Shared Image Database With Geographic Navigation

• US 20110207480A1
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: FRIEDMANN, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,107,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/48 adapted for combination with other photographic or optical apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/53 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/587 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

There is disclosed a method and device for operating an image database shared by a plurality of users. In an embodiment, each image captured by a user and stored in a shared image database is associating with the geographic coordinates of the location at which the image was captured. A search engine for the image database is configured to accept geographic coordinates as a search criterion for locating at least one captured image stored in the shared image database. The images having location coordinates within a predefined range of geographic coordinates is displayed to the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method executed on a mobile communications device, comprising:

receiving a name of a location from a user interface;

configuring the device for wirelessly accessing a shared image database and causing a search of the shared image database, using as a search criterion the name of the location, for at least one image stored in the shared image database; and

displaying on the device a view of one or more images corresponding to the name of the location.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein receiving the name of the location comprises:

providing a menu list of available names of locations; and

receiving selection of the name from the menu list.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a map corresponding to the name; and

displaying the map on the device.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving a map corresponding to the name; and

displaying the map on the device.

5. A mobile communications device adapted for interacting with an image database shared by a plurality of users, the device comprising:

a user interface for receiving a name of a location;

a memory coupled to a processor for instructing a transceiver to wirelessly access a shared image database and cause a search of the shared image database, using as a search criterion the name of the location, for at least one image corresponding to the name of the location; and

a display for displaying a view of one or more images corresponding to the name of the location.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the processor is further configured to:

display a menu list of available names of locations; and

receive selection of the name from the menu list.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the processor instructs the transceiver to obtain a map corresponding to the name of the location, the map being stored at the shared image database in association with the name of the location, and to cause the display to display the map on the device.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the processor instructs the transceiver to obtain a map corresponding to the name of the location, the map being stored at the shared image database in association with the name of the location, and to cause the display to display the map on the device.

9. A computer-readable medium storing computer code that, when loaded into a mobile communications device, adapts the device to:

receive a name of a location from a user interface;

configure the device to wirelessly access a shared image database and cause a search of the image database, using as a search criterion the name of the location, for at least one image stored in the shared image database; and

display on the device a view of one or more images corresponding to the name of the location.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the code is configured to display a menu list of names of available locations and to receive user input selecting one of the names from the menu list.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the code is configured to cause the processor to instruct the transceiver to obtain a map corresponding to the name of the location, the map being stored at the shared image database in association with the name of the location, and to cause the display to display the map on the device.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the code is configured to cause the processor to instruct the transceiver to obtain a map corresponding to the name of the location, the map being stored at the shared image database in association with the name of the location, and to cause the display to display the map on the device.