Information processing apparatus and method, and program storage medium

• US 6,636,158 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2000
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bando, Hiroyuki, Kumai, Yuji, Narioka, Hiroto
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US09/662,279
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 340/999, 340/988, 340/989, 340/990, 340/825.49, 701/213, 342/357.06, 348/231.5, 348/231.3, 348/231.99, 348/222.1
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/37 Hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32106 separate from the image data, e.g. in a different computer file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

Disclosed is an information processing apparatus including a device for measuring a position, a time generator for generating time data representing times of day at which the positions are measured, a storage for storing data constituted by the measured position measuring and by an output of the time generator, the two outputs having an associative relation established therebetween, and an outputting device for outputting the stored data from the storage to an external entity.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

position measuring means for measuring positions and for outputting position data based on the measured positions;

time generating means for generating time data representing times of day at which the positions are measured by said position measuring means;

storing means for storing position and time data output from said position measuring means and output from said time generating means, the position and time data having an associative relation established therebetween;

outputting means for outputting the stored position and time data from said storing means to a controller; and

an image capturing means for capturing a digital image and for outputting the captured digital image to the controller;

the controller utilizing the position and time data to determine where the digital image was captured.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said position measuring means and said time generating means receive signals from satellites in measuring the positions and in generating the time data respectively.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising power supplying means for supplying battery-fed power to said position measuring means, said time generating means, said storing means and said outputting means.

4. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

measuring positions and outputting position data based on the measured positions;

generating time data representing times of day at which the positions are measured in said position measuring step;

storing position and time data measured in said position measuring step and generated in said time generating step, the position and time data having an associative relation established therebetween;

outputting the stored position and time data to a controller; and

capturing a digital image and outputting the captured digital image to the controller;

the controller utilizing the position and time data to determine where the digital image was captured.

5. An information processing method according to claim 4, wherein said position measuring step and said time generating step include receiving signals from satellites in measuring the positions and in generating the time data respectively.

6. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

outputting, to a controller, position data representing measured positions and time data representing times of day at which the position data are obtained, said position data and said time data having been stored with an associative relation established therebetween; and

capturing a digital image and outputting the captured digital image to the controller;

the controller utilizing the position and time data to determine where the digital image was captured.

7. An information processing method according to claim 6, wherein said position measuring step and said time generating step include receiving signals from satellites in measuring the positions and in generating the time data respectively.

8. A program storage medium which stores a program for causing an information processing apparatus to execute the steps of:

measuring positions and outputting position data based on the measured positions;

generating time data representing times of day at which the positions are measured in said position measuring step;

storing position and time data measured in said position measuring step and generated in said time generating step, the position and time data having an associative relation established therebetween; and

outputting the stored position and time data to a controller;

capturing a digital image and outputting the captured digital image to the controller;

the controller utilizing the position and time data to determine where the digital image was captured.

9. A program storage medium which stores a program for causing an information processing apparatus to execute the steps of:

outputting, to a controller, position data representing measured positions and time data representing times of day at which the position data are obtained, said position data and said time data having been stored with an associative relation established therebetween; and

capturing a digital image and outputting the captured digital image to the controller;

the controller utilizing the position and time data to determine where the digital image was captured.

10. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a position measuring device configured to measure positions and to output position data based on the measured positions;

a time generator configured to generate time data representing times of day at which the positions are measured by said position measuring device;

a memory configured to store position and time data output from said position measuring device and output from said time generator, the position and time data having an associative relation established therebetween;

an output configured to output the stored position and time data from said memory to a controller; and

an image capturing device configured to capture a digital image and to output the captured digital image to the controller;

the controller utilizing the position and time data to determine where the digital image was captured.

11. An information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said position measuring device and said time generator receive signals from satellites in measuring the positions and in generating the time data respectively.

12. An information processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a power supply configured to supply battery-fed power to said position measuring device, said time generator, said memory and said output.