Apparatus and method for recording data to produce a localized panoramic image of a street and method related thereto

An apparatus for recording data to produce a localized panoramic image of a street, the apparatus comprising:

• a camera having an audio input;
• a device for satellite-based position and time determination and generating satellite-based position and time determination data;
• a storage unit;
• a preparation device configured to prepare time data of the device for satellite-based position and time determination into a format recordable for the camera as coded time data, the coded time data being an acoustic signal,
• a LIDAR sensor unit having a LIDAR sensor:
• wherein:
• the coded time data is forwarded to the audio input of the camera for recording;
• the camera is further configured to simultaneously record a continuous film with the acoustic signal representing the coded time data being included as a track of the continuous film, as the camera is being moved along the street while imaging the street;
• the storage unit is configured to store the film with the coded time data;
• the storage unit is further configured to store the position and the coded time data of the device for satellite-based position and time determination;
• the preparation device is further configured to produce the coded time data in accordance with a predetermined time code standard;
• and
• the LIDAR sensor unit is further configured to receive at least the coded time data and/or satellite-based position data of the device for satellite-based position and time determination, and in turn to issue distance data to an object, as ascertained by the LIDAR sensor, together with the coded time data and/or satellite-based position data, to be stored in the storage unit.

A method for recording data to produce a localized panoramic image of a street, the method comprising:

• using a camera having an audio input to image a street and produce a continuous film comprised of a plurality of separate, successively obtained, images;
• using a device for satellite-based position and time determination to generate satellite-based position and time data;
• using a preparation device to prepare time data received from the device for satellite-based position and time determination into an audio format receivable as an acoustic signal by the audio input of the camera, and recordable by the camera for enabling the camera to create coded time data in an audio track of the continuous film as the continuous film is being recorded while the camera is being moved along the street, with the coded time data being uniquely associated with each of the images recorded by the camera;
• using the preparation device to forward the coded time data to the camera;
• using the camera to produce a continuous film simultaneously with the coded time data as a film which includes the coded time data.

An apparatus for recording data to produce a localized panoramic image of a street, the apparatus comprising:

• a camera having an audio input;
• a device for satellite-based position and time determination and generating satellite-based position and time determination data;
• a storage unit;
• a preparation device configured to prepare time data of the device for satellite-based position and time determination into an audio signal having an audio format recordable y the camera as coded time data,
• wherein:
• the coded time data is forwarded to the camera for recording;
• the camera is further configured to simultaneously receive the audio signal while recording a continuous film, such that the coded time data is recorded as a channel of the continuous film as the camera is moved along the street;
• the storage unit is configured to store the film with the coded time data;
• the storage unit is further configured to store the position and time data of the device for satellite-based position and time determination;
• and
• the preparation device is further configured to produce the coded time data in accordance with a predetermined time code standard;
• and
• the preparation device further being configured to at least one of:
• stop, and then restart, transmission of the coded time data to the camera to resynchronize the coded time data with the satellite-based position and time determination data;
• or
• to terminate transmission of a present frame of the coded time data as the present frame is being transmitted, and immediately begin transmitting a subsequent frame of coded time data;
• to thus resynchronize operation of the preparation device with the satellite-based position and time determination data in instances of too slow or too rapid operation of the preparation device.