Virtual navigation system and method using moving image

• US 6,741,929 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2002
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Oh, Byoung Woo, Yang, Young Kyu, Kim, Min Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US10/092,902
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/200, 701/201, 701/207, 701/208, 701/210, 701/23, 701/24, 340/990, 340/993, 340/995, 340/998, 340/903, 370/215, 370/252, 382/103, 382/107, 382/108, 382/113, 382/140, 382/165, 382/214, 382/285, 382/305, 342/357.13, 348/119, 348/159, 348/169, 713/200
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams

Abstract

Disclosed is a virtual navigation system using a moving image. The system comprises an input section for inputting a command information such as a departure point and a destination each related to a traveling route; a traveling route estimating section for reading the traveling route from the departure point to the destination, which is inputted by the input section, from stored data to estimate an optimum traveling route; a traveling route processing section for processing the moving image for a road and surroundings around the road of the traveling route estimated by the traveling route estimating section; an information processing section for searching moving image data and spatial data each related to the road and the surroundings under control of the traveling route processing section; a storing section for storing road data shown in a map, and the moving image data and the spatial data related to the road and the surroundings.

Claims

1. A virtual navigation system using an actual moving image of a road previously taken and stored when traveling along a desired route, the system comprising:

input means for inputting a command information such as a departure point and a destination each related to a traveling route;

traveling route estimating means for reading the traveling route from the departure point to the destination, which is inputted by the input means, from stored data to estimate an optimum traveling route;

traveling route processing means for processing the actual moving image for a road and surroundings around the road of the traveling route estimated by the traveling route estimating means;

information processing means for searching moving image data and spatial data each related to the road and the surroundings under control of the traveling route processing means;

storing means for storing road data shown in a map, and the moving image data and the spatial data related to the road and the surroundings; and

output means for displaying the actual moving image and the spatial data related to the traveling route transferred from the traveling route processing means.

2. The virtual navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the traveling route estimating means estimates at least one traveling route depending upon an attribute defined to a traveling possible route from the departure point to the destination, provides the estimated optimum traveling route as a first traveling route, and provides other traveling route different from the first traveling route according to a control command of the input means.

3. The virtual navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the traveling route estimating means collects records for each road and diverging point from the departure point to the destination to generate a traveling list.

4. The virtual navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information processing means includes a moving image information processing section for searching the actual moving image related to the traveling route, and a spatial information processing section for searching the spatial data around the traveling route.

5. The virtual navigation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storing means includes a road and diverging point database for storing a record containing spatial data of a road and diverging point, a moving image database for storing the actual moving image related to the surroundings containing the road, and a spatial database for storing the spatial data to display a map of the road and surroundings.

6. The virtual navigation system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the data stored in the storing means is a set of independent records consisting of the road and the diverging point.

7. The virtual navigation system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the road record or the diverging point record is recorded with a reference capable of accessing to the moving image data corresponding to the record.

8. A method of providing information of a virtual navigation using an actual moving image of a road previously taken and stored when traveling along a desired route, to provide an experience of the virtual navigation on a route to be traveled, the method comprising the steps of:

searching designated records around a road and a diverging point in a traveling route by an external input signal inputted a departure point and a destination, and generating a list of searched records;

sequentially accessing to the records along the traveling route among the generated list;

reading moving image data and spatial data each related to the road and a surroundings around the road, the data recorded in the accessed list;

replaying the moving image data and the spatial data on a screen in proportion to a constant vehicle speed; and

sequentially replaying the actual moving image for a next accessed record, if the replay of the actual moving image for the accessed record is completed, to continuously replay the actual moving image from the departure point to the destination;

wherein a virtual traveling route from the departure point to the destination is provided by the method, and the actual moving image for the surroundings around the road and the actual moving image for change of the surroundings according to a vehicle speed are provided in a nearly similar to an actual circumstance, so that a user has the experience of the virtual navigation.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the list of the records is variable depending upon input information on a distance or a traveling time.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the reading step comprises the steps of:

searching the actual moving image corresponding to a traveling direction of a traveling road and a diverging point, and searching spatial data for the surroundings according to the traveling road and a location of the diverging portion.

11. A method of providing information of a virtual navigation using an actual moving image of a road previously taken and stored when traveling along a desired route, to provide an experience of the virtual navigation on a route to be traveled, the method comprising the steps of:

reading the moving image file and spatial data corresponding to the entire traveling route according to an external input signal in which a departure point and a destination are inputted, to generate one file;

reading moving image data and spatial data each related to a road and surroundings around the road from storing means, the data recorded in the file; and

replaying the moving image data and the spatial data on a screen in proportion to a constant vehicle speed;

wherein a virtual traveling route from the departure point to the destination is provided by the method, and the actual moving image for the surroundings around the road and the actual moving image for change of the surroundings according to a vehicle speed are provided in a nearly similar to an actual circumstance, so that a user has an experience of a virtual navigation.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein in the file generating step, a list of the records is variable depending upon input information on a distance or a traveling time.

13. A recording medium for executing a method of providing information of a virtual navigation to provide an experience of the virtual navigation on a route to be traveled, the recoding medium capable of being read by a digital processor, and storing a program of commands executed by the digital processor, the program being implemented by types, with the program comprising the steps of;

searching designated records around a road and a diverging point in a traveling route by an external input signal inputted a departure point and a destination, and generating a list of searched records;

sequentially accessing to the records along the traveling route among the generated list;

reading actual moving image data and spatial data each related to the road and surroundings around the road which are previously taken and stored when traveling along the traveling route, the data recorded in the accessed list;

replaying the actual moving image data and the spatial data to show an actual moving image of the road and surroundings on a screen in proportion to a constant vehicle speed; and

sequentially replaying the actual moving image for a next accessed record, if the replay of the actual moving image for the accessed record is completed, to continuously replay the actual moving image from the departure point to the destination.

14. A recording medium for executing a method of providing information of a virtual navigation to provide an experience of the virtual navigation on a route to be traveled, the recoding medium capable of being read by a digital processor, and storing a program of commands executed by the digital processor, the program being implemented by types, with the program comprising the steps of:

reading an actual moving image file and spatial data corresponding to the entire traveling route according to an external input signal in which a departure point and a destination are inputted which are previously taken and stored when traveling along the traveling route, to generate one file;

reading actual moving image data and spatial data each related to a road and surroundings around the road from storing means which are previously taken and stored when traveling along the traveling route, the data recorded in the file; and

replaying the moving image data and the spatial data on a screen to show an actual moving image of the road and surroundings in proportion to a constant vehicle speed.