Image-related social network methods and arrangements

• US 9,400,805 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Knudson, Edward B.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, JON CARLTON
• Application Number:
  US13/433,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20130259297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• 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

Abstract

In one aspect, a user captures an image of a physical object (e.g., a grocery item) with a smartphone. The depicted object is identified, such as by extracting fingerprint or watermark data from the imagery. Other imagery depicting that object—or depicting related objects—is identified on the web, and is displayed to the user on the smartphone screen. The user may select one or more of these images and direct that they be posted to a social network account (e.g., Pinterest) associated with the user. In another aspect, the user'"'"'s location is sensed (e.g., an aisle of a department store), and a collection of images depicting nearby products is presented to the user for selection and posting to a social networking service. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Claims

1. A method associated with image data provided by a user'"'"'s portable device and comprising a first depiction of an object, the method comprising:

processing the image data to derive identification data therefrom, said processing comprising applying a digital watermark decoding operation or applying an image fingerprinting operation;

by reference to the identification data, identifying imagery related to the object; and

associating the object and the user together, which said associating includes causing a depiction of the object, different than said first depiction of the object, to appear in a portion of a social network service associated with the user.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said processing comprises applying a digital watermark decoding operation.

3. The method of claim 1 in which said processing comprises applying an image fingerprinting operation.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the object comprises a substrate having printing thereon.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the object comprises a product package.

6. The method of claim 1 in which the object comprises a printed point of sale display in a retail store.

7. The method of claim 1 that includes capturing the image data using an image sensor in the portable device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified imagery related to the object includes imagery of the object depicted by the image data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified imagery related to the object includes imagery of another object different from the object depicted by the image data.

10. The method of claim 9 in which the object depicted by the image data is a retail product from a product brand, and the other object is a different retail product from said product brand.

11. The method of claim 1 in which:

the image data is captured by a camera of the user'"'"'s portable device; and

the social network service comprises the Pinterest brand social network service.

12. The method of claim 1 in which the image data depicting said object is captured by a camera of the user'"'"'s portable device, wherein the method further includes:

presenting a gallery of plural alternative images on a display of said portable device, for the user to select therebetween; and

posting, to said social network service, one of said plural images selected by the user.

13. The method of claim 12 in which the selected image depicts said object.

14. The method of claim 12 in which the selected image depicts an item that is different than the object depicted in the captured imagery.

15. The method of claim 14 that further includes indicating, in said portion of the social network service associated with the user, that the user likes said item that is different than the object depicted in the captured imagery.

16. A method associated with image data captured by a user'"'"'s portable device and depicting an object, the method comprising:

in a system comprising one or more processors, executing acts on the one or more processors, including;

receiving information indicating that a user likes the object;

upon receiving the information, processing the image data to derive identification data therefrom;

by reference to the identification data, identifying the object; and

associating the identified object and the user together, by data posted to a social network service

wherein the data posted to the social network service comprises image data different than the image data captured by the user'"'"'s portable device.

17. The method of claim 16 in which said associating comprises adding a link to a network graph of the user, the link expressing a relationship between the user and a node corresponding to the object.

18. A method comprising:

receiving image data captured by a user'"'"'s portable device, the image data comprising a first depiction of an object;

receiving an instruction to associate, within a social network service in which the user is a member, the user with the object;

upon receiving the instruction, processing the image data to derive identification data therefrom;

by reference to the identification data, identifying the object; and

associating the object and the user together, by data posted to the social network service,

in which said associating includes causing a depiction of the object, different than said first depiction of the object, to appear in a portion of the social network service associated with the user.

19. A method associated with image data provided by a user'"'"'s portable device and depicting an object, the method comprising:

receiving a user instruction to like the object within a social networking service for which the user has an account;

upon receiving the instruction, processing the image data to derive identification data therefrom; and

by reference to the identification data, liking the object on the user'"'"'s account, wherein liking the object includes adding a link to a network graph of the user, the link expressing a relationship between the user and a node in the graph corresponding to the object.

20. A method comprising:

obtaining data indicating a user'"'"'s location;

by reference to said data, identifying a collection of images that depict retail products near the user;

sending certain of said images to a user device for presentation to the user; and

associating at least one of said images or products together with the user, by data posted to a social network service,

in which said associating includes sending information to a computer at the social network service, said information expressing that the user likes said at least one of said images or products associated with the user.