Abstract:
A terminal device stores augmented reality generated by merging an image of an object and attribute information associated with the object. The terminal device, and a method therefor, allow for retrieval of stored augmented reality information about selected objects if the terminal is no longer at a location where the object&#39;s image was captured. The terminal device obtains a preference level for the attribute information and displays the attribute information based on the preference levels. Based on usage of the attribute information, the terminal redetermines preference levels for the attribute information. If previously stored augmented reality is requested, the terminal displays the previously stored augmented reality based on the redetermined preference levels.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from and the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0082693, filed on Aug. 25, 2010, which is incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    The following description relates to augmented reality (AR), and particularly, to a terminal device to store an object and a method for storing an object in the terminal device. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of the Background 
         [0005]    Augmented reality (AR) combines a physical real-world environment with a virtual world with an additional image. AR can provide additional information, which may be difficult to obtain solely from a real world environment, by combining virtual objects and a view of the real world environment, whereas virtual reality (VR) can only provide virtual space and virtual objects. Various research has been conducted on AR services in many countries, such as the United States and Japan, since the late 1990s. Improvements in the computing capability of mobile devices, such as mobile terminals, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and ultra mobile personal computers (UMPCs), and recent developments in wireless networking have opened the way for various AR services. 
         [0006]    For example, an image of a real-world environment captured by the camera of a mobile phone may be merged with attribute information of each object detected from the captured image, and the merged result may be displayed on the display unit of the mobile phone as an AR view. Conventionally, however, objects and their attribute information obtained from one location are unavailable in other locations. Thus, in order to use the objects and their attribute information again once they are no longer available, it would be necessary to revisit the location where the attribute information of the objects was originally obtained or access the Web, which may be inconvenient for users. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide for storing an object identified from an augmented reality (AR) view displayed on the display unit of a terminal device and its attribute information in the terminal device. 
         [0008]    Exemplary embodiments of present invention also provide for determining the order in which multiple pieces of attribute information of an object are displayed on the display unit of the terminal device based on the preference of a user. 
         [0009]    Exemplary embodiments of present invention also relate to sharing various objects and their respective attribute information present in a terminal device between multiple users. 
         [0010]    Additional features of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
         [0011]    An exemplary embodiment of the present invention a terminal device, including: a communication unit to communicate data with an object server; a touch sensor unit to sense an object selected from a display unit; a user database to receive attribute information about the selected object from the object server; and a control unit to control the selected object and the attribute information according to a determined preference level. 
         [0012]    An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for storing an object and attribute information about the object in a terminal device, the method including: receiving attribute information for a plurality of objects displayed on a display unit from an object server, the object server storing images and attribute information of the plurality of objects; displaying the received attribute information on the display unit together with the displayed objects; detecting an object selected from the plurality of displayed objects; and storing the detected object and received attribute information of the detected object in a user DB. 
         [0013]    An exemplary embodiment of the present invention also provides a display user interface device, including: a first region in which one or more objects detected from an image captured by a camera and one or more pieces of attribute information of the one or more objects are displayed, the one or more pieces of attribute information being received from an object server; and a second region which recognizes an object selected from the first region and stores the one or more pieces of attribute information of the recognized object. 
         [0014]    An exemplary embodiment of the present invention also provides a method for displaying augmented reality, the method including: capturing an image of an object; receiving attribute information about the object; obtaining a determined preference level for the attribute information; redetermining the preference level for the attribute information based on usage of the attribute information; and displaying the object and the attribute information, the attribute information being displayed according to the redetermined preference level. 
         [0015]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings, and the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a terminal device to store an object therein according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating of an object and attribute information according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method for storing an object in a terminal device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method for storing an image and attribute information of an object in a user database of a terminal device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a display user interface device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    Exemplary embodiments are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure is thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the size and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements. 
         [0023]    It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on” or “connected to” another element or layer, it can be directly on or directly connected to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” or “directly connected to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present. Further, it will be understood that for the purposes of this disclosure, “at least one of”, and similar language, will be interpreted to indicate any combination of the enumerated elements following the respective language, including combinations of multiples of the enumerated elements. For example, “at least one of X, Y, and Z” will be construed to indicate X only, Y only, Z only, or any combination of two or more items X, Y, and Z (e.g., XYZ, XZ, YZ). 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a terminal device capable of storing an object therein according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The terminal device may include a communication unit  100 , a touch sensor unit  110 , a control unit  120 , a user database (“DB”)  130 , a preference information DB  140 , and a display unit  150 . The communication unit  100  may wirelessly communicate data with an object server (not shown). The terminal device may transmit to the object server information about an object, if any, displayed on the display unit  150 , and may receive from the object server attribute information about the object. The object server may store the images and attribute information of multiple objects therein. In short, the terminal device may receive attribute information of the object displayed on the display unit  150  from the object server. 
         [0025]    If multiple objects are displayed on the display unit  150  of the terminal device, the touch sensor unit  110  may determine whether and which objects displayed on the display unit  150  of the terminal device are selected. In an exemplary embodiment, the terminal device may be equipped with an input device, such as a touch screen. The touch sensor unit  110  may sense at least one object, if any, selected from the touch screen by a user. 
         [0026]    The control unit  120  may control the object sensed by the touch sensor unit  110  and attribute information of the sensed object received from the object server to be stored in the user DB  130 . The attribute information may be detailed information about the sensed object. The control unit  120  may share the sensed object and the attribute information of the sensed object with another terminal device. The sensed object and attribute information about the sensed object may be displayed together on the display unit  150  of the terminal device, for example, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an object and attribute information according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , an object “63 City” is the object sensed by the touch sensor unit  110 , and information specifying various facilities (such as a theater or aquarium) housed in the “63 City” and traffic and real estate information for the area around the “63 City” may be provided as attribute information about the object “63 City”. 
         [0028]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the control unit  120  may control the object sensed by the touch sensor unit  110  and attribute information to be stored in the user DB  130  with the aid of an object image detector  121  and an object information processor  122 . 
         [0029]    The object image detector  121  may detect an image of an object selected through the touch sensor unit  110  by the user. 
         [0030]    The object information processor  122  may store the detected object image and attribute information of the selected object in the user DB  130  upon the request of the user, or may transmit the detected object image and the attribute information of the selected object to the object server. In an exemplary embodiment, the object information processor  122  may store the selected object and its attribute information in the user DB  130  in response to a drag-and-drop action performed on the selected object by the user. For example, the drag-and-drop action may be performed by keystrokes, a mouse, or through a touch screen. The object information processor  122  may arrange the attribute information of the selected object in the user DB  130  according to the preference of the user. The arrangement of the attribute information of the selected object according to the preference of the user may be performed by a preference processor  123  of the object information processor  122 . 
         [0031]    If the selected object has multiple pieces of attribute information, the preference processor  123  may determine the preference levels of the multiple pieces of attribute information based on preference information stored in a preference information DB  140 . The terminal device may share the preference information with another terminal device. The preference processor  123  may determine the order in which the multiple pieces of attribute information are displayed on the display unit  150  of the terminal device based on the determined preference levels. The preference information stored in the preference information DB  140  may be information provided by the user for use in determining the order in which multiple pieces of attribute information are displayed on the display unit  150  of the terminal device. Further, the preference information may indicate an amount of attribute information to be displayed by the terminal device. The preference information DB  140  may store multiple object attribute fields such as ‘Economy,’ ‘Entertainment,’ and ‘Culture &amp; Education,’ and the user may be allowed to set preferences among the object attribute fields. For example, the user may allocate a highest preference level to the ‘Entertainment’ field, a second highest preference level to the ‘Culture &amp; Education,’ and a lowest preference level to the ‘Economy’ field. The preferences among the object attribute fields are stored in the preference information DB  140  as preference information, and the preference processor  123  may determine the preference levels of the plurality of pieces of attribute information of the selected object based on the preference information. For example, if the selected object is the “63 City” and traffic, real estate, theater, and aquarium information of the “63 City” are provided as attribute information, then the preference processor  123  may determine the preference levels of the traffic, real estate, theater and aquarium information and may determine the order in which the traffic, real estate, theater and aquarium information is displayed on the display unit  150  of the terminal device. 
         [0032]    The object information processor  122  may store a detected image of the selected object, provided by the object image detector  121 , the multiple pieces of attribute information of the selected object and the order in which the multiple pieces of attribute information of the selected object are displayed on the display unit  150  of the terminal device, determined by the preference processor  123 , in the user DB  130 . 
         [0033]    The preference processor  123  may redetermine the order of display of the multiple pieces of attribute information of the selected object based on usage information stored in the user DB  130  and/or the preference information stored in the preference information DB  140 . The usage information may specify at least one of or each of the frequency, duration and location of use of each of the plurality of pieces of attribute information. The user DB  130  may store multiple object images, and the user may select one of the object images. If any one of a number of pieces of attribute information corresponding to the selected object image is selected, then usage information about the selected piece of attribute information, including the frequency, duration and location of the selected piece of attribute information, may also be stored in the preference information DB  140 . The preference processor  123  may periodically redetermine the order in which a number of pieces of attribute information of each object are displayed on the display unit  150  of the terminal device based on the usage information and the preference information stored in the preference information DB  140 . For example, if the traffic information for the area around the 63 City is more frequently used in a given day, week or month, the preference level of the traffic information for the area around the 63 City may be increased, or the traffic information for the area around the 63 City may be highlighted when displayed on the display unit  150  of the terminal device, and may thus become easily distinguishable from the other attribute information of the 63 City. Further, the preference level may be increased or the traffic information may be highlighted during those times when the traffic information is determined to be more frequently used. Therefore, the user can easily identify which of the pieces of attribute information of the 63 City is most frequently used. In other words, the preference processor  123  may redetermine the preference levels of a number of pieces of attribute information about an object based on their frequency of use and the preference of the user, and may then redetermine the order in which the pieces of attribute information are displayed on the display unit  150  of the terminal device. 
         [0034]    The object information processor  122  may also include an object update processor  124 . If at least one object image and attribute information corresponding to the at least one object image are displayed on the display unit  150  of the terminal device upon the request of the user, the object update processor  124  may receive updates, if any, of the attribute information from the object server and may display the received updates on the display unit  150  of the terminal device. For example, if an image of the 63 City is selected from the user DB  130 , the object update processor  124  may issue a request for updated attribute information of the 63 City from the object server, receive updated attribute information, if any, of the 63 City from the object server and display the received updated attribute information on the display unit  150  of the terminal device together with the image of the 63 City. Therefore, the user can be provided with updated attribute information for each object image present in the terminal device in almost real time. 
         [0035]    If an image of an object and attribute information about the object are displayed on the display unit  150  of the terminal device upon the request of the user, then the object information processor  122  may display related attribute information, i.e., additional information related to the attribute information, on the display unit  150  of the terminal device with the aid of a related attribute information processor  125 . By way of example, referring to  FIG. 2 , the related attribute information processor  125  provides a related attribute information guide, which is a guide to related information about the theater and the aquarium information, and provides the related attribute information guide on the display unit  150  of the terminal device. The user can be provided with information about various theaters or aquariums, other than the theater or aquarium in the 63 City, by selecting the related attribute information guide from the display unit  150  of the terminal device. In exemplary embodiments, the related attribute information may be provided on the display unit  150  of the terminal device. Although described above as being included in the terminal device, aspects need not be limited thereto such that the user DB  130 , the preference information DB  140 , and the display unit  150  may connected to the terminal device via a wired and/or wireless network and may be external to the terminal device. 
         [0036]    It will hereinafter be described in detail how the terminal device stores an object therein. 
         [0037]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method for storing an object in a terminal device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Although depicted as being performed serially, those skilled in the art will appreciate that at least a portion of the operations of the method of  FIG. 3  may be performed contemporaneously, or in a different order than presented in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , in operation  300 , a terminal device capable of displaying an object and attribute information associated with the object may receive the images and attribute information of a number of objects currently being displayed on the display unit from an object server. The terminal device displays the received object images and the received attribute information on a display unit. In other words, if one or more objects are displayed via the display unit of the terminal device, the terminal device may transmit information on each of the displayed objects to the object server and may receive attribute information about each of the displayed objects from the object server. 
         [0039]    In operation  310 , if at least one of the displayed objects is selected by a user, the terminal device may detect an image of the selected object. In other words, the terminal device may determine whether at least one of the displayed objects is selected by the user and may detect the image of the selected object. 
         [0040]    In operation  320 , the terminal device may store the detected image of the selected object and a number of pieces of attribute information about the selected object in a user DB upon the request of the user. In an exemplary embodiment, there may be multiple pieces of attribute information. In an exemplary embodiment, the terminal device may also transmit the detected image of the selected object and the attribute information of the selected object to the object server upon the request of the user. Thus, other users can also use the detected image of the selected object and the attribute information of the selected object from the object server. In an exemplary embodiment, the terminal device may either store the detected image of the selected object and the pieces of attribute information about the selected object in the user DB or transmit the detected image of the selected object and the pieces of attribute information about the selected object to the object server in response to a drag-and-drop action performed on the selected object. 
         [0041]    How to store an image and attribute information of an object in a user DB of a terminal device will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to  FIG. 4 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method for storing an image and attribute information of an object in a user DB of a terminal device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Although depicted as being performed serially, those skilled in the art will appreciate that at least a portion of the operations of the method of  FIG. 4  may be performed contemporaneously, or in a different order than presented in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , in operation  400 , a terminal device determines whether a request for the storage of an image and attribute information of an object requested by a user has been received. 
         [0044]    If it is determined in operation  400  that a request for the storage of the image and the pieces of attribute information of the requested object has been issued, then in operation  410 , the terminal device may acquire preference information about the requested object from a preference information DB. The preference information may be information provided by the user for reference in the arrangement of the pieces of attribute information of the requested object. 
         [0045]    In operation  420 , the terminal device determines the preference levels of the pieces of attribute information based on the acquired preference information. 
         [0046]    In operation  430 , the terminal device may determine the order in which the pieces of attribute information of the requested object are displayed by the display unit of the terminal device, based on the preference levels determined in operation  420 , and may store the pieces of attribute information of the requested object and the results of the determination in a user DB. By way of example, multiple object attribute fields such as ‘Economy,’ ‘Entertainment,’ and ‘Culture &amp; Education’ may be stored in the preference information DB of the terminal device. 
         [0047]    The user may set preferences among the object attribute fields present in the preference information DB of the terminal device. For example, the user may allocate a highest preference level to the ‘Entertainment’ field, a second highest preference level to the ‘Culture &amp; Education’ field and a lowest preference level to the ‘Economy’ field. The terminal device may classify the pieces of attribute information of the requested object into the ‘Entertainment’ field, the ‘Culture &amp; Education’ field and the ‘Economy’ field. The terminal device may determine the preference levels of the pieces of attribute information of the requested object based on the results of the classification, and may determine the order in which the pieces of attribute information of the requested object are displayed on the display unit of the terminal device, based on their respective preference levels. For example, if the requested object is the “63 City” and the pieces of attribute information of the requested object include: traffic, real estate, aquarium and theater information, the terminal device may determine the preference levels of the traffic, real estate, aquarium and theater information based on their respective object attribute fields&#39; preference levels. The device may determine the order in which the traffic, real estate, aquarium and theater information are displayed on the display unit of the terminal device based on their respective preference levels. Thereafter, the terminal device may store an image of the “63 City” and the traffic, real estate, aquarium and theater information in the user DB. 
         [0048]    If in operation  400 , a request for the storage of an object and pieces of attribute information of the object was not received the method proceeds to operation  440 . In operation  440 , the terminal device obtains the image and the attribute information about the requested object from the user DB, and displays the obtained image and the obtained attribute information on a display unit. 
         [0049]    In operation  450 , the terminal device may obtain preference information about the attribute information from the preference information DB. The preference levels for each piece of attribute information may be determined after receipt of the preference information or may be predetermined. In operation  460 , the terminal device may obtain usage information about the received attribute information from the user DB. 
         [0050]    In operation  470 , the terminal device may redetermine the order in which the pieces of attribute information of the requested object are displayed on the display unit of the terminal device based on the obtained preference and usage information. 
         [0051]    In operation  480 , the terminal device may redetermine the order in which the pieces of attribute information of the requested object are displayed on the display unit of the terminal device, based on the redetermined preference levels of the pieces of attribute information of the requested object, and may store the results of the redetermination. By way of example, a user may select at least one of multiple object images present in the user DB. If one of a number of pieces of attribute information corresponding to the selected object image is selected, then the terminal device may store usage information, such as the frequency, duration and location of use of the selected piece of attribute information in the preference information DB. The terminal device may periodically redetermine the order in which the pieces of attribute information corresponding to the selected object image should be displayed on the display unit of the terminal device with reference to the usage information stored in the usage information and preference information stored in the preference information DB. 
         [0052]    For example, if traffic information for the area around the 63 City is more frequently used in a given day, week or month, the preference level of the traffic information may be increased, or the traffic information may be highlighted when displayed on the display unit of the terminal device, and may thus become easily distinguishable from other attribute information of the 63 City. Further, the preference level may be increased or the traffic information may be highlighted during those times when the traffic information is determined to be more frequently used. Therefore, the user can easily identify which of the pieces of attribute information of the 63 City is most frequently used. 
         [0053]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a display user interface (UI) device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0054]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the display UI device may include a first region  500  and a second region  510 . Objects detected from an image captured by a camera and their respective attribute information received from an object server may be displayed in the first region  500 . The second region  510  may be used to store the objects displayed in the first region  500  and their respective attribute information in the terminal device. In an exemplary embodiment, the objects may be a representations or icons of objects captured by a camera. If multiple objects and multiple pieces of attribute information of each of the objects are displayed in the first region  500 , a user may select any one of the objects or the multiple pieces of attribute information of each of the objects from the first region  500 . 
         [0055]    If the user selects one of the objects displayed in the first region  500  and drags and drops the selected object from the first region  500  onto a ‘Save’ icon {circle around (1)} in the second region  510 , then the display UI device may save the selected object and the multiple pieces of attribute information about the selected object. In other words, the user can easily save each of the objects displayed in the first region  500  and attribute information associated with the objects by selecting a corresponding object and moving the corresponding object from the first region  500  to the second region  510 . 
         [0056]    As described above, according to aspects of the present invention, it may be possible to easily save objects and their attribute information displayed on a terminal device, thereby allowing the objects and attribute information to be used for various purposes, at a same or later time, without the need for a user to actually visit the location where the objects are located. In addition, it may be possible to facilitate the use of object attribute information of interest by redetermining the order of display of multiple pieces of object attribute information according to the preference of a user and displaying the multiple pieces of object attribute information on the display unit of the terminal device in the redetermined order. Moreover, it may be possible to facilitate access to object attribute information and its related information with the aid of a related attribute information guide. 
         [0057]    Furthermore, it may be possible to improve user convenience by allowing objects and their attribute information to be saved with the aid of a drag-and-drop command on a display UI. 
         [0058]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variation can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.