Regional information extraction method, region information output method and apparatus for the same

• US 8,824,805 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2012
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seojeon Globe Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Seojeon Globe Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Jin Hee, Kim, Jae Hyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Li, Ruiping
• Application Number:
  US13/362,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20120195506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 382/195, 715/712
• US Class Current: 382/195
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

Provided are a regional information extraction method, a regional information output method, and an apparatus for the same. The regional information output method includes obtaining a regional image through the processing unit, transmitting the regional image to a server through the transmitting/receiving unit, receiving regional information on a geographical position that a regional image feature extracted from the regional image represents through the transmitting/receiving unit, and outputting the regional information through the output unit, wherein the geographical position represents one feature matching to the regional image feature, which is selected from a plurality of features representing a plurality of regional images.

Claims

1. A method of outputting regional information at a user device including an output unit and a camera module, the method comprising:

taking a picture of a certain region on a globe by the camera module, wherein a plurality of lines representing a plurality of latitudes and a plurality of longitudes are printed on the globe;

selecting a part of the picture to provide a non-rectangular image, wherein boundary of the non-rectangular image is defined by two latitude lines and two longitude lines included in the picture;

deforming the non-rectangular image into a rectangular image, wherein the rectangular image is set as a regional image;

extracting a first regional image feature from the regional image;

extracting regional information on a geographical position which is represented by one regional image feature matching to the first regional image feature, wherein the one regional image feature is selected from a plurality of regional image features representing a plurality of regional images; and

outputting the regional information through the output unit,

wherein the first regional image feature is expressed by a plurality of vectors, wherein each of the plurality of vectors is represented by [Equation 1],

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of regional images features is calculated from difference values in light intensity between at least two pixels in each of the plurality of regional images.

3. A regional information extraction server comprising:

a transmitting/receiving unit for receiving a regional image obtained by a user device; and

a processing unit for extracting a first regional image feature from the regional image and extracting regional information on a geographical position which is represented by one regional image feature matching to the first regional image feature, wherein the one regional image feature is selected from a plurality of regional image features representing a plurality of regional images,

wherein the transmitting/receiving unit transmits the regional information to the user device to allow the regional information to be outputted through the user device,

wherein,

the regional image is a rectangular image obtained by deforming a non-rectangular image into the rectangular image,

the non-rectangular image is a part of a picture of a certain region on a globe which is taken by a camera module installed on the user device, wherein a plurality of lines representing a plurality of latitudes and a plurality of longitudes are printed on the globe,

boundary of the non-rectangular image is defined by two latitude lines and two longitude lines included in the picture, and

the first regional image feature is expressed by a plurality of vectors, wherein each of the plurality of vectors is represented by [Equation 1].

4. The regional information extraction server according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of regional image features is calculated from difference values in light intensity between at least two pixels in each of the plurality of regional images.