1. A method of generating a three-dimensional map of a region from successive images of the region captured from different camera positions, the map comprising a set of landmark points each defined by a three dimensional spatial position and image information associated with that three dimensional position, the method comprising:
capturing, by an imaging device, successive images of the region;
detecting, by a processor, feature points within the captured images;
designating, by the processor, a subset of the captured images as a set of keyframes each having respective sets of measurement data representing image positions of landmark points detected as feature points in that image, each keyframe being connected to at least one other keyframe in the set by a connection comprising at least a threshold number of landmark points, having corresponding measurement data for that keyframe, in common with the same landmark points having corresponding measurement data for that other keyframe in the set, and the set of keyframes being such that each keyframe in the set is directly or indirectly connected to all of the other keyframes in the set by a sequence of one or more such connections;
detecting, by the processor, whether candidate measurement data associated with a given one of the keyframes may be removed from the set of measurement data for that keyframe, by detecting whether each keyframe, in the set of keyframes without the candidate measurement data, is still directly or indirectly connected to all of the other keyframes in the set of keyframes by a sequence of one or more connections;
and if so, removing that candidate measurement data.
2. A method according to claim 1, in which the threshold number of landmark points is at least three.
3. A method according to claim 1, in which the step of detecting whether candidate measurement data may be removed comprises:
generating a connection graph between the keyframes of the set, excluding the candidate measurement data, by connected components analysis; and
removing the candidate measurement data if the connection graph comprises only one component.
4. A method according to claim 3, in which, where the candidate measurement data comprises all measurement data associated with a keyframe:
the detecting whether candidate measurement data may be removed further comprises detecting whether each keyframe, in the set of keyframes, excluding the keyframe corresponding to the candidate measurement data, is still directly or indirectly connected to all of the other keyframes in the set of keyframes, excluding the keyframe corresponding to the candidate measurement data, by a sequence of one or more connections; and
the removing step comprises removing that keyframe from the set of keyframes.
5. A method according to claim 1, in which the designating step comprises designating a captured image as a keyframe by:
detecting whether at least a threshold number of feature points within that captured image correspond to landmark points for which one or more keyframes in the set of keyframes have associated measurement data.
6. A method according to claim 1, in which the designating step comprises designating a captured image as a keyframe by;
detecting whether the feature points in the captured image represent a view which is sufficiently different to that of the corresponding landmark points as to allow triangulation of a respective position from the feature points and the corresponding landmark points.
7. A method according to claim 1, in which each keyframe has associated camera position data defining a three dimensional camera position and orientation for that image.
8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:
refining the measurement data and the camera position data associated with at least a subset of the keyframes by:
deriving a difference between the measurement data for landmark points in the keyframes and corresponding image positions obtained from the camera position data and the three dimensional spatial position of that landmark point; and
adjusting one or both of the camera position data for one or more keyframes and the three dimensional spatial position of one or more landmark points so as to reduce the detected difference.
9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer instructions thereon, the computer instructions, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to carry out a method of generating a three-dimensional map of a region from successive images of the region captured from different camera positions, the map comprising a set of landmark points each defined by a three dimensional spatial position and image information associated with that three dimensional position, the method comprising:
capturing successive images of the region;
detecting feature points within the captured images;
designating a subset of the captured images as a set of keyframes each having respective sets of measurement data representing image positions of landmark points detected as feature points in that image, each keyframe being connected to at least one other keyframe in the set by a connection comprising at least a threshold number of landmark points, having corresponding measurement data for that keyframe, in common with the same landmark points having corresponding measurement data for that other keyframe in the set, and the set of keyframes being such that each keyframe in the set is directly or indirectly connected to all of the other keyframes in the set by a sequence of one or more such connections;
detecting whether candidate measurement data associated with a given one of the keyframes may be removed from the set of measurement data for that keyframe, by detecting whether each keyframe, in the set of keyframes without the candidate measurement data, is still directly or indirectly connected to all of the other keyframes in the set of keyframes by a sequence of one or more connections;
and if so, removing that candidate measurement data.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 9, in which the step of detecting whether candidate measurement data may be removed comprises:
generating a connection graph between the keyframes of the set, excluding the candidate measurement data, by connected components analysis; and
removing the candidate measurement data if the connection graph comprises only one component.
11. Image processing apparatus operable to generate a three-dimensional map of a region from successive captured images of the region captured from different camera positions, the map comprising a set of landmark points each defined by a three dimensional spatial position and image information associated with that three dimensional position, a subset of the captured images being designated as a set of keyframes each having respective sets of measurement data representing image positions of landmark points detected as feature points in that image, each keyframe being connected to at least one other keyframe in the set by a connection comprising at least a threshold number of landmark points, having corresponding measurement data for that keyframe, in common with the same landmark points having corresponding measurement data for that other keyframe in the set, and the set of keyframes being such that each keyframe in the set is directly or indirectly connected to all of the other keyframes in the set by a sequence of one or more such connections, the apparatus comprising:
a detector configured to detect whether candidate measurement data associated with a keyframe may be removed from the set of measurement data for that keyframe, by detecting whether each keyframe, in the set of keyframes without the candidate measurement data, is still directly or indirectly connected to all of the other keyframes in the set of keyframes by a sequence of one or more connections and if so, to remove that candidate measurement data.
12. Computer games apparatus comprising:
an image processing apparatus according to claim 11; and
an image renderer configured to render an image for display by combining a captured image with one or more computer-generated image portions generated with respect to map positions associated with feature points of the captured image.
13. Apparatus according to claim 12, comprising a camera configured to capture the images.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A reproducing apparatus capable of receiving and reproducing a broadcast signal selected by calling a reception frequency set in advance, comprising:
broadcast signal reception means for receiving a broadcast signal of a specific frequency;
broadcast signal reproducing means for reproducing the broadcast signal received by the broadcast signal reception means;
setting information transmission means for transmitting setting information concerning broadcast reception of the reproducing apparatus itself and set by a user, to an external device, the setting information including area information indicative of an area where the reproducing apparatus receives broadcasts;
list information reception means for receiving list information detected by the external device, as a list including broadcast station names of receivable broadcast stations corresponding to the setting information, broadcast station identification information of the stations, and frequencies of the stations;
display means for displaying the names of the broadcast stations included in the list information received by the list information reception means; and
recording means for recording parts of the received list information onto a recording medium, based on the user’input, with the parts linked to each other.
2. The reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising frequency specify means for varying the reception frequency of the broadcast signal reception means to specify a frequency at which the broadcast signal is received,
wherein the recording means records such a frequency that agrees with any of the frequencies included in the list information received by the list information reception means, among frequencies specified by the frequency specify means, and at least a broadcast station name and broadcast station identification information in the list information, onto the recording medium, with the frequency, broadcast station name, and broadcast station identification information automatically linked to each other.
3. The reproducing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the recording means further records remaining frequencies that disagree with the frequencies in the list information received by the list information reception means, among the frequencies specified by the frequency specify means, and at least remaining broadcast station names and remaining broadcast station identification information in the list information, onto the recording medium, with the remaining frequencies, the remaining broadcast station names, and the remaining broadcast station identification information linked to each other based on the user’input.
4. The reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising request information transmission means for transmitting request information requesting the list information including information concerning another broadcast station than those corresponding to the setting information, in response to the user’operation, after receipt of the list information by the list information reception means,
wherein the list information reception means receives the list information transmitted from the external device in response to the request information,
the display means displays broadcast station names included in the list information corresponding to the request information, and
the recording means records parts of the list information corresponding to the request information onto the recording medium, based on the user’input, with the parts linked to each other.
5. The reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting information has been inputted in advance by the user and recorded.
6. The reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting information is inputted by the user immediately before being transmitted by the transmission means.
7. The reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
identification information transmission means for transmitting the broadcast station identification information included in the list information recorded by the recording means, to the external device; and
position information reception means for receiving, from the external device, position information indicative of a position of a provider on a network, which provides related information related to broadcast contents of broadcast stations corresponding to the broadcast station identification information transmitted from the identification information transmission means.
8. An information setting method of setting a reception frequency in advance in a reproducing apparatus which receives and reproduces a broadcast signal, the method comprising:
a setting information transmission step of transmitting setting information concerning broadcast reception of the reproducing apparatus itself and set by a user, to an external device, the setting information including area information indicative of an area where the reproducing apparatus receives broadcasts;
a list information reception step of receiving list information detected by the external device, as a list including broadcast station names of receivable broadcast stations corresponding to the setting information, broadcast station identification information of the stations, and frequencies of the stations;
a display step of displaying the names of the broadcast stations included in the received list information; and
a recording step of recording parts of the received list information onto a recording medium, based on the user’input, with the parts linked to each other.
9. The information setting method according to claim 8, further comprising a frequency specify step of varying the frequency to be received, to specify a frequency at which a broadcast signal is received, before the recording step,
wherein in the recording step, such a frequency that agrees with any of the frequencies included in the list information received in the list information reception step, among frequencies specified in the frequency specify step, and at least a broadcast station name and broadcast station identification information in the list information, onto the recording medium, with the frequency, broadcast station name, and broadcast station identification information automatically linked to each other.
10. The information setting method according to claim 9, wherein in the recording step, remaining frequencies that disagree with the frequencies in the list information received in the list information reception step, among the frequencies specified in the frequency specify step, and at least remaining broadcast station names and remaining broadcast station identification information in the list information are further recorded onto the recording medium, with the remaining frequencies, the remaining broadcast station names, and the remaining broadcast station identification information linked to each other based on the user’input.
11. The information setting method according to claim 10, further comprising an unreceived-information request step of requesting the external device to transmit the list information including information concerning another broadcast station than those corresponding to the setting information, after the recording step,
wherein the list information reception step, the display step, and the recording step are further executed with use of the list information transmitted from the external device in response to the unreceived-information request step.
12. A communication method for a reproducing apparatus which receives and reproduces a broadcast signal, comprising:
transmitting from the reproducing apparatus setting information concerning broadcast reception of the reproducing apparatus itself, together with user ID and a password, to a portal server, the setting information including area information indicative of an area where the reproducing apparatus receives broadcasts;
the portal server which issues an authentication ticket to allow the reproducing apparatus to access plural service servers performing an authentication processing, based on the user ID and the password, and transmitting list information as a list including broadcast station names of receivable broadcast stations corresponding to the setting information, broadcast station identification information of the stations, and frequencies of the stations, when allowing authentication; and
the reproducing apparatus displaying the broadcast station names included in the received list information, and recording parts of the received list information, onto a recording medium, based on an input, with the parts linked to each other.
13. A computer-readable recording medium for storing therein an information setting program that includes instructions for making a computer execute a process of setting a reception frequency of a broadcast signal, the process comprising:
a setting information transmission step of transmitting setting information concerning broadcast reception of a reproducing apparatus itself and set by a user, to an external device, the setting information including area information indicative of an area where the reproducing apparatus receives broadcasts;
a list information reception step of receiving list information as a list including broadcast station names, broadcast station identification information, and frequencies of receivable broadcast stations corresponding to the setting information;
a display step of displaying the broadcast station names in the received list information; and
a recording step of recording parts of the received list information onto a recording medium, based on the user’input, with the parts linked to each other.
14. A reproducing apparatus capable of receiving and reproducing a broadcast signal selected by calling a reception frequency set in advance, comprising:
a broadcast signal reception unit configured to receive a broadcast signal of a specific frequency;
a broadcast signal reproducing unit configured to reproduce the broadcast signal received by the broadcast signal reception unit;
a setting information transmission unit configured to transmit setting information concerning broadcast reception of the reproducing apparatus itself and set by a user, to an external device, the setting information including area information indicative of an area where the reproducing apparatus receives broadcasts;
a list information reception unit configured to receive list information detected by the external device, as a list including broadcast station names of receivable broadcast stations corresponding to the setting information, broadcast station identification information of the stations, and frequencies of the stations;
a display unit configured to display the names of the broadcast stations included in the list information received by the list information reception unit; and
a recording unit configured to record parts of the received list information onto a recording medium, based on the user’input, with the parts linked to each other.