Method and system for facilitating tasks using images and selections from object class and task menus

• US 8,200,538 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palisades Technology LLC
• Inventors: Reber, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi, Hani M
• Application Number:
  US11/214,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20050283379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,479 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/27.2, 705/5
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/005 characterised by the type of game, e.g. ball games, fighting games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6607 for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/405 using Z-buffer
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/503 Blending, e.g. for anti-aliasing

Abstract

An image of at least one object (14) is captured. An object class selection is received from a menu (70) of a plurality of object classes. At least one task menu specific to the object class selection is provided. A task selection is received from the at least one task menu. A task associated with the at least one object (14) is facilitated based on the image and the task selection.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing via a wireless communication device and in response to actions of a user, a digital image of a three-dimensional product having visually recognizable packaging;

displaying the digital image of the three-dimensional product to the user on a display device of the wireless communication device;

interacting with the user to select the digital image;

displaying an object class menu on the display device of the wireless communication device, the object class menu having a plurality of object classes including a person class, a product class and an event class;

interacting with the user via the wireless communication device to select the product class from the object class menu, the product class indicating that the digital image includes a product;

transmitting the digital image from the wireless communication device to a server system;

recognizing the three-dimensional product in the digital image via the server system, based on the recognition of the visually recognizable packaging and not based on the recognition of an optical code;

displaying a task menu on the display device of the wireless communication device, the task menu including a plurality of tasks that are based on the selection of the product class;

performing at least one task of the plurality of tasks selected in response to interaction of the user with the task menu of the wireless communication device, the at least one task including;

retrieving product information relating to the three-dimensional product;

retrieving purchase information relating to the three-dimensional product;

retrieving product delivery information relating to the three-dimensional product;

displaying the product information, the purchase information, and the product delivery information on the wireless communication device; and

facilitating the purchase of the three-dimensional product via the wireless communication device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional product is a printed publication.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication device is web-enabled and wherein the at least one task includes:

identifying, via the server system, a computer network resource and a network address associated with the computer network resource, based on the recognition of the three-dimensional product and not based on the recognition of an optical code;

sending the network address to the wireless communication device to assist in facilitating the purchase of the three-dimensional product.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of tasks includes:

providing user feedback via the wireless communication device after purchasing the three-dimensional product.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of tasks includes:

retrieving payment information.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating object identification data by the user interface of the wireless communication device in response to the selection of the product class by the user to assist in recognition of the three-dimensional product, wherein the object identification data is separate from the digital image and is transmitted to the server system;

wherein recognizing the three-dimensional product in the digital image via the server system, is further based on the object identification data.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the object identification data indicates an object description selected via interaction by the user with the user interface of the wireless communication device.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the object identification data includes an object name.

9. A method comprising:

capturing via a wireless communication device and in response to actions of a user, a digital image of a three-dimensional product that is visually recognizable, wherein the digital image is a three-dimensional stereoscopic image;

displaying the digital image of the three-dimensional product to the user on a display device of the wireless communication device;

interacting with the user to select the digital image;

displaying an object class menu on a display device of the wireless communication device, the object class menu having a plurality of object classes including a person class, a product class and an event class;

responding to interaction with the user via the wireless communication device to select the product class from the object class menu, the product class indicating that the digital image includes a product;

transmitting the digital image from the wireless communication device to a server system;

recognizing the three-dimensional product in the digital image via the server system, based on visually recognizing the three-dimensional product and not based on the recognition of an optical code;

displaying a task menu on the display device of the wireless communication device, the task menu including a plurality of tasks that are based on the selection of the product class;

performing at least one task of the plurality of tasks selected in response to interaction of the user with the task menu of the wireless communication device, the at least one task including;

retrieving product information relating to the three-dimensional product;

retrieving purchase information relating to the three-dimensional product;

retrieving product delivery information relating to the three-dimensional product;

displaying the product information, the purchase information and the product delivery information on the wireless communication device; and

facilitating the purchase of the three-dimensional product.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the three-dimensional stereoscopic digital image is captured via at least two imaging sensors of the wireless communication device.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the wireless communication device is web-enabled and wherein the at least one task further includes:

identifying, via the server system, a computer network resource and a network address associated with the computer network resource, based on the recognition of the three-dimensional product and not based on the recognition of an optical code;

sending the network address to the wireless communication device to assist in facilitating the purchase of the three-dimensional product.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of tasks include providing user feedback via the wireless communication device after purchasing the three-dimensional product.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of tasks include retrieving payment information.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein at least one task option of the at least one task is configured as a customized task.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the customized task is shared by other users of other wireless communication devices via the server system.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of tasks include new task options made available from a service provider.

17. A method for use in a server system, the method comprising:

receiving at the server system, a digital image of a three-dimensional product that is substantially planar and that is visually recognizable, the digital image captured via a wireless communication device in response to actions of the user, and in response to a display of the digital image of the three-dimensional product to the user on a display device of the wireless communication device, and further in response to an interaction with the user to select the digital image;

receiving at the server system object identification data to assist in recognition of the three-dimensional product, wherein the object identification data is separate from the digital image and is generated by the user interface of the wireless communication device in response to selection by the user of a product class from an object class menu of the wireless communication device that includes the product class, and at least one of;

a person class, a company class and an event class;

recognizing the three-dimensional product in the digital image via the server system, based on visually recognizing the three-dimensional product and further based on the object identification data and not based on the recognition of an optical code;

performing a task associated with the recognition of the three-dimensional product via the server system based on a selection by the user of the task from a task menu of the wireless communication device, the task menu including a plurality of tasks that are based on the selection of the product class, the task including at least one of;

retrieving product information relating to the three-dimensional product;

retrieving purchase information relating to the three-dimensional product; and

retrieving product delivery information relating to the three-dimensional product;

sending data for displaying the product information, the purchase information and the product delivery information on the wireless communication device; and

facilitating the purchase of the three-dimensional product.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the object identification data further includes an object description selected in response to interaction by the user of the wireless communication device.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the object identification data includes an object name.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the task further includes:

identifying, via the server system, a network address associated with a computer network resource, based on the recognition of the three-dimensional product;

sending the network address to the wireless communication device to assist in facilitating the purchase of the three-dimensional product.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the task further includes:

retrieving payment information.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein at least one task option of the task is configured as a customized task.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the customized task is shared by other users of other wireless communication devices via the server system.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein the task includes new task options made available from a service provider.

25. A method for use in a server system, the method comprising:

receiving at the server system, a digital image of a three-dimensional product that is visually recognizable, the digital image captured via a wireless communication device in response to actions of a user, and in response to a display of the digital image of the three-dimensional product to the user on a display device of the wireless communication device, and further in response to an interaction with the user to select the digital image;

receiving at the server system selection by the user of a product class from an object class menu of the wireless communication device that includes a product class, and at least one of;

a person class, a company class and an event class;

recognizing the three-dimensional product in the digital image via the server system, based on visually recognizing the three-dimensional product and not based on the recognition of an optical code;

performing a task associated with the recognition of the three-dimensional product via the server system based on a selection by the user of the task from a task menu of the wireless communication device, the task menu including a plurality of tasks that are based on the selection of the product class, the task including;

identifying via the server system, a network address associated with a computer network resource, based on visually recognizing the three-dimensional product in the digital image and not based on the recognition of an optical code;

sending the network address to the wireless communication device; and

directing, in response to actions of the user, the navigation of the wireless communication device to the computer network resource via the network address, to assist in facilitating a purchase of the three-dimensional product.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein facilitating the purchase includes at least one of:

retrieving product information relating to the three-dimensional product via the computer network resource;

retrieving purchase information relating to the three-dimensional product via the computer network resource; and

retrieving product delivery information relating to the three-dimensional product via the computer network resource.