Method and device for modifying meta data of media objects

• US 9,020,940 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kononenko, Oleksandr, Reilly, James Francis, Strandell, Toni, Wong, Davin
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, BINH VAN
• Application Number:
  US12/672,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20120078898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,821 Days
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/487 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location

Abstract

A method for handling meta data of media objects, comprising creating a media object at a mobile electronic device, obtaining at least one rule defining modifications for positional data relating to at least one geographical area, determining positional data relating to the current geographical position of said mobile electronic device, applying said at least one rule to said positional data to derive positional meta data if said positional data relate to said at least one geographical area, deriving positional meta data from said determined positional data if said determined positional data do not relate to said at least one geographical area, and associating said positional meta data with said media object. An electronic device capable of performing the method is also provided.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

creating a media object at a mobile electronic device;

obtaining at least one rule of obfuscation defining modifications for positional data relating to at least one geographical area;

determining positional data relating to a current geographical position of said mobile electronic device;

applying said at least one rule to said determined positional data to derive first positional meta data if said determined positional data relate to said at least one geographical area;

wherein said at least one rule defines a pre-determined accuracy for positional data relating to a pre-determined geographical area; and

applying said rule comprises reducing the accuracy of said determined positional data to said pre-determined accuracy;

deriving second positional meta data from said determined positional data if said determined positional data do not relate to said at least one geographical area, wherein said first positional meta data differ from said second positional meta data by providing less accurate positional information about said current geographical position of said mobile electronic device; and

modifying positional meta data associated with said media object by associating said derived positional meta data with said media object.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

said at least one rule defines replacement data for positional data relating to a pre-determined geographical area;

and

applying said rule comprises replacing said determined positional data with said replacement data.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein

said at least one rule defines an exclusion for positional data relating to a pre-determined geographical area;

and

applying said rule comprises excluding said determined positional data from said first positional meta data.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein applying said rule comprises associating said at least one rule with said media object.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one rule is obtained from a user of said mobile electronic device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein obtaining said at least one rule comprises receiving said at least one rule.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

indicating to a user of said mobile electronic device if more than one rule relates to the geographical area of said determined positional data;

receiving a user input selecting one rule;

wherein said selected rule is used as said at least one rule.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

selecting the rule defining a strongest modification of said determined positional data if more than one rule relates to the geographical area of said determined positional data;

wherein said selected rule is used as said at least one rule.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising at least one of storing and transmitting said media object and said associated positional meta data.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said modifications defined by said at least one rule are entity-specific modifications, the method further comprising:

detecting an access to said media object by an entity;

providing said media object having said associated positional meta data to said entity;

wherein said applying of said at least one rule is performed responsive to said detected access and based on said entity.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first positional meta data corresponds to:

Exchangeable Image File Format, EXIF;

International Press Telecommunications Council, IPTC, standard;

Extensible Metadata Platform, XMP;

NewsML;

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, UTM;

National Grid;

or

Irish Grid.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said media object comprises at least one of:

a still image;

a video recording;

a data recording; and

an audio recording.

13. A computer program product comprising program code stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, which when executed by a computer processor causes an apparatus to perform the method of claim 1.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said second positional meta data correspond to:

Exchangeable Image File Format, EXIF;

International Press Telecommunications Council, IPTC, standard;

Extensible Metadata Platform, XMP;

NewsML;

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, UTM;

National Grid;

or

Irish Grid.

15. A mobile electronic device, comprising:

an interface configured to receive positional data relating to a current geographical position of said mobile electronic device;

a recording component configured to create a media object; and

a controller configured to obtain at least one rule of obfuscation defining modifications for positional data relating to at least one geographical position of said mobile electronic device, apply said at least one rule to said received positional data to derive first positional meta data if said received positional data relate to said at least one geographical area, wherein said at least one rule defines a pre-determined accuracy for positional data relating to a pre-determined geographical area; and

said controller is configured to apply said at least one rule by reducing the accuracy of said determined positional data to said pre-determined accuracy; and

derive second positional meta data from said received positional data if said received positional data do not relate to said at least one geographical area, wherein said first positional meta data differ from said second positional meta data by providing less accurate positional information about said current geographical position of said mobile electronic device, and modify positional meta data associated with said media object by associating said derived positional meta data with said media object.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein

said at least one rule defines replacement data for positional data relating to a pre-determined geographical area;

and

said controller is configured to apply said at least one rule by replacing said determined positional data with said replacement data.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein

said at least one rule defines an exclusion for positional data relating to a pre-determined geographical area;

and

said controller is configured to apply said at least one rule by excluding said determined positional data from said first positional meta data.

18. The device according to claim 15, wherein said controller is configured to associate said at least one rule with said media object.

19. The device according to claim 15, comprising:

a user interface;

wherein said controller is configured to obtain said at least one rule via said user interface from a user of said mobile electronic device.

20. The device according to claim 15, comprising an interface configured to perform at least one of receiving and transmitting said at least one rule.

21. The device according to claim 15, comprising:

a user interface;

wherein said controller is configured to indicate to a user of said mobile electronic device if more than one rule relates to the geographical area of said determined positional data, receive a user input selecting one rule via said user interface, and use said selected rule as said at least one rule.

22. The device according to claim 15, wherein said controller is configured to select the rule defining a strongest modification if more than one rule relates to the geographical area of said determined positional data, and use said selected rule as said at least one rule.

23. The device according to claim 15, comprising a memory component configured to store media objects and said associated positional meta data.

24. The device according to claim 15, comprising an interface configured to transmit media objects and associated positional meta data.

25. The device according to claim 15, wherein said modifications defined by said at least one rule are entity-specific modifications, and wherein said controller is configured to detect an access to said media object by an entity, apply said at least one rule responsive to said detected access and based on said entity, and provide said media object with said associated positional meta data to said entity.

26. The device according to claim 15, wherein said first positional meta data correspond to:

Exchangeable Image File Format, EXIF;

International Press Telecommunications Council, IPTC, standard;

Extensible Metadata Platform, XMP;

NewsML;

Universal Transverse Mercator Projection, UTM;

National Grid;

or

Irish Grid.

27. The device according to claim 15, wherein said interface configured to receive positional data comprises at least one of:

a Global Positional System, GPS, receiver;

a Galileo positional system receiver; and

a cellular communications interface.

28. The device according to claim 15, wherein said recording component comprises at least one of:

a still image camera;

a video camera;

a data recorder; and

an audio recorder.

29. An apparatus, comprising:

an interface configured to receive positional data relating to a current geographical position of said apparatus; and

a controller configured to obtain at least one rule of obfuscation defining modifications for positional data relating to at least one geographical area, apply said at least one rule to said received positional data to derive first positional meta data if said received positional data relate to said at least one geographical area, wherein said at least one rule defines pre-determined accuracy for positional data relating to a pre-determined geographical area; and

said controller is configured to apply said at least one rule by reducing the accuracy of said determined positional data to said pre-determined accuracy; and

derive second positional meta data from said received positional data if said received positional data do not relate to said at least one geographical area, wherein said first positional meta data differ from said second positional meta data by providing less accurate positional information about said current geographical position of said apparatus, and modify positional meta data associated with a media object by associating said derived positional meta data with said media object.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising an interface for providing said first and second positional meta data.

31. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein

said at least one rule defines replacement data for positional data relating to a pre-determined geographical area;

and

said controller is configured to apply said at least one rule by replacing said determined positional data with said replacement data.

32. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein

said at least one rule defines an exclusion for positional data relating to a pre-determined geographical area;

and

said controller is configured to apply said at least one rule by excluding said determined positional data from said first positional meta data.

33. An apparatus, comprising:

means for creating a media object at a mobile electronic device;

means for obtaining at least one rule of obfuscation defining modifications for positional data relating to at least one geographical area;

means for determining positional data relating to a current geographical position of said mobile electronic device;

means for applying said at least one rule to said determined positional data to derive first positional meta data if said determined positional data relate to said at least one geographical area;

wherein said at least one rule defines a pre-determined accuracy for positional data relating to a pre-determined geographical area; and

applying said rule comprises reducing the accuracy of said determined positional data to said pre-determined accuracy;

means for deriving second positional meta data from said determined positional data if said determined positional data do not relate to said at least one geographical area, wherein said first, positional meta data differ from said second positional meta data by providing less accurate positional information about said current geographical position of said mobile electronic device; and

means for modifying positional meta data associated with said media object by associating said derived positional meta data with said media object.