Auto-creating groups for sharing photos

• US 9,342,817 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Elliott, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Monica C
• Application Number:
  US13/220,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20130013683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Methods and systems for aggregating and sharing digital content associated with social events via a network are provided. In one example embodiment, a system for aggregating and sharing digital content associated with social events via a network facilitates the aggregation and sharing of digital content, such as photos and videos. The aggregation may be performed with respect to the digital content received from different sources associated with the same social event. The digital content may also be subjected to an image recognition process to identify one or more individuals appearing in the photos or videos. The shared content may also be filtered to display only those photos or videos with specific individuals. In addition, users may be allowed to set privacy rules with respect to the photos and videos within which they appear.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for sharing digital media content by a server within a communication network comprising a plurality of user devices, the method comprising:

receiving digital media content from the plurality of user devices associated with two or more users, in which a first user device determines that there is a second user device located within a predetermined distance for a predetermined time period, both the first user device and the second user device located within the predetermined distance inviting their respective users to tag the digital media as taken at a same social event;

determining that two or more parts of the digital media content are associated with the social event based at least in part on a plurality of tags;

a first tag of the plurality of tags being automatically generated by the first user device of the plurality of user devices in response to the first user device producing a first part of the digital media content,

a second tag of the plurality of tags being automatically generated by the second user device of the plurality of user devices in response to the second user device producing a second part of the digital media content, and

each of the plurality of tags denoting a relationship between a respective part of the two or more parts of the digital media content and the social event;

aggregating the two or more parts associated with the social event to produce aggregated digital media content;

facilitating access to the aggregated digital media content by the two or more users;

implementing a facial recognition process for the received digital media content;

recognizing one or more individuals captured on a photo or a video, in which the photo and the video relate to the received digital media content;

attributing a name to each of the one or more individuals who are recognized;

displaying the name that is attributed to the one or more individuals who are recognized as a selectable target on the received digital media content; and

bringing the user to a network-delivered content comprising the received digital media content.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the digital media content comprises one or more of a digital photo, an image, a text, an audio, and a video.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user device comprises one or more of a digital camera, a video camera, a computer, a cellular phone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the social event comprises one or more of a meeting, a conference, a game play, and a leisure event.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining contextual information related to the digital media content.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the contextual information comprise one or more of a tag, a time, a date, a geographical location, a comment, social event data, and information related to one or more individuals or objects presented in the content.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the associating parts of the digital media content with the social event is further based on the contextual information.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the associating parts of the digital media content with the social event comprises receiving a user request to associate the digital media content with the social event.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising receiving privacy instructions from the one or more individuals recognized on the photo or the video, wherein the privacy instructions comprise one or more of a restriction to share content and a modification of a photo or a video.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising generating a website to share the media content associated with the social event.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the image recognition process is based on contextual information.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising filtering parts of the aggregated digital media content based on one or more of contextual information, a user selection, a privacy instruction, and user personal information.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining one or more users associated with the social event, wherein the determination is based on one or more of the following:

received digital media content, contextual information, and image recognition results.

14. A system for aggregating and sharing digital media content via a network, the system comprising:

at least one subsystem configured to receive digital media content from a plurality of user devices, in which a first user device determines that there is a second user device located within a predetermined distance for a predetermined time period, both the first user device and the second user device located within the predetermined distance inviting their respective users to tag the digital media as taken at a same social event;

at least one subsystem configured to determine that two or more parts of the digital media content are associated with the social event based at least in part on a plurality of tags;

a first tag of the plurality of tags being automatically generated by the first user device of the plurality of user devices in response to the first user device producing a first part of the digital media content,

a second tag of the plurality of tags being automatically generated by the second user device of the plurality of user devices in response to the second user device producing a second part of the digital media content, and

each of the plurality of tags denoting a relationship between a respective part of the two or more parts of the digital media content and the social event;

at least one subsystem to aggregate the two or more parts with the social event to produce aggregated digital media content;

at least one subsystem to facilitate user access the aggregated digital media content;

at least one subsystem to implement a facial recognition process for the received digital media content;

at least one subsystem to recognize one or more individuals captured on a photo or a video, in which the photo and the video relate to the received digital media content;

at least one subsystem to attribute a name to each of the one or more individuals who are recognized;

at least one subsystem to display the name that is attributed to the one or more individuals who are recognized as a selectable target on the received digital media content;

at least one subsystem to bring the user to a network-delivered content comprising the received digital media content; and

a memory coupled to the at least one subsystem, the memory comprising computer codes for the at least one subsystem.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving digital media content from a plurality of user devices associated with two or more users, in which a first user device determines that there is a second user device located within a predetermined distance for a predetermined time period, both the first user device and the second user device located within the predetermined distance inviting their respective users to tag the digital media as taken at a same social event;

determining that two or more parts of the digital media content are associated with the social event based at least in part on a plurality of tags;

a first tag of the plurality of tags being automatically generated by the first user device of the plurality of user devices in response to the first user device producing a first part of the digital media content,

a second tag of the plurality of tags being automatically generated by the second user device of the plurality of user devices in response to the second user device producing a second part of the digital media content, and

each of the plurality of tags denoting a relationship between a respective part of the two or more parts of the digital media content and the social event;

aggregating the two or more parts associated with the social event to produce aggregated digital media content;

facilitating access to the aggregated digital media content by the two or more users;

implementing a facial recognition process for the received digital media content;

recognizing one or more individuals captured on a photo or a video, in which the photo and the video relate to the received digital media content;

attributing a name to each of the one or more individuals who are recognized;

displaying a name that is attributed to the one or more individuals who are recognized as a selectable target on the received digital media content; and

bringing the user to a network-delivered content comprising the received digital media content.

16. A computer-implemented method for sharing digital media content within a communication network comprising a plurality of user devices, the method comprising:

receiving digital media content captured by the plurality of user devices, in which a first user device determines that there is a second user device located within a predetermined distance for a predetermined time period;

both the first user device and the second user device located within the predetermined distance inviting their respective users to tag the digital media as taken at a same social event;

determining that the digital media content is associated with the social event based at least in part on a plurality of tags;

a first tag of the plurality of tags being automatically generated by the first user device of the plurality of user devices in response to the first user device producing a first part of the digital media content,

a second tag of the plurality of tags being automatically generated by the second user device of the plurality of user devices in response to the second user device producing a second part of the digital media content, and

each of the plurality of tags denoting a relationship between two or more parts of the digital media content and the social event;

implementing a facial recognition process for the received digital media content;

recognizing one or more individuals captured on a photo or a video, in which the photo and the video relate to the received digital media content;

attributing a name to each of the one or more individuals who are recognized;

displaying the name that is attributed to the one or more individuals who are recognized as a selectable target on the received digital media content

bringing the user to a network-delivered content comprising the received digital media content; and

transmitting the received digital media content to a remote server.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising identifying one or more attendees of the social event.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the identification of one or more attendees includes identifying one or more user devices capturing digital media content associated with the social event.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the identification of one or more attendees of the social event comprises receiving user input related to one or more users associated with the same social event.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the identification of one or more attendees of the social event comprises identifying one or more individuals recognized during the image recognition process.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the generated digital media content is associated with the social event when at least one attendee is identified.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the generated digital media content is associated with the social event when at least one individual is recognized on photos or video within the media content.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising prompting attendees of the social event to share digital media content captured by respective user devices.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising generating contextual information associated with the digital media content, wherein the contextual information includes one or more of a tag, a time, a date, a geographical location, a comment, and social event data.

25. A system for aggregating and sharing digital media content via a network, the system comprising:

at least one processor configured to receive digital media content captured by a plurality of user devices, in which a first user device determines that there is a second user device located within a predetermined distance for a predetermined time period;

both the first user device and the second user device located within the predetermined distance inviting their respective users to tag the digital media as taken at a same social event;

at least one processor configured to determine that two or more parts of the captured digital media content are associated with the social event based at least in part on a plurality of tags;

a first tag of the plurality of tags being automatically generated by the first user device of the plurality of user devices in response to the first user device producing a first part of the digital media content,

a second tag of the plurality of tags being automatically generated by the second user device of the plurality of user devices in response to the second user device producing a second part of the digital media content, and

each of the plurality of tags denoting a relationship between the two or more parts of the digital media content and the social event;

at least one processor configured to implement a facial recognition process for the received digital media content;

at least one processor configured to recognize one or more individuals captured on a photo or a video, in which the photo and the video relate to the received digital media content;

at least one processor configured to attribute a name to each of the one or more individuals who are recognized;

at least one processor to display the name that is attributed to the one or more individuals who are recognized as a selectable target on the received digital media content;

at least one processor configured to bring the user to a network-delivered content comprising the received digital media content;

at least one processor configured to transmit the received digital media content to a remote server; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory comprising codes for the at least one processor.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving digital media content captured by a plurality of user devices, in which a first user device determines that there is a second user device located within a predetermined distance for a predetermined time period, both the first user device and the second user device located within the predetermined distance inviting their respective users to tag the digital media as taken at a same social event;

determining that two or more parts of the captured digital media content are associated with the social event based at least in part on a plurality of tags;

a first tag of the plurality of tags being automatically generated by the first user device of the plurality of user devices in response to the first user device producing a first part of the digital media content,

a second tag of the plurality of tags being automatically generated by the second user device of the plurality of user devices in response to the second user device producing a second part of the digital media content, and

each of the plurality of tags denoting a relationship between the two or more parts of the digital media content and the social event;

implementing a facial recognition process for the received digital media content;

recognizing one or more individuals captured on a photo or a video, in which the photo and the video relate to the received digital media content;

attributing a name to each of the one or more individuals who are recognized;

displaying the name that is attributed to the one or more individuals who are recognized as a selectable target on the received digital media content;

bringing the user to a network-delivered content comprising the received digital media content; and

transmitting the received digital media content to a remote server.