Method for use with a wireless communication device for facilitating tasks using images and selections

• US 7,890,386 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2000
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palisades Technology LLC
• Inventors: Reber, William L
• Primary Examiner(s): KAZIMI, HANI M
• Application Number:
  US09/698,310
• Time in Patent Office: 3,763 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/5, 235/383, 235/454
• US Class Current: 705/26.7
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/005 characterised by the type of game, e.g. ball games, fighting games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6607 for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/405 using Z-buffer
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/503 Blending, e.g. for anti-aliasing

Abstract

An image of at least one object (14) is captured. An object class selection is received from a menu (70) of a plurality of object classes. At least one task menu specific to the object class selection is provided. A task selection is received from the at least one task menu. A task associated with the at least one object (14) is facilitated based on the image and the task selection.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing via a handheld cellular telephone and in response to actions of a user, a digital image of a location including a restaurant;

displaying the digital image of the restaurant to the user on a display device of the handheld cellular telephone;

interacting with the user to select the digital image via the handheld cellular telephone;

displaying an object class menu on the display device of the handheld cellular telephone, the object class menu having a plurality of object classes including a person class, a product class and an event class;

interacting with the user via the handheld cellular telephone to select one of the plurality of object classes from the object class menu;

displaying a task menu on the display device of the handheld cellular telephone, the task menu including a plurality of tasks that are based on the selected one of the plurality of object classes, the plurality of tasks including a restaurant reservation task;

interacting with the user via the handheld cellular telephone to select one of the plurality of tasks from the task menu;

transmitting the digital image from the handheld cellular telephone to a server system along with data indicating the selected one of the plurality of tasks;

when the selected one of the plurality of tasks is the restaurant reservation task;

identifying the restaurant via the server system, based on the recognition of the restaurant in the digital image of the location, and not based on the recognition of an optical code;

retrieving restaurant information via a computer network, based on the identification of the restaurant;

displaying at least a portion of the restaurant information on the handheld cellular telephone; and

facilitating reservations for the restaurant via the handheld cellular telephone.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the restaurant information includes scheduling information for the restaurant.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the restaurant information includes food information for the restaurant.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the restaurant information includes transportation information for the restaurant.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the restaurant information includes visual content.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the restaurant information includes audio content.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the restaurant reservation task is a customized task that, once generated by the user and stored on the handheld cellular telephone, is repeatable.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the customized task is shared, via the server system, to other users of other handheld cellular telephones.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the restaurant reservation task includes task options made available from a service provider.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the restaurant reservation task was generated by another user of another handheld cellular telephone and provided to the handheld cellular telephone via the computer network.

10. A method for use with a wireless communication device capable of accessing a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving at a server system, a digital image of a restaurant captured with the wireless communication device;

receiving via the server system, a selection of an object class from an object class menu having a plurality of object classes including a person class, a product class and an event class;

receiving via the server system, a selection of a task, wherein the task includes making reservations for the restaurant; and

identifying the restaurant via the server system, based on the recognition of the restaurant in the digital image, and not based on the recognition of an optical code;

facilitating via the wireless communication device, the making of the reservations for the restaurant via communication with the computer network and based on the identification of the restaurant, wherein the facilitating includes retrieving restaurant information.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the restaurant information includes scheduling information for the restaurant.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the restaurant information includes food information for the restaurant.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the restaurant information includes transportation information for the restaurant.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the restaurant information includes visual content.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the restaurant information includes audio content.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the digital image of the restaurant is captured via an image of a substantially planar object.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the digital image of the restaurant is captured via an image of a non-planar object.

18. A method comprising:

capturing via a handheld cellular telephone and in response to actions of a user, a digital image of an event venue;

displaying the digital image of the event venue to the user on a display device of the handheld cellular telephone;

interacting with the user via the handheld cellular telephone to select the digital image;

displaying an object class menu on the display device of the handheld cellular telephone, the object class menu having a plurality of object classes including a person class, a product class and an event class;

interacting with the user via the handheld cellular telephone to select one of the plurality of object classes from the object class menu;

displaying a task menu on the display device of the handheld cellular telephone, the task menu including a plurality of tasks that are based on the selected one of the plurality of object classes, the plurality of tasks including an event task;

interacting with the user via the handheld cellular telephone to select one of the plurality of tasks from the task menu;

transmitting the digital image from the handheld cellular telephone to a server system along with data indicating the selected one of the plurality of tasks;

when the selected one of the plurality of tasks is the event task;

identifying the event venue via the server system, based on the recognition of the event venue in the digital image, and not based on the recognition of an optical code;

retrieving event information via a computer network based on the recognition of the event venue;

facilitating the event task associated with the event venue, based on the event information; and

displaying at least a portion of the event information on the handheld cellular telephone.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the event information includes at least one of:

scheduling information, food information, transportation information and ride information.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the event task is a customized task that, once generated by the user and stored on the handheld cellular telephone, is repeatable.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the customized task is shared, via the server system, to other users of other handheld cellular telephones.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the event task includes task options made available from a service provider.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the event task includes ordering a ticket.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the ordering of the ticket includes at least one of:

pre-ordering the ticket for a later date; and

ordering the ticket for a current date.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein the event task includes sending an email to a person.

26. The method of claim 18 wherein the event task includes placing a call to a person.

28. The method of claim 18 wherein the event task was generated by another user of another handheld cellular telephone and provided to the handheld cellular telephone via the computer network.