PHOTO SURVEY

• US 20150326778A1
• Filed: 12/05/2012
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aspekt R&d A/s
• Original Assignee: Aspekt R&d A/s
• Inventors: FRELTOFT, Tue
• Granted Patent: US 9,565,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof

Abstract

Disclosed is an image capturing device for use in photo surveys, wherein said image capturing device comprises: a camera unit for capturing images; a processing unit for controlling said camera unit; a first shutter release button for activating said camera unit to capture an image of a motive; and a second shutter release button for activating said camera unit to capture an image of a motive. The processing unit, when either said first shutter release button or said second shutter release button is activated, is configured to control said camera unit to capture an image of a motive, and generate an opinion variable associated with said captured image, wherein said opinion variable is for indicating the opinion of a user towards said motive, and wherein said opinion variable is generated dependent on the used shutter release button.

Claims

1. An image capturing device for use in photo surveys, wherein said image capturing device comprises:

a camera unit for capturing images;

a processing unit for controlling said camera unit;

a first shutter release button for activating said camera unit to capture an image of a motive, wherein said first shutter release button is operatively connected to said processing unit; and

a second shutter release button for activating said camera unit to capture an image of a motive, wherein said second shutter release button is operatively connected to said processing unit;

wherein said processing unit, when either said first shutter release button or said second shutter release button is activated, is configured to control said camera unit to capture an image of a motive, and generate an opinion variable associated with said captured image, wherein said opinion variable is for indicating the opinion of a user towards said motive, and wherein said opinion variable is generated dependent on the used shutter release button.

2. The image capturing device according to claim 1, wherein said first shutter release button has a positive symbol associated and said second shutter release button has a negative symbol associated.

3. The image capturing device according to claim 1, wherein said image capturing device further comprises a display and an input unit for allowing the user to input data.

4. The image capturing device according to claim 3, wherein said display is a touch screen and wherein said first shutter release button is a first element displayed on said touch screen and said second shutter release button is a second element displayed on said touch screen.

5. The image capturing device according to claim 3, wherein said processing unit is configured to perform the following steps before allowing said camera unit to capture images:

control said display to display a personal information form;

receive personal information inputted into said personal information form by said user using said input unit; and

store said received personal information in a background variable;

wherein the image(s) subsequently captured by said user is/are associated with said background variable.

6. The image capturing device according to claim 3, wherein said processing unit is configured to perform the following steps after an image has been captured:

control said display to display a comment form;

receive comments associated with the captured image inputted into said comment form by said user using said input unit; and

store said received comments in an image comment variable associated with said captured image.

7. The image capturing device according to claim 1, wherein said image capturing device further comprises a position estimation unit for estimating the position of said image capturing device, wherein said position estimation unit is communicatively coupled to said processing unit, and wherein said processing unit is further configured to, when either said first shutter release button or said second shutter release button is activated, receive a position estimate of said image capturing device from said position estimation unit and store the position estimate in a position estimate variable associated with said captured image.

8. The image capturing device according to claim 1, wherein said device further comprises a communication unit, wherein said device is configured to upload to a server one or more of the following:

captured image(s); and

/or

opinion variable(s); and

/or

background variable(s); and

/or

image comment variable(s); and

/or

position estimate variable(s); and

/or

auxiliary variable(s).

9. A data storage medium comprising a computer readable code wherein said computer readable code is configured to programme a smart device comprising a camera unit, a processing unit, and an input unit to become an image capturing device according to claim 1.

10. A method for capturing an image of a motive and record an opinion of a user towards said motive, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

capturing an image of a motive; and

generating an opinion variable associated with said captured image for indicating the opinion of said user towards said motive;

wherein said opinion variable is generated before the user is presented with the captured image.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of capturing an image is performed in response to the user activates activating either a first shutter release button or a second shutter release button, and wherein the opinion variable is generated dependent on the used shutter release button, and wherein said user is instructed that said first shutter release button is for recording a positive opinion towards said motive, and that said second shutter release button is for recording a negative opinion towards said motive.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the method, after an image has been captured, further comprises the steps of:

display a comment form;

receive comments associated with the captured image inputted into said comment form by said user; and

store said received comments in an image comment variable associated with said captured image.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method in response to the user activates either the first shutter release button or the second shutter release button further comprises the steps of:

receiving a position estimate; and

storing said position estimate in a position estimate variable associated with said captured image.

14-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A method for performing a photo survey of an environment wherein said photo survey is a survey where a plurality of participants are asked to capture images of motives in an environment and further indicate their opinion of said motives, wherein each participant has a smart device comprising a camera unit, a processing unit, and an input unit and each participant is provided with access through their respective smart device to a data storage medium comprising a computer readable code wherein said computer readable code is configured to programme each smart device to:

display on a display instructions for performing said photo survey;

control using said processing unit said camera unit to capture an image of a motive, when either a first shutter release button or a second shutter release button is activated;

generate using said processing unit an opinion variable associated with said captured image, when either said first shutter release button or said second shutter release button is activated, wherein said opinion variable is for indicating the opinion of the participant towards said motive, and wherein said opinion variable is generated dependent on the used shutter release button, whereby a participant can capture an image of a motive and simultaneously record an opinion towards said motive by choosing a particular shutter release button; and

transfer all captured images and generated opinion variables to a server;

wherein the instructions for performing said photo survey displayed on the display of each smart device instruct the participants that said first shutter release button is for recording a positive opinion towards a motive and that said second shutter release button is for recording a negative opinion towards a motive; and

wherein the captured images and the generated opinion variables on the server, transferred from the smart device of each participant, are organized in a database.