Device with camera-info

• US 8,352,180 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2012
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Geelen, Pieter, Mattu, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US13/432,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20120191346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 286 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/431
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams

Abstract

The present application relates to a device, such as a navigation device, for vehicular and non-vehicular use, e.g. by pedestrians. The device is arranged to receive a feed from a camera. The navigation device is further arranged to display a combination of a camera image from the feed from the camera and virtual signage on the display. The virtual signage relating to roads, buildings, points of interest and the like.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a processing unit; and

a memory arranged to store information having associated location data,

the processing unit being arranged to receive a video feed from a camera and data from a positioning device indicative of the location of at least one of the device and camera,

the processing unit being further arranged to display a combination of a camera image from the video feed from the camera and virtual signage on a display, the virtual signage comprising the stored information or an icon representative thereof, and the virtual signage being superimposed over the camera image with a spatial location in the displayed camera image that corresponds to the location data of the stored information,

wherein the device is arranged to receive user-input calibration corrections to adjust the location of the virtual signage with respect to the displayed camera image via a device menu.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a navigation device positionable in a vehicle.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a handheld device and the camera is formed integrally with the device.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the processing unit is further arranged to receive readings from at least one orientation sensor formed integrally with the device, and to use the readings to compute an orientation of the device.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the computed orientation is used by the processing unit to superimpose the virtual signage over the camera image.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the virtual signage relates to one or more of:

roads;

road names;

traffic signs;

speed limits;

speed cameras;

buildings and points of interest.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further arranged to receive readings from at least one orientation sensor, and to use the readings to compute an orientation of at least one of the device and camera.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the computed orientation is used by the processing unit to superimpose the virtual signage over the camera image.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is arranged to receive calibration corrections, to store these calibration corrections, and to apply the calibration corrections when superimposing the virtual signage over the camera image.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed on a processing unit of a device, cause the processing unit to:

receive a video feed from a camera and data from a positioning device indicative of the location of at least one of the device and camera;

access information stored on a memory of the device, said information having associated location data;

display a combination of a camera image from the video feed from the camera and virtual signage on a display, the virtual signage comprising the stored information or an icon representative thereof, and the virtual signage being superimposed over the camera image with a spatial location in the displayed camera image that corresponds to the location data of the stored information; and

receive user-input calibration corrections to adjust the location of the virtual signage with respect to the displayed camera image via a device menu.