IMAGE-BASED APPLICATION LAUNCHER

• US 20140267770A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: GERVAUTZ, Michael, LAWRENCE ASHOK INIGO, Roy, WRIGHT, Gerald V. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,924,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming

Abstract

Techniques for managing applications associated with a mobile device are provided. The techniques disclosed herein include techniques for obtaining an image of an object in the view of a camera associated with a mobile device, identifying the object in the image based on attributes of the object extracted from the image, and determining whether one or more applications are associated with the object. If there are one or more applications associated with the real-world object, an application associated with the object can be automatically launched on the mobile device. The association between a real-world object and an application may be identified by a visual indicator, such as an icon, symbol, or other markings on the object that indicates that the object is associated with one or more applications.

Claims

1. A method for managing applications associated with a mobile device, the method comprising:

obtaining an image of an object in view of a camera associated with the mobile device;

initiating an object identification procedure to identify the object in the image based on attributes of the object extracted from the image;

identifying an application associated with the object based on the object identification procedure; and

automatically launching the application on the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the object identification procedure comprises extracting the attributes from the image and comparing the attributes extracted from the image to attributes associated with objects in a local database stored on the mobile device to identify the object in the image.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the attributes associated with objects in the local database are organized into a search tree;

and wherein comparing the attributes extracted from the image to the attributes associated with objects included in the local database comprises identifying the object in the image based on the attributes extracted from the image and the search tree.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending the image of the object or the attributes extracted from the image to a visual search engine located on a remote server in response to the object not being identified by comparing the attributes extracted from the image to the attributes associated with objects in the local database; and

receiving an identification of the object from the visual search engine located on the remote server.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the application associated with the object comprises identifying one or more applications associated with the object using a local database stored on the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating the object identification procedure comprises:

sending the image of the object or the attributes extracted from the image to a visual search engine located on a remote server.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein identifying the application associated with the object comprises receiving information identifying one or more applications associated with the object from the visual search engine.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically launching the application comprises determining whether the application is installed on the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein automatically launching the application on the mobile device comprises:

launching the application if the application is installed on the mobile device; and

displaying an interface for acquiring the application if the application is not installed on the mobile device, and launching the application based on input to the interface if the application is acquired.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a plurality of candidate applications associated with the object; and

selecting the application from the plurality of candidate applications.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein selecting the application from the plurality of candidate applications comprises selecting the application based on a user selection.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a listing of the plurality of candidate applications; and

prompting a user to provide the user selection from the displayed listing.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein displaying the listing of the plurality of candidate applications comprises ordering the plurality of candidate applications on the listing according to estimated relevance.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein selecting the application from the plurality of candidate applications comprises selecting the application based on a user profile.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

constructing the user profile based on at least one of user input or observed usage patterns of the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the application is an augmented reality application.

17. An apparatus for managing applications associated with a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining an image of an object in view of a camera associated with the mobile device;

means for initiating an object identification procedure to identify the object in the image based on attributes of the object extracted from the image;

means for identifying an application associated with the object based on the object identification procedure; and

means for automatically launching the application on the mobile device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the object identification procedure comprises means for extracting the attributes from the image and means for comparing the attributes extracted from the image to attributes associated with objects in a local database stored on the mobile device to identify the object in the image.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for sending the image of the object or the attributes extracted from the image to a visual search engine located on a remote server in response to the object not being identified by comparing the attributes extracted from the image to the attributes associated with objects in the local database; and

means for receiving an identification of the object from the visual search engine located on the remote server.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the means for identifying the application associated with the object comprises means for identifying one or more applications associated with the object using a local database stored on the mobile device.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the means for initiating the object identification procedure comprises:

means for sending the image of the object or the attributes extracted from the image to a visual search engine located on a remote server.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the means for identifying the application associated with the object comprises means for receiving information identifying one or more applications associated with the object from the visual search engine.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the means for automatically launching the application comprises means for determining whether the application is installed on the mobile device.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the means for automatically launching the application on the mobile device comprises:

means for launching the application if the application is installed on the mobile device; and

means for displaying an interface for acquiring the application if the application is not installed on the mobile device, and launching the application based on input to the interface if the application is acquired.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for identifying a plurality of candidate applications associated with the object; and

means for selecting the application from the plurality of candidate applications.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the means for selecting the application from the plurality of candidate applications comprises means for selecting the application based on a user selection.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the means for selecting the application from the plurality of candidate applications comprises means for selecting the application based on a user profile.

28. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the application is an augmented reality application.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, having stored thereon computer-readable instructions for managing applications associated with a mobile device, comprising instructions configured to cause a computer to:

obtain an image of an object in view of a camera associated with the mobile device;

initiate an object identification procedure to identify the object in the image based on attributes of the object extracted from the image;

identify an application associated with the object based on the object identification procedure; and

automatically launch the application on the mobile device.

30. An apparatus for managing applications associated with a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit and receive data wirelessly;

a non-transitory computer-readable memory;

a plurality of modules comprising processor executable code stored in the non-transitory computer-readable memory; and

a processor connected to the non-transitory computer-readable memory and configured to access the plurality of modules stored in the non-transitory computer-readable memory, wherein the plurality of modules include at least

an image capture module configured to obtain an image of an object in view of a camera associated with the mobile device;

an image identification module configured to initiate an object identification procedure to identify the object in the image based on attributes of the object extracted from the image and to identify an application associated with the object based on the object identification procedure; and

an application launcher module to automatically launch the application on the mobile device.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the image identification module is configured to perform the object identification procedure to extract the attributes from the image and compare the attributes extracted from the image to attributes associated with objects in a local database stored on the mobile device to identify the object in the image.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the image identification module is further configured to:

send the image of the object or the attributes extracted from the image to a visual search engine located on a remote server in response to the object not being identified by comparing the attributes extracted from the image to the attributes associated with objects in the local database; and

receive an identification of the object from the visual search engine located on the remote server.

33. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the image identification module being configured to identify the application associated with the object is further configured to identify one or more applications associated with the object using a local database stored on the mobile device.

34. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the image identification module being configured to initiate the object identification procedure is further configured to send the image of the object or the attributes extracted from the image to a visual search engine located on a remote server.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the image identification module being configured to identify the application associated with the object is further configured to receive information identifying one or more applications associated with the object from the visual search engine.

36. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the application launcher module being configured to automatically launch the application is further configured to determine whether the application is installed on the mobile device.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the application launcher module being configured to automatically launch the application on the mobile device is further configured to launch the application if the application is installed on the mobile device;

and wherein the apparatus further comprises an application acquisition module configured to display an interface for acquiring the application if the application is not installed on the mobile device, and the application launcher module is configured to launch the application based on input to the interface if the application is acquired.

38. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the image identification module is further configured to identify a plurality of candidate applications associated with the object and to select the application from the plurality of candidate applications.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the application launcher module being configured to select the application from the plurality of candidate applications is further configured to select the application based on a user selection.

40. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the application launcher module being configured to select the application from the plurality of candidate applications is further configured to select the application based on a user profile.

41. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the application is an augmented reality application.

42. A method for providing application content associated with an object or object type, the method comprising:

receiving information related to a request for application content from a mobile device or a visual search server;

identifying application content associated with the information in an application database, the application database comprising application content associated with a plurality of applications from a plurality of application providers, each application being associated with at least one object and/or object type and a unique application identifier; and

transmitting the identified application content to the mobile device or the visual search server.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the information comprises an object and/or object type, and wherein the application content comprises a list of applications associated with the object and/or object type.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein the information comprises a unique application identifier, and wherein the application content comprises executable application content for the mobile device.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein the information comprises attributes of an object extracted from an image of the object captured by the mobile device, and wherein the identifying is based on the attributes.

46. The method of claim 42 wherein the information comprises an identifier of an object, and wherein the identifying is based on the identifier.

47. The method of claim 42, further comprising receiving from an application provider an identifier of an object or attributes of the object extractable from an image of the object, receiving from the application provider an application associated with the object, storing the identifier or the attributes in the application database, and storing the application in the application database such that the application is associated with the stored identifier or attributes.

48. An apparatus for providing application content associated with an object or object type, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving information related to a request for application content from a mobile device or a visual search server;

means for identifying application content associated with the information in an application database, the application database comprising application content associated with a plurality of applications from a plurality of application providers, each application being associated with at least one object and/or object type and a unique application identifier; and

means for transmitting the identified application content to the mobile device or the visual search server.

49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the information comprises an object and/or object type, and wherein the application content comprises a list of applications associated with the object and/or object type.

50. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the information comprises a unique application identifier, and wherein the application content comprises executable application content for the mobile device.

51. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the information comprises attributes of an object extracted from an image of the object captured by the mobile device, and wherein the means for identifying comprises means for identifying the application content based on the attributes.

52. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the information comprises an identifier of an object, and wherein the means for identifying comprises means for identifying based on the identifier.

53. The apparatus of claim 48, further comprising means for receiving from an application provider an identifier of an object or attributes of the object extractable from an image of the object, means for receiving from the application provider an application associated with the object, means for storing the identifier or the attributes in the application database, and means for storing the application in the application database such that the application is associated with the stored identifier or attributes.

54. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, having stored thereon computer-readable instructions for providing application content associated with an object or object type, comprising instructions configured to cause a computer to:

receive information related to a request for application content from a mobile device or a visual search server;

identify application content associated with the information in an application database, the application database comprising application content associated with a plurality of applications from a plurality of application providers, each application being associated with at least one object and/or object type and a unique application identifier; and

transmit the identified application content to the mobile device or the visual search server.

55. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 54 wherein the information comprises an object and/or object type, and wherein the application content comprises a list of applications associated with the object and/or object type.

56. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 54 wherein the information comprises a unique application identifier, and wherein the application content comprises executable application content for the mobile device.

57. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 54 wherein the information comprises attributes of an object extracted from an image of the object captured by the mobile device, and wherein the instructions configured to cause the computer to identify the application content comprise instructions configured to cause the computer to identify the application content based on the attributes.

58. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 54 wherein the information comprises an identifier of an object, and wherein the instructions configured to cause the computer to identify the application content comprise instructions configured to cause the computer to identify the application content based on the identifier.

59. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 54, further comprising instructions configured to cause the computer to:

receive from an application provider an identifier of an object or attributes of the object extractable from an image of the object;

receive from the application provider an application associated with the object;

store the identifier or the attributes in the application database, and

store the application in the application database such that the application is associated with the stored identifier or attributes.

60. An apparatus for providing application content associated with an object or object type, the apparatus comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive information related to a request for application content from a mobile device or a visual search server;

an application database comprising application content associated with a plurality of applications from a plurality of application providers, each application being associated with at least one object and/or object type and a unique application identifier; and

a processor configured to

identify application content associated with the information in the application database;

wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit the identified application content to the mobile device or the visual search server.

61. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein the information comprises an object and/or object type, and wherein the application content comprises a list of applications associated with the object and/or object type.

62. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein the information comprises a unique application identifier, and wherein the application content comprises executable application content for the mobile device.

63. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein the information comprises attributes of an object extracted from an image of the object captured by the mobile device, and wherein the processor is configured to identify the application content based on the attributes.

64. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein the information comprises an identifier of an object, and wherein the processor is configured to identify the application content based on the identifier.

65. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive from an application provider an identifier of an object or attributes of the object extractable from an image of the object;

receive from the application provider an application associated with the object;

store the identifier or the attributes in the application database; and

store the application in the application database such that the application is associated with the stored identifier or attributes.