Image capture apparatus and method

• US 20070091172A1
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Shinhaeng
• Granted Patent: US 7,782,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/113
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

A digital camera with navigation features comprises optical elements configured to focus an image onto a focal plane, an image capture medium positioned at the focal plane configured to capture the image focused onto the focal plane, image control logic configured to process images captured by the image capture medium, navigation control logic configured to perform navigation functions and to determine navigational information, and a display screen communicatively coupled to the image control logic and the navigation control logic and configured to display at least one of an image captured by, the image capture medium and a map for navigation purposes. The digital camera can further comprise a docking station configured to be communicatively coupled to the digital camera and having an information storage device for storage of images, navigation information and other data.

Claims

1. A digital camera, comprising:

optical elements configured to focus an image onto a focal plane;

an image capture medium positioned at the focal plane configured to capture the image focused onto the focal plane;

image control logic configured to process images captured by the image capture medium;

navigation control logic configured to perform navigation functions and to determine navigational information; and

a display screen communicatively coupled to the image control logic and the navigation control logic and configured to display at least one of an image captured by the image capture medium and a map for navigation purposes.

2. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the navigation functions comprise at least one of route determination, real-time position tracking, near real-time position tracking, estimated time of arrival calculations and point of interest location.

3. The digital camera of claim 1, further comprising a docking station configured to be communicatively coupled to the digital camera and comprising an information storage device.

4. The digital camera of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the navigation control logic is located in the docking station and communicatively coupled to the digital camera.

5. The digital camera of claim 3, wherein the navigation control logic is located in the digital camera.

6. The image capture device of claim 3, further comprising control logic configured to detect an undocking event and to transfer navigational information from the docking station to the image capture device in advance of the undocking event.

7. A combined image capture device and navigation system, comprising

image control logic configured to process images captured by the image capture device;

navigation control logic configured to perform navigation functions and to determine navigational information; and

a screen configured to display at least one of a captured image, a map and navigational information.

8. The image capture device of claim 7, further comprising an information storage device coupled to at least one of the image control logic and the navigation control logic, and configured to store at least one of a captured image, a map and navigational information.

9. The image capture device of claim 7, wherein the navigation functions comprise at least one of route determination, real-time position tracking, near real-time position tracking, estimated time of arrival calculations and point of interest location.

10. The image capture device of claim 7, further comprising a docking station configured to be communicatively coupled to the image capture device and comprising an information storage device.

11. The image capture device of claim 10, wherein the navigation control logic is located in the docking station and communicatively coupled to the image capture device.

12. The image capture device of claim 10, wherein the navigation control logic is located in the image capture device.

13. The image capture device of claim 7, wherein the control logic comprises at least one of hardware, software and a combination of hardware and software.

14. The image capture device of claim 10, further comprising control logic configured to detect an undocking event and to transfer navigational information from the docking station to the image capture device in advance of the undocking event.

15. The image capture device of claim 7, wherein the image capture device is at least one of a digital camera and a video camera.

16. A combined image capture device and navigation system, comprising

means for processing images captured by the image capture device;

means for performing navigation functions and determining navigational information; and

means for displaying at least one of a captured image, a map and navigational information.

17. The image capture device of claim 16, wherein the navigation functions comprise at least one of route determination, real-time position tracking, near real-time position tracking, estimated time of arrival calculations and point of interest location.

18. The image capture device of claim 16, further comprising a docking means communicatively coupled to the image capture device and comprising memory means.

19. The image capture device of claim 18, wherein the means for performing navigation functions is located in the docking means, the image capture device, or distributed among both the docking means and the image capture device.

20. The image capture device of claim 16, further comprising means for detecting an undocking event and to transfer navigational information from the docking means to the image capture device in advance of the undocking event.

21. A method of using an image capture device to perform navigation functions, the method comprising the steps of:

downloading navigational information to an image capture device capable of capturing and recording digital images;

displaying navigational information on a display screen of the image capture device; and

accepting user input to provide interactive display of the navigational information.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the navigational information is downloaded from a docking station communicatively coupled to the image capture device.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of performing by the image capture device navigation functions, wherein the navigation functions comprise at least one of route determination, real-time position tracking, near real-time position tracking, estimated time of arrival calculations and point of interest location.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of performing by a docking station communicatively coupled to the image capture device navigation functions, wherein the navigation functions comprise at least one of route determination, real-time position tracking, near real-time position tracking, estimated time of arrival calculations and point of interest location.

25. A system for performing navigation functions, the system comprising:

control logic configured to download navigational information to an image capture device capable of capturing and recording digital images;

a display screen configured to display navigational information on the image capture device; and

control logic configured to provide interactive display of the navigational information.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the navigational information is downloaded from a docking station communicatively coupled to the image capture device.

27. The system of claim 25, further comprising means at the image capture device for performing navigation functions, wherein the navigation functions comprise at least one of route determination, real-time position tracking, near real-time position tracking, estimated time of arrival calculations and point of interest location.

28. The system of claim 25, further comprising means located at a docking station communicatively coupled to the image capture device for performing navigation functions, wherein the navigation functions comprise at least one of route determination, real-time position tracking, near real-time position tracking, estimated time of arrival calculations and point of interest location.