Apparatus and method for recognizing position using camera

• US 7,991,194 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2007
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Kim, Jae-Ho, Shin, Gyung-Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): BHATNAGAR, ANAND P
• Application Number:
  US11/950,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20080137912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/103, 382/104, 382/106, 348/94, 348/135, 348/169
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Provided are a location awareness apparatus using a camera and a method thereof. The apparatus includes: an image capturing unit for photographing a position identification tag using a camera; a distance measuring unit for measuring a distance to a position identification tag; an incident angle measuring unit for measuring a photographing angle at a visual point; an image analyzing unit for reading the photographed image from the image capturing unit, and requesting location information corresponding to the read information to a position recognition server; and a location awareness unit for estimating a current location using the distance to the position identification tag, the photographing angle of the position identification tag, and the location information corresponding to the read information by the image analyzing unit.

Claims

1. A location awareness apparatus for recognizing a position using a camera, comprising:

an image capturing means for photographing a position identification tag using a camera;

a distance measuring means for measuring a distance to a position identification tag;

an incident angle measuring means for measuring a photographing angle at a visual point of photographing a position identification tag by the image capturing means;

an image analyzing means for reading the photographed image from the image capturing means, and requesting location information corresponding to the read information to a position recognition server; and

a location recognizing means for estimating a current location using the distance to the position identification tag, which is measured by the distance measuring means, the photographing angle of the position identification tag, which is measured by the incident angle measuring means, and the location information corresponding to the read information by the image analyzing means.

3. The location awareness apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distance measuring means measures a distance to the position identification tag photographed by the image capturing means using a camera focus distance.

4. The location awareness apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distance measuring means measures a distance to the position identification tag photographed by the image capturing means using an ultrasonic wave.

5. The location awareness apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distance measuring means measures a distance to the position identification tag photographed by the image capturing means using an infrared ray sensor.

6. The location awareness apparatus of claim 1, wherein the incident angle measuring means measures a photographing angle at a visual point of photographing a position identification tag by the image capturing means using an electric compass.

7. The location awareness apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location awareness means calculates a current location using triangulation.

2. A location awareness apparatus for recognizing a position, comprising:

a user portable terminal; and

a local awareness server,

where the user portable terminal includes;

an image capturing means for photographing a position identification tag using a camera;

a distance measuring means for measuring a distance to a position identification tag;

an incident angle measuring means for measuring a photographing angle at a visual point of photographing a position identification tag by the photographing means; and

a transmitting means for transferring the photographed image by the photographing means, the measured distance information by the distance measuring means, and the incident angle information measured by the incident angle measuring means, and

where the position recognition server includes;

an image analyzing means for reading the photographed image transferred from the transmitting means and requesting location information corresponding to the read information to a database;

a location awareness means for estimating a current location using the distance to the position identification tag, which is transmitted from the transmitting means, the photographing angle of the position identification tag, which is transmitted from the transmitting means, and the location information corresponding to the read information by the image analyzing means; and

a transmitting means for transmitting the estimated current location information to the user portable terminal.

8. A location awareness method using a camera, comprising the steps of:

measuring a distance to a position identification tag photographed by a camera;

measuring a photographing angle at a visual point of photographing the position identification tag;

reading the photographed image and requesting location information corresponding the read information; and

calculating a current location using information about the measured distance, the measured photographing angle, and the location information corresponding to the read information.

9. The location awareness method of claim 8, wherein in the step of measuring the distance, the distance to the photographed position identification tag is measured using a camera focus distance.

10. The location awareness method of claim 8, wherein in the step of measuring the distance, the distance to the photographed position identification tag is measured using an ultrasonic wave.

11. The location awareness method of claim 8, wherein in the step of measuring the distance, the distance to the photographed position identification tag is measured using an infrared ray sensor.

12. The location awareness method of claim 8, wherein in the step of measuring the photographing angle, the photographing angle at the visual point of photographing the position identification tag is measured using an electric compass.

13. The location awareness method of claim 8, wherein in the step of calculating the current location, the current location is calculated using triangulation.