Enhanced image capture

• US 9,729,784 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2014
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Petrescu, Doina I., Lay, Thomas T., Petrie, Steven R., Ryan, Bill, Sinha, Snigdha, Vanhoof, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US14/450,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20150341549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 3482071, 34820711, 3482111, 3482112, 3482201, 382116
• 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 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed are techniques that provide a “best” picture taken within a few seconds of the moment when a capture command is received (e.g., when the “shutter” button is pressed). In some situations, several still images are automatically (that is, without the user'"'"'s input) captured. These images are compared to find a “best” image that is presented to the photographer for consideration. Video is also captured automatically and analyzed to see if there is an action scene or other motion content around the time of the capture command. If the analysis reveals anything interesting, then the video clip is presented to the photographer. The video clip may be cropped to match the still-capture scene and to remove transitory parts. Higher-precision horizon detection may be provided based on motion analysis and on pixel-data analysis.

Claims

1. A method on a server comprising:

receiving, by the server, from a plurality of source image-capture devices remote from the server, metadata associated with respective instructions by a plurality of users of the plurality of source image-capture devices to keep respective still images from respective pluralities of captured still images captured by the plurality of source image-capture devices, wherein the plurality of source image-capture devices is part of a general population of source image-capture devices;

analyzing, by the server, the received metadata; and

sending, by the server to a target image-capture device, an indication of a recommendation for a still image from a plurality of captured still images captured by the target image-capture device, the recommendation being based on the analyzing of the received metadata.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing is based on an element in the received metadata, the element selected from a stated preference of one of the plurality of users of the plurality of source image-capture devices and a past behavior of one of the plurality of users of the plurality of source image-capture devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing the received metadata comprises comparing the selected, kept still image from the respective pluralities of captured still images against other images from the respective pluralities of captured still images captured by the general population of users.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the recommendation is tailored to a user of the target image-capture device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing the received metadata comprises performing pattern-analysis machine learning.

6. A server comprising:

a communications interface configured for receiving, from a plurality of source image-capture devices remote from the server, metadata associated with respective instructions by a plurality of users of the plurality of source image-capture devices to keep respective still images from respective pluralities of captured still images captured by the plurality of source image-capture devices, wherein the plurality of source image-capture devices is part of a general population of source image-capture devices; and

a processing system operatively connected to the communications interface and configured for;

analyzing the received metadata; and

sending, via the communications interface to a target image-capture device, an indication of a recommendation for a still image from a plurality of captured still images captured by the target image-capture device, the recommendation being based on the analyzing.

7. A method on a server comprising:

receiving, by the server from a plurality of source image-capture devices are remote from the server, metadata associated with respective instructions by a plurality of users of the plurality of source image-capture devices to keep respective still images from respective pluralities of captured still images captured by the plurality of source image-capture devices, wherein the plurality of source image-capture devices is part of a general population of source image-capture devices;

analyzing, by the server, the received metadata; and

sending, by the server to a target image-capture device, an indication of a recommendation for segment of captured video captured by the target image-capture device based on the analyzing of the received metadata.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the analyzing is based on an element in the received metadata, the element selected from a stated preference of one of the plurality of users of the plurality of source image-capture devices, and a past behavior of the one of the plurality of users of the plurality of the source image-capture devices.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the recommendation is tailored to a user of the target image-capture device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the analyzing the received metadata comprises performing pattern-analysis machine learning.

11. A server comprising:

a communications interface configured for receiving, from a plurality of source image-capture devices remote from the server, metadata associated with respective instructions by a plurality of users of the plurality of source image-capture devices to keep respective segments from respective captured videos captured by the plurality of source image-capture devices, wherein the plurality of source image-capture devices is part of a general population of source image-capture devices; and

a processing system operatively connected to the communications interface and configured for;

analyzing the received metadata; and

sending, via the communications interface to a target image-capture device, an indication of a recommendation for a segment of captured video captured by the target image-capture device, the recommendation being based on the analyzing of the received metadata.

12. A method on a server comprising:

receiving, by the server and from a plurality of source image-capture devices remote from the server, first metadata associated with respective instructions by a plurality of users of the plurality of source image-capture devices to keep respective still images from respective pluralities of captured still images captured by the plurality of source image-capture devices, wherein the plurality of source image-capture devices is part of a general population of source image-capture devices;

receiving, by the server and from the plurality of source image-capture devices, second metadata associated with respective instructions by the plurality of users of the plurality of source image-capture devices to keep respective segments from respective captured videos captured by the plurality of source image-capture devices;

analyzing, by the server, the received first and second metadata; and

sending, by the server to a target image-capture device, an indication of a recommendation for a still image from a plurality of captured images captured by the target image-capture device and an indication of a recommendation for a segment of captured video captured by the target image-capture device, the recommendations being based on the analyzing of the received first and second metadata.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the analyzing is based on an element in the received metadata, the element selected from a stated preference of one of the respective users of the plurality of source image-capture devices and a past behavior of the one of the plurality of users of the plurality of the source image-capture devices.

14. A server comprising:

a communications interface configured for receiving, from a plurality of source image-capture devices remote from the server, first metadata associated with respective instructions by a plurality of users of the plurality of source image-capture devices to keep respective still images from respective pluralities of captured still images captured by the plurality of source image-capture devices, wherein the plurality of source image-capture devices is part of a general population of source image-capture devices;

the communications interface also configured for receiving, from the source image-capture devices, second metadata associated with respective instructions by the plurality of users of the plurality of source image-capture devices to keep respective segments from respective captured videos captured by the plurality of source image-capture devices; and

a processing system operatively connected to the communications interface and configured for;

analyzing the received first and second metadata; and

sending, via the communications interface to a target image-capture device, an indication of a recommendation for a still image from a plurality of captured images captured by the target image-capture device and an indication of a recommendation for a segment of captured video captured by the target image-capture device, the recommendations being based on the analyzing of the received first and second metadata.