Image recognition enhanced crowdsourced question and answer platform

• US 10,346,876 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2015
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Chand, Ashootosh, Shekar, Bharathi, Gupta, Adit, Singh, Tarkeshwar, Graham, Jamey
• Primary Examiner(s): Sigmond, Bennett M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Scott C
• Application Number:
  US14/639,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20160260130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5854 using shape and object relationship
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search

Abstract

A crowdsourced question and answer platform enhanced with image recognition technology is disclosed. The platform generates and organizes conversations surrounding an object recognized from an image uploaded by a user. Generating and organizing conversations includes receiving an image a from a user, analyzing the image to recognize an object in the image, receiving a comment related to the recognized object in the image from the user, generating content related to the recognized object in the image based on the received comment and adding the content related to the recognized object in the image to a conversation corresponding to the recognized object in the image.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, with one or more processors, a first image from a first user;

analyzing the first image, with the one or more processors, to recognize an object in the first image;

receiving, with the one or more processors, a comment related to the recognized object in the first image;

generating, with the one or more processors, content related to the recognized object in the first image based on the received comment;

prompting the first user to provide a context for the recognized object using a first selectable button;

generating a tag based on the context provided using the first selectable button;

adding, with the one or more processors, the content related to the recognized object in the first image and the tag in a form of a second selectable button to a conversation corresponding to the recognized object in the first image, wherein the tag, when selected, causes other objects associated with the tag to be displayed;

receiving a second image from a second user;

determining that the object that was recognized in the first image is also included in the second image;

identifying a portion of the conversation corresponding to the recognized object based on the second user'"'"'s prior interactions with the tag associated with the recognized object; and

providing the identified portion of the conversation to the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the conversation corresponding to the recognized object in the first image exists; and

in response to determining that the conversation does not exist, generating the conversation with the content related to the recognized object in the first image.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the tag is associated with the recognized object in the first image, and wherein determining that the object that was recognized in the first image is also included in the second image is based on the tag associated with the recognized object in the first image.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an advertisement related to the conversation from an advertiser;

generating the content including the advertisement related to the conversation; and

adding the content including the advertisement to the conversation.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a plurality of conversations corresponding to the recognized object in the first image;

presenting the plurality of conversations corresponding to the recognized object in the first image to the first user; and

receiving a selection of the conversation corresponding to the recognized object in the first image from the plurality of conversations corresponding to the recognized object in the first image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the comment related to the recognized object in the first image comprises a question related to the object recognized in the first image, an answer to a previous question related to the object recognized in the first image, or a statement related to the object recognized in the first image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the content related to the recognized object in the first image comprises a category based on the tag associated with the recognized object in the first image.

8. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

an image processor configured to;

receive a first image from a first user;

analyze the first image to recognize an object in the first image;

receive a second image from a second user; and

determine that the object that was recognized in the first image is also included in the second image;

a conversation engine configured to;

receive a comment related to the recognized object in the first image;

generate content related to the recognized object in the first image based on the received comment;

prompt the first user to provide a context for the recognized object using a first selectable button;

generate a tag based on the context provided using the first selectable button;

add the content related to the recognized object in the first image and the tag in a form of a second selectable button to a conversation corresponding to the recognized object in the first image, wherein the tag, when selected, causes other objects associated with the tag to be displayed;

identify a portion of the conversation corresponding to the recognized object based on the second user'"'"'s prior interactions with the tag associated with the recognized object; and

provide the identified portion of the conversation to the second user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the conversation engine is further configured to:

determine whether the conversation corresponding to the recognized object in the first image exists; and

in response to determining that the conversation does not exist, generate the conversation with the content related to the recognized object in the first image.

10. The system of claim 8,

wherein the tag is associated with the recognized object in the first image, and wherein determining that the object that was recognized in the first image is also included in the second image is based on the tag associated with the recognized object in the first image.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the conversation engine is further configured to:

receive an advertisement related to the conversation from an advertiser;

generate the content including the advertisement related to the conversation; and

add the content including the advertisement to the conversation.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the conversation engine is further configured to:

identify a plurality of conversations corresponding to the recognized object in the first image;

present the plurality of conversations corresponding to the recognized object in the first image to the first user; and

receive a selection of the conversation corresponding to the recognized object in the first image from the plurality of conversations corresponding to the recognized object in the first image.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the comment related to the recognized object in the first image comprises a question related to the object recognized in the first image, an answer to a previous question related to the object recognized in the first image, or a statement related to the object recognized in the first image.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the content related to the recognized object in the first image comprises a category based on the tag associated with the object in the first image.

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

receive a first image from a first user;

analyze the first image to recognize an object in the first image;

receive a comment related to the recognized object in the first image;

generate content related to the recognized object in the first image based on the received comment;

prompt the first user to provide a context for the recognized object using a first selectable button;

generate a tag based on the context provided using the first selectable button;

add the content related to the recognized object in the first image and the tag in a form of a second selectable button to a conversation corresponding to the recognized object in the first image, wherein the tag, when selected, causes other objects associated with the tag to be displayed;

receive a second image from a second user;

determine that the object that was recognized in the first image is also included in the second image;

identify a portion of the conversation corresponding to the recognized object based on the second user'"'"'s prior interactions with the tag associated with the recognized object; and

provide the identified portion of the conversation to the second user.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program is further configured to:

determine whether the conversation corresponding to the recognized object in the first image exists; and

in response to determining that the conversation does not exist, generate the conversation with the content related to the recognized object in the first image.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the tag is associated with the recognized object in the first image, and wherein determining that the object that was recognized in the first image is also included in the second image is based on the tag associated with the recognized object in the first image.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program is further configured to:

receive an advertisement related to the conversation from an advertiser;

generate the content including the advertisement related to the conversation; and

add the content including the advertisement related to the conversation.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program is further configured to:

identify a plurality of conversations corresponding to the recognized object in the first image;

present the plurality of conversation corresponding to the recognized object in the first image to the first user; and

receive a selection of the conversation corresponding to the recognized object in the first image from the plurality of conversations corresponding to the recognized object in the first image.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the comment related to the recognized object in the first image comprises a question related to the object recognized in the first image, an answer to a previous question related to the object recognized in the first image, or a statement related to the object recognized in the first image.