Image display system, display apparatus, and display method

Abstract

If a user specifies a location on a map image, he or she can see an image shot at that location. An imaging apparatus (an imaging/display apparatus 1 or an imaging apparatus 30 ) placed on a movable body transmits shot image data to a server apparatus together with additional data that includes location information about a photographing point, so that they are stored in the server apparatus. That is, the server apparatus accumulates pieces of image data obtained by photographing in various places by a great number of imaging apparatuses together with the location information thereof. A user of the display apparatus (the imaging/display apparatus 1 or the display apparatus 40 ) specifies a location on the map image. Then, the display apparatus transmits location specification information to the server apparatus, and the server apparatus searches for the image data based on the location specification information, and transmits the image data corresponding to the location specification information to the display apparatus. The display apparatus receives and displays the image data.

1 . An image display and capture device comprising:
 an imaging sensor configured to receive light and generate a digital image based on the light;   a display panel configured to display images to at least one eye of the user;   a location sensor configured to detect a location of the image display and capture device; and   at least one processor coupled to the imaging sensor, the display panel and the location sensor, the at least one processor configured to:
 provide, to an information processing apparatus:
 a first digital image generated by the imaging sensor; and 
 a first location detected by the location sensor, wherein the first location corresponds to a place where the first digital image was captured; 
 
 receive, via a network, a second digital image; and 
 display the second digital image via the display panel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The image display and capture device of  claim 1 , wherein the display panel is at least partially transparent. 
     
     
         3 . The image display and capture device of  claim 1 , wherein the display panel is configured to be located in front of an eye of the user, and wherein the distance between the display panel and the eye of the user is less than 1 inch. 
     
     
         4 . The image display and capture device of  claim 1 , wherein the image display and capture device is configured to be worn on the head of the user such that the imaging sensor has a fixed orientation that faces in a forward direction of the user. 
     
     
         5 . The image display and capture device of  claim 1 , wherein the imaging sensor and the display panel are integrated into a single unit. 
     
     
         6 . The image display and capture device of  claim 5 , wherein the single unit is configured to be worn by the user such that at least a portion of a housing of the unit rests on an ear of the user. 
     
     
         7 . The image display and capture device of  claim 1 , further comprising a speaker coupled to the at least one processor and configured to output audio, wherein the speaker is an earphone speaker or bone conduction speaker. 
     
     
         8 . The image display and capture device of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the second digital image via the network is performed in response to the image display and capture device providing a second location via the network.