Imaging method and system

Abstract

There is provided a method for compositing remote sensing images (such as satellite images in visible light) with user generated content. An image capture device carried on a satellite platform is tasked to capture at least one remote sensing image of a geographical area within a predetermined time slot. The at least one remote sensing image is received at an interface portal along with at least one user-generated content, UGC, item. UGC items that have an associated location within the geographical area and that were captured within the time slot are merged, by the interface portal, with the remote sensing image to form a hybrid image. The interface portal and user device implementing the above method are described as is the system in which the method is implemented.

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving at least one remote sensing image of a predetermined geographical area from an image capture device carried on a satellite platform, the image capture device having been tasked to capture the at least one remote sensing image within a predetermined time slot;   obtaining a user-generated content, UGC, item, the UGC item having an associated location within the geographical area and having been captured at a user-determined time within the time slot; and   merging the UGC item and the remote sensing image to form a hybrid image.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the UGC item includes at least one of user generated location information, a user generated still image, a user generated video image; a user generated audio and wearable sensor data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the UGC item is a selfie image. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further including obtaining ambient audio data, and wherein the UGC item further includes the ambient audio data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further including obtaining at least one additional remote sensing image. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one additional remote sensing image is obtained from a further image capture device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said further image capture device is hosted by a second platform different from the satellite platform. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second platform is one of: a second satellite platform; a UAV platform; and a manned aircraft platform. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein merging comprises:
 processing the remote sensing image into a map projection; to compensate for viewing angle of satellite;   converting the location associated with the UGC item into a pixel location within the processed remote sensing image; and   imposing a visible indicator on the processed remote sensing image at the pixel location.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further including constructing a compound multimedia item by composing additional content with the hybrid image. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising obtaining an historical remote sensing image of the geographical area, 
       wherein the additional content includes the historical remote sensing image. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the additional content includes at least one of:
 metadata;   additional pre-generated video content;   additional pre-generated audio content;   prepared text content;   prepared graphical content;   visual effects; and   user generated content shared by other users.   
     
     
         13 . A portal device having at least one processor and at least one communication unit, wherein the at least one communication unit is configured to receive at least one remote sensing image of a predetermined geographical area from an image capture device carried on a satellite platform, the image capture device having been tasked to capture the at least one remote sensing image within a predetermined time slot; and to obtain a user-generated content, UGC, item, the UGC item having an associated location within the geographical area and having been captured at a user-determined time within the time slot; and 
       wherein the at least one processor is configured to merge the UGC item and the remote sensing image to form a hybrid image. 
     
     
         14 . A machine-readable medium carrying a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to carry out the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . A computer implemented method in a mobile device comprising:
 causing a content capture device to capture a user generated content, UGC, item at a user-determined time;   causing a location unit to locate the mobile device and to associate the resulting location with the captured UGC item,   determining whether the user-determined time is within a predetermined time slot and whether the location of the mobile device within a predetermined geographical area; and   if the user-determined time is within the predetermined time slot and the location of the mobile device is within the predetermined geographical area, communicating with a merging service to trigger the generation of a hybrid image that merges the user image and a remote sensing image, the remote sensing image having been captured by an image capture device carried on a satellite platform within the predetermined time slot and being of the predetermined geographical area.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the location is obtained using a global satellite positioning technique. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the location is obtained using cell ID. 
     
     
         18 . A mobile device having:
 a content capture device;   a location unit;   a memory; and   at least one processor;   wherein the memory stores instructions which when executed in the processor: cause the content capture device to capture a user generated content, UGC, item at a user-determined time;   cause the location unit to locate the mobile device and to associate the resulting location with the captured UGC item,   determine whether the user-determined time is within a predetermined time slot and whether the location of the mobile device within a predetermined geographical area; and   if the user-determined time is within the predetermined time slot and the location of the mobile device is within the predetermined geographical area, communicate with a merging service to trigger the generation of a hybrid image that merges the user image and a remote sensing image, the remote sensing image having been captured by an image capture device carried on a satellite platform within the predetermined time slot and being of the predetermined geographical area.   
     
     
         19 . A machine-readable medium carrying a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to carry out the method of  claim 15 .