Systems and methods for analytic data gathering from image providers at an event or geographic location

• US 9,020,832 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2012
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kba2 Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kba2 Inc.
• Inventors: Fisher, Jon, Broderick, Jeff, Van Blaricom, Douglas, Malinovsky, Alex, Wu, Anthony S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Alvin L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuy N
• Application Number:
  US13/414,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20120233000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/587 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/787 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30244 Camera pose
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method of gathering and analyzing data from device operators aiming their image capture devices and thereby creating a line of sight to an object of interest, for example through the process of obtaining photographs, videos or other digital images of an event or geographical location, where the real-time or embedded location, compass heading, and time data from each of a plurality of image providers are communicated from the plurality of image-capture devices to one or more servers for statistical analysis of the proportionate amount of providers focusing on each image target or sub-target at the event or location.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for obtaining information from a plurality of image capture devices which comprises:

receiving a continuous stream of data from each of a plurality of image capture devices, wherein the data stream comprises GPS position data, compass heading data, and time data;

processing the data stream using a software application that determines locations where each electronic device was focused;

determining the number of electronic devices focused on each location at approximately a same time from the processed data;

determining the total number of electronic devices focused on all of the locations at approximately a same time at an event from the processed data, and form a set of the total number of electronic devices;

identifying a cluster of users from the number of devices determined to be focused on a particular location;

repeating the analysis of the number of electronic devices focused on each location at approximately a same time at the same event to identify all subsets of users forming user clusters at a particular time;

identifying an object of interest associated with a particular user cluster; and

determining an observers'"'"' level of interest in the identified object of interest based on the proportion of the number of electronic devices focused on the location in the subset forming the particular associated user cluster compared to the total number of electronic devices in the set of the total number of electronic devices;

wherein the determining includes;

analyzing a distance between points of intersection of the set of the total number of electronic devices to determine where subsets of the points of intersection form one or more intersection cluster(s), wherein each point of the subset is located within a predetermined distance from all other points within the subset, and each intersection cluster is associated with a corresponding object of interest at the event;

tracking the number of images captured by each of the plurality of image capture devices, the duration each of the plurality of image capture devices focused on the identified object of interest, and the change in the points of intersection over time to determine changes in the position and size of the intersection cluster(s), wherein changes in the number of points forming the intersection cluster identifies shifting levels of interest between different objects of interest at the event; and

thereby determining changes in interest of objects at the event including determining over time whether the interest shifts from a particular location to another location or from one person or object to another person or object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing and tracking are carried out by a computer system that collects and processes data from each of the image capture devices identifying the direction in which the image capture device is pointing, and that communicates with at least one advertiser computer system to accept bid amounts for the timing or placement of advertisements.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of image capture devices are running an application and are in communication with the computer system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more advertiser computer systems are in communication with the at least one server for receiving information on the present direction the plurality of image capture devices are pointing, and the method further comprises placing monetary bids for advertisement positioning with the computer system.

5. A computer implemented method of identifying an observers'"'"' level of interest in an object at an event or location, which comprises:

identifying, at one or more servers, a plurality of observers at an event or location having active electronic devices capable of both capturing images and communicating data over a communications network;

monitoring, at one or more servers, the data and images being transmitted by the active electronic devices to the one or more server(s) regarding their GPS positions and compass directional facing;

compiling the transmitted data and images generated by the electronic devices on the one or more servers; and

analyzing, at one or more servers, the data relating to the position and direction of focus of the electronic devices and metadata of the collected images to determine the observer'"'"'s level of interest in different occurrences happening at the event or location and to recognize an observer'"'"'s pattern of interest through the analysis, wherein determining the observer'"'"'s level of interest in different occurrences provides each different occurrence its own observer'"'"'s level of interest to form a plurality of observers'"'"' level of interests;

communicating information about the periods of time that are of higher interest to one or more potential advertisers; and

generating, at one or more servers, clusters based on the determined observer'"'"'s level of interest at each different occurrence and the recognized observer'"'"'s pattern of interest.

6. The method of claim 5, which further comprises:

creating a database based on information about the event or location;

storing the database on the server(s);

capturing one or more images or videos of the event at a particular time or over a period of time;

tagging the captured images or videos with the information identifying the event or location and a time stamp;

transmitting the tagged image and metadata to the server;

identifying the tagged image based on the metadata including the time stamp, and associating the image with the correct event or location in the database;

storing the image in the database for the correct event or location; and

displaying the captured image on a website.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the electronic devices are cameras residing on mobile telephonic devices, the data stream includes time data;

and the method further comprises;

generating information representing a momentum of interest in a particular location by performing statistical calculations of a proportional number of electronic devices focused on that location at a specific time or period of time; and

determining changes in the momentum of interest by identifying increases or decreases in the proportion of the number of electronic devices focused on the location in the subset forming the particular associated user cluster over time, including determining over time whether the shifts from a particular location to another location or from one person or object to another person or object.

8. The method of claim 7, which further comprises storing the results of the statistical calculations for future decisions regarding which locations to target at certain times.

9. The method of claim 7, which further comprises determining an amount charged for advertising during time periods of higher momentum based upon the momentum of the event at the particular period of time.

10. The method of claim 5, which further comprises:

determining the periods of time at the event that are of higher interest based upon input from the devices of one or more event observers;

receiving bids over a network from the one or more potential advertisers for advertising time during the event at or near the periods of time of higher interest; and

accepting one or more bids to derive advertising revenue from the event.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determination of high interest periods, providing of information on high interest periods to potential advertisers, receiving of bids from potential advertisers, and accepting of bids from potential advertisers is all done in real time during the event.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the determination of the periods of time of higher interest is projected in advance of the event with the receiving and accepting of bids occurring prior to the occurrence of the event.

13. The method of claim 5 which further comprises:

collecting data communicated from a plurality of devices operated by the observers at the event over the duration of the event;

processing the collected data to determine a field of view of the greatest number of observers for each particular time period of the event.

14. The method of claim 13, which further comprises establishing a starting price for auctioning the placement of advertising within each identified field of view for a subsequent event.

15. The method of claim 13, which further comprises auctioning off each identified field of view in real time during the event by collecting bids in real time, and displaying the highest bidder'"'"'s advertisement on a display in the auctioned field of view in real time during the particular period of the event.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the momentum is determined based upon the number of images taken during a particular time of the event.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the momentum is determined based on the focus of the devices about a person or object upon which the devices are focused.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the momentum of the event is determined in real time, and the charge for advertising fluctuates in real time based upon the current momentum of the event.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the momentum is determined by the ratio of image capture devices pointing at approximately the same location to the total number of image capture devices pointing at all locations at approximately the same time.

20. The method of claim 5 which further comprises:

applying information collected from the devices at the event as part of determining the proportion of observers concentrating on a particular person or object at a particular time during an event;

transmitting the proportion of observers concentrating on a particular person or object at a particular time to one or more advertisers;

receiving bids over a network from the one or more advertisers for presenting an advertisement to the observers on their respective image capture displays;

determining the proportionate number of image capture devices displaying a particular advertiser'"'"'s advertisement based upon the proportion of each advertiser'"'"'s bid amount; and

transmitting an advertisement from a particular advertiser to the proportion of image capture devices for display in real time during the event.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the advertisement is communicated to an observer'"'"'s image capture device, and displayed in at least a portion of the image capture device'"'"'s viewer.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the devices receiving a particular communicated advertisement are chosen randomly from all devices present at the event.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the bidding by advertisers is an automated process that occurs in real time.

24. A computer implemented method of determining the changing level of interest in an object at an event or location, which comprises:

receiving a real time stream of data at a computer system relating to an object of interest, which data are transmitted from electronic devices present at a particular event or location where the object of interest is located, wherein the electronic devices are remote from the computer system;

storing the data values comprising data streams from the electronic devices on the computer system, wherein the data streams comprise at least the GPS coordinates and the compass heading of the transmitting electronic devices;

determining a line of sight from each of the electronic devices based upon the GPS position and compass heading;

calculating points of intersection of the lines of sight for the electronic devices at the event or location to create a set of such points;

determining where a subset of the points forms one or more intersection cluster(s), wherein the intersection cluster is a subset of points located within a predetermined distance from all the other points, and each intersection cluster is associated with a particular object of interest; and

identifying changing levels of interest in objects of interest by monitoring of the formation of such clusters at the event or location and by tracking the number of images captured by each of the electronic devices, the duration each of the electronic devices focused on the identified object of interest, and changes in the points of intersection over time to determine changes in the position and size of the intersection cluster(s).

25. The method of claim 24, which further comprises identifying the electronic devices that transmitted the data associated with the cluster and transmitting a message back to the identified electronic devices with the message including information about an object of interest.

26. The method of claim 24 which further comprises:

collecting data communicated from a plurality of devices operated by the observers at the event over the duration of the event;

processing the collected data to determine a field of view of the greatest number of observers for each particular time period of the event.

27. The method of claim 24, which further comprises determining time periods of higher momentum of the event based upon the number of images taken during a particular time of the event or based on the focus of the devices about a person or object upon which the devices are focused, wherein the time periods of momentum of the event are determined in real time.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the momentum is determined by the ratio of image capture devices pointing at approximately the same location to the total number of image capture devices pointing at all locations at approximately the same time.