Method of indexing multimedia content by creating database records the include location data

• US 9,420,147 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Neil, Joseph Thomas, Rosen, Kenneth H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tekle, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/862,616
• Time in Patent Office: 3,246 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/227
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/41 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6815 by distinguishing pan or tilt from motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/684 performed by controlling the image sensor readout, e.g. by controlling the integration time

Abstract

A method of indexing multimedia content by creating database records that include location data is disclosed. Devices that generate multimedia content also generate location data corresponding to the location of the device when the content is generated. The location data includes geographical coordinates such as latitude and longitude as well as orientation and tilt. Other data may be recorded such as date and time of day, and light exposure. The content and location data are communicated to a Content Index Processor (CIP) that creates a database record from the location data and determines classifications for the database record that can be used by a person that is searching for particular multimedia content.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request for media content associated with a location to yield requested media content;

in response to the request, accessing a database of stored media content, wherein the database is organized to comprise identification data associated with a device that generated a record of the stored media content, the identification data comprising;

global location coordinates of the device when the device generated a respective record of the stored media content; and

an orientation direction for the device when the device generated the respective record of the stored media content;

returning a selected record of the stored media content when the global location coordinates are within a first boundary around the location and a vector of the orientation direction of the selected record from the global location coordinates intersect a vicinity around the location as defined by a second boundary, the second boundary defining a two dimensional shape around the location, the selected record comprising the identification data for the device when the device generated the selected record and the selected record corresponding to the requested media content; and

providing a pictorial representation of the identification data for the selected record, wherein the pictorial representation is a link to network-based multimedia content associated with the requested media content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification data further comprises one of a longitude coordinate, a latitude coordinate, a date, a time, and the orientation direction of the selected record being within an orientation threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

extracting from the identification data a time of day; and

using the time of day to identify the selected record.

4. The method of claim 2, the method further comprising:

extracting from the identification data the date; and

using the date to identify the selected record.

5. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

using the global location coordinates to associate a respective record of the stored media content with a particular geographic region.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device generated each record of the stored media content.

7. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed on the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a request for media content associated with a location to yield requested media content;

in response to the request, accessing a database of stored media content, wherein the database is organized to comprise identification data associated with a device that generated a record of the stored media content, the identification data comprising;

global location coordinates of the device when the device generated a respective record of the stored media content; and

an orientation direction for the device when the device generated the respective record of the stored media content;

returning a selected record of the stored media content when the global location coordinates are within a first boundary around the location and a vector of the orientation direction of the selected record from the global location coordinates intersect a vicinity around the location as defined by a second boundary, the second boundary defining a two dimensional shape around the location, the selected record comprising the identification data for the device when the device generated the selected record and the selected record corresponding to the requested media content; and

providing a pictorial representation of the identification data for the selected record, wherein the pictorial representation is a link to network-based multimedia content associated with the requested media content.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the identification data further comprises a parameter associated with the device when the device generated the selected record, the parameter comprising one of:

a longitude coordinate, a latitude coordinate, a date, a time of day, and the orientation direction of the selected record being within an orientation threshold.

9. The system of claim 8, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising:

extracting from the identification data the time of day; and

using the time of day to identify the selected record.

10. The system of claim 8, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising:

extracting from the identification data the date; and

using the date to identify the selected record.

11. The system of claim 7, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising:

using the global location coordinates to associate a respective record of stored media content with a particular geographic region.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the device generated each record of the stored media content.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for media content associated with a location to yield requested media content;

in response to the request, accessing a database of stored media content, wherein the database is organized to comprise identification data associated with a device that generated a record of the stored media content, the identification data comprising;

global location coordinates of the device when the device generated a respective record of the stored media content; and

an orientation direction for the device when the device generated the respective record of the stored media content;

returning a selected record of the stored media content when the global location coordinates are within a first boundary around the location and a vector of the orientation direction of the selected record from the global location coordinates intersect a vicinity around the location as defined by a second boundary, the second boundary defining a two dimensional shape around the location, the selected record comprising the identification data for the device when the device generated the selected record and the selected record corresponding to the requested media content; and

providing a pictorial representation of the identification data for the selected record, wherein the pictorial representation is a link to network-based multimedia content associated with the requested media content.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the identification data further comprises a parameter associated with the device when the device generated the selected record, the parameter comprising one of:

a longitude coordinate, a latitude coordinate, a date, a time of day, and the orientation direction of the selected record being within an orientation threshold.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, the computer-readable storage device having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising:

extracting from the identification data the time of day; and

using the time of day to identify the selected record.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, the computer-readable storage device having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising:

extracting from the identification data the date; and

using the date to identify the selected record.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, the computer-readable storage device having additional instructions stored which result in the operations further comprising:

using the global location coordinates to associate a respective record of the stored media content with a particular geographic region.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the device generated each record of the stored media content.