METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONTENT PROCESSING

• US 20140219566A1
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Tony R., Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,855,372 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/190
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/587 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9536 Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/22 Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/24 Classification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/40 Software arrangements specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. user interfaces or toolboxes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2215/00 Indexing scheme for image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/00 Geometric image transformations in the plane of the image
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/24 Aligning, centring, orientation detection or correction of the image
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/945 User interactive design; Environments; Toolboxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 Satellite images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body

Abstract

Cell phones and other portable devices are equipped with a variety of technologies by which existing functionality can be improved, and new functionality can be provided. Some relate to visual search capabilities, and responding to different image inputs and different contexts. Others relate to processing of image data. Still others concern metadata generation, processing, and representation. Yet others relate to coping with fixed focus limitations of cell phone cameras, e.g., in reading digital watermark data. Still others concern user interface improvements. Yet others concern adapting behavior of a camera-equipped system based on previously-captured imagery. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Claims

1. A method comprising the acts:

receiving a signal from a biological sensor associated with a first person, the sensor selected from the group consisting of a gaze sensor, a skin conductivity sensor, an electroencephalography sensor, and a pupil dilation sensor;

performing a visual object recognition operation on image information based, in part, on the received signal, yielding information about an object of interest to the first person, said visual object recognition operation being performed by a hardware configured to perform such act;

presenting information to the first user about the recognized object;

determining, from data in a data archive, a second person having an association with the recognized object; and

reporting the recognition operation, enabling the second person to learn thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the second person is a friend of the first person.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the biological sensor comprises a gaze sensor.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the object of interest is a bottle of beer.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the reporting comprises sending information to the second person.

6. A method comprising the acts:

receiving a signal from a biological sensor associated with a first person, the sensor selected from the group consisting of a gaze sensor, a skin conductivity sensor, an electroencephalography sensor, and a pupil dilation sensor;

performing a visual object recognition operation on image information based, in part, on the received signal, yielding information about an object of interest to the first person, said visual object recognition operation being performed by a hardware configured to perform such act;

presenting information to the first user about the recognized object; and

reporting recognition of said object of interest to the first person, to a second person, the second person being a friend of the first person.

7. A method in which operation of a camera-equipped system evolves through its continued operation, comprising the acts:

determining, from repeated uses of the camera in capturing images, a recurring operational factor including at least one of (a) a usage pattern behavior of a camera user, (b) an environment in which the camera is repeatedly operated, and (c) scenes that the camera repeatedly captures;

applying a compensation tailored to the determined recurring operational factor, said compensation being applied by a hardware processor configured to perform such act; and

submitting, for analysis, image data resulting from said compensation;

wherein the camera-equipped system changes one or more aspects of its functioning based on image-related information previously acquired, so that a result of said analysis improves with continued use of the camera-equipped system.

8. The method of claim 7 in which the recurring operational factor comprises a usage pattern behavior of the camera user.

9. The method of claim 8 in which the recurring operational factor comprises a usage pattern behavior in inclining the camera.

10. The method of claim 8 in which the recurring operational factor comprises a usage pattern behavior in orienting the camera to capture view from a particular oblique perspective.

11. The method of claim 8 in which the recurring operational factor comprises a usage pattern behavior in jittering a position of the camera.

12. The method of claim 7 in which said determining comprising discerning said recurring factor through examination of multiple images captured by the camera.

13. The method of claim 12 in which said discerning includes discerning lengths of parallel edges in said multiple images.

14. The method of claim 12 in which said discerning includes discerning differences in illumination across objects in said multiple images.

15. The method of claim 7 in which the act of applying a compensation to a captured image comprises applying a filtering operation to the captured image.

16. The method of claim 7 that includes modeling an aspect of the user'"'"'s customary behavior, and adapting operation of the system accordingly.

17. The method of claim 7 in which the recurring operational factor comprises an environment in which the camera is repeatedly operated.

18. The method of claim 17 that includes determining that the camera is typically used in an environment with a particular type of lighting.

19. The method of claim 18 in which the act of applying the compensation comprises capturing imagery with an exposure tailored to said particular type of lighting.

20. The method of claim 17 that includes determining that the camera is typically used in an environment having a particular type of lighting, at particular times of day.

21. The method of claim 17 that includes determining that the camera is typically used in an environment having a particular type of lighting, at particular days of the week.

22. The method of claim 7 in which the recurring operational factor comprises scenes that the camera repeatedly captures.

23. The method of claim 22 in which the recurring operational factor comprises repeated capture of scenes depicting barcodes.

24. The method of claim 7 that includes capturing imagery, and applying said compensation after said imagery has been captured.

25. The method of claim 7 that includes capturing imagery, and applying said compensation as part of said capturing.

26. The method of claim 7 in which said analysis includes analyzing the image data to recognize an object depicted therein.

27-29. -29. (canceled)