Patent Publication Number: US-2013250139-A1

Title: Method And System For Tagging And Organizing Images Generated By Mobile Communications Devices

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This disclosure relates generally to a method and a system for tagging and organizing images generated by mobile communication devices. 
     Mobile communication devices perform various functions, such as voice communication, e-mail and internet browsing. Mobile communication devices can also include image capture devices, such as digital cameras for generating digital images, such as pictorial images and video images. Due to the convenience and portability of mobile communication devices, it is possible to generate a large number of digital images. These digital images can be stored in the recording medium of the mobile communication device and then transferred to the hard drive of a personal computer for storage, printing, e-mailing or messaging (SMS). The stored digital images can include necessary images, such as good photos or video, and un-necessary images, such as defective, redundant or un-inspiring photos or video. 
     It is sometimes difficult for the user of a mobile communication device to classify and organize the large number of images generated by the device. Many times the images are taken days or months before one would transfer the images to the hard drive of a personal computer or upload to a server or the cloud for storage. Currently, these images are automatically tagged using date, time and location via GPS coordinate together with the iso, lens information and camera information. In addition, no sounds are recorded except when a video is taken. When the user wants to classify or search for the desired images, the images need to be reviewed one by one. The present disclosure is directed to a method and system for tagging and organizing images generated by mobile communication devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     A method for tagging and organizing images in a mobile communication device, simply stated, comprises using voice input from a user to tag the images and then to later organize and search the images. More particularly, the method includes the steps of providing the mobile communication device with an input device configured to receive user input including voice input, an image capture device configured to capture the images of events, a storage medium configured to store the images, and a processor in signal communication with the image capture device, with the storage medium and with the input device configured to tag the images with information responsive to the voice input. The method also includes the steps of capturing the images using the image capture device; providing the voice input from the user containing the information; recording the voice input; and forming tagged images in the storage medium using the voice input and the information. The method can also include the step of searching the tagged images using the input device, the processor and the information. 
     A system for tagging and organizing images includes a mobile communication device operable by a user having an input device configured to receive user input, an image capture device configured to capture images of events, a storage medium configured to store the images, and a processor in signal communication with the image capture device, with the storage medium and with the input device configured to tag the images with information and to form tagged images in the storage medium. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a system for tagging and organizing images; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a system for tagging and organizing images; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow diagram of a method for tagging and organizing images in a mobile communication device; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of an alternate method for tagging and organizing images in a mobile communication device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a system for tagging and organizing images  10  includes a mobile communication device  12  operable by a user  14 . The mobile communication device  12  can comprise any type of device configured to provide communication services to the user  14 . For example, the mobile communication device  12  can include a speaker and receiver for providing voice communication services to the user, and a display screen for providing data communications services. Exemplary mobile communications devices include mobile telephones, smart telephones, portable computers, “IPADS” and “IPHONES”. 
     The mobile communication device  12  also includes an image capture device  18  ( FIG. 2 ) configured to generate digital images  28  ( FIG. 2 ) of various events  16 . Exemplary image capture devices include digital cameras for generating photographic images and video cameras for generating video images. As used herein, the term “event” means a significant occurrence, happening or subject as perceived by the subjective intent of the user  14 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the mobile communication device  12  includes an input device  20  configured to receive user input  22  particularly voice input  22 V. For example, the input device  20  can include a voice control operable by the user  14 , such as a microphone or a piezo device. However, the input device  20  can also include a keypad, a touch pad, a touch screen, or a reading device, such as a magnetic card reader, an integrated circuit (IC) card reader, or a bar code reader. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the mobile communication device  12  also includes a processor  24  in signal communication with the input device  20  and with the image capture device  18 . The processor  24  can comprise a programmable device such as a CPU (central processing device), a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), or a microprocessor configured to execute computer programs or software. The mobile communication device  12  can be programmed such that the input device  20  responds to voice input  22 V to automatically record information (I) from the user  14  whenever the image capture device  18  is activated. This voice input  22 V can also be stored in the storage medium  26  and then later used to generate tagged images  28 T having tags  30  containing the information (I). The processor  24  can be programmed such that the user  14  has the option of automatically recording the voice input  22 V before, during and/or after the image  28  is captured by the image capturing device  18 . Also, the processor  24  can be programmed such that the user  14  can set a time limit for capturing the image  28  following the voice input  22 V. Preferably, this time limit can be relatively short on the order of second or minutes, with a few minutes or less being exemplary. In addition, to speed up processing and facilitate organizing and recovery of the tagged images  28 T, the voice input  22 V can be recorded and stored together with the tagged images  28 T. In addition, the voice input  22 V can be processed further using a voice converting application to convert information on the tagged images  28 T for later image search and recovery. 
     The mobile communication device  12  also includes a storage medium  26  in signal communication with the processor  24  for storing the digital images  28  generated by the image capture device  18 . The storage medium  26  can comprise any type of volatile or non-volatile memory such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a random access memory (RAM), a flash memory or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In addition, the processor  24  can be configured to transfer the digital images  28  to another device such as a personal computer using a cable or wireless communication (e.g., RF, WIFI or “BLUETOOTH”). 
     The processor  24  is programmed using suitable software to receive the user input  22  and to generate the tagged images  28 T, which are searchable and recoverable from the storage medium  26  with appropriate user input  22 . Each tagged image  28 T includes the tag  30  that identifies the tagged image  28 T with the information (I). Preferably, the tag  30  is relatively small in size relative to the size of the tagged image  28 T. In addition, the tag  30  can be contained within the boundaries of the tagged image  28 T, or outside of the boundaries, such as along an edge of the tagged image  28 T. The information (I) on each tag  30  can be used for searching and for organizing the tagged images  28 T generated by the image capture device  18 , the user input  22  and the processor  24  operated in concert. For example, the tag  30  can include information (I) representative of a characteristic, a nature or a state of the tagged image  28 T. 
     In the past, images have typically been tagged with information such as time, date, location, GPS coordinates, and technical information, such as shutter speed and aperture speed. However this information does not enable the user  14  to efficiently search for a particular image. In contrast, the system  10  is configured to select the information (I) on the tag  30  that enables a user to more efficiently retrieve a particular image, particularly hours or days after the events  16 . For example, the information (I) can include the name of an event or a comment relating to an event. Specific examples include a person&#39;s name (e.g., Kim my wife), a person&#39;s mood or actions (e.g., smiling, crying, drinking, eating) or a setting (e.g., koi pond, LED lighted bridge, apple tree). In addition to providing the information (I) for the tagged images  28 T, the voice input  22 V can be used to generate search words for future searching, or for automatically placing the tagged image  28 T in a folder location in the storage medium  26  or a server for future searches. 
     The input device  20  can be configured to input the voice input  22 V into the processor  24  contemporaneously with capture of the image  28 , or after the image  28  is captured. As another alternative, the processor  24  can be preprogrammed such that in a default condition, certain information is automatically inputted. For example, information can be automatically placed on the tagged images  28 T absent the input of voice input  22 V, and used to tie together or assemble single or multiple files in the same sequence. 
     The processor  24  can also be programmed to search and organize the tagged images  28 T as a function of the information (I) contained on the tags  30 . For example, key words can be transmitted as user input  22  into the processor  24  and used to assemble the tagged images  28 T containing the key words. The selected tagged images  28 T can then be placed in a folder or bookmarked on the storage medium  26 , and then downloaded from the storage medium  26  if desired. For example, the tagged images  28 T can be transferred to another device, such as a personal computer configured to search and organize the tagged images  28 T as a function of the information (I) contained on the tags  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , steps in a method for tagging and organizing images in a mobile communication device operable by a user are illustrated. 
     The method includes the step of providing the mobile communication device with an input device configured to receive user input, an image capture device configured to capture images of events, a storage medium configured to store the images, and a processor in signal communication with the image capture device, with the storage medium and with the input device configured to tag the images with information responsive to the user input and to search the images using the information, step  32 . 
     The method also includes the step of capturing the images using the image capture device, step  34 . 
     The method also includes the step of forming tagged images in the storage medium using the input device and the processor by tagging the images with tags containing the information, step  36 . Preferably, the information is transmitted by the user into the processor contemporaneously or within a short time period after the images are generated by the image capture device. This allows the user to form the tagged images responsive to a criteria, such as the importance of the event or the quality of the image, as perceived during image capture. For example, the information can preferably be inputted within one second to five minutes, more preferably from one second to one minute, and most preferably from one second to thirty seconds after the images are generated. This step can also be performed by automatic input of information in a default condition, such as with no voice input by the user. 
     The method also includes the step of searching the tagged images using the input device, the processor and the information, step  38 . For example, the information can include key words. These key words can be used to search all of the tagged images and to identify the tagged images containing the key words. 
     The method can also include the step of placing the tagged images in a folder in the storage medium, step  40 . Alternately, rather than placing the tagged images in a folder, selected tagged images can be bookmarked for future viewing. 
     The method can also include the step of downloading the tagged images from the storage medium into a personal computer, step  42 . In this case the personal computer can be programmed to search the tagged images and to organize the tagged images into separate folders. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , steps in an alternate method for tagging and organizing images in a mobile communication device operable by a user are illustrated. The method is substantially similar to the method of  FIG. 3 . However, rather than using user input  22 , the processor  24  can be programmed to automatically generate the tagged images  28 T using image recognition software. For example, image recognition software can be used to identify a particular event such as a particular subject (e.g., car, bridge, tree, man, woman). This process can be performed before the image  28  of the event  16  is captured, after the image  28  is captured, or within a specific time period within capture of the image  28  by the image capture device  18 . 
     The alternate method includes the step of providing the mobile communication device with an image capture device configured to capture images of events, a storage medium configured to store the images, and a processor in signal communication with the image capture device and with the storage medium having image recognition software configured to recognize a particular event and to tag the images with information descriptive of the event, step  44 . 
     The alternate method also includes the step of capturing the images using the image capture device, step  46 . 
     The alternate method also includes the step of forming tagged images in the storage medium using the processor and the image recognition software by tagging the images with tags containing the information, step  48 . 
     The alternate method also includes the step of searching the tagged images using the processor and the information, step  50 . 
     The alternate method can also include the step of placing the tagged images in a folder in the storage medium, step  52 . Alternately rather than placing the tagged images in a folder selected tagged images can be bookmarked for future viewing. 
     The alternate method can also include the step of downloading the tagged images from the storage medium into a personal computer, step  54 . In this case the personal computer can be programmed to search the tagged images and to organize the tagged images into separate folders. 
     Thus the disclosure describes a method and a system for tagging and organizing images in a mobile communication device. While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and subcombinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope.