Patent ID: 6195122
Filing Date: 2001-02-27
Classification: G01C,G06F,H04N

Abstract:
A spatially referenced photographic system comprising:a data base containing plural images of objects and also containing information corresponding to said images defining the position at which each image was originally viewed and the orientation of the image with respect to that position;image presentation and navigation means for displaying the images to a user and for facilitating the user in navigating among said images by receiving spatial movement commands from the user, as indicated by said spatial movement commands;a camera capable of capturing data representative of plural images of objects;position sensing means connected to said camera for capturing data defining the position of said camera at times when images are captured;orientation sensing means connected to said camera for capturing data defining the orientation of said camera at times when images are captured;data capturing means for receiving image representation data from said camera, position defining data from said position sensing means, and orientation defining data from said orientation sensing means and for storing all of said data to form said data base containing plural images of objects and also containing information corresponding to said images defining the position at which each image was originally viewed and the orientation of the image with respect to that position; andwherein said orientation sensing means comprises gimbals associated with gyroscopes.