Mobile imaging device as navigator

• US 8,098,894 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Soderstrom, Gustav
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W
• Assistant Examiner(s): GORADIA, SHEFALI DINESH
• Application Number:
  US12/143,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20090316951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/103, 382/104, 348/116, 701/200, 701/207, 701/213
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to obtaining information based on directional orientation of a mobile imaging device, such as a camera phone. Visual information is gathered by the camera and used to determine a directional orientation of the camera, to search for content based on the direction, to manipulate 3D virtual images of a surrounding area, and to otherwise use the directional information. Direction and motion can be determined by analyzing a sequence of images. Distance from a current location, inputted search parameters, and other criteria can be used to expand or filter content that is tagged with such criteria. Search results with distance indicators can be overlaid on a map or a camera feed. Various content can be displayed for a current direction, or desired content, such as a business location, can be displayed only when the camera is oriented toward the desired content.

Claims

1. A method for determining content, comprising:

determining an initial geographic position of a mobile device;

determining an initial direction in which an imaging component of the mobile device is pointed;

determining a change of direction in which the imaging component of the mobile device is pointed in a new direction, wherein the change of direction is determined at least in part by using the imaging component of the mobile device;

determining content that is associated with the new direction and with a content position that is within a predefined range of the initial geographic position; and

providing the determined content to an output component that outputs the content with a content location indicator, indicating a distance from the initial geographic position to the content position, and indicating a content location relative to the new direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a change in direction comprises:

capturing a plurality of images with the imaging component of the mobile device;

analyzing each of the plurality of images to determine a substantially same image pattern in each of the plurality of images;

determining a shift between a first image pattern of a first of the plurality of images and a last image pattern of a last of the plurality of images; and

determining the new direction based on the shift.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the initial direction comprises one of the following:

detecting that the imaging component of the mobile device has been pointed in a known direction;

displaying on the mobile device a pattern of a known object at a known geographic location, and detecting that the mobile device has been moved such that the pattern overlays a camera feed from the imaging component of the mobile device;

detecting that the imaging component of the mobile device has been pointed in a direction of detected linear motion of the mobile device;

detecting that the mobile device has been pointed toward the sun and determining the new direction based on the initial geographic position, a current day, and a current time; and

reading a compass.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the content comprises:

transmitting a search request over a network to a remote search system, wherein the search request includes the initial geographic position and the new direction; and

receiving a search result over the network from the remote search system, wherein search result includes the determined content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the content comprises:

receiving a search parameter through a user input component of the mobile device; and

searching a content database based on the search parameter, the initial geographic position, and the new direction.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the content based on at least one of the following:

a profile of user information associated with the mobile device; and

aggregate information regarding interactions of a plurality of users with at least one network resource.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the determined content to the output component comprises one of the following:

overlaying the determined content onto a displayed map; and

overlaying the determined content onto a camera feed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the determined content to the output component comprises:

detecting further directional motion of the imaging component of the mobile device; and

indicating that the determined content is within a field of view of the imaging component if the imaging component is moved to a direction pointing at the determined content.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a zoom operation of the imaging component;

determining a zoomed range based on the zoom operation;

determining alternate content associated with an alternate content position that is within the zoomed range relative to the initial geographic position and relative to the new direction.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined content comprises location information of another mobile device.

11. A machine readable medium holding instructions that cause an electronic device to perform a plurality of operations, including the steps of claim 1.

12. A system for determining content, comprising:

a processor;

an imaging component in communication with the processor;

an output component in communication with the processor;

a user input interface in communication with the processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor and storing data and instructions that cause the processor to a plurality of operations, including;

determining an initial geographic position of the imaging component;

determining an initial direction in which an imaging component is pointed;

determining a change of direction in which the imaging component is pointed in a new direction, wherein the change of direction is determined at least in part by using the imaging component;

determining content that is associated with the new direction and with a content position that is within a predefined range of the initial geographic position; and

providing the determined content to the output component that outputs the content with a content location indicator, indicating a distance from the initial geographic position to the content position, and indicating a content location relative to the new direction.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform the operations of:

causing the imaging component to capture a plurality of images;

analyzing each of the plurality of images to determine a substantially same image pattern in each of the plurality of images;

determining a shift between a first image pattern of a first of the plurality of images and a last image pattern of a last of the plurality of images; and

determining the new direction based on the shift.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a position sensor in communication with the processor and determining the initial position.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising a network interface in communication with the processor and in communication with a network, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform the operations of:

transmitting a search request over the network to a remote search system, wherein the search request includes the initial geographic position and the new direction; and

receiving a search result over the network from the remote search system, wherein search result includes the determined content.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of filtering the content based on at least one of the following:

a profile of user information associated with the mobile device; and

aggregate information regarding interactions of a plurality of users with at least one network resource.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform one of the operations of:

overlaying the determined content onto a displayed map; and

overlaying the determined content onto a camera feed.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the system comprises a mobile device.

19. A method for determining a direction of interest, comprising:

determining an initial geographic position of a mobile device;

determining content that is associated with a content position that is within a predefined range of the initial geographic position;

determining an initial direction in which the mobile device is pointing;

displaying a first portion of an area within the predefined range of the initial geographic location, wherein the first portion of the area is associated with the initial direction;

determining a change of direction in which an imaging component of the mobile device is pointed in a new direction;

displaying the determined content if the new direction points to a second portion of the area in which the content position is located.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising at least one of the following:

determining the change of direction with an accelerometer; and

overlaying the determined content onto an image of the second portion of the area.