity to a subject of interest is received at an image collection server. Upon determining whether the location data corresponds to a desired view of the subject of interest, the image collection server sends an image capture request to the mobile device, triggering the user of the device to capture an image of the subject. Finally, digital image data is received from the mobile communication device in response to the image capture request. The digital image data may then be used for assembling a composite representation of the subject of interest, such as a 3D model of the subject.

Claims

1. A method of collecting digital image data associated with a subject of interest, comprising:

receiving location data for a camera-equipped mobile communication device in visual proximity to the subject of interest;

determining whether the location data corresponds to a desired view of the subject of interest;

sending an image capture request to the mobile communication device, responsive to said determining; and

receiving digital image data from the mobile communication device in response to the image capture request.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving camera position data corresponding to the digital image data; and

storing the camera position data in association with the digital image data for use in assembling a composite representation of the subject of interest.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the camera position data comprises camera location data, indicating a location for the mobile communication device at the time the digital image data was captured, or camera orientation data, indicating an orientation for the mobile communication device at the time the digital image data was captured, or both.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a desired reference position with respect to the subject of interest;

forming a positioning instruction based on the desired reference position; and

sending the positioning instruction to the mobile communication device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the positioning instruction comprises reference location data, reference orientation data, or both, for use in capturing the digital image data.

6. An image collection server comprising a communication network interface and one or more processing circuits configured to:

receive, via the communication network interface, location data for a camera-equipped mobile communication device in visual proximity to a subject of interest;

determine whether the location data corresponds to a desired view of the subject of interest;

send, using the communication network interface, an image capture request to the mobile communication device, responsive to said determining; and

receive, via the communication network interface, digital image data from the mobile communication device in response to the image capture request.

7. The image collection server of claim 6, wherein the one or more processing circuits are further configured to:

receive camera position data corresponding to the digital image data; and

store the camera position data in association with the digital image data for use in assembling a composite representation of the subject of interest.

8. The image collection server of claim 7, wherein the camera position data comprises camera location data, indicating a location for the mobile communication device at the time the digital image data was captured, or camera orientation data, indicating an orientation for the mobile communication device at the time the digital image data was captured, or both.

9. The image collection server of claim 6, wherein the one or more processing circuits are further configured to:

determine a desired reference position with respect to the subject of interest;

form a positioning instruction based on the desired reference position; and

send the positioning instruction to the mobile communication device, using the communication network interface.

10. The image collection server of claim 9, wherein the positioning instruction comprises reference location data, reference orientation data, or both, for use in capturing the digital image data.

11. A method of collecting image data with a camera-equipped mobile communication device, comprising:

receiving an image capture request from a remote device;

alerting a user of the mobile communication device to the image capture request; and

sending digital image data to the remote device, responsive to user initiation of an image capture operation subsequent to the alert.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the image capture request comprises a positioning instruction and wherein alerting the user to the image capture request comprises altering a display of the mobile communication device based on the positioning instruction.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the positioning instruction comprises reference orientation data, and wherein altering the display of the mobile communication device comprises displaying one or more orientation guides based on the reference orientation data and a current orientation for the mobile communication device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the positioning instruction comprises reference location data, and wherein altering the display of the mobile communication device comprises displaying one or more location guides based on the reference location data and a current location for the mobile communication device.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending current location data, current orientation data, or both, to the remote device, wherein the current location data, current orientation data, or both, indicate the position of the mobile communication device at the time of the image capture operation.

16. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a wireless communication unit;

an image capture device;

a display; and

one or more processing circuits configured to;

receive an image capture request from a remote device, via the wireless communication unit;

alert a user of the mobile communication device to the image capture request, using the display; and

send digital image data to the remote device, via the wireless communication unit, responsive to user initiation of an image capture operation subsequent to the alert.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the image capture request comprises a positioning instruction and wherein the one or more processing circuits are configured to alert the user to the image capture request by altering a display of the mobile communication device based on the positioning instruction.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein the positioning instruction comprises reference orientation data, and wherein the one or more processing circuits are configured to alter the display of the mobile communication device by displaying one or more orientation guides based on the reference orientation data and a current orientation for the mobile communication device.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 17, wherein the positioning instruction comprises reference location data, and wherein the one or more processing circuits are configured to alter the display of the mobile communication device by displaying one or more location guides based on the reference location data and a current location for the mobile communication device.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the one or more processing circuits are further configured to send current location data, current orientation data, or both, to the remote device, wherein the current location data, current orientation data, or both, indicate the position of the mobile communication device at the time of the image capture operation.