System and method of user interface and data entry from a video call

• US 7,551,782 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2006
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DSPV Ltd., Dvpv, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: DSPV Ltd.
• Inventors: Haim Lev, Zvi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAHMJOO, MANUCHER
• Application Number:
  US11/353,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20060182311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 382/209, 382/216, 382/217, 382/218, 382/219
• US Class Current: 382/209
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/28 Determining representative reference patterns, e.g. by averaging or distorting; Generating dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/772 Determining representative reference patterns, e.g. averaging or distorting patterns; Generating dictionaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/62 Text, e.g. of license plates, overlay texts or captions on TV images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A system and method for imaging an object, and using reference templates to recognize and enhance object image, including the identification of a template for a specific area of a target object to which images of the object may be compared, the use of the camera on a wireless device to image the target object, comparison of the images of the object within the specific area of the object to the template for that area of the object, identification of the image of the object from the comparison of the image to the template for the specific area of the object, and the storage of the template and the identified image on a data server.

Claims

1. A method for imaging an object, and using reference templates to recognize and enhance object images, during a video call, the method comprising:

establishing a video call link via a communication network between a user interface unit and a computational facility;

using a camera on the user interface unit to image plurality of images of the target object;

transmitting the plurality of images of the target object from the user interface unit via the communication network to the computational facility;

the computational facility identifying a template for a specific area of a target object to which images of the object are to be compared;

computational facility comparing the plurality of images of the object to the template;

the computational facility identifying an image from the comparison of the plurality images to the template;

a storage facility storing the template and the identified image in a storage unit;

repeating operations comprising said identifying of the template, said using of the camera, said comparing the plurality of images, said identifying the image, and said storing, to identify and store a multiplicity of templates in which each template applies to a specific area of the target object;

comparing each of a multiplicity of images of the target object to the template applicable to the area of the imaged object in which the image is located;

storing each compared image and corresponding template in the storage unit; and

transmitting from the computational facility via the communication network to the user interface unit, instructions for actions to be taken by the user that allow transmission from the user interface unit to the computational facility additional images that improve the quality of the computational facility'"'"'s recognition of the target object;

wherein the foregoing operations are reiterated to enhance identification of the target object;

using the camera of a wireless device to capture multiple images of each area of the target object;

in which said multiple images in an area are on substantially same size scale and in which a substantial pictorial overlap among the images in an area is present;

applying a technique to combine said multiple images of an area of the target object into a recognizable form; and

storing results of said technique in the storage unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said technique is selected from a group comprising optical character recognition, optical mark recognition, barcode recognition, alphanumeric data detection, logo and graphical symbols recognition, face recognition, and recognition of special marks.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said technique is frame combination.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said technique is projective geometric transform.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a user communicates the selection of captured images of the target object to the storage unit using keypress the wireless device conveyed as Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) commands.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a user selects the area imaged by zooming the camera with a forward movement on the center of the area of interest.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identifies the area of interest by voice command.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recognizing that some of the images taken of the target object are damaged so that such images convey incorrect or misleading information;

comparing frames to templates to identify each damaged frame;

discarding a fixed number of frames after each damaged frame, in which the fixed number of frames is approximately 10 or less.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the user is financially charged for using the service of identification, recognition, and enhancement of target objects.

10. The method of claim 9, in which the charge to user is based on one or more of the group comprising time and quantity of air time transmission and reception, time and quantity of data transmitted and received, and quantity of data processed by the server.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said computational facility transmits feedback to a user during or very soon after the imaging executed by the server;

said feedback contains suggestions to the user for actions that enhance effectiveness of images captured by the user.

12. The method of claim 11, in which said feedback is in a form of written instructions advising the new user to reposition or refocus the camera in the wireless device.

13. The method of claim 11, in which said feedback is image captured by the user, processed by the server, and transmitted back to a user'"'"'s imaging device.

14. The method of claim 11, in which said feedback is in a form of voice instructions advising the user to reposition or refocus the camera in the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 11, in which the feedback is in a form of a visual clue suggesting to the user what should be done to reposition of refocus the camera in the wireless device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network is a wireless network.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network is a wireline network.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said operations are applied to at least one of services selected from the group composed of user identification, user data entry, interactive communication between the user and the computational facility, activation of coupons, activation of discounts, creation of hotliniks or activation of favorites on a favorite list, an viewing a Web page.