Tagging Images With Labels

• US 20100054600A1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Anbalagan, Karthik G., O'Connor, Timothy R., Schadt, Gyorgy K., Kim, Michael H., Pisharathu, Aanand Narayanan, Pinson, Samuel J., Chan, Chunkit J., Thornton, John M., Ferguson, Bryan P., Brodie, Alexander S., Ramsby, Scott R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,396,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/180
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/00 Aspects of pattern recognition specially adapted for signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An image to be shared with other users based on input from a first user is received. A second user is identified from a tag of the image, and information is provided, based at least in part on the tag, to one or both of the first user and the second user. Additionally, after editing of an image a determination can be made as to whether a region of the image having an associated tag has been affected by the editing. The tag associated with the region is altered if the region has been affected by the editing, otherwise the tag associated with the region is left unaltered. Furthermore, the tag can include a first portion storing data identifying a region of the image to which the tag corresponds, and a second portion storing data identifying a person shown in the region.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an image to be shared with other users based on input from a first user;

identifying, a second user from a tag of the image; and

providing information, based at least in part on the tag, to one or both of the first user and the second user.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, the providing information comprising sending a notification to the second user that the first user has published the image.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, the providing information comprising notifying the first user of one or more additional images including the second user that have been shared by the second user.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, the tag further including a hash of an email address of the second user.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, the identifying comprising:

comparing a hash value of an email address in the tag to hash values of one or more email addresses in an email address record of the first user;

identifying an email address in the email address record that is the same as the hash value of the email address in the tag; and

using the identified email address to provide the information to the second user.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, the identifying comprising accessing an ID of the second user included in the tag.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining, after editing of the image, whether a region of the image having an associated tag has been affected by the editing; and

altering the tag associated with the region if the region has been affected by the editing, otherwise leaving the tag associated with the region unaltered.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, the tag including:

a first portion storing data identifying a region of the image to which the tag corresponds; and

a second portion storing data identifying the second user.

9. A method comprising:

determining, after editing of an image, whether a region of the image having an associated tag has been affected by the editing; and

altering the tag associated with the region if the region has been affected by the editing, otherwise leaving the tag associated with the region unaltered.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, the determining comprising determining whether the region has been affected based at least in part on whether a dimension of the image has changed.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, the determining comprising determining whether the region has been affected based at least in part on a fingerprint of the image.

12. A method as recited in claim 9, the determining comprising determining that a portion of the image including the region has been cropped out, and the altering comprising deleting the tag associated with the region.

13. One or more computer storage media having stored thereon multiple instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

generate a tag for an image, the tag including;

a first portion storing data identifying a region of the image to which the tag corresponds; and

a second portion storing data identifying a person shown in the region; and

save the tag in a data structure that includes an additional portion storing image data for the image.

14. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein one or more portions of the first portion are set to zero when the tag is a global tag.

15. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein the first portion includes:

a third portion that stores data identifying a left side of a rectangle of the region;

a fourth portion that stores data identifying a top of the rectangle of the region;

a fifth portion that stores data identifying a height of the rectangle of the region; and

a sixth portion that stores data identifying a width of the rectangle of the region.

16. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 13, wherein the second portion includes:

a third portion storing data identifying a name of the person;

a fourth portion storing data identifying an ID of the person; and

a fifth portion storing data identifying a hash of an email address of the person.

17. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 13, the first portion storing data identifying a relative location of the region.

18. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 13, the tag further comprising a third portion storing data that includes one or both of a date and a time of when the tag was added to the image.

19. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 13, the multiple instructions further causing the one or more processors to:

receiving an image to be shared with other users based on input from a first user, the image including the tag;

identifying the person from the second portion; and

providing information, based at least in part on the tag, to one or both of the first user and the person shown in the region.

20. One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 13, the multiple instructions further causing the one or more processors to:

determine, after editing of the image, whether the region has been affected by the editing; and

altering the tag if the region has been affected by the editing, otherwise leaving the tag unaltered.