Method for matching geographic information with recorded images

• US 6,904,160 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2001
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Red Sky Systems, Inc. (INNOVATE Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Red Sky Systems, Inc. (INNOVATE Corp.)
• Inventors: Burgess, Ken L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choobin, Barry
• Application Number:
  US09/900,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20020044690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 382/113, 382/103, 382/278, 382/181, 382/218, 382/209, 382/305, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/357.12, 342/357.14, 342/25.E, 342/64, 701/200, 701/213, 701/226, 701/208, 701/212, 340/539.13, 340/268.14, 340/539.2, 340/995.12, 340/995.14, 386/46, 396/311, 702/3, 702/5, 353/5, 353/11, 348/231.3
• US Class Current: 382/113
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

A method for matching a recorded image with geographic data substantially corresponding to a geographic location where the image was recorded, is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, global positioning system data logs are time matched with other data collected, including image data, for the purpose of spatially mapping the collected data. Two important underpinnings of the present invention are that first, the real time of the data acquisition is recorded along with the data acquired; and second, that the offset time between the data logging clock and the world standard time is accurately determined. A primary advantage of the present invention is its wireless functionality; no information transmitters, receivers, special interfaces or power suppliers are required. In addition, a wide variety of off-the-shelf equipment may be used with the present invention as system components.

Claims

1. A method for use with a geographic positioning receiver and a digital image recording device for matching geographic information recorded by the geographic positioning receiver with images recorded by the digital image recording device, said method comprising the steps of:

recording geographic information during the time that an image is recorded;

determining a first time that at least one digital image was recorded by the digital image recording device;

determining a second time that at least one geographic information was recorded by the geographic positioning receiver;

determining the geographic information recorded by the geographic positioning receiver at the first time by matching the second time with the first time; and

automatically matching the geographic information recorded at the second time with the image recorded at the first time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said digital image recording device automatically records a first relative time when said digital image recording device records an image, wherein said step of determining a first time, further includes a step of determining a time stamp for an image recorded by the digital image recording device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining a time offset between the first time that at least one digital image was recorded and the time geographic information was recorded.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the geographic positioning receiver includes a visual display indicating the relative time being tracked by the geographic positioning receiver;

wherein said step of determining a time offset, further includes a step of using the digital image recording device to record an image of the visual display of the geographic positioning receiver.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of determining a time offset, further includes a step of using an image of a UTC display recorded with the image recording device.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of determining a time offset, further includes a step of using at least one image recorded using the digital image recording device.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of determining a time offset, further includes a step of interpolating between GPS epochs in the OPS log file.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

synchronizing the image recording device'"'"'s clock data with the GPS receiver'"'"'s clock data.

9. A method for matching a digital representation of an image with information including a geographic location of said image, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) recording one or more images of a desired field of view at a first time using a digital image recorder having a clock;

(b) recording information including a geographic location of said one or more images at a second relative time using a geographic positioning receiver having a

(c) creating an association of each said one or more images at a third relative time with a respective said information including a geographic location of said one or more images by matching the second relative time with the first time; and

(d) outputting a result representing a closest pairing of each said one or more images with a respective said information including a geographic location of said one or more images.

10. The method according to claim 9, further including the step of matching geographic location information with each digital representation of an image in a wireless operation.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein said information further includes longitude and latitude information corresponding to a current geographic location of a positioning device.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein said information further includes time information corresponding to a current geographic location of a positioning device.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of creating an association, further includes a step of associating each said one or more images with at least one of a closest recording time, a closest recorded time before said one or more images were taken, and a closest time after said one or more images were taken.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of creating an association, further includes a step of at least one of calibrating and calculating a time offset of an image recording device used to record said one or more images.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of at least one of calibrating and calculating, further includes a step of setting the image recording device'"'"'s clock to match a world standard time.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of at least one of calibrating and calculating, further includes a step of determining an offset of the image recording device'"'"'s clock time.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of at least one of calibrating and calculating, further includes a step of determining an offset of the time each image was created with respect to a world standard time.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of at least one of calibrating and calculating, further includes a step of directly measuring a difference between a free-running clock of an image recording device and a world standard time.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of at least one of calibrating and calculating, further includes a step of recording, over time, multiple measurements of an image recording device'"'"'s clock time offset.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of at least one of calibrating and calculating, further includes a step of creating a calibration image.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of at least one of calibrating and calculating, further includes a step of performing optical character recognition.

22. The method according to claim 9, further including a step of pairing an image with geographic location information substantially corresponding to said image despite an error in geographic position recorded when said image was recorded.

23. The method according to claim 9, further including a step of pairing an image with geographic location information substantially corresponding to said image despite an error in time recorded when said image was recorded.

24. The method according to claim 9, further including a step of position tagging each image with a location indicator closest in time to when said image was recorded.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said location indicator is at least one of maintained in a separate file associated with a corresponding image file and configured for insertion into each image file.

26. The method according to claim 9, further including a step of time matching each image to geographic location information recorded by a positioning device.

27. The method according to claim 9, further including a step of interpolating between one or more location indicators in a location indicator file in order to obtain a best location information for an image taken at a time not represented in said location indicator file.

28. In a method for matching a recorded image with geographic data substantially corresponding to a geographic location where said image was recorded, one or more electronic devices comprising a data processor performing the steps of:

(a) recording one or more images;

(b) recording geographic data substantially corresponding to each image;

(c) position tagging each image with a location indicator, of said geographic data, substantially closest in time to when each image was recorded; and

(d) matching a time of recording of each image with said location indicator recorded substantially closest in time to when each image was recorded, in order to determine a geographic location of an electronic positioning device at a time or closest in time to when each image was recorded; and

(e) outputting a matched result.