Abstract:
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 particularly defines network experiences that a hardcopy image is to invoke. The user may interact 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. These choices can be made at the time of printing, or the printer can be used as an interface to establish or adjust such network experiences after printing. 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.
Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
This patent document relates generally to steganography and digital watermarking. One claim recites a method of encoding auxiliary information in an image or video comprising: determining watermark tweaks for attributes of image or video samples to encode auxiliary information in the image or video; and, using a programmed electronic processor, altering color values of the image or video samples to convey the watermark tweaks. The 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 and combinations are provided too.
Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
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.