METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING INFORMATION ASSOCIATED WITH A FOOD PRODUCT

• US 20140104385A1
• Filed: 10/16/2012
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Network Entertainment International LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Network Entertainment International LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: WONG, Ling Jun, XIONG, True, McCOY, Charles
• Application Number:
  US13/652,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20140104385A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/68 Food, e.g. fruit or vegetables

Abstract

Certain aspects of an apparatus and method for determining information associated with a food product may include a server that is communicably coupled to a computing device. The server may deconstruct a three dimensional (3-D) image of the food product to identify one or more ingredients in the food product. Further, the server may compare the deconstructed 3-D image with a database of pre-stored images of food products to determine a type of the one or more ingredients in the food product. The server may determine nutritional information associated with the food product based on the determined type of the one or more ingredients.

Claims

1. A method for determining information associated with a food product, said method comprising:

in a server communicably coupled to one or more computing devices;

deconstructing a three dimensional (3-D) image of said food product to identify one or more ingredients in said food product;

comparing said deconstructed 3-D image with a database of pre-stored images of food products to determine a type of said one or more ingredients in said food product; and

determining nutritional information associated with said food product based on said determined type of said one or more ingredients.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving said 3-D image of said food product from said one or more computing devices.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving said 3-D image and metadata associated with said 3-D image to identify said one or more ingredients.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said metadata corresponds to one or more of:

a location data, a time of capturing said 3-D image, a name of said food product, a name of a restaurant serving said food product, and/or a location of said restaurant.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising comparing said 3-D image with said database of said pre-stored images to identify said one or more ingredients of said food product.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising communicating said nutritional information associated with said food product for display on said one or more computing devices.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising recommending at least one other food product based on said determined nutritional information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a type of one or more ingredients in said recommended said at least one other food product is similar to said determined type of said one or more ingredients in said food product.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said type of said one or more ingredients correspond to one or more of:

carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber, cholesterol, sodium, vitamins, and/or minerals.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said nutritional information associated with said food product corresponds to one or more of:

calorie information, at least one other food product having similar nutritional information as said food product, and/or at least one other food product having similar ingredients as said food product.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving an input corresponding to one or more of:

a name of said food product, a name of a restaurant serving said food product, and/or a location of said restaurant.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising determining one or more of:

a freshness of said food product and/or a degree of cooking of said food product based on color information associated with said 3-D image of said food product.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising differentiating between said one or more ingredients having similar shapes based on one or both of:

color information and/or color patterns associated with said 3-D image of said food product.

14. An apparatus for determining information associated with a food product, said apparatus comprising:

in a server communicably coupled to one or more computing devices, one or more processors and/or circuits in said server being operable to;

deconstruct a three dimensional (3-D) image of said food product to identify one or more ingredients in said food product;

compare said deconstructed 3-D image with a database of pre-stored images of food products to determine a type of said one or more ingredients in said food product; and

determine nutritional information associated with said food product based on said determined type of said one or more ingredients.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to receive said 3-D image of said food product from said one or more computing devices.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to receive said 3-D image and metadata associated with said 3-D image to identify said one or more ingredients.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said metadata corresponds to one or more of:

a location data, a time of capturing said 3-D image, a name of said food product, a name of a restaurant serving said food product, and/or a location of said restaurant.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to compare said 3-D image with said database of said pre-stored images to identify said one or more ingredients of said food product.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said nutritional information associated with said food product corresponds to one or more of:

calorie information, at least one other food product having similar nutritional information as said food product, and/or at least one other food product having similar ingredients as said food product.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to receive an input corresponding to one or more of:

a name of said food product, a name of a restaurant serving said food product, and/or a location of said restaurant.

21. An apparatus for determining information associated with a food product, said apparatus comprising:

in a computing device communicably coupled to a server, one or more processors and/or circuits in said computing device being operable to;

capture a three dimensional (3-D) image of said food product;

communicate said captured 3-D image and metadata associated with said 3-D image to said server; and

receive nutritional information associated with said food product based on said communicated metadata associated with said 3-D image.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to recommend one or more of:

at least one other food product similar to a type of one or more ingredients in said food product, alternate ingredients of said food product, a location to purchase said alternate ingredients, one or more restaurants serving said food product, and/or one or more grocery stores to purchase one or more ingredients in said food product.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said metadata corresponds to one or more of:

a location data, a time of capturing said 3-D image, a name of said food product, a name of a restaurant serving said food product, and/or a location of said restaurant.