Methods for Providing Information Services Related to Visual Imagery

• US 20060268007A1
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kumar C. Gopalakrishnan
• Inventors: Gopalakrishnan, Kumar C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,873,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/38 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/383 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/538 Presentation of query results
• 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 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/587 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

Methods for providing information services related to visual imagery and operational details of various methods are described. The methods enable the capture of visual imagery, the request and presentation of information services related to the visual imagery, augmentation of visual imagery and continued interaction with the information services.

Claims

1. A method for providing an information service related to a visual imagery including:

a) capturing of the visual imagery; and

b) requesting of the related information service.

2. The method recited in claim 1, comprising a one step mode of operation, the one step mode of operation including

a) a user inputting a single click for the capturing of the visual imagery and for the requesting of the related information service, wherein the visual imagery is a still image;

b) the method recited in claim 2(a) wherein the capturing of the visual imagery is a capturing of a still image of a live scene.

c) the method recited in claim 2(a) wherein the capturing of the visual imagery is a selecting of a still image from a storage.

d) a user inputting a single click-hold for the capturing of the visual imagery and for the requesting of the related information service, wherein the visual imagery is a video sequence captured live or selected from a storage;

e) the click or click-hold in claim 2(a) through 2(d) being accompanied by a visual feedback;

f) the click or click-hold in claim 2(a) through 2(d) being substituted by a toggle, a widget-select, a widget-activate, a widget-toggle or a widget-hold;

g) the click or click-hold in claim 2(a) through 2(d) being made on the visual imagery displayed on the user interface, either explicitly using a pointing input component such as touch sensitive display or implicitly using a combination of an input component and selection of the visual imagery on a graphical user interface;

or

h) the captured visual imagery being displayed along with the resulting information service.

3. The method recited in claim 1, comprising a two step mode of operation, the two step mode of operation including

a) using a single click for capturing the visual imagery in the form of a single still image followed by using a second single click for the requesting of the related information service;

b) using a plurality of user inputs for the selection of the visual imagery in the form of a single still image from stored visual imagery followed by using a single click for the requesting of the related information service;

c) using a click hold for the capture of live visual imagery in the form of a plurality of still images or a video sequence followed by using a second single click for the requesting of the related information service;

d) using a plurality of user inputs for the selection and playback of the visual imagery in the form of a stored video sequence followed by using a user input in the form of a click-hold to select a segment of the video sequence followed by using a single click for the requesting of the related information service;

e) using a plurality of user inputs for the selection and playback of the visual imagery in the form of a stored video sequence followed by using a user input in the form of a plurality of clicks to select a plurality of frames from the visual imagery followed by using a single click for the requesting of the related information service;

f) using a plurality of user inputs for the selection and playback of the visual imagery in the form of a stored video sequence followed by using a user input in the form of a plurality of click-holds to select video sequences from the visual imagery followed by using a single click for the requesting of the related information service;

g) using a plurality of clicks and click-holds to select still image or video frames and video sequences from the captured live visual imagery followed by a single click for the requesting of the related information service;

h) using a plurality of user inputs for the selection and playback of the visual imagery in the form of a stored video sequence followed by using a user input in the form of a plurality of clicks and click-holds to select video frames and video sequences from the visual imagery followed by using a single click for the requesting of the related information service;

i) using a plurality of user inputs for the selection and playback of the visual imagery in the form of a plurality of stored video sequences followed by using a user input in the form of a plurality of clicks to select video frames from the visual imagery followed by using a single click for the requesting of the related information service;

j) using a plurality of user inputs for the selection and playback of the visual imagery in the form of a plurality of stored video sequences followed by using a user input in the form of a plurality of click-holds to select video sequences from the visual imagery followed by using a single click for the requesting of the related information service;

k) using a plurality of user inputs for the selection and playback of the visual imagery in the form of a plurality of stored video sequences followed by using a user input in the form of a plurality of clicks and click-holds to select video frames and video sequences from the visual imagery followed by using a single click for the requesting of the related information service;

l) using an n number of clicks for the capturing of the visual imagery in the form of n number of still images from live visual imagery and using a single click for the requesting of the related information service, wherein n is an integer greater than zero;

m) using an n number of clicks for the capturing of visual imagery and using one click for the requesting of the related information service, wherein the visual imagery is n number of still images in a storage and n is an integer greater than zero;

n) the clicks and click-holds in claims 3(a) through 3(m) being substituted by toggles, widget-selects, widget-activates, widget-toggles or widget-holds;

o) the clicks and click-holds in claims 3(a) through 3(m) being accompanied by a visual feedback;

or

p) the click made for requesting the information service in claims 3(a) through 3(m) being made on the visual imagery displayed on the user interface, either explicitly using a pointing input component such as touch sensitive display or implicitly using a combination of an input component and selection of the visual imagery on a graphical user interface.

4. The method recited in claim 1, comprising a three step mode of operation, the three step mode of operation including

a) performing a first step in the form of user inputs for capture or selection of the visual imagery, performing a second step in the form of user inputs for requesting an information option followed by the presenting of the input visual imagery with embedded hotspots;

b) performing a first step in the form of user inputs for capture or selection of the visual imagery, performing a second step in the form of user inputs for requesting an information option followed by the presentation of a list or menu of textual, graphical or audio representation of hotspots;

c) performing a first step in the form of user inputs for capture or selection of the visual imagery, performing a second step in the form of user inputs for requesting an information option followed by the presentation of a list or menu of textual, graphical or audio representation of visual elements recognized from the visual imagery and their permutations and combinations;

d) the method as recited in 4(c) including presenting the captured imagery along with the information options;

e) performing a first step in the form of user inputs for capture or selection of the visual imagery, performing a second step in the form of user inputs for requesting an information option followed by the presentation of a list of hotspots, performing a third step in the form of selecting a hotspot and requesting the related information service, upon which, the related information service is provided;

f) performing a first step in the form of user inputs for capture or selection of the visual imagery, performing a second step in the form of demarcating a spatiotemporal region in the visual imagery and, performing a third step in the form of requesting the related information service, upon which, the related information service is provided;

g) performing a first step in the form of user inputs for capture or selection of the visual imagery, performing a second step in the form of user inputs for requesting an information option followed by the presentation of a list of textual, graphical or audio representations of hotspots, a third step in the form of selecting a hotspot and requesting the related information service upon which the related information service is provided;

h) performing a first step in the form of user inputs for capture or selection of the visual imagery, performing a second step in the form of user inputs for requesting an information option followed by the presentation of a list of textual, graphical or audio representations of visual elements recognized from the image as in 4(c) or 4(d), performing a third step in the form of selecting a hotspot and requesting the related information service upon which the information service is provided;

i) the first two steps of operation, for the capture or selection of visual imagery and the request of related information services, being performed with a single click or click-hold followed by the presentation of a list of hotspots, performing a second step in the form of selecting a hotspot and requesting the related information service upon which related information service is provided;

j) the first two steps of operation, for the capture or selection of visual imagery and the request of related information services, being performed with a single click or click-hold followed by the presentation of a list of textual, graphical or audio representations of elements recognized from the imagery as in (c) or (d), performing a second step in the form of selecting a hotspot and requesting the information services, upon which, the related information service is provided;

k) using an n number of clicks for the capturing of the visual imagery and two clicks for the requesting of the information service, wherein the visual imagery is in the form of n number of still images, and n is an integer greater than zero;

l) the clicks and click-holds in claims 4(a) through 4(k) being accompanied by a visual feedback;

m) the clicks and click-holds in claims 4(a) through 4(k) being substituted by a toggle, widget-select, widget-activate, widget-toggle or widget-hold;

n) the clicks and click-holds in claims 4(a) through 4(k) being made on the visual imagery displayed on the user interface, either explicitly using a pointing input component such as touch sensitive display or implicitly using a combination of an input component and selection of the visual imagery on a graphical user interface.

5. The method recited in claim 1, using zero user inputs comprising

a) acquiring a live visual imagery or playback of a stored visual imagery;

b) capturing or selecting a still image or a video sequence automatically based on a parameter determined by a system;

c) requesting the information service related to the visual imagery automatically;

d) presenting the related information service embedded into or overlaid on the visual imagery;

or

e) presenting the related information service independent of the visual imagery.

6. The method recited in claim 1, including a user input, the user input comprising at least one of:

a) a click;

b) a click-hold;

c) a toggle;

d) a flick;

or

e) a client device motion.

7. The method recited in claim 1, including a user interaction using an input component, the input component comprising at least one of:

f) a button;

g) a joystick;

h) a scroll-wheel;

i) a thumb-wheel;

j) a touch sensitive input device;

or

k) a pressure sensitive input device.

8. The method recited in claim 1, including using a user input in conjunction with a widget on graphical user interface to perform an operation, the operation including

a) selecting a widget;

b) activating a widget;

c) holding a widget activation;

or

d) toggling a widget.

9. The method recited in claim 1, including presenting the visual imagery on a client user interface in the form of

a) a viewfinder;

b) a stored visual imagery playback;

c) a tiled layout of a plurality of visual imagery;

d) a filmstrip layout of a plurality of visual imagery;

e) an excerpt of a visual imagery;

or

f) a spatiotemporal region of a visual imagery.

10. The method recited in claim 1, including

a) using a plurality of input components predefined to request information services from a specific source of information services;

b) using a plurality of input components predefined to request information services from a plurality of specific sources of information services;

c) using a plurality of widgets predefined to request information services from a specific source of information services;

or

d) using a plurality of widgets predefined to request information services from a plurality of specific source of information services.

11. The method recited in claim 1, including at least one of

a) presenting the information service embedded into the input visual imagery;

b) presenting the information service independent of the input visual imagery;

c) presenting the information service in the form of a list or menu of information service options embedded in the input visual imagery;

d) presenting the information service in the form of a list or menu of information service options independent of the input visual imagery;

e) presenting the information services in a full screen mode;

f) presenting a single information service determined to be most related to the visual imagery;

g) presenting a list of information services with identifiers that qualify the information services with information;

h) presenting a list of information services with hints on whether an information service has been presented to the user in the past;

i) presenting an information service derived from reformatted content sourced from the World Wide Web;

j) presenting of the information service that is reformatted from the source information from which the information services are synthesized through format conversions such as resizing or through media type conversions such as audio to text format;

k) presenting of a sponsored information service before requested related information services are presented to the user;

l) presenting of the information service with optimized color schemes for presentation on the client device.

12. The method recited in claim 1, including presenting the information service that is customized using a parameter, the parameter comprising at least one of

a) an explicitly specified user preference;

b) a capability of the client device;

c) a capability of a communication network;

d) a system learned preferences of a user;

e) a media format used in the information services being presented;

f) a sponsored customization;

g) a geographical and spatial location of client device;

h) a time of day;

or

i) an ambient lighting around client device.

13. The method recited in claim 1, including presenting of a plurality of options to a user, the option comprising at least one of

a) an information service;

b) a hotspot embedded in the visual imagery;

c) a visual element extracted from the visual imagery;

d) a textual representation of a visual element extracted from the visual imagery;

e) a graphical representation of a visual element extracted from the visual imagery; and

f) a facet of system operation.

14. The method recited in claim 1, including a filtering of the information service using a parameter, the parameter comprising at least one of

a) an option type;

b) a author;

c) a time of creation;

d) a time of last modification;

e) a location of creation;

f) a location of last modification;

g) an availability of similar options;

h) a source of the information service associated with an option;

i) a nature of the information service associated with an option;

j) a textual keyword specified by the user;

k) a graphical input from the user;

l) a user preference;

m) a textual and graphical content of the options;

n) a layout of the options;

o) a metadata associated with the options;

p) a user'"'"'s usage history;

or

q) a logical relationship between filter criteria.

15. The method recited in claim 1, including using an avatar for accessing the information service wherein the use of avatar including

a) a user having one or more avatars simultaneously;

b) a user assuming different avatars for different users, user groups or information services;

c) a user trading an avatar with another user;

d) the information service being transformed by a characteristic of an avatar;

or

e) an audio information service being transformed into the voice of an avatar when represented by that avatar.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the avatar is characterized by a characteristic, the characteristic comprising at least one of:

a) a name;

b) an image;

c) an icon;

d) a voice;

or

e) a video;

17. The method recited in claim 15, further comprising creating an avatar by a user or by a system.

18. The method recited is claim 17, wherein creating an avatar includes selecting avatar characteristics from a predefined collection.

19. The method recited in claim 15, wherein a user creates and manages an avatar using tools provided on

a) a client;

or

b) a website.

20. A system for providing information services related to visual imagery comprising:

a) a client device;

b) a communication network; and

c) a system server.