IMAGE-RELATED SOCIAL NETWORK METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS

• US 20130259297A1
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Knudson, Edward B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,400,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments

Abstract

In one aspect, a user captures an image of a physical object (e.g., a grocery item) with a smartphone. The depicted object is identified, such as by extracting fingerprint or watermark data from the imagery. Other imagery depicting that object—or depicting related objects—is identified on the web, and is displayed to the user on the smartphone screen. The user may select one or more of these images and direct that they be posted to a social network account (e.g., Pinterest) associated with the user. In another aspect, the user'"'"'s location is sensed (e.g., an aisle of a department store), and a collection of images depicting nearby products is presented to the user for selection and posting to a social networking service. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving image data from a user'"'"'s portable device, the image data depicting an object;

processing the image data to derive identification data therefrom;

by reference to the identification data, identifying the object; and

associating the object and the user together, by data posted to a social network service.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said processing comprises applying a digital watermark decoding operation.

3. The method of claim 1 in which said processing comprises applying an image fingerprinting operation.

4. The method of claim 1 in which said associating comprises uploading the image data to the social network service.

5. The method of claim 1 in which said associating comprises posting a link to the image data to the social network service.

6. The method of claim 1 in which said associating comprises the user liking the object on the social network service.

7. The method of claim 1 in which said associating includes causing a depiction of the object to appear in a portion of the social network service associated with the user.

8. The method of claim 1 in which the object comprises a substrate having printing thereon.

9. The method of claim 1 in which the object comprises a product package.

10. The method of claim 1 in which the object comprises a printed point of sale display in a retail store.

11. The method of claim 1 that includes capturing the image data using an image sensor in the portable device.

12. A method comprising:

receiving image data from a user'"'"'s portable device, the image data depicting a first object;

processing the image data to derive identification data therefrom;

by reference to the identification data, identifying a second object different than the first object; and

associating the second object and the user together, by data posted to a social network service.

13. The method of claim 12 in which the first object is a retail product from a product brand, and the second object is a different retail product from said product brand.

14. A method comprising:

receiving image data, the image data depicting an object;

processing the image data to derive identification data therefrom; and

by reference to the identification data, liking the object on a user'"'"'s account at a social networking service.

15. A method comprising:

obtaining data indicating a user'"'"'s location;

by reference to said data, identifying a collection of images that depict retail products near the user;

sending certain of said images to a user device for presentation to the user; and

associating at least one of said images or products together with the user, by data posted to a social network service.

16. The method of claim 15 in which said associating includes sending information to a computer at the social network service, said information expressing that the user likes an image or product.