System and method for accessing electronic data via an image search engine

• US 20100241658A1
• Filed: 04/27/2010
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydra Group Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Hanna Bondarik, Spencer A. Rathurs
• Inventors: Rathurs, Spencer A., Bondarik, Hanna
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/915 Image

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for accessing electronic data through entry of images as queries in search engine. The system uses various image capturing devices and communication devices to capture images and enter them into image database. Image recognition techniques encode images in a computer readable format. The processed image is then entered for comparison into at least one database populated with images and associated information. Once the newly captured image is matched with an image in the database, the information linked with that image is returned to the user.

Claims

1. An apparatus for accessing electronic data of a child of interest, comprising:

a receiver for receiving information regarding an image of the child of interest, wherein the image is obtained with an image capture device associated with a requesting user, and wherein the image capture device transmits the information regarding the image to the receiver;

a database, wherein the database stores information regarding a plurality of images and information regarding a plurality of children, and further wherein at least one image is associated with each child of the plurality of children;

a processor, wherein the processor processes information regarding the image and compares the information regarding the image to the information regarding a plurality of images, and further wherein the processor determines whether the image matches an image of a child of the plurality of children and, if the image matches an image of a child of the plurality of children, then the processor generates a message; and

a transmitter, wherein the transmitter transmits the message to a communication device associated with the child of interest, wherein the message contains a first request for permission to provide access to information regarding the child of interest to the requesting user, and

wherein the receiver receives a second request from the communication device associated with the child of interest for permission to provide access to information regarding the requesting user in response to receiving the first request, and

further wherein the apparatus receives a response to the message transmitted from the communication device and determines whether the response contains information indicating that permission to allow the requesting user to access the information regarding the child of interest has been granted, wherein permission to allow the requesting user to access the information regarding the child of interest is granted if the communication device receives access to the information regarding the requesting user, and, if permission to allow the requesting user to access the information regarding the child of interest is granted, then the apparatus transmits information regarding the child of interest to the image capture device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the child of interest is a missing child of interest.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the image is obtained from a visual entity, a printed material, an electronic display unit, or a projected visual information.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the image capture device is a camera or contains a camera.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the image capture device is a scanner or contains a scanner.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the image capture device is a Communicable-Imaging device or contains a Communicable-Imaging device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the image capture device further comprises a display unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the image capture device processes information for performing image recognition pertaining to the information regarding the image.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor processes information for performing image recognition pertaining to the information regarding the missing child of interest.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is accessed through a network.

11. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus provides information regarding each of the plurality of images via an internet web page.

12. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein information regarding each image of the plurality of images is linked with information regarding a missing child of the plurality of missing children.

13. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein information regarding each image regarding the plurality of images contains information regarding an alphanumeric identifier, a description, a name, or a title.

14. An apparatus for accessing electronic data of a criminal of interest, comprising:

a receiver for receiving information regarding an image of a criminal person of interest, wherein the image is obtained with an image capture device associated with a requesting user, and wherein the image capture device transmits the information regarding the image to the receiver;

a database, wherein the database stores information regarding a plurality of images and stores information regarding criminal background of a plurality of criminal persons, wherein at least one image is associated with each person of the plurality of criminal persons, and wherein a criminal background of each criminal person comprises at least one crime;

a processor, wherein the processor processes information regarding the image and compares the information regarding the image to the information regarding a plurality of images, and further wherein the processor determines whether the image matches an image of the criminal person of interest and, if the image matches an image of a criminal person of the plurality of criminal persons, then the processor generates a message; and

a transmitter, wherein the transmitter transmits the message to the image capture device of the requesting user, wherein the message contains a request for permission to provide access to information regarding the requesting user to a apparatus,

wherein the apparatus receives a response to the message transmitted to the requesting user and determines whether the response contains information indicating that permission to allow the requesting user to access the information is authorized, and, if permission to allow the requesting user to access the information regarding the criminal person of interest is authorized, then the apparatus transmits information regarding the person of interest to the image capture device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the image is obtained from a visual entity, a printed material, an electronic display unit, or a projected visual information.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the image capture device is a camera or contains a camera.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the image capture device is a scanner or contains a scanner.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the image capture device is a Communicable-Imaging device or contains a Communicable-Imaging device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the image capture device further comprises a display unit.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the image capture device processes information for performing image recognition pertaining to the information regarding the image.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor processes information for performing image recognition pertaining to the information regarding the criminal person of interest.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is accessed through a network.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus provides information regarding each of the plurality of images via an interne web page.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein information regarding each image of the plurality of images is linked with information regarding a criminal person of the plurality of criminal persons.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein information regarding each image regarding the plurality of images contains information regarding an alphanumeric identifier, a description, a name, or a title.

26. A computer-implemented method for accessing electronic data of a child of interest, comprising:

storing information regarding a plurality of images and information regarding a plurality of children in a database, wherein at least one image is associated with each child of the plurality of children;

receiving, with a receiver, information regarding an image of a child of interest, wherein the image is obtained with an image capture device of or associated with a requesting user and further wherein the image capture device transmits the information regarding the image to the receiver;

processing, with a processor, information regarding the image;

comparing the information regarding the image to the information regarding a plurality of images;

determining whether the image matches an image of a child of the plurality of children and, if the image matches an image of a child of the plurality of children, generating a message;

transmitting the message to a communication device associated with the child of interest, wherein the message contains a request for permission to provide access to information regarding the child of interest to the requesting user;

receiving, with the receiver, a second request from the communication device of or associated with the child of interest for permission to provide access to information regarding the requesting user in response to receiving the first request;

receiving a response to the message transmitted from the communication device;

determining whether the response contains information indicating that permission to allow the requesting user to access the information regarding the child of interest has been granted, wherein permission to allow the requesting user to access the information regarding the child of interest is granted if the child of interest receives access to the information regarding the requesting user, and, if permission to allow the requesting user to access the information regarding the child of interest is granted, then transmitting information regarding the child of interest to the image capture device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the child of interest is a missing child of interest.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

obtaining the image from a visual entity, a printed material, an electronic display unit, or a projected visual information.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the image capture device is a camera or contains a camera.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the image capture device is a scanner or contains a scanner.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the image capture device is a Communicable-Imaging device or contains a Communicable-Imaging device.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the image capture device further comprises a display unit.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

processing information, via the image capture device, for performing image recognition pertaining to the information regarding the image.

34. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

processing information, via the processor, for performing image recognition pertaining to the information regarding the child of interest.

35. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

accessing the apparatus through a network.

36. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

providing information regarding each of the plurality of images via an internet web page.

37. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

linking information regarding each image of the plurality of images with information regarding a child of the plurality of children.

38. The method of claim 26, wherein information regarding each image regarding the plurality of images contains information regarding an alphanumeric identifier, a description, a name, or a title.