GPS video mapping system

• US 6,741,790 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1999
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Red Sky Systems, Inc. (INNOVATE Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Red Sky Systems, Inc. (INNOVATE Corp.)
• Inventors: Burgess, Ken L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/424,698
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/83, 386/96, 386/104, 386/105, 386/106, 386/107, 386/117-124, 386/40, 348/116, 348/119, 348/144, 348/222.1
• US Class Current: 386/227
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/00 Photogrammetry or videogrammetry, e.g. stereogrammetry; Photographic surveying
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/328 on a tape [TTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal

Abstract

The system of the present invention includes a hardware device (40) and software, which are configurable and operable in three modes: recording mode, indexing mode, and playback mode. In the recording mode, the hardware device (40) is connected to a GPS receiver (44) and video recording device (42), and permits GPS data to be recorded on the same recording medium that images are recorded on using the video recording device (42). As a result, a particular geographic location associated with particular images can be directly referenced by GPS data. After recording the images, the hardware device (40) is connected to a computer (46) having the software of the present invention installed, and the system causes GPS data to be transferred from the recording medium to the computer (46) as the recorded images are replayed. During this step, called the indexing mode, the computer (46) draws a map showing all of the GPS referenced locations recorded on the recording medium. Each map location represents a location where images were recorded with GPS data. Once the indexing mode is completed, the system can be used to play back the images recorded, in accordance with the selection of a location on a map. During this step, called the playback mode, a marker may be selected on the computer (46) generated indexed map, and the system will cause the video recording device (42) to play back the images that were recorded at that selected location. Alternatively, if the recorded images have been transferred to some other media, for example CD ROM or hard disk, the system will cause the computer (46) to play back the images that were recorded at that selected location.

Claims

1. A method for correlating geographic information with images that are recorded with a portable video recording device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a portable video recording device capable of simultaneously recording images and audible sound on a single recording medium, wherein the portable video recording device is capable of recording images in a first direction;

(b) receiving geographic related position signals from at least one satellite source in an earth orbit;

(c) converting the geographic related position signals into geographic information capable of being audibly recorded by the portable video recording device; and

(d) receiving directional related data from at least one magnetic-based compass regarding the first direction;

(e) converting the directional related data into directional information capable of being audibly recorded by the portable video recording device; and

(f) simultaneously recording images and audible geographic information on a single recording medium using the portable video recording device, wherein said step of simultaneously recording images and audible geographic information includes simultaneously recording images, audible geographic information and audible directional information on a single recording medium using the portable video recording device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of simultaneously recording images, audible geographic information and audible directional information includes recording audible directional information for only a portion of the time during which images are recorded.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying a geographic map.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying a geographic map includes displaying at least one icon relating to at least one set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of selecting one of the at least one icons displayed on the geographic map.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of reproducing the images recorded on the recording medium at the position indicated by the numerical value of the counter corresponding to the set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates relating to the icon selected when the at least one icon is selected by the user of the system.

3. A method for reproducing images in accordance with the geographic location at which the images were recorded, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a portable video recording device capable of simultaneously recording images and audible sound on a single recording medium, wherein said video recording device includes a counter capable of tracking the relative position of the recording medium;

(b) receiving geographic related position signals from at least one satellite source in an earth orbit;

(c) converting the geographic related position signals into geographic information capable of being audibly recorded by the portable video recording device;

(d) simultaneously recording images and audible geographic information on a single recording medium using the portable video recording device;

(e) providing a video playback device that is capable of simultaneously reproducing images and audible sound recorded on a recording medium;

(f) reproducing the audible sound on at least a portion of the recording medium containing recorded images and audible geographic information;

(g) converting at least a portion of the audible sound relating to the geographic information into at least one set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates;

(h) relating at least one set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates to the numerical value of the counter relating to the position of the recording medium containing the audible sound relating to the geographic information;

(i) displaying a geographic map;

(j) displaying on the geographic map at least one icon relating to at least one set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates;

(k) selecting one of the icons displayed on the geographic map; and

(l) reproducing the images recorded on the recording medium at the position indicated by the numerical value of the counter corresponding to a set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates related to the icon selected.

8. A system for correlating geographic information with images that are recorded with a portable video recording device, the system comprising:

a portable video recording device capable of simultaneously recording images and audible sound on a single recording medium, wherein the portable video recording device is capable of simultaneously recording images, audible geographic information and audible directional information on a single recording medium,

at least one satellite source in an earth orbit, wherein the at least one satellite source transmits geographic related position signals to the portable video recording device;

a converter within the portable video recording device for converting the geographic related position signals into geographic information capable of being audibly recorded by the portable video recording device;

at least one magnetic-based compass capable of communicating directional related data regarding the first direction to the portable video recording device; and

a converter within the portable video recording device for converting the directional related data into directional information capable of being audibly recorded by the portable video recording device.

9. The system of claim 8, the system further comprising a display of a geographic map.

10. The system of claim 9, the display of a geographic map including at least one icon relating to at least one set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one icon can be selected by the user of the system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the images recorded by the portable video recording device are capable of being reproduced at the position indicated by the numerical value of the counter corresponding to the set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates relating to the icon selected when the at least one icon is selected by the user of the system.

13. A system for reproducing images in accordance with the geographic location at which the images were recorded, the system comprising:

a portable video recording device capable of simultaneously recording images and audible sound on a single recording medium, wherein said video recording device includes a counter capable of tracking the relative position of the recording medium;

at least one satellite source in an earth orbit for transmitting geographic related position signals to the portable video recording device;

a converter for converting the geographic related position signals into geographic information capable of being audibly recorded by the portable video recording device;

a video playback device that is capable of simultaneously reproducing images and audible sound recorded on a recording medium, wherein the video playback device is also capable of displaying a geographic map;

a converter for converting at least a portion of the audible sound reproduced by the video playback device relating to the geographic information into at least one set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates, wherein the at least one set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates relate to the numerical value of the counter relating to the position of the recording medium containing the audible sound relating to the geographic information;

at least one icon, displayed on the geographic map, relating to at least one set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates, the at least one icon being able to be selected by a user of the system such that when the at least one icon is selected by the user, the images recorded on the recording medium are reproduced at the position indicated by the numerical value of the counter corresponding to a set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates related to the at least one icon selected.

14. A system for correlating geographic information with images that are recorded with a portable video recording device, the system comprising:

means for simultaneously recording images, audible geographic information and audible directional information on a single recording medium,

at least one satellite source in an earth orbit, wherein the at least one satellite source transmits geographic related position signals to the means for simultaneously recording;

a first means for converting the geographic related position signals into geographic information capable of being audibly recorded by the means for simultaneously recording;

at least one magnetic-based compass capable of communicating directional related data regarding the first direction to the portable video recording device; and

a second means for converting the directional related data into directional information capable of being audibly recorded by the means for simultaneously recording.

15. The system of claim 14, the system further comprising a display means for displaying a geographic map.

16. The system of claim 15, the display means displaying at least one icon relating to at least one set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one icon can be selected by the user of the system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the images recorded by the means for simultaneously recording are capable of being reproduced at the position indicated by the numerical value of the counter corresponding to the set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates relating to the icon selected when the at least one icon is selected by the user of the system.

19. A system for reproducing images in accordance with the geographic location at which the images were recorded, the system comprising:

means for simultaneously recording images and audible sound on a single recording medium, wherein said means for simultaneously recording includes a counter capable of tracking the relative position of the recording medium;

at least one satellite source in an earth orbit for transmitting geographic related position signals to the means for simultaneously recording;

a first means for converting the geographic related position signals into geographic information capable of being audibly recorded by the means for simultaneously recording;

a video playback means for simultaneously reproducing images and audible sound recorded on a recording medium, wherein the video playback means is also capable of displaying a geographic map;

a second means for converting at least a portion of the audible sound reproduced by the video playback means relating to the geographic information into at least one set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates, wherein the at least one set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates relate to the numerical value of the counter relating to the position of the recording medium containing the audible sound relating to the geographic information;

at least one icon, displayed on the geographic map, relating to at least one set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates, the at least one icon being able to be selected by a user of the system such that when the at least one icon is selected by the user, the images recorded on the recording medium are reproduced at the position indicated by the numerical value of the counter corresponding to a set of longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates related to the at least one icon selected.