Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080270575 | Layered Abstraction Systems and Methods for Persistent Content Identity - This invention generally relates to methods and systems for associating and identifying content, including both physical and electronic objects, with metadata through networks. The invention also generally relates to routing systems for handling requests including content identifiers. One claimed method is provided for media content identity resolution. The method includes: computing a content identifier from a media content signal; forming a layered content identifier, the layered content identifier including the content identifier, an identity provider identifier and a metadata claim; issuing a resolution request to a routing service to get metadata associated with the layered content identifier, the routing service interpreting the layered content identifier by forwarding the metadata claim to an identity provider identified by the identity provider identifier; and receiving in response to the resolution request, the metadata associated with the layered content identifier. Of course, other combinations are provided and claimed as well. | 10-30-2008 |
20080300011 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS RESPONSIVE TO FEATURES SENSED FROM IMAGERY OR OTHER DATA - A device, such as a cell phone, uses an image sensor to capture image data. The phone can respond to detection of particular imagery feature (e.g., watermarked imagery, barcodes, image fingerprints, etc.) by presenting distinctive graphics on a display screen. Such graphics may be positioned within the display, and affine-warped, in registered relationship with the position of the detected feature, and its affine distortion, as depicted in the image data. Related approaches can be implemented without use of an image sensor, e.g., relying on data sensed from an RFID device. Auditory output, rather than visual, can also be employed. A variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 12-04-2008 |
20090012944 | Internet and Database Searching with Handheld Devices - The presently claimed invention relates to network searching and handheld devices. One claim recites a method including: from a first wireless device, wirelessly communicating with a second wireless device to determine whether the second wireless device has performed an internet or database search; receiving, at the first wireless device, information from the second wireless device regarding the internet or database search, if the information satisfies predetermined criteria on the first wireless device, requesting from the second wireless device at least a subset of results obtained from the internet or database search. Another claim recites: a method of searching comprising: receiving search criteria in a first, handheld mobile device; upon sensing a second, handheld mobile device by the first, handheld mobile device, automatically and wirelessly querying the second, handheld mobile device to determine whether the second, handheld mobile device has any content stored thereon corresponding to the search criteria; and receiving content corresponding to the search criteria from the second, handheld mobile device. Of course, other claims and combinations are also provided. | 01-08-2009 |
20090125475 | Methods and Systems for User-Association of Visual Stimuli with Corresponding Responses - Methods and systems permit a user to decide what different responses are triggered when different visual stimuli are presented to the user's wireless communications device. | 05-14-2009 |
20090144534 | Data Processing Systems and Methods - Various improvements to data processing systems involve enhancements to BIOS functionality, use of identifiers associated with specific instances of hardware, and data hiding techniques—sometimes alone, sometimes in combination. Many of these improvements can be applied to increase the security of computer systems, and networks of which they form part. | 06-04-2009 |
20090286572 | Interactive Systems and Methods Employing Wireless Mobile Devices - A user gestures with a wireless mobile phone device to control some aspect of its operation, or the operation of a remote system with which the device communicates. (The gestures may be sensed by tracking movement of a feature across a field of view of a mobile phone device camera.) The resultant operation may additionally depend on other data obtained by the wireless device, e.g., obtained from an electronic or physical object, or sensed from the environment. A variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-19-2009 |
20100008538 | Watermarking Methods, Systems and Apparatus - This disclosure describes, e.g., methods, systems, sensors and apparatus for steganographically encoding information in image or video data. One claim recites a method of introducing a message to a watermark embedder located on-chip with an image array. The method includes the acts of: color converting image data provided from the image array, in which the color converting provides a multi-color approximation per pixel; receiving color converted image data at the watermark embedder; receiving the message from at least one of a random access memory (RAM) or a chip interface; communicating the message to the watermark embedder; and steganographically embedding the message in the color converted image data. Of course, other claims are provided too. | 01-14-2010 |
20100013951 | Digital Watermarking Methods, Programs and Apparatus - The present claims recite various steganographic and digital watermarking methods and apparatus. One claim recites a method of watermarking a representation of a physical object. The method includes: projecting a watermark orientation component onto a physical object; and using a camera or image sensor, capturing an image or video of the physical object including the watermark orientation component as projected thereon. Another claim recites an apparatus including: a light source for projecting a registration component onto a physical object; a camera or sensor for capturing an image or video of the physical object including the registration component as projected thereon; and an electronic processor programmed for encoding a message in the image or video captured by said camera or sensor. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided as well. | 01-21-2010 |
20100048242 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONTENT PROCESSING - Cell 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 data driven imaging architectures, in which a cell phone's image sensor is one in a chain of stages that successively act on packetized instructions/data, to capture and later process imagery. Other aspects relate to distribution of processing tasks between the device and remote resources (“the cloud”). Elemental image processing, such as filtering and edge detection—and even some simpler template matching operations—may be performed on the cell phone. Other operations are referred out to remote service providers. The remote service providers can be identified using techniques such as a reverse auction, though which they compete for processing tasks. Other aspects of the disclosed technologies relate to visual search capabilities, and determining appropriate actions responsive to different image inputs. Still others concern metadata generation, processing, and representation. Yet others relate to coping with fixed focus limitations of cell phone cameras, e.g., in reading digital watermark data. Still others concern user interface improvements. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 02-25-2010 |
20100062819 | Methods and Related Toy and Game Applications Using Encoded Information - The presently claimed invention relates generally to toys and games that are enhanced with encoded information. One claim recites a method of playing a computerized game including: receiving image or video representing a physical object, the physical object comprising information steganographically encoded therein, the information is carried by the physical object through alterations to data representing at least some features carried by the physical object; utilizing a multi-purpose processor configured to: analyze received image or video to decode information steganographically encoded therein; interrogate a database or storage location with at least some of the information to obtain at least one game attribute associated with information; and modify the at least one game attribute to reflect activity during play of the computerized game. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided as well. | 03-11-2010 |
20100095376 | SOFTWARE WATERMARKING - Various techniques for uniquely marking software, such as by reference to hidden information or other telltale features, are detailed. Some marks are evident in static code. Others are observable when the code is executed. Some do not manifest themselves until the code is exercised with specific stimulus. Different of the techniques are applicable to source code, object code, and firmware. A great number of other features and arrangements are also disclosed. | 04-15-2010 |
20100119208 | CONTENT INTERACTION METHODS AND SYSTEMS EMPLOYING PORTABLE DEVICES - A portable device, such as a cell phone, is used to “forage” media content from a user's environment. For example, it may listen to a television viewed by a traveler in an airport lounge. By reference to digital watermark or other data extracted from the content, the device can identify the television program, and enable a variety of actions. For example, the device may instruct a DVR to record the remainder of the television program—or determine when the program will be rebroadcast, and instruct the DVR to record the program in its entirety at that later time. The device may also identify content that preceded (or follows) the foraged content. Thus, a user who tunes-in just at the end of an exciting sporting event can capture one of the following commercials, identify the preceding program, and download same for later viewing. In other aspects, a cell phone can be used as a “second screen,” through which a user can interact with ambient content—such as reviewing electronic program guide data, or enjoying interactive television features. A great variety of other functions and arrangements are also detailed. | 05-13-2010 |
20100142749 | Digital Watermarking Apparatus and Methods - The present invention relates to various digital watermarking methods, apparatus and systems. One claim recites a method of determining a size or denomination of a momentary object. The method includes: utilizing a configured, multi-purpose electronic processor, decoding a digital watermark embedded in a monetary object, the watermark including data corresponding to a denomination of the monetary object; based on the data, determining feedback to indicate the denomination of the monetary object; and providing the feedback. Handheld computing devices can be advantageously employed with this combination. Of course, other combinations are provided and claimed. | 06-10-2010 |
20100144374 | Geographic-based Detection Keys - The present invention relates generally to signal processing and cell phones. One claim recites a method comprising: receiving a signal from a cell phone; determining, based at least in part on the signal, whether the cell phone is physically located in a predetermined home area; and if not in the predetermined home area, communicating a machine-readable code detector to the cell phone for use as its primary machine-readable code detector to detect machine-readable code while outside of its predetermined home area. Of course, other claims are provided too. | 06-10-2010 |
20100163629 | Security Document Carrying Machine Readable Pattern - The present invention relates generally to security documents (e.g., banknotes, ID documents, certificates, packaging, etc.). One claim recites a security document including a security pattern provided thereon. The security pattern includes a line structure in which lines width or line spacing is adjusted to convey a predefined, machine-readable pattern in a frequency transform domain. Another claim recites a security document including a security pattern provided thereon. The security pattern is provided in the security document through modifications to a color provided on the security document. The security pattern conveys a predefined, machine-readable pattern in a frequency transform domain. Of course, additional combinations and claims are provided as well. | 07-01-2010 |
20100172540 | Synchronizing Rendering of Multimedia Content - Auxiliary data encoded in multimedia content signals synchronizes rendering of different media content types in multimedia content. This auxiliary data includes one or more digital watermarks that are used to synchronize playback of the different media content signals. The digital watermarks identify different media signals, identify rendering locations, such as temporal or spatial areas in a first signal where the media signal is to be rendered, or provide rendering control scripts for controlling playback. | 07-08-2010 |
20100199314 | METHODS EMPLOYING STORED PREFERENCE DATA TO IDENTIFY VIDEO OF INTEREST TO A CONSUMER - The picture information of video can be used in various ways to identify the video or its topical subject matter. This enables numerous novel arrangements in which particular video of interest to a particular consumer can be discerned. Preference data for the consumer, by which video of interest is identified, can be shared with third parties, e.g., in exchange for a fee. A variety of other embodiments and features are also detailed. | 08-05-2010 |
20100205628 | MEDIA PROCESSING METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS - The present technology concerns cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content (electronic and physical) and with other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). Some aspects of the technology allow users to easily transfer displayed content from cell phone screens onto a television screens for easier viewing, or vice versa for content portability. Others enable users to participate interactively in entertainment content, such as by submitting plot directions, audio input, character names, etc., yielding more engaging, immersive, user experiences. Still other aspects of the technology involve a program directory database, compiled automatically from information reported by network nodes that watch and identify content traffic passing into (and/or out of) networked computers. By identifying content resident at a number of different repositories (e.g., web sites, TV networks, P2P systems, etc.), such a directory allows cell phone users to identify the diversity of sources from which desired content can be obtained—some available on a scheduled basis, others available on demand. Depending on the application, the directory information may be transparent to the user—serving to identify sources for desired content, from which application software can pick for content downloading, based, e.g., on context and stored profile data. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 08-12-2010 |
20100222102 | Second Screens and Widgets - Cell phones and other devices are used to complement enjoyment of television or other video media, through use of corresponding software applications (“widgets”). A great variety of related features and arrangements are particularly detailed. | 09-02-2010 |
20100228632 | Narrowcasting From Public Displays, and Related Methods - A user with a cell phone interacts, in a personalized session, with an electronic sign system. In some embodiments, the user's location relative to the sign is discerned from camera imagery—either imagery captured by the cell phone (i.e., of the sign), or captured by the sign system (i.e., of the user). Demographic information about the user can be estimated from imagery captured acquired by the sign system, or can be accessed from stored profile data associated with the user. The sign system can transmit payoffs (e.g., digital coupons or other response data) to viewers—customized per user demographics. In some arrangements, the payoff data is represented by digital watermark data encoded in the signage content. The encoding can take into account the user's location relative to the sign—allowing geometrical targeting of different payoffs to differently-located viewers. Other embodiments allow a user to engage an electronic sign system for interactive game play, using the cell phone as a controller. | 09-09-2010 |
20100293106 | Location-Based Arrangements Employing Mobile Devices - In one arrangement, a first user sends information from a portable device and receives a response that depends, at least in part, on the location of a second user's portable device. The information sent from the first portable device may be based on data captured by a sensor in that device. In another arrangement, a user of a portable device sends two types of data, sensor-related data and location-related data, and receives a response that is based on both of these of data. In one particular such embodiment, the user scans a barcode or watermark from a coupon or other printed object, and sends decoded payload data—together with location data (e.g., GPS data)—to a remote server. The remote server routes the information to a vendor near the user who can, e.g., fulfill an order for food delivery to the user. | 11-18-2010 |
20100309287 | 3D Data Representation, Conveyance, and Use - 3D video can be transmitted in a legacy 2D video format by conveying 3 | 12-09-2010 |
20100310118 | Printing Media and Methods Employing Digital Watermarking - Stationery, or other printable media, is encoded with a digital watermark. The watermark is not conspicuous to a human observer of the media, yet conveys plural bits of auxiliary information when optically scanned and digitally processed. The watermark can be formed by ink-jet printing, or otherwise. The encoded information can be used for various purposes, including authenticating the document as an original, linking to associated on-line resources, and distinguishing seemingly-identical versions of the same document (document serialization). | 12-09-2010 |
20100310119 | Methods Employing Topical Subject Criteria in Video Processing - The picture information of video can be used in various ways to identify the video or its topical subject matter. This enables numerous novel arrangements in which particular video of interest to a particular consumer can be discerned. A variety of other embodiments and features are also detailed. | 12-09-2010 |
20100317399 | CONTENT SHARING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A first device (such as a cell phone) is equipped with a micro-projector, and used to present imagery on a display surface. A second device (such as a second cell phone) is equipped with a digital camera, and used to capture some of the projected imagery. The captured imagery allows a user of the second device to access digital content of interest from a user of the first device, or from elsewhere. The content may be visual, or of other form (content examples include audio, games, maps, text documents, video, spreadsheets, etc.). In one particular arrangement, the projected imagery is encoded with digital watermark data. Through such arrangements, one user can readily share content, and also engage in collaborative activities—such as cooperative game play, with one or more other users. | 12-16-2010 |
20100322467 | Steganographic Encoding and Decoding - This patent document relates generally to steganography and digital watermarking. One claim recites, in a watermark encoder, a method of encoding auxiliary information in an image or video comprising: using a programmed electronic processor, computing a change in an attribute of an image or video sample to encode auxiliary information in the image or video; and changing color values of the image or video sample to effect the change in the attribute, in which changes to color values are determined based at least in part on both: i) visibility of the changes, and ii) anticipated watermark detection. Of course, other claims are provided too. | 12-23-2010 |
20100322470 | WATERMARK COMMUNICATION AND CONTROL SYSTEMS - An enhanced television system (e.g., ATVEF-based) conveys enhancement data using an in-band, video watermark, channel. The system desirably is implemented using a layered architecture, so that the watermark nature of the communications channel is transparent to other layers that employ the enhancement data. Due to the in-picture nature of the communications channel, systems employing the detailed technology are not subject to some of the compatibility issues that are present with prior art techniques. | 12-23-2010 |
20110019001 | Wireless Mobile Phone Methods - A user gestures with a wireless mobile phone device to control some aspect of its operation, or the operation of a remote system with which the device communicates. (The gestures may be sensed by tracking movement of a feature across a field of view of a mobile phone device camera.) The resultant operation may additionally depend on other data obtained by the wireless device, e.g., obtained from an electronic or physical object, or sensed from the environment. A variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 01-27-2011 |
20110026777 | Methods and Devices Involving Imagery and Gestures - A portable wireless device (e.g., a mobile phone) is moved or positioned by a user to signal user input. The device takes an action based on such gesture, where the action involves imagery captured by the device. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 02-03-2011 |
20110066658 | Methods and Devices Employing Content Identifiers - Content identifiers are associated with respective metadata. Through use of the metadata, a user's experience with the content can be enhanced. A variety of other arrangements are also detailed. | 03-17-2011 |
20110098029 | SENSOR-BASED MOBILE SEARCH, RELATED METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 04-28-2011 |
20110098056 | INTUITIVE COMPUTING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 04-28-2011 |
20110102143 | Authenticating Signals and Identification and Security Documents - The present disclosure relates to signals and identification and security documents and methods and systems for authenticating such. In one claim, a financial instrument or identification document is provided with an organic light emitting diode (OLED) array. The OLED array displays information thereon. The information is preferably correlated to the information on or in the financial instrument or identification document. Other claims, implementations and embodiments are provided as well. | 05-05-2011 |
20110142280 | Authenticating Identification and Security Documents - The application discloses identification and security documents and methods and systems for authenticating such identification and security documents. In one implementation, a document includes a first surface; and a second surface. The first surface comprises a first set of print structures and a second set of print structures. The first set of print structures and the second set of print structures cooperate to obscure the location on the first surface of the second set of print structures. The second set of print structures is arranged on the first surface so as to provide a reflection pattern. In one example, the reflection pattern includes a diffraction grating. The second set of print structures is preferably provided on the first surface with metallic ink. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too. | 06-16-2011 |
20110143811 | Methods and Systems for Content Processing - Many of the detailed technologies are useful in enabling a smart phone to respond to a user's environment, e.g., so it can serve as an intuitive hearing and seeing device. A few of the detailed arrangements involve optimizing division of shared processing tasks between the phone and remote devices; using a phone GPU for exhaustive speculative execution and machine vision purposes (including facial recognition); novel device architectures involving abstraction layers that facilitate substitution of different local and remote services; interactions with private networks as they relate to audio/image processing; adapting the orders in which operations are executed, and the types of data that are exchanged with remote servers, in accordance with current context; reconfiguring networks based on sensed social affiliations among users and in accordance with predictive models of user behavior; etc. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 06-16-2011 |
20110159921 | METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING SENSOR-EQUIPPED SMART PHONES - The present technology concerns improvements to smart phones and related sensor-equipped systems. Some embodiments relate to smart phone-assisted commuting, e.g., by bicycle. Some involve novel human-computer interactions, e.g., using tactile grammars—some of which may be customized by users. Others involve spoken clues, e.g., by which a user can assist a smart phone in identifying what portion of imagery captured by a smart phone camera should be processed, or identifying what type of image processing should be conducted. Some arrangements include the degradation of captured content information in accordance with privacy rules, which may be location-dependent, or based on the unusualness of the captured content, or responsive to later consultation of the stored content information by the user. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 06-30-2011 |
20110161076 | Intuitive Computing Methods and Systems - A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 06-30-2011 |
20110161086 | Orchestrated Encoding and Decoding - Orchestrated encoding schemes facilitate encoding and decoding of data in content signals at several points in the distribution path of content items. Orchestrated encoding adheres to a set of encoding rules that enables multiple watermarks and corresponding applications to co-exist, avoids collisions among watermarks, and simplifies metadata and routing database infrastructure. | 06-30-2011 |
20110212717 | Methods and Systems for Content Processing - 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. | 09-01-2011 |
20110214044 | Methods and Arrangements Relating to Signal Rich Art - Art is infused with network identifiers at the time of its creation, rather than as a post-process. The identifiers may be encoded as overt elements of the art, and enable the artist to reprogram—over time—an augmentation of the artwork experience via network-delivered components. These network components can include stimuli present when the artist created the work (e.g., music), commentary by the artist, video and augmented reality features, audience-crowdsourced content (e.g., imagery of, or feedback provided by, other viewers encountering the artwork), etc. The artwork augmentation can vary with the user's context (e.g., location, demographics, interests, history). Physical brushes can be equipped to insert such identifiers in graphic arts; other authoring tools are disclosed as well. The network experience can be delivered via smartphones, projectors, and other devices. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 09-01-2011 |
20110216936 | Reducing Watermark Perceptibility and Extending Detection Distortion Tolerances - The present disclosures relates generally to digital watermarking and data hiding. One claim recites a method comprising: obtaining data representing video; using one or more programmed electronic processors, embedding a first watermark signal in a first portion of the data, the first watermark signal comprising a first signal polarity; using one or more electronic processors, embedding a second watermark signal in a second portion of the data, the second watermark signal comprising a second signal polarity that is inversely related to the first signal polarity; rendering the watermarked video in real time, in which due to temporal averaging of the first watermark signal and second watermark signal over time, the first watermark signal and the second watermark signal are hidden from a human observer of the video. Of course, other claims are provided too. | 09-08-2011 |
20110244919 | Methods and Systems for Determining Image Processing Operations Relevant to Particular Imagery - Image data, such as from a mobile phone camera, is analyzed to determine a colorfulness metric (e.g., saturation) or a contrast metric (e.g., Weber contrast). This metric is then used in deciding which of, or in which order, plural different image recognition processes should be invoked in order to present responsive information to a user. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 10-06-2011 |
20110247027 | Video Methods and Arrangements - Novel arrangements are detailed involving delivery of entertainment content, and commercial sponsorship of such content. Some arrangements enable viewers to control presentation of advertising in video, e.g., selecting what commercials are to be presented—if any, and also their order and timing. Ad presentation can also be made dependent on context. Other arrangements ensure that advertising is actually rendered, and is not skipped-over. In still other aspects, entertainment content that is now offered on a paid basis is made available for free to certain viewers. For example, viewers may receive free content as a perk for earlier patronage of certain content sponsors. Fees charged to advertisers can be tied to measured consumer responses (e.g., to correlated increases in sales of advertised products), or to the demographics of the responding viewers (e.g., engagement of affluent consumers merits higher fees). A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 10-06-2011 |
20110279479 | Narrowcasting From Public Displays, and Related Methods - A user with a cell phone interacts, in a personalized session, with an electronic sign system. In some embodiments, the user's location relative to the sign is discerned from camera imagery—either imagery captured by the cell phone (i.e., of the sign), or captured by the sign system (i.e., of the user). Demographic information about the user can be estimated from imagery captured acquired by the sign system, or can be accessed from stored profile data associated with the user. The sign system can transmit payoffs (e.g., digital coupons or other response data) to viewers—customized per user demographics. In some arrangements, the payoff data is represented by digital watermark data encoded in the signage content. The encoding can take into account the user's location relative to the sign—allowing geometrical targeting of different payoffs to differently-located viewers. Other embodiments allow a user to engage an electronic sign system for interactive game play, using the cell phone as a controller. | 11-17-2011 |
20110280437 | Narrowcasting From Public Displays, and Related Methods - A user with a cell phone interacts, in a personalized session, with an electronic sign system. In some embodiments, the user's location relative to the sign is discerned from camera imagery—either imagery captured by the cell phone (i.e., of the sign), or captured by the sign system (i.e., of the user). Demographic information about the user can be estimated from imagery captured acquired by the sign system, or can be accessed from stored profile data associated with the user. The sign system can transmit payoffs (e.g., digital coupons or other response data) to viewers—customized per user demographics. In some arrangements, the payoff data is represented by digital watermark data encoded in the signage content. The encoding can take into account the user's location relative to the sign—allowing geometrical targeting of different payoffs to differently-located viewers. Other embodiments allow a user to engage an electronic sign system for interactive game play, using the cell phone as a controller. | 11-17-2011 |
20110281566 | Media Processing Methods and Arrangements - The present technology concerns cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content (electronic and physical) and with other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). Some aspects of the technology allow users to easily transfer displayed content from cell phone screens onto a television screens for easier viewing, or vice versa for content portability. Others enable users to participate interactively in entertainment content, such as by submitting plot directions, audio input, character names, etc., yielding more engaging, immersive, user experiences. Still other aspects of the technology involve a program directory database, compiled automatically from information reported by network nodes that watch and identify content traffic passing into (and/or out of) networked computers. By identifying content resident at a number of different repositories (e.g., web sites, TV networks, P2P systems, etc.), such a directory allows cell phone users to identify the diversity of sources from which desired content can be obtained—some available on a scheduled basis, others available on demand. Depending on the application, the directory information may be transparent to the user—serving to identify sources for desired content, from which application software can pick for content downloading, based, e.g., on context and stored profile data. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-17-2011 |
20110281599 | Narrowcasting From Public Displays, and Related Methods - A user with a cell phone interacts, in a personalized session, with an electronic sign system. In some embodiments, the user's location relative to the sign is discerned from camera imagery—either imagery captured by the cell phone (i.e., of the sign), or captured by the sign system (i.e., of the user). Demographic information about the user can be estimated from imagery captured acquired by the sign system, or can be accessed from stored profile data associated with the user. The sign system can transmit payoffs (e.g., digital coupons or other response data) to viewers—customized per user demographics. In some arrangements, the payoff data is represented by digital watermark data encoded in the signage content. The encoding can take into account the user's location relative to the sign—allowing geometrical targeting of different payoffs to differently-located viewers. Other embodiments allow a user to engage an electronic sign system for interactive game play, using the cell phone as a controller. | 11-17-2011 |
20110283305 | Media Processing Methods and Arrangements - The present technology concerns cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content (electronic and physical) and with other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). Some aspects of the technology allow users to easily transfer displayed content from cell phone screens onto a television screens for easier viewing, or vice versa for content portability. Others enable users to participate interactively in entertainment content, such as by submitting plot directions, audio input, character names, etc., yielding more engaging, immersive, user experiences. Still other aspects of the technology involve a program directory database, compiled automatically from information reported by network nodes that watch and identify content traffic passing into (and/or out of) networked computers. By identifying content resident at a number of different repositories (e.g., web sites, TV networks, P2P systems, etc.), such a directory allows cell phone users to identify the diversity of sources from which desired content can be obtained—some available on a scheduled basis, others available on demand. Depending on the application, the directory information may be transparent to the user—serving to identify sources for desired content, from which application software can pick for content downloading, based, e.g., on context and stored profile data. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-17-2011 |
20110283306 | Media Processing Methods and Arrangements - The present technology concerns cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content (electronic and physical) and with other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). Some aspects of the technology allow users to easily transfer displayed content from cell phone screens onto a television screens for easier viewing, or vice versa for content portability. Others enable users to participate interactively in entertainment content, such as by submitting plot directions, audio input, character names, etc., yielding more engaging, immersive, user experiences. Still other aspects of the technology involve a program directory database, compiled automatically from information reported by network nodes that watch and identify content traffic passing into (and/or out of) networked computers. By identifying content resident at a number of different repositories (e.g., web sites, TV networks, P2P systems, etc.), such a directory allows cell phone users to identify the diversity of sources from which desired content can be obtained—some available on a scheduled basis, others available on demand. Depending on the application, the directory information may be transparent to the user—serving to identify sources for desired content, from which application software can pick for content downloading, based, e.g., on context and stored profile data. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-17-2011 |
20110283310 | Media Processing Methods and Arrangements - The present technology concerns cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content (electronic and physical) and with other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). Some aspects of the technology allow users to easily transfer displayed content from cell phone screens onto a television screens for easier viewing, or vice versa for content portability. Others enable users to participate interactively in entertainment content, such as by submitting plot directions, audio input, character names, etc., yielding more engaging, immersive, user experiences. Still other aspects of the technology involve a program directory database, compiled automatically from information reported by network nodes that watch and identify content traffic passing into (and/or out of) networked computers. By identifying content resident at a number of different repositories (e.g., web sites, TV networks, P2P systems, etc.), such a directory allows cell phone users to identify the diversity of sources from which desired content can be obtained—some available on a scheduled basis, others available on demand. Depending on the application, the directory information may be transparent to the user—serving to identify sources for desired content, from which application software can pick for content downloading, based, e.g., on context and stored profile data. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-17-2011 |
20110283319 | Media Processing Methods and Arrangements - The present technology concerns cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content (electronic and physical) and with other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). Some aspects of the technology allow users to easily transfer displayed content from cell phone screens onto a television screens for easier viewing, or vice versa for content portability. Others enable users to participate interactively in entertainment content, such as by submitting plot directions, audio input, character names, etc., yielding more engaging, immersive, user experiences. Still other aspects of the technology involve a program directory database, compiled automatically from information reported by network nodes that watch and identify content traffic passing into (and/or out of) networked computers. By identifying content resident at a number of different repositories (e.g., web sites, TV networks, P2P systems, etc.), such a directory allows cell phone users to identify the diversity of sources from which desired content can be obtained—some available on a scheduled basis, others available on demand. Depending on the application, the directory information may be transparent to the user—serving to identify sources for desired content, from which application software can pick for content downloading, based, e.g., on context and stored profile data. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-17-2011 |
20110283328 | Media Processing Methods and Arrangements - The present technology concerns cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content (electronic and physical) and with other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). Some aspects of the technology allow users to easily transfer displayed content from cell phone screens onto a television screens for easier viewing, or vice versa for content portability. Others enable users to participate interactively in entertainment content, such as by submitting plot directions, audio input, character names, etc., yielding more engaging, immersive, user experiences. Still other aspects of the technology involve a program directory database, compiled automatically from information reported by network nodes that watch and identify content traffic passing into (and/or out of) networked computers. By identifying content resident at a number of different repositories (e.g., web sites, TV networks, P2P systems, etc.), such a directory allows cell phone users to identify the diversity of sources from which desired content can be obtained—some available on a scheduled basis, others available on demand. Depending on the application, the directory information may be transparent to the user—serving to identify sources for desired content, from which application software can pick for content downloading, based, e.g., on context and stored profile data. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-17-2011 |
20110283329 | Media Processing Methods and Arrangements - The present technology concerns cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content (electronic and physical) and with other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). Some aspects of the technology allow users to easily transfer displayed content from cell phone screens onto a television screens for easier viewing, or vice versa for content portability. Others enable users to participate interactively in entertainment content, such as by submitting plot directions, audio input, character names, etc., yielding more engaging, immersive, user experiences. Still other aspects of the technology involve a program directory database, compiled automatically from information reported by network nodes that watch and identify content traffic passing into (and/or out of) networked computers. By identifying content resident at a number of different repositories (e.g., web sites, TV networks, P2P systems, etc.), such a directory allows cell phone users to identify the diversity of sources from which desired content can be obtained—some available on a scheduled basis, others available on demand. Depending on the application, the directory information may be transparent to the user—serving to identify sources for desired content, from which application software can pick for content downloading, based, e.g., on context and stored profile data. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-17-2011 |
20110299725 | METHODS INVOLVING MAPS, IMAGERY, VIDEO AND STEGANOGRAPHY - The disclosure describes methods and apparatus of providing steganographic indicia or digital watermarking in image or video data. One implementation provides a method of embedding a digital watermark in image data captured by an imager, with watermark embedding occurring on-chip with the imager. Another implementation provides a method of managing images. Each of the images comprises plural-bit data steganographically embedded therein in the form of a digital watermark, with the plural-bit data corresponding to a geo-location. Yet another implementation provides a method of identifying locations on a map, with the map being for display via a computer display. Still another implementation provides a method of introducing a watermark message to a watermark embedder located on-chip with an image array. Other implementations and embodiments are provided as well. | 12-08-2011 |
20110311096 | Object Processing Employing Movement - Directional albedo of a particular article, such as an identity card, is measured and stored. When the article is later presented, it can be confirmed to be the same particular article by re-measuring the albedo function, and checking for correspondence against the earlier-stored data. The re-measuring can be performed through use of a handheld optical device, such as a camera-equipped cell phone. The albedo function can serve as random key data in a variety of cryptographic applications. The function can be changed during the life of the article. A variety of other features are also detailed. | 12-22-2011 |
20120046071 | SMARTPHONE-BASED USER INTERFACES, SUCH AS FOR BROWSING PRINT MEDIA - Certain aspects of the present technology concern counterparts to smartphone gestural user interface operations that can be used with printed documents and other tangible objects. Other aspects involve mapping mouse-based user interface techniques for use with camera-equipped smartphones. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 02-23-2012 |
20120074220 | Authenticating Identification and Security Documents With Cell Phones - The present disclosure relates to authenticating identification and security documents, and methods and systems for authenticating such. One claim recites a method of authenticating a security or identification document with a cell phone. The cell phone comprising an optical sensor and a graphical display, the document comprising micro-printing, in which the micro-printing is imperceptible by an unassisted human observer. The method comprises: receiving from the optical sensor optical scan data corresponding to the document; analyzing the optical scan data to recognize the micro-printing; scaling or magnifying the micro-printing; and rendering at least some of the scaled or magnified micro-printing via the graphical display, in which rendered, scaled or magnified micro-printing is perceptible by a human observer of the graphical display. Other claims, implementations and embodiments are provided as well. | 03-29-2012 |
20120074222 | Document Processing Methods - Directional albedo of a particular article, such as an identity card, is measured and stored. When the article is later presented, it can be confirmed to be the same particular article by re-measuring the albedo function, and checking for correspondence against the earlier-stored data. The re-measuring can be performed through us of a handheld optical device, such as a camera-equipped cell phone. The albedo function can serve as random key data in a variety of cryptographic applications. The function can be changed during the life of the article. A variety of other features are also detailed. | 03-29-2012 |
20120116559 | Smartphone-Based Methods and Systems - Methods and arrangements involving portable devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are disclosed. One arrangement enables a creator of content to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another arrangement utilizes the camera of a smartphone to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some of the detailed technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 05-10-2012 |
20120126017 | Hiding Auxiliary Data with Line Structure Modification - The present disclosure relates generally to information hiding and digital watermarking. One claim recites a method of hiding auxiliary data in an image. The image includes line structures. The method include: receiving an image including line structures; identifying a frequency associated with the line structures; using a programmed processor modulating the frequency associated with the line structures to convey auxiliary data in the image, in which the presence of the auxiliary data is hidden from a human observer of the image, but the auxiliary data is machine-detectable. Other claims, implementations and embodiments are provided as well. | 05-24-2012 |
20120129547 | Geographic-Based Signal Detection - The disclosure relates generally to geographic-based signal detection. One claims recites a method including: receiving information indicating a geographical area; with reference to at least a portion of the information indicating a geographical area, selecting a machine-readable indicia detector that corresponds to the information indicating a geographical area; using a programmed processor, processing machine-readable indicia with the selected machine-readable indicia detector to obtain a plural-bit message; and carrying out an action using the plural-bit message. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided as well. | 05-24-2012 |
20120131140 | FINGERPRINTS AND MACHINE-READABLE CODES COMBINED WITH USER CHARACTERISTICS TO OBTAIN CONTENT OR INFORMATION - The present invention relates generally to processing audio and video data. One claim recites a method of accessing content stored in a remote database. The method includes: receiving video or audio data; decoding an auxiliary machine-readable code from the video or audio data; deriving a fingerprint, which fingerprint is separate from the machine-readable code, from the video or audio data itself; providing user characteristics or an index to user characteristics; and by using the machine-readable code, fingerprint and user characteristics or information obtained with the index to user characteristics, accessing the content stored in the remote database. Of course, additional combinations and claims are provided as well. | 05-24-2012 |
20120154633 | Linked Data Methods and Systems - Methods and arrangements involving portable devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a system stores information from a sensor sub-system as RDF triples. The sensor sub-system may comprise a physical or logical sensor, such as a camera, a microphone, an accelerometer, a GPS receiver, an image classifier, and a user activity sensor. The triples can be stored in a user's smartphone or other portable device, or in the cloud. The stored data can then be acted on by a processor—again, in the user's smartphone, in another portable device, or in the cloud. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 06-21-2012 |
20120163666 | Object Processing Employing Movement - Directional albedo of a particular article, such as an identity card, is measured and stored. When the article is later presented, it can be confirmed to be the same particular article by re-measuring the albedo function, and checking for correspondence against the earlier-stored data. The re-measuring can be performed through us of a handheld optical device, such as a camera-equipped cell phone. The albedo function can serve as random key data in a variety of cryptographic applications. The function can be changed during the life of the article. A variety of other features are also detailed. | 06-28-2012 |
20120165046 | Intuitive Computing Methods and Systems - A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 06-28-2012 |
20120208592 | Smartphone-Based Methods and Systems - Arrangements involving portable devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers) are disclosed. One arrangement enables a content creator to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another utilizes a device camera to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 08-16-2012 |
20120210233 | Smartphone-Based Methods and Systems - Methods and arrangements involving portable devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are disclosed. One arrangement enables a creator of content to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another arrangement utilizes the camera of a smartphone to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some of the detailed technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 08-16-2012 |
20120214515 | Mobile Device Indoor Navigation - A method for indoor navigation in a venue derives positioning of a mobile device based on sounds captured by the microphone of the mobile device from the ambient environment. It is particularly suited to operate on smartphones, where the sounds are captured using microphone that captures sounds in a frequency range of human hearing. The method determines a position of the mobile device in the venue based on identification of the audio signal, monitors the position of the mobile device, and generates a position based alert on an output device of the mobile device when the position of the mobile device is within a pre-determined position associated with the position based alert. | 08-23-2012 |
20120214544 | Audio Localization Using Audio Signal Encoding and Recognition - A positioning network comprises an array of signal sources that transmit signals with unique characteristics that are detectable in signals captured through a sensor on a mobile device, such as a microphone of a mobile phone handset. Through signal processing of the captured signal, the positioning system distinguishes these characteristics to identify distinct sources and their corresponding coordinates. A position calculator takes these coordinates together with other attributes derived from the received signals from distinct sources, such as time of arrival or signal strength, to calculate coordinates of the mobile device. A layered protocol is used to introduce distinguishing characteristics in the source signals. This approach enables the use of low cost components to integrate a positioning network on equipment used for other functions, such as audio playback equipment at shopping malls and other venues where location based services are desired. | 08-23-2012 |
20120218436 | Sensor-Based Mobile Search, Related Methods and Systems - A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 08-30-2012 |
20120220311 | SENSOR-BASED MOBILE SEARCH, RELATED METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 08-30-2012 |
20120224743 | SMARTPHONE-BASED METHODS AND SYSTEMS - Methods and arrangements involving portable devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are disclosed. Exemplary arrangements utilize the camera portions of such devices to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some of the detailed technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 09-06-2012 |
20120258776 | Methods and Systems for Content Processing - Disclosed are technologies are useful in enabling a smart phone to respond to a user's environment, e.g., so it can serve as an intuitive hearing and seeing device. Some of the detailed arrangements involve using radio base station SDR equipment (e.g., at a cell tower) to perform image recognition operations for phones; forecasting service needs from remote processors delegating a remote execution task to a service provider chosen in a competitive process; using nearby processors, e.g., in an automobile, another phone, or set-top box, for remote execution tasks; phones with separable camera and/or illumination components; phone camera illumination using different colors of light; using search tree methods with image frames captured at different focuses; using a phone's microprojector to aid in object identification; correcting lens aberrations by texture mapping captured imagery onto a corrective polygon surface using a phone GPU; etc. A great variety of other features are also detailed. | 10-11-2012 |
20120273570 | Physical Credentials and Related Methods - Directional albedo of a particular article, such as an identity card, is measured and stored. When the article is later presented, it can be confirmed to be the same particular article by re-measuring the albedo function, and checking for correspondence against the earlier-stored data. The re-measuring can be performed through us of a handheld optical device, such as a camera-equipped cell phone. The albedo function can serve as random key data in a variety of cryptographic applications. The function can be changed during the life of the article through use of a variety of different card constructions (e.g., involving quantum dots, phase change materials, MEMS structures, etc.). A variety of other arrangements and features are also detailed. | 11-01-2012 |
20120277893 | Channelized Audio Watermarks - An audio watermark signal is associated audio host signal, but is provided separately. When the audio host signal is rendered, a user can control whether—and how strongly—the watermark signal is also rendered. The specification details a great variety of other technologies—most relating to audio and image content, and/or portable devices (e.g., smartphones). | 11-01-2012 |
20120281880 | Sensing Data from Physical Objects - Directional albedo of a particular article, such as an identity card, is measured and stored. When the article is later presented, it can be confirmed to be the same particular article by re-measuring the albedo function, and checking for correspondence against the earlier-stored data. The re-measuring can be performed through us of a handheld optical device, such as a camera-equipped cell phone. The albedo function can serve as random key data in a variety of cryptographic applications. The function can be changed during the life of the article. A variety of other features are also detailed. | 11-08-2012 |
20120282911 | Smartphone-Based Methods and Systems - Arrangements involving portable devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers) are disclosed. One arrangement enables a content creator to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another utilizes a device camera to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-08-2012 |
20120284012 | Smartphone-Based Methods and Systems - Technologies involving portable devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are disclosed. One arrangement enables a creator of content to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another uses the camera of a smartphone to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-08-2012 |
20120284339 | Smartphone-Based Methods and Systems - Arrangements involving portable devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers) are disclosed. One arrangement enables a content creator to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another utilizes a device camera to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-08-2012 |
20120284593 | Smartphone-Based Methods and Systems - Arrangements involving portable devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers) are disclosed. One arrangement enables a content creator to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another utilizes a device camera to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-08-2012 |
20120300974 | IMAGE RELATED METHODS AND SYSTEMS - Digital watermark encoding—and associated registry transactions—are made transparent to consumers—performed as built-in features of common image processing operations, such as taking a picture, or printing a picture. In one arrangement, a user interacts with buttons and other controls of a graphical user interface on the touchscreen of a printer to author specific experiences that should be triggered by a hardcopy image—such as launching a related video, playing a recorded audio clip, displaying other images in a story narrative to which the hardcopy image relates, etc. The printer then attends to interactions with network infrastructure components needed to give the hardcopy print the user-desired functionality. In another arrangement, the content experience triggered by a printed image is authored automatically, e.g., by reference to data mined from the image's online context (e.g., Facebook photo album). A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-29-2012 |
20120311623 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR OBTAINING STILL IMAGES CORRESPONDING TO VIDEO - A portable device, such as a cell phone, is used to “forage” media content from a user's environment. For example, it may listen to a television viewed by a traveler in an airport lounge. By reference to digital watermark or fingerprint data extracted from the content, the device can identify the television program, and enable a variety of actions. The device may also identify content that preceded (or follows) the foraged content. Thus, a traveler who views just the end of an exciting sporting event can capture one of the following commercials, identify the preceding program, and download same for later viewing. Relatedly, audio foraging can be used as a source of still imagery. A great variety of other functions and arrangements, e.g., addressing social media, are also detailed. | 12-06-2012 |
20130011062 | Methods and Systems for Content Processing - Cell 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 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 relate to coping with fixed focus limitations of cell phone cameras, e.g., in reading digital watermark data. Still others concern user interface improvements. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 01-10-2013 |
20130048722 | METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR SENSING IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION FROM OBJECTS - In one arrangement, retail product packaging is digitally watermarked over most of its extent to allow machine identification by one or more inexpensive cameras at retail checkouts. Such a system also considers image fingerprints, product configuration, barcodes and other available information in identifying products. Imagery captured by conventional or plenoptic cameras is processed to derive several perspective-transformed views, which are provided to the identification system—increasing throughput by minimizing the need to manually reposition items for identification. Crinkles and other deformations in product packaging are optically sensed, allowing the surface to be virtually flattened to aid identification. A marked conveyor belt at the checkout station increases speed and accuracy, and provides other benefits to both shoppers and sellers. A great variety of other features are also detailed. | 02-28-2013 |
20130086466 | CONTENT SENSITIVE CONNECTED CONTENT - The disclosure describes a method of connecting multimedia content to a network resource. This method operates in a computer network environment. Operating in a network connected device, the method extracts an identifier from a media signal, such as from a digital watermark, perceptual hash, or other machine extracted signal identifier. It then sends the identifier to a network along with context information indicating device type information. From the network, the method receives related data associated with the media signal via the identifier. The related data is adapted to the network connected device based on the device type information. This device type information may include a display type, so that the related date may be formatted for rendering on the display type of the device. This device type information may also include a connection speed so that the related data may be optimized for the connection speed of the device. | 04-04-2013 |
20130094702 | Arrangements Involving Social Graph Data and Image Processing - This technology concerns, in one aspect, using a person's social network graph data as a virtual visual cortex—taking image input from a smartphone or the like, and processing it with the graph data to yield a personalized form of processing based on the imagery. The user's network graph data is typically updated by such processing—providing a form of virtual image memory that can influence future social network behavior. In another aspect, the technology concerns identifying content (e.g., audio) by both fingerprint-based and watermark-based techniques, and arrangements employing such identification data. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 04-18-2013 |
20130097630 | ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING CONTENT IDENTIFICATION AND/OR DISTRIBUTION IDENTIFICATION DATA - This technology concerns, in one aspect, using a person's social network graph data as a virtual visual cortex—taking image input from a smartphone or the like, and processing it with the graph data to yield a personalized form of processing based on the imagery. The user's network graph data is typically updated by such processing—providing a form of virtual image memory that can influence future social network behavior. In another aspect, the technology concerns identifying content (e.g., audio) by both fingerprint-based and watermark-based techniques, and arrangements employing such identification data. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 04-18-2013 |
20130101154 | WATERMARKING DIFFERENT AREAS OF DIGITAL IMAGES WITH DIFFERENT INTENSITIES - An image is processed to encode a digital watermark, with different regions thereof processed using different levels of watermark intensity. In an image comprised of elements of differing sizes (e.g., halftone shapes of different sizes, or lines of different width), the different regions can be defined by reference to the sizes of elements contained therein. Regions characterized by relatively small elements can be watermarked at a relatively low intensity. Regions characterized by relatively large elements can be watermarked at a relatively high intensity. A variety of other features are also discussed. | 04-25-2013 |
20130122939 | INTUITIVE COMPUTING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - The present disclosure relates generally to mobile devices and content recognition. One claim recites a method employing a mobile device having a processor configured to perform one or more acts of the method, the mobile device including at least one sensor. The method includes: obtaining information from the sensor; and selecting a user profile from among a plurality of different user profiles based on the information. Other claims and combinations are provided as well. | 05-16-2013 |
20130128060 | INTUITIVE COMPUTING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 05-23-2013 |
20130150117 | CONTEXT-BASED SMARTPHONE SENSOR LOGIC - Methods employ sensors in portable devices (e.g., smartphones) both to sense content information (e.g., audio and imagery) and context information. Device processing is desirably dependent on both. For example, some embodiments activate certain processor intensive operations (e.g., content recognition) based on classification of sensed content and context. The context can control the location where information produced from such operations is stored, or control an alert signal indicating, e.g., that sensed speech is being transcribed. Some arrangements post sensor data collected by one device to a cloud repository, for access and processing by other devices. Multiple devices can collaborate in collecting and processing data, to exploit advantages each may have (e.g., in location, processing ability, social network resources, etc.). A great many other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 06-13-2013 |
20130152139 | SECOND SCREEN METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS - The present technology concerns cell phones and similar devices, and their use in conjunction with media content (electronic and physical) and other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). Some aspects of the technology particularly concern “second screen” applications that sense a television program being watched by a user, and present menus of complementary content on the phone touchscreen from which the user can select. This complementary content can include other video content, associated web pages, opportunities to buy merchandise related to the program, etc. This complementary content can be identified by a provider of the television program, or can be identified otherwise (e.g., by crowd-sourcing). In some embodiments, the phone instructs a remote DVR to record content of interest for later viewing. The technology also provides features for making TV watching a social experience—involving remote friends. A great number of other arrangements and details are also disclosed. | 06-13-2013 |
20130167173 | Media Processing Methods and Arrangements - A variety of technologies using portable devices in connection with media content are detailed. Some enable users to participate interactively in entertainment content, such as by submitting plot directions, audio input, character names, etc., yielding more engaging, immersive, user experiences. Other aspects involve a program directory database, compiled automatically from information reported by network nodes that watch and identify content traffic. By identifying content resident at a number of different repositories (e.g., web sites, TV networks, P2P systems, etc.), such a directory allows users to identify the diversity of sources from which desired content can be obtained—some available on a scheduled basis, others available on demand. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 06-27-2013 |
20130169838 | Smartphone-Based Methods and Systems - Arrangements involving portable devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers) are disclosed. One arrangement enables a content creator to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another utilizes a device camera to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 07-04-2013 |
20130172048 | Authenticating Identification and Security Documents and Other Objects - The application discloses identification and security documents and methods and systems for authenticating such identification and security documents. In one implementation, a document includes a first surface; and a second surface. The first surface comprises a first set of print structures and a second set of print structures. The first set of print structures and the second set of print structures cooperate to obscure the location on the first surface of the second set of print structures. The second set of print structures is arranged on the first surface so as to provide a reflection pattern. In one example, the reflection pattern includes a diffraction grating. The second set of print structures is preferably provided on the first surface with metallic ink. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too. | 07-04-2013 |
20130183952 | Smartphone-Based Methods and Systems - Arrangements involving portable devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers) are disclosed. One arrangement enables a content creator to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another utilizes a device camera to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 07-18-2013 |
20130217440 | IMAGE PROCESSING ARCHITECTURES AND METHODS - Cell phones and other portable devices are equipped with a variety of technologies by which existing functionality is improved, and new functionality is provided. Some aspects relate to imaging architectures, in which a cell phone's image sensor is one in a chain of stages that successively act on instructions/data, to capture and later process imagery. Other aspects relate to distribution of processing tasks between the device and remote resources (“the cloud”). Elemental image processing, such as filtering and edge detection—and even some simpler template matching operations—may be performed on the cell phone. Other operations are referred out to remote service providers. The remote service providers can be identified using techniques such as a reverse auction, though which they compete for processing tasks. Other aspects of the disclosed technologies relate to visual search capabilities, and determining appropriate actions responsive to different image inputs. Still others concern metadata generation, processing, and representation. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 08-22-2013 |
20130223673 | METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR IDENTIFYING OBJECTS - In some arrangements, product packaging is digitally watermarked over most of its extent to facilitate high-throughput item identification at retail checkouts. Imagery captured by conventional or plenoptic cameras can be processed (e.g., by GPUs) to derive several different perspective-transformed views—further minimizing the need to manually reposition items for identification. Crinkles and other deformations in product packaging can be optically sensed, allowing such surfaces to be virtually flattened to aid identification. Piles of items can be 3D-modelled and virtually segmented into geometric primitives to aid identification, and to discover locations of obscured items. Other data (e.g., including data from sensors in aisles, shelves and carts, and gaze tracking for clues about visual saliency) can be used in assessing identification hypotheses about an item. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 08-29-2013 |
20130260727 | IMAGE-RELATED METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS - A user captures an image of a magazine or catalog page with a smartphone. The page is identified by extracting fingerprint or watermark data from the imagery. Other imagery depicting that page is identified, and is displayed to the user on the smartphone screen. Further imagery can also be presented on the screen. This further imagery can include other pages in the publication that are not be consecutive with the captured page, but that are logically linked with it by reference to a data structure. The user may elect to post such imagery to a social network account (e.g., Pinterest) associated with the user. The posting can include an attribution identifying the original publication. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 10-03-2013 |
20130273968 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONTENT PROCESSING - Cell 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 data driven imaging architectures, in which a cell phone's image sensor is one in a chain of stages that successively act on packetized instructions/data, to capture and later process imagery. Other aspects relate to distribution of processing tasks between the device and remote resources (“the cloud”). Elemental image processing, such as filtering and edge detection—and even some simpler template matching operations—may be performed on the cell phone. Other operations are referred out to remote service providers. The remote service providers can be identified using techniques such as a reverse auction, though which they compete for processing tasks. Other aspects of the disclosed technologies relate to visual search capabilities, and determining appropriate actions responsive to different image inputs. Still others concern metadata generation, processing, and representation. Yet others relate to coping with fixed focus limitations of cell phone cameras, e.g., in reading digital watermark data. Still others concern user interface improvements. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 10-17-2013 |
20130286046 | NARROWCASTING FROM PUBLIC DISPLAYS, AND RELATED METHODS - A user with a cell phone interacts, in a personalized session, with an electronic sign system. In some embodiments, the user's location relative to the sign is discerned from camera imagery—either imagery captured by the cell phone (i.e., of the sign), or captured by the sign system (i.e., of the user). Demographic information about the user can be estimated from imagery captured acquired by the sign system, or can be accessed from stored profile data associated with the user. The sign system can transmit payoffs (e.g., digital coupons or other response data) to viewers—customized per user demographics. In some arrangements, the payoff data is represented by digital watermark data encoded in the signage content. The encoding can take into account the user's location relative to the sign—allowing geometrical targeting of different payoffs to differently-located viewers. Other embodiments allow a user to engage an electronic sign system for interactive game play, using the cell phone as a controller. | 10-31-2013 |
20130290379 | DOCUMENT PROCESSING METHODS - Directional albedo of a particular article, such as an identity card, is measured and stored. When the article is later presented, it can be confirmed to be the same particular article by re-measuring the albedo function, and checking for correspondence against the earlier-stored data. The re-measuring can be performed through us of a handheld optical device, such as a camera-equipped cell phone. The albedo function can serve as random key data in a variety of cryptographic applications. The function can be changed during the life of the article. A variety of other features are also detailed. | 10-31-2013 |
20130294648 | INTUITIVE COMPUTING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-07-2013 |
20130295894 | IMAGE PROCESSING ARCHITECTURES AND METHODS - Cell phones and other portable devices are equipped with a variety of technologies by which existing functionality is improved, and new functionality is provided. Some aspects relate to imaging architectures, in which a cell phone's image sensor is one in a chain of stages that successively act on instructions/data, to capture and later process imagery. Other aspects relate to distribution of processing tasks between the device and remote resources (“the cloud”). Elemental image processing, such as filtering and edge detection—and even some simpler template matching operations—may be performed on the cell phone. Other operations are referred out to remote service providers. The remote service providers can be identified using techniques such as a reverse auction, though which they compete for processing tasks. Other aspects of the disclosed technologies relate to visual search capabilities, and determining appropriate actions responsive to different image inputs. Still others concern metadata generation, processing, and representation. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-07-2013 |
20130308045 | SENSOR-SYNCHRONIZED SPECTRALLY-STRUCTURED-LIGHT IMAGING - A smartphone is adapted for use as an imaging spectrometer, by synchronized pulsing of different LED light sources as different image frames are captured by the phone's CMOS image sensor. A particular implementation employs the CIE color matching functions, and/or their orthogonally transformed functions, to enable direct chromaticity capture. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-21-2013 |
20130308818 | CONTENT RECOGNITION AND SYNCHRONIZATION USING LOCAL CACHING - A content fingerprint based recognition system employs local caching of portions of a fingerprint database to manage network services for identifying which programs a user's mobile device is exposed to and the timing of events within the program. The system enables background recognition and synchronization of network services in a way that consumes less device power and bandwidth. | 11-21-2013 |
20130311329 | IMAGE-RELATED METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS - In one aspect, a user captures an image of a physical object (e.g., of a grocery item, using a smartphone). The depicted object is identified, such as by extracting fingerprint or watermark data from the imagery. Other imagery depicting that object—or depicting related objects—is identified on the web, and is displayed to the user on the smartphone screen. The user may select one or more of these images and direct that they be posted to a social network account (e.g., Pinterest) associated with the user. In another aspect, the user's location is sensed (e.g., an aisle of a department store), and a collection of images depicting nearby products is presented to the user for selection and posting to a social networking service. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-21-2013 |
20130316733 | INTUITIVE COMPUTING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - The present disclosure relates generally to mobile devices and content recognition. One claim recites a method employing a mobile device having a processor configured to perform one or more acts of the method, the mobile device including at least one sensor. The method includes: obtaining information from the sensor; and selecting a user profile from among a plurality of different user profiles based on the information. Other claims and combinations are provided as well. | 11-28-2013 |
20130324161 | INTUITIVE COMPUTING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 12-05-2013 |
20130336521 | STEGANOGRAPHIC ENCODING AND DECODING - This patent document relates generally to steganography and digital watermarking. One claim recites a method comprising: receiving data representing image or video, in which the data comprises first data corresponding to first color data, second data corresponding to second color data and third data corresponding to third color data, the image or video to host auxiliary information; weighting the first data, the second data and the third data according to at least the following two factors: i) a color direction biased toward an expected embedding direction; and ii) expected image or video distortion introduced to the first data, second data or third data through image capture or signal processing; and determining from weighted first data, weighted second data and weighted third data, changes in an image or video attribute, in which the auxiliary information is conveyed through the changes to sample values representing the image or video. Of course, other claims are provided too. | 12-19-2013 |
20130336522 | STEGANOGRAPHIC ENCODING AND DECODING - This patent document relates generally to steganography and digital watermarking. One claim recites, in a watermark encoder, a method of encoding auxiliary information in an image or video comprising: using a programmed electronic processor, computing a change in an attribute of an image or video sample to encode auxiliary information in the image or video; and changing color values of the image or video sample to effect the change in the attribute, in which changes to color values are determined based at least in part on both: i) visibility of the changes, and ii) anticipated watermark detection. Of course, other claims are provided too. | 12-19-2013 |
20130339996 | MEDIA PROCESSING METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS - The present technology concerns cell phones and other portable devices. One claim recites a method employing a portable device including a processor, microphone and an interface to receive user inputs, the portable device also including a display screen. The method comprises: receiving a first user request, through the interface, for processing audio content captured with the microphone; processing the audio to yield fingerprint data; communicating the fingerprint data and portable device location information to a remote computer system; in response to said communicating, receiving information including a title associated with the audio content; presenting the title on the display screen; in response to a second user request, through the interface, displaying information associated with audio content captured by other portable devices in an area associated with the portable device location information. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too. | 12-19-2013 |
20130340003 | SECOND SCREEN METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS - The present technology concerns television services and systems, cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content. One claim recites a method employing a portable device comprising a processor, microphone, user interface, and display. The method includes: using the microphone, capturing audio data from a user's environment; using the processor, processing the captured audio data to yield processed audio data; receiving a first user input via the user interface to access a web site; providing the processed audio data to a remotely located server that hosts the web site, the remotely located server using the processed audio data adapt its presentation of material back to the portable device when accessing the web site. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too. | 12-19-2013 |
20130340011 | SECOND SCREENS AND WIDGETS - Cell phones and other devices are used to complement enjoyment of television or other video media, through use of corresponding software applications (“widgets”). A great variety of related features and arrangements are particularly detailed. | 12-19-2013 |
20130344916 | CONTENT SHARING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A first device (such as a cell phone) is equipped with a micro-projector, and used to present imagery on a display surface. A second device (such as a second cell phone) is equipped with a digital camera, and used to capture some of the projected imagery. The captured imagery allows a user of the second device to access digital content of interest from a user of the first device, or from elsewhere. The content may be visual, or of other form (content examples include audio, games, maps, text documents, video, spreadsheets, etc.). In one particular arrangement, the projected imagery is encoded with digital watermark data. Through such arrangements, one user can readily share content, and also engage in collaborative activities—such as cooperative game play, with one or more other users. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 12-26-2013 |
20140010404 | WATERMARKING DIFFERENT AREAS OF DIGITAL IMAGES WITH DIFFERENT INTENSITIES - An image is processed to encode a digital watermark, with different regions thereof processed using different levels of watermark intensity. In an image comprised of elements of differing sizes (e.g., halftone shapes of different sizes, or lines of different width), the different regions can be defined by reference to the sizes of elements contained therein. Regions characterized by relatively small elements can be watermarked at a relatively low intensity. Regions characterized by relatively large elements can be watermarked at a relatively high intensity. A variety of other features are also discussed. | 01-09-2014 |
20140037130 | REDUCING WATERMARK PERCEPTIBILITY AND EXTENDING DETECTION DISTORTION TOLERANCES - The present disclosures relates generally to digital watermarking and data hiding. One claim recites an apparatus comprising: memory for storing data representing video; one or more electronic processors programmed for: embedding a first watermark signal in a first portion of the data, the first watermark signal comprising a first signal polarity and corresponding to first detection preconditioning; embedding a second watermark signal in a second portion of the data, the second watermark signal comprising a second signal polarity that is inversely related to the first signal polarity and corresponding to seconding detection preconditioning; controlling provision of the watermarked video for display in real time, in which temporal averaging of the first watermark signal and second watermark signal over time conceals the first watermark signal and the second watermark signal from a human observer of the video. Of course, other claims are provided too. | 02-06-2014 |
20140037131 | STEGANOGRAPHIC ENCODING AND DECODING - This patent document relates generally to steganography and digital watermarking. One claim recites, in a watermark encoder, a method of encoding auxiliary information in an image or video comprising: using a programmed electronic processor, computing a change in an attribute of an image or video sample to encode auxiliary information in the image or video; and changing color values of the image or video sample to effect the change in the attribute, in which changes to color values are determined based at least in part on both: i) visibility of the changes, and ii) anticipated watermark detection. Of course, other claims are provided too. | 02-06-2014 |
20140059587 | MEDIA PROCESSING METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS - The present technology concerns cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content (electronic and physical) and with other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). In certain arrangements, identification of audio or visual content to which the user is being exposed is determined—in part—using information about one or more other people who are known to be present with the user. Information about the user's current location, or about the user's previous activities, can also be used in inferring the identity of content to which the user is currently being exposed. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 02-27-2014 |
20140071272 | SENSOR-BASED MOBILE SEARCH, RELATED METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 03-13-2014 |
20140106710 | CONTEXT-RELATED ARRANGEMENTS - In one arrangement, a first device presents a display that is based on context data, derived from one or more of its sensors. This display is imaged by a camera in a second device. The second device uses context data from its own sensors to assess the information in the captured imagery, and makes a determination about the first device. In another arrangement, social network friend requests are automatically issued, or accepted, based on contextual similarity. In yet another arrangement, delivery of a message is triggered by a contextual circumstance other than (or in addition to) location. In still another arrangement, two or more devices automatically establish an ad hoc network (e.g., Bluetooth pairing) based on contextual parallels. In still another arrangement, historical context information is archived and used in transactions with other devices, e.g., in challenge-response authentication. A great number of other features and arrangements—many involving head-mounted displays—are also detailed. | 04-17-2014 |
20140114666 | ORCHESTRATED ENCODING AND DECODING - Orchestrated encoding schemes facilitate encoding and decoding of data in content signals at several points in the distribution path of content items. Orchestrated encoding adheres to a set of encoding rules that enables multiple watermarks and corresponding applications to co-exist, avoids collisions among watermarks, and simplifies metadata and routing database infrastructure. | 04-24-2014 |
20140132994 | ACTIVE IMAGES THROUGH DIGITAL WATERMARKING - The present invention relates to methods and apparatus employing digital watermarking and/or steganography. In one implementation a cell phone includes watermarking capabilities to facilitate image transfer/receipt. Other implementations are detailed herein as well. | 05-15-2014 |
20140164111 | PHYSICAL CONTEXT AND COOKIES - Users' browsing histories and other online activities are commonly tracked using cookies, and employed to customize users' web experiences. In accordance with certain aspects of the present technology, microphones, cameras, and other sensors of portable computing apparatuses are employed to gather information about users' offline experiences. This information can be used—alone, or in conjunction with traditional cookie data—to enable systems to adapt their behaviors based on a fuller view of user's circumstances. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 06-12-2014 |
20140169686 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONTENT PROCESSING - Cell 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 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 relate to coping with fixed focus limitations of cell phone cameras, e.g., in reading digital watermark data. Still others concern user interface improvements. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 06-19-2014 |
20140181859 | MEDIA PROCESSING METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS - The present technology generally concerns cell phones and other portable devices, and more particularly concerns use of such devices in connection with media content (electronic and physical) and with other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic content directories). Some aspects of the technology involve program-centric (as opposed to channel-centric) content directories. Such directories allow users to identify the diversity of sources from which desired content can be obtained—some available on a scheduled basis, others available on-demand; some available from free sources, others from paid sources; some from streaming sources and others from file-download sources; etc. Depending on the application, the directory information may be transparent to the user—serving to identify sources for desired content from which application software can pick based, e.g., on context and stored preference data. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 06-26-2014 |
20140222612 | IMAGE-RELATED METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS - A user captures an image of a retail product with a smartphone. Product recommendations associated with the retail product are provided to the smartphone. One claim recites a method comprising: receiving first imagery captured by a smartphone camera, the first imagery representing a first retail product located at a retail location, and presenting the first imagery on a screen of the smartphone; providing the first imagery to a processor to produce fingerprint data therefrom, the fingerprint data being utilized to identify the first retail product; receiving second imagery representing a second retail product, identified as a product recommendation associated with the first retail product, the second imagery being sourced from a source different than the smartphone camera; presenting, on the screen of the smartphone, the second imagery; receiving user input via a touch screen of the smartphone; as a consequence of said user input, initiating an action. Of course, a great variety of other claims, features and arrangements are also detailed. | 08-07-2014 |
20140244494 | METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR SMARTPHONE PAYMENTS - To make a payment, a smartphone presents artwork for a payment card (e.g., a Visa card) that has been selected by a user from a virtual wallet of such cards. Encoded in the displayed artwork is payment information that has been encrypted with a context-dependent session key. A cooperating system (e.g., a retailer's point of sale system) uses a camera to capture an image of the artwork, and independently creates the session key from its own context sensor(s), enabling decryption of the payment information. Such technology provides a superior transaction security model at a fraction of the cost of competing chip card payment systems (which require, e.g., expensive physical cards, and single-purpose reader hardware). A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 08-28-2014 |
20140244495 | METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR SMARTPHONE PAYMENTS - To make a payment, a smartphone presents artwork for a payment card (e.g., a Visa card) that has been selected by a user from a virtual wallet of such cards. Encoded in the displayed artwork is payment information that has been encrypted with a context-dependent session key. A cooperating system (e.g., a retailer's point of sale system) uses a camera to capture an image of the artwork, and independently creates the session key from its own context sensor(s), enabling decryption of the payment information. Such technology provides a superior transaction security model at a fraction of the cost of competing chip card payment systems (which require, e.g., expensive physical cards, and single-purpose reader hardware). A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 08-28-2014 |
20140244514 | METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR SMARTPHONE PAYMENTS AND TRANSACTIONS - The disclosure relates to a smartphone-based virtual wallet, that manages payment options available to a user. One claim recites portable device comprising: a touch screen display; a video camera; a microphone for capturing ambient audio; memory for storing an image, and for storing components of a virtual wallet; and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured for: controlling the video camera to capture imagery corresponding to a checkout terminal's display, the display displaying imagery including digital watermarking information hidden therein, the information including transaction information; processing captured imagery to decode the digital watermarking to obtain the transaction information; receiving user input corresponding to payment information included in a component of the virtual wallet; controlling communication with a remotely located third party, so that the transaction information and payment information are provided to the third party; outputting a request for user confirmation based on a request received from the third party; and controlling communication with the remotely located third party so that a user confirmation is provided to the third party. A great variety of other features, arrangements and claims are also detailed. | 08-28-2014 |
20140258110 | METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR SMARTPHONE PAYMENTS AND TRANSACTIONS - The disclosure relates to a smartphone-based virtual wallet, that manages payment options available to a user. One claim recites a method employing a user's portable device, the device including a display and a sensor, the method including acts of: initiating a multi-party auction to solicit bids from a plurality of financial vendors to facilitate a financial transaction for the user, the plurality of remotely-located financial vendors being associated with the user via a virtual wallet hosted on the user's portable device; receiving bids from the plurality of financial vendors; presenting a user interface using the display, the user interface identifying at least two bids solicited from the multi-party auction; upon receiving an indication of a user-selected bid from the at least two bids, initiating a financial transaction using at least some of the details in the user selected bid and information obtained from the virtual wallet. A great variety of other features, arrangements and claims are also detailed. | 09-11-2014 |
20140282735 | SECOND SCREEN METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS - The present technology concerns cell phones and similar devices, and their use in conjunction with media content (electronic and physical) and other systems (e.g., televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). Some aspects of the technology particularly concern “second screen” applications that sense a television program being watched by a user, and present menus of complementary content on the phone touchscreen from which the user can select. This complementary content can include other video content, associated web pages, opportunities to buy merchandise related to the program, etc. This complementary content can be identified by a provider of the television program, or can be identified otherwise (e.g., by crowd-sourcing). In some embodiments, the phone instructs a remote DVR to record content of interest for later viewing. The technology also provides features for making TV watching a social experience—involving remote friends. A great number of other arrangements and details are also disclosed. | 09-18-2014 |
20140285338 | MOBILE DEVICE INDOOR NAVIGATION - A method for indoor navigation in a venue derives positioning of a mobile device based on sounds captured by the microphone of the mobile device from the ambient environment. It is particularly suited to operate on smartphones, where the sounds are captured using microphone that captures sounds in a frequency range of human hearing. The method determines a position of the mobile device in the venue based on identification of the audio signal, monitors the position of the mobile device, and generates a position based alert on an output device of the mobile device when the position of the mobile device is within a pre-determined position associated with the position based alert. | 09-25-2014 |
20140286542 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETERMINING IMAGE PROCESSING OPERATIONS RELEVANT TO PARTICULAR IMAGERY - Image data, such as from a mobile phone camera, is analyzed to determine a colorfulness metric (e.g., saturation) or a contrast metric (e.g., Weber contrast). This metric is then used in deciding which of, or in which order, plural different image recognition processes should be invoked in order to present responsive information to a user. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 09-25-2014 |
20140313303 | LONGITUDINAL DERMOSCOPIC STUDY EMPLOYING SMARTPHONE-BASED IMAGE REGISTRATION - The evolution of a skin condition over time can be useful in its assessment. In an illustrative arrangement, a user captures skin images at different times, using a smartphone. The images are co-registered, color-corrected, and presented to the user (or a clinician) for review, e.g., in a temporal sequence, or as one image presented as a ghosted overlay atop another. Image registration can employ nevi, hair follicles, wrinkles, pores, and pigmented regions as keypoints. With some imaging spectra, keypoints from below the outermost layer of skin can be used. Hair may be removed for image registration, and restored for image review. Transformations in addition to rotation and affine transforms can be employed. Diagnostic correlations with reference image sequences can be made, employing machine learning in some instances. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 10-23-2014 |
20140316235 | SKIN IMAGING AND APPLICATIONS - The availability of high quality imagers on smartphones and other portable devices facilitates creation of a large, crowd-sourced, image reference library that depicts skin rashes and other dermatological conditions. Some of the images are uploaded with, or later annotated with, associated diagnoses or other information (e.g., “this rash went away when I stopped drinking milk”). A user uploads a new image of an unknown skin condition to the library. Image analysis techniques are employed to identify salient similarities between features of the uploaded image, and features of images in this reference library. Given the large dataset, statistically relevant correlations emerge that identify to the user certain diagnoses that may be considered, other diagnoses that may likely be ruled-out, and/or anecdotal information about similar skin conditions from other users. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 10-23-2014 |
20140323142 | INTUITIVE COMPUTING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 10-30-2014 |
20140324596 | SMARTPHONE-BASED METHODS AND SYSTEMS - Arrangements involving portable devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers) are disclosed. One arrangement enables a content creator to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another utilizes a device camera to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 10-30-2014 |
20140324833 | SMARTPHONE ARRANGEMENTS RESPONSIVE TO MUSICAL ARTISTS AND OTHER CONTENT PROPRIETORS - Methods and arrangements involving portable devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are disclosed. One particular arrangement concerns a software program that is launched following detection of audio content performed by a first musical artist. A phone can be provided with plural such software programs, tailored to respond to different types of detected content. Another aspect of the disclosed technology enables a creator of content to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 10-30-2014 |
20140333794 | SENSOR-BASED MOBILE SEARCH, RELATED METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-13-2014 |
20140337733 | INTUITIVE COMPUTING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-13-2014 |
20140342773 | DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING FOR PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICES - This disclosure describes a distributed reader architecture for a mobile computing device such as cellular telephone handset. One claim recites a method for identifying a content item from a host signal captured on a mobile telephone handset, comprising: from the handset, receiving filtered data from the host signal for use in identifying the content item; processing the filtered data to compute a content fingerprints; using the content fingerprints to determine an action associated with the content item, in which said determining utilizes information pertaining to an operating system associated with the mobile telephone handset; and communicating information associated with the action to the mobile telephone handset. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided as well. | 11-20-2014 |
20140351765 | INTUITIVE COMPUTING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A smart phone senses audio and/or imagery from a user's environment, and acts to fulfill inferred or requested user desires. In one arrangement, a smart phone comprises: a touch screen display; a camera for capturing imagery; a microphone for capturing audio; a physical discovery button for receiving a user's indication to initiate a discovery mode; one or more processors; and memory storing software instructions for configuring said one or more processors. The software configures the processors for: responsive to a user's request via the physical discovery button, initiating a discovery mode including processing imagery captured with said camera; causing two different areas to be displayed on the touch screen display, in which a first of the two areas comprises a sensor pane in which visual information associated with captured imagery is displayed along with augmented reality graphics, and in which a second of the two areas comprises user-selectable graphic icons; and causing a user-selectable graphic icon to be displayed in the first of the two areas to allow a user to switch modes from image to audio. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 11-27-2014 |
20140357312 | SMARTPHONE-BASED METHODS AND SYSTEMS - Arrangements involving portable devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers) are disclosed. One arrangement enables a content creator to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another utilizes a device camera to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. For example, some arrangements enable discovery of both audio and visual content, without any user requirement to switch modes. Other technologies involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 12-04-2014 |
20140369550 | SMARTPHONE-BASED METHODS AND SYSTEMS - Methods and arrangements involving portable devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are disclosed. One arrangement enables a creator of content to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another arrangement utilizes the camera of a smartphone to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some of the detailed technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 12-18-2014 |
20140373039 | MEDIA PROCESSING METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS - The disclosure includes methods of accessing audio-visual content from various sources. One combination includes a method employing a portable device including a processor, microphone and an interface to receive user inputs, the portable device also including a display screen, the method also utilizing a remote computer system comprising a database, the method comprising: receiving a first user request, through the interface, for processing audio content captured with the microphone; processing the audio to yield fingerprint data; communicating the fingerprint data and portable device or user information to the remote computer system; in response to said communicating, receiving source information to enable the portable device access to audio-visual content from a particular source which is remote from the remote computer system, in which the database includes source rules, in which the remote computer system utilizes the portable device or user information to identify user preferences or profile data, and uses identified user preferences or profile data and the source rules to choose the particular source. Of course other methods, combinations and systems are disclosed as well. | 12-18-2014 |
20140375810 | VEHICULAR SAFETY METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS - In accordance with one aspect of the present technology, a driver's inattention is communicated to other drivers, so that they may take appropriate defensive measures. Examples of measures that may be taken include increasing a distance from the inattentive driver, and driving so as to avoid the need for sudden braking or other abrupt action. Many other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 12-25-2014 |
20140378810 | PHYSIOLOGIC DATA ACQUISITION AND ANALYSIS - The availability of high quality imagers on smartphones and other portable devices facilitates creation of a large, crowd-sourced, image reference library that depicts skin rashes and other dermatological conditions. Some of the images are uploaded with, or later annotated with, associated diagnoses or other information (e.g., “this rash went away when I stopped drinking milk”). A user uploads a new image of an unknown skin condition to the library. Image analysis techniques are employed to identify salient similarities between features of the uploaded image, and features of images in this reference library. Given the large dataset, statistically relevant correlations emerge that identify to the user certain diagnoses that may be considered, other diagnoses that may likely be ruled-out, and/or anecdotal information about similar skin conditions from other users. Similar arrangements can employ audio and/or other physiologically-derived signals. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 12-25-2014 |
20150016615 | AUDIO AND LOCATION ARRANGEMENTS - In one arrangement, a person's position in a movie auditorium is discerned by detection of audio signals from two or more speakers, and the person is then assigned a role or task in a game based on this discerned location. In another arrangement, a person's current position in a home listening environment is similarly discerned; this position information is used to control the balance of complementary audio channels of a home audio system, so that the audio “sweet spot” is located at the person's current position. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 01-15-2015 |
20150016664 | METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS INVOLVING SUBSTRATE MARKING - First and second patterns are formed on a substrate. A spatial offset between the patterns is determined, and stored for later use in authenticating the substrate. (One or both of the patterns may convey steganographic information. One pattern may be printed, while the other may be embossed.) A smartphone can sense these patterns, determine the spatial offset, and check whether the determined offset matches the earlier-stored offset, to judge whether the substrate is authentic. Another arrangement effects serialization of product packaging by use of paired patterns (at least one of which is typically a watermark pattern) applied in a manner causing a spatial offset between the patterns to progressively vary along a length of a printed web. Still other arrangements involve substrates conveying patterns that degrade over time, e.g., indicating freshness or pressurization condition. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 01-15-2015 |
20150016712 | METHODS FOR OBJECT RECOGNITION AND RELATED ARRANGEMENTS - Methods and arrangements involving portable user devices such smartphones and wearable electronic devices are disclosed, as well as other devices and sensors distributed within an ambient environment. Some arrangements enable a user to perform an object recognition process in a computationally- and time-efficient manner. Other arrangements enable users and other entities to, either individually or cooperatively, register or enroll physical objects into one or more object registries on which an object recognition process can be performed. Still other arrangements enable users and other entities to, either individually or cooperatively, associate registered or enrolled objects with one or more items of metadata. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 01-15-2015 |
20150022675 | IMAGE PROCESSING ARCHITECTURES AND METHODS - Cell phones and other portable devices are equipped with a variety of technologies by which existing functionality is improved, and new functionality is provided. Some aspects relate to imaging architectures, in which a cell phone's image sensor is one in a chain of stages that successively act on instructions/data, to capture and later process imagery. Other aspects relate to distribution of processing tasks between the device and remote resources (“the cloud”). Elemental image processing, such as filtering and edge detection—and even some simpler template matching operations—may be performed on the cell phone. Other operations are referred out to remote service providers. The remote service providers can be identified using techniques such as a reverse auction, though which they compete for processing tasks. Other aspects of the disclosed technologies relate to visual search capabilities, and determining appropriate actions responsive to different image inputs. Still others concern metadata generation, processing, and representation. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 01-22-2015 |
20150024800 | INTUITIVE COMPUTING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - A smart phone senses audio and/or imagery from a surrounding environment, and acts to provide graphical user interfaces and toggling discovery modes. In one arrangement, a smart phone comprises: a wireless communications interface; a touch screen display; a camera for capturing imagery; a microphone for capturing audio; a physical discovery button for initiating a discovery mode, in which the discovery mode includes processing smart phone sensor-captured imagery or sensor-captured audio to obtain identification of an object depicted in sensor-captured imagery or of captured audio, the identification obtained through the wireless communications interface; one or more processors; and memory storing software instructions for configuring said one or more processors for: responsive to a request received via the physical discovery button, initiating a discovery mode including processing imagery captured with said camera; causing a sensor pane to be displayed on the touch screen display, in which captured imagery is displayed along with augmented reality graphics within the sensor pane, and causing user-selectable graphic icons to be displayed within a first area of the touch screen display; highlighting an object represented in captured imagery that is displayed within the sensor pane; and causing a user-selectable graphic icon to be displayed on the touch screen display to facilitate switching discovery modes from image to audio. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 01-22-2015 |
20150043890 | MOBILE MEDIA, DEVICES, AND SIGNALING - Consumer uses of mobile devices and electronic media are changing. Mobile devices include increased computational capabilities, mobile broadband access, better integrated sensors, and higher resolution screens. These enhanced features are driving increased consumption of media such as images, maps, e-books, audio, video, and games. As users become more accustomed to using mobile devices for media, opportunities arise for new digital watermarking usage models. For example, transient media, like images being displayed on screens, can be watermarked to provide a link between mobile devices, extending the reach of digital watermarking. Digital fingerprinting can also be employed. Applications based on these emerging usage models can provide richer user experiences and drive increased media consumption. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 02-12-2015 |
20150055855 | LEARNING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A sequence of images depicting an object is captured, e.g., by a camera at a point-of-sale terminal in a retail store. The object is identified, such as by a barcode or watermark that is detected from one or more of the images. Once the object's identity is known, such information is used in training a classifier (e.g., a machine learning system) to recognize the object from others of the captured images, including images that may be degraded by blur, inferior lighting, etc. In another arrangement, such degraded images are processed to identify feature points useful in fingerprint-based identification of the object. Feature points extracted from such degraded imagery aid in fingerprint-based recognition of objects under real life circumstances, as contrasted with feature points extracted from pristine imagery (e.g., digital files containing label artwork for such objects). A great variety of other features and arrangements—some involving designing classifiers so as to combat classifier copying—are also detailed. | 02-26-2015 |
20150071484 | STEGANOGRAPHIC ENCODING AND DECODING - This patent document relates generally to steganography and digital watermarking. One claim recites, a method of encoding auxiliary information in an image or video. The method includes: determining a watermark tweak for an attribute of an image or video sample to encode auxiliary information in the image or video; and altering color values of the image or video sample to effect the watermark tweak, said altering alters color values based at least in part on both: i) visibility of color value alterations, and ii) anticipated watermark detection. Of course, other claims are provided too. | 03-12-2015 |
20150071486 | SENSING DATA FROM PHYSICAL OBJECTS - Directional albedo of a particular article, such as an identity card, is measured and stored. When the article is later presented, it can be confirmed to be the same particular article by re-measuring the albedo function, and checking for correspondence against the earlier-stored data. The re-measuring can be performed through us of a handheld optical device, such as a camera-equipped cell phone. The albedo function can serve as random key data in a variety of cryptographic applications. The function can be changed during the life of the article. A variety of other features are also detailed. | 03-12-2015 |
20150072728 | SMARTPHONE-BASED METHODS AND SYSTEMS - One arrangement concerns a portable device (e.g., a smartphone) that executes plural recognition agents, such as agents that perform fingerprint-based object recognition, fingerprint-based audio recognition, barcode reading, watermark decoding, etc. Each of the agents reads from and writes to a blackboard data structure, to which camera and microphone sensors also post their data. Queues of stored sensor data are thus available for the agents to process. In some arrangements, the agents also post—to the blackboard—estimates of the resource costs required to perform certain functions, and estimates of the quality of results that may be achieved by such functions. This allows the system to make informed decisions about how to deploy the device's limited resources (battery, processing cycles, network bandwidth, etc.). A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 03-12-2015 |
20150080060 | MOBILE DEVICES AND METHODS EMPLOYING HAPTICS - A variety of haptic improvements useful in mobile devices are detailed. In one, a smartphone captures image data from a physical object, and discerns an object identifier from the imagery (e.g., using watermark, barcode, or fingerprint techniques). This identifier is sent to a remote data structure, which returns data defining a distinct haptic signature associated with that object. This smartphone then renders this haptic signal to the user. (Related embodiments identify the object using other means, such as location, or NFC chip.) In another arrangement, haptic feedback signals social network information about a product or place (e.g., the user's social network friends “Like” a particular brand of beverage). In yet another arrangement, the experience of watching a movie on a television screen is augmented by tactile effects issued by a tablet computer on the viewer's lap. In still another arrangement, commercial vendors bid for rights to employ different ones of a library of haptic signals on one or more users' smartphones, e.g., to alert such user(s) to their products/services. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. | 03-19-2015 |