GPS PRE-ACQUISITION FOR GEOTAGGING DIGITAL PHOTOS

• US 20090189811A1
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Tysowski, Piotr Konrad, Ngo, Ngoc Bich, Vanden Heuvel, David Noel
• Granted Patent: US 7,847,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.340
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/258 relating to the satellite constellation, e.g. almanac, ephemeris data, lists of satellites in view
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof

Abstract

A handheld electronic device, such as a GPS-enabled wireless communications device with an embedded camera, a GPS-enabled camera-phone or a GPS-enabled digital camera, determines whether ephemeris data needs to be obtained for geotagging digital photos taken with the device. By monitoring user activity with respect to the camera, such as activation of the camera, the device can begin pre-acquisition of a GPS position fix by obtaining needed ephemeris data before the photograph is actually taken. This GPS pre-acquisition improves the likelihood that a position fix (GPS lock) is achieved by the time the photo is taken (to enable immediate geotagging). Alternatively, the photo can be geotagged retroactively by appending the current location to the metadata tag associated with the digital photo. An optional acquisition status indicator can be displayed on a user interface of the device to indicate that a position fix is being obtained.

Claims

1. A method of geotagging using a GPS-enabled handheld electronic device, the method comprising steps of:

monitoring user activity with respect to a digital camera on the device;

initiating acquisition of a GPS position fix prior to a digital photo being taken by the digital camera; and

geotagging the digital photo with the GPS position fix.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of initiating acquisition of the GPS position fix comprises:

determining whether ephemeris data is needed for acquiring the GPS position fix; and

obtaining the ephemeris data in order to acquire the GPS position fix.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a step of presenting an indication of acquisition status for the GPS position fix via a user interface of the device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 further comprising a step of presenting a further indication, via the user interface, that a digital photo taken by the camera is being, or will be, geotagged.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a step of presenting, via a user interface, a warning that a time elapsed between a taking of a digital photo and a subsequent GPS position fix has exceeded a specified threshold.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the step of obtaining the ephemeris data is completed before, or substantially at the same time as, the digital photo is taken whereby the digital photo is geotagged when stored in memory.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the step of obtaining the ephemeris data is completed after the digital photo is taken whereby the digital photo is geotagged after the digital photo is stored in memory.

8. A computer program product comprising code which when loaded into memory and executed on a processor of a GPS-enabled handheld electronic device is adapted to perform the steps of:

detecting that a digital camera on the device is being activated;

initiating acquisition of a GPS position fix prior to a digital photo being taken by the digital camera; and

geotagging the digital photo with the GPS position fix.

9. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8 wherein the step of initiating acquisition comprises:

determining whether ephemeris data is needed for acquiring a GPS position fix; and

obtaining the ephemeris data in order to acquire the GPS position fix representative of a current location of the device.

10. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8 wherein the code is further adapted to perform the step of presenting an indication of acquisition status for the GPS position fix via a user interface of the device.

11. The computer program product as claimed in claim 10 wherein the code is further adapted to perform the step of presenting a further indication, via the user interface, that a digital photo taken by the camera is being, or will be, geotagged.

12. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8 further comprising code that is adapted to perform a step of presenting, via a user interface, a warning that a time elapsed between a taking of a digital photo and a subsequent GPS position fix has exceeded a specified threshold.

13. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8 wherein the step of obtaining the ephemeris data is completed before, or substantially at the same time as, the digital photo is taken whereby the digital photo is geotagged when stored in memory.

14. The computer program product as claimed in claim 8 wherein the step of obtaining the ephemeris data is completed after the digital photo is taken whereby the digital photo is geotagged after the digital photo is stored in memory.

15. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a GPS receiver for receiving GPS radio signals from orbiting GPS satellites;

a camera for taking a digital photo; and

a processor coupled to memory for monitoring user activity with respect to the camera and for initiating acquisition of a GPS position fix prior to the digital photo being taken in order to geotag the digital photo based on the GPS position fix.

16. The handheld electronic device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the processor and memory are configured to determine whether ephemeris data is needed for acquiring the GPS position fix and are further configured to instruct the GPS receiver to obtain the ephemeris data.

17. The handheld electronic device as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a user interface adapted to display a status indicator that is indicative of acquisition status for the GPS position fix.

18. The handheld electronic device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the indicator is further adapted to change to a geotagging indicator that indicates the digital photo is being, or will be, geotagged.

19. The handheld electronic device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the indicator is further adapted to change to a warning indicator that indicates that a time elapsed since the digital photo was taken and an acquisition time at which the GPS position fix is subsequently acquired has exceeded a specified threshold.

20. The handheld electronic device as claimed in claim 16 further comprising a user interface adapted to display, when ephemeris data is being obtained, a status indicator that is indicative of acquisition status for the GPS position fix, and, when ephemeris data has been obtained, either a separate geotagging indicator that indicates the digital photo is being, or will be, geotagged, or a separate warning indicator indicating that a time elapsed since the digital photo was taken and an acquisition time at which the GPS position fix is subsequently acquired has exceeded a specified threshold.

21. The handheld electronic device as claimed in claim 16 further comprising a radiofrequency transceiver for receiving ephemeris data over a cellular communication link for using Assisted GPS to reduce acquisition time for the GPS receiver.

22. The handheld electronic device as claimed in claim 21 further comprising a radiofrequency transceiver for receiving ephemeris data over a cellular communication link for using Assisted GPS to reduce acquisition time for the GPS receiver.

23. The handheld electronic device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the memory stores the current location in a metadata tag associated with the digital photo.