METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES TO CAPTURE CONTENT

• US 20110069183A1
• Filed: 12/01/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Edwards, Eric, Sato, Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/958,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20110069183A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging

Abstract

In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses identifying opportunities to capture content sense a user profile; determine a geographic location of a device; and transmit at least one suggestion to the device based on the geographic location of the device and the user profile wherein the suggestion indicates a photo opportunity.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. An apparatus for suggesting local photo opportunities, comprising:

at least one computer processor, and associated memory, configured for identifying opportunities to capture photographic content;

programming executable on said at least one said computer processor for,

storing a user profile which includes at least one content type from a number of classification categories describing photographic interests of a user, and in which said content type specifies the category, or kind, of photo opportunity in which the user is interested;

receiving a geographical location of an electronic device of the user which is configured to capture an image; and

generating at least one suggestion based on matching the content types within the user profile which expresses user interests and the content type of the photo opportunity for the geographical location of the electronic device of the user which is configured to capture an image.

30. The apparatus as recited in claim 29:

wherein said at least one computer processor and associated memory comprises an electronic device which is configured to capture an image, and a server; and

wherein the electronic device which is configured to capture an image and the server are configured for communication with one another over a network.

31. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein said electronic device of the user which is configured to capture an image is configured for communicating over a network with a server, and configured for receiving suggested local photo opportunities therefrom.

32. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein said content type categories for representing user interests comprise general categories of content types as well as subsets of the general categories of content types within said user profile.

33. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, further comprising programming executable on said at least one said computer processor for selecting a suggestion from said at least one suggestion within a photo opportunity database wherein each suggestion includes a content type and a geographic location.

34. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, further comprising programming executable on said at least one said computer processor for adding additional suggestions to said at least one suggestion by widening an area around the geographic location of each suggestion that the electronic device, which is configured to capture an image, is found within or by relaxing a requirement that the content type of each suggestion match the user profile.

35. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, further comprising programming executable on said at least one said computer processor for reducing suggestions from said at least one suggestion by tightening a requirement that the content type of each suggestion match the user profile.

36. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, further comprising programming executable on said at least one said computer processor for receiving a selection from an electronic device of the user which is configured to capture an image as associated with said apparatus wherein the selection is selected from said at least one suggestion.

37. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, further comprising:

an electronic device of the user which is configured to capture an image coupled over a network to a server as comprising said at least one computer processor and associated memory; and

programming executable on said at least one said computer processor for transmitting a detailed description, from said server to said electronic device of the user which is configured to capture an image, in which the detailed description corresponds to the selection.

38. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said server is configured to store a photo opportunity database that includes a plurality of photo opportunity listings wherein each listing is associated with a geographic area and a content type.

39. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said detailed description includes a sample image of the selection.

40. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said detailed description includes directions to the selection based on the geographic location of the electronic device of the user which is configured to capture an image.

41. An apparatus for suggesting local photo opportunities, comprising:

a server computer and associated memory, configured for identifying and suggesting photo opportunities based on location of an associated electronic device with an ability to capture an image;

wherein said server computer is configured to store a photo opportunity database that includes a plurality of photo opportunity listings wherein each listing is associated with a geographic area and a content type; and

programming executable on said server computer for,

storing a user profile which includes at least one content type from a number of classification categories describing photographic interests of a user, and in which said content type specifies the category, or kind, of photo opportunity in which the user is interested;

receiving a geographical location of an electronic device of the user which is configured to capture an image;

generating at least one suggestion based on matching the content types within the user profile which expresses user interests and the content type of the photo opportunity for the geographical location of the electronic device of the user which is configured to capture an image; and

transmitting photo opportunity information, as said at least one suggestion, from said server computer to the electronic device of the user which is configured to capture an image.

42. The apparatus as recited in claim 41, wherein said content type categories for representing user interests comprise general categories of content types as well as subsets of the general categories of content types within said user profile.

43. The apparatus as recited in claim 41, further comprising programming executable on said server computer for selecting a suggestion from said at least one suggestion within a photo opportunity database wherein each suggestion includes a content type and a geographic location.

44. The apparatus as recited in claim 41, further comprising programming executable on said at least one said server computer for adding additional suggestions to said at least one suggestion by widening an area around the geographic location of each suggestion that the electronic device of the user, which is configured to capture an image, is found within or by relaxing a requirement that the content type of each suggestion match the user profile.

45. The apparatus as recited in claim 41, further comprising programming executable on said server computer for reducing suggestions from said at least one suggestion by tightening a requirement that the content type of each suggestion match the user profile.

46. The apparatus as recited in claim 41, further comprising programming executable on said server computer for receiving a selection from the electronic device of the user which is configured to capture an image as associated with said apparatus wherein the selection is selected from said at least one suggestion.

47. The apparatus as recited in claim 41, further comprising programming executable on said server computer for transmitting a detailed description and sample image to the electronic device of the user, which is configured to capture an image, in which the detailed description corresponds to the selection.

48. An apparatus for suggesting local photo opportunities, comprising:

a server computer and associated memory, configured for identifying and suggesting photo opportunities based on location of an electronic device of a user which can capture an image;

means for storing a photo opportunity database within said server computer, which includes a plurality of photo opportunity listings wherein each listing is associated with a geographic area and a content type;

means for storing a user profile within said server computer which includes at least one content type from a number of classification categories describing photographic interests of a user, and in which said content type specifies the category, or kind, of photo opportunity in which the user is interested;

means for receiving a geographical location within said server computer of an electronic device of the user which is configured to capture an image; and

means for generating at least one suggestion by said server computer based on matching the content types within the user profile which expresses user interests and the content type of the photo opportunity for the geographical location of the electronic device of the user which is configured to capture an image.