IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,256,796
Granted Patent B2
US 9,256,796 · App. 13/424,114 · Granted Feb 9, 2016

Terminal device, information processing device, object identifying method, program, and object identifying system

Inventors: Takayuki Yoshigahara (Tokyo, JP); Masaki Fukuchi (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Sony Corporation
G06K9/228
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,256,796
App. No.
13/424,114
Granted
Feb 9, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device, apparatus, and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, a device may include an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image, and a transmission unit configured to transmit information associated with the image to an information processing apparatus, such as a server. The server may be associated with a first feature quantity dictionary. The device also may include a receiving unit configured to receive a second feature quantity dictionary from the server in response to the transmission. The second feature quantity dictionary may include less information than the first feature quantity dictionary, and the server may generate the second feature quantity dictionary based on the image information and the first feature quantity dictionary. The device may include an identification unit configured to identify an object within the image using the second feature quantity dictionary.

Claims (36)

1. A device, comprising:

an image acquisition unit configured to acquire a first image;

a transmission unit configured to transmit first information associated with the first image and an assistance information to a server, the server being associated with a first feature quantity dictionary;

a receiving unit configured to receive a second feature quantity dictionary from the server in response to the transmission, the second feature quantity dictionary comprising less information than the first feature quantity dictionary; and

an identification unit configured to identify an object within the first image using the second feature quantity dictionary,

wherein the second feature quantity dictionary is a filtered version of the first feature quantity dictionary that is stored on the server, and the second feature quantity dictionary represents a subset of the first feature quantity dictionary and contains only selected contents of the first feature quantity dictionary having a highest relation to the first information and satisfying a threshold criteria,

wherein an amount of contents that is selected from the first feature quantity dictionary as the subset forming the second feature quantity dictionary is based on a capability or processing ability of the device, and the amount of contents selected is determined and set based on a capability information contained in the assistance information transmitted from the transmission unit to the server, and

wherein the image acquisition unit, the transmission unit, the receiving unit, and the identification unit are each implemented via at least one processor.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the information of the second feature quantity dictionary comprises feature quantities of a plurality of objects.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the objects of the second feature quantity dictionary comprise at least one of (i) an object predicted to fall within the first image or (ii) an object predicted to fall within one or more second images acquired by the image acquisition unit subsequent to the first image.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the identification unit is further configured to:

extract at least one feature quantity from the first image; and

determine whether the extracted feature quantity corresponds to at least one of the feature quantities of the second feature quantity dictionary; and

identify the object within the first image, based on at least the determination.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the identification unit is further configured to:

obtain, based on the second feature quantity dictionary information, an object identifier associated with the corresponding feature quantity; and

identify the object within the first image, based on the obtained object identifier.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first information comprises at least one of a portion of the first image or a feature quantity associated with the portion of the first image.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting unit is further configured to transmit, to the server, second information associated with the first image, the second information comprising at least one geographic position associated with the first image.

8. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

acquiring a first image;

transmitting information associated with the first image and an assistance information to a server, the server being associated with a first feature quantity dictionary;

receiving a second feature quantity dictionary from the server in response to the transmission, the second feature quantity dictionary comprising less information than the first feature quantity dictionary; and

identifying, using a processor, an object within the first image using the second feature quantity dictionary,

wherein the second feature quantity dictionary is a filtered version of the first feature quantity dictionary that is stored on the server, and the second feature quantity dictionary represents a subset of the first feature quantity dictionary and contains only selected contents of the first feature quantity dictionary having a highest relation to the first information and satisfying a threshold criteria, and

wherein an amount of contents selected that is from the first feature quantity dictionary as the subset forming the second feature quantity dictionary is based on a capability or processing ability of a device implementing the method, and the amount of contents selected is determined and set based on a capability information contained in the assistance information transmitted to the server.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a program, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

acquiring a first image;

transmitting information associated with the first image and an assistance information to a server, the server being associated with a first feature quantity dictionary;

receiving a second feature quantity dictionary from the server in response to the transmission, the second feature quantity dictionary comprising less information than the first feature quantity dictionary; and

identifying, using a processor, an object within the first image using the second feature quantity dictionary,

wherein the second feature quantity dictionary is a filtered version of the first feature quantity dictionary that is stored on the server, and the second feature quantity dictionary represents a subset of the first feature quantity dictionary and contains only selected contents of the first feature quantity dictionary having a highest relation to the first information and satisfying a threshold criteria, and

wherein an amount of contents that is selected from the first feature quantity dictionary as the subset forming the second feature quantity dictionary is based on a capability or processing ability of a device implementing the method, and the amount of contents selected is determined and set based on a capability information contained in the assistance information transmitted to the server.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the capability information indicates at least one of a number of pieces of data processable by the device, a number of processor cores of the device, and a memory capacity of the device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the capability information indicates at least one of a number of pieces of data processable by the device, a number of processor cores of the device, and a memory capacity of the device.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the capability information indicates at least one of a number of pieces of data processable by the device, a number of processor cores of the device, and a memory capacity of the device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2012
From: YOSHIGAHARA, TAKAYUKI; FUKUCHI, MASAKI
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 027888/0653 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2011-067965 · Mar 25, 2011 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120242842A1 · Sep 27, 2012