Method and apparatus for automatic photograph annotation

• US 20040201676A1
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Needham, Bradford H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,248,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.1
• 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: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00148 Storage information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00161 Viewing or previewing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00167 Processing or editing H04N1/00196 - H04N1/00201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method for automatically annotating digital images. An electronic capture device captures a digital representation of a scene. An information tag device is utilized to store identification data for identifying the scene. A tag-reader receives the identification data from the information tag device. A database stores information for the information tag device. A communication device communicates with the database. When identification data is transmitted to the database, information for an annotation provider is transmitted from the database to the communication device. A program executed by the communication device controls communication of the identification data with the database.

Claims

1. A system for automatically annotating a digital representation, comprising:

an electronic capture device to capture the digital representation of a scene;

an information tag device to store identification data for identifying the scene;

a tag-reader to receive the identification data from the information tag device;

a database to store information for the information tag device;

a communication device to communicate with the database, wherein when identification data is transmitted to the database, and information for an annotation provider is transmitted from the database to the communication device;

a program to be executed by the communication device, wherein the program controls communication of the identification data with the database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication device is a computer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication device is part of the electronic capture device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication device further includes a processing device, the processing device being utilized to associate the captured digital representation with a particular identification tag device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic capture device is a camera.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag-reader is located within the electronic capture device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein information stored in the database includes a network address of the annotation provider of annotations for the scene.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein when the network address of the annotation provider is received by the communication device, the program contacts the annotation provider'"'"'s network address, and at least one annotation option is provided to a user.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the network address is an Internet address.

10. A method of automatically annotating a digital representation, comprising:

capturing the digital representation of a scene;

receiving identification data from an identification tag device, the identification data identifying the scene;

communicating with a database, wherein the database is utilized to store information for the identification tag device, and when the identification data is transmitted to the database, the information for an annotation provider is transmitted from the database to a communication device;

executing a program, the program controlling communication of the identification data between the database and a communication device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication device is part of the electronic capture device.

12. The method of claim 10, further including associating the captured digital representation with a particular information tag device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the capturing of the scene is performed with a camera.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the information stored in the database includes a network address of the annotation provider of annotations for the scene.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein when the network address of the caption provider is received by the communication device, the program contacts the annotation provider'"'"'s network address, and at least one annotation option is provided to the user.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the network address is an Internet address.

17. An apparatus for automatically annotating a digital representation, comprising:

an electronic capture device to capture a digital representation of an object;

a tag-reader to retrieve identification data from an identification tag device, wherein the identification tag device is utilized to store the identification data identifying the object;

a communication device to communicate with a database, wherein the database is utilized to store information for the identification tag device, and when identification data is transmitted to the database, information for an annotation provider is transmitted from the database to the communication device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the communication device is part of the electronic capture device.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the communication device further includes a processing device, the processing device being utilized to associate the captured digital representation with a particular information tag device.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the electronic capture device is a camera.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the tag-reader is located within the electronic capture device.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the information includes a network address of the annotation provider of annotations for the scene.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the network address is an Internet address.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the communication device executes a program for controlling communication of the identification data with the database.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein when the network address of the annotation provider is received by the communication device, the program contacts the annotation provider'"'"'s network address, and a user of the apparatus is given an option as to which annotations the user prefers for the digital representation.

26. A camera for automatically annotating digital images, comprising:

an electronic capture device to capture a digital representation of a scene;

a tag-reader to receive identification data from an information tag device;

a memory to store the digital representation and the identification data associated therewith;

an input/output (I/O) device to transfer data between the memory and a communication device, wherein the communication device transfers the data with a database, wherein information for the information tag device is stored in the database.

27. The camera of claim 26, wherein the information stored in the database includes a network address of an annotation provider of annotations for the scene.

28. The camera of claim 26, wherein the communication device includes a program execution device to execute a program, wherein the program controls communication of the identification data with the database.

29. The camera of claim 26, wherein the communication device is located within the camera.