Multimode GPS-Enabled Camera

• US 20100097494A1
• Filed: 10/21/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Han, Charles Seunghwan, Ische, Marc, Tan, John Alfred, Gum, Arnold Jason, Vasanadu, Ajay
• Granted Patent: US 8,185,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system

Abstract

A method and device of geographically tagging images by capturing an image, determining a position based on detection of satellite signals and a wireless network signal, and tagging the image with the determined position is provided.

Claims

1. A method of geographically tagging images in a device comprising a camera, the method comprising:

capturing an image;

determining a position based on an attempt to detect satellite signals and wireless network signal; and

tagging the image with the determined position.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising using one or more configurable parameters to indicate what one or more positions will be used in relation to capturing one or more images.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising configuring, by a user, at least one of the one or more configurable parameters.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

a first value of the one or more configurable parameters indicates the act of determining the position occurs after the act of capturing the image; and

a second value of the one or more configurable parameters indicates the act of determining the position occurs before the act of capturing the image.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

a first value of the one or more configurable parameters indicates the act of determining the position occurs once each image; and

a second value of the one or more configurable parameters indicates the act of determining the position occurs once for a set of images.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising configuring, by a user, at least one of the one or more configurable parameters, wherein:

a first value of the one or more configurable parameters indicates the act of determining the position occurs after the act of capturing the image;

a second value of the one or more configurable parameters indicates the act of determining the position occurs before the act of capturing the image; and

a third value of the one or more configurable parameters indicates the act of determining the position occurs concurrently with the act of capturing the image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of determining the position depends on a sequence of positions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of determining the position consists of an interpolation of a sequence of positions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of determining the position comprises determining the position based on a selected one of:

a stand-alone SPS mode;

an assisted-SPS mode; and

a network-information mode.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the stand-alone SPS mode is selected based on SPS signals meeting a first threshold;

the assisted-SPS mode is selected based on the SPS signals meeting a second threshold lower than the first threshold, and further based on the availability of network information; and

the network-information mode is selected based on the SPS signal not meeting the second threshold, and further based on the availability of the network information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first threshold indicates a quality of the SPS signals.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first threshold indicates a quantity of the SPS signals.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the network information comprises an identification of a cell.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the network information comprises an identification of an access point.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of capturing the image comprises:

interrupting a previous determination of a position;

capturing the image to memory; and

initiating the act of determining the position.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

attempting to determine the position;

determining no fix is available;

entering an idle state; and

timing out of the idle state based on an existence of an unstamped image.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising timing out of the idle state to refresh a location fix.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising timing out of the idle state to refresh an unused location fix.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of determining the position comprises weighting a plurality of locations each associated with a terrestrial base station

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a cellular telephone.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a personal navigation device.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the image comprises a video image.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the image comprises an audio tract.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the image comprises a still image.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of tagging the image with the determined position comprises:

tagging the image with a first position determined before the image was captured; and

tagging the image with a second position determined after the image was captured.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of tagging the image with the determined position comprises tagging the image with a sequence of determined positions.

27. A method of geographically stamping images in a device comprising a camera, the method comprising:

determining a position based on an attempt to detect satellite signals and wireless network signal;

capturing an image after the act of determining the position; and

tagging the image with the determined position.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the act of determining the position comprises determining the position based on a selected one of:

a stand-alone SPS mode;

an assisted-SPS mode; and

a network-information mode.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein:

the stand-alone SPS mode is selected based on SPS signals meeting a first threshold;

the assisted-SPS mode is selected based on the SPS signals meeting a second threshold lower than the first threshold, and further based on the availability of network information; and

the network-information mode is selected based on the SPS signal not meeting the second threshold, and further based on the availability of the network information.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first threshold indicates a quality of the SPS signals.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the first threshold indicates a quantity of the SPS signals.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the network information comprises an identification of a cell.

33. A method of geographically stamping a batch of images in a device comprising a camera, the method comprising:

capturing a plurality of images;

selecting the plurality of images;

determining a position based on detection of satellite signals and detection of a wireless network signal; and

tagging the plurality of images with the determined position.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the act of determining the position occurs before the act of selecting the plurality of images.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the act of determining the position occurs after the act of selecting the plurality of images.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the act of determining the position comprises determining the position based on a selected one of:

a stand-alone SPS mode;

an assisted SPS mode; and

a network-information mode.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein:

the stand-alone SPS mode is selected based on SPS signals meeting a first threshold;

the assisted-SPS mode is selected based on the SPS signals meeting a second threshold lower than the first threshold, and further based on the availability of network information; and

the network-information mode is selected based on the SPS signal not meeting the second threshold, and further based on the availability of the network information.

38. The method of claim 33, further comprising using one or more configurable parameters to indicate when a position will be determined in relation to the plurality of images.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein:

a first value of the one or more configurable parameter indicates the act of determining the position occurs after the act of capturing the image; and

a second value of the one or more configurable parameter indicates the act of determining the position occurs before the act of capturing the image.

40. A device comprising a camera for geographically tagging images, the device comprising:

means for capturing an image;

means for determining a position based on an attempt to detect satellite signals and wireless network signal; and

means for tagging the image with the determined position.

41. The device of claim 40, further comprising:

means for attempting to determine the position;

means for determining no fix is available;

means for entering an idle state; and

means for timing out of the idle state based on an existence of an unstamped image.

42. A device comprising a camera for geographically stamping a batch of images, the device comprising:

means for capturing a plurality of images;

means for selecting the plurality of images;

means for determining a position based on an attempt to detect satellite signals and wireless network signal; and

means for tagging the plurality of images with the determined position.

43. A computer-readable product comprising a computer-readable medium comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to capture an image;

code for causing at least one computer to determine a position based on an attempt to detect satellite signals and wireless network signal; and

code for causing at least one computer to tag the image with the determined position.

44. The computer-readable product of claim 43, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

code for causing at least one computer to attempt to determine the position;

code for causing at least one computer to determine no fix is available;

code for causing at least one computer to enter an idle state; and

code for causing at least one computer to time out of the idle state based on an existence of an unstamped image.

45. A computer-readable product comprising a computer-readable medium comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to capture a plurality of images;

code for causing at least one computer to select the plurality of images;

code for causing at least one computer to determine a position based on an attempt to detect satellite signals and wireless network signal; and

code for causing at least one computer to tag the plurality of images with the determined position.