GEO-FUSION BETWEEN IMAGING DEVICE AND MOBILE DEVICE
Various methods and apparatus relating to synchronizing location information between two or more devices are described. In some embodiments, the devices are both configured to generate GNSS receiver data that is synchronized to achieve greater location accuracy. In some embodiments, the GNSS receiver data can be weighted when one set of GNSS receiver data is known to have a higher accuracy than another set of GNSS receiver data.
1 - 9 . (canceled)
10 . A method, comprising:
receiving first position information from a first GNSS receiver of an imaging device;
receiving second position information from a second GNSS receiver of an auxiliary device proximate the imaging device;
combining the first position information with the second position information to determine a position estimate of the imaging device;
associating the position estimate of the imaging device with imagery recorded by the imaging device; and
storing the location of the imaging device and associated imagery to a computer readable storage medium.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the position estimate is associated with imagery taken at substantially the same time as the first and second position information was received.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein storing the location of the imaging device and associated imagery comprises associating the position estimate with a frame of a video file recorded by the imaging device.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein combining the first position with the second position information comprises weighting the second position information more than the first position information.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the auxiliary device is a cellular phone that receives position information from both the second GNSS receiver and other data sources.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the other data sources comprise cellular triangulation and WiFi positioning services.
16 - 20 . (canceled)
21 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising combining the first position information, the second position information with a third position information received from a third GNSS receiver.
22 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the imaging device and the auxiliary device are traveling at high speeds, and wherein the method further comprises data from the auxiliary device and data from the imaging device are time synchronized prior to combining the first position information and the second position information.
23 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the imaging device comprises a dashboard camera configured to record video through a window of a vehicle.
24 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the imaging device and the auxiliary device are configured to support bidirectional communication.
25 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the position estimate is determined partially based on a field of view and an orientation of the imaging device and a rate at which an event captured by the imaging device tracks across a screen of the imaging device.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the position estimate is calculated by analyzing multiple frames of a video taken by the imaging device.
27 . The method of claim 10 , further comprises sharing data between the imaging device and the auxiliary device when the imaging device and the auxiliary device share substantially a same inertial reference frame.
28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein sharing data between the imaging device and the auxiliary device when the imaging device and the auxiliary device share substantially a same inertial reference frame further comprises discarding the first position information and the second position information when the imaging device and the auxiliary device are moving at different speeds or in different directions.
29 . The method of claim 10 , further comprises requiring the imaging device and the auxiliary device to be within a particular distance from one another.
30 . The method of claim 10 , wherein combining the first position information with the second position information to determine the position estimate of the imaging device only when an accuracy of the second position information falls beneath a threshold.
31 . The method of claim 10 , wherein combining the first position information with the second position information to determine the position estimate of the imaging device only when a predicted course of either the auxiliary device or the imaging device is calculated to pass through a region of poor network reception.