Device for displaying link information and method for displaying the same

• US 7,171,627 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2001
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sawatari, Ryusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh; Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/897,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20020044162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,038 Days
• Field of Search: 345/738, 345/713, 345/133, 345418-427, 345/852, 345629-641, 709/300, 709/302, 709/303, 709/200, 715848-852, 715/757, 715/760
• US Class Current: 715/848
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

There are provided a device for displaying link information and a method for displaying the same which display the image of an actual object superimposed with the label of link information so as to easily obtain information on the actual object and to display a moving link. An image input part obtains the image signal of an actual object. A link information receiving part receives link information transmitted by a transmitter. A link contents detection part detects the link contents. An attribute information detection part detects the attribute. A link position detection part detects the link position. The image signal obtained by a synthesizing part is superimposed with the link contents in the display coordinate of a link label calculated by a coordinate conversion part in accordance with the attribute information. A display part displays the image signal synthesized. The user uses a pointing device to easily obtain the link information on the actual object in accordance with the link label.

Claims

1. A link information display device for displaying link information transmitted by a link information transmitter, comprising:

video input means for obtaining a video signal of real space;

receiving means for receiving said link information comprising link content information, attribute information and link position information, wherein said link position information comprises virtual space position information in a three-dimensional coordinate system;

transmitting position detection means for detecting the position of said transmitter in the three-dimensional coordinate system in accordance with said received link information;

coordinate transformation means for transforming the three-dimensional coordinate system of said link position information and the position of said transmitter into a display position three-dimensional coordinate system;

display position determining means for determining a display position of said link content information on the basis of said display position three-dimensional coordinate system and said attribute information;

superimposing means for superimposing said link content information onto said video signal in accordance with said display position determined by said display position determining means; and

display means for displaying said superimposed video signal.

2. The link information display device according to claim 1, wherein said video input means comprises a video camera for inputting the video signal of an actual object.

3. The link information display device according to claim 1, wherein said video input means comprises a video signal reproducing device for reproducing the video signal stored onto a video recording medium.

4. The link information display device according to claim 1, further comprising storing means for storing said superimposed video signal.

5. The link information display device according to claim 1, comprising selection means for, when said link information transmitter transmits a plurality of pieces of link information, selecting predetermined link information in accordance with said attribute information.

6. The link information display device according to claim 1, wherein said coordinate transformation means calculates a display position to display a link on said display means in accordance with said link position information and the position of said transmitter so that said link content information is viewed horizontally on said display screen.

7. The link information display device according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of pieces of link information are received by said receiving means and said display position determining means determines the precise positions are not required on the basis of said attribute information, said display position determining means determines to line up and display these pieces of link information at predetermined positions on the display screen.

8. A link information display method for displaying link information transmitted by a link information transmitter, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a video signal of real space;

receiving said link information, said link information comprising link content information, attribute information and link position information, wherein said link position information comprises virtual space position information in a three-dimensional coordinate system;

detecting the position of said transmitter in the three-dimensional coordinate system in accordance with said received link information;

transforming the three-dimensional coordinate system of said link position information and the position of said transmitter into a display position three-dimensional coordinate system;

determining a display position of said link content information on the basis of said display position three-dimensional coordinate system and said attribute information;

superimposing said received link content information on said video signal in accordance with said display position determined by said display position determining means; and

displaying the video signal superimposed with said link information.

9. The link information display method according to claim 8, comprising a step of, when said link information transmitter transmits a plurality of pieces of link information, selecting predetermined link information in accordance with said attribute information.

10. The link information display method according to claim 8, comprising a step of, when a plurality of pieces of link information are transmitted and it is determined that the precise positions are not required on the basis of said attribute information, lining up and displaying a plurality of pieces of the received link information in predetermined positions on the screen to display said image signal.

11. The link information display method according to claim 8, comprising a step of storing the video signal superimposed with said link information.