Method and device for augmented reality message hiding and revealing

• US 9,623,332 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Piece Future Pte., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Heikkinen, Mikko O., Havukainen, Kai, Holm, Jukka Antero, Eronen, Antti Johannes, Kosonen, Timo
• Primary Examiner(s): Chu, Randolph I
• Application Number:
  US14/573,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20150104061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• 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 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• 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 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5506 using advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/373 for modifying the size of the graphic pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32267 : combined with processing of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32352 : Controlling detectability or arrangements to facilitate detection or retrieval of the embedded information, e.g. using markers for decoding, detection or retrieval operations H04N1/32149 and subgroups take precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to an operation method for executing games on mobile camera enabled terminal devices and to devices capable of executing the method. The method is based on hiding augmented reality messages in pictures by taking an image of an object, providing symbols; linking the symbols to the image, such that the symbols are not visible when displaying the image, and sending the image and the linked invisible symbols via a wireless connection as a first image to a mobile camera terminal device. The invention also provides a second component to re-visualize the hidden message by receiving the first image, taking a second image with a camera of the mobile camera terminal device, displaying the second image, comparing the first and second images to determine a matching measure, and visibly displaying the linked invisible symbols on the display, if the comparison fulfills at least one predetermined condition.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first image of an object;

receiving at least one symbol; and

processing the first image and the at least one symbol,

wherein the at least one symbol is embedded as an invisible watermark in the first image,

wherein, if the first image is compared with a second image, the watermark is extractable from the first image and displayable with a degree of visibility based on a degree of similarity of the second image to the first image.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the first image; and

transmitting the at least one symbol.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the receiving and the transmitting is via one of a wireless connection, a wired network connection, a cellular telephone communications network and a combination thereof.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the first image and the at least one symbol are linked as they are received.

5. A method of claim 4, wherein a linkage of the at least one symbol to the first image includes a defined position of the at least one symbol in relation to a location within the first image, wherein the first image includes defined regions of interest in the first image and information relating the regions of interest to the first image.

6. A method of claim 2, wherein the first image and the at least one symbol are linked when they are transmitted.

7. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the second image from a camera.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the receiving and the processing occur through at least one of a server, a mobile device and a combination thereof.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

process and/or facilitate a processing of a first image of an object and at least one symbol to extract an invisible watermark of the least one symbol embedded in the first image,

compare the first image with a second image to determine a degree of similarity between the first image and the second image,

determine a degree of visibility for the watermark based on the determined degree of similarity, and

display the watermark with the determined degree of visibility.

10. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

transmit the first image, and

transmit the at least one symbol.

11. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first image, the at least one symbol, or a combination thereof is transmitted or received via one of a wireless connection, a wired network connection, a cellular telephone communications network and a combination thereof.

12. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive the second image from a camera.

13. An apparatus of claim 12, wherein a linkage of the at least one symbol to the first image includes a defined position of the at least one symbol in relation to a location within the first image, wherein the first image includes defined regions of interest in the first image and information relating the regions of interest to the first image.

14. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first image and the at least one symbol are linked when they are transmitted.

15. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first image includes defined regions of interest in the first image and information relating the regions of interest to the first image.

16. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is at least one of a server, a mobile device and a combination thereof.

17. A system comprising:

a first device configured to;

create a first image of an object,

create at least one symbol, and

embed the at least one symbol in the first image as an invisible watermark in the first image; and

a second device configured to;

receive the first image and the at least one symbol,

process and/or facilitate a processing of the first image and the at least one symbol to extract an invisible watermark of the least one symbol embedded in the first image;

compare the first image with a second image to determine a degree of similarity between the first image and the second image,

determine a degree of visibility for the watermark based on the determined degree of similarity, and

display the watermark with the determined degree of visibility.

18. A system of claim 17, wherein the second device is further configured to transmit the first image, the at least one symbol, or a combination thereof.

19. A system of claim 18, wherein a linkage of the at least one symbol to the first image includes a defined position of the at least one symbol in relation to a location within the first image, wherein the first image includes defined regions of interest in the first image and information relating the regions of interest to the first image.

20. A system of claim 19, wherein the second device is further configured to create the linkage when the second device receives the first image and the at least one symbol from the first device.