Patent Application
20050041015
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Applications No. 2003-298118, filed Aug. 22, 2003; and No. 2004-207408, filed Jul. 14, 2004, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device, an information display method, and an information display program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a system in which a photographed image and positional information of the position of photographing can be stored has been proposed. This system includes a navigation device and a digital camera which are wirelessly connected to each other. When a request for positional information is issued from the digital camera, the navigation device answers-back the positional information to the digital camera. In the digital camera, the answered-back positional information is stored. When the photographed image is written into a memory card, the positional information is also written into so as to be in a state of being corresponded to the image. Therefore, when the image is filed after being photographed, at which place the image was photographed is made clear, and the added value of the navigation device can be improved (refer to Japanese Patent KOKAI Publication No. 2003-32590).
However, in the prior art disclosed in this document, it goes no further than that the positional information is stored so as to be in a state of being corresponded to the image when a photographed image is stored in a memory card. Accordingly, even if the added value of the navigation device can be improved as described above, the added value of the image to which the positional information is provided as well cannot be improved. Moreover, the prior art has been not a technique of effectively utilizing an image file to which the positional information is provided.
Further, with respect to electronic devices which can carry out not only displaying images, but also displaying various information outdoors, even if a function of acquiring positional information is provided thereto, there has been no electronic device in which the usability is improved.
The present invention is directed to an electronic device, an information display method, and an information display program in which various information to which positional information are added can be effectively utilized.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device comprises:
According to another embodiment of the present invention, an information display method for an electronic device having a positional information acquiring unit, the method comprises:
According to another embodiment of the present invention, an information display program which causes a computer of an electronic device comprising a positional information acquiring unit executes:
According to another embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device comprises:
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present invention.
The objects and advantages of the present invention may be realized and obtained by unit of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the present invention in which:
An embodiment of an electronic device, an information display method, and an information display program according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The communication service provider (including an Internet provider) 4 includes, as main services, in addition to a communication circuit processing unit 41 needed for the wireless telephone service which has been provided, a system (a Web server 43) for being connected to a WWW 5 which will be described later, a mail system (mail server 42), and further a function for connecting the wireless telephone 1 to the WWW 5 by using the wireless base station 2 as an AP (access point). A map information service company 6 includes a system for being connected to the WWW 5 (Web server 61), a managing server 63, and a map database 62.
The map database 62 includes a layer-1 database 621, a layer-2 database 622, and a layer-3 database 623. Topographical data in the map data are stored in the layer-1 database 621, road data and route data in the map data are stored in the layer-2 database 622, and landmark (marker, index) data in the map data are stored in the layer-3 database 623. Accordingly, due to the topography data, the road and route data, and the landmark (marker, index) data which are stored in the respective databases 621, 622, and 623 being superposed on and synthesized each other, the map data having these topography, roads, routes, and landmarks (markers, indexes) is created. Further, because the landmarks are frequently changed due to buildings being removed or newly constructed, the map database 62 is configured so as to easily correspond to the changes in landmarks by updating only the landmark data in the layer-3 database 623.
At a front surface of the body portion, a camera key 104, a mail key 105, a cross key 106, a decision key 107, an address key 108, a net connection key 109, a clear key 110, an on-hook key 111 and an off-hook key 112, and a ten key 113 are provided. The camera key 104 is operated when the operation mode of the wireless telephone 1 is shifted to a photographing mode and when an image pickup unit is started. The mail key 105 is operated when the operation mode of the wireless telephone 1 is shifted to a mail mode and when a mail program is loaded. The cross key 106 is operated at the time of moving a cursor and the time of focusing. The decision key 107 is operated at the time of deciding various modes and is operated as a shutter key at the time of photographing. The address key 108 is operated at the time of displaying address book data. The net connection key 109 is an operating key for being connected to a map information service company. The clear key 110 is a key for a cancellation indication. The ten key 113 is used for inputting characters and for inputting dials. Due to these keys 104 to 113 being operated with respect to predetermined combinations, a positional information acquiring indication, a indication of storing a photographed image, an indication of searching an image file with a position, and the like which are shown in flowcharts described later are carried out. Microphones 114 are provided at the lower portions of the body portion, and inputs audio at the time of a telephone call.
At the rear surface of the cover portion, a recording microphone 115, a sub-display unit 116 having a color liquid crystal, an indication LED 117 emitting light at the time of an incoming call, an image pickup lens 118, and a flashing LED 119 are disposed. An indication speaker 120 is disposed at the rear surface of the body portion. The indication speaker 120 notifies an incoming call or the like, and is disposed at the rear surface of the body portion in order for a notification sound to be heard even in a state in which the cover portion is closed onto the body portion.
A basic system such as an OS is stored in the system ROM 1222, and a subscriber information storage unit 1224 and a positional information arithmetic processing unit 1225 are provided in the system ROM 1222. The subscriber information storage unit 1224 stores terminal ID and subscriber ID which are needed for negotiations with the base station 2. The terminal ID is characteristic ID of the wireless telephone 1. In the positional information arithmetic processing unit 1225, an application for GPS processing is stored, and positional information (latitude/longitude information) are acquired by receiving the positional information from the GPS satellites 3 in accordance with this application. The audio interface 1223 carries out inputting/outputting of sound signals processed at the communication data processing unit 1221, and the speaker 101, the microphone 114, and the recording microphone 115 are connected to the audio interface 1223. The input unit includes the camera key 104 to the ten key 113, or the like.
An address data bus processing unit 123 controls and manages the timings of inputting/outputting data, or the like between the control unit 122 and peripheral circuits (circuits within the dashed line frame). A RAM 124 stores various data, such as address book data and mail data, which are generated in the wireless telephone 1. As illustrated in
A display module system driver 128 drives the main display unit 102, sub-display unit 116, indication LED 117, and flashing LED 119. The image pickup device 130 includes a CCD in which an object image is formed by the image pickup lens 118, and the like, and a DSP 129 processes image signals from the image pickup device 130.
Next, the operations of the present embodiment relating to the above-described configuration will be described. When the user of the wireless telephone 1 sets a photographing mode by an operation of the camera key 104, the control unit 122 executes processings in accordance with the flowchart shown in
First, the control unit 122 carries out monitor display processing, and displays a through image formed on the image pickup device 130 by the image pickup lens 118 on the main display unit 102 (step A101). Next, the control unit 122 determines whether or not an operation of the decision key 107 is detected (step A102), and when it is detected, the control unit 122 fetches the digital image data picked-up by the image pickup device 130 and processed by the DSP 129, and stores the digital image data in the image buffer 1244 (step A103).
Continuously, the control unit 122 determines whether or not a positional information acquiring indication is detected by detecting the operations of the cross key 106 and the decision key 107 (step A104). When a positional information acquiring indication is not detected, the control unit 122 determines whether or not a storage operation is detected (step A105). When a storage operation is not detected, the control unit 122 erases the image data stored in the image buffer 1244 in step A103 (step A106).
When a storage operation is detected, the control unit 122 processes to compress the image data stored in the image buffer 1244 in step A103 as a normal image file, and links the image file to a sub-folder name-1 (date folder) (step A107). The file name of the image file is automatically generated so as to include the information of the date and the number of photographings.
On the other hand, when a positional information acquiring indication is detected in step A104, the control unit 122 loads with the GPS processing application program 1255 and acquires the current positional information (latitude/longitude information) for the positional information arithmetic processing 1225, and then temporarily stores the positional information in the work area 1245 (step A108). Next, the control unit 122 determines whether or not a storage operation is detected (step A109). When a storage operation is not detected, the control unit 122 erases the image data stored in the image buffer 1244 in the same way as the processing in step A106 (step A110).
When a storage operation is detected, the control unit 122 determines whether or not a place name folder having a place name close to the positional information acquired in the previous step A108 exits (step A111). When a similar place name folder does not exist, the control unit 122 newly prepares a place name folder, buries the positional information in a GPSInfo tag of the Exif standard, processes to compress the positional information as a normal image file, links the image file to the sub-folder name-1 (date folder), and stores it in the data folder region 1243 (step A112). At that time as well, the file name of the image file is automatically generated so as to include the information of the date and the number of photographings.
When a place name folder having a place name close to the positional information acquired in the previous step A108 exists, the control unit 122 buries the positional information in a GPSInfo tag of the Exif standard, and links the positional information to a corresponding place name folder (step A113). The data folder management table 1242 at that time uses a storage management method as shown in
For example, if the processings in steps A111 to A113 are applied to a case where the image file of the file name “20030310-01.jpg” is stored in the data folder, at the time of preparing the image file, the positional information acquired in step A108 is “E139°42′04.0” N35°39′”. When the positional information is acquired, the control unit 122 determines whether or not the image file having positional information close to the positional information has been already stored in the data folder management table 1242, and finds the image file “20030303-01.jpg” managed by the similar positional information E139°42′04.5” N35°39′. Then, the control unit 122 associates it with the sub-folder name-2 which is the same as the sub-folder name-2 (place name folder) “in and around Shibuya” of the image file “20030303-01.jpg”.
At this time, “1” is set in the folder flag. Note that the information stored at the file preparation date area and the positional information area are respectively stored in the corresponding tags when the image file corresponds to the Exif standard (the positional information is stored in the “GPSInfo” tag), and at the same time, the information are transferred to and stored in the data folder management table 1242.
On the other hand, when the wireless telephone 1 is in a stand-by state, when the control unit 122 detects predetermined key operations (the operations of the cross key 106 and the decision key 107) of the user, the utility (examination software) program 1254 stored in the program ROM 125 is loaded, and the control unit 122 executes the processings in accordance with the flowchart shown in
First, the control unit 122 determines whether or not a searching indication of the image file by the user is detected (step A201). When a searching indication of the image file is detected, the control unit 122 extracts image files from among various files stored in the data folder region 1243 with reference to the data folder management table 1241, and processes to reduce the actual images or the thumbnail images of the extracted image files so as to be icons (step A202). Namely, because the display surface area of the main display unit 102 of the wireless telephone 1 is limited, it is difficult even to display a plurality of images as the thumbnails, and therefore, the image files are made to be icons prior to the displaying.
Continuously, the control unit 122 layout-displays these image files on the main display unit 102 in order of the date folders linked to these image files (step A203). By the processing in step A203, as shown in
Next, the control unit 122 displays a sub-menu by an operation of the address key 108, and continues this display state (step A203) until the time when a positional information acquiring indication is detected. When the positional information acquiring indication is detected (YES in step A204), the control unit 122 loads the GPS processing application program 1255 and acquires the self-positional information (latitude/longitude information) in the same way as the processing in step A108 (step A205). Moreover, centering on the acquired self-position, the file icons displayed in step A203 are erased, and only the image files to which the positional information are added are left. The control unit 122 reads a place name folder corresponding to the image file, relocates the image file icons and the folder icons, and layout-displays those on the main display unit 102 (step A206).
At that time, on the basis of the relative relationship between the self-position and the respective image file icons and the folder icons, the control unit 122 arranges the image file icons and the folder icons at relative positions with the self-position being as the center thereof and with the top, bottom, left, and right of the display unit 102 being as the north, south, west, and east. Therefore, by the processing in step A206, as shown in
Next, the control unit 122 determines whether or not a selection of one of the image file icons 1033 or the folder icons 1035 is detected by operations of the cross key 106 and the decision key 107 (step A207). When a selection is detected, the control unit 122 determines whether or not a network connection indication by an operation of the net connection key 109 is detected (step A208). When a network connection indication is detected, the control unit 122 accesses to the communication service company 4 via the wireless base station 2, and transmits the URL, the terminal ID, and the subscriber ID of the map information service company 6. The communication service company 4 carries out authentication processing on it, and transmits a session authorization. The wireless telephone 1 receives this session authorization, and achieves a session with the map information service company 6 (step A209).
Thereafter, the wireless telephone 1 transmits the self-positional information (current positional information) acquired in step A205 and the positional information which the image file icon 1033 or the folder icon 1035 selected in step A207 includes, to the map information service company 6. Then, the managing server 63 of the map information service company 6 starts processings shown in the flowchart shown in
Moreover, the managing server 63 prepares a layer-4 data which is a route from the current position to the photographed position on the basis of the two positional information (the current positional information and the photographing positional information) and the extracted layer-3 data, and transmits the map image file in which the prepared layer-4 data and the layer-1 to layer-3 data are superposed on each other (step B202). Accordingly, by the processing in step B202, as shown in
On the other hand, the wireless telephone 1 receives the map image file 1041 having the layer-1 to layer-4 data on which the route is shown by advance arrows 1040 (step A211). The wireless telephone 1 erases image file icons 1033 and folder icons 1035 other than the icon selected in step A207, and displays the self-position, the selected image file icon 1033, the selected folder icon 1035, and the route (step A212). Accordingly, by the processing in step A212, the display state of the main display unit 102 is transferred from
Further, until the time when a canceling indication by an operation of the clear key 110 is carried out (step A213), the display state shown in
Note that, when the file name of the map image file is, for example, “Hokkai-do, Wakkanai-city 1”, the place name folder having this file name “Hokkai-do, Wakkanai-city 1” as a folder name is prepared in the data folder region 1243, and the file icon 1035 and the image file may be associated with one another by being associated with this place name folder.
In this way, in step A111 of
Note that, in the present embodiment, the map image file is acquired by detecting an operation of the net connection key 109 in step A208. However, due to the specific folder icons 1035 being selected, an image files associated with the folder icons 1035 may be displayed in a list.
Here, when an operation of the decision key 107 is detected, the image file icon 1033 corresponding to the inversely displayed place name folder “in and around Ikebukuro” is selected, and the image file “20030312-01.jpg” is read out from the data folder region 1243, so that a corresponding image is displayed. However, when the place name folder “in and around Shinjuku” is selected by detecting an operation of the cross key 106, as shown in
Then, in this display state, by detecting upward/downward operations of the cross key 106, a corresponding image file is read out from the data folder region 1243 and displayed.
In step A206, the control unit 122 arranges the image file icons and the folder icons at relative positions with the self-position being as the center thereof and with the top, bottom, left, and right of the display unit 102 being as the north, south, west, and east on the basis of the relative relationship between the self-position and the respective image file icons and the folder icons. However, a heading-up function is provided by detecting the travelling direction, and the respective image file icons and the folder icons may be layout-displayed with the advance direction being as the top side of the display unit.
In the above described embodiment, the layout-display of the image files has been described. The present invention is not limited to the method of displaying the image files, and may be applied to the other multifarious files.
In this modified embodiment, descriptions of portions having configurations and functions which are the same as those of the above-described embodiment will be omitted.
In this way, when the utility (examination software) program is loaded, and the GPS processing application program 1255 is further loaded in the various files having the positional information added thereto, the display mode is as
The contents of the layout-display are close to those of
Then, in this display state, by detecting upward/downward operations of the cross key 106, a corresponding file is read out from the data folder region 1243 and expanded (a corresponding application program is loaded), and displayed.
In this way, in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, provided that the positional information are associated with the image files and the other various files, the files and folders along the positional information can be layout-displayed. Therefore, when and where what files are operated can be intuitively understood, and in particular, in a case of being active outdoors, the files can be more promptly operated.
Note that, in the embodiments, the image files are made to be icons and displayed. However, when the display surface area of the display unit is sufficient, or the like, the image files are not made to be icons, and may be displayed in appropriate sizes. Further, in the embodiments, the case where the invention is applied to a wireless telephone has been described. However, the invention may be applied to a digital camera or a PDA with a camera or a GPS receiving apparatus with a camera.
Furthermore, in the embodiments, the contents of the image files are displayed on the main display unit 102. However, the contents of the image files may be displayed on the sub-display unit 116 in accordance with a resolution or a display size, and it may be a functional structure such that the route information can be confirmed even in a state in which the cover portion is closed as is.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-298118 | Aug 2003 | JP | national |
| 2004-207408 | Jul 2004 | JP | national |
