METHODS AND SYSTEMS RESPONSIVE TO FEATURES SENSED FROM IMAGERY OR OTHER DATA

• US 20080300011A1
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Rodriguez, Tony F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,565,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/02 by adding a second signal to make the desired signal unintelligible

Abstract

A device, such as a cell phone, uses an image sensor to capture image data. The phone can respond to detection of particular imagery feature (e.g., watermarked imagery, barcodes, image fingerprints, etc.) by presenting distinctive graphics on a display screen. Such graphics may be positioned within the display, and affine-warped, in registered relationship with the position of the detected feature, and its affine distortion, as depicted in the image data. Related approaches can be implemented without use of an image sensor, e.g., relying on data sensed from an RFID device. Auditory output, rather than visual, can also be employed. A variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Claims

1. A method of using a cell phone device, the device including a processor, a display, a GPS receiver, and an optical system including a 2D image sensor and a lens, said optical system generating image data, the method comprising:

capturing image data corresponding to a field of view that encompasses at least part of an object, the object having a first location within the field of view;

recognizing one or more features associated with said object; and

as a consequence, presenting a graphic feature on said cell phone device display together with at least some of said image data, wherein the graphic feature depends—

at least in part—

on data from the cell phone device GPS receiver, and on the recognized one or more features.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the recognizing comprises detecting steganographic encoding from image data corresponding to said object.

3. The method of claim 1 that includes presenting said graphic feature at a location on said cell phone device display dependent on said first location.

4. A method of using a cell phone, the cell phone including a processor, an audio transducer, and an optical system including a 2D image sensor and a lens, said optical system generating image data, the method comprising:

capturing image data corresponding to an object;

processing the image data to recognize one or more non-text features associated with said object; and

providing auditory output through said audio transducer, said output depending—

at least in part—

on the recognized one or more features.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the recognizing comprises detecting steganographic encoding from image data corresponding to said object.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the cell phone includes a GPS receiver, and the auditory output depends, in part, on data provided by the GPS receiver.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the object comprises a printed medium.

8. A method of using a cell phone device, the device including a processor, a screen, and an optical system including a 2D image sensor and a lens, said optical system generating image data, the method comprising:

capturing image data corresponding to a field of view that encompasses at least part of an object;

computing fingerprint data from image data corresponding to said object;

obtaining additional data based on the computed fingerprint data; and

presenting on the screen of the cell phone a combined display, the combined display including at least some of said captured image data, and also including graphical indicia corresponding to said obtained additional data.

9. The method of claim 8 that includes detecting an affine distortion of said object as represented in said image data, and wherein said computing comprises taking said detected affine distortion into account in computing the fingerprint data.

10. The method of claim 8 that includes detecting an affine distortion of said object as represented in said image data, and applying a corresponding affine distortion to said graphical indicia presented on the screen.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the object comprises a printed medium.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the object has a first location within the field of view, and the presenting includes presenting the graphical indicia on the cell phone display screen in a location dependent on the first location.

13. A method for determining apparent validity of a printed article, comprising:

imaging the article with an imaging sensor of a cell phone, yielding image data;

processing the image data to detect a feature from the article; and

signaling apparent validity of the printed article based on detection of said feature.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said feature comprises steganographically encoded information on the article.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said feature comprises a texture pattern on said article that conveys steganographically encoded information.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said feature comprises a directional albedo pattern.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said signaling comprises presenting on a screen of the cell phone a combined display, the combined display including at least some of the image data corresponding to said article, and also including graphical indicia indicating that the article is apparently valid.

18. A cell phone comprising a processor, a display system, and an optical system including a 2D image sensor and a lens, said optical system generating image data, the cell phone processor being adapted to process still image data captured by the optical system to derive corresponding image fingerprint data therefrom.

19. The cell phone of claim 18 having a wireless interface adapted to transmit the fingerprint data from the phone, and to receive corresponding metadata in reply, and wherein the display system is adapted to present on a cell phone screen a combined display, the combined display including at least some of said captured image data, and also including graphical indicia corresponding to said obtained received metadata, wherein the graphical indicia is displayed on said screen in a location that depends on position of an object feature within a field of view of said cell phone optical sensor.