System and method for automatically annotating images in an image-capture device

• US 20060007315A1
• Filed: 07/12/2004
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scenera Mobile Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Singh, Mona
• Granted Patent: US 7,403,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.990
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/14 Geo-tagging, e.g. for correlating route or track location data with specific information related to that specific location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3209 of a telephone number
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID

Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for automatically annotating pictures in an image-capture device. The system includes an image capture system that is configured to capture an image. A memory is coupled to the image capture system and is configured to maintain a user-specific database. A processor is coupled to the memory and is configured to annotate the image with a tag based on data from the user-specific database.

Claims

1. A method for automatically annotating pictures from an image-capture device comprising:

capturing an image; and

annotating the image with a tag based on data from a user-specific database.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-specific database includes a calendar database.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

determining a date and time that the image is captured;

comparing the date and time of image capture to data in the calendar database; and

creating the tag based on data in the calendar database corresponding to the date and time.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining a position of the image-capture device;

comparing the position of the image-capture device to data in the calendar database; and

creating the tag if the position of the image-capture device matches a position in the data in the calendar.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

offering a user an option to confirm the tag as an annotation to the image.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the tag includes words formed by the user.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the user-specific database further includes an address book.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a device identification (ID) from an electronic device;

comparing the device ID to data in the address book; and

creating the tag based on a match between the device ID and data in the address book.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the device ID is a telephone number.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the tag includes a name associated with the electronic device.

11. The method of claim 3, the user-defined database further including a phone log, further comprising:

comparing the device ID to data in the phone log; and

creating the tag based on a match between the device ID, data in the address book, and data in the phone log.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the phone log includes a list of recent messages and calls.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the user-specific database includes an address book.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving a device identification (ID) from an electronic device;

comparing the device ID to data in the address book; and

creating the tag based on a match between the device ID and data in the address book.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the device ID is a telephone number.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the tag includes a name associated with the electronic device.

17. The method of claim 1, the user-defined database further including a phone log, further comprising:

receiving a device identification (ID) from an electronic device;

comparing the device ID to data in the phone log; and

creating the tag based on a match between the device ID, data in the address book, and data in the phone log.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the phone log includes a list of recent messages and calls.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18 wherein the user-specific database includes a calendar database.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the tag includes words formed by the user.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the user-specific database further includes an address book.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25, the programming instructions further comprising:

receiving a device identification (ID) from an electronic device;

comparing the device ID to data in the address book; and

amending the tag based on a match between the device ID and data in the address book.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26 wherein the device ID is a telephone number.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27 wherein the tag includes a name associated with the electronic device.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 20, the user-defined database further including a phone log, the programming instructions further comprising:

comparing the device ID to data in the phone log; and

creating the tag based on a match between the device ID, data in the address book, and data in the phone log.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29 wherein the phone log includes a list of recent messages and calls.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 18 wherein the user-specific database includes an address book.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, the programming instructions further comprising:

receiving a device identification (ID) from an electronic device;

comparing the device ID to data in the address book; and

creating the tag based on a match between the device ID and data in the address book.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32 wherein the device ID is a telephone number.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33 wherein the tag includes a name associated with the electronic device.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 18, the user-defined database further including a phone log, the programming instructions further comprising:

receiving a device identification (ID) from an electronic device;

comparing the device ID to data in the phone log; and

creating the tag based on a match between the device ID, data in the address book, and data in the phone log.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 35 wherein the phone log includes a list of recent messages and calls.

19. A computer readable medium containing programming instructions for automatically annotating pictures from an image-capture device, the programming instructions for:

capturing an image; and

annotating the image with a tag based on data from a user-specific database.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19, the programming instructions further comprising:

determining a date and time that the image is captured;

comparing the date and time of image capture to data in the calendar database; and

creating the tag based on data in the calendar database corresponding to the date and time.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, the programming instructions further comprising:

determining a position of the image-capture device;

comparing the position of the image-capture device to data in the calendar database; and

creating the tag if the position of the image-capture device matches a position in the data in the calendar.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 21, the programming instructions further comprising:

offering a user an option to confirm the tag as an annotation to the image.

37. A system for automatically annotating pictures in an image-capture device comprising:

an image capture mechanism configured to capture an image;

a memory coupled to the image capture mechanism and configured to maintain a user-specific database; and

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to annotate the image with a tag based on data from the user-specific database.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the user-specific database includes a calendar database.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the processor is further configured to determine a date and time that the image is captured, to compare the date and time of image capture to data in the calendar database, and to create the tag based on data in the calendar database corresponding to the date and time.

40. The system of claim 39 further comprising:

a positioning system coupled to the processor and configured to determine a position of the image-capture device, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the position of the image-capture device to data in the calendar database, and to create the tag if the position of the image-capture device matches a position in the data in the calendar.

41. The system of claim 39 wherein the processor is further configured to offer a user an option to confirm the tag as an annotation to the image.

42. The system of claim 39 wherein the tag includes words formed by the user.

43. The system of claim 39 wherein the user-specific database further includes an address book.

44. The system of claim 39 further comprising:

a transceiver coupled to the processor and configured to receive a device identification (ID) from an electronic device, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the device ID to data in the address book, and to amend the tag based on a match between the device ID and data in the address book.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the device ID is a telephone number.

46. The system of claim 45 wherein the tag includes a name associated with the electronic device.

47. The system of claim 44, the user-defined database further including a phone log, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the device ID to data in the phone log, and to create the tag based on a match between the device ID, data in the address book, and data in the phone log.

48. The system of claim 47 wherein the phone log includes a list of recent messages and calls.

49. The system of claim 37 wherein the user-specific database includes an address book.

50. The system of claim 49 further comprising:

a transceiver coupled to the processor and configured to receive a device identification (ID) from an electronic device, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a device identification (ID) from an electronic device, to compare the device ID to data in the address book, and to create the tag based on a match between the device ID and data in the address book.

51. The system of claim 50 wherein the device ID is a telephone number.

52. The system of claim 51 wherein the tag includes a name associated with the electronic device.

53. The system of claim 50, the user-defined database further including a phone log, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the device ID to data in the phone log, and to create the tag based on a match between the device ID, data in the address book, and data in the phone log.

54. The system of claim 53 wherein the phone log includes a list of recent messages and calls.