Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090252383 | Method and Apparatus to Incorporate Automatic Face Recognition in Digital Image Collections - A method and apparatus for creating and updating a facial image database from a collection of digital images is disclosed. A set of detected faces from a digital image collection is stored in a facial image database, along with data pertaining to them. At least one facial recognition template for each face in the first set is computed, and the images in the set are grouped according to the facial recognition template into similarity groups. Another embodiment is a naming tool for assigning names to a plurality of faces detected in a digital image collection. A facial image database stores data pertaining to facial images detected in images of a digital image collection. In addition, the naming tool may include a graphical user interface, a face detection module that detects faces in images of the digital image collection and stores data pertaining to the detected faces in the facial image database, a face recognition module that computes at least one facial recognition template for each facial image in the facial image database, and a similarity grouping module that groups facial images in the facial image database according to the respective templates such that similar facial images belong to one similarity group. | 10-08-2009 |
20090279794 | Automatic Discovery of Popular Landmarks - In one embodiment the present invention is a method for populating and updating a database of images of landmarks including geo-clustering geo-tagged images according to geographic proximity to generate one or more geo-clusters, and visual-clustering the one or more geo-clusters according to image similarity to generate one or more visual clusters. In another embodiment, the present invention is a system for identifying landmarks from digital images, including the following components: a database of geo-tagged images; a landmark database; a geo-clustering module; and a visual clustering module. In other embodiments the present invention may be a method of enhancing user queries to retrieve images of landmarks, or a method of automatically tagging a new digital image with text labels. | 11-12-2009 |
20100260373 | MOBILE IMAGE-BASED INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEM - An image-based information retrieval system, including a mobile telephone, a remote recognition server, and a remote media server, the mobile telephone having a built-in camera and a communication link for transmitting an image from the built-in camera to the remote recognition server and for receiving mobile media content from the remote media server, the remote recognition server for matching an image from the mobile telephone with an object representation in a database and forwarding an associated text identifier to the remote media server, and the remote media server for forwarding mobile media content to the mobile telephone based on the associated text identifier. | 10-14-2010 |
20110135207 | Matching An Approximately Located Query Image Against A Reference Image Set - Aspects of the invention pertain to matching a selected image/photograph against a database of reference images having location information. The image of interest may include some location information itself, such as latitude/longitude coordinates and orientation. However, the location information provided by a user's device may be inaccurate or incomplete. The image of interest is provided to a front end server, which selects one or more cells to match the image against. Each cell may have multiple images and an index. One or more cell match servers compare the image against specific cells based on information provided by the front end server. An index storage server maintains index data for the cells and provides them to the cell match servers. If a match is found, the front end server identifies the correct location and orientation of the received image, and may correct errors in an estimated location of the user device. | 06-09-2011 |
20110137895 | Hybrid Use of Location Sensor Data and Visual Query to Return Local Listings for Visual Query - A visual query is received from a client system, along with location information for the client system, and processed by a server system. The server system sends the visual query and the location information to a visual query search system, and receives from the visual query search system enhanced location information based on the visual query and the location information. The server system then sends a search query, including the enhanced location information, to a location-based search system. The search system receives and provides to the client one or more search results to the client system. | 06-09-2011 |
20120114239 | MATCHING AN APPROXIMATELY LOCATED QUERY IMAGE AGAINST A REFERENCE IMAGE SET - Aspects of the invention pertain to matching a selected image/photograph against a database of reference images having location information. The image of interest may include some location information itself, such as latitude/longitude coordinates and orientation. However, the location information provided by a user's device may be inaccurate or incomplete. The image of interest is provided to a front end server, which selects one or more cells to match the image against. Each cell may have multiple images and an index. One or more cell match servers compare the image against specific cells based on information provided by the front end server. An index storage server maintains index data for the cells and provides them to the cell match servers. If a match is found, the front end server identifies the correct location and orientation of the received image, and may correct errors in an estimated location of the user device. | 05-10-2012 |
20120290401 | GAZE TRACKING SYSTEM - A gaze tracking technique is implemented with a head mounted gaze tracking device that communicates with a server. The server receives scene images from the head mounted gaze tracking device which captures external scenes viewed by a user wearing the head mounted device. The server also receives gaze direction information from the head mounted gaze tracking device. The gaze direction information indicates where in the external scenes the user was gazing when viewing the external scenes. An image recognition algorithm is executed on the scene images to identify items within the external scenes viewed by the user. A gazing log tracking the identified items viewed by the user is generated. | 11-15-2012 |
20120290591 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENABLING VIRTUAL TAGS - A method and apparatus for enabling virtual tags is described. The method may include receiving a first digital image data and virtual tag data to be associated with a real-world object in the first digital image data, wherein the first digital image data is captured by a first mobile device, and the virtual tag data includes metadata received from a user of the first mobile device. The method may also include generating a first digital signature from the first digital image data that describes the real-world object, and in response to the generation, inserting in substantially real-time the first digital signature into a searchable index of digital images. The method may also include storing, in a tag database, the virtual tag data and an association between the virtual tag data and the first digital signature inserted into the index of digital images. | 11-15-2012 |
20130036134 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENABLING A SEARCHABLE HISTORY OF REAL-WORLD USER EXPERIENCES - A method and apparatus for enabling a searchable history of real-world user experiences is described. The method may include capturing media data by a mobile computing device. The method may also include transmitting the captured media data to a server computer system, the server computer system to perform one or more recognition processes on the captured media data and add the captured media data to a history of real-world experiences of a user of the mobile computing device when the one or more recognition processes find a match. The method may also include transmitting a query of the user to the server computer system to initiate a search of the history or real-world experiences, and receiving results relevant to the query that include data indicative of the media data in the history of real-world experiences. | 02-07-2013 |
20130066878 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENABLING VIRTUAL TAGS - A method and apparatus for enabling virtual tags is described. The method may include receiving a first digital image data and virtual tag data to be associated with a real-world object in the first digital image data, wherein the first digital image data is captured by a first mobile device, and the virtual tag data includes metadata received from a user of the first mobile device. The method may also include generating a first digital signature from the first digital image data that describes the real-world object, and in response to the generation, inserting in substantially real-time the first digital signature into a searchable index of digital images. The method may also include storing, in a tag database, the virtual tag data and an association between the virtual tag data and the first digital signature inserted into the index of digital images. | 03-14-2013 |
20130138685 | Automatic Discovery of Popular Landmarks - In one embodiment the present invention is a method for populating and updating a database of images of landmarks including geo-clustering geo-tagged images according to geographic proximity to generate one or more geo-clusters, and visual-clustering the one or more geo-clusters according to image similarity to generate one or more visual clusters. In another embodiment, the present invention is a system for identifying landmarks from digital images, including the following components: a database of geo-tagged images; a landmark database; a geo-clustering module; and a visual clustering module. In other embodiments the present invention may be a method of enhancing user queries to retrieve images of landmarks, or a method of automatically tagging a new digital image with text labels. | 05-30-2013 |
20130179303 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENABLING REAL-TIME PRODUCT AND VENDOR IDENTIFICATION - A method and apparatus for enabling dynamic product and vendor identification and the display of relevant purchase information are described herein. According to embodiments of the invention, a recognition process is executed on sensor data captured via a mobile computing device to identify one or more items, and to identify at least one product associated with the one or more items. Product and vendor information for the at least one product is retrieved and displayed via the mobile computing device. In the event a user gesture is detected in response to displaying the product and vendor information data, processing logic may submit a purchase order for the product (e.g., for an online vendor) or contact the vendor (e.g., for an in-store vendor). | 07-11-2013 |
20130188886 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF IDENTIFYING VISUAL OBJECTS - A system and method of identifying objects is provided. In one aspect, the system and method includes a hand-held device with a display, camera and processor. As the camera captures images and displays them on the display, the processor compares the information retrieved in connection with one image with information retrieved in connection with subsequent images. The processor uses the result of such comparison to determine the object that is likely to be of greatest interest to the user. The display simultaneously displays the images the images as they are captured, the location of the object in an image, and information retrieved for the object. | 07-25-2013 |
20130311506 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USER QUERY DISAMBIGUATION - A method and apparatus for enabling user query disambiguation based on a user context of a mobile computing device. According to embodiments of the invention, a first user search query, along with sensor data, is received from a mobile computing device. A recognition process is performed on the sensor data to identify at least one item. In response to determining the at least one item is a result for the first search query, data identifying the at least one item is transmitted to the mobile computing device as a response to the first search query. In response to determining the at least one item is not the result for the first search query, search results of a second search query is transmitted to the mobile computing device as the response to the first search query, the second search query comprising a query of the at least one item. | 11-21-2013 |
20140029798 | Matching An Approximately Located Query Image Against A Reference Image Set - Aspects of the invention pertain to matching a selected image/photograph against a database of reference images having location information. The image of interest may include some location information itself, such as latitude/longitude coordinates and orientation. However, the location information provided by a user's device may be inaccurate or incomplete. The image of interest is provided to a front end server, which selects one or more cells to match the image against. Each cell may have multiple images and an index. One or more cell match servers compare the image against specific cells based on information provided by the front end server. An index storage server maintains index data for the cells and provides them to the cell match servers. If a match is found, the front end server identifies the correct location and orientation of the received image, and may correct errors in an estimated location of the user device. | 01-30-2014 |
20140344688 | PROVIDING MEDIA TO A USER BASED ON A TRIGGERING EVENT - Methods and apparatus related to determining a triggering event of a user, selecting media relevant to the triggering event, and providing the selected media to the user. Some implementations are directed to methods and apparatus for determining a past event of the user that is indicative of past interaction of the user with one or more past entities and the triggering event may be determined to be associated with the past event. The media selected to provide to the user may contain media that includes the one or more past entities associated with the past event and the media may be provided to the user in response to the triggering event. | 11-20-2014 |