Content tagging using broadcast device information

• US 9,667,690 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2014
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Alsina, Thomas Matthieu
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hua
• Application Number:
  US14/341,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20150026297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/244 Grouping and aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A number of devices co-located at a geographic location can broadcast and receive identity information. The identity information can include a unique device identifier and a device description. The identity information can be exchanged between various electronic devices using a communication link having limited transmission range. Device identifiers and corresponding device descriptions included in the tokens can be associated with content on the device receiving the tokens. The device descriptions can be used as hints for assigning labels to the devices identified by device identifiers. The labels can be associated with the content. The labeled content can be classified, organized, indexed and searched based at least in part on the labels.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

on a first device, receiving information from a plurality of second devices located within a communication range of the first device, the information comprising a plurality of identifiers, each identifier associated with one of the second devices;

identifying a plurality of candidate labels, each candidate label associated with at least one of the identifiers;

creating an image file on the first device by recording a plurality of images using a camera comprised within the first device, the plurality of images comprising at least one image of a user of at least one of the plurality of second devices;

assigning an identification probability to each of a plurality of candidate subjects identified in a subject database, wherein the identification probability assigned to each candidate subject represents a probability that the at least one image of the user comprises an image of the respective candidate subject, based on a facial recognition algorithm comparing at least a portion of the image file with the respective candidate subject;

comparing at least a subset of the plurality of candidate subjects with each of the plurality of candidate labels;

adjusting the identification probability of each of the compared candidate subjects, based on the comparing; and

associating at least one of the compared candidate subjects with the image file, using the adjusted identification probability.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image file comprises a video file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information further comprises a description of each of the second devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising acquiring a description of each of the second devices from a server using the identifier of the respective second device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting to a user of the first device a list comprising one or more of the compared candidate subjects, wherein the one or more of the compared candidate subjects are ordered in the list according to their respective adjusted identification probabilities; and

receiving from the user a selection of at least one of the one or more of the compared candidate subjects;

wherein the associating at least one of the compared candidate subjects with the image file comprises associating the at least one selected candidate subject with the image file.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a direction in which the camera is pointing at the time the image file is created;

determining whether the determined direction is the same as a previous direction in which the camera was pointing at the time a previous image file was created, wherein the previous image file has been associated with at least one of plurality of candidate subjects; and

further adjusting the identification probability of at least one of the compared candidate subjects based on the determining whether the determined direction is the same as a previous direction in which the camera was pointing at the time a previous image file was created.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by at least one processor of a first device, cause the first device to:

receive information from a plurality of second devices located within a communication range of the first device, the information comprising a plurality of identifiers, each identifier associated with one of the second devices;

identify a plurality of candidate labels, each candidate label associated with at least one of the identifiers;

create an image file by recording a plurality of images using a camera comprised within the first device, the plurality of images comprising at least one image of a user of at least one of the plurality of second devices;

assign an identification probability to each of a plurality of candidate subjects identified in a subject database, wherein the identification probability assigned to each candidate subject represents a probability that the at least one image of the user comprises an image of the respective candidate subject, based on a facial recognition algorithm comparing at least a portion of the image file with the respective candidate subject;

compare at least a subset of the plurality of candidate subjects with each of the plurality of candidate labels;

adjust the identification probability of each of the compared candidate subjects, based on the comparing; and

associate at least one of the compared candidate subjects with the image file, using the adjusted identification probability.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the image file comprises a video file.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the information further comprises a description of each of the second devices.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions further cause the first device to:

acquire a description of each of the second devices from a server using the identifier of the respective second device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions further cause the first device to:

present to a user of the first device a list comprising one or more of the compared candidate subjects, wherein the one or more of the compared candidate subjects are ordered in the list according to their respective adjusted identification probabilities; and

receive from the user a selection of at least one of the one or more of the compared candidate subjects;

wherein the associating at least one of the compared candidate subjects with the image file comprises associating the at least one selected candidate subject with the image file.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions further cause the first device to:

determine a direction in which the camera is pointing at the time the image file is created;

determine whether the determined direction is the same as a previous direction in which the camera was pointing at the time a previous image file was created, wherein the previous image file has been associated with at least one of plurality of candidate subjects; and

further adjust the identification probability of at least one of the compared candidate subjects based on the determining whether the determined direction is the same as a previous direction in which the camera was pointing at the time a previous image file was created.

13. A mobile wireless electronic device, comprising:

wireless communication circuitry;

a camera; and

at least one processor coupled to the wireless communication circuitry and the camera, the at least one processor configured to cause the mobile wireless electronic device to;

receive, via the wireless communication circuitry, information from a plurality of second devices located within a communication range of the mobile wireless electronic device, the information comprising a plurality of identifiers, each identifier associated with one of the second devices

identify a plurality of candidate labels, each candidate label associated with at least one of the identifiers;

create an image file by recording a plurality of images using the camera, the plurality of images comprising at least one image of a user of at least one of the plurality of second devices;

assign an identification probability to each of a plurality of candidate subjects identified in a subject database, wherein the identification probability assigned to each candidate subject represents a probability that the at least one image of the user comprises an image of the respective candidate subject, based on a facial recognition algorithm comparing at least a portion of the image file with the respective candidate subject;

compare at least a subset of the plurality of candidate subjects with each of the plurality of candidate labels;

adjust the identification probability of each of the compared candidate subjects, based on the comparing; and

associate at least one of the compared candidate subjects with the image file, using the adjusted identification probability.

14. The mobile wireless electronic device of claim 13, wherein the image file comprises a video file.

15. The mobile wireless electronic device of claim 13, wherein the information further comprises a description of each of the second devices.

16. The mobile wireless electronic device of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the mobile wireless electronic device to:

acquire a description of each of the second devices from a server using the identifier of the respective second device.

17. The mobile wireless electronic device of claim 13, further comprising at least one input/output device comprising a touch screen display, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the mobile wireless electronic device to:

present to a user, via the touch screen display, a list comprising one or more of the compared candidate subjects, wherein the one or more of the compared candidate subjects are ordered in the list according to their respective adjusted identification probabilities; and

receive from the user a selection of at least one of the one or more of the compared candidate subjects;

wherein the associating at least one of the compared candidate subjects with the image file comprises associating the at least one selected candidate subject with the image file.

18. The mobile wireless electronic device of claim 13, further comprising a magnetometer, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the mobile wireless electronic device to:

determine, using the magnetometer, a direction in which the camera is pointing at the time the image file is created;

determine whether the determined direction is the same as a previous direction in which the camera was pointing at the time a previous image file was created, wherein the previous image file has been associated with at least one of plurality of candidate subjects; and

further adjust the identification probability of at least one of the compared candidate subjects based on the determining whether the determined direction is the same as a previous direction in which the camera was pointing at the time a previous image file was created.