METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING IMAGE OF MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL

• US 20100268451A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: CHOI, Sung-Ha
• Granted Patent: US 9,097,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• 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

Abstract

Techniques are described for allowing a user to intuitively check an actual image captured by a camera, rather than to recognize information regarding a peripheral area (point of interest) on a map. An apparatus includes a camera module that accesses an image captured by a camera and detects a direction in which the camera points and a display unit that displays the captured image. The apparatus also includes a controller that detects a position of a point of interest (POI) corresponding to a keyword and indicates location information for the POI on the displayed image based on the direction information of the to camera, a current location, and the detected location of the POI.

Claims

1. An apparatus for displaying an image of a mobile communication terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a camera module configured to access an image captured by a camera and determine a direction in which the camera points;

a display unit configured to display the captured image; and

a controller configured to determine a current location of the camera, determine a location of a point of interest (POI) corresponding to a keyword received from a user and, based on the determined direction in which the camera to points, the determined current location of the camera, and the determined location of the POI, indicate, on the displayed image, location information for the POI relative to the displayed image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display an icon indicating the location of the POI within the displayed image when the location of the POI is within the displayed image.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display a direction to the POI on the displayed image when the location of the POI is outside of the displayed image.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a voice output unit configured to provide output describing the location information for the POI by voice.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display, on the image, a distance from the current location to the determined location of the POI.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the POI is out of range of the image captured by the camera, display a direction to the POI on the image in response to a determination that the POI is out of range of the image captured by the camera, and display the POI to on the image in response to a determination that the POI is within range of the image captured by the camera.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the POI is located at a pre-set location, display the image is without a photograph of the POI in response to a determination that the POI is not located at the pre-set location, and, in response to a determination that the POI is located at the pre-set location, display a notification window inquiring whether to display a photograph of the POI on the image and, in response to input requesting display of the photograph being received through the notification window, display the photograph of the POI on the image.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive location information of a mobile communication terminal via a wireless communication network, detect a direction of the mobile communication terminal based on the received location information of the mobile communication terminal, the determined direction in which the camera points, and the current location, and display the detected direction of the mobile communication terminal on the image.

9. An apparatus for displaying an image of a mobile communication terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a display unit configured to display an image captured by a camera;

a global positioning system (GPS) module configured to detect a current to location of the display unit based on GPS information received from satellites;

a geomagnetic module configured to detect a first absolute azimuth angle of a direction in which the camera points;

a camera module configured to detect view angle information of the displayed image based on view angle information of a camera lens used to capture the displayed image;

a communication unit configured to access peripheral area information of an area corresponding to the current location based on the current location; and

a controller configured to detect a second absolute azimuth angle between the current location and a point of interest (POI) included in the peripheral area information based on the detected current location and a location of the POI, detect an absolute azimuth angle range of the image of the camera based on the first absolute azimuth angle of the direction in which the camera points and the view angle information of the displayed image, and display POI information within the image of the camera based on the second absolute azimuth angle and the absolute azimuth angle range.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the POI is out of the absolute azimuth angle range of the image of the camera and display a direction to the POI on the image in response to a determination that the POI is out of the absolute azimuth angle range of the image of the camera.

11. A method for displaying an image of a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising:

accessing an image captured by a camera;

determining a direction in which the camera points;

displaying the captured image;

determining a current location of the camera;

determining a location of a point of interest (POI) corresponding to a keyword received from a user; and

based on the determined direction in which the camera points, the determined current location of the camera, and the determined location of the POI, indicating, on the displayed image, location information for the POI relative to the displayed image.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein indicating, on the displayed image, location information for the POI relative to the displayed image comprises:

displaying an icon indicating the location of the POI within the displayed image when the location of the POI is within the displayed image.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein indicating, on the displayed image, location information for the POI relative to the displayed image comprises displaying a direction to the POI on the displayed image when the location of the POI is outside of the displayed image.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing output describing the location information for the POI by voice.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying, on the image, a distance from the current location to the determined location of the POI.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein indicating, on the displayed image, location information for the POI relative to the displayed image comprises:

determining whether the POI is out of range of the image captured by the camera;

displaying a direction to the POI on the image in response to a determination that the POI is out of range of the image captured by the camera, and

displaying the POI on the image in response to a determination that the POI is within range of the image captured by the camera.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether the POI is located at a pre-set location;

displaying the image without a photograph of the POI in response to a determination that the POI is not located at the pre-set location; and

in response to a determination that the POI is located at the pre-set location;

displaying a notification window inquiring whether to display a photograph of the POI on the image, and

in response to input requesting display of the photograph being received through the notification window, displaying the photograph of the POI on the image.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving location information of a mobile terminal via a wireless communication network;

detecting a direction of the mobile terminal based on the received location information of the mobile terminal, the determined direction in which the camera points, and the current location; and

displaying the detected direction of the mobile terminal on the image.

19. A method for displaying an image of a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising:

displaying, on a display unit, an image captured by a camera;

detecting a current location of the display unit based on global positioning system (GPS) information received from satellites;

detecting a first absolute azimuth angle of a direction in which the camera points;

detecting view angle information of the displayed image based on view angle information of a camera lens used to capture the displayed image;

accessing peripheral area information of an area corresponding to the current location based on the current location;

detecting a second absolute azimuth angle between the current location to and a point of interest (POI) included in the peripheral area information based on the detected current location and a location of the POI;

detecting an absolute azimuth angle range of the image of the camera based on the first absolute azimuth angle of the direction in which the camera points and the view angle information of the displayed image; and

displaying POI information within the image of the camera based on the second absolute azimuth angle and the absolute azimuth angle range.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining whether the POI is out of the absolute azimuth angle range of the image of the camera; and

displaying a direction to the POI on the image in response to a determination that the POI is out of the absolute azimuth angle range of the image of the camera.