System and method for displaying contextual supplemental content based on image content

• US 8,416,981 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2008
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Vanhoucke, Vincent, Gokturk, Salih Burak, Shah, Munjal, Baumgartner, Julie A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fitzpatrick, Atiba O
• Application Number:
  US12/182,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20090028434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,715 Days
• Field of Search: 382100-107, 348169-172, 705 31- 37
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/24 Classification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/00 Image analysis

Abstract

An image-based content item is analyzed to determine information about a subject of the content item. The analysis may include performing image analysis on at least an image of the content item. An inference may be programmatically made about one or more of (i) a viewer or holder of the content item, or (ii) the subject of content item.

Claims

1. A method for providing content, the method being implemented by one or more processors and comprising:

analyzing a content item to determine geographic information that is relevant to an image of the content item;

determining one or more interests of a person depicted in the content item, wherein the one or more interests are based on an assumption or probabilistic conclusion from application of one or more rules that utilize the geographic information; and

selecting a supplemental content item to provide to a viewer of the content item based on the one or more interests.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the content item includes analyzing a text provided with the content item.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method is performed in an online environment that includes a website and one or more viewers that access the website with a browser.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the content item includes (i) analyzing a background of the image of the content item, and (ii) determining the geographic information based at least in part on the color or texture of the background.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein analyzing the content item includes determining the geographic information based on determining that the image depicts one of an indoor scene or an outdoor scene.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the content item includes determining the geographic information based on a geographic type of the outdoor scene.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the one or more interests includes determining the one or more interests based on an identity or classification of the person depicted in the image of the content item.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the one or more interests includes determining the one or more interests based on an event that is relevant to or depicted as a subject of the content item.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental content item is an advertisement.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more interests exclude (a) information made explicit in the content item, and (b) information that is depicted with one or more foreground objects in the image of the content item.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the content item includes performing image analysis on the image of the content item to determine the geographic information.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the geographic information includes determining a geographic characterization for the content item, based on geographic information determined from performing the image analysis.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the one or more interests includes determining the one or more interests based on an event that occurred at a location identified from the geographic information.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

analyzing a content item to determine geographic information that is relevant to an image of the content item;

determining one or more interests of a person depicted in the content item, wherein the one or more interests are based on an assumption or probabilistic conclusion from application of one or more rules that utilize the geographic information; and

selecting a supplemental content item to provide to a viewer of the content item based on the one or more interests.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions for analyzing the content item include instructions for performing image analysis on the image of the content item to determine the geographic information.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions for determining the geographic information include instructions for determining a geographic characterization for the content item, based on geographic information determined from performing the image analysis.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions for determining the one or more interests include instructions for determining the one or more interests based on an event that occurred at a location identified from the geographic information.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more interests exclude (a) information made explicit in the content item, and (b) information that is depicted with one or more foreground objects in the image of the content item.

12. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

analyze a content item to determine geographic information that is relevant to an image of the content item;

determine one or more interests of a person depicted in the content item, wherein the one or more interests are based on an assumption or probabilistic conclusion from application of one or more rules that utilize the geographic information; and

select a supplemental content item to provide to a viewer of the content item based on the one or more interests.

20. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors analyze the content item by performing image analysis on the image of the content item to determine the geographic information.

21. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors determine the geographic information by determining a geographic characterization for the content item, based on geographic information determined from performing the image analysis.

22. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors determine the one or more interests by determining an event inference relating to an event that occurred at a location identified from the geographic information.

23. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the one or more interests exclude (a) information made explicit in the content item, and (b) information that is depicted with one or more foreground objects in the image of the content item.