Visual content-based internet search methods and sub-combinations

• US 7,966,494 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2007
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Song; Hosuk
• Application Number:
  US11/620,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20080028223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• Field of Search: 380/54, 713/167, 713/176, 713/187, 713/189, 726/26, 705 57- 59, 382/100
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1418 the inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/634 Query by example, e.g. query by humming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/683 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06253 for a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1447 extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0034 using watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 : by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 : Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 : Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00007 : Time or data compression or expansion audio compression based on psychoacoustics G10L19/00; data processing for reproducing audio data at different playback speeds G10L21/04; video compression H04N19/00; data compression per se H03M7/30
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 : Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00144 : involving a user identifier, e.g. a unique customer ID
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00195 : using a device identifier associated with the player or recorder, e.g. serial numbers of playback apparatuses or MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 : embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 : using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/84 : combined with power distribution network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/93 : which locates resources of other pieces of information, e.g. URL [Uniform Resource Locator]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/50 : characterised by the use of watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 : for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 : using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00005 : relating to image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00037 : Detecting, i.e. determining the occurrence of a predetermined state H04N1/00031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00079 : remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 : from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 : embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3216 : using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 : Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32219 : involving changing the position of selected pixels, e.g. word shifting, or involving modulating the size of image components, e.g. of characters H04N1/32224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32229 : with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected regions of the image H04N1/32213 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32261 : in binary data H04N1/32256 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32304 : Embedding different sets of additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32352 : Controlling detectability or arrangements to facilitate detection or retrieval of the embedded information, e.g. using markers for decoding, detection or retrieval operations H04N1/32149 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23892 : involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 : sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 : involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 : for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 : involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• 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 2201/3225 : of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 : of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3239 : using a plurality of different authentication information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A camera-equipped portable device captures visual information (e.g., from a movie), ascertains a corresponding identifier, and uses the identifier to enable one or more further functions. One of these can be internet search. Such functionality can also be based on digital data—without requiring a camera capability.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

from a set of image data, decoding, using a processor, a steganographically-encoded digital watermark embedded therein;

by reference to the decoded watermark, identifying a physical object; and

presenting a menu with at least two options including initiating a purchase transaction involving the identified object, and another of the options comprising initiating a search related to the identified object using a general purpose internet search engine.

2. The method of claim 1, that further comprising:

locating, in a database, a data record corresponding to the decoded watermark; and

by reference to information obtained from the data record, formulating the menu.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying a physical object comprises obtaining keyword data associated with the object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the presented menu is customized based on the identification of the object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the options comprises initiating a purchase of the physical object from an online retailer.

6. A method comprising:

capturing visual data from entertainment content;

providing the visual data to a processor;

receiving from the processor an identifier corresponding to the visual data; and

by reference to the received identifier, initiating a search using a general purpose internet search engine, wherein the search is initiated with a general purpose internet search engine without entry of text by a user.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising performing an algorithmic operation on the provided visual data to produce the identifier corresponding thereto.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein performing the algorithmic operation comprises decoding steganographically-encoded digital watermark data from the visual data.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

by reference to the received identifier, ascertaining an identity of the entertainment content; and

initiating a search using a general purpose internet search engine for information related to the identified content.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising presenting a textual listing of results to a user.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

presenting a menu of options on a display of a portable wireless device, at least one of the options relating to search; and

initiating the search in response to a selection of a search-related option from the menu.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the capturing comprises capturing with a camera-equipped device.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the capturing comprises capturing data from motion picture content.

14. A method comprising:

capturing visual data from entertainment content;

providing the visual data to a processor;

receiving from the processor identification data corresponding to the visual data;

in a database, locating a data record corresponding to the identification data;

by reference to information obtained from the data record, determining options to be presented on a menu;

presenting a menu, including the determined options, on a display of a portable wireless device, wherein at least one of the options relates to search; and

initiating a search using a general purpose internet search engine in response to a selection of a search-related option from the menu, wherein the search is initiated with a general purpose internet search engine without entry of text by a user.

15. A method of internet search comprising:

receiving an identifier corresponding to visual data;

by reference to the identifier, ascertaining, using a processor, an identity of an entertainment content object; and

initiating a search using a general purpose internet search engine for information related to the identified entertainment content object, wherein the search is initiated with a general purpose internet search engine without entry of text by a user.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

obtaining visual data; and

ascertaining the identifier from the visual data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the ascertaining the identifier comprises decoding steganographically-encoded digital watermark data from the visual data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the obtaining comprises capturing with a camera-equipped device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the receiving comprises receiving a digital object identifier issued by a central organization which uniquely identifies an entertainment content object.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising presenting a textual listing of results to a user.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the ascertaining comprises accessing a store of metadata associated with the identifier, and obtaining data therefrom.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

presenting a menu of options on a display of a portable wireless device, at least one of the options relating to search; and

initiating the search in response to a selection of a search-related option from the menu.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

locating, in a database, a data record corresponding to the identifier; and

by reference to information obtained from the data record, determining options to be presented on the menu.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

decode, from a set of image data, a steganographically-encoded digital watermark; and

identify, by reference to the decoded watermark, a physical object; and

a display configured to present a menu with at least two options including initiating a purchase transaction involving the identified object, and another of the options comprising initiating a search related to the identified object using a general purpose internet search engine.

25. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

decoding, from a set of image data, a steganographically-encoded digital watermark embedded therein;

by reference to the decoded watermark, identifying a physical object; and

presenting a menu with at least two options including initiating a purchase transaction involving the identified object, and another of the options comprising initiating a search related to the identified object using a general purpose internee search engine.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a capture component configured to capture visual data from entertainment content;

a processor configured to;

derive from the visual data an identifier; and

by reference to the received identifier, initiate a search using a general purpose internet search engine, wherein the search is initiated with a general purpose internet search engine without entry of text by a user.

27. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

capturing visual data from entertainment content;

deriving from the visual data an identifier corresponding to the visual data;

an

by reference to the received identifier, initiating a search using a general purpose internet search engine, wherein the search is initiated with a general purpose internet search engine without entry of text by a user.

28. An apparatus comprising:

a capture component configured to capture visual data from entertainment content;

a processor configured to;

derive identification data corresponding to the visual data;

locating, in a database, a data record corresponding to the identification data; and

by reference to information obtained from the data record, determining options to be presented on a menu;

a display configured to present a menu, comprising the determined options, wherein at least one of the options relates to search; and

the processor further configured to initiate a search using a general purpose internet search engine in response to a selection of a search-related option from the menu, wherein the search is initiated with a general purpose internet search engine without entry of text by a user.

29. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

capturing visual data from entertainment content;

deriving identification data corresponding to the visual data;

locating, in a database, a data record corresponding to the identification data;

by reference to information obtained from the data record, determining options to be presented on a menu;

presenting a menu, including the determined options, wherein at least one of the options relates to search; and

initiating a search using a general purpose internet search engine in response to a selection of a search-related option from the menu, wherein the search is initiated with a general purpose internet search engine without entry of text by a user.

30. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive an identifier corresponding to visual data;

by reference to the identifier, ascertain an identity of an entertainment content object; and

initiate a search using a general purpose internet search engine for information related to the identified entertainment content object, wherein the search is initiated with a general purpose internet search engine without entry of text by a user.

31. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving an identifier corresponding to visual data;

by reference to the identifier, ascertaining an identity of an entertainment content object; and

initiating a search using a general purpose internet search engine for information related to the identified entertainment content object, wherein the search is initiated with a general purpose internet search engine without entry of text by a user.