Automated communication using image capture
View Patent ↗A method ( 600 ) of communicating that can include, responsive to receiving an image ( 125 ), automatically processing the image to associate the image with a contact, and communicating the image to the contact. Receiving the image can include capturing the image with an image capture device ( 215 ). The method also can include associating a message with the image, and automatically communicating the message with the image. At least one image attribute can be associated with the contact. In such an arrangement, processing the image can include identifying at least one feature of the image that corresponds to the image attribute. Responsive to identifying that a feature of the image corresponds to the image attribute, the message can be automatically associated with the image.
1. A method of communicating, comprising:
via a controller, associating at least one image attribute with a contact;
responsive to receiving an image, via the controller, automatically processing the image to identify at least one feature of the image that corresponds to the image attribute, and associating the image with the contact based on the image attribute; and
via the controller, communicating the image to the contact.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein communicating the image comprises automatically communicating to the contact the image that is received in response to receiving the image.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the image comprises capturing the image with an image capture device.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
via the controller, associating a message with the image; and
via the controller, automatically communicating the message with the image.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
via the controller, associating the message with the contact;
wherein associating the message with the image comprises:
identifying the contact; and
selecting the message associated with the contact.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
via the controller, associating a message with the image attribute; and
responsive to identifying the feature of the image that corresponds to the image attribute, via the controller, automatically associating the message with the image;
wherein communicating the image to the contact comprises automatically communicating the message with the image.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
via the controller, determining a location of a communication device receiving the image when the image is received; and
via the controller, automatically communicating information about the location with the image.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein communicating information about the location comprises communicating a name of a place or a geographic region.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
via the controller, prompting the contact to provide a response to the image;
via the controller, receiving the response from the contact; and
via the controller, processing the response.
10. A communication device, comprising:
a communications adapter; and
a controller that:
receives a first user input via a user interface to associate at least one image attribute with a contact;
responsive to receiving an image from the communications adapter or an image capture device, automatically processes the image to identify at least one feature of the image that corresponds to the image attribute, and associates the image with the contact based on the image attribute; and
communicates the image to the contact via the communications adapter.
11. The communication device of claim 10 , wherein the controller automatically communicates to the contact the image that is received in response to receiving the image.
12. The communication device of claim 10 , wherein the communication device further comprises the image capture device that captures the image.
13. The communication device of claim 10 , wherein the controller associates a message with the image and automatically communicates the message with the image.
14. The communication device of claim 13 , wherein:
a user input is received via a user interface to associate the message with the contact; and
the controller associates the message with the image by identifying the contact and selecting the message associated with the contact.
15. The communication device of claim 10 , further comprising:
a positioning system that determines a location of the communication device when the image is received;
wherein the communications adapter automatically communicates information about the location with the image.
16. The communication device of claim 15 , wherein the information comprises a name of a place or a geographic region.
17. A non-transitory machine readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections comprising:
code for associating at least one image attribute with a contact;
code for, in response to receiving an image, automatically processing the image to identify at least one feature of the image that corresponds to the image attribute, and associating the image with the contact; and
code for communicating the image to the contact based on the image attribute.
18. The non-transitory machine readable storage of claim 17 , wherein the code for communicating the image comprises code for automatically communicating to the contact the image that is received in response to receiving the image.
19. The communication device of claim 10 , wherein:
the controller associates a message with the image attribute;
responsive to identifying the feature of the image that corresponds to the image attribute, the controller automatically associates the message with the image; and
the controller automatically communicates the message with the image via the communications adapter.