Service system, information processing apparatus, and service providing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10791267-B2
Application number	US-201916395721-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2019
Priority date	Dec 5, 2014
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

A service system includes a mobile terminal and an information processing device capable of communication via a network. The mobile terminal includes a first transmission unit that transmits spherical images taken in respective imaging locations and positional information about the imaging locations to the information processing device. The information processing device includes a reception unit that receives the spherical images transmitted by the first transmission unit; a map data obtaining unit that obtains map data from a map data storage, the map data including the imaging locations of the spherical images; a path information creation unit that creates information about a path made by connecting the imaging locations in the map data obtained by the map data obtaining unit; and a content providing unit that makes content available for a request through the network, the content including the map data, the information about the path, and the spherical images.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a memory to store captured images and a map of a physical location, the map indicating imaging locations of the captured images; and
circuitry configured to
receive a display request from a terminal connected via a network,
read a first image of the captured images and a particular map indicating an imaging location of the first image from the memory, based on the display request, and
transmit, to the terminal, the first image and the particular map, the particular map including a first figure indicating the imaging location of the first image, and the first image including a second figure indicating a direction to an imaging location of a second image, of the captured images, that is adjacent to the first image.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the particular map transmitted to the terminal includes a third figure indicating an angle of view at which the first image is displayed.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the particular map transmitted to the terminal includes a plurality of first figures indicating respective imaging locations of a plurality of the captured images.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the second figure is displayed on the first image along a direction from the first image to the second image.

5. A terminal connected to a server via a network, the server having a memory storing captured images and a map of a physical location, the map indicating imaging locations of the captured images, the terminal comprising:
circuitry configured to
transmit a display request to the server,
receive a first image and a particular map indicating an imaging location of the first image, the first image and the particular map being transmitted from the server in accordance with the display request, and
display the received first image and the particular map, the particular map including a first figure indicating the imaging location of the first image, and the first image including a second figure indicating a direction to an imaging location of a second image, of the captured images, that is adjacent to the first image.

6. The terminal according to claim 5 , wherein
when the first image is displayed on the terminal, the circuitry is further configured to display, on the particular map, a third figure indicating an angle of view at which the first image is displayed.

7. The terminal according to claim 5 , wherein the displayed particular map includes a plurality of first figures indicating respective imaging locations of a plurality of the captured images.

8. The terminal according to claim 5 , wherein the second figure is displayed on the first image along a direction from the first image to the second image.

9. A method, comprising:
storing, in a memory, captured images and a map of a physical location, the map indicating imaging locations of the captured images;
receiving a display request from a terminal via a network;
reading a first image of the captured images and a particular map indicating an imaging location of the first image from the memory, based on the display request; and
transmitting, to the terminal, the first image and the particular map, the particular map including a first figure indicating the imaging location of the first image, and the first image including a second figure indicating a direction to an imaging location of a second image, of the captured images, that is adjacent to the first image.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
when the first image is displayed on the terminal, displaying, on the particular map, a third figure indicating an angle of view at which the first image is displayed.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the displayed particular map includes a plurality of first figures indicating respective imaging locations of a plurality of the captured images.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein
the second figure is displayed on the first image along a direction from the first image to the second image.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:
storing, in a memory, captured images and a map of a physical location, the map indicating imaging locations of the captured images;
receiving a display request from a terminal via a network;
reading a first image of the captured images and a particular map indicating an imaging location of the first image, from the memory, based on the display request; and
transmitting, to the terminal, the first image and the particular map, the particular map including a first figure indicating the imaging location of the first image, and the first image including a second figure indicating a direction to an imaging location of a second image, of the captured images, that is adjacent to the first image.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13 , further comprising:
when the first image is displayed on the terminal, displaying, on the particular map, a third figure indicating an angle of view at which the first image is displayed.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein the displayed particular map includes a plurality of first figures indicating respective imaging locations of a plurality of the captured images.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13 , wherein the second figure is displayed on the first image along a direction from the first image to the second image.

Assignees

• Mitsui Satoshi
• Kushimoto Kei
• Nishide Kohichi
• Sato Tomotoshi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mitsui Satoshi
• Kushimoto Kei
• Nishide Kohichi
• Sato Tomotoshi

Classifications

• H04N23/45

  for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images · CPC title

• H04N23/698 Primary

  for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture · CPC title

• H04N21/4524 Primary

  involving the geographical location of the client (retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00) · CPC title

• H04N23/951

  by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio · CPC title

• H04N1/2112

  using still video cameras · CPC title