GPS pre-acquisition for geotagging digital photos

• US 8,866,669 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Ngo, Ngoc Bich, Vanden Heuvel, David Noel, Tysowksi, Piotr Konrad
• Primary Examiner(s): LIU, HARRY K
• Application Number:
  US13/930,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20130285850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.25
• US Class Current: 342/357.25
• 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 a digital photo taken using a camera in a GPS-enabled handheld electronic device, the method comprising:

providing an onscreen user interface for the camera; and

prior to taking the digital photo using the camera, presenting an indication of acquisition status for a GPS position fix on the user interface while displaying a viewfinder on the user interface, the indication of acquisition status comprising an indication that GPS acquisition is progressing.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising displaying an indication that a photo taken by the camera is being geotagged.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising displaying an indication that a photo taken by the camera will be geotagged.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising displaying an indication warning that a time elapsed between a taking of the digital photo and a subsequent GPS position fix has exceeded a specified threshold.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the indication of acquisition status comprises an indication that GPS lock has been acquired.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the indication of acquisition status comprises an indication that GPS lock has not been acquired.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the indication of acquisition status further shows an estimated time remaining to acquisition.

8. A computer-readable medium comprising code which when loaded into memory and executed on a processor of a GPS-enabled handheld electronic device is adapted to geotag a digital photo taken using a camera in a GPS-enabled handheld electronic device by:

providing an onscreen user interface for the camera; and

prior to taking the digital photo using the camera, presenting an indication of acquisition status for a GPS position fix on the user interface while displaying a viewfinder on the user interface, the indication of acquisition status comprising an indication that GPS acquisition is progressing.

9. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 further comprising displaying an indication that a photo taken by the camera is being geotagged.

10. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 further comprising displaying an indication that a photo taken by the camera will be geotagged.

11. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 further comprising displaying an indication warning that a time elapsed between a taking of the digital photo and a subsequent GPS position fix has exceeded a specified threshold.

12. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 wherein the indication of acquisition status comprises an indication that GPS lock has been acquired.

13. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 wherein the indication of acquisition status comprises an indication that GPS lock has not been acquired.

14. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 wherein the indication of acquisition status further shows an estimated time remaining to acquisition.

15. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a GPS receiver configured to receive GPS radio signals from orbiting GPS satellites;

a camera configured to take a digital photo; and

a display for presenting, prior to taking the digital photo using the camera, an indication of acquisition status for a GPS position fix while displaying a viewfinder on the display, the indication of acquisition status comprising an indication that GPS acquisition is progressing.

16. The device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the display displays an indication that a photo taken by the camera is being geotagged.

17. The device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the display displays an indication that a photo taken by the camera will be geotagged.

18. The device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the display displays an indication warning that a time elapsed between a taking of the digital photo and a subsequent GPS position fix has exceeded a specified threshold.

19. The device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the indication of acquisition status comprises an indication that GPS lock has been acquired.

20. The device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the indication of acquisition status comprises an indication that GPS lock has not been acquired.

21. The device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the indication of acquisition status further shows an estimated time remaining to acquisition.