Method of Distributing Multimedia Data to Equipment Provided with an Image Sensor

• US 20080003989A1
• Filed: 11/28/2005
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Touchard, Nicolas, Rigault, Olivier, Vau, Jean-Marie
• Granted Patent: US 7,703,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134

Abstract

A method of distributing multimedia data from a central distribution station to local equipment including: linking one image characteristic (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48) with at least one set of multimedia data stored by the central distribution station respectively; making available to at least one user of a support (10) having at least one selection image (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) in response to the capture of at least one image of the support by the local equipment, and calculating a characteristic of the captured image; searching for a multimedia data set of the central station linked to the image characteristic closest to the characteristic calculated; transferring of the corresponding multimedia data to the local equipment.

Claims

1. A method of distributing multimedia data from a central distribution station to local equipment, provided with an image sensor and means to make a communication link with the central distribution station, the method comprising:

a) linking at least one image characteristic respectively with at least one set of multimedia data stored by the central distribution station,

b) making available to at least one user of a support having at least one selection image representative of the multimedia contents and of which one part at least has the image characteristic,

c) in response to the capture of at least one image of the support by the local equipment, automatically making a communication link between the local equipment and the central distribution station, and calculating a characteristic of the captured image,

d) searching for a set of multimedia data of the central station linked to an image characteristic closest to the characteristic calculated in step c),

e) transferring multimedia data to the local equipment and the reproduction to the user of the data, using the local equipment.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the digital data sets contain at least one from among:

image data, data relating to an image part, to a plurality of images, data relating to video sequences, sound data, and data relating to annotated images.

3. A method according to claim 1, also comprising linking at least one image characteristic to a data set subset and wherein step d includes sending an invitation to restrict an image capture field when the characteristic of the captured image corresponds to a characteristic linked to a data set subset.

4. A method according to claim 1, also comprising the reception by the central distribution station of an identifier entered using the local equipment;

the search of step d) being made among a subset of multimedia data sets linked to the identifier.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia data relate to an image whose iconic contents correspond to the contents of the selection image shown on the support given to the user, and wherein part of the image is reproduced according to the position of the local equipment in relation to the support given to the user, to simulate navigation in an image with a size greater than that of a screen used for the reproduction.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data correspond to one image and wherein part of the image is reproduced with an enlargement factor depending on the distance separating the local equipment and the support given to the user.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the local equipment is a digital camera or a mobile phone.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia data are image data, and wherein the reproduction of the data is executed on one from among a control screen built into the local equipment, and a control screen remote from the local equipment.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the image characteristic linked to the digital data and the calculated characteristic are functions of at least one from among:

image color components, spatial intensity gradients of the image, spatial frequencies of the image or the image parts, a map of outlines of shapes contained in the image, and an image segmentation.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the support given to the user is a newspaper, and wherein the representative images of the multimedia contents are images illustrating the newspaper.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the support given to the user includes an x-ray print.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the support given to the user is a photo index sheet.