AUGMENTED REALITY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VISUALIZING AN ITEM

• US 20120192235A1
• Filed: 07/29/2011
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Tapley, John, Beach, David, Pugazhendhi, Bagath
• Granted Patent: US 10,127,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/145 related to small screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2352/00 Parallel handling of streams of display data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

In a system and method for searching, browsing, and visualizing items, a first image containing an item is received to be stored in an account associated with a user. The first image is processed using a processor to extract an image of the item from the first image. The image of the item is layered over a stream of video frames received from the client device to form a superimposed image. The superimposed image is caused to be displayed on the client device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a first image containing an item to be stored in an account associated with a user;

extracting, using at least one processor, an image of the item from the first image;

layering the image of the item over a stream of video frames received from the client device to form a superimposed image; and

causing the superimposed image to be displayed on the client device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the stream of video frames is a live camera feed generated by an imaging device of the client device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the stream of video frames is a video file stored in the client device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the extracting of the image of the item comprises:

performing edge detection of the first image to identify the item and a background in the first image; and

performing one of removing the background of the first image and making the background of the first image transparent.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the item image displayed in the superimposed image is selectable to generate a request for additional information about the item.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

generating a request for additional information about the item in response to receiving an indication of a selection of the superimposed image;

transmitting the generated request to a commerce system; and

receiving a product listing page corresponding to the item.

7. A machine-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first image containing an item to be stored in an account associated with a user;

extracting an image of the item from the first image;

layering the image of the item over a stream of video frames received from the client device to form a superimposed image; and

causing the superimposed image to be displayed on the client device.

8. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the stream of video frames is a live camera feed generated by an imaging device of the client device.

9. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the stream of video frames is a video file stored in the client device.

10. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the extracting of the image of the item comprises:

performing edge detection of the first image to identify the item and a background in the first image; and

performing one of removing the background of the first image and making the background of the first image transparent.

11. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the item image displayed in the superimposed image is selectable to generate a request for additional information about the item.

12. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the set of instructions include instructions that cause the at least one processor to perform operations further comprising generating a request for additional information about the item in response to receiving an indication of a selection of the superimposed image.

13. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the set of instructions include instructions that cause the at least one processor to perform operations further comprising:

transmitting the generated request to a commerce system; and

receiving a product listing page corresponding to the item.

14. A system, comprising:

at least one processor;

an imaging engine, implemented by the at least one processor, configured to extract an image of an item from a first image; and

an augmented reality module, implemented by the at least one processor, configured to;

layer the image of the item over a stream of video frames to form a superimposed image; and

cause the superimposed image to be displayed on a client device.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a communication module to transmit the superimposed image to a commerce system, wherein the superimposed image is associated with a user.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the item image displayed in the superimposed image is selectable to generate a request for additional information about the item.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising a camera module configured to capture the stream of video frames, wherein the stream of video frames is a live camera feed.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the stream of video frames is a video file stored in and received from the client device.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the imaging engine is further configured to:

perform edge detection of the first image to identify the item and a background in the first image; and

perform one of removing the background of the first image and making the background of the first image transparent.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the communication module is further configured to:

transmit a request to the commerce system for additional information about the item in response to an indication of a selection of the superimposed image; and

receive a product listing page corresponding to the item in response to the transmitting of the generated request.