Portable information device, imaging apparatus and information acquisition system

• US 8,730,337 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2009
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Hamada, Tomohide, Inoue, Hideya, Iwaoka, Toru, Noborisaka, Michiko, Hatori, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, NGOC YEN T
• Application Number:
  US12/461,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20100039505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,747 Days
• Field of Search: 3482312-2313, 348/231.5, 348/231.6, 348/211.5, 348/211.6, 348/333.02
• US Class Current: 348/211.5
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32117 in a separate transmission or protocol signal prior to or subsequent to the image data transmission, e.g. in digital identification signal [DIS], in non standard setup [NSS] or in non standard field [NSF] for mode signalling H04N1/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes an imaging portion that takes an image of a subject, a position information acquisition portion that acquires position information of an imaging position, and an orientation information acquisition portion that acquires orientation information representing an imaging direction at the imaging position.

Claims

1. A portable information device comprising:

an image sensor;

a position information acquisition portion that acquires position information;

a display that displays a real-time image of an object and relevant information on the object, the real-time image of the object being produced via the image sensor, the relevant information being obtained based on the positional information;

an input portion, via which a user posts post information with reference to a current position while displaying the real-time image of the object, the post information including a photographed image of the object or of a related object thereof, the photographed image being photographed via the image sensor; and

a control portion that controls the display to display the relevant information and the post information while displaying the real-time image of the object.

2. The portable information device according to claim 1, wherein

the input portion comprises a touch screen-type keyboard with which the user inputs the post information.

3. The portable information device according to claim 2, wherein

the position information is associated with the post information for inputting the post information for the object.

4. The portable information device according to claim 1, wherein

the display comprises a touch panel that is used to post the post information while displaying the real-time image of the object.

5. The portable information device according to claim 1, wherein

the display comprises a mode in which the real-time image of the object and an icon for posting the post information are substantially simultaneously displayed.

6. The portable information device according to claim 1, wherein

the display comprises a mode for supporting input of the post information, in which a text field and a touch screen-type keyboard for inputting characters are substantially simultaneously displayed.

7. The portable information device according to claim 1, wherein

the display comprises a mode in which the real-time image of the object and the post information are substantially simultaneously displayed.

8. The portable information device according to claim 1, wherein

the display comprises a mode in which a list of elements about the relevant information is displayed.

9. The portable information device according to claim 8, wherein

the list comprises an order of a number of times of selections for the list of elements.

10. The portable information device according to claim 8, wherein:

the post information comprises identification elements of users and associated elements thereof respectively, and

the list of elements comprises an order of the users based on a number of times of selections.

11. The portable information device according to claim 1, further comprising

a wireless communication portion, wherein

the relevant information is selectively obtained via the wireless communication portion and an external server.

12. The portable information device according to claim 11, wherein

at least a part of a remaining relevant information on the object is additionally obtained via the wireless communication portion and the external server.

13. The portable information device according to claim 1, wherein

the relevant information comprises at least one of a name of the object, an address of the object, a telephone number relating to the object, a peripheral image of the object, a type of the object, latitude/longitude of the object, a specification of the object, an internal image of the object, commercial information relating to the object, and coupon information relating to the object.

14. The portable information device according to claim 1, wherein

the post information comprises a type of post information.

15. The portable information device according to claim 1, wherein

the post information comprises at least one of a user comment for an object, an evaluation comment, and an image data.

16. The portable information device according to claim 1, wherein

the object is a store, and

the relevant information includes coupon information about the store.

17. The portable information device according to claim 1, wherein

the object is a store, and

the post information includes an image about the store or an object for sale.

18. The portable information device according to claim 1, wherein

the object is a restaurant, and

the post information includes an image about a building for the restaurant, a food or a menu.

33. An information acquisition system comprising:

a server;

a database; and

a portable information device as recited in claim 1.

34. The information acquisition system according to claim 33, wherein

the server checks whether user identification information received from the portable information device is registered.

35. The information acquisition system according to claim 33, wherein

the server transmits coupon information relating to the object to the portable information device.

36. The information acquisition system according to claim 35, wherein

the server writes accounting information, in which at least the object and an information providing fee are associated with each other, in the database based on a detection result that the coupon information has been used.

37. The information acquisition system according to claim 35, wherein

the server writes point information, in which at least the object and a user are associated with each other, in the database based on a detection result that the coupon information has been used.

19. A portable information device, comprising:

an image sensor;

a display that displays a real-time image of an object and relevant information on the object, the real-time image of the object being produced via the image sensor, the relevant information being obtained based on a result of an image recognition for the real-time image of the object;

an input portion, via which a user posts post information with reference to a current position while displaying the real-time image of the object, the post information including a photographed image of the object or of a related object thereof, the photographed image being photographed via the image sensor; and

a control portion that controls the display to display the relevant information and the post information while displaying the real-time image of the object.

20. The portable information device according to claim 19, wherein

the input portion comprises a touch screen-type keyboard with which the user inputs the post information.

21. The portable information device according to claim 19, wherein

the display comprises a touch panel that is used to post the post information while displaying the real-time image of the object.

22. The portable information device according to claim 19, wherein

the display comprises a mode in which the real-time image of the object and an icon for posting the post information are substantially simultaneously displayed.

23. The portable information device according to claim 19, wherein

the display comprises a mode for supporting input of the post information, in which a text field and a touch screen-type keyboard for inputting characters are substantially simultaneously displayed.

24. The portable information device according to claim 19, wherein

the display comprises a mode in which the real-time image of the object and the post information are substantially simultaneously displayed.

25. The portable information device according to claim 19, wherein

the display comprises a mode in which a list of elements about the relevant information is displayed.

26. The portable information device according to claim 25, wherein

the list comprises an order of a number of times of selections for the list of elements.

27. The portable information device according to claim 25, wherein:

the post information comprises identification elements of users and associated elements thereof respectively, and

the list of elements comprises an order of the users based on a number of times of selections.

28. The portable information device according to claim 19, further comprising

a wireless communication portion, wherein

the relevant information is selectively obtained via the wireless communication portion and an external server.

29. The portable information device according to claim 28, wherein

at least a part of a remaining relevant information on the object is additionally obtained via the wireless communication portion and the external server.

30. The portable information device according to claim 19, wherein

the relevant information comprises at least one of a name of the object, an address of the object, a telephone number relating to the object, a peripheral image of the object, a type of the object, latitude/longitude of the object, a specification of the object, an internal image of the object, commercial information relating to the object, and coupon information relating to the object.

31. The portable information device according to claim 19, wherein

the post information comprises a type of post information.

32. The portable information device according to claim 19, wherein

the post information comprises at least one of a user comment for an object, an evaluation comment, and an image data.

38. An information acquisition system comprising:

a server;

a database; and

a portable information device as recited in claim 19.

39. A portable information device comprising:

an image sensor;

a position information acquisition portion that acquires position information;

a display that displays a real-time image of an object and relevant information about the object, the real-time image of the object being produced via the image sensor, the relevant information being obtained based on the positional information;

an input portion, via which a user posts post information with reference to a current position while displaying the real-time image of the object, the post information including a photographed image of the object or of a related object thereof, the photographed image being photographed via the image sensor, the post information further including a comment on the photographed image; and

a control portion that controls the display to display the relevant information and the post information while displaying the real-time image of the object.

40. A portable information device comprising:

an image sensor;

a position information acquisition portion that acquires position information;

a display that displays a real-time image of an object and relevant information about the object, the real-time image of the object being produced via the image sensor, the relevant information being obtained based on the positional information;

an input portion, via which a user posts post information with reference to a current position while displaying the real-time image of the object, the input portion including an icon for posting a photographed image of the object or of a related object thereof while displaying the image of the object, the photographed image being photographed via the image sensor; and

a control portion that controls the display to display the relevant information and the post information while displaying the real-time image of the object.

41. A portable information device comprising:

an image sensor;

a position information acquisition portion that acquires position information, the position information indicating a current position;

a touch panel-type display that displays an image of an object and relevant information about the object, the image of the object being produced via the image sensor, the relevant information being obtained based on the positional information;

an icon shown on the display via which a user posts post information with reference to the current position while displaying the image of the object; and

a control portion that controls the touch panel-type display so that, in a case in which the post information is posted via the icon while displaying the image of the object, the display displays the post information along with the image of the object and with the relevant information.

42. A portable information device comprising:

an image sensor;

a position information acquisition portion that acquires position information;

a display that displays an image of an object and relevant information about the object, the image of the object being produced via the image sensor, the relevant information being obtained based on the positional information;

an input portion, via which a user posts post information with respect to the object while displaying the image of the object; and

a control portion that includes a first mode and a second mode,

in the first mode, a field, inside which the post information is displayed, being made in reference to a current position via the input portion by a user, the field being displayed and overlapped on the image of the object,

in the second mode, an additional post information being posted via the input portion into the field overlapped on the image of the object.

43. A portable information device comprising:

an image sensor;

a position information acquisition portion that acquires position information;

a display that displays an image of an object and relevant information about the object, the image of the object being produced via the image sensor, the relevant information being obtained based on the positional information;

an input portion, via which a user posts post information with respect to the object, at least one of a text field and a touch screen-type keyboard for inputting characters being displayed when inputting the post information; and

a control portion that includes a first mode and a second mode,

in the first mode, the relevant information, which includes the post information, being displayed on the display while the image of the object is displayed,

in the second mode, at least one of the text field and the touch screen-type keyboard is displayed on the display,

wherein the input portion includes an icon that is displayed on the display and overlapped on the image of the object in the first mode, the icon being used for switching the first mode to the second mode.

44. A portable information device comprising:

an image sensor;

a position information acquisition portion that acquires position information;

a display that displays an image of an object and relevant information about the object, the image of the object being produced via the image sensor, the relevant information being obtained based on the positional information;

an input portion, via which a user posts post information with respect to the object, at least one of a text field and a touch screen-type keyboard for inputting characters being displayed when inputting the post information; and

a control portion that includes a first mode and a second mode,

in the first mode, neither the text field nor the touch screen-type keyboard being displayed on the display, the relevant information, which includes the post information, being displayed on the display while the image of the object is displayed,

in the second mode, the relevant information being not displayed on the display while at least one of the text field and the touch screen-type keyboard is displayed on the display.

45. A portable information device comprising:

an image sensor;

a position information acquisition portion that acquires position information;

a display that displays an image of an object and relevant information on the object, the image of the object being produced via the image sensor, the relevant information being obtained based on the positional information;

an input portion, via which a user posts post information with respect to the object, at least one of a text field and a touch screen-type keyboard for inputting characters being displayed when inputting the post information; and

a control portion that includes a first mode and a second mode,

in the first mode, neither the text field nor the touch screen-type keyboard being displayed on the display, the relevant information, which includes the post information, and an icon for a predetermined operation being displayed on the display while the image of the object is displayed,

in the second mode, the relevant information being not displayed on the display while the icon and at least one of the text field and the touch screen-type keyboard are displayed on the display.

46. A portable information device comprising:

an image sensor;

a position information acquisition portion that acquires position information;

a memory portion that stores the position information and an image of an object, the image being photographed via the image sensor, the stored image being associated with the position information;

a display; and

a control portion that includes a first mode and a second mode, wherein

in the first mode, a user provides, via the display, an instruction of reading out the image from the memory portion, and

in the second mode, relevant information about the object is displayed on the display and overlapped on the image read out from the memory portion, the relevant information being obtained based on the position information.

47. A portable information device comprising:

an image sensor;

a position information acquisition portion that acquires position information of a photographed position where an object is photographed;

a memory portion that stores the position information and a plurality of images, the plurality of images being photographed via the image sensor, the stored plurality of images being respectively associated with the position information;

a display; and

a control portion that includes a first mode and a second mode, wherein

in the first mode, a user selects, via the display, at least one of the plurality of images,

and in the second mode, relevant information about the object is displayed on the display and overlapped on the image read out from the memory portion, the relevant information being obtained based on the position information.

48. A portable information device comprising:

an image sensor;

a memory portion that stores an image of an object, the image being photographed via the image sensor;

a display; and

a control portion that includes a first mode and a second mode, wherein

in the first mode, a user provides, via the display, an instruction of reading out the image from the memory portion,

and in the second mode, relevant information about the object is displayed on the display and overlapped on the image read out from the memory portion, the relevant information being obtained based on a result of an image recognition for the read out image.