×

Methods and systems for interacting with physical objects

  • US 7,628,320 B2
  • Filed: 05/23/2008
  • Issued: 12/08/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method comprising:

  • pointing a portable image sensor device towards a physical object that is free of visible digital encoding;

    capturing one or more 2D frames of imagery from the physical object using the sensor device;

    providing image information representing the object to a processing device, and receiving first data derived from said provided image information from the processing device;

    using the first data to identify corresponding second data in a data structure that stores plural second data, where the data structure associates the plural second data with plural different first data; and

    though use of the second data identified from the data structure, initiating an action relating to the physical object from which the imagery was captured;

    wherein the method further includes analyzing the imagery for one or more clues, the clue(s) helping the first data to better correspond to a particular object, rather than to another object or to visual clutter within the imagery, the analyzing including one or more of the following;

    i. regarding a point at a center of an image frame as corresponding to the particular physical object, and from that point analyzing to discern an associated boundary;

    ii. identifying features in the imagery having a relatively greater movement between frames of imagery, as contrasted with other image features;

    iii. identifying plural non-parallel straight edge boundaries in the imagery;

    iv. identifying a trapezoidal shape in the imagery;

    v. identifying an object within the imagery by reference, at least in part, to color; and

    vi. identifying an object within the imagery by reference, at least in part, to spatial frequency.

View all claims
  • 6 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×