Server, navigation system, vehicle navigation system, and method for providing images of vehicle navigation system

• US 9,207,087 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2011
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thinkware Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Heungwon, Woo, Seungwan, Lee, Wonkeun, Lee, Haeil
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEEKS, MARTIN A
• Application Number:
  US13/519,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20120323480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• Field of Search: 701/409, 701/430
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed are a server, a navigation system, a vehicle navigation system, and a method for providing images of a vehicle navigation system. According to the present invention, the vehicle navigation system processes image data obtained through a vehicle black box and transmits the processed image data to a server or a user terminal.

Claims

1. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

a communication unit;

a location information module for providing location information corresponding to first image data; and

a controller configured to be connected to a vehicle video camera through the communication unit,

to obtain the first image data from the vehicle video camera through the communication unit,

to obtain location information from the location information module and

to filter a specific object included in the first image data by decreasing the resolution of the specific object included in the first image data to lower than a predetermined value to generate second image data with a filtered portion of the first image data corresponding to the specific object amongst an unfiltered portion of the first image data.

2. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to filter the specific object by mosaic-processing the specific object.

3. The vehicle navigation system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to transmit the second image data to a user terminal or a server connected through the communication unit.

4. The vehicle navigation system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to transmit the second image data to the user terminal or the server when location information corresponding to the second image data is received from the user terminal or the server.

5. A vehicle navigation system of claim 1, further comprising an input unit, wherein the controller is configured to generate the second image data by also mapping audio data or a note input through the input unit with the first image data.

6. A vehicle navigation system comprising:

a storage;

a communication unit; and

a controller configured

to store, in the storage, image data obtained from a vehicle video camera connected through the communication unit,

to receive at least one condition from a server or a user terminal connected through the communication unit,

to filter a specific object from the image data that satisfies the at least one condition by decreasing the resolution of the specific object included in the image data to lower than a predetermined value so as to generate filtered image data having a filtered portion of the image data corresponding to the specific object together with unfiltered portions of the image data, from among the image data stored in the storage, and

to transmit the filtered image data to the server or the user terminal based on the at least one condition.

7. The vehicle navigation system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to map location information and time information corresponding to the image data obtained from the vehicle video camera with the image data and to store the mapped data in the storage.

8. The vehicle navigation system of claim 6, further comprising a path guide unit for

determining a position of the vehicle,

receiving an input of the destination, and

generating and guiding a path between the destination and the position of the vehicle,

wherein the dynamic item unit generates a dynamic item based on the position of the vehicle, the destination, and the path, if information exceeding a critical value does not exist in the sensor information.

9. The vehicle navigation system of claim 6, wherein the at least one condition includes at least one of theme information, location information and time information.

10. The vehicle navigation system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured

to obtain moving route information on the basis of location information of a vehicle and

to transmit the obtained moving route information to the server.

11. A navigation system comprising:

a vehicle video camera configured to be installed in a vehicle and to obtain first image data related to driving of the vehicle; and

a vehicle navigation system configured to be connected to the vehicle video camera to provide location information corresponding to the first image data, to provide time information corresponding to the first image data and to filter a specific object from the first image data by decreasing resolution of a specific object included in the first image data to lower than a predetermined value to generate second image data with a filtered portion of the first image data corresponding to the specific object amongst an unfiltered portion of the first image data.

12. The navigation system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle navigation system is configured to filter the specific object included in the first image data by mosaic-processing the specific object.

13. The navigation system of claim 12, wherein the vehicle navigation system is configured to transmit the second image data to a server or a user terminal connected through a network.

14. A server comprising:

a storage;

a communication unit; and

a controller configured

to store, in the storage, image data obtained from at least one navigation system connected through the communication unit,

to obtain image data that satisfies at least one condition, from among the image data stored in the storage,

to filter a specific object included in the image data that satisfies the at least one condition by decreasing the resolution of the specific object included in the image data to lower than a predetermined value so as to generate filtered image data having a filtered portion of the image data corresponding to the specific object together with unfiltered portions of the image data, and

to output the filtered image data based on the at least one condition.

15. The server of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured

to classify the image data obtained from the at least one navigation system on the basis of location information, time information or theme information mapped with the image data obtained from the at least one navigation system and

to store the classified image data.

16. The server of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to filter the specific object by mosaic-processing the specific object.

17. A server comprising:

a communication unit; and

a controller configured to be connected to at least one navigation system through the communication unit and

to obtain moving route information that satisfies at least one condition, from among moving route information received from the at least one navigation system, and

to request the navigation system corresponding to the obtained moving route information to provide image data that satisfies the at least one condition, and

to filter a specific object from the image data by decreasing the resolution of the specific object included in the image data to lower than a predetermined value so as to generate filtered image data having a filtered portion of the image data corresponding to the specific object together with unfiltered portions of the image data.

18. The server of claim 17, wherein the moving route information represents a time and a location that a corresponding vehicle passes by.

19. The server of claim 17, wherein the at least one condition includes at least one of location information and time information.

20. A method for providing images of a vehicle navigation system, the method comprising:

connecting the vehicle navigation system to a vehicle video camera;

acquiring first image data from the vehicle video camera;

filtering a specific object from the first image data by decreasing the resolution of the specific object included in the image data to lower than a predetermined value so as to generate second image data having a filtered portion of the image data corresponding to the specific object together with unfiltered portions of the image data; and

transmitting the second image data to a server or a user terminal connected through a network.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for executing a method for providing images of a vehicle navigation system, the method comprising:

connecting the vehicle navigation system to a vehicle video camera;

acquiring first image data from the vehicle video camera;

filtering a specific object from the first image data by decreasing the resolution of the specific object included in the image data to lower than a predetermined value so as to generate second image data having a filtered portion of the image data corresponding to the specific object together with unfiltered portions of the image data; and

transmitting the second image data to a server or a user terminal connected through a network.