IP Library Granted Patent US 10,165,177
Granted Patent B2
US 10,165,177 · App. 15/793,108 · Granted Dec 25, 2018

Methods and apparatus to capture images

Inventor: Christen V. Nielsen (Palm Harbor, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04N5/23219G06K9/00228G06K9/00288G06K9/00369G06K9/00778G06K9/2027H04H60/45H04N5/2256H04N5/33H04N5/347H04N21/4223H04N21/4415H04N21/44218
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,165,177
App. No.
15/793,108
Granted
Dec 25, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to operate a mobile phone are disclosed. An example mobile phone disclosed herein includes an illumination source and an image sensor to capture a first image of a face. The disclosed example mobile phone also includes a logic circuit to determine whether the face in the first image is in a first orientation with respect to the image sensor. When the face in the first image is in the first orientation, the logic circuit is to trigger the image sensor to capture a second image and perform a facial recognition process on the second image, but not on the first image.

Claims (46)

1. A mobile phone comprising:

an image sensor to capture a first image of a face; and

a logic circuit to:

determine whether the face in the first image is in a first orientation with respect to the image sensor; and

when the face in the first image is in the first orientation:

trigger the image sensor to capture a second image; and

perform a facial recognition process on the second image, but not on the first image.

2. The mobile phone of claim 1 , further including an illumination source, wherein the second image is captured while the illumination source is used to illuminate the face.

3. The mobile phone of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is to operate in a first mode to capture the first image at a first resolution, the image sensor is to operate in a second mode to capture the second image at a second resolution, the second resolution higher than the first resolution, and the facial recognition process is performed on image data of the second resolution included in the second image.

4. The mobile phone of claim 1 , wherein the logic circuit is further to:

when the face in the first image is not in the first orientation:

trigger the image sensor to capture the second image;

determine whether the second image includes the face in the first orientation with respect to the image sensor; and

not perform the facial recognition process on the second image when the face in the second image is not in the first orientation.

5. The mobile phone of claim 2 , wherein the illumination source is at least one of a flash or a display.

6. The mobile phone of claim 5 , wherein the first image is captured without the flash emitting light.

7. The mobile phone as defined in claim 1 , further including a binner to bin pixels of the first image.

8. A tangible computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a mobile phone to at least:

capture a first image of a face; and

determine whether the face in the first image is in a first orientation with respect to an image sensor; and

when the face in the first image is in the first orientation:

capture a second image; and

perform a facial recognition process on the second image, but not on the first image.

9. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the second image is captured while an illumination source is illuminated.

10. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the mobile phone is to operate in a first mode to capture the first image at a first resolution, the mobile phone is to operate in a second mode to capture the second image at a second resolution, the second resolution higher than the first resolution, and the facial recognition process is performed on image data of the second resolution included in the second image.

11. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instruction, when executed, further cause the mobile phone to:

when the face in the first image is not in the first orientation:

trigger the image sensor to capture the second image;

determine whether the second image includes the face in the first orientation with respect to the image sensor; and

not perform the facial recognition process on the second image when the face in the second image is not in the first orientation.

12. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 9 , wherein the illumination source is at least one of a flash or a display.

13. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 12 , wherein the first image is captured without the flash emitting light.

14. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 8 , further including a binner to bin pixels of the first image.

15. A mobile phone comprising:

image capturing means for capturing a first image of a face;

orientation determining means for determining whether the face in the first image is in a first orientation with respect to the image capturing means;

triggering means for triggering the image capturing means to capture a second image when the face in the first image is in the first orientation; and

facial recognition means for performing a facial recognition process on the second image, but not on the first image, when the face in the first image is in the first orientation.

16. The mobile phone of claim 15 , further including illumination means, wherein the second image is captured while the illumination means is used to illuminate the face.

17. The mobile phone of claim 15 , wherein the image capturing means is to operate in a first mode to capture the first image at a first resolution, the image capturing means is to operate in a second mode to capture the second image at a second resolution, the second resolution higher than the first resolution, and the facial recognition process is performed on image data of the second resolution included in the second image.

18. The mobile phone of claim 15 , wherein:

the triggering means is to trigger the image capturing means to capture the second image when the face in the first image is not in the first orientation; and

the orientation determining means is to determine whether the face in the second image is in the first orientation with respect to the image capturing means; and

the facial recognition means is not to perform the facial recognition process on the second image when the face in the second image is not in the first orientation.

19. The mobile phone of claim 16 , wherein the illumination means is at least one of a flash or a display.

20. The mobile phone of claim 19 , wherein the first image is captured without the flash emitting light.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063605/0001 →
RELEASE (REEL 053473 / FRAME 0001) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063603/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063574/0632 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063561/0381 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063560/0547 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENTS LISTED ON SCHEDULE 1 RECORDED ON 6-9-2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053473 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 7, 2020
From: A.C. NIELSEN (ARGENTINA) S.A.; A.C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A
Reel/Frame 054066/0064 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 9, 2020
From: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NIELSEN UK FINANCE I, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053473/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 25, 2017
From: NIELSEN, CHRISTEN V.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 043947/0023 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 15419120 · Jan 30, 2017
Continuation 14732175 · Jun 5, 2015
Continuation 13327227 · Dec 15, 2011
Related Publication 20180048807A1 · Feb 15, 2018
Cited By (3)
US 12,356,286 US 12,425,688 US 12,432,415