Patent Publication Number: US-2005129334-A1

Title: Event photo retrieval system and method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This is patent application claims the benefit of application Ser. No. 10/346,354 filed on Jan. 17, 2003, entitled “Digital Photographic Storage and Retrieval System for Large Group Events,” now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to making photographs of event attendees by group-event sponsors for selling the photographs to the attendees and otherwise profiting from the photographs after the group events.  
      Attendees and participants in group events often desire photographs of their attendance and participation in the group events that most generally include reunions, ship cruises, games, parties, seminars, classes, excursions, safaris, hunts, rallies, conventions, educational activities and political activities. Providing the photographs for the attendees by sponsors of the events can be a profitable business activity and can be advantageous public relations by the sponsors. For some events, the attendees are associated with the sponsor and desire photographs for partly proprietary reasons.  
      Employing both digital and analog systems, known computer-photographic identification systems can recognize individuals in groups and retrieve photographs containing images of the individuals, but not in a manner taught by this invention. This invention teaches a retrieval system, a method for using it and a method for using existing retrieval systems.  
      Listed below for consideration is known related prior art:  
                                                       U.S. Pat. No.   Inventor   Issue Date                          6,234,900   Cumbers   May 22, 2001           5,893,095   Jain, et al.   Apr. 6, 1999           5,642,431   Poggio, et al.   Jun. 24, 1997           5,913,205   Jain, et al.   Jun. 15, 1999           5,012,522   Lambert   Apr. 30, 1991           6,108,437   Lin   Aug. 22, 2000           5,450,504   Calia   Sep. 12, 1995           6,089,715   Hoover, et al.   Jul. 18, 2000           5,719,951   Shackleton, et al.   Feb. 17, 1998                      
 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Objects of patentable novelty and utility taught by this invention are to provide an event-photo-retrieval system which efficiently, effectively and with good public relations: 
          allows attendees of group events to select group-event photographs or other photographs containing the individual&#39;s desired photograph or other desired aspect of the group-event or other photographs from pluralities of the group-event or other photographs;     allows sponsors of the group events to display photographs of the group-event or individual photographs for sale to the attendees;     automates event photography, selection and selling of desired event photographs to event attendees with minimal labor costs optionally;     makes permanent records of event activities for future uses by event attendees, event hosts and other interested parties; and     provides sponsors of the group events with photographic recordation of attendee and group participation, behavior, activity and response to the group events for monitoring, advertising and other desired reference.        

      This invention accomplishes these and other objectives with an event-photo-retrieval system and method having an event camera, a central database, an event-photograph selector and a purchase terminal which are programmed electronically. The preferred embodiment includes the event camera photographs event activities for providing event photographs that include event groups and event attendees. An individual attendee desiring to view photographs containing his or her picture for the purpose of possibly purchasing same. With the event-photograph selector, event photographs are selectable by the individual attendee in accordance with face recognition software programming. With the purchase terminal, the event attendee actuates a credit-card purchase of any event photographs selected accordingly. An optimal data-terminal camera includes a digital camera which, for each event attendee, quantizes gestalt individual features and generates an attendee photograph for programmed face recognition software. The attendee photograph with face recognition software programming is digitized and transmitted to the central database.  
      The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
      This invention is described by appended claims in relation to description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the following drawings which are explained briefly as follows:  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of principle features of the event-photo-retrieval system;  
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a data terminal camera with quantization of gestalt features of an event attendee in relationship to the event-photo-retrieval system;  
       FIG. 3  is the  FIG. 2  illustration with addition of a switchable touch camera, hidden event cameras and a selection of event photographs;  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of the event-photo-retrieval system with a hidden terminal camera and a computerized monitor for an event-photograph selector for touch selection of attendee event photographs containing an attendee photograph;  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of the event-photo-retrieval system with the hidden terminal camera and an event-photograph selector having a plurality of photograph copies with selection-mark spaces for selection of attendee event photographs;  
       FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of the event-photo-retrieval system with the data terminal camera being switchable for quantization of gestalt features of an event attendee and a compilation listing of attendee event photographs for check-mark selection at a purchase terminal at either an attendee location or business facility of the event host;  
       FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of the event-photo-retrieval system articulated for event management and having the hidden data terminal camera for use without knowledge of event attendees; and  
       FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of the event-photo-retrieval system articulated for use of other identification software than taught by this invention for optionally marketing attendee event photographs or for event management. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Listed numerically below with reference to the drawings are terms used to describe features of this invention. These terms and numbers assigned to them designate the same features throughout this description. 
           1 . Event camera      2  Photographs      3 . Central database      4 . Data-terminal camera      5 . Event-photograph selector      6 . Purchase terminal      7 . Face recognition software system      8 . Attendee-group photographs      9 . Event-group photographs      10 . Event-scenery photographs      11 . Group-object photographs      12 . Attendee-object photographs      13 . Attendee electronic card      14 . Touch-actuation camera      15 . Event attendee      16 . Camera-touch area      17 . Camera switch      18 . Hidden terminal camera      19 . Host control area      20 . Hidden event camera      21 . Computerized monitor      22 . Attendee-event photographs      23 . Photograph copies      24 . Selection-mark spaces      25 . Event facility      26 . Attendee location      27 . Event host      28 . Business facility      29 . Event photographs      30 . Event group      31 . Compilation listing      32 . Identification insignia      33 . Identification software system      34 . Attendee-purchased photographs      35 . Event management      36 . Pre-event attendee photographs        

      Referring to  FIGS. 1-8 , the event-photo-retrieval system has an event camera  1  that includes a digital camera which is articulated for generating photographs  2  of event attendees for programmed face recognition software and appended by attendee personal information of an event attendee. The photographs  2  are digitized and transmitted to a central database  3  for being utilized by an event-photograph selector  5  and by a purchase terminal  6  in accordance with a programmed face recognition software system  7 .  
      The face recognition software system  7  employs face recognition software that quantizes gestalt features that includes facial features, such as eyes, mouth, forehead, chin and nose, as shown in  FIGS. 2-3 ,  6  and  8 , that change form predictably in response to outside stimuli. Following postulations of Gestalt psychology, changes of form of facial features have been quantized precisely to illustrate potential for change of form for specific facial classes. Extensive information is now available for computerized use of gestalt data for individual identification as employed for this invention. It is fundamental to computerized and non-computerized identification systems. It makes identification possible almost regardless of clothing, facial hair, makeup and other concealment.  
      The event camera  1  is articulated for generating event photographs selectively where and as desired by an event host  27  for purposes of making photographs interesting for purchase by event attendees  15  or optionally for event management  35 .  
      The event-photograph selector  5  is articulated also for utilization of the programmed face recognition software system  7  for the event attendee&#39;s retrieval selection of event photographs  29 . Included, as shown in  FIGS. 3-8 , can be attendee-group photographs  8  that are photographs of the event attendee  15  and one or more other members of the event group  30 , event-group photographs  9  which include photographs of one or more other members of the event group  30 , event-scenery photographs  10  which include photographs of event scenery, group-object photographs  11  which include photographs of event objects and one or more other attendees, and attendee-object photographs  12  which include photographs of event objects and the event attendee  15  selectively.  
      The purchase terminal  6  is articulated for attendee actuation of an attendee&#39;s electronic-card purchase of any of the event photographs  29  selected with an attendee electronic card  13 .  
      An optional data-terminal camera  4  can include a monitor interfaced with a touch-actuation camera  14  that is actuated to take pre-event attendee photographs  36  of the event attendee  15  by a predetermined touch of a camera-touch area  16  after the data-terminal camera  4  is switched on by a camera switch  17  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The taking of pre-event attendee photographs  36  and appending such with attendee information for storage in the cental database  3  aids identification of photographs with event attendees.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 4-5  and  7 , the data-terminal camera  4  can include a hidden terminal camera  18  for allowing event hosts  27  to photograph event-group activities and to photograph attendee activities at events with positive identification for monitoring events without observation by the event attendee  15 , for providing selection of photographs for the event attendee  15  and for other attendees as an unexpected benefit of financial returns from sales of photographs with public relations benefits and for utilizing the photographs for desired objectives that include keeping photographic records for government surveillance of events for national security and for crime prevention selectively as legally appropriate.  
      The central database  3  can be positioned proximate a host control area  19  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 - 8 .  
      The event camera  4  can include a selected plurality of event cameras  1  which can be a selected plurality of hidden event cameras  20  as shown in  FIGS. 3-8 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 4 , the event-photograph selector  5  can include a computerized monitor  21  that is programmed to present any attendee-event photographs  22  for selection selectively. The event-photograph selector  5  can include a computerized monitor  21  that is programmed to present any attendee-event photographs  22  by time of being photographed by the event camera  1  for selection and the computerized monitor  21  can be programmed for selection of the attendee-event photographs  22  for purchase by the event attendee  15  by touch of the photograph  2  for selection of attendee-event photographs  22  containing the touched photograph  2 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 5 , the event-photograph selector  5  can include photograph copies  23  that include selection-mark spaces  24  for selecting the photograph copies  23  and marking selection thereof in the selection-mark spaces  24  by a photograph  2  of the event attendee  15  remotely from an event facility  25 . The purchase-terminal  6  can include an attendee location  26  which is wherever the event attendee  15  chooses to mark the selection-mark spaces  24  for selecting the attendee-event photographs  22 .  
      The purchase-terminal  6  can include the data-terminal camera  4  being wherever the event host  27  chooses for starting and ending an event for attendance by the event attendee  15 . The purchase-terminal  6  can include a business facility  28  which can be wherever the event host  27  chooses for starting and ending an event for attendance by the event attendee  15 .  
      Referring to all  FIGS. 1-8  as described above, a method for event-photo retrieval includes: 
          photographing an event attendee with an event camera that includes a digital camera which is articulated for generating an attendee photograph of an event attendee&#39;s facial vicinity that includes quantized gestalt features of the attendee that are identifiable for programmed face recognition software;     digitizing the event photograph;     transmitting the photographs to a central database for being utilized by the digital event camera, by an event-photograph selector and by a purchase terminal selectively in accordance with a programmed face recognition software system;     compiling the event photographs with the quantized gestalt features of the attendee embedded digitally in the event photographs for distinguishing recognition of the event attendee from members of the event group for selection of event photographs containing the attendee photograph;     the event attendee standing before an event-photograph selector, which may comprise viewing screen, which utilizes a face recognition software system to select photographs within which the event attendee appears; and     actuating by the attendee a purchase terminal using an electronic-cord to purchase any of the event photographs selected by the attendee.        

      Quantizing the gestalt features of the event attendee  15  includes sectioning selected facial features of the event attendee  15 , pictorially modifying the selected facial features within physical limits of the selected facial features of the event attendee  15 , and compiling pictorial modifications of the selected features for detection of the selected facial features of the event attendee  15  from facial features of other members of the event group  30  digitally.  
      Quantizing the gestalt features of the event attendee  15  includes sectioning selected combinations of the facial features of the event attendee  15 , pictorially modifying the selected combinations of the facial features within physical limits of the selected combinations of the facial features of the event attendee  15 , and compiling pictorial modifications of the selected combinations of the features for detection of the selected combinations of the facial features of the event attendee  15  from combinations of the facial features of other members of the event group  30  digitally.  
      The face recognition software system  7  can include other known facial-recognition and computerized identification systems in combination with this event-photo-retrieval system and method.  
      Marketing the event photographs  29  can include marketing them to members of the event group  30  by the event host  27  for maximizing volume of attendee-purchased photographs  34 .  
      Marketing the event photographs  29  to the event group  30  can include marketing-them to the event attendee  15 .  
      Marketing the event photographs  29  to the event group  30  by the event host  27  can include providing for the event group  30  a compilation listing  31  of the event photographs  29  for selection of desired event photographs  29  in accordance with the face recognition software system  7  for purchasing the event photographs  29  which may be desired by the members of the event group  30  individually. The members of the event group  30  can be provided with a method for contract for purchase of and payment for the event photographs  29 . The method for contract for purchase of and payment for the event photographs  29  by the members of the event group  30  can include the compilation listing  31  of the event photographs  29  by identification insignia  32  appended by selection-mark spaces  24 .  
      The method for contract for purchase of and payment for the event photographs  29  by the members of the event group  30  can include a card-purchase machine for swiping purchase cards of the event group  30  individually proximate the business facility  28  of the event host  27 . The method for contract for purchase of and payment for the event photographs  29  by the members of the event group  30  can include conveying by the event host  27  of the compilation listing  31  to the event group  30  at attendee locations  26  for marking selections by the members of the event group  30  in the selection-mark spaces  24  and returning the compilation listing  31  to the event host  27 .  
      The method for use of the event photographs  29  can further include event management  35  by the event host  27 . The event management  35  can include monitoring of effectiveness of event activities, analyzing characteristics of individuals of the event group  30  for business objectives of the event host  27  and analyzing characteristics of individuals of the event group  30  for crime-prevention and national-defense objectives of applicable governmental organizations in cooperation with the event host  27 .  
      A method for event-photo retrieval can include photographing of an event attendee  15  by an event host  27  with a data-terminal camera  4  that includes a digital camera which is articulated for generating a photograph  2  and appended identification data in accordance with a class of known identification software system  33  for recognizing and recovering event photographs  29  in which the photograph  2  exists; 
          transmitting the photograph  2  and appended identification data to a central database  3 ;     embedding the photograph  2  and appended identification data from the central database  3  into an event camera  1 ;     utilizing the event camera  1  for generating event photographs  29  in which existence of photographs  2  is identifiable in accordance with the identification software system  33 ; and     utilizing the central database  3  for the identification software system  33  to provide selection of event photographs  29  by touching the photograph  2  in any event photograph  29  in which the photograph  2  exists.        

      A method for event-photo retrieval can further include marketing the event photographs  29  to the event group  30  by the event host  27 . Marketing the event photographs  29  to the event group  30  by the event host  27  can include providing for the event group  30  a select compilation of the event photographs  29  for selection of desired event photographs  29  in accordance with the identification software system  33  for purchasing the event photographs  29  which may be desired by the members of the event group  30  individually and providing a method for contract for purchase of and payment for the event photographs  29  by the members of the event group  30 .  
      The method for contract for purchase of and payment for the event photographs  29  by the members of the event group  30  can include a card-purchase machine for swiping purchase cards of the event group  30  individually proximate the business facility  28  of the event host  27 . The method for use of the event photographs  29  can further include event management  35  by the event host  27 . The event management  35  can include monitoring of effectiveness of event activities, analyzing characteristics of individuals of the event group  30  for business objectives of the event host  27  and analyzing characteristics of individuals of the event group  30  for crime-prevention and national-defense objectives of applicable governmental organizations in cooperation with the event host  27 .  
      A new and useful event-photo-retrieval system and method having been described, all such foreseeable modifications, adaptations, substitutions of equivalents, mathematical possibilities of combinations of parts, pluralities of parts, applications and forms thereof as described by the following claims and not precluded by prior art are included in this invention.