Method and system for improving the location precision of an object taken in a geo-tagged photo

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016171004-A1
Application number	US-201414567250-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 11, 2014
Priority date	Dec 11, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method that improves the location precision of the object taken in a geo-tagged photo. When a photo is taken of an object, the distance to the object in the photo is determined. The angle between magnetic north and the direction the mobile phone is facing is also determined. Using this information along with the location coordinates of the mobile phone, the coordinates of the object's location can be determined.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for determining latitude and longitude coordinates of an object in a photo taken by a device, the method comprising:
determining, by the device, longitude and latitude coordinates (X A *Y A ) of the device when the photo was taken; determining, by the device, a distance d from the device to the object when the photo was taken; determining, by the device, an angle a between magnetic north and a direction the device is facing when the photo was taken; calculating, by the device or a remote server, a longitude and latitude (X B , Y B ) of the object in the photo based on the longitude and latitude coordinates (X A , Y A ) of the device, the distance d from the device to the object, and the angle a between magnetic north and the direction the device is facing when the photo is taken.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the device is a mobile phone.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein determining longitude and latitude coordinates (X A , Y A ) of the device when the photo was taken further comprises:
using cell phone tower triangulation to determine the longitude and latitude coordinates (X A , Y A ) of the mobile phone when the photo was taken.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining longitude and latitude coordinates (X A , Y A ) of the device when the photo was taken further comprises:
using a global positioning receiver in the device to determine the longitude and latitude coordinates (X A , Y A ) of the device when the photo was taken.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a distance d from the device to the object when the photo was taken further comprises:
using EXIF data to determine the distance.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining an angle a between magnetic north and a direction the device is facing when the photo was taken further comprises:
using a magnetometer built into the device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating a longitude and latitude (X B , Y B ) of the object in the photo further comprises:
calculating the longitude X B as X A +d*sin(a); and calculating the latitude Y b as Y A +d*cos(a).

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a distance d from the device to the object when the photo was taken further comprises:
determining an angle b formed between a base of the object and a position of the device using an accelerometer sensor built into the device; determining a height H of the device based on a height of a user holding the device when the photo is taken; and determining the distance d as cotan(b)*H.

9 . A method for returning information related to house that is stored in a database based on a location of the house that is determined using a photo of the house taken by a device, the method, comprising:
determining, by the device, longitude and latitude coordinates (X A , Y A ) of the device when the photo was taken; determining, by the device, a distance d from the device to the house when the photo was taken; determining, by the device, an angle a between magnetic north and a direction the device is facing when the photo was taken; calculating, by the device or a remote server, a longitude and latitude (X B , Y B ) of the house in the photo based on the longitude and latitude coordinates (X A , Y A ) of the device, the distance d from the device to the house, and the angle a between magnetic north and the direction the device is facing when the photo is taken; searching, by the remote server, the database using the calculated longitude and latitude (X B , Y B ) of the house for information related to the house; and returning, by the remote server to the device, information related to the house from the database found when using the calculated longitude and latitude (X B , Y B ) of the house.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the device is a mobile phone.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein determining longitude and latitude coordinates (X A , Y A ) of the device when the photo was taken further comprises:
using cell phone tower triangulation to determine the longitude and latitude coordinates (X A , Y A ) of the mobile phone when the photo was taken.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein determining longitude and latitude coordinates (X A , Y A ) of the device when the photo was taken further comprises:
using a global positioning receiver in the device to determine the longitude and latitude coordinates (X A , Y A ) of the device when the photo was taken.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein determining a distance d from the device to the house when the photo was taken further comprises:
using EXIF data to determine the distance.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein determining an angle a between magnetic north and a direction the device is facing when the photo was taken further comprises:
using a magnetometer built into the device.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating a longitude and latitude (X B , Y B ) of the house in the photo further comprises:
calculating the longitude X B as X A +d*sin(a); and calculating the latitude Y B as Y A +d*cos(a).

Assignees

• Pitney Bowes Inc

Inventors

• Zhang Jun
• Liang Hongping
• Cordery Robert A
• Cooper Nathaniel
• Hong Zhenan

Classifications

• G06F16/5838 Primary

  using colour · CPC title

• H04W4/02 Primary

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• G06F17/30256

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F17/30271

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06T7/004

  Physics · mapped topic