SMARTPHONE-BASED METHODS AND SYSTEMS

• US 20150142618A1
• Filed: 09/08/2014
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Rodriguez, Tony F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,547,873 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

Methods and arrangements involving portable devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are disclosed. Exemplary arrangements utilize the camera portions of such devices to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some of the detailed technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Claims

1. A method involving imagery depicting an item of clothing or clothing accessory, captured using a camera portion of a mobile phone device, and displayed on a screen of said device, the method including the acts:

displaying a first bauble on the screen with a first frame of the imagery, the first bauble being located at a first position on the screen, the first bauble being user-selectable to initiate an action associated with the depicted item of clothing or clothing accessory;

identifying a location of a first point proximate to said depicted item in the first frame of imagery, using a hardware processor configured to perform such act;

displaying a tether on the screen with the first frame of imagery, the tether indicating association between said depicted item and the bauble, the tether having a first end at said determined location, and a second end proximate the bauble; and

in response to user selection of the bauble, initiating said action associated with said depicted item.

2. The method of claim 1 that includes displaying the first bauble on the screen with a second frame of imagery, wherein said item is depicted in both the first and second frames of imagery, but at different locations therein.

3. The method of claim 2 in which the first bauble is displayed at said first position on said screen with both the first and second frames of imagery.

4. The method of claim 2 in which the first end of the tether is at different locations in the first and second frames of imagery, wherein the first end of the tether moves with the depiction of said item in the first and second frames.

5. The method of claim 2 in which, in the displayed first frame of imagery, the tether approaches said depicted item from a first side thereof, and in the displayed second frame of imagery, the tether approaches said depicted item from a second, different, side thereof.

6. The method of claim 2 in which the tether displayed with the first frame of imagery has a first color, and the tether displayed with the second frame of imagery has a second, different, color.

7. The method of claim 1 that further includes analyzing the imagery to identify a portion thereof that is quieter than other portions, and positioning the first bauble in said quieter portion.

8. The method of claim 1 that further includes evaluating plural different paths in selecting a route for the displayed tether.

9. The method of claim 1 that further includes analyzing the imagery in selecting a route for the tether, so that said route does not cross said depicted item.

10. The method of claim 1 that further includes analyzing the captured imagery to produce identification data related to said depicted item, and identifying said location of the first point proximate to the depicted item based thereon.

11. The method of claim 1 in which said action comprises linking to an online source of information related to said depicted item of clothing.

12. The method of claim 1 that further includes displaying a second frame of the imagery on the screen with both first and second baubles, the second bauble being located at a second position on the screen, the second bauble being user-selectable to initiate an action associated with a second item of clothing or clothing accessory depicted in the second frame, the second position being chosen to permit its display on the screen without changing the first position of the first bauble.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing software instructions for configuring a processing system of a camera- and screen-equipped mobile phone device to perform acts including:

displaying a first bauble on the screen with a first frame of imagery depicting an item of clothing or clothing accessory, the first bauble being located at a first position on the screen, the first bauble being user-selectable to initiate an action associated with the depicted item of clothing or clothing accessory;

identifying a location of a first point proximate to said depicted item in the first frame of imagery;

displaying a tether on the screen with the first frame of imagery, the tether indicating association between said depicted item and the bauble, the tether having a first end at said determined location, and a second end proximate the bauble; and

in response to user selection of the bauble, initiating said action associated with said depicted item.

14. A mobile phone system including a processor, a memory, a camera, and a screen, the memory containing software instructions for configuring the system to perform acts including:

displaying a first bauble on the screen with a first frame of imagery depicting an item of clothing or clothing accessory, the first bauble being located at a first position on the screen, the first bauble being user-selectable to initiate an action associated with the depicted item of clothing or clothing accessory;

identifying a location of a first point proximate to said depicted item in the first frame of imagery;

displaying a tether on the screen with the first frame of imagery, the tether indicating association between said depicted item and the bauble, the tether having a first end at said determined location, and a second end proximate the bauble; and

in response to user selection of the bauble, initiating said action associated with said depicted item.

15. A method comprising:

identifying physical objects depicted in imagery captured by a camera portion of a user'"'"'s mobile phone, to thereby discern physical object preference information relating to the user, and storing physical object preference profile data based thereon in a memory; and

processing electronic media, based at least in part on said stored physical object preference profile data.

16. The method of claim 15 in which the processing comprises screening email directed to an email account associated with said user, based at least in part on said stored physical object preference profile data.

17. The method of claim 15 in which the processing comprises adding a particular web page as a suggested favorite to a web browser associated with the user, wherein said particular web page is determined based at least in part on said stored physical object preference profile data.

18. The method of claim 15 in which the processing comprises monitoring published electronic media, and providing selected excerpts thereof to the user, wherein said selection is based at least in part on said stored physical object preference profile data.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the published electronic media comprises posts to an online social networking service.