Shared image database with geographic navigation

• US 7,797,019 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Friedmann, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US11/391,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20070233368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.5, 455/556.1, 455/41.2, 707/1, 707/208, 707/8, 707/104.1, 701/200
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/48 adapted for combination with other photographic or optical apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/53 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/587 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

There is disclosed a system and method for operating an image database shared by a plurality of users. In an embodiment, each image captured by a user and stored in a shared image database is associating with the geographic coordinates of the location at which the image was captured. A search engine for the image database is configured to accept geographic coordinates as a search criterion for locating at least one captured image stored in the shared image database. The search engine may be configured to accept as a search criterion user specified numeric geographic coordinates, or geographic coordinates generated by user navigation and selection of a desired point on a map. The search engine may also be configured to accept a range of geographic coordinates to locate a plurality of user-captured images within a certain range of a geographic location.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method executed on a mobile communications device, comprising:

obtaining geographic coordinates from a geographic subsystem;

configuring the device for wirelessly accessing a shared image database and causing a search of the image database, using as a search criterion at least one of a user specified and a global positioning system (GPS) device specified geographic coordinates, for at least one image with geographic coordinates within a predefined range of the obtained geographic coordinates; and

displaying on the device a view of images within a predefined range of the obtained geographic coordinates.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the device to wirelessly access and search the image database using as a further search criterion geographic coordinates generated by user navigation and selection of a desired point on a map.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the device to wirelessly access and search the image database using as further search criteria a range of geographic coordinates within a calculated distance from the obtained geographic location.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a list of available names of locations;

configuring the device for wirelessly accessing and searching the image database with geographic coordinates corresponding to the location name; and

displaying a list of images for selection.

5. A mobile communications device adapted for operating an image database shared by a plurality of users, comprising:

a geographic subsystem for obtaining geographic coordinates;

an interface for wirelessly accessing a shared image database and causing a search of the shared image database, using as a search criterion at least one of a user specified or a global positions system (GPS) device specified numeric geographic coordinates, for at least one image with geographic coordinates within a predefined range of the obtained geographic coordinates; and

a display for displaying a view of images with geographic coordinates within a predefined range of the obtained geographic coordinates.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the device is configured to wirelessly access and search the shared image database using as a further search criterion geographic coordinates generated by user navigation and selection of a desired point on a map.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the device is configured to wirelessly access and search the shared image database using as further search criteria a range of geographic coordinates to locate a plurality of user captured images within a certain range of or a calculated distance from a geographic location.

8. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

an interface for providing a list of available names of locations;

an interface for wirelessly accessing and searching the shared image database with geographic coordinates corresponding to the location name; and

a display for displaying a list of images for selection.

9. A computer readable medium storing computer code that, when loaded into a mobile communications device, adapts the device to:

obtain geographic coordinates from a geographic subsystem;

wirelessly access a shared image database and cause a search of the image database, using as a search criterion at least one of a user specified and a global positioning system (GPS) specified numeric geographic coordinates, for at least one image with geographic coordinates within a predefined range of the obtained geographic coordinates; and

display on the device a view of images within a predefined range of the obtained geographic coordinates.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the device is further adapted to wirelessly access and search the shared image database using as a further search criterion geographic coordinates generated by user navigation and selection of a desired point on a map.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the device is further adapted to wirelessly access and search the image database using as further search criteria a range of geographic coordinates to locate a plurality of user captured images within a calculated distance from the obtained geographic location.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the device is further adapted to:

provide a list of available names of locations;

wirelessly access and search the shared image database with geographic coordinates corresponding to the location name; and

display a list of images for selection.