Narrowcasting From Public Displays, and Related Methods

• US 20110280437A1
• Filed: 07/28/2011
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tony F. Rodriguez
• Original Assignee: Tony F. Rodriguez
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Tony F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,460,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0064 Geometric transfor invariant watermarking, e.g. affine transform invariant
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/02 Affine transformations for image registration G06T3/147; for image mosaicing G06T3/4038
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467

Abstract

A user with a cell phone interacts, in a personalized session, with an electronic sign system. In some embodiments, the user'"'"'s location relative to the sign is discerned from camera imagery—either imagery captured by the cell phone (i.e., of the sign), or captured by the sign system (i.e., of the user). Demographic information about the user can be estimated from imagery captured acquired by the sign system, or can be accessed from stored profile data associated with the user. The sign system can transmit payoffs (e.g., digital coupons or other response data) to viewers—customized per user demographics. In some arrangements, the payoff data is represented by digital watermark data encoded in the signage content. The encoding can take into account the user'"'"'s location relative to the sign—allowing geometrical targeting of different payoffs to differently-located viewers. Other embodiments allow a user to engage an electronic sign system for interactive game play, using the cell phone as a controller.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method involving an electronic sign system, viewed by a first observer, comprising the acts:

establishing an association between a camera-equipped device conveyed by the observer, and the electronic sign system;

receiving data from the device, wherein the received data depends—

at least in part—

on image data captured by the camera; and

controlling an operation of the electronic sign system, at least in part, based on the received data.

22. The method of claim 22 that includes:

presenting depictions of plural game items on the electronic sign; and

receiving data from the device, indicating that the observer has viewed using the camera device—

and selected—

a particular one of said game item depictions presented on the screen.

23. The method of claim 22 that includes presenting a depiction of game play on the electronic sign, wherein the game play reflects the observer'"'"'s selection of the particular game item.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the depicted game items comprise puzzle pieces, and the method includes receiving signals from the device indicating a position, and orientation, at which a puzzle piece is to be deposited, wherein said signals depend, at least in part, on image data captured by the camera.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the electronic sign is also viewed by a second observer, and the method includes:

establishing a logical association between a camera-equipped second device conveyed by the second observer, and the electronic sign;

receiving data from the second device, wherein said received data depends—

at least in part—

on image data captured by the second device, said received data indicating that the second observer has viewed using the camera of the second device—

and selected—

a particular different one of said depicted puzzle pieces; and

receiving signals from the second device indicating a position, and orientation, at which the different one of said depicted puzzle pieces is to be deposited, wherein said signals depend, at least in part, on image data captured by the camera of the second device.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the selection of the particular one of said game item depictions proceeds by use of feature recognition.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the feature recognition comprises digital watermark-based identification.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the feature recognition comprises barcode-based identification.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the feature recognition comprises fingerprint-based identification.

30. A method in which an electronic sign system presents content to a user, the method comprising the acts:

by use of a first sensor-equipped device conveyed by the user, capturing content data from the electronic sign system;

by reference to a time-base, determining which of plural temporal portions of digital watermark data encoded in the captured content data corresponds to the user;

decoding digital watermark data in accordance with said determination; and

taking an action based on a determined temporal portion of the digital watermark data.