Mobile device with integrated photograph management system

• US 7,831,141 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Foxenland, Eral Denis, Wässingbo, Tomas Karl-Axel, Gulliksson, Johan F., Almås, Randi-Lise Hjelmeland, Klinghult, Gunnar, Lagerstedt, Anna-Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ROCHELLE ANN J
• Application Number:
  US11/692,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20080240702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 396/429, 396/310, 348/14.02, 348/552, 455/556.1, 455/556.2
• US Class Current: 396/429
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00151 with selective access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00172 directly from a still digital camera or from a storage medium mounted in a still digital camera H04N1/0018 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• 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 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3209 of a telephone number
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data

Abstract

A mobile device comprises a network communication system such as a wide area network mobile telephony system, a camera for capturing a digital photograph, and a photograph management application. The photograph management application receives the digital photograph, obtains an information record comprising information related to the digital photograph; and associates at least a portion of the information related to the digital photograph with the digital photograph. The information record may be obtained from local sources such as a contact directory or from a remote directory server.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a camera for capturing a digital photograph;

a module comprising a photograph management application;

receiving the digital photograph;

obtaining an information record comprising information related to the digital photograph; and

associating at least a portion of the information related to the digital photograph with the digital photograph; and

a primary content database associating, for each of a plurality of categories, an identification of a category with content recognition data;

wherein the photograph management application obtains the information record by applying the content recognition data for each of the plurality of categories of the primary content database to an image depicted in the digital photograph to identify a selected category, the selected category being the category that includes content recognition data with which the image corresponds;

and obtaining the information record based on the identification of the selected category.

2. The mobile device of claim 1:

wherein the selected category is a person and further comprising;

a network communication system;

a contact directory storing a plurality of contact records, each contact record including contact information identifying a person and at least one network address associated with the person, the contact record further including a facial image of the person; and

a user interface for enabling selection of a contact record and initiating a communication to the network address included in the contact record via the network communication system; and

wherein the photograph management application obtains the information record by identifying a selected contact record as the information record, the selected contact record being a one of the plurality of contact records that includes a facial image with which at least one facial image depicted in the digital photograph matches.

3. The mobile device of claim 2 wherein:

the contact record further includes a photograph sharing indicator identifying one of a photograph sharing setting and a photograph non-sharing setting; and

the photograph management application initiates transmission of a copy of the photograph to an identified address if the photograph sharing indicator included in the selected contact record identifies the photograph sharing setting.

4. The mobile device of claim 2:

wherein, with respect to each contact record, the facial image of the person included in the contact record is a call line identification photograph, and

the mobile device further comprises a telephony application for placing and receiving telephone calls via the network communication system, the telephony application further driving the user interface to display the call line identification photograph of a contact record when a caller ID signal of an incoming call matches a telephone number in the contact record.

5. The mobile device of claim 1:

wherein the selected category is a person and further comprising a local communication system for communicating with remote mobile devices within a communication zone surrounding the mobile device in which the mobile device may electronically communicate; and

wherein the photograph management application obtains the information record by;

displaying an indication of each of a plurality of remote mobile devices within the communication zone;

displaying the at least one facial image depicted in the digital photograph;

obtaining user selection of a selected remote mobile device, the selected remote mobile device being a one of the plurality of remote mobile devices associated by the user with the facial image depicted in the digital photograph; and

obtaining, as the information record, a personal contact record from the selected remote mobile device, the personal contact record comprising identification of the user of the selected remote mobile device.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein:

the personal contact record further includes a photograph sharing indicator identifying one of a photograph sharing setting and a photograph non-sharing setting; and

the photograph management application initiates transmission of a copy of the photograph to the selected remote mobile device if the photograph sharing indicator identifies the photograph sharing setting.

7. The mobile device of claim 5:

further comprising a contact directory storing a plurality of contact records, each contact record including contact information identifying a person and a call line identification photograph of the person for display when an incoming telephone call includes a caller ID signal corresponding to the contact record; and

wherein the photograph management application further;

associates the facial image depicted in the digital photograph with the personal contact record as its call line identification photograph; and

writes the personal contact record to the contact directory.

8. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the photograph management application only obtains the personal contact record from the selected remote mobile device if the selected remote mobile device is configured to authorize transmission of the personal contact record to the mobile device.

9. The mobile device of claim 5:

further comprising an owner identification record, the owner identification record including identification of the owner of the mobile device and a sharing indicator identifying one of a sharing setting and a non-sharing setting; and

wherein the mobile device provides the owner identification record to a remote mobile device within the communication zone upon the remote mobile device initiating a request for the owner identification record.

10. The mobile device of claim 1:

further comprising a network communication system; and

wherein the photograph management application obtains the information record by;

initiating a request to a remote directory server via the network communication system, the request including a digital image embodying at least a portion of the digital photograph; and

receiving a response from the remote directory server via the network communication system, the response comprising the information record.

11. The mobile device of claim 10 wherein the selected category is person and:

the digital image is a facial image of a person depicted in the digital photograph; and

the information record comprises a personal contact record, the personal contact record including an identification of the person depicted in the digital photograph.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein:

the personal contact record further includes a photograph sharing indicator identifying one of a photograph sharing setting and a photograph non-sharing setting; and

the photograph management application initiates transmission of a copy of the photograph to an identified address if the photograph sharing indicator identifies the photograph sharing setting.

13. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein:

the request further includes a source identification, the source identification identifying the mobile device,

the information record comprises a personal contact record if the source identification is within a group authorization record associated with the person depicted in the digital photograph, the contact record including identification of the person depicted in the digital photograph; and

the information record comprises an indication that identification the person depicted in the digital photograph is unauthorized if the source identification is not within the group authorization record associated with the person depicted in the digital photograph.

14. The mobile device of claim 10 wherein the selected category is an attraction and:

further comprising a global positioning system for identifying a location at which the digital photograph was captured; and

wherein;

the digital image is an image of an attraction depicted in the digital photograph;

the request further comprises a location identifier identifying the location at which the photograph was captured; and

the information record comprises description data associated with the attraction.

15. The mobile device of claim 14 wherein the description data associated with the attraction comprises a geographical identifier identifying a region within which the digital photograph was captured.

16. The mobile device of claim 14 wherein the description data associated with the attraction comprises identification of the attraction.

17. The mobile device of claim 10 wherein the selected category is a wine bottle label:

the digital image is an image of a wine bottle label depicted in the digital photograph and identifying a vintage of wine; and

the information record comprises descriptive data associated with the vine vintage.

18. The mobile device of claim 1:

further comprising a communication system for communication with remote mobile devices; and

wherein the photograph management application further exchanges content recognition data with a selected remote mobile device.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the photograph management application further applies content recognition data received from the selected remote mobile device to the image depicted in the digital photograph to identify the selected category.

20. The mobile device of claim 1:

further comprising;

a user interface including a display screen and a information entry system; and

wherein the photograph management application further;

displays the image in association with an identification of the selected category; and

uses the identification of the selected category as the information record only if the user confirms proper categorization.

21. The mobile device of claim 20, wherein the photograph management application further:

obtains user entry of a new category identifier as the information record via the information entry system;

associates the image, as content recognition data, with the new category identifier as a new category in the primary content database.

22. A method of operating a mobile device to obtain and associate text based information with a digital photograph captured by the mobile device, the method comprising:

capturing a digital photograph;

obtaining an information record comprising information related to the digital photograph; and

associating at least a portion of the information related to the digital photograph with the digital photograph;

wherein the information record is obtained by applying content recognition data for each of a plurality of categories of a primary content database to an image depicted in the digital photograph to identify a selected category, the selected category being the category that includes content recognition data with which the image corresponds.

23. The method of claim 22:

wherein the selected category is a person and the information record is obtained by identifying a selected contact record from a contact directory as the information record;

the contact directory storing a plurality of contact records, each contact record including contact information identifying a person and at least one network address associated with the person, the contact record further including a facial image of the person; and

the selected contact record being a one of the plurality of contact records that includes a facial image with which at least one facial image depicted in the digital photograph matches.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein:

the contact record further includes a photograph sharing indicator identifying one of a photograph sharing setting and a photograph non-sharing setting; and

the method further comprises initiating transmission of a copy of the photograph to an identified address if the photograph sharing indicator included in the selected contact record identifies the photograph sharing setting.

25. The method of claim 23:

wherein, with respect to each contact record, the facial image of the person included in the contact record is a call line identification photograph, and

the method further comprises driving the user interface to display the call line identification photograph of a contact record when a caller ID signal of an incoming call matches a telephone number in the contact record.

26. The method of claim 22:

wherein the selected category is a person and the information record is obtained by;

displaying an indication of each of a plurality of remote mobile devices within a communication zone, the communication zone being a zone surrounding the mobile device in which the mobile device may electronically communicate via a local communication system;

displaying the at least one facial image depicted in the digital photograph;

obtaining user selection of a selected remote mobile device, the selected remote mobile device being a one of the plurality of remote mobile devices associated by the user with the facial image depicted in the digital photograph; and

obtaining, as the information record, a personal contact record from the selected remote mobile device, the personal contact record comprising identification of the user of the selected remote mobile device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein:

the personal contact record further includes a photograph sharing indicator identifying one of a photograph sharing setting and a photograph non-sharing setting; and

the method further comprises initiating transmission of a copy of the photograph to the selected remote mobile device if the photograph sharing indicator identifies the photograph sharing setting.

28. The method of claim 26:

further comprising associating the facial image depicted in the digital photograph with the personal contact record as its call line identification photograph; and

writing such personal contact record to a contact directory storing a plurality of contact records, each contact record including contact information identifying a person and a call line identification photograph of the person for display when an incoming telephone call includes a caller ID signal corresponding to the contact record.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the personal contact record is obtained from the selected remote mobile device only if the selected remote mobile device is configured to authorize transmission of the personal contact record to the mobile device.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising providing an owner identification record to a remote mobile device within the communication zone upon the remote mobile device initiating a request for the owner identification record, the owner identification record including identification of the owner of the mobile device.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein the information record is obtained by:

initiating a request to a remote directory server via the network communication system, the request including a digital image embodying at least a portion of the digital photograph; and

receiving a response from the remote directory server via the network communication system, the response comprising the information record.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the selected category is a person and:

the digital image is a facial image of a person depicted in the digital photograph; and

the information record comprises a personal contact record, the personal contact record including an identification of the person depicted in the digital photograph.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein:

the personal contact record further includes a photograph sharing indicator identifying one of a photograph sharing setting and a photograph non-sharing setting; and

the method further comprises initiating transmission of a copy of the photograph to an identified address if the photograph sharing indicator identifies the photograph sharing setting.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein:

the request further includes a source identification, the source identification identifying the mobile device,

the information record comprises a personal contact record if the source identification is within a group authorization record associated with the person depicted in the digital photograph, the contact record including identification of the person depicted in the digital photograph; and

the information record comprises an indication that identification the person depicted in the digital photograph is unauthorized if the source identification is not within the group authorization record associated with the person depicted in the digital photograph.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the selected category is an attraction:

the digital image is an image of an attraction depicted in the digital photograph;

the request further comprises a location identifier identifying the location at which the photograph was captured as measured by a global positioning system; and

the information record comprises description data associated with the attraction.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the description data associated with the attraction comprises a geographical identifier identifying a region within which the digital photograph was captured.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the description data associated with the attraction comprises identification of the attraction.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the selected category is a wine bottle and:

the digital image is an image of a wine bottle label depicted in the digital photograph and identifying a vintage of wine; and

the information record comprises descriptive data associated with the vine vintage.

39. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

displaying the image in association with an identification of the selected category; and

using the identification of the selected category as the information record if the user confirms proper categorization via an information entry system.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

obtaining user entry of a new category identifier as the information record via the information entry system;

associating the image, as content recognition data, with the new category identifier as a new category in the primary content database.