Methods and systems for content processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10922957-B2
Application number	US-201815889013-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2018
Priority date	Aug 19, 2008
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

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

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image processing method comprising the acts:
(a) receiving a set of pixel data, each pixel datum representing an image scene sampled at a location;
(b) processing the set of received pixel data in a first manner to produce first results, and presenting the first results on a device display, said first manner of processing including processing the received pixel data by a first operation comprising white balance correction or Bayer interpolation de-mosaicing;
(c) processing the set of received pixel data in a second manner to produce second results, and presenting the second results on the device display, said second manner of processing not including processing the received pixel data by said first operation;
wherein the results presented on the device display are both based on said set of received pixel data, but the first results are produced using said first operation, and the second results are produced without using said first operation.

2. The method of claim 1 that includes:
presenting the pixel data, processed with said first operation, on the display screen as the first result; and
presenting information obtained from a remote source, based on identification of a subject in the image scene, on the display screen as the second result.

3. The method of claim 1 in which act (c) includes performing a recognition operation on the received set of pixel data.

4. The method of claim 3 in which act (c) includes identifying a subject recognized in said image scene, and presenting information about said identified subject on the device display.

5. The method of claim 3 in which the recognition operation is performed on a barcode or a digital watermark and yields payload data, and the second results include information accessed from a remote source using the payload data.

6. The method of claim 1 that includes presenting the first and second results on the device display at different times.

7. The method of claim 1 that includes presenting the first results on the device display, and thereafter presenting the second results on the device display.

8. The method of claim 1 in which act (b) includes processing the received image data by a white balance correction operation.

9. The method of claim 1 in which act (b) includes processing the received image data by a Bayer interpolation de-mosaicing operation.

10. A system including:
an image sensor including an array of photodiodes on which light can impinge from a scene to produce a set of analog electrical signals, and D/A converters operative to convert said set of signals into digital form, yielding pixel data representing the scene;
a display;
a white balance correction module;
a first image processing chain adapted to render a depiction of the scene on the display, the first image processing chain including the white balance correction module;
means for processing pixel data from the sensor to yield processed results for presentation on the display, said means not including the white balance correction module;
wherein the system is adapted to display the depiction of the scene and the processed results on the display, but the depiction of the scene is produced using white balance correction, and the processed results are produced without using white balance correction.

11. A method employing a system operated by a user, said system including a local processor, an RF transceiver, a camera and a display, the method comprising processing imagery captured by the system camera to identify a type of subject depicted in the imagery, routing corresponding 2D keyvector data for processing by a remote processor associated with the identified type of subject, and making associated result information available to the user on the display, the method more particularly comprising the acts:
type-processing first data, corresponding to first imagery captured by the system camera depicting a first subject, said processing including a processor identifying the depicted first subject as being of a first type;
based at least in part on said identification of the depicted first subject as being of the first type, routing first 2D keyvector data corresponding to the captured first imagery for processing by a first remote processor, said routing being performed without then being directed by the user;
receiving first result data back in response to said processing of the first 2D keyvector data by said first remote processor, and making information corresponding to the first result data available to the user on the system display;
type-processing second data, corresponding to second imagery captured by the system camera depicting a second subject, said processing including a processor identifying the depicted second subject as being of a second type, said second type being different than said first type;
based at least in part on said identification of the depicted second subject as being of the second type, routing second 2D keyvector data corresponding to the captured second imagery for processing by a second remote processor, said routing being performed without then being directed by the user, said second remote processor being different than said first remote processor;
receiving second result data back in response to said processing of the second 2D keyvector data by said second remote processor, and making information corresponding to the second result data available to the user on the system display;
wherein 2D keyvector data corresponding to first and second imagery is routed to first and second different processors, respectively, based at least in part on types of subjects in the first and second imagery, and corresponding result information is made available to the user on the system display.

12. A method employing a device equipped with a camera, a display, and an RF transceiver, comprising the acts:
processing a first image captured by said device to detect first feature or attribute information;
selecting a first processor remote from the device, after said processing of the first image, based on said first feature or attribute information detected from the first image;
routing keyvector information corresponding to the first image to said first processor for processing;
making information resulting from said processing by the first processor available on the display of the device;
processing a second image captured by said device to detect second feature or attribute information, without reference to any barcode or watermark information;
selecting a second processor remote from the device, after said processing of the second image, based on said second feature or attribute information detected from the second image said second processor being distinct from the first processor;
routing information corresponding to the second image to said second processor for processing; and
making information resulting from said processing by the second processor available on the display of the device.

13. The method of claim 12 in which said keyvector data comprises information derived from pixel data, rather than pixel data itself.

14. The method of claim 12 in which the first processor is adapted to perform a first service from the list: a barcode reading service, an optical character recognition service, a watermark reading service, or a facial recognition service, and the second processor is adapted to perform an optical character recognition service or a facial recognition service.

15. The method of claim 12 in which:
said processing the first image to detect first feature or attribute information includes applying a tra

Assignees

• Digimarc Corp

Inventors

• Rhoads Geoffrey B
• Rodriguez Tony F
• Conwell William Y

Classifications

• G06V10/945

  User interactive design; Environments; Toolboxes · CPC title

• H04N23/611

  where the recognised objects include parts of the human body · CPC title

• G06F18/40

  Software arrangements specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. user interfaces or toolboxes therefor · CPC title

• G06V20/10

  Terrestrial scenes (scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59) · CPC title

• G06V10/17

  using hand-held instruments · CPC title