Information retrieval apparatus and method
First Claim
1. An information retrieval apparatus for retrieving information from a data base which contains registration data including position data, image data and designation information for retrieval of additional information comprising:
- imaging means for obtaining an image;
location detection means for detecting a current position location of said information retrieval apparatus; and
selection means for selecting image data from said data base which corresponds to the image obtained by said imaging means, said image data having position data representing positions in the vicinity of the current position location detected by said location detection means, and said designation information corresponding to said image data for retrieving said additional information.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides an information retrieval apparatus and an information retrieval method by which information can be retrieved in an improved operability. A CPU controls a video camera to fetch an image and controls a GPS to detect a current position. The CPU reads out, from within image data stored in a corresponding relationship with URLs of WWW servers, those image data which correspond to position data regarding positions around the detected current position from a WWW data base via a modem and a host machine. Then, the CPU selects, from among the read out image data, that image data which matches with the fetched data, reads out a URL corresponding to the image data and accesses a WWW server designated by the URL.
-
Citations
12 Claims
-
1. An information retrieval apparatus for retrieving information from a data base which contains registration data including position data, image data and designation information for retrieval of additional information comprising:
-
imaging means for obtaining an image; location detection means for detecting a current position location of said information retrieval apparatus; and selection means for selecting image data from said data base which corresponds to the image obtained by said imaging means, said image data having position data representing positions in the vicinity of the current position location detected by said location detection means, and said designation information corresponding to said image data for retrieving said additional information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. An information retrieval method for retrieving information by information retrieval apparatus from a data base which contains registration data including position data, image data and designation information for retrieval of additional information, comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining an image; detecting the current position location of the information retrieval apparatus; and selecting image data from said data base which corresponds to the image obtained, said image data having position data representing positions in the vicinity of the detected current position location of the information retrieval apparatus, and designation information corresponding to said image data for retrieving said additional information.
-
-
6. An information terminal comprising:
-
an image capturing unit configured to capture an image and store the captured image as a captured image data item, a transmitting unit configured to transmit information relating to a position of the information terminal to a remote server; a receiving unit configured to receive, from the remote server, one or more image data items and information associated with each of the one or more received image data items, the received one or more image data items selected by the remote server from among a plurality of image data items for potentially corresponding to the captured image; a providing unit configured to provide the retrieved information to a user; and a user selection unit configured to allow the user to select at least one of the received image data items based, at least in part, on a comparison of the image data items with the captured image. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An information retrieval system comprising:
-
a remote server; a database in communicative contact with the remote server and storing a plurality of image data items, each of the plurality of image data items associated with specified information that is arbitrarily specified by an information provider; and an information terminal includes comprising; an image capturing unit configured to capture an image as a captured image data item; a transmitting unit configured to transmit information relating to a position of the information terminal to the remote server; a receiving unit configured to receive, from the remote server, one or more image data items and information associated with each of the one or more received image data items, the received one or more image data items selected by the remote server from among a plurality of image data items for potentially corresponding to the captured image; a providing unit configured to provide the retrieved information; and a user selection unit configured to allow an user to select at least one of the received image data items based, at least in part, on a comparison of the image data items with the captured image.
-
-
12. An information retrieval method comprising:
-
capturing and storing an image as a captured image data item using an information terminal, transmitting, via the information terminal, information relating to a position of information terminal to a remote server; receiving, from the remote server, one or more image data items and information associated with each of the one or more received image data items, the received one or more image data items selected by the remote server from among a plurality of image data items for potentially corresponding to the captured image; and presenting, to an user, at least one of the received image data items for selecting one of the received image data items based, at least in part, on a comparison of the received image data items with the captured image.
-
Specification