CONTEXTUAL MENUS BASED ON IMAGE RECOGNITION

• US 20140007012A1
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Govande, Shailesh Dinkar, Tipnis, Madhura P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,846,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Contextual menus based on images submitted to a network based publication system are disclosed. Images depicting a variety of locales such as businesses, or other items, may be stored in an image repository in the system and used to identify images that users may submit as photograph images taken by cell phone, camera, webcam, a laptop with camera capability. After identification of the submitted image the system may categorize the image and provide the user a category driven menu relating to the photograph, the menu based on both the submitted image and the user'"'"'s intent when he or she is capturing the image.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

using at least one processor and storage, receiving an image from a user;

identifying and categorizing the image;

generating a menu based on the category; and

providing the menu for rendering to the user at a user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the menu includes a link for specifications.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the specifications comprise information from a business website.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the specifications comprise information updated from time to time by a business.

5. The method of claim 1 further including providing, for rendering to the user at the user interface, at least one of the group consisting of icons selectable by the user and space for entering information by the user.

6. The method of claim 5 further including receiving information entered into the space, the information entered into the space indicating a transaction desired by the user.

7. The method of claim 5 further including receiving information relating to the selection of one of the selectable icons.

8. A machine-readable storage device having embedded therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the machine, causes the machine to execute the following operations:

receiving an image from a user;

identifying and categorizing the image;

generating a menu based on the category; and

providing the menu for rendering to the user at a user interface.

9. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8 wherein the menu includes a link for specifications.

10. The machine-readable storage device of claim 9 wherein the specifications comprise information from a business website.

11. The machine-readable storage device of claim 9 wherein the specifications comprise information updated from time to time by a business.

12. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8 further including providing, for rendering to the user at the user interface, at least one of the group consisting of icons selectable by the user and space for entering information by the user.

13. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8 further including receiving information entered into the space, the information entered into the space indicating a transaction desired by the user.

14. The machine-readable storage device of claim 13 further including receiving information relating to the selection of one of the selectable icons.

15. A system comprising:

at least one processor and storage configured to

receive an image from a user,

identify and categorize the image;

generate a menu based on the category; and

provide the menu for rendering to the user at a user interface.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the menu includes a link for specifications.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the specifications comprise information from a business website.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the wherein the menu includes a link for specifications

19. The system of claim 15 the at least one computer processor and computer storage further configured to provide, for rendering to the user at the user interface, at least one of the group consisting of icons selectable by the user and space for entering information by the user.

20. The system of claim 19, the at least one computer processor and computer storage further configured to receive information entered into the space, the information entered into the space indicating a transaction desired by the user.

21. The system of claim 19, the at least one computer processor and computer storage further configured to receive information relating to the selection of one of the selectable icons.

22. A system comprising:

first means for receiving an image from a user;

second means for identifying and categorizing the image;

third means for generating a menu based on the category; and

fourth means for providing the menu for rendering to the user at a user interface.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the menu includes a link for specifications.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the specifications comprise information from a business website.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the specifications comprise information updated from time to time by a business.