Image capture and identification system and process

• US 9,235,600 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nant Holdings IP, LLC (NantWorks, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nant Holdings IP, LLC (NantWorks, LLC)
• Inventors: Boncyk, Wayne C., Cohen, Ronald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherali, Ishrat I
• Application Number:
  US14/463,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20140355894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 382/118, 382/224, 382/100, 382/305
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/08 Devices or methods enabling eye-patients to replace direct visual perception by another kind of perception
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/70 Game security or game management aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5846 using extracted text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5854 using shape and object relationship
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 : Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 : by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 : Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/217 : Validation; Performance evaluation; Active pattern learning techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/22 : Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/23 : Clustering techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/12 : Classification; Matching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 : Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 : Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 : Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 : Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 : specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 : Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 : Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 : Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 : Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3567 : Software being in the reader
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 : Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 : involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 : Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 : During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 : User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0268 : at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 : Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 : Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 : Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 : Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 : Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 : Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 : Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/10 : Segmentation; Edge detection motion-based segmentation G06T7/215
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 : Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/13 : Edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/136 : involving thresholding
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/194 : involving foreground-background segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 : using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/33 : using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/337 : involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 : using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/462 : Salient features, e.g. scale invariant feature transforms [SIFT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/56 : relating to colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/7515 : Shifting the patterns to accommodate for positional errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 : Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 : in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 : using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/224 : of printed characters having additional code marks or containing code marks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3206 : Player sensing means, e.g. presence detection, biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3241 : Security aspects of a gaming system, e.g. detecting cheating, device integrity, surveillance computer security G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 : Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/006 : using audible presentation of the information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23109 : by placing content in organized collections, e.g. EPG data repository details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 : involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/254 : Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server arrangements for maintenance or administration in data networks H04L41/00; network services using third party service providers H04L67/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 : Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 : for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 : Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 : Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 : Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 : involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 : End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 : Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3254 : Orientation, e.g. landscape or portrait; Location or order of the image data, e.g. in memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 : Control of cameras or camera modules
• 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 23/661 : Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 : Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 : Television signal processing therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 : from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object.

Claims

1. An interactive system comprising:

a device interface configured to receive a plurality of digital image representations of an environment of a portable device, each of the plurality of digital image representations including a digital image representation of at least a part of a person within the environment; and

a processing platform communicatively coupled with the device interface and configured to;

obtain the plurality of digital image representations via the device interface;

recognize the part of the person from the plurality of digital image representations as a target object;

identify target object information, including an address, associated with the target object;

enable an execution of an action based on the identified target object information and the address.

2. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the target object information comprises at least one of position information of the target object and orientation information of the target object.

3. The interactive system of claim 2, wherein the at least one of position information of the target object and orientation information of the target object comprises at least one of position information of the target object relative to the device and orientation information of the target object relative to the device.

4. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the action comprises at least one of accessing or initiating a software process.

5. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the action comprises transmitting content information to the device.

6. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the action comprises interacting with a computer-based game.

7. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the action includes at least one of accessing a website, accessing a web service, initiating a telephone call, initiating a radio communication, sending at least some of the target information to a website, sending at least some of the target information to a software process, sending at least some of the target information to a hardware component, displaying information, displaying text, displaying graphics, displaying video, displaying animations, producing an audio signal, producing a sound, playing music, registering a vote, obtaining show times, sending at least some of the target information to a web browser, performing a transaction, and purchasing a product.

8. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of digital image representations of the environment comprises at least one of a series of images and a continuous video stream.

9. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the processing platform is further configured to discriminate the target object from other objects represented in the plurality of digital image representations.

10. The interactive system of claim 9, wherein the processing platform is further configured to discriminate the target object from at least one of background objects and foreground objects.

11. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of digital representations comprises a plurality of RGB image representations of the environment.

12. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the at least the part of the person comprises a face of the person.

13. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the at least the part of the person includes a tag.

14. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein the at least the part of the person lacks a tag.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving a plurality of digital image representations of an environment of a portable device, each of the plurality of digital image representations including a digital image representation of at least a part of a person within the environment; and

recognizing the part of the person from the plurality of digital image representations as a target object;

identifying target object information, including an address, associated with the target object;

enabling an execution of an action based on the identified target object information via the address.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the target object information comprises at least one of position information of the target object and orientation information of the target object.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the at least one of position information of the target object and orientation information of the target object comprises at least one of position information of the target object relative to the device and orientation information of the target object relative to the device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the action comprises at least one of accessing or initiating a software process.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the action comprises transmitting content information to the device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the action comprises interacting with a computer-based game.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the action includes at least one of accessing a website, accessing a web service, initiating a telephone call, initiating a radio communication, sending at least some of the target information to a website, sending at least some of the target information to a software process, sending at least some of the target information to a hardware component, displaying information, displaying text, displaying graphics, displaying video, displaying animations, producing an audio signal, producing a sound, playing music, registering a vote, obtaining show times, sending at least some of the target information to a web browser, performing a transaction, and purchasing a product.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of digital image representations of the environment comprises at least one of a series of images and a continuous video stream.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the step of discriminating the target object from other objects represented in the plurality of digital image representations.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, further storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the step of discriminating the target object from at least one of background objects and foreground objects.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of digital representations comprises a plurality of RGB image representations of the environment.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least the part of the person comprises a face of the person.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least the part of the person includes a tag.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least the part of the person lacks a tag.

29. A method of enabling an interaction, comprising:

receiving, by a processing platform, a plurality of digital image representations of an environment of a portable device, each of the plurality of digital image representations including a digital image representation of at least a part of a person within the environment; and

recognizing, by the processing platform, the part of the person from the plurality of digital image representations as a target object;

identifying, by the processing platform, target object information, including an address, associated with the target object;

enabling, by the processing platform, an execution of an action based on the identified target object information and based on the address.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the target object information comprises at least one of position information of the target object and orientation information of the target object.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least one of position information of the target object and orientation information of the target object comprises at least one of position information of the target object relative to the device and orientation information of the target object relative to the device.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the action comprises at least one of accessing or initiating a software process.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the action comprises transmitting content information to the device.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the action comprises interacting with a computer-based game.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein the action includes at least one of accessing a website, accessing a web service, initiating a telephone call, initiating a radio communication, sending at least some of the target information to a website, sending at least some of the target information to a software process, sending at least some of the target information to a hardware component, displaying information, displaying text, displaying graphics, displaying video, displaying animations, producing an audio signal, producing a sound, playing music, registering a vote, obtaining show times, sending at least some of the target information to a web browser, performing a transaction, and purchasing a product.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein the plurality of digital image representations of the environment comprises at least one of a series of images and a continuous video stream.

37. The method of claim 29, further comprising discriminating, by the processing platform, the target object from other objects represented in the plurality of digital image representations.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising discriminating the target object from at least one of background objects and foreground objects.

39. The method of claim 29, wherein the plurality of digital representations comprises a plurality of RGB image representations of the environment.

40. The method of claim 29, wherein the at least the part of the person comprises a face of the person.

41. The method of claim 29, wherein the at least the part of the person includes a tag.

42. The method of claim 29, wherein the at least the part of the person lacks a tag.

43. An interactive system comprising:

a device interface configured to receive a plurality of digital image representations of an environment of a portable device and time information associated with the plurality of digital image representations, each of the plurality of digital image representations including a digital image representation of at least a part of a person within the environment; and

a processing platform communicatively coupled with the device interface and configured to;

obtain the plurality of digital image representations and the time information via the device interface;

recognize the person from the plurality of digital image representations as a target object;

identify target object information, including an address, associated with the target object based on the target object and the time information;

enable an execution of an action via the address based on the identified target object information.

44. An interactive system comprising:

a device interface configured to receive, a plurality of digital image representations of an environment of a portable device and location information associated with the plurality of digital image representations, each of the plurality of digital image representations including a digital image representation of at least a part of a person within the environment; and

a processing platform communicatively coupled with the device interface and configured to;

obtain the plurality of digital image representations and the location information via the device interface;

recognize the person from the plurality of digital image representations as a target object;

identify target object information, including an address, associated with the target object based on the target object and the location information;

enable an execution of an action based on the address and the identified target object information.

45. An interactive system comprising:

a device interface configured to receive a plurality of digital image representations of an environment of a portable device, time information associated with the plurality of digital image representations and location information associated with the plurality of digital image representations, wherein each of the plurality of digital image representations includes a digital image representation of at least a part of a person within the environment; and

a processing platform communicatively coupled with the device interface and configured to;

obtain the plurality of digital image representations, the time information and the location information via the device interface;

recognize the person from the plurality of digital image representations as a target object;

identify target object information, including an address, associated with the target object based on the target object, the time information and the location information;

enable an execution of an action based on the identified target object information and on the address.