Device with a camera for locating hidden object
A search contour, defining at least a two-dimensional geographic area is displayed on a portable, wireless and mobile computing device with a camera and a screen which may be a smartphone and which has positional and orientation devices. The camera is positioned in a direction of the search contour and the search contour is activated. The mobile computing device queries a geographic database that is searchable on geographic coordinates for a presence of one or more objects with geographic coordinates located within the search contour. An object within the one or more objects is selected and information, including an image, of the selected object is displayed on the screen.
1. A method for displaying an image of an object, the object having a location with geographic coordinates, comprising:
displaying a search contour corresponding to a search area on a portable and mobile computing device with a processor, a camera and a screen, the search area being defined by geographic coordinates;
activating the search contour on the portable and mobile computing device to search a database for one or more objects with geographic coordinates in the search area;
positioning the camera in a pose determined by the search contour with the search area in a field of vision of the camera, wherein an indicator provides directions to the pose;
searching the database that is searchable on geographic coordinates based on activating the search contour for one or more objects located within the search area corresponding to the activated search contour;
retrieving the image of the object identified as being inside the activated search contour; and
displaying on the screen information including at least the retrieved image of the object being part of the one or more objects located within the search area corresponding to the activated search contour.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the search contour is a closed two-dimensional contour (2D contour).
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the search contour is a closed three-dimensional contour (3D contour) with two-dimensional geographic coordinates and altitude coordinates.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying on the screen the search contour based on a geographic location of the camera.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying on the screen the search contour based on a pose of the camera.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the search contour includes a two-dimensional contour with two-dimensional geographic coordinates determined by a distance relative to geographic coordinates of the camera.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the search contour represents a shape of a building or a container.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the search contour has a rectangular shape.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the searching of the database covers a period of time.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portable and mobile computing device with the processor is a smartphone.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the search contour, a size of the search contour and a distance of the search area relative to the camera is set on the portable and mobile computing device.
12. Apparatus to display an object, comprising:
a mobile, portable and wireless computing device including a screen, a camera and positional sensors to determine positional data of the camera, including an altitude and a directional pose;
a database device storing data related to one or more objects, the database device being searchable on geographic coordinates;
a processor in the mobile, portable and wireless computing device enabled to display on the screen a search contour, the search contour corresponding to a search area defined by geographic coordinates, the camera being positioned in a pose determined by the search contour;
the processor being enabled to execute instructions retrieved from a memory to perform the steps:
providing an indicator to direct the camera to the pose;
activating the search contour on the portable and mobile computing device to search the database device;
querying the database device for one or more objects located within the activated search contour; and
retrieving from the database device and displaying on the screen information including at least an image related to the object being part of the one or more objects located within the search area corresponding to the activated search contour.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the search contour is a two-dimensional contour (2D contour).
14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the search contour is a three-dimensional contour (3D contour) with two-dimensional geographic coordinates and altitude coordinates.
15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the displaying on the screen of the search contour is based on a geographic location of the camera.
16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the search contour includes a two-dimensional contour with two-dimensional geographic coordinates determined by a distance relative to geographic coordinates of the camera.
17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the search contour represents a shape of a building or a container.
18. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the search contour has a rectangular shape.
19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the portable and mobile computing device with the processor is a smartphone.
20. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein a shape of the search contour, a size of the search contour and a distance of the search area relative to the camera is set on the portable and mobile computing device.