Tagging images with labels

• US 8,396,246 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Anbalagan, Karthik G., Ramsby, Scott R., Chan, Chunkit J., Kim, Michael H., Thornton, John M., O'Connor, Timothy R., Brodie, Alexander S., Pinson, Samuel J., Ferguson, Bryan P., Schadt, Gyorgy K., Pisharathu, Aanand Narayanan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thirugnanam, Gandhi
• Application Number:
  US12/199,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20100054600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 382/276
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/00 Aspects of pattern recognition specially adapted for signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An image to be shared with other users based on input from a first user is received. A second user is identified from a tag of the image, and information is provided, based at least in part on the tag, to one or both of the first user and the second user. Additionally, after editing of an image a determination can be made as to whether a region of the image having an associated tag has been affected by the editing. The tag associated with the region is altered if the region has been affected by the editing, otherwise the tag associated with the region is left unaltered. Furthermore, the tag can include a first portion storing data identifying a region of the image to which the tag corresponds, and a second portion storing data identifying a person shown in the region.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an image to be shared with other users based on input from a first user;

identifying a second user from a tag of the image, the identifying comprising;

comparing a hash value of an email address in the tag to hash values of one or more email addresses in an email address record of the first user;

identifying an email address in the email address record that has a hash value that is the same as the hash value of the email address in the tag; and

providing information, based at least in part on the tag, to the second user using the identified email address.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, the providing information comprising sending a notification to the second user that the first user has published the image.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising notifying the first user of one or more additional images including the second user that have been shared by the second user.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, the tag further including a hash of an email address of the second user.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining, after editing of the image, whether a region of the image having an associated tag has been affected by the editing; and

altering the tag associated with the region if the region has been affected by the editing, otherwise leaving the tag associated with the region unaltered.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, the tag including:

a first portion storing data identifying a region of the image to which the tag corresponds; and

a second portion storing data identifying the second user.

7. A method comprising:

receiving an image to be shared with other users based on input from a first user;

identifying a second user from a tag of the image; and

providing information, based at least in part on the tag, to one or both of the first user and the second user, the providing information comprising notifying the first user of one or more additional images including an image of the second user that has been shared by the second user.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, the providing information further comprising sending a notification to the second user that the first user has published the image.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, the identifying comprising:

comparing a hash value of an email address in the tag to hash values of one or more email addresses in an email address record of the first user;

identifying an email address in the email address record that is the same as the hash value of the email address in the tag; and

using the identified email address to provide the information to the second user.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, the identifying comprising accessing an ID of the second user included in the tag.

11. A method as recited in claim 7, the tag including:

a first portion storing data identifying a region of the image to which the tag corresponds; and

a second portion storing data identifying the second user.

12. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

determining, after cropping of the image, whether a region of the image having an associated tag has been removed from the image by the cropping; and

deleting the tag associated with the region if the region has been removed by the cropping, otherwise leaving the tag associated with the region unaltered.

13. One or more computer hardware storage media having stored thereon multiple instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a method comprising:

receiving an image to be shared with other users based on input from a first user;

identifying a second user from a tag of the image; and

providing information, based at least in part on the tag, to one or both of the first user and the second user, the providing information comprising notifying the first user of one or more additional images including an image of the second user that has been shared by the second user.

14. One or more computer hardware storage media as recited in claim 13, the providing information further comprising sending a notification to the second user that the first user has published the image.

15. One or more computer hardware storage media as recited in claim 13, the identifying comprising:

comparing a hash value of an email address in the tag to hash values of one or more email addresses in an email address record of the first user;

identifying an email address in the email address record that is the same as the hash value of the email address in the tag; and

using the identified email address to provide the information to the second user.

16. One or more computer hardware storage media as recited in claim 13, the identifying comprising accessing an ID of the second user included in the tag.

17. One or more computer hardware storage media as recited in claim 13, the tag including:

a first portion storing data identifying a region of the image to which the tag corresponds; and

a second portion storing data identifying the second user.

18. One or more computer hardware storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein the multiple instructions, when executed by the one or more processors further causes the one or more processors to:

determine, after cropping of the image, whether a region of the image having an associated tag has been removed from the image by the cropping; and

delete the tag associated with the region if the region has been removed by the cropping, otherwise leave the tag associated with the region unaltered.