Associating image and location data

• US 20010015756A1
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Published: 08/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilcock, Lawrence, Squibbs, Robert Francis
• Granted Patent: US 6,741,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• 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 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00172 directly from a still digital camera or from a storage medium mounted in a still digital camera H04N1/0018 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00196 Creation of a photo-montage, e.g. photoalbum H04N1/0019 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data

Abstract

Associating Image and Location Data Location stamping of digital photos provides a convenient way to subsequently catalogue the photos. However, most digital cameras are not provided with location discovery means. To overcome this, arrangements are provided for enabling location data (100) to be separately recorded (for example using a cell phone 20) at the time a photo (95) is taken and then subsequently united with the photo.

Claims

1. A method of associating location data with image recordings, comprising the steps of:

(a) using a camera to take a number of image recordings;

(b) in association with taking each of at least some of said image recordings, using a mobile device that is operatively associated with a mobile radio infrastructure and separate from the camera, to provide, or trigger the provision of, a location data item indicative of the location at which the image recording was taken;

(c) storing, in a store connected with the mobile radio infrastructure, the location data items obtained in step (b);

(d) subsequently retrieving the location data items from said store and uniting each location data item with the corresponding image recordings.

2. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein in step (b) the location data items are generated at, and temporarily stored in, the mobile device before being uploaded over the mobile radio infrastructure to said store.

3. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein in step (b) the location data items are provided by a location server of the mobile radio infrastructure and passed to the mobile device where they are temporarily stored before being uploaded over the mobile radio infrastructure to said store.

4. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein in step (b) the location data items are provided by a location server of the mobile radio infrastructure and passed to said store without being handled by the mobile device.

5. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the order of taking of the image recordings and of provision of the location data items is used in step (d) to unite the corresponding image recordings and location data items.

6. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the image recordings and location data items are separately time-stamped and these timestamps are used in step (d) to unite the corresponding image recordings and location data items.

7. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein in step (a) the image recordings are electronically stored in the camera and are transferred in step (d) to a computer to which said location data items are also retrieved from said store, the image recordings and location data items being electronically united at said computer.

8. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein in step (d) the location data items are printed out to provide separate location-data-item labels that are then physically associated with hard copy versions of the corresponding image recordings.

9. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the mobile device is a cellular mobile phone.

10. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein in step (d) the location data items are retrieved from said store over the Internet.

11. A method of associating location data with image recordings, comprising the steps of:

(a) using a camera to take a number of image recordings that are distinguished from each other by an implicit or explicit location-independent reference associated with each;

(b) in association with taking each of at least some of said image recordings, using a mobile device that is operatively associated with a mobile radio infrastructure and separate from the camera, to provide, or trigger the provision of, location data indicative of the location at which the image recording was taken;

(c) storing, in a store connected with the mobile radio infrastructure, the location data obtained in step (b) together with implicit or explicit indexes for matching with the reference associated with the corresponding image recording,;

(d) subsequently uniting the location data with the corresponding image recordings by a correlation process using said references and indexes.