Indoor/outdoor scene detection using gps

Abstract

A digital camera system, comprising: a digital image sensor; an optical system for forming an image of a scene onto the digital image sensor; a global positioning system sensor; a processor-accessible memory system; and a processor. The processor performs the steps of: analyzing a signal from the global positioning system sensor to determine whether the digital camera system is indoors or outdoors; capturing an input digital image of the scene using the digital image sensor; processing the input digital image responsive to whether the digital camera system is indoors or outdoors; and storing the processed digital image in the processor-accessible memory system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An image capture system comprising:
 a digital image sensor;   an optical system configured to form an image of a scene onto the digital image sensor;   a global positioning system sensor;   a processor-accessible memory system;   a processor configured to perform operations comprising:   analyzing a signal from the global positioning system sensor to determine whether the image capture system is indoors or outdoors, wherein the analyzing comprises:   determining a geographic location and an altitude by analyzing the signal from the global positioning system sensor;   determining a known ground level altitude at the determined geographic location from a topology database that provides an indication of ground elevation as a function of geographic location;   determining a likelihood that the digital camera system is indoors based on a difference between the determined altitude and the known ground level altitude at the determined geographic location;   capturing a digital image of the scene using the digital image sensor;   processing the digital image responsive to whether the digital camera system is determined to likely be indoors or outdoors; and   storing the digital image in the processor-accessible memory system.   
     
     
         2 . The image capture system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising setting an outdoor photography mode when it is determined that the image capture system is outdoors. 
     
     
         3 . The image capture system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal from the global positioning system sensor is analyzed by determining a geographic location, and wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising:
 determining an image capture date and time; and   determining a type of lighting responsive to the determined geographic location and the determined image capture date and time.   
     
     
         4 . The image capture system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing the digital image includes adjusting at least one parameter of an image processing operation responsive to whether the image capture system is likely indoors or outdoors. 
     
     
         5 . The image capture system of  claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising adjusting a parameter for a white balance operation responsive to whether the image capture system is likely indoors or outdoors. 
     
     
         6 . The image capture system of  claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising adjusting a parameter for a color correction operation responsive to whether the image capture system is likely indoors or outdoors. 
     
     
         7 . The image capture system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing the digital image includes determining metadata to be associated with the stored digital image providing an indication of whether the image capture system is likely indoors or outdoors. 
     
     
         8 . The image capture system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising adjusting one or more image capture settings used in the capturing the digital image responsive to whether the image capture system is likely indoors or outdoors. 
     
     
         9 . The image capture system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising:
 analyzing a signal from the global positioning system sensor to determine whether the image capture system is moving; and   adjusting one or camera settings responsive to whether the image capture system is moving.   
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 determining a geographic location and an altitude by analyzing a signal from a global positioning system sensor;   determining a known ground level altitude at the determined geographic location from a topology database that provides an indication of ground elevation as a function of geographic location;   determining a likelihood that an image capture system is indoors based on a difference between the determined altitude and the known ground level altitude at the determined geographic location;   capturing a digital image of the scene using a digital image sensor;   processing the digital image responsive to whether the image capture system is determined to likely be indoors or outdoors; and   storing the digital image in a processor-accessible memory system.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising setting an outdoor photography mode when it is determined that the image capture system is outdoors. 
     
     
         12 . The image capture system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining an image capture date and time; and   determining a type of lighting responsive to the determined geographic location and the determined image capture date and time.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising adjusting at least one parameter of an image processing operation responsive to whether the image capture system is likely indoors or outdoors. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising adjusting a parameter for a white balance operation responsive to whether the image capture system is likely indoors or outdoors. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising adjusting a parameter for a color correction operation responsive to whether the image capture system is likely indoors or outdoors. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 analyzing a signal from the global positioning system sensor to determine whether the image capture system is moving; and   adjusting one or camera settings responsive to whether the image capture system is moving.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:
 determining a geographic location and an altitude by analyzing a signal from a global positioning system sensor;   determining a known ground level altitude at the determined geographic location from a topology database that provides an indication of ground elevation as a function of geographic location;   determining a likelihood that an image capture system is indoors based on a difference between the determined altitude and the known ground level altitude at the determined geographic location;   capturing a digital image of the scene using a digital image sensor;   processing the digital image responsive to whether the image capture system is determined to likely be indoors or outdoors; and   storing the digital image in a processor-accessible memory system.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , further comprising determining metadata to be associated with the stored digital image providing an indication of whether the image capture system is likely indoors or outdoors. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , further comprising adjusting one or more image capture settings used in the capturing the digital image responsive to whether the image capture system is likely indoors or outdoors. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 analyzing a signal from the global positioning system sensor to determine whether the image capture system is moving; and   adjusting one or camera settings responsive to whether the image capture system is moving.