Image capture and identification system and process

• US 20040208372A1
• Filed: 05/20/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nant Holdings IP, LLC (NantWorks, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Evryx Technologies Inc (Ipplex Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Boncyk, Wayne C., Cohen, Ronald H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,477,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/181
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/56 relating to colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/7515 Shifting the patterns to accommodate for positional errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/95 structured as a network, e.g. client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00002 Diagnosis, testing or measuring; Detecting, analysing or monitoring not otherwise provided for error detection, error correction or monitoring in digital computers or digital computer components G06F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00005 relating to image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00031 Testing, i.e. determining the result of a trial H04N1/00029 takes precedence; using test signals for transmission mode changing H04N2201/33371
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00045 using a reference pattern designed for the purpose, e.g. a test chart
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00068 Calculating or estimating
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00082 Adjusting or controlling interrupting an operation H04N1/00915; inhibiting an operation H04N1/00925
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00827 Arrangements for reading an image from an unusual original, e.g. 3-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document

Abstract

The invention is a method by which information and communication pertinent to an object is provided based on imagery of the object. A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from a plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object.

Claims

1. A method for identifying an object from a digitally captured image thereof whose image characteristics are present in at least one database including:

decomposing the digitally captured image into a group of characterization parameter sets; and

comparing each of said characterization parameter sets with identical parameters of known objects stored in the at least one database; and

producing the best matches from the at least one database to identify the object.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 further including before decomposing the digitally captured image:

determining if the digitally captured image includes at least one symbolic image, and if such is included;

decoding the at least one symbolic image;

comparing the decoded at least one symbolic image to a database of decoded symbolic images; and

determining a level of confidence that the object has been identified.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 further including:

reducing the database choices in accordance with the determined level of confidence with which said comparing each of said group of characterization parameter sets with identical parameters of known objects stored in the at least one database is performed.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one database includes:

an information address associated with the objects, and wherein said method includes;

establishing a connection between an information address associated with the identified object and the user.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one database includes:

operative devices for interaction with the user when identified as the object.

6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the decomposing the digitally captured image into a group of characterization parameter sets includes:

performing a radiometric correction of the digitally captured image by;

transforming the digitally captured image to one of a set of digital numbers per color plane, RGB representation; and

normalizing in all color planes with linear gain and offset transformations so that pixel values within each color channel span a full dynamic range of the set.

7. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the decomposing the digitally captured image into a group of characterization parameter sets includes:

grouping of image parameters to produce a plurality of related parameter sets.

8. The method defined in claim 1 further including:

further narrowing the classification of the at least one object by decoding at least one symbol in the at least one image.

9. The method defined in claim 1 further including:

obtaining information pertinent to at least one object by capturing at least one image of the at least one object;

recognizing the appearance of the at least one object in the at least one image;

determining at least one information address corresponding to the at least one object; and

communicating with at least one information resource, such as at least one computer, corresponding to the at least one information address.

10. The method defined in claim 1 further including:

establishing communication pertinent to to at least one object by capturing at least one image of the at least one object;

recognizing the appearance of the at least one object in the at least one image;

determining at least one information address corresponding to the at least one object; and

accessing information from at least one information resource, such as at least one computer, corresponding to the at least one information address.

11. The method defined in claim 1 wherein for each determined output:

comparing each against the at least one database; and

producing best matches from the at least one database.

12. A method for identifying an object in an at least one given image including:

iteratively comparing at least one region in the at least one given image with regions in images in an at least one database until the best correspondence is found between the at least one region in the at least one given image and the at least one region in images in the at least one database;

wherein the images in the least one database represent views of at least one object in at least one viewing orientation, wherein the comparing is performed by;

extracting and comparing parameters from the regions of the at least one given image and the images in the at least one database.

13. The method for identifying an object in an at least one given image as defined in claim 12 including:

a method for reducing the number of required comparisons, which includes;

determining a priori that there is poor correspondence between the at least one region in the at least one given image and certain images in the at least one database.

14. The method for identifying an object in an at least one given image as defined in claim 12 including:

capturing at least one image; and

providing communications or information that are determined by both the identity of the object and the location of the device used to capture the at least one image, based both on the identity of the object and on refining or modifying the set of candidate identities of the at least one object based on the location of the device used to capture the at least one image.

15. The method for identifying an object in an at least one given image as defined in claim 12 further including:

establishing a connection between a portable device and an information site pertinent to an object by;

determining the address of the information site corresponding to the object using a remote computer,

sending the address to the portable device, and

connecting to the information site via at least one network.

16. The method for identifying an object in an at least one given image as defined in claim 12 further including:

providing audio information pertinent to at least one object based on capturing at least one image of the at least one object with a portable device,

recognizing the at least one object using the portable device or a remote computer; and

providing the pertinent audio information to the portable device.

17. A method for identifying to a user a multi-dimensional object from at least one digitally captured image thereof whose image characteristics are present in at least one database including:

decomposing the at least one digitally captured image into a group of parameters of different types; and

comparing the parameters of each type of the group of different parameter types with parameters of matching types of the different parameter types of known objects stored in the at least one database; and

producing a parameter match to a user from at least one parameter type, with respect to the at least one database for a high probability identification of the object.

18. The method defined in claim 17 wherein the producing a parameter match to a user from at least one parameter type, with respect to the at least one database for a high probability identification of the object includes:

producing the best parameter match from a plurality of parameters.

19. The method defined in claim 17 wherein the producing a parameter match to a user from at least one parameter type, with respect to the at least one database for a high probability identification of the object includes:

producing the best match from at least one group of a plurality of parameter types.

20. The method defined in claim 17 wherein the decomposing the digitally captured image into a group of parameters of different types includes:

performing a radiometric correction of the at least one digitally captured image by;

transforming the at least one digitally captured image to at least one of a set of digital numbers per color plane, RGB representation; and

normalizing in all color planes with linear gain and offset transformations so that pixel values within each color channel span a full dynamic range of the set.

21. The method defined in claim 17 further including:

initiating a telephone call pertinent to the identified object, from a portable telephone;

capturing the at least one digitally captured image object using a camera in the portable telephone;

determining at least one telephone number corresponding to the object, and

initiating a telephone call to the at least one telephone number.