Cross verification of data captured by a consumer electronic device

Abstract

A system for cross verification of data captured by a consumer electronic device is disclosed. Primary data, for example, a photograph, is captured by a mobile capture device, and metadata including the time and location of the capture is associated with the primary data. Environmental data, for example, pressure, temperature, visible WiFi networks, visible cell towers, is also measure by the mobile capture device. Other capture devices are identified in the vicinity and those other devices also measure environmental data. The measurements of environmental data can then be compared in order to calculate a confidence level in the position metadata associated with the primary data.

1 . A system for attributing a confidence level to time and location metadata associated with primary data, the system including a plurality of mobile capture devices and a mobile data communication network allowing data transfer between the mobile capture devices,
 each mobile capture device including at least one sensor for capturing primary data, and being adapted to provide metadata specifying at least the time and location relating to captured primary data, and each mobile capture device further including at least one further sensor for measuring at least one environmental parameter,   each mobile capture device being adapted to carry out the steps of:
 capturing primary data using the at least one sensor; 
 associating metadata with the primary data, the metadata specifying at least the time and location of the capture; and 
 measuring and storing at least one environmental parameter at the time and location of the capture, and associating the measured environmental parameter with the primary data, 
   in response to a trigger,   and each mobile capture device being adapted to carry out the steps of:
 measuring and storing at least one environmental parameter; and 
 transmitting the measured environmental parameter on the communication network, 
   in response to a remote command,   and the system including at least one device connected to the data communication network and being adapted to:   in response to a capture of primary data being made by a mobile capture device forming part of the system,   carry out the steps of:
 identifying other mobile capture devices in a similar location at a similar time to the capture device making the primary data capture; 
 requesting and receiving environmental data from other mobile capture devices identified; 
 comparing environmental data received from other mobile capture devices with the environmental data measured by the device capturing the primary data, and assigning a confidence level to the time and location metadata associated with the primary data based on the comparison. 
   
     
     
         2 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor for measuring the at least one environmental parameter includes at least one of a thermometer, a hydrometer, a pressure sensor, and/or a light level sensor. 
     
     
         3 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor for measuring the at least one environmental parameter includes at least one of a WiFi transceiver for detecting visible WiFi networks and a mobile telecommunications transceiver for detecting visible cell towers. 
     
     
         4 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one device of the plurality of mobile capture devices is a server, and wherein the server identifies other nearby devices and makes comparisons. 
     
     
         5 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one device of the plurality of mobile capture devices is a mobile telephone comprising a processor and a computer program for execution on the processor. 
     
     
         6 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in which the confidence level comprises a binary “verified” or “unverified” value. 
     
     
         7 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the binary value is calculated by: 
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   δ 
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                   x 
                 
                 
                   δ 
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                   p 
                 
               
               < 
               Max 
             
           
         
         where δx is the difference in an environmental parameter measured by two of the mobile capture devices, and δp is the difference in the position of the two devices, and Max is a threshold, and where a “verified” value is returned if 
       
       
         
           
             
               
                 δ 
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                 x 
               
               
                 δ 
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                 p 
               
             
           
         
       
       is less than Max, otherwise an “unverified” value is returned. 
     
     
         8 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a multi-level confidence value is calculated by: 
       
         
           
             
               
                 δ 
                  
                 x 
               
               
                 δ 
                  
                 p 
               
             
           
         
         where δx is the difference in an environmental parameter measured by two of the mobile capture devices, and δp is the difference in the position of the two devices, and a low value of the ratio 
       
       
         
           
             
               
                 δ 
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                 x 
               
               
                 δ 
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                 p 
               
             
           
         
       
       indicates a high confidence, and vice versa. 
     
     
         9 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a maximum difference in position δp which determines a device in the plurality of mobile capture devices to be in the similar location to the other mobile capture devices is variable according to a density of mobile capture devices in a relevant area. 
     
     
         10 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein environmental data for a particular position is compared to a third party data source. 
     
     
         11 . A system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein visible WiFi networks and/or visible cell towers are compared to the third party data source. 
     
     
         12 . A system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein a position is compared to the third party data source, and wherein the position comprises elevation. 
     
     
         13 . A system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the elevation is compared to an estimated elevation determined from a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         14 . A system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the estimated elevation is determined according to: 
       
         
           
             
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         15 . A system for collecting environmental data, the system comprising at least one mobile capture device,
 wherein the at least one mobile capture device carries out the steps of:
 capturing primary data; 
 associating metadata with the primary data, 
 measuring environmental data; 
 associating the environmental data with the metadata; 
 storing the environmental data and the metadata; 
 utilizing the metadata to identify other mobile capture devices nearby; 
 accessing the other mobile capture devices; 
 using the other mobile capture devices to collect additional environmental data; and 
 verifying the environmental data by comparing the environmental data with the additional environmental data. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system for collecting environmental data of  claim 15 , wherein the other mobile capture devices are triggered by the at least one mobile capture device. 
     
     
         17 . The system for collecting environmental data of  claim 16 , wherein the triggering comprises a timed, pre-set trigger. 
     
     
         18 . A method for measuring an environmental parameter, the method comprising:
 capturing primary data using a capture device;   associating metadata with the primary data;   measuring an environmental parameter using the capture device;   transmitting a message to a server, wherein the message comprises the capture device's physical location;   using the metadata to identify other capture devices near the capture device; and   utilizing the other capture devices to cross-verify the environmental parameter measured by the capture device.   
     
     
         19 . The method for measuring an environmental parameter of  claim 18 , wherein the metadata originates from the capture device. 
     
     
         20 . The method for measuring an environmental parameter of  claim 18 , wherein the cross-verification further comprises:
 verifying accuracy of the environmental parameter measured by the capture device.