Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140250193 | GESTURE-BASED CONTENT SHARING - A user selects a content item that he wishes to send. He then performs a gesture to specify a direction toward which the content item is to be sent. For example, he pretends to “throw” his portable communications device toward the West. To receive the content item, potential recipients also make gestures that specify receiving directions. For example, a recipient pretends to “catch” a ball thrown from the East. If the sending and receiving directions are compatible, then the content item is sent from the sender's device to the recipient's device. Enhancements to the basic scheme described above can be made to, for example, specify a dispersion angle for the sending or receiving directions or to include other restrictions so that, for example, only intended recipients can receive the content even if other potential recipients are in the specified sending direction and make appropriate receiving gestures. | 09-04-2014 |
20140250388 | GESTURE-BASED CONTENT SHARING - A user selects a content item that he wishes to send. He then performs a gesture to specify a direction toward which the content item is to be sent. For example, he pretends to “throw” his portable communications device toward the West. To receive the content item, potential recipients also make gestures that specify receiving directions. For example, a recipient pretends to “catch” a ball thrown from the East. If the sending and receiving directions are compatible, then the content item is sent from the sender's device to the recipient's device. Enhancements to the basic scheme described above can be made to, for example, specify a dispersion angle for the sending or receiving directions or to include other restrictions so that, for example, only intended recipients can receive the content even if other potential recipients are in the specified sending direction and make appropriate receiving gestures. | 09-04-2014 |
20140250475 | GESTURE-BASED CONTENT SHARING - A user selects a content item that he wishes to send. He then performs a gesture to specify a direction toward which the content item is to be sent. For example, he pretends to “throw” his portable communications device toward the West. To receive the content item, potential recipients also make gestures that specify receiving directions. For example, a recipient pretends to “catch” a ball thrown from the East. If the sending and receiving directions are compatible, then the content item is sent from the sender's device to the recipient's device. Enhancements to the basic scheme described above can be made to, for example, specify a dispersion angle for the sending or receiving directions or to include other restrictions so that, for example, only intended recipients can receive the content even if other potential recipients are in the specified sending direction and make appropriate receiving gestures. | 09-04-2014 |
20140361955 | MEANS FOR DYNAMICALLY REGULATING THE TIME-OUT CHARACTERISTICS OF A DISPLAY OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A method, electronic device and user-wearable device for improving user-interaction with an electronic device whose display periodically transitions into a sleep state due to perceived non-viewing of the electronic device. A processor initiates a sleep state timer that, upon expiration, triggers the display to transition from an active state to a sleep state. The processor determines whether the sleep state timer has less than a time remaining threshold before the timer expires. In response to determining that the sleep state timer has less than the threshold time remaining, the processor determines whether the display is being actively viewed by a user-wearable device. The processor enables the display to transition to the sleep state at expiration of the sleep state timer in response to determining that the display is not being actively viewed. The processor resets the sleep state timer in response to determining that the display is being actively viewed. | 12-11-2014 |
20150039692 | SHARING CONTENT WITHIN AN EVOLVING CONTENT-SHARING ZONE - A user selects a content item that he wishes to send. He then performs a “sending” gesture and specifies an initial “content-sharing zone.” In order to be eligible to receive the selected content item, a receiving device must be located within the content-sharing zone. However, the content-sharing zone can evolve over time. It can grow in size, change shape, or move (e.g., it can remain centered on the sending user as he moves). A potential recipient makes a “receiving” gesture, and, if the location of the receiving device is located within the evolving content-sharing zone, as currently defined, then the content item is sent from the sending device to the receiving device (either directly or via a content server). A maximum size or duration of the evolving content-sharing zone can be specified. Other restrictions can be stated so that, for example, only intended recipients can receive the content item. | 02-05-2015 |
20150271119 | Message Classification System with Context Determination and Method of Operation Thereof - A message classification system and method of manufacture operation thereof including: a receiving device including: a communication unit for receiving a threaded message, the threaded message part of a message thread having multiple messages, a processing unit coupled to the communication unit for: generating an emotional content identifier based on the threaded message, the emotional content identifier having a confidence value, and determining a master emoticon based on the confidence value of the emotional content identifier of the threaded message and at least one of the multiple messages for display on a display interface. | 09-24-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090060259 | UPC SUBSTITUTION FRAUD PREVENTION - The present invention provides a system and method for detecting fraudulent identification tags, such as Universal Product Codes (UPC) applied to goods to be purchased. The invention may store in a database images of the goods to be purchased and feature models of these images. When a customer desires to purchase an item containing a UPC, a scanned image of the item about to be purchased may be acquired and a feature model of the scanned image may be created. The system may retrieve from the database the image and feature model previously stored for the item associated with the just-scanned UPC. A variety of image processing techniques may be used to compare the scanned and database images and/or the scanned and database feature models. In one embodiment of the invention, these image processing techniques may include determining a geometric transformation that maps the features of the scanned image onto the features of a database model. | 03-05-2009 |
20100059589 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING CASHIER AND CUSTOMER FRAUD AT RETAIL CHECKOUT - Systems and methods for preventing fraud during retail checkout are described. A system includes: item identifier acquisition devices to acquire identifiers (e.g., barcodes) of items to be transacted; cameras or imagers to acquire images of the items to be transacted; an object recognition component to perform visual recognition of the acquired items through comparison of the acquired images of the items with a database and obtain identifiers of items represented in the database that correspond to an acquired image according to a correspondence criterion; a comparison component to compare a set of identifiers acquired through the item identifier acquisition devices with a set of identifiers obtained through the object recognition component; and an alerting component to provide an alert in case of discrepancies between the two sets. | 03-11-2010 |
20130018741 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MERCHANDISE CHECKOUT - Systems and methods for recognizing and identifying items located on the lower shelf of a shopping cart in a checkout lane of a retail store environment for reducing or preventing loss or fraud and increasing the efficiency of a checkout process efficiency. The system includes one or more visual sensors that can take images of items and a computer system that receives the images and automatically identifies the items. The system can be trained to recognize the items using images taken of the items. The system relies on matching visual features from training images to match against features extracted from images taken at the checkout lane. Using the scale-invariant feature transformation (SIFT) method, for example, the system can compare extracted visual features of the images to the features stored in a database to find one or more matches, where the found one or more matches are used to identify the items. | 01-17-2013 |
20130304595 | AUTOMATIC LEARNING IN A MERCHANDISE CHECKOUT SYSTEM WITH VISUAL RECOGNITION - A merchandise checkout system for ringing up merchandise in a grocery or other retail facility is disclosed. The merchandise checkout system includes visual sensors for acquiring images of an object to be rung up at checkout; a database configured to retain a visual model and UPC code of known items; and a processor configured to maintain and update the database with information about new merchandise presented for checkout. The visual model preferably includes at least one image of each item of merchandise in the retail store as well as geometric point features extracted from images of the merchandise. The processor in the exemplary embodiment is configured to: (a) compare the image of the object acquired at checkout to the visual model of the items in the database; (b) recognize the object based on the overall appearance of the packaging; (c) automatically ring up the price of the object at the POS; and (d) automatically add the acquired image to the database if the image of the object is new, i.e., it does not match the visual model of any of the items recorded in the database, thereby enabling the checkout system to dynamically and automatically build up its database of visual models. | 11-14-2013 |
20140014722 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING CASHIER AND CUSTOMER FRAUD AT RETAIL CHECKOUT - Systems and methods for preventing fraud during retail checkout are described. A system includes: item identifier acquisition devices to acquire identifiers (e.g., barcodes) of items to be transacted; cameras or imagers to acquire images of the items to be transacted; an object recognition component to perform visual recognition of the acquired items through comparison of the acquired images of the items with a database and obtain identifiers of items represented in the database that correspond to an acquired image according to a correspondence criterion; a comparison component to compare a set of identifiers acquired through the item identifier acquisition devices with a set of identifiers obtained through the object recognition component; and an alerting component to provide an alert in case of discrepancies between the two sets. | 01-16-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090303312 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING, STORING AND UTILIZING IMAGES OF A GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION - A system and method synthesizing images of a locale to generate a composite image that provide a panoramic view of the locale. A video camera moves along a street recording images of objects along the street. A GPS receiver and inertial navigation system provide the position of the camera as the images are being recorded. The images are indexed with the position data provided by the GPS receiver and inertial navigation system. The composite image is created on a column-by-column basis by determining which of the acquired images contains the desired pixel column, extracting the pixels associated with the column, and stacking the columns side by side. The composite images are stored in an image database and associated with a street name and number range of the street being depicted in the image. The image database covers a substantial amount of a geographic area allowing a user to visually navigate the area from a user terminal. | 12-10-2009 |
20090319169 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING, STORING AND UTILIZING IMAGES OF A GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION - A system and method synthesizing images of a locale to generate a composite image that provide a panoramic view of the locale. A video camera moves along a street recording images of objects along the street. A GPS receiver and inertial navigation system provide the position of the camera as the images are being recorded. The images are indexed with the position data provided by the GPS receiver and inertial navigation system. The composite image is created on a column-by-column basis by determining which of the acquired images contains the desired pixel column, extracting the pixels associated with the column, and stacking the columns side by side. The composite images are stored in an image database and associated with a street name and number range of the street being depicted in the image. The image database covers a substantial amount of a geographic area allowing a user to visually navigate the area from a user terminal. | 12-24-2009 |
20110063432 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING, STORING AND UTILIZING IMAGES OF A GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION - A system and method synthesizing images of a locale to generate a composite image that provide a panoramic view of the locale. A video camera moves along a street recording images of objects along the street. A GPS receiver and inertial navigation system provide the position of the camera as the images are being recorded. The images are indexed with the position data provided by the GPS receiver and inertial navigation system. The composite image is created on a column-by-column basis by determining which of the acquired images contains the desired pixel column, extracting the pixels associated with the column, and stacking the columns side by side. The composite images are stored in an image database and associated with a street name and number range of the street being depicted in the image. The image database covers a substantial amount of a geographic area allowing a user to visually navigate the area from a user terminal. | 03-17-2011 |
20130107034 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING, STORING AND UTILIZING IMAGES OF A GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION | 05-02-2013 |
20150081215 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING, STORING AND UTILIZING IMAGES OF A GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION - A system and method synthesizing images of a locale to generate a composite image that provide a panoramic view of the locale. A video camera moves along a street recording images of objects along the street. A GPS receiver and inertial navigation system provide the position of the camera as the images are being recorded. The images are indexed with the position data provided by the GPS receiver and inertial navigation system. The composite image is created on a column-by-column basis by determining which of the acquired images contains the desired pixel column, extracting the pixels associated with the column, and stacking the columns side by side. The composite images are stored in an image database and associated with a street name and number range of the street being depicted in the image. The image database covers a substantial amount of a geographic area allowing a user to visually navigate the area from a user terminal. | 03-19-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100217678 | Automatic learning in a merchandise checkout system with visual recognition - A merchandise checkout system for ringing up merchandise in a grocery or other retail facility is disclosed. The merchandise checkout system includes visual sensors for acquiring images of an object to be rung up at checkout; a database configured to retain a visual model and UPC code of known items; and a processor configured to maintain and update the database with information about new merchandise presented for checkout. The visual model preferably includes at least one image of each item of merchandise in the retail store as well as geometric point features extracted from images of the merchandise. The processor in the exemplary embodiment is configured to: (a) compare the image of the object acquired at checkout to the visual model of the items in the database; (b) recognize the object based on the overall appearance of the packaging; (c) automatically ring up the price of the object at the POS; and (d) automatically add the acquired image to the database if the image of the object is new, i.e., it does not match the visual model of any of the items recorded in the database, thereby enabling the checkout system to dynamically and automatically build up its database of visual models. | 08-26-2010 |
20110215147 | SELF CHECKOUT WITH VISUAL RECOGNITION - A system and method is disclosed for using object recognition/verification and weight information to confirm the accuracy of a UPC scan, or to provide an affirmative recognition where no UPC scan was made. In the preferred embodiment, the checkout system comprises: a universal product code (UPC) scanner configured to generate a product identifier; at least one camera for capturing one or more image of an item; a database of features and images of known objects; an image processor configured to: extract a plurality of geometric point features from the one or more images; identify matches between the extracted geometric point features and the features of known objects; generate a geometric transform between the extracted geometric point features and the features of known objects for a subset of known objects corresponding to matches; and identify one of the known objects based on a best match of the geometric transform; and a transaction processor configured to execute one of a predetermined set of actions if the identified object is different than the product identifier. | 09-08-2011 |
20110286628 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OBJECT RECOGNITION USING A LARGE DATABASE - A method of organizing a set of recognition models of known objects stored in a database of an object recognition system includes determining a classification model for each known object and grouping the classification models into multiple classification model groups. Each classification model group identifies a portion of the database that contains the recognition models of the known objects having classification models that are members of the classification model group. The method also includes computing a representative classification model for each classification model group. Each representative classification model is derived from the classification models that are members of the classification model group. When a target object is to be recognized, the representative classification models are compared to a classification model of the target object to enable selection of a subset of the recognition models of the known objects for comparison to a recognition model of the target object. | 11-24-2011 |
20130001295 | SELF CHECKOUT WITH VISUAL RECOGNITION - Systems and methods are disclosed for using object recognition/verification and weight information to confirm accuracy of an optical code scan, or to provide an affirmative recognition where no scan was made. One example checkout system includes: an optical code scanner configured to generate a product identifier; at least one camera for capturing one or more images of an item; a database of features and images of known objects; an image processor configured to: extract geometric point features from the images; identify matches between extracted geometric point features and features of known objects; generate a geometric transform between extracted geometric point features and features of known objects for a subset of known objects corresponding to matches; and identify one of the known objects based on a best match of the geometric transform; and a transaction processor configured to execute a set of actions if the identified object is different than the product identifier. | 01-03-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100268697 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USING MULTIPLE HYPOTHESES IN A VISUAL SIMULTANEOUS LOCALIZATION AND MAPPING SYSTEM - The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems. | 10-21-2010 |
20100280754 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ADDING LANDMARKS FOR VISUAL SIMULTANEOUS LOCALIZATION AND MAPPING - The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems. | 11-04-2010 |
20100284621 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ADDING A LANDMARKS FOR VISUAL SIMULTANEOUS LOCALIZATION AND MAPPING - The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems. | 11-11-2010 |
20100286905 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FILTERING POTENTIALLY UNRELIABLE VISUAL DATA FOR VISUAL SIMULTANEOUS LOCALIZATION AND MAPPING - The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems. | 11-11-2010 |
20130006420 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USING MULTIPLE HYPOTHESES IN A VISUAL SIMULTANEOUS LOCALIZATION AND MAPPING SYSTEM - The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems. | 01-03-2013 |
20130331987 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USING MULTIPLE HYPOTHESES IN A VISUAL SIMULTANEOUS LOCALIZATION AND MAPPING SYSTEM - The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems. | 12-12-2013 |
20140244038 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USING MULTIPLE HYPOTHESES IN A VISUAL SIMULTANEOUS LOCALIZATION AND MAPPING SYSTEM - The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems. | 08-28-2014 |