Apparatus for processing images to prolong battery life

• US 8,957,988 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2014
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OrCam Technologies Ltd
• Original Assignee: OrCam Technologies Ltd
• Inventors: Wexler, Yonatan, Shashua, Amnon
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Zhenzhen
• Application Number:
  US14/161,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20140204235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: 348/231.3, 348/231.5, 348/231.6, 348/372
• US Class Current: 348/231.6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera

Abstract

A device and method are provided for processing mages to prolong battery life. In one implementation, a wearable apparatus may include a wearable image sensor configured to capture a plurality of images from an environment of a user. The wearable apparatus may also include at least one processing device configured to, in a first processing-mode, process representations of the plurality of images to determine a value of at least one capturing parameter for use in capturing at least one subsequent image, and in a second processing-mode, process the representations of the plurality of images to extract information. In addition, the at least one processing device may operate in the first processing-mode when the wearable apparatus is powered by a mobile power source included in the wearable apparatus and may operate in the second processing-mode when the wearable apparatus is powered by an external power source.

Claims

1. A wearable apparatus for capturing and processing images, the wearable apparatus comprising:

a wearable image sensor configured to capture a plurality of images from an environment of a user; and

at least one processing device configured to;

in a first processing-mode, process the plurality of images to determine a value of at least one capturing parameter for use in capturing at least one subsequent image; and

in a second processing-mode, process the plurality of images to extract information; and

wherein the at least one processing device operates in the first processing-mode when the wearable apparatus is powered by a mobile power source included in the wearable apparatus and operates in the second processing-mode when the wearable apparatus is powered by an external power source.

2. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one capturing parameter determined in the first processing-mode includes at least one of the following:

an image resolution, a scaling parameter, a cropping parameter, a compression ratio, a frame rate, a focus point, an exposure time, an aperture size, and a light sensitivity.

3. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:

in the first processing-mode, determine the value of the at least one capturing parameter based on at least one visual trigger identified in the plurality of images.

4. The wearable apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one visual trigger identified in the first processing-mode includes at least one of the following:

an individual, an object, an activity, a location, a logo, a text, and a document.

5. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:

in the first processing-mode, determine the value of the at least one capturing parameter based on at least one event identified in the plurality of images.

6. The wearable apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one event identified in the first processing-mode includes at least one of the following:

meeting with an individual, visiting a known location, entering a vehicle, leaving a vehicle, interacting with an object, participating in a sport activity, and eating a meal.

7. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:

in the second processing-mode, cause the extracted information to be sent to a computing device.

8. The wearable apparatus of claim 7, wherein the computing device includes a smartphone and the wearable apparatus sends the extracted information to the computing device using a transmitter.

9. The wearable apparatus of claim 7, wherein the computing device includes an Internet server and the wearable apparatus sends the extracted information to the computing device using an Internet connection.

10. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information extracted in the second processing-mode includes information identifying one or more occurrences of a product in the environment of the user.

11. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory, and wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:

in the first processing-mode, store the plurality of images in the memory; and

in the second processing-mode, after extracting the information, delete one or more of the plurality of images from the memory.

12. A system for capturing and processing images, the system comprising:

a wearable apparatus including an image sensor, a memory, and a first processing device, wherein, when the wearable apparatus is powered by a mobile power source included in the wearable apparatus, the wearable apparatus is configured to;

capture a plurality of images from an environment of a user;

store the plurality of images in the memory; and

process the plurality of images to determine a value of at least one capturing parameter for use in capturing at least one subsequent image; and

a managing apparatus including a second processing device, wherein when the managing apparatus communicates with the wearable apparatus, the managing apparatus is configured to;

process the plurality of images to extract information from at least one of the plurality of images stored in the memory; and

delete the at least one of the plurality of images from the memory.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the wearable apparatus is configured to determine the value of at least one capturing parameter by identifying at least one visual trigger and comparing a representation of the at least one visual trigger with a plurality of stored representations of visual triggers to find a match.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the wearable apparatus is further configured to change the at least one capturing parameter based on a state of the mobile power source.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one capturing parameter determined by the wearable apparatus includes at least one of the following:

an image resolution, a scaling parameter, a cropping parameter, a compression ratio, a frame rate, a focus point, an exposure time, an aperture size, and a light sensitivity.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the managing apparatus is further configured to charge the mobile power source.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the managing apparatus is further configured to cause the extracted information to be sent to a computing device.

18. A wearable apparatus for capturing and processing images, the wearable apparatus comprising:

a wearable image sensor configured to capture a plurality of images from an environment of a user,

a memory configured to store the plurality of images; and

at least one processing device configured to, when the wearable apparatus is powered by a mobile power source included in the wearable apparatus, process the plurality of images to determine a value of at least one capturing parameter for use in capturing at least one subsequent image; and

wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to communicate with a managing apparatus, and the managing apparatus is configured to process the plurality of images to extract information from at least one the plurality of images stored in the memory and delete the at least one of the plurality of images from the memory.

19. The wearable apparatus of claim 18, wherein the information extracted by the managing apparatus includes information identifying one or more occurrences of a product in the environment of the user.

20. The wearable apparatus of claim 18, wherein the information extracted by the managing apparatus includes information identifying one or more occurrences of a logo in the environment of the user.

21. The wearable apparatus of claim 18, wherein the information extracted by the managing apparatus includes information associated with the user'"'"'s exposure to product families or the user'"'"'s product-usage habits.

22. The wearable apparatus of claim 18, wherein the managing apparatus is further configured to search the plurality of images for a predefined object.

23. The wearable apparatus of claim 18, wherein the managing apparatus is further configured to cause one or more of the plurality of images to be sent to a computing device.

24. The wearable apparatus of claim 18, wherein the managing apparatus is further configured to delete the one or more of the plurality of images after extracting the information and without receiving instructions from user.

25. The wearable apparatus of claim 18, wherein the wearable apparatus is further configured to communicate with the managing apparatus over a network wirelessly.

26. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by at least one processing device cause the at least one processing device to perform operations comprising:

processing, in a first processing-mode, a plurality of images of an environment of a user to determine a value of at least one capturing parameter for use in capturing at least one subsequent image;

processing, in a second processing-mode, the plurality of images to extract information; and

wherein the at least one processing device operates in the first processing-mode when a wearable apparatus that includes the at least one processing device is powered by a mobile power source included in the wearable apparatus and operates in the second processing-mode when the wearable apparatus is powered by an external power source.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the information extracted in the second processing-mode includes information identifying one or more occurrences of a product type in the environment of the user.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the information extracted in the second processing-mode is sent to a computing device.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein determining the value of at least one capturing parameter includes identifying at least one visual trigger and comparing a representation of the at least one visual trigger with a plurality of stored representations of visual triggers to find a match.