Navigational information service with image capturing and sharing
First Claim
1. A method, performed by a computer system of a first mobile unit, for displaying images captured by another mobile unit and for capturing images from a camera mounted on the first mobile, comprising:
- capturing a plurality of images at a plurality of different locations;
generating a representation of the location where each image was captured;
storing the captured images on storage within the mobile unit;
providing identities of the images in storage and a correlation to the representation of the location where each image was captured; and
transmitting the availability of the stored images, a first mobile unit identification and the representation of the location where each image was captured, by wireless communication.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of vehicles with cameras and other sensors collect images and other data as a normal event, or upon demand, or when requested to do so by another vehicle, an occupant or a service center. Images may be permanently stored in the vehicles and indexed in a directory at a service center, so that the images may selectively sent to the service center or another vehicle without consuming storage space at the service center. When the service center is managing sufficient current data for an area, the service center generates a suspension signal to discard or instruct vehicles not to send further images from that area.
135 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method, performed by a computer system of a first mobile unit, for displaying images captured by another mobile unit and for capturing images from a camera mounted on the first mobile, comprising:
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capturing a plurality of images at a plurality of different locations;
generating a representation of the location where each image was captured;
storing the captured images on storage within the mobile unit;
providing identities of the images in storage and a correlation to the representation of the location where each image was captured; and
transmitting the availability of the stored images, a first mobile unit identification and the representation of the location where each image was captured, by wireless communication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method, performed by a computer system at a service center, for administering capturing of images by a plurality of cameras mounted on mobile units and for administering displaying of the images, comprising:
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providing a database with identities of the mobile units;
receiving a request from a requestor for an image captured at a location; and
transmitting, by wireless communication, the request to one of the mobile units that is not the requestor. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 20)
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11. A method, performed by a computer system, for displaying images captured from a camera mounted on mobile units having a location sensor, comprising:
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providing identities of the images;
displaying a map on a display;
displaying an icon on the map for each of at least some of the images;
correlating the icons to respective identities of the images; and
positioning each of the icons on the display screen at a location corresponding to the location of the mobile unit at the time that the corresponding mobile unit captured the image. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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21. A method of managing data, comprising:
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receiving current environmental data by wireless transmission from a plurality of mobile units equipped with environment data collecting sensors;
identifying the location area of the mobile units;
generating data density representations related to current data quantity per different location areas; and
limiting current data density to at or below a set amount. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A navigation method for a motor vehicle, comprising:
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receiving information generated from both an image captured by a camera onboard another motor vehicle and from the location of the another vehicle when the image was captured;
showing the information together with a plurality of route information on a display screen;
receiving a user'"'"'s selection of one of the information shown; and
showing navigation information of the route in response to the selection received.
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27. A method for displaying image data:
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receiving image data with location information of where the image data was captured and movement direction information of a vehicle mounting a camera that captured the image when the image data was taken; and
displaying together a representation of the image data, the location information and movement direction information. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification