Cell phones and other portable devices are equipped with a variety of technologies by which existing functionality can be improved, and new functionality can be provided. Some relate to visual search capabilities, and determining appropriate actions responsive to different image inputs. Others relate to processing of image data. Still others concern metadata generation, processing, and representation. Yet others relate to coping with fixed focus limitations of cell phone cameras, e.g., in reading digital watermark data. Still others concern user interface improvements. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Methods and Systems for Content Processing

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.

Intuitive computing methods and systems

A watermark system includes an embedder, detector, and reader. The watermark embedder encodes a watermark signal in a host signal to create a combined signal. The detector looks for the watermark signal in a potentially corrupted version of the combined signal, and computes its orientation. Finally, a reader extracts a message in the watermark signal from the combined signal using the orientation to approximate the original state of the combined signal. While adapted for images, video and audio, the watermark system applies to other electronic and physical media. For example, it can be applied to mark graphical models, blank paper, film and other substrates, texturing objects for ID purposes, etc.

Watermark embedder and reader

A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object.

Image Capture and Identification System and Process

Arrangements involving portable devices (e.g., smartphones and tablet computers) are disclosed. One arrangement enables a content creator to select software with which that creator's content should be rendered—assuring continuity between artistic intention and delivery. Another utilizes a device camera to identify nearby subjects, and take actions based thereon. Others rely on near field chip (RFID) identification of objects, or on identification of audio streams (e.g., music, voice). Some technologies concern improvements to the user interfaces associated with such devices. Others involve use of these devices in connection with shopping, text entry, sign language interpretation, and vision-based discovery. Still other improvements are architectural in nature, e.g., relating to evidence-based state machines, and blackboard systems. Yet other technologies concern use of linked data in portable devices—some of which exploit GPU capabilities. Still other technologies concern computational photography. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Smartphone-based methods and systems

A wavelet domain watermark encoder and decoder embed and detect auxiliary signals in a media signal, such as a still image, video or audio signal. The watermark encoders and decoders employ techniques that take advantage of processing plural levels of resolution of the signal to embed and detect auxiliary information in the media signal.

Wavelet domain watermarks

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.

Methods for object recognition and related arrangements

To enhance decoding of signals suspected of containing an embedded auxiliary signal, a suspect signal is screened to compute detection values evincing presence and strength of the embedded signal. Screening strategies control detector actions, such as rejecting un-marked signals, improving synchronization of a reader used to extract hidden messages in suspect signals, determining authenticity of signals, and controlling use of the signals.

Digital watermark screening and detection strategies

This disclosure describes methods for using embedded auxiliary signals in documents for copy detection and other applications. In on application, the auxiliary signal is formed as an array of elements selected from a set of print structures with properties that change differently in response to copy operations. These changes in properties of the print structures that carry the embedded auxiliary signal are automatically detectable. For example, the changes make the embedded auxiliary signal more or less detectable. The extent to which the auxiliary data is detected forms a detection metric used in combination with one or more other metrics to differentiate copies from originals. Examples of sets of properties of the print structures that change differently in response to copy operations include sets of colors (including different types of inks), sets of screens or dot structures that have varying dot gain, sets of structures with different aliasing effects, etc. Robust and fragile watermarks are used in Image Replacement Documents for a variety of applications. Digital watermarks act as on-board mediators in authentication of a variety of printed documents. Finally, digital watermarks are used to help manage quality of the scanners used in imaging systems.

Automated methods for distinguishing copies from original printed objects

The application discloses identification and security documents and methods and system for authenticating such identification and security documents. In one implementation, a document includes a first surface; and a second surface. The first surface comprise a first set of print structures and a second set of print structures. The first set of print structures and the second set of print structures cooperate to obscure the Iocationon the firast surface (9a) of the second set of print structures. The second set of print structures is arranged on the first surface so as to provide a reflection pattern. In one example, the reflection pattern (l id) includes a diffraction grating. The second set of print structures is preferably provided on the first surface with metallic ink. In other implementations a financial instrument or identification document is provided with an organic light emitting diod (OLED) array. The OLED array displays (display) information thereon. The information is preferably correlated to the information on or in the financial instrument or identification document.

Ravi K. Sharma

Papers

Wavelet domain watermarks

Methods for object recognition and related arrangements

Digital watermark screening and detection strategies

Automated methods for distinguishing copies from original printed objects

Authenticating Identification and Security Documents