Obtaining details regarding an image based on search intent and determining royalty distributions of musical projects

The present disclosure generally relates to obtaining details regarding an image based on search intent and, further, to determining royalty distributions of musical projects. In an example, a computer-implemented method includes: receiving, by a computing device, an image as part of a request to receive information regarding an object in the image, wherein the image is received via an application hosted by a user device; identifying, by the computing device, the object in the image; determining, by the computing device, a user intent based on identifying the object; executing, by the computing device, the search query, wherein the executing includes accessing one or more blockchain-based databases storing metadata; and returning, by the computing device, results to the search query, wherein the returning the results includes presenting the search results within the application and overlaid on or around the image within a user interface of the user device.

BACKGROUND

The present invention generally relates to obtaining details regarding an image based on search intent and, further, to determining royalty distributions of musical projects.

SUMMARY

In an aspect of the invention, a computer-implemented method comprises: receiving, by a computing device, an image as part of a request to receive information regarding an object in the image, wherein the image is received via an application hosted by a user device; identifying, by the computing device, the object in the image; determining, by the computing device, a user intent based on identifying the object, wherein the determining the user intent is based on at least one selected from the group consisting of: search trends associated with the object, attributes of the object, a type of the object, and a condition of the object; generating, by the computing device, a search query based on the identifying the object and the user intent; executing, by the computing device, the search query, wherein the executing includes accessing one or more blockchain-based databases storing metadata; and returning, by the computing device, results to the search query, wherein the returning the results includes presenting the search results within the application and overlaid on or around the image within a user interface of the user device.

In further aspects of the invention, a computer-implemented method comprises: accessing, by a computing device, a blockchain-based database storing metadata identifying a plurality of contributors for a musical project; determining, by the computing device, royalty distributions for the plurality of contributors based on one at least one selected from the group consisting of: smart contracts stored in the blockchain-based database; a percentage or division split to the contributors; documentation on fee for services used in the musical project; information identifying which of the plurality of contributors should be paid a first amount of a total amount; information identifying a time period that a particular contributor of the plurality of contributors is to receive royalties; and providing, by the computing device, information regarding the royalty distributions.

In another aspect, a computer program product for generating a playlist is provided. The computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium has program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to: search one or more databases for vendor specific metadata; match the vendor specific metadata to relationships of the user; and generating an audience specific marketing playlist using the matched vendor specific metadata.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention generally relates to obtaining details regarding an image based on search intent and, further, to determining royalty distributions of musical projects. An image search application may identify an object in an image captured or stored by a user device (e.g., smartphone, tablet, laptop/desktop computer, etc.), perform a web search of the identified object, and return search results to the user. In addition to performing a web search based on a search query that includes words describing the identified object, aspects of the present invention may determine an intent of the user based on an image in order to return more relevant search results rather than results returned from a generic web search.

As an example, aspects of the present invention may search one or more external data servers to identify search trends from social media platforms, search engines, newsfeeds, etc. to better identify the intent of an image based search. For example, if a search for a particular object is trending, aspects of the present invention may identify the types of webpages that other users are accessing in relation to the object. Accordingly, when a search for the particular object is subsequently executed, aspects of the present invention may return search results (e.g., webpages) that are based on searching trends, thereby providing more relevant search results to the user.

In embodiments, aspects of the present invention may execute logic to identify the intent of the user in an image based search based on the attributes of objects in the image (e.g., the type of object, the condition of the object, etc.) or the context of which the image was found, identified, etc. As an example, if the image includes a machine or apparatus (e.g., a musical production device found in a recording studio), aspects of the present invention may determine that the image includes a machine and thus the intent of the search is to obtain operating instructions for the machine or apparatus. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may execute a search for operating instructions for the machine. As another example, if the image includes a broken object, aspects of the present invention may determine that the intent of the search is to obtain repair instructions based on the image being of a broken object that the user may wish to repair.

In embodiments, aspects of the present invention may generate a search query that includes words describing the object as well as the intent of the search query, provide the search query to a search application, and return search results. As an example, aspects of the present invention may generate a search query having the words: “operating instructions for Roland JD-XA synthesizer” based on recognizing the model of the object in the image, a type of image, and other data relating to the intent of the search (e.g., social media posts, search tends, etc.). As such, aspects of the present invention may generate a search query that includes a description of an object in the image, as well as the intent of the search. Also, the search query may include additional parameters, such as a particular group of web domains to search based on the intent of the search.

In embodiments, aspects of the present invention may return search results that are based on a rich set of metadata associated with an object identified in an image. For example, if the image includes an object of a guitar, aspects of the present invention may identify a rich set of metadata associated with the guitar from a database (e.g., a blockchain-based database), such as a make/model of the guitar, famous artists that have used the guitar, published songs in which the guitar was used to record the song, etc. Further, additional details can be explored, such as additional metadata regarding the song in which the guitar was used (e.g., lyrics of the song, individuals that contributed to the song, royalty distributions regarding the song, etc.).

In the musical field, musical projects and songs are produced by a team having various contributors (e.g., musicians, artists, producers, sound technicians, record label personnel, etc.). When a musical project is monetized, royalties are often split among the individual contributors. The rich set of metadata may also be used to divide royalties for songs across project contributors. For example, royalty payments may be based on distribution rules, such as:Smart contracts stored in the blockchain-based database of rich set of metadataA percentage or division split to contributors involved in a projectDocumentation on fee for services used in the project (e.g., work for hire musicians)First to be paid (e.g., Person X receives the first $10,000 and any amount greater is split among others into a remainder percentage)Recouping (e.g., Person X receives the first $10,000 and any amount greater is split among person X and others into a remainder percentage)Close Account Out (e.g., Person X receives royalties for a period of time and is then removed from future royalties, which may be used for promoters and/or marketing).

FIG. 2shows an overview of an example implementation and environment200in accordance with aspects of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 2, environment200may include a user device210, an application server220, and one or more external database servers230which may all communicate via a network240. As shown inFIG. 2, the user device210may host a search application (e.g., in interface215) whereby a user may capture an image of an object and request details regarding the image. In the example shown, the user may use the user device210to capture an image of a guitar and request details regarding the image. In alternative embodiments, the image can be any captured metadata for film, television, video games and other forms of media as described herein.

At step2.1, the user device210may request image details (e.g., perform an image details search) by providing a request to an application server220. At step2.2, the application server220may identify an object in the image (e.g., the guitar, the type of guitar, model of the guitar, etc.) and may determine an intent of the search or image details request. For example, at step2.3, the application server220may communicate with one or more external database servers230to determine search trends associated with the object, and obtain other data relating to the intent of the user's search (e.g., based on the attributes of the object in the image, type of object in the image, etc.).

In embodiments, the application server220may generate a search query that describes the object, the intent of the search, and/or domains or webpages to search based on the intent of the search. The application server220may communicate with the one or more external database servers230to obtain search results based on the query, including a rich set of metadata (e.g., from a blockchain-based database) associated with the object in the image. At step2.4, the application server220may return image details which may be overlaid on top of the image captured by the user within the user interface215. For example, the details may be overlaid on top of the image, to the left of the image, to the right of the image, over the image, under the image, and/or text wrapped around the image.

In embodiments, the search operations provided by the application server220may be provided by a content or search provider or other third party to be used as a service. The provider may include, for example, a product manufacturer (e.g., of musical equipment, consumer electronics, automobiles, personal items, etc.), a music production company, a content streaming service provider, or the like.

As an illustrative example, the application server220may obtain a rich set of metadata associated with the guitar from a database (e.g., a blockchain-based database), such as a make/model of the guitar, famous artists that have used the guitar, published songs in which the guitar was used to record the song, etc. Further, additional details can be explored, such as additional metadata regarding the song in which the guitar was used (e.g., lyrics of the song, individuals that contributed to the song, royalty distributions regarding the song, etc.).

The rich set of metadata may also be used to divide royalties for songs across project contributors. For example, royalty payments may be based on distribution rules, such as:Smart contracts stored in the blockchain-based database of rich set of metadata (which can be representative of the storage system ofFIG. 1);A percentage or division split to contributors involved in a project;Documentation on fee for services used in the project (e.g., work for hire musicians);First to be paid (e.g., Person X receives the first $10,000 and any amount greater is split among others into a remainder percentage);Recouping (e.g., Person X receives the first $10,000 d any amount greater is split among person X and others into a remainder percentage); and/orClose Account Out (e.g., Person X receives royalties for a period of time and is then removed from future royalties, which may be used for promoters and/or marketing).

As shown inFIG. 2, the user device210, the application server220, and the external data servers230may communicate via the network240. The network240may include one or more wired and/or wireless networks. For example, the network240may include a cellular network (e.g., a second generation (2G) network, a third generation (3G) network, a fourth generation (4G) network, a fifth generation (5G) network, a long-term evolution (LTE) network, a global system for mobile (GSM) network, a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, an evolution-data optimized (EVDO) network, or the like), a public land mobile network (PLMN), and/or another network. Additionally, or alternatively, the network240may include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan network (MAN), the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), an ad hoc network, a managed Internet Protocol (IP) network, a virtual private network (VPN), an intranet, the Internet, a fiber optic-based network, and/or a combination of these or other types of networks.

The quantity of devices and/or networks in the environment200is not limited to what is shown inFIG. 2. In practice, the environment200may include additional devices and/or networks; fewer devices and/or networks; different devices and/or networks; or differently arranged devices and/or networks than illustrated inFIG. 2. Also, in some implementations, one or more of the devices of the environment200may perform one or more functions described as being performed by another one or more of the devices of the environment200. Devices of the environment200may interconnect via wired connections, wireless connections, or a combination of wired and wireless connections.

More particularly,FIG. 3shows at step300, receiving, by a computing device, an image as part of a request to receive information regarding an object in the image, wherein the image is received via an application hosted by a user device. In embodiments, the object can be from any database which stores information about media, e.g., film, television, video games, virtual reality, augmented reality, etc. and other forms of media as described herein. At step305, the processes identify, by the computing device, the object in the image, e.g., guitar or other hardware or equipment. At step310, the processes determine, by the computing device, a user intent based on identifying the object, wherein the determining the user intent is based on at least one selected from the group consisting of: search trends associated with the object, attributes of the object, a type of the object, and a condition of the object. At step315, the processes generate, by the computing device, a search query based on the identifying the object and the user intent. At step320, the processes execute, by the computing device, the search query, wherein the executing includes accessing one or more blockchain-based databases storing metadata associated with any of the objects described herein. At step325, the processes return, by the computing device, results to the search query, wherein the returning the results includes presenting the search results within the application and overlaid on or around the image within a user interface of the user device.

InFIG. 4, at step400, the processes access, by a computing device, a blockchain-based database storing metadata identifying a plurality of contributors for a musical project. At step405, the processes determine, by the computing device, royalty distributions for the plurality of contributors based on one at least one selected from the group consisting of: smart contracts stored in the blockchain-based database; a percentage or division split to the contributors; documentation on fee for services used in the musical project; information identifying which of the plurality of contributors should be paid a first amount of a total amount; information identifying a time period that a particular contributor of the plurality of contributors is to receive royalties. At step410, the processes provide, by the computing device, information regarding the royalty distributions.

In further embodiments, the systems and processes described herein provide the ability to generate audience specific marketing playlists. For example, using the features described with respect toFIGS. 1-5, with the data gathered using the systems and processes described herein, it is now possible to generate musical playlists for the marketing purposes of brands. By way of example, Gibson guitar manufacturer can now sponsor a playlist on a music streaming service that has the top 10 songs with one of their guitars, or a School like Berkley School of Music sponsoring a playlist that contains the songs of top drummers that went to their school. Accordingly, with the metadata captured, it is now possible to match this data to songs in existing music players through relations, and have the ability to, for the first time, use music playlists in digital marketing. These types of actions can be done by capturing the metadata as described herein.

In further embodiments, the systems and processes described herein can expand the metadata capture from music projects to entertainment projects. With capturing metadata there is no need to limit it to only the music industry, as it is possible now capture metadata for film, television, video games and other forms of media (including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR)). Overall the systems and processes described herein is capable of capturing the necessary metadata within entertainment projects for royalty purposes, but in general also recognition, contract payment (e.g., did this person really work on this project), and building of the user's resume.

In embodiments, the use of film gear and video game gear can be used to capture additional information similar to that of the musical instruments for music projects. This should not be limited to only film and video game gear, but also other types of hardware. For example, Take, for example, hardware AR glasses worn by the user to see digital creations embedded in the real world can be captured. Accordingly, it is now possible to use such devices in additional to musical instruments to capture metadata for AR projects.

More specifically, the implementation shown inFIG. 5shows a flowchart which can be a computer program product for generating a playlist. The computer program product comprises a computer readable storage medium (non-transitory) having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are executable by a computing device (e.g., computing node10ofFIG. 1) to cause the computing device to: search one or more databases for vendor specific metadata; match the vendor specific metadata to relationships of the user; and generating an audience specific marketing playlist using the matched vendor specific metadata. The database can be a blockchain-based database. The vendor specific metadata obtained from multimedia. The multimedia is one of music, film, television, video games, virtual reality and augmented reality. The vendor specific metadata is a hardware device, which be a musical instrument, for example.