BG109065A - System for photographing - Google Patents

Abstract

The system is used both for amateur and professional photographing. It has higher efficiency when photographing objects with simultaneous visualization directly on the photo of data for the name of the object to be photographed, and/or its geographical coordinates. The system comprises a standard digital photo camera (1) and GPS module (2), and to processor (3) in the photo camera (1) the following are two-way connected along first bus (4): photo sensor with objective lens (5), memory (6), and display (7). To the first bus (4) a first module for two-way wireless connection (8) is coupled. The 1GPS module (2) is two-way connected across second bus (9) to a second processor (10) in an autonomous GPS device (11) in which a second module for two-way wireless connection (12) is coupled to the second bus (9). Optionally the second bus (9) can be two-way connected to an additional memory (13).

Description

The photo capture system is applicable in both amateur and professional photography.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A known photo capture system [US6657661], consisting of a type of digital camera with a processor to which bidirectional connectors, a lens, memory and display photosensor, as well as a built-in GPS module, bidirectionally connected to the processor for processing each made photo. At the same time, the processor creates a file to store the image in the memory of the device with a name containing the name of the location in which the image was taken, or the distance to the closest named location, if the location of the image does not have a predefined one. The camera may have removable hardware memory or organize a software removable space in its memory containing a database of the names of known objects in the final geographical area, which data are attached to their respective geographical coordinates. From this memory, the processor draws data that, at the time of shooting, compares the geographic coordinates obtained from the GPS module and, if these geographical coordinates correspond to the coordinates of any known objects, the processor creates the name of the photo.

The disadvantage of this known system is that it is of limited use, since it cannot use the camera if the GPS module falls into the shadow of GPS satellites. This limits its application to indoor and outdoor spaces, where the name of the resulting images will not contain the information described above.

Another disadvantage is that the image of the saved photo does not contain data about the geographical coordinates in which the photo was taken and the name of the subject that was taken. In a number of cases, this makes the use of photographs, for example, low-efficient, because to obtain data on the geographical coordinates in which the picture was taken and the name of the object that was taken, it is necessary to further visualize the data on a separate medium. the name of the file in which the photo is stored.

It is an object of the invention to provide a high-performance photo-capture system with simultaneous visualization directly on the photograph of data on the name of the location and / or geographical coordinates of the location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This task is solved by creating a photographic system that consists of a standard digital camera and a GPS module, and are connected to the processor in the camera two-way through the first bus, a photo sensor with a lens, memory and display. A first bi-directional wireless module is connected to the first bus. The GPS module is connected bidirectionally on a second bus to a second processor in a standalone GPS device, in which a second bidirectional wireless module is connected to the second bus.

It is possible that two-way additional memory is connected to the second system 9 in the still image system.

The advantage of the photo-capture system is that it is more efficient at capturing objects while simultaneously displaying directly on the picture data about the name of the location and / or the geographical coordinates of that location.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Attached

In more detail, the invention is illustrated by an exemplary embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

- figure 1 is a block diagram of a photographic system;

- Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a photo-recording system with additional memory in the standalone GPS device.

EXAMPLE IMPLEMENTATION AND ACTION OF THE INVENTION

The photo-capture system of FIG. 1 consists of a type digital camera 1 and a GPS module 2, with processor 2 in the camera 1 connected bidirectionally along the first bus 4, a photo sensor with a lens 5, memory 6 and a display 7. A first module 4 is connected to the first bus 4 bidirectional wireless connection 8. The GPS module 2 is bidirectionally connected via a second bus 9 to a second processor 10 in a standalone GPS device 11, in which a second bidirectional wireless module 12 is connected to the second bus 9.

It is possible that two additional memory 13 is connected in the photographic system to the second bus 9 (Fig. 2).

Existing systems have so far offered to record geographic coordinates in the metadata of pictures or to record the name of the location of the shot in the name of the files. This implies the availability of software to read this data from an additional device, in the most general case a personal computer. Nowadays, with the advent of standards like DPOF, Pictbridge, as well as public automatic photo printing machines, the goal is to eliminate the intermediate stage between taking and printing photos. Therefore, the system according to the invention, which provides a direct labeling of the images with the name or coordinates of the location of their shooting, would find immediate application.

The system works as follows:

In order to label digital photos as described in the camera software, a feature that implements the captioning is included. User-accessible control of this feature offers the following options: off function / on function with name of the place of capture / on with function on the name and geographical coordinates of the place of shooting.

With the feature (both options enabled), when taking the photo, the camera 1 sends a request to determine the geographical coordinates through the first wireless connection module 8 to the second wireless communication module 12 in the GPS unit 11. When the GPS device 11 in the system of Figure 1 is visible to the required number of satellites from the GPS system (not shown in the figures), it determines the geographical coordinates and transmits them via the wireless channel to the processor 3 of the camera 1. Based on the determined coordinates, the processor 3 retrieves from the memory 6 place-name data that have been pre-loaded.

Depending on the hardware model, the data is extracted from the memory 6 of the camera 1 (Figure 1) or from the memory 13 of the GPS device 11 (Figure 2). When the database is stored in memory 6 (internal software or external removable), ie. the process of retrieving the place name data is performed in the camera 1, the GPS device 11 sends only geographic coordinates data to the camera 1 wirelessly. When the database is stored in the memory 13 of the GPS device 11, i. the name retrieval process is carried out in the GPS unit 11, the place name data is sent directly to the camera 1.

The GPS database contains a set of place names and their corresponding geographical coordinates. The GPS database can be of different sizes, different degrees of detail, and offer different types of information. It can be updated according to customer needs ···

calf. For example, if the user intends to take photos only in Sofia, he may load a database containing information only for Sofia, while if he intends to take photos in other cities in Bulgaria, he must upload databases for other cities or a database covering all over Bulgaria.

In order to retrieve information from the database of the name of the location where the image was taken, the camera 1 sends a request, wirelessly, to the GPS device 11 to determine the geographical coordinates of the location. From the database in camera 1 (Fig. 1) or in the GPS device 11 (Fig. 2), the name is extracted from the location whose coordinates are the same or as close as possible to the determined coordinates of the GPS device 11. In case coordinates do not match or approach any of the values stored in the database, at the command of processor 3 (figure 1) or processor 10 (figure 2) of the corresponding memory 6 (figure 1) or memory 13 (figure 1). 2) extract the name of the nearest value and determine the distance and direction to it.

After extracting from the database the name of the place where the photo was taken, the extracted image is added to the captured image in memory 6, and the recording is organized so that a new name is written on it when the photo is reproduced. If, for example, a photo was taken in Sofia, near the National Palace of Culture, the text will be added to the image of the photo taken: National Palace of Culture, Sofia.

There are all possible variants for more complete writing with additional data, in different languages, with different graphics, etc., which is realized in known ways in the camera 1, as long as the corresponding data and programs are stored in its memory.

In case there is no match of the specified coordinates with the recorded coordinates in the database, text containing information about the name of the closest determined point, distance and direction is added to the photo.

kata next to her. For example, if a picture was taken 30 km southeast of Sofia, the text will be added to the image: 30 kt SE from Sofia.

If the closest point cannot be determined for the coordinates, the geographical coordinates are indicated instead of the name.

When the GPS device 11 lacks visibility into the required number of satellites from the GPS system, its processor 10 generates and returns an error message via the wireless channel. The processor 3 in the camera 1 reduces this message to a user-friendly type that is displayed on the display 7. Then, to continue shooting using the ability to write a spot on the photo, the user can look for a more comfortable location for the GPS device 11 from which it has the necessary visibility to the satellites while maintaining wireless connection to the camera. When using a bluetooth wireless channel, this maximum distance is from 10 to 100 t. Other wireless channels are possible, such as infrared, 802.11, etc., but the bluetooth type is optimally convenient as a combination of dimensions, the connection and the weight of the module.

Claims (2)

1. A photographic system consisting of a standard digital camera and a GPS module, connected to the processor in the camera two-way by a first bus, a photo sensor with a lens, a first memory and a display, characterized in that the first bus (4 ), a first bidirectional wireless module 8 is connected, and the GPS module (2) is bidirectionally connected on a second bus (9) to a second processor (10) in a standalone GPS device (11) in which it is connected to the second bus (9). a second bidirectional wireless module (12) is connected. A photographic system according to claim 1, characterized in that a further memory (13) is connected in a bidirectional fashion to the second bus (9).