System and method for selecting and transmitting images of interest to a user
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for providing images to a user, the method comprising:
- (a) periodically capturing a plurality of images with a plurality of cameras, wherein the plurality of cameras are located at a camera site, wherein each of the captured images provides a corresponding view of the camera site;
(b) transmitting at least a portion of the captured images to a server;
(c) processing the captured images, wherein the act of processing comprises identifying one or more images of interest among the captured images, wherein the act of identifying one or more images of interest comprises referencing an interest definition memory, wherein the interest definition memory comprises a hierarchical list of interest values for characteristics of views corresponding to captured images; and
(d) periodically transmitting image data to a user'"'"'s system, wherein the periodically transmitted image data comprises one or more of the images of interest;
wherein the act of identifying an image of interest comprises identifying a first image of interest and a second image of interest, wherein the view corresponding to the first image of interest is different from the view corresponding to the second image of interest such that the view corresponding to the image of interest changes, wherein the act of periodically transmitting image data to a user'"'"'s system further comprises;
transmitting the first image of interest to the user'"'"'s system, andtransmitting the second image of interest to the user'"'"'s system;
wherein the view corresponding to the image of interest changes during a first time period, wherein the acts of transmitting the first and second images of interest to the user'"'"'s system are performed at respective times separated by a second time period, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing an improved Internet camera is described. The method of keeping a periodically refreshed image on a user'"'"'s system comprises receiving a plurality of images, and identifying a most interesting image. The method further comprises selecting the most interesting image as a current image, and sending the current image to the user.
127 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for providing images to a user, the method comprising:
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(a) periodically capturing a plurality of images with a plurality of cameras, wherein the plurality of cameras are located at a camera site, wherein each of the captured images provides a corresponding view of the camera site; (b) transmitting at least a portion of the captured images to a server; (c) processing the captured images, wherein the act of processing comprises identifying one or more images of interest among the captured images, wherein the act of identifying one or more images of interest comprises referencing an interest definition memory, wherein the interest definition memory comprises a hierarchical list of interest values for characteristics of views corresponding to captured images; and (d) periodically transmitting image data to a user'"'"'s system, wherein the periodically transmitted image data comprises one or more of the images of interest; wherein the act of identifying an image of interest comprises identifying a first image of interest and a second image of interest, wherein the view corresponding to the first image of interest is different from the view corresponding to the second image of interest such that the view corresponding to the image of interest changes, wherein the act of periodically transmitting image data to a user'"'"'s system further comprises; transmitting the first image of interest to the user'"'"'s system, and transmitting the second image of interest to the user'"'"'s system; wherein the view corresponding to the image of interest changes during a first time period, wherein the acts of transmitting the first and second images of interest to the user'"'"'s system are performed at respective times separated by a second time period, wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for providing images to a user, the method comprising:
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(a) periodically capturing a plurality of images with a plurality of cameras, wherein the plurality of cameras are located at a camera site, wherein each of the captured images provides a corresponding view of the camera site; (b) transmitting at least a portion of the captured images to a server; (c) processing the captured images, wherein the act of processing comprises identifying one or more images of interest among the captured images, wherein the act of identifying one or more images of interest comprises referencing an interest definition memory, wherein the interest definition memory comprises a hierarchical list of interest values for characteristics of views corresponding to captured images; and (d) periodically transmitting image data to a user'"'"'s system, wherein the periodically transmitted image data comprises one or more of the images of interest; wherein the act of identifying one or more images of interest comprises detecting motion of a moving object within the one or more views corresponding to the processed images; wherein a plurality of the views include the moving object, wherein the amount of motion of the moving object varies among the plurality of views, wherein the amount of motion of the moving object is greatest in one view of the plurality of views, wherein the act of identifying one or more images of interest comprises selecting the image corresponding to the one view having the greatest amount of motion of the moving object. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method for providing images to a user, the method comprising:
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(a) periodically capturing a plurality of images with a plurality of cameras, wherein the plurality of cameras are located at a camera site, wherein each of the captured images provides a corresponding view of the camera site; (b) transmitting at least a portion of the captured images to a server; (c) processing the captured images, wherein the act of processing comprises identifying one or more images of interest among the captured images, wherein the act of identifying one or more images of interest comprises referencing an interest definition memory, wherein the interest definition memory comprises a hierarchical list of interest values for characteristics of views corresponding to captured images; (d) periodically transmitting image data to a user'"'"'s system, wherein the periodically transmitted image data comprises one or more of the images of interest; (e) receiving a user rating relative to the identification of the one or more identified images of interest; and (f) using received user ratings during performance of the act of identifying one or more images of interest. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification