Method of position stamping a photo or video clip taken with a digital camera

• US 7,619,662 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2004
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: U-Blox AG (u-blox Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Geotate BV (u-blox Holding AG)
• Inventors: Turner, Simon R., Marshall, Christopher B., Yule, Andrew T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Misleh; Justin P
• Application Number:
  US10/552,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20060257122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/231.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9206 the additional signal being a character code signal

Abstract

A method of appending a position stamp to an image file of a photo or video clip taken with a digital camera having a GPS antenna and a GPS RF front-end including an analogue to digital converter for receiving GPS signals and outputting GPS signal samples together with a digital camera and computer for the same.

Claims

1. A method of appending a position stamp to an image file of a photo or video clip taken with a digital camera having a GPS antenna and a GPS RF front-end including an analogue to digital converter for receiving GPS signals and outputting GPS signal samples, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) upon a user taking a photo or video clip;

(a) creating an image file containing that photo or video clip, and

(b) sampling received GPS signals and storing those GPS signal samples with an indication of the image file of the photo or video clip to which those GPS signal samples pertain; and

(ii) subsequently processing the GPS signal samples to obtain a position fix and appending the position fix to the image file.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (ii) is done after an intentional delay has elapsed after step (i).

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of, after step (i) but before step (ii), uploading the image file and GPS signal samples to an external computer.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of, after step (i), detecting the connection to the camera of an external power source whereupon step (ii) is done either automatically or after user confirmation of an automatic prompt for the same.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (i) is performed twice upon a user taking respective first and second photo or video clips, prior to step (ii) being done for the first photo or video clip.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the GPS signal samples are stored in a file format.

7. A digital camera comprising:

a GPS antenna;

a GPS RF front-end including an analogue to digital converter for receiving GPS signals;

said digital camera being configured so that upon a user taking a photo or video clip;

(a) an image file is created containing that photo or video clip and

(b) received GPS signals are sampled and the GPS signal samples are stored with an indication of the created image file to which said GPS signal samples pertain; and

a GPS signal processor to perform subsequent processing of the GPS signal samples to obtain a position fix and append the position fix to the image file.

8. A digital camera according to claim 7 configured to process the GPS signal samples to obtain said position fix after an intentional delay has elapsed after said GPS signal samples are stored.

9. A digital camera according to claim 7 configured to process the GPS signal samples to obtain said position fix after detecting the connection to the camera of an external power source either automatically or after user confirmation of an automatic prompt for the same.

10. A digital camera according to claim 7 configured to allow said image file creation and said GPS signal sample storing to be performed twice upon a user taking respective first and second photo or video clips prior to processing the GPS signal samples to obtain said position fix and appending the position fix to the image file of the first photo or video clip.

11. A digital camera according to claim 7 configured to upload the image file and GPS signal samples to an external computer.

12. A digital camera according to claim 11 configured to allow said image file creation and said GPS signal sample storing to be performed twice upon a user taking respective first and second photo or video clips prior to uploading the image files and GPS signal samples to said external computer.

13. A digital camera according to claim 7 wherein the GPS signal samples are stored in a file format.

14. A computer comprising a processor and receiver, and configured to:

(a) receive through the receiver an image file containing a photo or video clip, GPS signal samples and an indication of the corresponding image file to which the GPS signal samples pertain by virtue of having been sampled when the corresponding photo or video clip was taken;

(b) process by operation of the processor the GPS signal samples to obtain a position fix; and

(c) append the position fix to the corresponding image file by operation of the processor.