Positioning system for adding location information to the metadata of an image and positioning method thereof

• US 8,478,308 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2011
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shu, Li-Sheng, Chuang, Tsung-Jen, Wong, Shih-Fang, Wang, Chung-Jen
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US13/071,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20120184289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 413, 4554561-457, 455/550.1, 4555561-557, 455418-420, 455517-519
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A positioning system includes a first mobile device and a second mobile device. The first mobile device includes a first wireless communication unit and an imaging unit. The second mobile device includes a second wireless communication unit and a location information obtaining unit. When an image is captured by the first mobile device, the first mobile device can communicate with the second mobile device to obtain position information, which is then included in EXIF of the just captured image.

Claims

1. A positioning system comprising:

a first mobile device comprising;

a first wireless communication unit;

an imaging unit; and

a first processor to control the imaging unit to capture an image in response to a user operation, and to transmit a location request signal through the first wireless communication unit upon the imaging unit capturing the image; and

a second mobile device comprising;

a second wireless communication unit to communicate with the first wireless communication unit;

a location information obtaining unit to obtain current location information of the first mobile device; and

a second processor to receive the location request signal through the second wireless communication unit, to control the location information obtaining unit to obtain the location information of the first mobile device upon receiving the location request signal, and to transmit the location information through the second wireless communication unit after the location information obtaining unit obtains the location information of the first mobile device;

wherein the first processor receives the location information through the first wireless communication unit, and includes the location information in the image taken by the imaging unit upon receiving the location information;

wherein each of the images taken by the imaging unit comprises EXIF data, the location information is included in the EXIF data associated with the image.

2. The positioning system as described in claim 1, wherein the first mobile device further comprises a storage unit, the first processor further stores the image included the location information in the storage unit.

3. The positioning system as described in claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication unit and the second wireless communication unit are WI-FI modules or Bluetooth modules.

4. The positioning system as described in claim 1, wherein the location information comprises latitude and longitude.

5. A positioning method implemented by a positioning system, the positioning system comprising

a first mobile device and a second mobile device, the first mobile device comprising a first wireless communication unit and an imaging unit,

the second mobile device comprising a second wireless communication unit and a location information obtaining unit, the first wireless communication unit communicating with the second wireless communication unit,

the imaging unit being to capture images, the location information obtaining unit being to obtain the current location information, the positioning method comprising:

controlling the imaging unit to capture an image in response to a user operation;

transmitting the location request signal through the first wireless communication unit upon the imaging unit capturing the image;

receiving the location request signal through the second wireless communication unit;

controlling the location information obtaining unit to obtain the current location information of the first mobile device upon receiving the location request signal;

transmitting the current location information through the second wireless communication unit upon obtaining the location information of the first mobile device;

receiving the current location information through the first wireless communication unit; and

including the location information in the image taken by the imaging unit upon receiving the current location information; and

including the location information in the EXIF data associated with the image taken by the imaging unit upon receiving the current location information;

wherein the image comprises EXIF data.

6. The positioning method as described in claim 5, the first mobile device further comprising a storage unit, wherein the positioning method further comprises:

storing the image included the location information to the storage unit.

7. The positioning method as described in claim 5, wherein the location information comprises latitude and longitude.