Image data capture method and apparatus

• US 20050046706A1
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sesek, Robert, Reese, Curtis, Green, Brett A.
• Application Number:
  US10/650,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20050046706A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• 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 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3266 of text or character information, e.g. text accompanying an image H04N2201/3226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal

Abstract

A camera that records the location of the object of a picture includes a module that determines the position of the object of a picture using GPS, range, and angle. A method of associating the calculated coordinates of the object of the photograph with a textual description of the object of the photograph includes retrieving textual information based on the coordinates of the object of the image from a database or online service providing such information.

Claims

1. A method of capturing photographic image information, comprising:

providing a camera with a global positioning system receiver;

capturing an image with the camera;

determining a position of an object of the captured image; and

storing data indicative of the position of the object of the captured image with the image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is digital.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a position of the captured image comprises:

obtaining global position coordinates of the camera;

obtaining a range from the camera to the object;

obtaining a magnetic bearing of the object; and

calculating the position of the object of the captured image by translating the range and magnetic bearing from the global position coordinates to provide coordinates of the object.

4. The method of claim 3, and further comprising:

associating captured data with a physical description of the subject of the captured image.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein associating captured data with a physical description of the subject of the captured image comprises:

comparing the coordinates of the object of the photograph to a set of known coordinates; and

embedding with the captured data textual information about objects having known coordinates corresponding to the coordinates of the object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein embedding further comprises retrieving textual information about the object at the known coordinates.

7. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

associating captured data with a physical description of the subject of the captured image.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein associating captured data with a physical description of the subject of the captured image comprises:

comparing the coordinates of the object of the photograph to a set of known coordinates; and

embedding with the captured data textual information about objects having known coordinates corresponding to the coordinates of the object.

9. A method of capturing photographic image information, comprising:

providing a camera with a global positioning system receiver;

capturing an image with the camera;

obtaining global position coordinates of the camera;

obtaining a range from the camera to the object;

obtaining a magnetic bearing of the object;

calculating the position of the object of the captured image by translating the range and magnetic bearing from the global position coordinates to provide coordinates of the object;

storing data indicative of the position of the object of the captured image with the image; and

associating captured data with a physical description of the subject of the captured image.

10. A method of associating textual information about an object in a photograph, comprising:

obtaining captured coordinates of the object from the captured data for the image;

comparing the coordinates to a database of known coordinates;

retrieving appropriate textual data to the captured coordinates; and

embedding with the captured data the retrieved textual information about objects having known coordinates corresponding to the captured coordinates.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein obtaining captured coordinates of the object comprises:

downloading captured data for an image from a camera that took the image.

12. A camera, comprising:

a processor;

an image data capture module connected to the processor, the image data capture module to capture image data corresponding to a position of an object of a photograph taken by the camera; and

a storage element connected to the processor for storing images and captured image data.

13. The camera of claim 12, wherein the image data capture module comprises:

a global positioning system to record coordinates of the camera when a photograph is taken;

a range finder to record a range to the object of the photograph when the photograph is taken; and

a compass to record a magnetic bearing of the object of the photograph when the photograph is taken.

14. The camera of claim 13, wherein the image data capture module further comprises:

an inclinometer to record an inclination with respect to level of the camera when a photograph is taken.

15. A camera, comprising:

a processor;

an image data capture module connected to the processor, the image data capture module to capture image data corresponding to a position of an object of a photograph taken by the camera, the image data capture module comprising;

a global positioning system to record coordinates of the camera when a photograph is taken;

a range finder to record a range to the object of the photograph when the photograph is taken; and

a compass to record a magnetic bearing of the object of the photograph when the photograph is taken; and

a storage element connected to the processor for storing images and captured image data.

16. A camera, comprising:

a processor;

a storage element connected to the processor for storing images and image information; and

means for storing image data corresponding to a position of an object of a photograph taken by the camera.

17. An image data capture module, comprising:

a global positioning system to record coordinates of a camera when a photograph is taken;

a range finder to record a range to an object of the photograph when the photograph is taken; and

a compass to record a magnetic bearing of the object of the photograph when the photograph is taken.

18. The image data capture module of claim 17, and further comprising:

an inclinometer to record an inclination with respect to level of the camera when a photograph is taken.

19. An image data capture module, comprising:

a global positioning system to record coordinates of a camera when a photograph is taken;

a range finder to record a range to an object of the photograph when the photograph is taken;

a compass to record a magnetic bearing of the object of the photograph when the photograph is taken; and

an inclinometer to record an inclination with respect to level of the camera when a photograph is taken.

20. An image data capture module for a camera with a global positioning system, the image data capture module comprising:

a range finder to record a range to an object of a photograph when the photograph is taken; and

a compass to record a magnetic bearing of the object of the photograph when the photograph is taken.

21. The image data capture module of claim 20, and further comprising:

an inclinometer to record an inclination with respect to level of the camera when a photograph is taken.