CONTENT SHARING METHODS AND SYSTEMS

• US 20100317399A1
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Tony F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,521,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0272 for a projector or beamer module assembly constructional features of projectors per se G03B21/00; constructional details of projectors using electronic spatial light modulators per se H04N9/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A first device (such as a cell phone) is equipped with a micro-projector, and used to present imagery on a display surface. A second device (such as a second cell phone) is equipped with a digital camera, and used to capture some of the projected imagery. The captured imagery allows a user of the second device to access digital content of interest from a user of the first device, or from elsewhere. The content may be visual, or of other form (content examples include audio, games, maps, text documents, video, spreadsheets, etc.). In one particular arrangement, the projected imagery is encoded with digital watermark data. Through such arrangements, one user can readily share content, and also engage in collaborative activities—such as cooperative game play, with one or more other users.

Claims

1. A cell phone including a processor, a memory, and a projector, the cell phone memory including digital watermarking software that configures the cell phone processor to steganographically encode image data with plural-bit payload data, wherein the projector is coupled to an output of said processor, and serves to project the encoded image data onto a display surface.

2. A method comprising the acts:

with an image sensor in a first cell phone, capturing imagery from a physical object, the physical object comprising a display surface illuminated with imagery from an optical projector in a second cell phone;

deriving plural-bit identifying information from the captured imagery; and

by reference to said plural-bit identifying information, obtaining electronic content for use by the first cell phone.

3. The method of claim 2 in which obtained content is non-visual.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the obtained content comprises MP3 song data.

5. A method comprising the acts:

encoding a plural-bit steganographic digital watermark payload into image data using a processor in a cell phone, the payload identifying the cell phone; and

projecting the encoded image data onto a display surface, using an optical projector in said cell phone.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the payload serves to identify the cell phone.

7. A method comprising:

projecting imagery from a projector in a first cell phone onto a display surface;

sensing at least some of the projected imagery with an image sensor in a second cell phone;

in the second cell phone, discerning orientation information from the sensed imagery; and

by reference to the discerned orientation information, facilitating interaction between users of the first and second cell phones.

8. A method comprising:

projecting first imagery from a projector in a first cell phone onto a display surface;

sensing at least some of the projected imagery with an image sensor in a second cell phone, yielding sensed image data;

receiving user input; and

by reference to the sensed image data, and the received user input, taking an action that results in projection of second, different imagery from a cell phone projector.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said action results in projection of the second, different imagery from the projector in the first cell phone.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said action results in projection of the second, different imagery from a projector in the second cell phone.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the receiving user input comprises receiving user input from a user of the second cell phone.