ASSOCIATING AN OBJECT IN AN IMAGE WITH AN ASSET IN A FINANCIAL APPLICATION

• US 20120219175A1
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Richardson, Aaron D., Brown, Matthew Forbis
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for associating an object in an image with an asset of a number of assets in a financial application. The method includes receiving the image of the object comprising global positioning system (GPS) data, where the image is captured using an image-taking device with GPS functionality and processing the image to generate processed GPS data. The method further includes determining, using the processed GPS data, a geographic location of the object in the image, and identifying, using the geographic location, the object by performing a recognition analysis of the image. The method further includes associating, based on the recognition analysis, the object in the image with the asset of the assets of an owner in the financial application, and storing, in the financial application, the image of the object associated with the asset of the assets of the owner.

Claims

1. A method for associating an object in an image with an asset of a plurality of assets in a financial application, the method comprising:

receiving the image of the object comprising global positioning system (GPS) data, wherein the image is captured using an image-taking device with GPS functionality;

processing, using a computer processor, the image to generate processed GPS data;

determining, using the computer processor and the processed GPS data, a geographic location of the object in the image;

identifying, using the computer processor and the geographic location, the object by performing a recognition analysis of the image;

associating, based on the recognition analysis, the object in the image with the asset of the plurality of assets of an owner in the financial application; and

storing, in the financial application, the image of the object associated with the asset of the plurality of assets of the owner.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the object by performing the recognition analysis of the image comprises:

obtaining from the image, using character recognition software, a plurality of text;

comparing the plurality of text to a plurality of descriptions, associated with the plurality of assets located at the geographic location, in the financial application;

matching the plurality of text to one of the plurality of descriptions in the financial application, wherein the one of the plurality of descriptions is associated with the asset; and

identifying, based on matching the plurality of text, the object in the image.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of text is a license plate number of a motor vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the object by performing recognition analysis of the image comprises:

detecting, using object recognition software, a plurality of features of the object in the image; and

identifying the object based on at least one of the plurality of features.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein associating the object in the image with the asset comprises:

comparing the object with the plurality of assets, in the financial application, located at the geographic location;

determining that one of the plurality of assets matches one of the plurality of features of the object; and

associating the object with the one of the plurality of assets.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the image comprises:

retrieving the GPS data from the image; and

obtaining a plurality of geographic coordinates from the GPS data, wherein the processed GPS data comprises the plurality of geographic coordinates.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a request to a user to confirm that associating the object in the image with the asset in the financial application is correct; and

receiving, in response to the request, confirmation that associating the object in the image with the asset in the financial application is correct.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before receiving the image of the object;

receiving an initial image of the object;

failing to process the initial image; and

sending a notification to a user that the initial image is insufficient to identify the object, wherein the notification comprises a request to the user to capture the image.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after determining the geographic location of the object in the image;

sending a notification to a user that the object cannot be identified; and

receiving a subsequent image of the object,

wherein the object is identified in the subsequent image.

10. A system for associating an object in an image with an asset of a plurality of assets in a financial application, the system comprising:

a computer processor;

a storage repository associated with the financial application;

a global positioning system (GPS) data engine executing on the computer processor and configured to;

receive the image of the object comprising GPS data, wherein the image is captured using an image capture device with GPS functionality;

identify, using a geographic location, the object by performing a recognition analysis of the image;

associate, based on the recognition analysis, the object in the image with the asset of the plurality of assets of an owner in the financial application; and

store, in the storage repository, the image of the object associated with the asset of the plurality of assets of the owner;

a GPS data reading module operatively connected to the GPS data engine and executing on the computer processor, the GPS data reading module configured to;

process the image with the GPS data to generate a processed GPS data; and

a GPS mapping module operatively connected to the GPS data engine and executing on the computer processor, the GPS mapping module configured to;

determine, using the processed GPS data, the geographic location of the object in the image.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the GPS data reading module is further configured to process the GPS data by:

retrieving the GPS data from the image; and

obtain a plurality of geographic coordinates from the GPS data, wherein the processed GPS data comprises the plurality of geographic coordinates.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the GPS data engine associates the object in the image with the asset of an owner in the financial application by:

comparing the object with the plurality of assets, in the financial application, located at the geographic location;

determining that one of the plurality of assets matches the object; and

associating the object with the one of the plurality of assets.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the GPS data engine is further configured to:

send a request to a user to confirm that associating the object in the image with the asset in the financial application is correct; and

receive, in response to the request, confirmation that associating the object in the image with the asset in the financial application is correct.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the GPS data engine is further configured to:

before receiving the image of the object;

receive an initial image of the object;

fail to process the initial image; and

send a notification to a user that the initial image is insufficient to identify the object, wherein the notification comprises a request to the user to capture the image.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the GPS data engine is further configured to:

after determining the geographic location of the object in the image;

sending a notification to a user that the object cannot be identified; and

receiving a subsequent image of the object,

wherein the object is identified in the subsequent image.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

an object recognition module operatively connected to the GPS data engine and executing on the computer processor, the object recognition module configured to;

detect, using object recognition software, a plurality of features of the object in the image;

identify, based on at least one of the plurality of features, the object to generate an identified object,

wherein the GPS data engine uses the identified object in the recognition analysis by;

comparing the plurality of features of the identified object with a plurality of descriptions of the plurality of assets at the geographic location;

matching one of the plurality of features to one of the plurality of descriptions in the financial application, wherein the one of the one of the plurality of descriptions is associated with the asset of the plurality of assets; and

identifying, based on matching the one of the plurality of features, the object in the image.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein one of the plurality of features of the object is detected using a data source to provide additional information not captured in the image.

18. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a text recognition module operatively connected to the GPS data engine and executing on the computer processor, the plurality of text recognition module configured to;

obtain from the image, using character recognition software, a plurality of text; and

generate, from the plurality of text and using the character recognition software, a plurality of identified text,

wherein the GPS data engine uses the identified text in the recognition analysis by;

comparing the plurality of identified text to a plurality of descriptions, associated with the plurality of assets at the geographic location, in the financial application;

matching the plurality of identified text to one of the plurality of descriptions in the financial application, wherein the one of the plurality of descriptions is associated with the asset; and

identifying, based on matching the plurality of identified text, the object in the image.

19. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a security module configured to authenticate communication with a user.

20. A computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code embodied therein for performing a method for associating an object in an image with an asset of a plurality of assets in a financial application, the method comprising:

receiving the image of the object comprising global positioning system (GPS) data, wherein the image is captured using an image-taking device with GPS functionality;

processing the image to generate processed GPS data;

determining, using the processed GPS data, a geographic location of the object in the image;

identifying, using the geographic location, the object by performing a recognition analysis of the image;

associating, based on the recognition analysis, the object in the image with the asset of the plurality of assets of an owner in the financial application; and

storing, in the financial application, the image of the object associated with the asset of the plurality of assets of the owner.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein identifying the object by performing the recognition analysis of the image comprises:

obtaining from the image, using character recognition software, a plurality of text;

comparing the plurality of text to a plurality of descriptions, associated with the plurality of assets located at the geographic location, in the financial application;

matching the plurality of text to one of the plurality of descriptions in the financial application, wherein the one of the plurality of descriptions is associated with the asset; and

identifying, based on matching the plurality of text, the object in the image.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein identifying the object by performing recognition analysis of the image comprises:

detecting, using object recognition software, a plurality of features of the object in the image; and

identifying the object based on at least one of the plurality of features.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein associating the object in the image with the asset comprises:

comparing the object with the plurality of assets, in the financial application, located at the geographic location;

determining that one of the plurality of assets matches one of the plurality of features of the object; and

associating the object with the one of the plurality of assets.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein processing the image comprises:

retrieving the GPS data from the image; and

obtaining a plurality of geographic coordinates from the GPS data, wherein the processed GPS data comprises the plurality of geographic coordinates.