Encoding and Decoding Data in an Image for Social Networking Communication

• US 20120269380A1
• Filed: 10/19/2011
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: SpyderLynk LLC
• Inventors: Skogg, Nicole S., Crookham, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,462,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06009 with optically detectable marking G06K19/063, G06K19/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06103 the marking being embedded in a human recognizable image, e.g. a company logo with an embedded two-dimensional code
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1448 based on markings or identifiers characterising the document or the area
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/18143 Extracting features based on salient regional features, e.g. scale invariant feature transform [SIFT] keypoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32309 in colour image data

Abstract

“A printed medium comprises an encoded image, the encoded image including a value encoded therein, wherein the value is referenced to at least a marketing database and an associated social networking environment and wherein the value further enables communication through the social networking environment.”

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A printed medium having an encoded image printed thereon, the encoded image including a value encoded therein and comprising:

a primary image, wherein the primary image is associated with at least a portion of the value; and

wherein the value is referenced to at least a marketing database and an associated social networking environment; and

wherein the value further enables communication through the social networking environment; and

wherein the encoded image is adapted to be captured by an image capture device.

23. The printed medium of claim 22, wherein the social networking environment is a peer-to-peer social networking environment.

24. The printed medium of claim 23, wherein the peer-to-peer social networking environment is selected from facebook, myspace, linkedin, instagram, and youtube.

25. The printed medium encoded image of claim 22, wherein the primary image includes an image related to a product.

26. The printed medium of claim 22, wherein the image capture device converts the encoded image to a digital image.

27. The printed medium of claim 26, wherein the digital image is sent to a designated world wide web site for digital analysis.

28. The printed medium of claim 22, wherein the social networking environment is referenced to an individual'"'"'s personal information.

29. The printed medium of claim 22, further comprising a secondary marketing image and wherein the value is associated with a url that directs the user to a web page associated with the secondary marketing image.

30. The printed medium of claim 22, wherein the value further enables person-to-person communication through the social networking environment.

31. The printed medium of claim 22, wherein the primary image comprises an image related to a social networking platform.

32. A method of encoding an image with a value, comprising:

providing a primary image to a user, the primary image being a human readable logo and the primary image associated with a portion of the value;

referencing the value to at least a marketing database and an associated social networking environment;

enabling person-to-person communication through the social networking environment.

33. The method of encoding an image with a value of claim 32 further comprising digitizing the primary image.

34. The method of encoding an image with a value of claim 33 further comprising sending the digitized image to a designated world wide web site.

35. The method of encoding an image with a value of claim 34 further comprising analyzing the digitized image through the designated world wide web site.

36. The method of encoding an image with a value of claim 33 further comprising sending a confirming electronic message to an individual initiating the digitizing of the primary image.

37. The method of encoding an image with a value of claim 33 further comprising directing the user to a url associated with the social networking environment.

38. The method of encoding an image with a value of claim 37 wherein the user is directed to the url via a message selected from an email, an SMS text message, a picture mail, and a voice enabled message.

39. A system for social networking and communication comprising:

an image capture device;

a printed medium having an encoded image printed thereon, the encoded image including a value encoded therein, the encoded image comprising;

a primary image, wherein the primary image is associated with at least a portion of the value; and

wherein the value is referenced to at least a marketing database and an associated social networking environment; and

wherein the value further enables communication through the social networking environment.

40. The system for social networking and communication of claim 39, wherein the image capture device is a digital camera.

41. The system for social networking and communication of claim 39, wherein the image capture device is a scanner.

42. The system for social networking and communication of claim 39, wherein the encoded image includes a secondary marketing image and wherein the value is associated with a url that directs the user to a web page associated with the secondary marketing image.

43. A printed medium comprising:

an encoded image printed thereon, the encoded image including a value encoded therein;

wherein the value is referenced to at least a marketing database and an associated social networking environment; and

wherein the value further enables communication through the social networking environment; and

wherein the encoded image is adapted to be captured by an image capture device.

44. The printed medium of claim 43, wherein the social networking environment is a peer-to-peer social networking environment.

45. The printed medium of claim 44, wherein the peer-to-peer social networking environment is selected from facebook, myspace, linkedin, instagram, and youtube.

46. The printed medium encoded image of claim 43, wherein the primary image includes an image related to a product.