Methods and systems for content processing

• US 9,565,512 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2015
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Rhoads, Nicole
• Primary Examiner(s): WEST, LEWIS G
• Application Number:
  US14/590,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20150304797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5846 using extracted text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5854 using shape and object relationship
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5862 using texture
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/587 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/40 Software arrangements specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. user interfaces or toolboxes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/945 User interactive design; Environments; Toolboxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• 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 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 : Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 : where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 : Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

Mobile phones and other portable devices are equipped with a variety of technologies by which existing functionality can be improved, and new functionality can be provided. Some aspects relate to visual search capabilities, and determining appropriate actions responsive to different image inputs. Others relate to processing of image data. Still others concern metadata generation, processing, and representation. Yet others concern user interface improvements. Other aspects relate to imaging architectures, in which a mobile phone'"'"'s image sensor is one in a chain of stages that successively act on packetized instructions/data, to capture and later process imagery. Still other aspects relate to distribution of processing tasks between the mobile device and remote resources (“the cloud”). Elemental image processing (e.g., simple filtering and edge detection) can be performed on the mobile phone, while other operations can be referred out to remote service providers. The remote service providers can be selected using techniques such as reverse auctions, through which they compete for processing tasks. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Claims

1. A method comprising the acts:

determining location of a first portable, camera-equipped system;

obtaining, from a remote server, information about two or more devices, of different types, that are within fifty meters of said determined location;

identifying, to a user of said first portable, camera-equipped system, said two or more devices;

through a user interface of said first portable, camera-equipped system, receiving user input selecting a first of said devices for control; and

as a consequence of said received user input, presenting a first user interface that is tailored to the selected first device, and that enables the first portable, camera-equipped system to issue user-specified instructions to control said first device;

wherein the method further includes disabling an ability of said first portable, camera-equipped system to control said first device when a second user employs a user interface of a second portable, camera-equipped system to select said first device for control.

2. The method of claim 1 in which one of said two or more devices is of a type selected from the list consisting of:

a thermostat, a printer, a parking meter, and an alarm clock.

3. The method of claim 1 that further includes the acts:

receiving user input selecting a second of said devices for control; and

presenting a second user interface that is tailored to the selected second device, and that enables the user to enter instructions to control the second device;

wherein the second user interface is different than the first user interface.

4. The method of claim 1 that includes obtaining, from a remote server, instructions used by the first portable, camera-equipped system in presenting the first user interface, said server being different than said first device.

5. The method of claim 1 in which said identifying act includes presenting distance information about the two or more devices.

6. The method of claim 1 in which said identifying act includes presenting directional clues about the two or more devices.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the first user interface presents a value of a settable parameter of the first device, but does not enable the user to change said settable parameter.

8. The method of claim 1 in which the first user interface presents a value of a settable parameter of the first device, and in which an ability of the user to change said settable parameter depends on a public key of said user.

9. The method of claim 1 that further includes wirelessly transmitting control instructions from the first portable, camera-equipped system directly to the selected first device.

10. The method of claim 1 that further includes wirelessly transmitting control instructions from the first portable, camera-equipped system, which instructions are thereafter relayed to the selected first device by at least one intermediary server.

11. The method of claim 1 in which said two or more devices, of different types, are within fifty feet of said determined location.

12. The method of claim 1 in which said two or more devices, of different types, are within ten meters of said determined location.

13. The method of claim 1 in which said two or more devices, of different types, are within ten feet of said determined location.

14. A method comprising the acts:

receiving, from a first portable, camera-equipped system, information identifying location of said system;

determining information about two or more devices, of different types, that are within fifty meters of said location, and providing the determined information to said first portable, camera-equipped system;

receiving, from said first portable, camera-equipped system, a user selection of a first of said devices for control; and

transmitting, to said first portable, camera-equipped system, computer instructions for use by said system to present a first user interface that is tailored to the selected first device, and that enables the system to issue user-specified instructions to control said first device;

wherein the method further includes disabling an ability of said first portable, camera-equipped system to control said first device when a second user employs a user interface of a second portable, camera-equipped system to select said first device for control.

15. The method of claim 14 in which said determined information includes distance information about the two or more devices, relative to said location.

16. The method of claim 14 in which said determined information includes directional clues about the two or more devices, relative to said location.

17. The method of claim 14 in which said two or more devices, of different types, are within fifty feet of said location.

18. The method of claim 14 in which said two or more devices, of different types, are within ten meters of said location.

19. The method of claim 14 in which said two or more devices, of different types, are within ten feet of said location.