Method and apparatus for social network updates by activity recognition

• US 9,020,833 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AIC Innovations Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AIC Innovations Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Hanina, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Scott C
• Application Number:
  US13/216,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20130055300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.11
• US Class Current: 705/14.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/32 Arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations, e.g. malfunction or breakdown of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions

Abstract

A method and apparatus for engaging consumers in the performance of predetermined action. The method comprises the steps of determining performance of a predetermined action, broadcasting confirmation of performance of the predetermined action, and providing incentive based upon the broadcasting. The predetermined action may include comprises consuming a consumable item. The broadcasting may be performed via a social networking site, and wherein the broadcasting further may include transmitting a video of the performance of the predetermined action. The incentive may comprise a monetary incentive to the performer of the action, to one or more peers of the performer of the action viewing the broadcast, or to one or more peers of the performer of the action upon performance of the predetermined action by the one or more peers.

Claims

1. A method for broadcasting performance of an action by a broadcasting system, comprising the steps of:

predefining a sequence of steps to be performed by a performer, and to be captured by an image capture device camera comprising proper consumption of a product;

displaying on a display one or more images of the performer performing the predefined sequence of steps as captured by the image capture device camera;

confirming the identity of the product through object recognition based upon one or more images captured by the image capture device camera;

determining performance of the predefined sequence of steps by a performer by confirming each step in the sequence of steps captured by the image capture device camera, and therefore confirming a predetermined action of proper consumption of the product by a computer processor in accordance with machine vision activity recognition;

broadcasting confirmation of performance of the predetermined action by a broadcast transmission system associated with the computer processor to one or more peers located remotely to the performer;

providing incentive to the participant based upon the broadcasting; and

broadcasting the provided incentive by the broadcast transmission system to the one or more peers located remotely to the performer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined action comprises consuming a consumable item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcasting is performed via a social networking site.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the broadcasting further comprises transmitting a video of the performance of the predetermined action.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcasting is performed to a publicly-viewable display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the incentive comprises a monetary incentive to the performer of the action.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the incentive comprises an incentive to one or more peers of the performer of the action viewing the broadcast.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the incentive comprises an incentive to one or more peers of the performer of the action upon performance of the predetermined action by the one or more peers.

9. A computer program stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program causing a general purpose computer to perform the steps of:

predefining a sequence of steps to be performed by a performer, and to be captured by an image capture device camera comprising proper consumption of a product;

displaying on a display one or more images of the performer performing the predefined sequence of steps as captured by the image capture device camera;

confirming the identity of the product through object recognition based upon one or more images captured by the image capture device camera;

determining performance of the predefined sequence of steps by confirming each step in the sequence of steps captured by the image capture device camera, and therefore confirming a predetermined action of proper consumption of the product by a computer processor in accordance with machine vision activity recognition;

broadcasting confirmation of performance of the predetermined action by a broadcast transmission system to one or more peers located remotely to the performer;

providing incentive based upon the broadcasting; and

broadcasting the provided incentive by the broadcast transmission system to the one or more peers located remotely to the performer.

10. The computer program of claim 9, wherein the step of determining performance of the predefined sequence of steps further comprises confirming the performance of each of the sequence of steps through machine vision activity recognition in accordance with one or more images captured by the image capture device camera.

11. The computer program of claim 9, wherein the broadcasting is performed via a social networking site.

12. The computer program of claim 11, wherein the broadcasting further comprises transmitting a video of the performance of the predetermined action.

13. The computer program of claim 9, wherein the broadcasting further comprises the step of transmitting the material to be broadcast to a publicly-viewable display.

14. The computer program of claim 9, wherein the step of providing the incentive further comprises the step of providing a monetary incentive to the performer of the action.

15. The computer program of claim 9, wherein the step of providing the incentive further comprises the step of providing an incentive to one or more peers of the performer of the action viewing the broadcast.

16. The computer program of claim 9, wherein the step of providing the incentive further comprises the steps of:

determining performance of the predetermined action by one or more peers of the performer of the action; and

providing an incentive to the one or more peers upon determination of performance of the predetermined action thereby.

17. A system for broadcasting performance of an action by a broadcast system, comprising:

an image acquisition system acquiring an image of a participant performing an action comprising a predetermined sequence of steps indicative of consumption of a consumable item to be performed by the participant;

a display displaying the one or more images acquired by the image acquisition system during acquisition thereof of the participant performing the predetermined sequence of steps;

a processor analyzing the acquired image received from the image acquisition system of the participant performing the predetermined sequence of steps to confirm the identity of a product through object recognition, determining whether the participant has performed the predetermined sequence of steps by confirming each step in the sequence captured by the image acquisition system, thereby confirming a determined action, including proper consumption of the product action in accordance with machine vision activity recognition; and

a transmission system broadcasting confirmation of performance of the predetermined action to one or more peers located remotely to the participant;

the processor providing to the participant an incentive based upon the broadcasting; and

the transmission system broadcasting the provided incentive transmission system to the one more peers located remotely to the participant.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the broadcasting is performed via a social networking site.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the broadcasting further comprises transmitting a video of the performance of the predetermined sequence of steps.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising a publicly-viewable display for receiving the broadcast confirmation of the performance of the predetermined, sequence of steps and for displaying the broadcast confirmation.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the incentive comprises a monetary incentive.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor further determines one or more peers of the performer of the predetermined sequence of steps viewing the broadcast, and provides an incentive thereto.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor further determines performance of the predetermined sequence of steps by one or more peers of the performer of the action, and wherein the system provides an incentive to the one or more peers upon determination of performance of the predetermined action thereby.