Facial recognition pet identifying system

• US 10,438,051 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2019
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pets Reunited LLC
• Original Assignee: Finding Rover, Inc.
• Inventors: Polimeno, John, Polimeno, Jason John, Callahan, Steven P., Schreiner, John M., Chang, Rick S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Seth, Manav
• Application Number:
  US16/287,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20190294862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 223 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/16 Human faces, e.g. facial parts, sketches or expressions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/171 Local features and components; Facial parts eye characteristics G06V40/18; Occluding parts, e.g. glasses; Geometrical relationships
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/50 Maintenance of biometric data or enrolment thereof

Abstract

A server system stores a database of records. Each record stores a digital image of a pet, facial recognition markers, and owner identification information. An owner may register his/her pet using a cellular telephone and a mobile app. The owner is prompted to supply a digital photograph of the pet and to enter eye and nose location information. The system generates therefrom facial recognition markers and stores the markers in a record. If a lost pet is found, a finding user can use a cellular telephone to take a picture of the animal and to enter eye and nose location information. The system generates markers and compares the markers in a facial recognition process to other stored markers to identify records of animals that resemble the lost pet. If the record of the lost pet is identified, then owner identification information in the record is used to contact the owner.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) transmitting a first image, wherein a first animal appears in the first image;

(b) transmitting a first geographical location indicator, wherein the first geographical location indicator is generated in response to a user input, and wherein the first geographical location indicator does not indicate the location where the first image was captured;

(c) receiving a second image, wherein a second animal that has a similar appearance to the first animal appears in the second image; and

(d) receiving a contact information associated with the second animal, wherein the receiving of (c) and (d) are performed in response to a second device determining that the second animal has a similar appearance to the first animal, wherein the second device includes a processor, a memory and a communication modem, and wherein the determining that the second animal has a similar appearance to the first animal is only performed by the second device when the first geographical location indicator indicates a first location that is within a distance from a second location that is indicated by a second geographical location indicator associated with the second image.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) receiving the second geographical location indicator that indicates where the second animal is located.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of (a) and (b) and the receiving of (c) and (d) are performed by a first device that includes a processor, a memory, and a communication modem.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) receiving a third image, wherein the first animal does not appear in the third image, and wherein the second animal does not appear in the third image.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

(f) receiving a contact information associated with the third animal.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the first device is a mobile computing device, a smart phone, a tablet, a personal computer or a laptop.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first geographical location indicator indicates a location where a search for animals with a similar appearance is to be performed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact information includes an email address, a phone number, or a physical location.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) prompting an user to communicate using the contact information.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) displaying the contact information.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) displaying the second image.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) displaying the first image and the second image.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) prompting the user to indicate that user would like to acquire the second animal.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance is selectable by a user.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first geographical location indicator includes the distance.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first geographical location indicator includes latitude and longitude information.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the second geographical location indicator includes latitude and longitude information.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first geographical location indicator includes a street address.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the second geographical location indicator includes a street address.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first geographical location indicator includes a zip code.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the second geographical location indicator includes a zip code.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the first geographical location indicator indicates where a user is located.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the second geographical location indicator indicates where the second animal is located.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the second geographical location indicator indicates where a person or organisation in possession of the second animal is located.