Image distribution system

• US 7,373,218 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sakagami, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc; McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US10/928,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20050057689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/248, 700/250, 700/253, 700/258, 700/259, 318/628, 600/200, 600/301, 600/483, 600/595, 606/1, 606/130, 701/23, 701/25, 701/26, 701/28, 434/460, 434/E7.086, 434/E7.088
• US Class Current: 700/245
• 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 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

An information distribution system capable of presenting an image photographed by a moving body, such as a robot or vehicle, selected by a user. The information distribution system includes moving bodies, local managers, and a global manager. When a user requests a connection with one of the moving bodies to the global manager through a portable terminal such as a portable phone, a menu generation section of the global manager generates a menu screen, and sends it to the portable terminal. The user selects one from the moving bodies through the menu screen, so that the portable terminal of the user connects with the selected moving body. An image photographed by a camera of the moving body is sent to the local manager, and information related to the image is superimposed on the image. Consequently, the superimposed image is sent to the portable terminal.

Claims

1. An image distribution system comprising:

a plurality of robots, each of the robots including a moving body;

a plurality of local managers for managing operations of the moving bodies, respectively;

a plurality of portable terminals;

a global manager for managing communication connections between the robots and the portable terminals;

a content server;

each of the robots comprising;

a biped walking self-moving device for operating in accordance with an instruction from a corresponding local manager of the local managers;

an instruction input section for receiving an instruction on a movement of the self-moving device;

a camera; and

an image output section for outputting an image photographed by the camera to the local manager;

each of the local managers comprising;

an image input section for receiving the image outputted from a corresponding robot of the robots;

a global map for setting an action plan of the robot;

an action instruction section for directing the robot to take an action, based on the global map;

an information collection section for receiving, from the content server, contents being related to a current geographic position of the robot, based on the global map;

an information superimposing section for producing superimposed data in which the contents received by the information collection section is superimposed on the image received by the image input section;

an image sending section for sending the superimposed data to a corresponding portable terminal of the portable terminals; and

a connection management section for sending, to the global manager, connection information for determining possibility of a connection with the robot; and

the global manager including a menu generation section which, upon receipt of a connection request from one portable terminal out of the portable terminals, generates a menu screen to be displayed on the portable terminal, based on pieces of the connection information sent from the local managers, and which substantially sends, to the portable terminal, the menu screen including at least a utilization selection section of the robots.

2. A image distribution system according to claim 1,

wherein each of the robots further comprises a face recognizing section for recognizing a position of a face of a person in the image photographed by the camera, and

wherein either the robots or the local managers each further comprise a cover-up processing section for hiding the face in the image, based on the position of the face of the person recognized by the face recognizing section.

3. A image distribution system according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein both the robots and the local managers each comprise a private line communicating device for performing short-length communication therebetween and a public line communicating device for connecting therebetween through a public line, and

wherein each of the local managers comprises a communication switching section which refers to the global map to thereby determine whether the current geographic position of the robot is located within a connectable area of the private line communicating device, and which switches between the private line communicating device and the public line communicating device in such a manner that the private line communicating device communicates with the robot on the condition that the robot is determined to be located within the connectable area and that the public line communicating device communicates with the robot on the condition that the robot is determined to be located outside the connectable area.

4. A image distribution system according to claim 1,

wherein the action instruction section directs the robot to take an action, based on an operation instruction sent from one of the portable terminals, and, upon receipt of operation instructions from the portable terminals simultaneously, selects one portable terminal from the portable terminals in a predetermined manner to subsequently accept an operation instruction from the selected portable terminal.

5. A image distribution system according to claim 4,

wherein the portable terminal selected by the action instruction section sends operation instructions most frequently in the portable terminals during a predetermined period.

6. An image distribution system comprising:

a plurality of moving bodies;

a plurality of portable terminals;

a global manager for managing communication connections between the moving bodies and the portable terminals;

a content server;

each of the moving bodies includes an image processing section and a local manager;

the image processing section comprising;

a camera; and

an image output section for outputting an image photographed by the camera;

the local manager comprising;

a data input section for receiving the image outputted by the image output section;

an information collection section for receiving, from the content server, contents related to its own current geographic position;

an information superimposing section for producing superimposed data in which the contents received by the information collection section are superimposed on the image received by the image input section;

an image sending section for sending the superimposed data to a corresponding portable terminal of the portable terminals; and

a connection management section for sending, to the global manager, connection possibility information being used for determining possibility of a connection with the portable terminal; and

the global manager including a menu generation section which, upon receipt of a connection request from one portable terminal out of the portable terminals, generates a menu screen to be displayed on the portable terminal, based on pieces of the connection possibility information sent from the local managers, and which subsequently sends, to the portable terminal, the menu screen including at least a utilization selection portion for the moving bodies.