A retail checkout system decodes machine-readable indicia from a composite image frame produced from a sequence of captured image frames. Different regions in the composite image are derived from different ones of the image frames in the captured sequence. Another embodiment generates a composite image frame from image frames captured with different camera focus settings. Still other embodiments concern neural networks, including their training to segment different items presented on a retail checkout surface. Other neural network embodiments discern on which of two items a machine readable indicia appears, when the visual context is ambiguous. A variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
G06V 20/52 - Activités de surveillance ou de suivi, p.ex. pour la reconnaissance d’objets suspects
G06V 30/224 - Reconnaissance de caractères caractérisés par le type d’écriture de caractères imprimés pourvus de marques de codage additionnelles ou de marques de codage
G06V 10/82 - Dispositions pour la reconnaissance ou la compréhension d’images ou de vidéos utilisant la reconnaissance de formes ou l’apprentissage automatique utilisant les réseaux neuronaux
G06V 10/80 - Fusion, c. à d. combinaison des données de diverses sources au niveau du capteur, du prétraitement, de l’extraction des caractéristiques ou de la classification
2.
METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS TO UTILIZE END-OF-LIFE DATA GENERATED DURING RECYCLING AND WASTE SORTATION FOR COUNTERFEIT DETERRENCE AND OTHER ACTIONS
A waste stream is analyzed during recycling or waste sortation. Certain features of the technology allow identification of waste stream items, context aggregation associated with the items, and information management for counterfeit deterrence and supply chain management. A variety of further features and arrangements are also detailed.
G06V 10/70 - Dispositions pour la reconnaissance ou la compréhension d’images ou de vidéos utilisant la reconnaissance de formes ou l’apprentissage automatique
2D code patterns, such as digital watermark patterns, are formed on plastic objects by injection molding. In some implementations, a marked cell of the code pattern is not formed by a single mark on the mold surface, but by multiple discrete marks. Such marks can be exceedingly small (e.g., 50 microns or less - smaller than the width of a human hair), yet the resulting code pattern on the molded object is still readable from a distance. The small scale of the marks assures that the code pattern does not detract from object aesthetics, while also speeding the mold-marking process. Style transfer networks are employed in some implementations. The detailed technologies facilitate digital marking and identification of a great number of consumer plastic objects, thereby aiding recovery of such objects for recycling. Many other features and arrangements are also detailed.
A thermoplastic resin is molded to define a container bearing a surface 2D code signal, such as a digital watermark pattern. In some arrangements, the mold dimensions are tailored, and process parameters are selected, so that an indentation in the mold gives rise to a corresponding indentation - rather than a corresponding protrusion - in the shaped plastic. In other arrangements, a metal mold is provided with a patterned resin on its surface to define the 2D code signal. The resin may take the form of a rigid or non-rigid insert that can be removed or re-worked to change the code signal without changing the metal mold. A variety of other improvements and arrangements are also detailed.
G06K 19/06 - Supports d'enregistrement pour utilisation avec des machines et avec au moins une partie prévue pour supporter des marques numériques caractérisés par le genre de marque numérique, p.ex. forme, nature, code
B29C 49/42 - Moulage par soufflage, c. à d. en soufflant une préforme ou une paraison dans un moule pour obtenir la forme désirée; Appareils à cet effet - Eléments constitutifs, détails ou accessoires; Opérations auxiliaires
A waste stream is analyzed and sorted to segregate different items for recycling. Certain features of the technology improve the accuracy with which waste stream items are diverted to collection repositories. Other features concern adaptation of neural networks in accordance with context information sensed from the waste. Still other features serve to automate and simplify maintenance of machine vision systems used in waste sorting. Yet other aspects of the technology concern marking 2D machine readable code data on items having complex surfaces (e.g., food containers with integral ribbing for structural strength or juice pooling), to mitigate issues that such surfaces can introduce in code reading. Still other aspects of the technology concern prioritizing certain blocks of conveyor belt imagery for analysis. Yet other aspects of the technology concern joint use of near infrared spectroscopy, artificial intelligence, digital watermarking, and/or other techniques, for waste sorting. A variety of further features and arrangements are also detailed.
G06K 19/06 - Supports d'enregistrement pour utilisation avec des machines et avec au moins une partie prévue pour supporter des marques numériques caractérisés par le genre de marque numérique, p.ex. forme, nature, code
6.
ENCODING SIGNALS ON FLEXOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLATES TO ENABLE TRACKING AND MANAGEMENT
The present disclosure relates generally to signal encoding for flexographic printing plates. One aspect is a flexographic, photopolymer printing plate having transparent layers to allow encoded signal printed or laser ablated thereon to be detectable from both sides of the printing plate. Another aspect is a flexographic, photopolymer printing plate having an encoded signal formed in a photocured layer. Still another aspect is a system for tracking such printing plates, including managing location, print impression count, location tracking, etc. Other aspects are described as well.
B32B 7/03 - Produits stratifiés caractérisés par la relation entre les couches; Produits stratifiés caractérisés par l’orientation relative des éléments caractéristiques entre les couches, ou par les valeurs relatives d’un paramètre mesurable entre les couches, c. à d. produits comprenant des couches ayant des propriétés physiqu; Produits stratifiés caractérisés par la jonction entre les couches concernant l’orientation des éléments caractéristiques
C08F 299/02 - Composés macromoléculaires obtenus par des interréactions de polymères impliquant uniquement des réactions entre des liaisons non saturées carbone-carbone, en l'absence de monomères non macromoléculaires à partir de polycondensats non saturés
G03C 5/08 - Tirage photographique; Procédés ou moyens pour empêcher le tirage photographique
A surface is laser-etched to convey a 2D machine-readable code pattern. Various strategies are detailed to minimize the etching time. Some strategies include modifying the code pattern to reduce a path length traveled by the laser. Some strategies include modifying the code pattern to make it sub-optimal, i.e., making the code pattern a less-faithful approximation of an ideal code pattern. In some embodiments the etched surface is the surface of a plastic container, and the code pattern conveys information indicating the type of plastic of which the container is manufactured. A variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
A thermoplastic resin, such as PET, is molded to define a 2D code signal, such as a digital watermark pattern. The mold can comprise an array of hole or spike features, some of which are directly vented to atmospheric pressure. A network of channels can link the other features to the directly-vented features, so all features are vented. A mold comprising spike features can form a digital watermark pattern on an item such that the watermark payload is decodable both from the side of the item that contacted the mold, and also from the opposite, non-contact side of the item. To aid entry of viscous thermoplastic among the very fine elemental features of a mold representing a watermark signal pattern, the features can be overlapped, forming a connected binary mark having larger features. A variety of other improvements and arrangements are also detailed.
G06K 19/06 - Supports d'enregistrement pour utilisation avec des machines et avec au moins une partie prévue pour supporter des marques numériques caractérisés par le genre de marque numérique, p.ex. forme, nature, code
B29C 33/42 - Moules ou noyaux; Leurs détails ou accessoires caractérisés par la forme de la surface de moulage, p.ex. par des nervures ou des rainures
Images depicting items in a waste flow on a conveyor belt are provided to two analysis systems. The first system processes images to decode digital watermark payload data found on certain of the items (e.g., plastic containers). This payload data is used to look up corresponding attribute metadata for the items in a database, such as the type of plastic in each item, and whether the item was used as a food container or not. The second analysis system can be a spectroscopy system that determines the type of plastic in each item by its absorption characteristics. When the two systems conflict in identifying the plastic type, a sorting logic processor applies a rule set to arbitrate the conflict and determine which plastic type is most likely. The item is then sorted into one of several different bins depending on a combination of the final plastic identification, and whether the item was used as a food container or not. A variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
10.
COLOR MANAGED EMBEDDING SYSTEM FOR EMBEDDING SIGNALS IN COLOR ARTWORK
The present disclosure relates generally to signal encoding for printed objects such as product packaging, labels and hangtags. One implementation obtains a color image representing CMY color channels, and alters the color image to include an encoded signal by altering values representing CIELAB a* and b*, all the while keeping L* on or within a predetermined tolerance of a contour representing a constant value. Other implementations are provided.
A vector graphics file includes at least one artwork layer and at least one watermark layer. The watermark layer comprises a pattern of vector graphics primitives, each of which is filled with a color that is a tinted variant of the color of the location in the artwork that the primitive overlies. Such layered arrangement enables the watermark to be added or omitted, and varied in strength, payload and appearance, at will. Yet the artwork layer is left unchanged through such manipulations. In some embodiments the watermark conveys a multi-symbol Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), and the file is used to generate a label or packaging for a food or general merchandise retail item. A great number of other arrangements, features and advantages are also detailed.
2D machine readable symbologies are stylized and made aesthetically-appealing, facilitating their use to convey plural- symbol data on product packaging and other articles. In some arrangements, a symbology is mimicked as a collage of excerpts from a style image (e.g., a photograph or other artwork). To human viewers, the stylized symbology resembles the style image, rather than the 2D symbology. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
A plastic item, such as a beverage bottle, can convey two distinct digital watermarks, encoded using two distinct signaling protocols. A first, printed label watermark conveys a retailing payload, including a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) used by a point-of-sale scanner in a retail store to identify and price the item when presented for checkout. A second, plastic texture watermark may convey a recycling payload, including data identifying the composition of the plastic. The use of two different signaling protocols assures that a point-of-sale scanner will not spend its limited time and computational resources working to decode the recycling watermark, which may lack data needed for retail checkout. In some embodiments, a recycling apparatus makes advantageous use of both types of watermarks to identify the plastic composition of the item (e.g., relating GTIN to plastic type using an associated database), thereby increasing the fraction of items that are correctly identified for sorting and recycling. In other embodiments the plastic item (or a label thereon) bears only a single watermark. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
G06K 19/06 - Supports d'enregistrement pour utilisation avec des machines et avec au moins une partie prévue pour supporter des marques numériques caractérisés par le genre de marque numérique, p.ex. forme, nature, code
G06K 19/063 - Supports d'enregistrement pour utilisation avec des machines et avec au moins une partie prévue pour supporter des marques numériques caractérisés par le genre de marque numérique, p.ex. forme, nature, code le support comportant des perforations ou des encoches latérales, p.ex. des fentes allongées
G06Q 10/08 - Logistique, p.ex. entreposage, chargement ou distribution; Gestion d’inventaires ou de stocks
B29B 17/02 - Séparation de matières plastiques des autres matières
14.
GENERATING ARTISTIC DESIGNS ENCODED WITH ROBUST, MACHINE-READABLE DATA
Artwork carrying machine readable data is generated by editing artwork according to a data signal or transforming the data signal into artwork. The machine readable data signal is generated from a digital payload and converted into an image tile. Artwork is edited according to the image tile by moving graphic elements, adapting intersections of lines, or altering line density, among other techniques. Artwork is generated from the data signal by skeletonizing it and applying morphological operators to a skeletal representation, such as a medial axis transform. Artistic effects are introduced by filtering the data signal with directional blurring or shape filters.
H04N 1/32 - Circuits ou dispositions pour la commande ou le contrôle entre l'émetteur et le récepteur
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
In an illustrative system, a point-of-sale scanner is equipped to respond to multiple different symbologies printed on a single product. The scanner captures many frames per second, as products are swiped through a viewing volume. Each frame is decoded, yielding one or more payloads. A reconciliation module compares each newly-decoded payload against a list of payloads previously output by the module, to determine if the current payload is semantically- equivalent to a previously-output payload. If so, the previously-output payload is output again, in lieu of the just-decoded payload. If no equivalent is found, the current payload is output and added to the list for comparison against future payloads. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
Optical code signal components are generated and then transformed into signal bearing art that conveys machine readable data. The components of an optical code are optimized to achieve improved signal robustness, reliability, capacity and/or visual quality. An optimization program can determine spatial density, dot distance, dot size and signal component priority to optimize robustness. An optical code generator transforms tiles of an optical code or image embedded with the optical code into signal-bearing art using stipple, Voronoi, Delaunay or other graphic drawing methods so as to retain prioritized components of the optical code. The optical code is merged into a host image, such as imagery, text and graphics of a package or label, or it may be printed by itself, e.g., on an otherwise blank label or carton. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
G06T 11/20 - Traçage à partir d'éléments de base, p.ex. de lignes ou de cercles
G06T 11/80 - Création ou modification d'une image dessinée ou peinte à la main en utilisant un dispositif manuel d'entrée, p.ex. une souris, un crayon lumineux, des touches de direction sur le clavier
G06F 3/12 - Sortie numérique vers une unité d'impression
17.
GENERATING AND READING OPTICAL CODES WITH VARIABLE DENSITY TO ADAPT FOR VISUAL QUALITY AND RELIABILITY
A variety of arrangements for producing 2D optical codes, allowing for variable spatial density of marking elements, are detailed. Such arrangements achieve highly reliable data transfer (in conjunction with a compliant decoder) while efficiently using a small number of marking elements (dots), and/or a low density of dots per unit area. Most of the codes are formed from (a) a message component that conveys a payload, and (b) a reference component that enables geometric synchronization. Dots can be allocated to serve one or both of these purposes. In a particular embodiment, parameters of an optical code are optimized to achieve improved signal robustness, reliability, capacity and/or visual quality. An optimization program can determine spatial density, dot distance, dot size and signal component priority to optimize robustness. An optical code generator employs these parameters to produce an optical code at the desired spatial density and robustness. The optical code may be merged into a host image, such as imagery, text and graphics of a package or label, or it may be printed by itself, e.g., on an otherwise blank label or carton. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
A neural network is applied to imagery including a machine readable code, to transform its appearance while maintaining its machine readability. One particular method includes training a neural network with a style image having various features. The trained network is then applied to an input pattern that encodes a plural-symbol payload. The network adapts features from the style image to express details of the input pattern, to thereby produce an output image in which features from the style image contribute to encoding of the plural-symbol payload. This output image can then be used as a graphical component in product packaging, such as a background, border, or pattern fill. In some embodiments, the input pattern is a watermark pattern, while in others it is a host image that has been previously watermarked. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
The geometric pose of a patch of watermark data is estimated based on the position of a similar, but non-identical, patch of information within a data structure. The information in the data structure corresponds to a tiled array of calibration patterns that is sampled along at least three non-parallel paths. In a particular embodiment, the calibration patterns are sampled so that edges are globally-curved, yet locally-flat. Use of such information in the data structure enables enhanced pose estimation, e.g., speeding up operation, enabling pose estimation from smaller patches of watermark signals, and/or enabling pose estimation from weaker watermark signals. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
The present disclosure relates generally to image signal processing, including encoding signals for image data or artwork. A color blend/print model is used to predict signal detectability and visibility as is printed on a particular substrate, which facilitates object grading prior to print runs.
This disclosure relates to advanced image signal processing technology including encoded signals and digital watermarking. We disclose methods, systems and apparatus for determining which ink(s) should be selected to carry an encoded signal for a given machine-vision wavelength for a retail package or other printed design. We also disclose retail product packages and other printed objects, and methods to generate such, including a sparse mark in a first ink and an overprinted ink flood in a second ink. The first ink and the second ink are related through tack and spectral reflectance difference. Of course, other methods, packages, printed objects, systems and apparatus are described in this disclosure.
A steganographic digital watermark signal is decoded from host imagery without requiring a domain transformation for signal synchronization, thereby speeding and simplifying the decoding operation. In time-limited applications, such as in supermarket point-of-sale scanners that attempt watermark decode operations on dozens of video frames every second, the speed improvement allows a greater percentage of each image frame to be analyzed for watermark data. In battery-powered mobile devices, avoidance of repeated domain transformations extends battery life. A great variety of other features and arrangements, including machine learning aspects, are also detailed.
G06T 1/00 - Traitement de données d'image, d'application générale
H04N 19/467 - Inclusion d’information supplémentaire dans le signal vidéo pendant le processus de compression caractérisée par le caractère invisible de l’information incluse, p.ex. un filigrane
H03M 13/15 - Codes cycliques, c. à d. décalages cycliques de mots de code produisant d'autres mots de code, p.ex. codes définis par un générateur polynomial, codes de Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghen [BCH]
G06N 99/00 - Matière non prévue dans les autres groupes de la présente sous-classe
Signal processing devices and methods estimate a geometric transform of an image signal. From a seed set of transform candidates, a direct least squares method applies a seed transform candidate to a reference signal and then measures correlation between the transformed reference signal and an image signal in which the reference signal is encoded. Geometric transform candidates encompass differential scale and shear, which are useful in approximating a perspective transform. For each candidate, update coordinates of reference signal features are identified in the image signal and provided as input to a least squares method to compute an update to the transform candidate. The method iterates so long as the update of the transform provides a better correlation. At the end of the process, the method identifies a geometric transform or set of top transforms based on a further analysis of correlation, as well as other results. Phase characteristics are exploited in the process of updating coordinates and measuring correlation. The geometric transform is used as an approximation of the geometric distortion of an image after digital data is encoded in it, and is used to compensate for this distortion to facilitate extracting embedded digital messages from the image. Due to the errors in the approximation, a signal confidence metric is determined and used to weight message symbol estimates extracted from the image.
Digital watermarking is adapted for the variable data printing. A reference signal serves as a proxy for optimizing the embedding a watermark in a host image to be printed. Using the reference signal, embedding parameters are generated, which are a function of constraints such as visual quality and robustness of the machine readable data. Adjustments needed to embed a unique payload in each printed piece are generated using the embedding parameters. These adjustments are stored in a manner that enables them to be efficiently obtained and applied within the RIP or press during operation of the press. Various other methods, system configurations and applications are also detailed.
The present disclosure relates to signal processing such as digital watermarking and data hiding. A sparse or dense digital watermark signal can be conveyed with a narrow-band absorption material corresponding to a center wavelength of a Point of Sale (POS) barcode scanner. The POS barcode scanner typically captures 2D imagery. Since the narrow-band absorption material absorbs over a narrow-band it is relatively imperceptible to the Human Visual System (HVS) but can be seen by the POS scanner.
Sparse signal modulation schemes encode a data channel on a host image in a manner that is robust, flexible to achieve perceptual quality constraints, and provides improved data capacity. The host image is printed by any of a variety of means to apply the image, with sparse signal, to an object. After image capture of the object, a decoder processes the captured image to detect and extract data modulated into the sparse signal. The sparse signal may incorporate implicit or explicit synchronization components, which are either formed from the data signal or are complementary to it.
G06T 1/00 - Traitement de données d'image, d'application générale
H04L 9/32 - Dispositions pour les communications secrètes ou protégées; Protocoles réseaux de sécurité comprenant des moyens pour vérifier l'identité ou l'autorisation d'un utilisateur du système
27.
DIFFERENTIAL MODULATION FOR ROBUST SIGNALING AND SYNCHRONIZATION
Differential modulation schemes encode a data channel within host signal or noisy environment in a manner that is robust, flexible to achieve perceptual quality constraints, and provides improved data capacity. Differential arrangements enable a decoder to suppress host signal or other background signal interference when detecting, synchronizing and extracting an encoded data channel. They also enable the incorporation of implicit or explicit synchronization components, which are either formed from the data signal or are complementary to it.
H04N 19/467 - Inclusion d’information supplémentaire dans le signal vidéo pendant le processus de compression caractérisée par le caractère invisible de l’information incluse, p.ex. un filigrane
G10L 19/018 - Mise en place d’un filigrane audio, c. à d. insertion de données inaudibles dans le signal audio
28.
METHODS AND ARRANGEMENTS INCLUDING DATA MIGRATION AMONG COMPUTING PLATFORMS, E.G., THROUGH USE OF STEGANOGRAPHIC SCREEN ENCODING
An illustrative implementation of the technology includes three primary components: a desktop application, a mobile phone application, and connections to retailer inventory and pricing APIs (e.g., for Walmart and/or Best Buy). The experience begins with the consumer going to an online retailer's website (e.g., Amazon) to search for a product. The desktop application automatically searches for the same product using the APIs of Walmart and/or Best Buy. If matches and near-matches of the product are found, the product name, model, price, and local availability at affiliate locations is shown. With a mobile phone camera-scan of the product page, relevant information is transferred to the consumer's phone. From there, the consumer can interact with the options on the mobile phone to be directed to the nearby brick and mortar store of choice carrying that product at the price they want. Along the way, the retailer can present offers and additional product information directly to the consumer. A great variety of other technologies and arrangements are also detailed.
The present disclosure relates generally to signal processing such as data encoding and data hiding for product packaging and other printed objects. One embodiment embeds an information signal in a spot color for product packaging. The spot color is screened, and overprinted with process color tint. The tint is modulated prior to overprinting with optimized signal tweaks. The optimization can include consideration of a detector spectral dependency (e.g., red and/or green illumination). Other embodiments and combinations are described in the subject patent document.
In an exemplary embodiment, image content is rendered to include a digital watermark pattern at an essentially fixed scale, regardless of the size of screen on which the content is displayed, or a display zoom factor. In one particular embodiment, CSS and JavaScript are responsive to the rendering context (which can include screen size, zoom factor, and/or viewer position) to define the geometry of a watermarked texture block, which is tiled to serve as a background of an HTML-defined page. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
31.
METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR CUE DETECTION FROM AUDIO INPUT, LOW-POWER DATA PROCESSING AND RELATED ARRANGEMENTS
Methods and arrangements involving electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablet computers, wearable devices, etc., are disclosed. One arrangement involves a low-power processing technique for discerning cues from audio input. Another involves a technique for detecting audio activity based on the Kullback-Liebler divergence (KLD) (or a modified version thereof) of the audio input. Still other arrangements concern techniques for managing the manner in which policies are embodied on an electronic device. Others relate to distributed computing techniques. A great variety of other features are also detailed.
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. Various configurations of spectral capture devices are employed to capture spectral images comprised of spectral vectors having multi-dimensions per pixel. These spectral images are processed for use in object identification, classification, and a variety of other applications. Particular applications include produce (e.g., fruit or vegetable) identification.
Arrangements are detailed to process imagery of an object, captured by a camera, based on contextual data that at least partially characterizes a condition of the object when the imagery was captured. Contextual data can be obtained directly by a sensor or can be derived by pre-processing the captured imagery. The captured imagery can be processed to detect features such as digital watermarks, fingerprints, barcodes, etc. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
Signal detection and recognition employees coordinated illumination and capture of images under to facilitate extraction of a signal of interest. Pulsed illumination of different colors facilitates extraction of signals from color channels, as well as improved signal to noise ratio by combining signals of different color channels. The successive pulsing of different color illumination appears white to the user, yet facilitates signal detection, even for lower cost monochrome sensors, as in barcode scanning and other automatic identification equipment.
G06K 7/12 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture de supports d'enregistrement par radiation corpusculaire utilisant une longueur d'onde choisie, p.ex. pour lire des marques rouges et ignorer des marques bleues
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.
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
G06F 21/16 - Traçabilité de programme ou de contenu, p.ex. par filigranage
G06K 9/32 - Alignement ou centrage du capteur d'image ou de la zone image
G06T 1/00 - Traitement de données d'image, d'application générale
G06K 9/62 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la reconnaissance utilisant des moyens électroniques
36.
INFORMATION CODING AND DECODING IN SPECTRAL DIFFERENCES
Information is encoded in an image signal by exploiting spectral differences between colors that appear the same when rendered. These spectral differences are detected using image sensing that discerns the spectral differences. Spectral difference detection methods include using sensor- synchronized spectrally- structured- light imaging, 3D sensors, imaging spectrophotometers, and higher resolution Bayer pattern capture relative to resolution of patches used to convey a spectral difference signal.
H04N 1/405 - Conversion en demi-teintes, c.à d. conversion du signal d'image d'un original à tons continus en un signal correspondant ne possédant que deux niveaux
37.
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 steganographic 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.
Content played at an event is identified using watermarking and/or other content recognition combined with contextual metadata, which facilitates identification and correlation with other content and metadata when it is posted to a network.
H04N 21/8358 - Génération de données de protection, p.ex. certificats impliquant des filigranes numériques
H04N 21/4408 - Traitement de flux élémentaires vidéo, p.ex. raccordement d'un clip vidéo récupéré d'un stockage local avec un flux vidéo en entrée ou rendu de scènes selon des graphes de scène MPEG-4 impliquant le cryptage de flux vidéo, p.ex. re-cryptage d'un flux vidéo décrypté pour la redistribution dans un réseau domestique
H04N 21/2347 - Traitement de flux vidéo élémentaires, p.ex. raccordement de flux vidéo ou transformation de graphes de scènes MPEG-4 impliquant le cryptage de flux vidéo
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.
G06F 19/10 - Bio-informatique, c. à d. procédés ou systèmes pour le traitement de données génétiques ou se rapportant aux protéines en biologie moléculaire informatique (procédés in silico de criblage de bibliothèques chimiques virtuelles C40B 30/02;procédés mathématiques ou in silicio de création de bibliothèques chimiques virtuelles C40B 50/02)
G06F 17/30 - Recherche documentaire; Structures de bases de données à cet effet
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.
A decade from now, a visit to the supermarket will be a very different experience than the familiar experiences of decades past. Product packaging will come alive with interactivity - each object a portal into a rich tapestry of experiences, with contributions authored by the product brand, by the store selling the product, and by other shoppers. The present technology concerns arrangements for authoring and delivering such experiences. A great variety of other features and technologies are also detailed.
Imagery from two or more users' different smartphones is streamed to a cloud processor, enabling creation of 3D model information about a scene being imaged. From this model, arbitrary views and streams can be synthesized. In one arrangement, a user of such a system is at a sports arena, and her view of the sporting event is blocked when another spectator rises to his feet in front of her. Nonetheless, the imagery presented on her headworn display continues uninterrupted - the blocked imagery from that viewpoint being seamlessly re-created based on imagery contributed by other system users in the arena. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
The disclosure relates to a smartphone-based virtual wallet, that manages payment options available to a user. One claim recites a portable device comprising: a touch screen display; a microphone for capturing ambient audio; memory for storing an image; and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured for: generating copies of the stored image; embedding one of the plurality of outputs in a copy of the stored image and proceeding with embedding until each of the plurality of outputs is so embedded in a copy of the stored image, in which the embedding utilizes digital watermarking; causing the touch screen display to display embedded image copies so as to cause a static image display effect, the displayed embedded image copies being displayed by the portable device in response to a user input to enable a financial transaction.
Novel imaging arrangements are detailed. One comprises an optical array sensor with plural photo-electron generating regions dispersed at two or more layers in the structure. Two of these photo-electron generating regions are vertically separated by at least 10 microns - making the sensor useful for sensing objects at focal distances ranging from less than ten inches, out to infinity. The photosites may be spectrally selective. One such arrangement includes a top CMOS sensor array that passes 25% or more of the visible incident light into the structure. A second CMOS sensor array can be provided at a bottom of the structure, for receiving light that was not transduced to photo-electrons elsewhere in the sensor. Another arrangement involves movement of a camera sensor, in a repetitive tracking/pop-back motion, to reduce motion blur in individual frames of a video sequence. A great number of other arrangements are also detailed.
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.
Audio signal processing enhances audio watermark embedding and detecting processes. Audio signal processes include audio classification and adapting watermark embedding and detecting based on classification. Advances in audio watermark design include adaptive watermark signal structure data protocols, perceptual models, and insertion methods. Perceptual and robustness evaluation is integrated into audio watermark embedding to optimize audio quality relative the original signal, and to optimize robustness or data capacity. These methods are applied to audio segments in audio embedder and detector configurations to support real time operation. Feature extraction and matching are also used to adapt audio watermark embedding and detecting.
G06F 17/00 - TRAITEMENT ÉLECTRIQUE DE DONNÉES NUMÉRIQUES Équipement ou méthodes de traitement de données ou de calcul numérique, spécialement adaptés à des fonctions spécifiques
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. Logos may be identified and used - or ignored - in product identification. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
An object (e.g., a driver's license) is tested for authenticity using imagery captured by a consumer device (e.g., a mobile phone camera). Corresponding data is sent from the consumer device to a remote system, which has secret knowledge about features indicating object authenticity. The phone, or the remote system, discerns the pose of the object relative to the camera from the captured imagery. The remote system tests the received data for the authentication features, and issues an output signal indicating whether the object is authentic. This testing involves modeling the image data that would be captured by the consumer device from an authentic object - based on the object's discerned pose (and optionally based on information about the camera optics), and then comparing this modeled data with the data sent from the consumer device. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
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.
A location based router system comprises a router in communication with an ad hoc network of devices, including at least one mobile device. The router directs packets from the network to associated agents. The router receives queries from requesting clients, such as the mobile device, and provides location to the requesting client. Additionally, depending on preferences of the client, it also routes market packets for location based services back to the mobile device dependent on its location. A method of providing location based service to a mobile device in a wireless network. The method receives a query for location in the wireless network from the wireless device. The query includes an opt-in level for participating in offers for location based services. Mobile device location computed from packets transmitted between the mobile device and nodes in the wireless network is determined.
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.
The invention provides a method of computing positioning of a mobile device in a wireless network. This positioning method receives associated pings exchanged among a network of nodes. The pings include count stamps of ping transmit and receipt, and a count stamp of a message received by the network nodes from the mobile device. The method evaluates count stamps to determine clock differences among clocks of the network nodes. From the clock differences, the method determines pseudo ranges between the network nodes and the mobile device. The method determines location of the mobile device by evaluating the differences between ranges of candidate positions of the mobile device and the pseudo ranges. It minimizes a function of errors associated with the position candidates to determine the mobile device's location.
Digital data is optically broadcast through an environment by controllably switching the brightness or chrominance of LED solid state lamps, or of other illumination sources (e.g., television screens and backlit computer displays). This optical data channel is useful to convey cryptographic key data by which devices within the environment can authenticate themselves to a secure network. In some embodiments, the optical modulation is sensed by the camera of a smartphone. The row data output by the smartphone's camera sensor is processed to extract the modulated data signal. In some monochrome embodiments, data communication speeds far in excess of the camera's frame rate (e.g., 30/ second), or even the camera's row rate (e.g., 14,400/second) are achieved. Still greater rates can be achieved by conveying different data in different chrominance channels. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
In one embodiment, a first set of digital data (e.g., an image) is tested for the presence of a certain feature (e.g., a certain face), yielding one of two outcomes (e.g., not-present, or present). If the testing yields the first outcome, no additional testing is performed. If, however, the testing yields the second outcome, further testing is performed to further check this outcome. Such further testing is performed on a second set of digital data that is based on, but different from, the first set of data. Only if the original testing and the further testing both yield the same second outcome is it treated as a valid result. A variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
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.
G06K 9/46 - Extraction d'éléments ou de caractéristiques de l'image
G06K 9/66 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la reconnaissance utilisant des moyens électroniques utilisant des comparaisons ou corrélations simultanées de signaux images avec une pluralité de références, p.ex. matrice de résistances avec des références réglables par une méthode adaptative, p.ex. en s'instruisant
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.
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, e.g., involving marked conveyor belts, colored illumination clues, expedited checkout for trusted shoppers, expert bagging systems, etc., are also detailed.
Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) tend to be specialized and expensive - relegated to only key points in power distribution networks, and are generally reliant on GPS technology. The present disclosure details how any smart meter - using wireless communication - can perform sub-microsecond-grade synchrophasor measurements. Other aspects concern smart meter-based determination of A, B or C phase of the tri-phase power network. This can involve count-stamp enabling message packets sent to and/or from a smart meter, and then associating such count-stamps to local measurements of power phase by a metrology unit. Once a network of such enabled smart meters and other devices is formed, sub-microsecond metropolitan-wide and entire region- wide synchronizing time standard can calibrate local measurements of power phase, where simple A, B and C phase determination is one low hanging fruit application of such. Low cost aggregate monitoring of metropolitan-wide synchrophasors promises a next chapter of importance for that relatively recent art.
A location of a mobile device within a network is determined. The network includes a plurality of fixed nodes. A method includes receiving, at the plurality of fixed nodes, receive messages transmitted from the mobile communication device. Each of the plurality of fixed nodes generates a receive count stamp for each receive message corresponding to a local counter value at the receipt of the receive message. At each of the plurality of fixed nodes, the method includes processing the receive count stamps to calculate a set of pseudo-ranges between the respective fixed node and the mobile device, and measuring multipath delay included within the set of pseudo-ranges. Based on the measurement, the multipath delay is removed from the set of pseudo-ranges to determine a range estimate between the mobile device and each of the fixed nodes. Based on the range estimates, a location of the mobile device is calculated.
H04M 11/04 - Systèmes de communication téléphonique spécialement adaptés pour être combinés avec d'autres systèmes électriques avec systèmes d’alarme, p.ex. systèmes d’alarme d'incendie, de police ou systèmes antivol
A location aware intelligent transportation system determines ranges between a plurality of communication devices, including at least one mobile communication device. A method Includes receiving receive messages transmitted from a plurality of other communication devices. Each receive message includes a transmit count stamp corresponding to a remote counter value. The mobile communication device generates a receive count stamp for each receive message. The method includes dynamically associating and disassociating the mobile communication device with a plurality of sub-groups of the plurality of other communication devices. The associating and disassociating are based at least in part on receiving receive messages from a predetermined number of other communication devices for each sub-group.
G01S 3/02 - Radiogoniomètres pour déterminer la direction d'où proviennent des ondes infrasonores, sonores, ultrasonores ou électromagnétiques ou des émissions de particules sans caractéristiques de direction utilisant des ondes radio
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.
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. 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.
Arrangements are detailed to aid a user in positioning a camera-equipped device (e.g., a smartphone) at a particular viewing position relative to an object being imaged. Other embodiments discern the device's viewing position, and then undertake image or other processing that is dependent on such viewpoint. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
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 for rendering that creator's content - assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another arrangement utilizes the smartphone 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 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.
Signal processing devices and methods estimate transforms between signals using a least squares technique. A direct least squares method applies a seed transform candidate to a reference signal and then measures correlation between the transformed reference signal and a suspect signal. For each candidate, update coordinates of reference signal features are identified in the suspect signal and provided as input to a least squares method to compute an update to the transform candidate. At the end of the process, the method identifies a transform or set of top transforms based on a further analysis of correlation. A phase estimation method estimates the phase of reference signal components in a suspect signal using a point spread function. A phase deviation method determines translation between a reference and suspect signal by analyzing a phase deviation surface created by computing a deviation metric for phase shift estimates.
H03M 7/00 - Conversion d'un code, dans lequel l'information est représentée par une séquence donnée ou par un nombre de chiffres, en un code dans lequel la même information est représentée par une séquence ou par un nombre de chiffres différents
66.
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.
H04B 1/38 - TRANSMISSION - Détails des systèmes de transmission non caractérisés par le milieu utilisé pour la transmission Émetteurs-récepteurs, c. à d. dispositifs dans lesquels l'émetteur et le récepteur forment un ensemble structural et dans lesquels au moins une partie est utilisée pour des fonctions d'émission et de réception
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. In another arrangement, haptic feedback signals social network information about a product or place. 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.
H04M 1/00 - COMMUNICATIONS TÉLÉPHONIQUES Équipement de sous-station, p.ex. pour utilisation par l'abonné
68.
IDENTIFYING AND REDRESSING SHADOWS IN CONNECTION WITH DIGITAL WATERMARKING AND FINGERPRINTING; AND DYNAMIC SIGNAL DETECTION ADAPTED BASED ON LIGHTING INFORMATION
Shadow detection in images captured by cell phones and cameras relates to digital watermarking, steganographic data hiding and fingerprinting involves identifying a shadow cast by a camera on a subject being imaged. Using a processor, redress the shadow in connection with reading a digital watermark from imagery captured of the subject or calculating a fingerprint from the imagery captured of the subject. Identify a shadow cast by a cell phone on a subject and using a processor, determine a proximity of the camera to the subject based on an analysis of the shadow. Obtain lighting information associated with image or video capture and adapt a signal identification process to deemphasize signal contribution of the blue channel when the lighting information is associated with incandescent lighting; and using a processor, analyze image or video data to derive identifying information therefrom. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too.
An image is encoded to define one or more spatial regions that can be sensed by a suitably-equipped mobile device (e.g., a smartphone), but are imperceptible to humans. When such a mobile device senses one of these regions, it takes an action in response (e.g., rendering an associated tone, playing linked video, etc.). One form of encoding employs modification of the color content of the image at higher spatial frequencies. In one embodiment, the encoding comprises altering a transform domain representation of the image by adding signal energy in a first chrominance channel, where the added signal energy falls primarily within a segmented arc region in a transform domain space. In another arrangement, a smartphone display presents both image data captured from a scene, and a transform representation of the image data.
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
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.
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.
G10L 21/00 - Traitement du signal de parole ou de voix pour produire un autre signal audible ou non audible, p.ex. visuel ou tactile, afin de modifier sa qualité ou son intelligibilité
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.
The present invention relates to program instructions stored on a computer readable medium, and operative to configure a programmable processing system to perform the following acts: provide plural authoring tools enabling a user to define elements of a work of art, at least one of said tools providing a network hook by which network functionality can be associated with an element; provide at least one network authoring tool enabling a user to define network functionality associated with one or more of said network hooks; wherein the configured system is adapted to produce artwork comprised of elements, at least certain of which are associated with user-defined network functionality.
G06F 17/00 - TRAITEMENT ÉLECTRIQUE DE DONNÉES NUMÉRIQUES Équipement ou méthodes de traitement de données ou de calcul numérique, spécialement adaptés à des fonctions spécifiques
74.
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.
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.
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
Audio and or video data is structurally and persistently associated with auxiliary sensor data (e.g., relating to acceleration, orientation or tilt) through use of a unitary data object, such as a modified MPEG file or data stream. In this form, different rendering devices can employ coconveyed sensor data to alter the audio or video content. Such use of the sensor data may be personalized to different users, e.g., through preference data. For example, accelerometer data can be associated with video data, allowing some users to view a shake-stabilized version of a video, and other users to view the video with such motion artifacts undisturbed. In like fashion, camera parameters, such as focal plane distance, can be co-conveyed with audiolvideo content - allowing the volume to be diminished when a camera captures audiolvideo from a distant subject. Some arrangements employ multiple image sensors andlor multiple audio sensors - each also collecting auxiliary data.
G06F 17/00 - TRAITEMENT ÉLECTRIQUE DE DONNÉES NUMÉRIQUES Équipement ou méthodes de traitement de données ou de calcul numérique, spécialement adaptés à des fonctions spécifiques
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.
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
78.
HISTOGRAM METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR OBJECT RECOGNITION
A multidimensional histogram is used to characterize an image (or object), and is used to identify candidate matches with one or more reference images (or objects). An exemplary implementation employs hue information for two of the dimensions, and a second derivative function based on luminance for a third dimension. The simplicity and speed of the detailed arrangements make them well suited for use with cell phones and other mobile devices, which can use the technology for image/object recognition, e.g., in visual search applications.
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
79.
ROBUST SIGNATURES DERIVED FROM LOCAL NONLINEAR FILTERS
Content signal recognition is based on a multi-axis filtering of the content signal. The signatures are calculated, formed into data structures and organized in a database for quick searching and matching operations used in content recognition. For content recognition, signals are sampled and transformed into signatures using the multi axis filter. The database is searched to recognize the signals as part of a content item in the database. Using the content identification, content metadata is retrieved and provided for a variety of applications. In one application, the metadata is provided in response to a content identification request.
G06F 15/18 - dans lesquels un programme est modifié en fonction de l'expérience acquise par le calculateur lui-même au cours d'un cycle complet; Machines capables de s'instruire (systèmes de commande adaptatifs G05B 13/00;intelligence artificielle G06N)
Content fingerprints and watermarks are combined in various ways for content identification applications. Fingerprints are used to identify content generally while watermarks provide more detailed localization of parts within the content, and vice versa. Fingerprint techniques are further used for signal synchronization and other pre¬ processing steps to assist in digital watermark decoding. A variety of fingerprint/watermark techniques identify characteristics of the channel of content from content samples.
H04L 9/32 - Dispositions pour les communications secrètes ou protégées; Protocoles réseaux de sécurité comprenant des moyens pour vérifier l'identité ou l'autorisation d'un utilisateur du système
81.
IMPROVEMENTS TO 3D DATA REPRESENTATION, CONVEYANCE, AND USE
3D video can be transmitted in a legacy 2D video format by conveying 3rd dimension parameters within a steganographic channel of the perceptual video signal, e.g., DCT coefficients, video samples (luminance, chrominance values), etc. The 3rd dimension parameters can be coded as depth values, disparity, displacement, difference, or parallax values, including depth that is converted into X-Y shifts for adjustment to motion vectors in coded video sequence. To limit the amount of information for the steganographic channel, the 3rd dimension information can be quantized relative to the depth from viewer and other prioritization parameters that limit the need for 3rd dimension information to only aspects of the scene that are deemed important to create a desired 3D effect.
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 sign age 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.
The present technology concerns use of cell phones and other portable devices connection with media content (electronic and physical and with other systems (e g, televisions, digital video recorders, and electronic program directories). Some aspects 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. 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 through 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 scheduled or on-demand content sources. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
G06F 15/16 - Associations de plusieurs calculateurs numériques comportant chacun au moins une unité arithmétique, une unité programme et un registre, p.ex. pour le traitement simultané de plusieurs programmes
84.
TELEVISION-BASED ADVERTISING AND DISTRIBUTION OF TV WIDGETS FOR THE CELL PHONE
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.
G06F 17/00 - TRAITEMENT ÉLECTRIQUE DE DONNÉES NUMÉRIQUES Équipement ou méthodes de traitement de données ou de calcul numérique, spécialement adaptés à des fonctions spécifiques
85.
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-ιn 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
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.
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
87.
CONTENT SERIALIZATION BY VARYING CONTENT PROPERTIES, INCLUDING VARYING MASTER COPY WATERMARK PROPERTIES
Methods for generating unique copies of content are disclosed In one embodiment the method generates a unique copy by varying the manner in which the master copy watermark is embedded in unique copies of a content item The master copy watermark is repeated within the content item and its location is varied in a unique pattern that comprises the unique copy watermark The unique copy is generated by producing a copy in which master copy watermarks are embedded in a unique pattern The variation in location of the instances of the master copy watermark can be in different domains such as a spatial domain, a time domain, a time-space domain, a transform domain, a compressed domain etc
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.
A laser markable document material comprises a binder sensitive to laser energy, a pigment interspersed in the binder, and a document substrate. One example of the pigment is a pearlescent silicate, which has optically varying effects. The binder is applied to the document substrate using a form of printing or other means of applying a coating. This coating provides a first indicia of fixed or variable information, such as the seal of the document issuer or personal information of a document bearer. A laser engraver writes a second indicia into the coating.
B41M 5/00 - Procédés de reproduction ou méthodes de reproduction ou de marquage; Matériaux en feuilles utilisés à cet effet
B42D 15/00 - Cartes ou imprimés d'un format ou d'un type particulier non prévu ailleurs
G06K 19/02 - Supports d'enregistrement pour utilisation avec des machines et avec au moins une partie prévue pour supporter des marques numériques caractérisés par l'utilisation de matériaux spécifiés, p.ex. pour éviter l'usure pendant le transport à travers la machine
A forensic feature for a secure document comprises a base document layer and a covert material applied to the base document layer. The covert material includes a carrier and forensic material within the carrier. The forensic material includes a ratio of salts or oxides of metals, such as rare earth metals. The ratio is selected to correspond with a source of the document. The forensic material may be mixed into a coating or ink that is applied at predetermined locations on a secure document. The ratio is then measurable from metal ion signals of the salts or oxides. This ratio, or some metric derived from it, may be linked with information embedded elsewhere in the document to enable verification of the document. Another forensic document feature has a forensic metric that is measurable from a covert material in the document, and this forensic metric corresponds to a source of the document. A blocking layer applied over the covert material prevents access to the covert material such that at least partial destruction of the document is required to measure the forensic metric. The blocking layer may have a blocking property that blocks electromagnetic waves from activating the covert material, or blocks the electromagnetic waves from the covert material in response to the activating waves. The blocking layer is deconstructed to access the forensic feature, verify the document and perform forensic tracking.
The present invention relates generally to digital watermarking and steganography. In one implementation, a method includes receiving permuted or encrypted data generated at a remote computing device, wherein the received data is encrypted or permuted according to a key carried by a digital watermark embedded in a security document; determining whether the received data matches or corresponds to data stored in a data repository, where the data repository indexes data stored therein without associating indexed data to a particular person or to an issued security document; and communicating an authentication indication to the remote computing device in accordance with a result of the act of determining.
The present invention relates generally to digital watermarking and steganography. In one implementation, a method includes determining a current geographic area of the cell phone; selecting a first digital watermark detector that is associated with the current geographic area, a selected first digital watermark detector being selected from a plurality of different digital watermark detectors; and controlling the cell phone to employ the selected first digital watermark detector to analyze a signal to obtain a digital watermark message there from, wherein the selected first digital watermark detector corresponds to a particular digital watermark embedder that is uniquely assigned to the geographic area.
G06F 15/16 - Associations de plusieurs calculateurs numériques comportant chacun au moins une unité arithmétique, une unité programme et un registre, p.ex. pour le traitement simultané de plusieurs programmes
93.
METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND SUBCOMBINATIONS USEFUL WITH PHYSICAL ARTICLES
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.
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
94.
RULES DRIVEN PAN ID METADATA ROUTING SYSTEM AND NETWORK
A method and system for provides routing of metadata related to media content, using content identifiers to locate the metadata content and rules to determine a subset of the metadata to deliver. This method registers globally unique identifiers for content objects. These globally unique identifiers each comprise a content identifier provided with the content object and a bounding identifier identifying a set of content identifiers of which the content identifier is a member. For each of the globally unique identifiers, information is maintained about a metadata source. The method receives a first content identifier for the content object, and uses a bounding identifier associated with the set of the first content identifier to determine the globally unique identifier for the first content identifier. The user is routed to the metadata source associated with globally unique identifier.
Addition of a covert attribute to a particle in a polymer matrix, such as a UV pigment or hidden layer of material, allows a covert, forensic characteristic and a mathematical description to be calculated adn then captured on it in the barcode (14), magnetic stripe or digital watermark on an ID document.
A digital watermark (DWM) content identifier is steganographically embedded in content. The DWM content identifier provides a link to a rights registry storing usage rights associated with the content. In some implementations the rights registry provides an association between the DWM content identifier and a digital rights management (DRM) content identifier. The DRM content identifier is used to find associated usage rights. The DWM content identifier can also be used to transfer content from a first DRM system to a second DRM system. Other implementations are provided as well.
G06F 7/00 - Procédés ou dispositions pour le traitement de données en agissant sur l'ordre ou le contenu des données maniées
G06F 17/00 - TRAITEMENT ÉLECTRIQUE DE DONNÉES NUMÉRIQUES Équipement ou méthodes de traitement de données ou de calcul numérique, spécialement adaptés à des fonctions spécifiques
G06F 17/30 - Recherche documentaire; Structures de bases de données à cet effet
G06F 7/04 - Contrôle d'égalité, c. à d. pour valeurs égales ou non
G06K 9/00 - Méthodes ou dispositions pour la lecture ou la reconnaissance de caractères imprimés ou écrits ou pour la reconnaissance de formes, p.ex. d'empreintes digitales
G06Q 99/00 - Matière non couverte par les autres groupes de la présente sous-classe
H03M 1/68 - Convertisseurs numériques/analogiques à conversions de sensibilités différentes, c. à d. qu'une conversion se rapportant aux bits les plus significatifs et une autre aux bits les moins significatifs
H04L 9/00 - Dispositions pour les communications secrètes ou protégées; Protocoles réseaux de sécurité
H04L 9/32 - Dispositions pour les communications secrètes ou protégées; Protocoles réseaux de sécurité comprenant des moyens pour vérifier l'identité ou l'autorisation d'un utilisateur du système
H04N 7/16 - Systèmes à secret analogiques; Systèmes à abonnement analogiques
H04N 7/173 - Systèmes à secret analogiques; Systèmes à abonnement analogiques à deux voies, p.ex. l'abonné envoyant un signal de sélection du programme
97.
INTERLOCKING DOCUMENT SECURITY FEATURES USING INCOMPATIBLE INKS
A security feature for an identification document comprises a base document layer, including a first image printed with a covert ink, and a personalized image relating to a bearer of the document (such as a facial photo) printed over the first image. The personalized image is printed with an ink that is incompatible with the covert ink such that the first image becomes overt within the personalized image upon printing of the personalized image. This feature creates an interlocking relationship between the covert image, which may be pre-printed prior to personalization on card stock, and personalized information printed over the covert image. Variations of this feature can be made in which the first image is not covert, yet still creates an interlocking relationship due to ink incompatibilities. Further, the second image may depict information other than personal information.
G06K 19/00 - Supports d'enregistrement pour utilisation avec des machines et avec au moins une partie prévue pour supporter des marques numériques
G06K 19/06 - Supports d'enregistrement pour utilisation avec des machines et avec au moins une partie prévue pour supporter des marques numériques caractérisés par le genre de marque numérique, p.ex. forme, nature, code
B42D 15/00 - Cartes ou imprimés d'un format ou d'un type particulier non prévu ailleurs
B41M 5/00 - Procédés de reproduction ou méthodes de reproduction ou de marquage; Matériaux en feuilles utilisés à cet effet
G03G 7/00 - Emploi de matériaux spécifiés pour utilisation dans les éléments recevant l'image, c. à d. pour inversion par contact physique; Fabrication à cet effet
B32B 3/00 - Produits stratifiés caractérisés essentiellement par le fait qu'une des couches comporte des discontinuités ou des rugosités externes ou internes, ou bien qu'une des couches est de forme générale non plane; Produits stratifiés caractérisés essentiellement par des particularismes de forme
B32B 5/16 - Produits stratifiés caractérisés par l'hétérogénéité ou la structure physique d'une des couches caractérisés par le fait qu'une des couches est formée de particules, p.ex. de copeaux, de fibres hachées, de poudre
B32B 7/14 - Liaison entre couches utilisant des adhésifs interposés ou des matériaux interposés ayant des propriétés adhésives appliqués en disposition espacée, p.ex. en bandes
98.
IMAGE DESTRUCT FEATURE USED WITH IMAGE RECEIVING LAYERS IN SECURE DOCUMENTS
An image destruct material comprises a release layer positioned between an image receiving layer and a base layer. The adhesion between the release layer and the base layer is greater than adhesion between the release layer and the image receiving layer. The release layer material can be used in secure documents that have an image receiving layer, such as used for dye diffusion, mass transfer, ink jet, and xerographic printing. For example, particular implementations are designed for identification documents with a D2T2 image receiving layer. In these implementations, for example, the release layer is in the form of a patterned coating under the image receiving layer. After information is printed on the image receiving layer, an overlaminate is applied over it. Removal of the overlaminate destroys the printed image on the receiving layer because the relative adhesive properties of the image receiving layer, overlaminate and release layer cause the image to release with the overlaminate at the locations of the coating whereas the remainder of the image remains with the base layer.
B41M 5/035 - Procédés de reproduction ou méthodes de reproduction ou de marquage; Matériaux en feuilles utilisés à cet effet en transférant l'encre de la feuille mère par sublimation ou volatilisation de l'image
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.
A security feature for an identification document and method for making it provide layers of security, including, for example, tamper evidence, optically variable effects, and personalized information that links the security information to the document and its bearer. The feature is made by printing a first material representing first information on a core layer of the document. This first material at least partially covers the core layer. One example is Xerographic printing of information about the ID document applicant and the applicant's photo. The process then applies a second material representing second information at least partially overlapping the first material, and cures the second material. One example is ink jet printing of personal information with a UV curable ink in the form of a relief pattern on the core layer. Finally, the process applies a laminate layer over the core layer. The laminate layer covers the first and second materials. The first and second materials adhere differently to the laminate and core layers such that removal of the laminate layer from the core layer causes a separation of the first and second materials. The relief pattern is made to give the document a tactile feel as well as create optically variable effects.
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