Communication apparatus and method that link a network address with designated image information

• US 6,507,371 B1
• Filed: 04/15/1997
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Yasuhiko, Ohwada, Hiroshi, Kusama, Kiyoshi, Yamada, Shigeki, Takaoka, Makoto, Kobayashi, Shigetada
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tillery, Rashawn N.
• Application Number:
  US08/834,221
• Time in Patent Office: 2,100 Days
• Field of Search: 348/231, 348/232, 348/233, 348/334, 348/552, 396/429, 396/310, 396/311, 396/315, 396/319, 370/389, 370/392, 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 340/825.49, 340/988, 709/218, 709/245, 709/246
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• 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 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data

Abstract

To make it possible to process or retrieve a recorded image in accordance with the location where the image is recorded and record digital image data together with GPS information when capturing a digital image by a video camera. Moreover, when GPS information cannot be captured, GPS information of a certain time before is captured. Furthermore, a system is disclosed which accesses the internet in accordance with the captured GPS information.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus comprising:

generation means for generating image information and location information corresponding to the image information by retrieving information based on a user'"'"'s input word, said image information representing plural images;

address generating means for generating a network address according to the location information generated by said image information generation means based on image information designated by a user from among the plural images represented by the image information; and

means for linking with a network address generated by said address generating means,

wherein said generation means is means for generating location information by a GPS.

2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said generation means is previously provided with a corresponding table of location information and network addresses.

3. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising image pickup means for picking up a subject.

4. A communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said location information generation means is means for generating the location information of the place where image pickup is performed by said image pickup means.

5. A communication apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising storage means for storing a signal corresponding to a subject picked up by said image pickup means in a medium.

6. A communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said medium is a semiconductor memory.

7. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said address generating means is means for generating the name of area information according to the location generated by said location information generation means.

8. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for generating the address of an Internet home page including an area name in accordance with said location information.

9. A communication apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said generation means is previously provided with a corresponding table of location and Internet address.

10. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the location information is data for latitude and longitude.

11. A communication apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the corresponding table can be retrieved.

12. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said network is an Internet network and said linkage means has means for linking with an Internet address retrieval home page, automatically inputting location information as a retrieval keyword, and retrieving an Internet address.

13. A communication apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a corresponding table of location information and an Internet address, and wherein an address retrieved by said linking means can be automatically entered in said corresponding table.

14. A communication method, comprising the steps of:

generating image information and location information corresponding to the image information by retrieving information based on a user'"'"'s input word, said image information representing plural images;

generating a network address according to the location information generated in said information-generating step based on image information designated by a user from among the plural images represented by the image information; and

linking with a network address generated in said address-generating step,

wherein, said information-generating step includes generating location information by means of a GPS.

15. A communication method according to claim 14, wherein said address-generating step is performed using a corresponding table of location information and network addresses.

16. A communication method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of picking up an image of a subject.

17. A communication method according to claim 16, wherein the location information generated is location information of the place where image pickup is performed.

18. A communication method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of storing, in a storage medium, a signal corresponding to a subject picked up in said image picking-up step.

19. A communication method according to claim 18, wherein the medium is a semiconductor memory.

20. A communication method according to claim 14, wherein said address-generating step includes generating the name of area information according to the location generated in said information-generating step.

21. A communication method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of generating the address of an Internet home page including an area name in accordance with said area information.

22. A communication method according to claim 21, wherein said address-generated step is performed using a corresponding table of location and Internet address.

23. A communication method according to claim 14, wherein the location information is data for latitude and longitude.

24. A communication method according to claim 22, wherein the corresponding table can be retrieved.

25. A communication method according to claim 14, wherein the network is an Internet network and said linking step includes linking with an Internet address retrieval home page, automatically inputting location information as a retrieval keyword, and retrieving an Internet address.

26. A communication apparatus comprising:

information generation means for generating image information and location information corresponding to the image information by retrieving information based on a user'"'"'s input word, said image information representing plural images;

address generating means for generating a network address according to the location information generated by said information generation means from among the plural images represented by the image information;

means for linking with a network address generated by said address generating means; and

means for generating the address of an Internet home page including an area name in accordance with area information corresponding to the location information,

wherein said information generation means is means for generating location information by a GPS.

27. A communication apparatus comprising:

information generation means for generating image information and location information corresponding to the image information by retrieving information based on a user'"'"'s input word, said image information representing plural images;

address generating means for generating a network address according to the location information generated by said information generation means from among the plural images represented by the image information; and

means for linking with a network address generated by said address generating means, wherein the network is an Internet network, and said linking includes linking with an Internet address retrieval home page, automatically inputting location information as a retrieval keyword and retrieving an Internet address,

wherein said information generation means is means for generating location information by a GPS.