Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. A system for locating and identifying luggage comprising:
a signaling unit including an electromagnetic signal transmitter electronically coupled to a switch, wherein the signal transmitter generates an electromagnetic signal when the switch is actuated; and
an identifying unit affixed to the luggage including
an electromagnetic signal receiver for receiving the electromagnetic signal from the signaling unit; and
a sound producing element electronically coupled to the signal receiver such that the sound producing element emits an identifying sound following receipt of the electromagnetic signal by the signal receiver.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying sound comprises a musical tune.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying unit further includes a light source electronically coupled to the signal receiver such that the light source emits light following receipt of the electromagnetic signal by the signal receiver.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode.
5. The system of claim 3, wherein the light source intermittently emits light.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying unit further includes a memory element electronically coupled to the sound producing element, the memory element storing a plurality of sounds; and
a sound selection element electronically coupled to the memory element and to the sound producing element to select one of the plurality of sounds as the identifying sound.
7. A system for locating and identifying luggage comprising:
a signaling unit including an electromagnetic signal transmitter electronically coupled to a switch, wherein the signal transmitter generates an electromagnetic signal when the switch is actuated; and
an identifying unit affixed to the luggage including
an electromagnetic signal receiver for receiving the electromagnetic signal from the signaling unit; and
a light source electronically coupled to the signal receiver such that the light source emits light following receipt of the electromagnetic signal by the signal receiver.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the light source intermittently emits light.
10. A system for locating and identifying luggage comprising:
a signaling unit including an electromagnetic signal transmitter electronically coupled to a switch, wherein the signal transmitter generates an electromagnetic signal when the switch is actuated;
at least one piece of luggage; and
an identifying unit affixed to the luggage including
an electromagnetic signal receiver for receiving the electromagnetic signal from the signaling unit; and
a sound producing element electronically coupled to the signal receiver such that the sound producing element emits an identifying sound following receipt of the electromagnetic signal by the signal receiver.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the identifying sound comprises a musical tune.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the identifying unit further includes a light source electronically coupled to the signal receiver such that the light source emits light following receipt of the electromagnetic signal by the signal receiver.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein the light source intermittently emits light.
15. The system of claim 10, wherein the identifying unit further includes
a memory element electronically coupled to the sound producing element, the memory element storing a plurality of sounds; and
a sound selection element electronically coupled to the memory element and to the sound producing element to select one of the plurality of sounds as the identifying sound.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A teaching method of an image recognition apparatus, comprising:
a step of capturing the image of a standard object having a standard conformation among objects to be recognized and extracting a characteristic value from the teacher image of the standard object through image processing;
a step of making a user input the already-known knowledge of a range of fluctuation of objects and other objects and entering the knowledge in a knowledge base;
a step of generating context data in which various attributes which can be objects are described together with their semantics in accordance with the characteristic value extracted from the teacher image of the standard object and the knowledge entered in the knowledge base and entering the context data in the knowledge base; and
a step of extracting an attribute corresponding to the type of a characteristic value used for recognition processing from the context data entered in the knowledge base and generating the teaching data for the recognition processing.
2. The teaching method of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a range of fluctuation due to the individual difference between objects and a range of fluctuation due to the environmental difference at the time of photographing are made to input as the knowledge of a range of fluctuation of objects.
3. The teaching method of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a tolerance for design is made to input as the knowledge of a range of fluctuation due to the individual difference between objects.
4. The teaching method of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an attribute for a standard object is made to input as knowledge.
5. The teaching method of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the case of context data, various attributes are described by a structurization language.
6. A teaching apparatus of an image recognition apparatus, the teaching apparatus for performing functions comprising:
capturing the image of a standard object having a standard conformation among objects to be recognized and extracting a characteristic value from the teacher image of the standard object through image processing,
making a user input the already-known knowledge of a range of fluctuation of objects and other objects and entering the knowledge in a knowledge base,
generating the context data in which various attributes which can be objects are described together with their semantics in accordance with a characteristic value extracted from the teacher image of the standard object and the knowledge entered in the knowledge base and entering the context data in the knowledge base, and
extracting an attribute corresponding to the type of a characteristic value used for recognition processing from the context data entered in the knowledge base and generating the teaching data for the recognition processing.
7. The teaching apparatus of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a range of fluctuation due to the individual difference between objects and a range of fluctuation due to the environmental difference at the time of photographing area made to input as the knowledge of a range of fluctuation of objects.
8. The teaching apparatus of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a tolerance for design is made to input as the knowledge of a range of fluctuation due to the individual difference between objects.
9. The teaching apparatus of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 6, wherein an attribute for a standard object is made to input as knowledge.
10. The teaching apparatus of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 6, wherein in the case of context data, various attributes are described by a structurization language.
11. A teaching program of an image recognition apparatus for making a computer execute processing functions comprising:
processing for capturing the image of a standard object having a standard conformation among objects to be recognized and extracting a characteristic value from the teacher image of the standard object through image processing;
processing for making a user input the already-known knowledge of a range of fluctuation of objects and other objects and entering the knowledge in a knowledge base;
processing for generating the context data in which various attributes which can be objects are described together with their semantics in accordance with a characteristic value extracted from the teacher image of the standard object and the knowledge entered in the knowledge base and entering the context data in the knowledge base; and
processing for extracting an attribute corresponding to the type of a characteristic value used for recognition processing for the context data entered in the knowledge base and generating the teaching data for the recognition processing.
12. An image recognition method comprising:
a step of capturing the image of a standard object having a standard conformation among object to be recognized and extracting a characteristic value from the teacher image of the standard object through image processing;
a step of making a user input the already-known knowledge of a range of fluctuation of objects and other objects and entering the knowledge in a knowledge base;
a step of generating the context data in which various attributes which can be objects are described together with their semantics in accordance with a characteristic value extracted from the teacher image of the standard object and the knowledge entered in the knowledge base and entering the context data in the knowledge base;
a step of extracting an attribute corresponding to the type of a characteristic value used for recognition processing from the context data entered in the knowledge base and generating the teaching data for the recognition processing;
a teaching stage for storing the generated teaching data in a teaching data storage device;
a step of capturing the image of a work and extracting a characteristic value from the image of the work through image processing; and
an image recognition stage for executing recognition processing in accordance with the teaching data read from the teaching data storage device and the extracted characteristic value and determining whether the work is an object.
13. The image recognition method according to claim 12, wherein when failing in recognition at an image recognition stage,
work context data for defining various attributes of the work is generated from the characteristic value of the extracted work,
image processing is applied to the image of the work in accordance with the difference between attributes of the generated context data and the context data for an object entered in a knowledge base, and
recognition processing is executed in accordance with an image-processed work image.
14. The image recognition method according to claim 12, wherein when a correct determination result is not obtained at an image recognition stage,
work context data for defining various attributes of an extracted work is generated from the characteristic value of the work,
an attribute capable of correctly determining a work is selected in accordance with the difference between attributes of the generated work context data and the context data for an object entered in a knowledge base,
a recognition logic capable of executing recognition processing is searched by using a characteristic value corresponding to the selected attribute from a plurality of recognition logics usable for recognition processing, and
teaching data for the searched recognition logic is generated.
15. The image recognition method according to claim 14, wherein when a recognition logic capable of executing recognition processing by using a characteristic value corresponding to a selected attribute is not searched, the content is communicated to a user.
16. The image recognition method according to claim 15, wherein when a recognition logic capable of executing recognition processing by using a characteristic value corresponding to a selected attribute is not searched, the specification of a recognition logic to be added is communicated in accordance with the selected attribute.
17. An image recognition apparatus comprising:
a teaching apparatus for performing functions comprising
capturing the image of a standard object having a standard conformation among objects to be recognized and extracting a characteristic value from the teacher image of the standard object through image processing,
making a user enter the already-known knowledge of a range of fluctuation of objects and other objects and entering the knowledge in a knowledge base,
generating context data in which various attributes which can be objects are described together with their semantics in accordance with a characteristic value extracted from the teacher image of the standard object and the knowledge entered in the knowledge base and entering the context data in the knowledge base,
extracting an attribute corresponding to the type of a characteristic value used for recognition processing from the context data entered in the knowledge base and generating the teaching data for the recognition processing, and
storing the generated teaching data in a teaching data storage device; and

an image recognition device for performing functions comprising
capturing the image of a work and extracting a characteristic value from the image of the work through image processing,
executing recognition processing in accordance with the teaching data read from the teaching data storage device and the extracted characteristic value, and
determining whether the work is an object.
18. The image recognition apparatus according to claim 17,
wherein an image recognition device generates the work context data for defining various attributes of an extracted work in accordance with the characteristic value of the work,
applies image processing to the image of the work in accordance with the difference between attributes of the generated context data and the context data for an object entered in a knowledge base, and
executes recognition processing in accordance with an image-processed work image.
19. The image recognition apparatus according to claim 17,
wherein an image recognition device has a plurality of recognition logics usable for recognition processing,
generates the work context data for defining various attributes of an extracted work from the characteristic value of the work,
selects an attribute capable of correctly determining the work in accordance with the difference between attributes of the generated work context data and the context data of an object entered in a knowledge base,
searching a recognition logic capable of executing recognition processing by using a characteristic value corresponding to the selected attribute, and
makes a teaching device generate the teaching data for the searched recognition logic.
20. The image recognition apparatus according to claim 19,
wherein when a recognition logic capable of executing recognition processing by using a characteristic value corresponding to a selected attribute is not searched, an image recognition device communicates the content to a user.
21. The image recognition apparatus according to claim 20,
wherein when a recognition logic capable of executing recognition processing by using a characteristic value corresponding to a selected attribute is not searched, an image recognition device communicates the specification of a recognition logic to be added in accordance with the selected attribute.
22. An image recognition program for making a computer execute processing functions comprising:
teaching processing comprising
capturing the image of a standard object having a standard conformation among objects to be recognized and extracting a characteristic value from the teacher image of the standard object through image processing,
making a user input the already-known knowledge of a range of fluctuation of objects and other objects and entering the knowledge in a knowledge base,
generating context data in which various attributes which can be objects are described together with their semantics in accordance with the characteristic value extracted from the teacher image of the standard object and the knowledge entered in the knowledge base,
extracting an attribute corresponding to the type of a characteristic value used for recognition processing from the context data entered in the knowledge base and generating the teaching data for the recognition processing, and
storing the generated teaching data in a teaching data storage device, and

image recognition processing comprising
capturing the image of a work and extracting a characteristic value from the image of the work,
executing recognition processing in accordance with the teaching data read from the teaching data storage device and the extracted characteristic value and
determining whether the work is an object.
23. The teaching method of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an attribute for a standard object is made to input as knowledge.
24. The teaching method of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an attribute for a standard object is made to input as knowledge.
25. The teaching method of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in the case of context data, various attributes are described by a structurization language.
26. The teaching method of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 3, wherein in the case of context data, various attributes are described by a structurization language.
27. The teaching method of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 4, wherein in the case of context data, various attributes are described by a structurization language.
28. The teaching apparatus of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 7, wherein an attribute for a standard object is made to input as knowledge.
29. The teaching apparatus of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 8, wherein an attribute for a standard object is made to input as knowledge.
30. The teaching apparatus of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 7, wherein in the case of context data, various attributes are described by a structurization language.
31. The teaching apparatus of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 8, wherein in the case of context data, various attributes are described by a structurization language.
32. The teaching apparatus of the image recognition apparatus according to claim 9, wherein in the case of context data, various attributes are described by a structurization language.
33. The image recognition method according to claim 13, wherein when a correct determination result is not obtained at an image recognition stage,
work context data for defining various attributes of an extracted work is generated from the characteristic value of the work,
an attribute capable of correctly determining a work is selected in accordance with the difference between attributes of the generated work context data and the context data for an object entered in a knowledge base,
a recognition logic capable of executing recognition processing is searched by using a characteristic value corresponding to the selected attribute from a plurality of recognition logics usable for recognition processing, and
teaching data for the searched recognition logic is generated.
34. The image recognition apparatus according to claim 18,
wherein an image recognition device has a plurality of recognition logics usable for recognition processing,
generates the work context data for defining various attributes of an extracted work from the characteristic value of the work,
selects an attribute capable of correctly determining the work in accordance with the difference between attributes of the generated work context data and the context data of an object entered in a knowledge base,
searching a recognition logic capable of executing recognition processing by using a characteristic value corresponding to the selected attribute, and
makes a teaching device generate the teaching data for the searched recognition logic.

1. A method for sharing multiple video streams with others within a virtual social venue, the method comprising:
providing a user with an interface comprising a virtual three-dimensional space;
connecting to one or more social networks to which the user belongs,
accessing a social graph associated with the user, the social graph being provided by a social network to which the user belongs, the social graph including a list of friends of the user;
leveraging the social graph to enable the user to selectively invite friends from the user’s social network to participate in the virtual social venue;
providing a plurality of virtual screens, windows, or other viewing surfaces within the virtual three-dimensional space;
enabling the user andor the user’s friends to select multiple video streams to feed into the virtual three-dimensional space;
instantiating the multiple selected video streams onto the plurality of virtual screens, windows, or other viewing surfaces; and
simultaneously displaying the multiple selected video streams on the plurality of virtual screens, windows, or other viewing surfaces to the users within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of virtual screens, windows, or other viewing surfaces include different angularly oriented screens, billboards, windows, or other viewing surfaces.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the virtual three-dimensional space is a virtual three-dimensional representation of a stadium, coliseum, arena, stage, theater, or other large physical structure providing a seating area for clustering an audience of people in proximity to each other.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
providing three-dimensional animated avatars to represent the users; and
displaying the multiple selected video streams to the users while simultaneously displaying the avatars of neighboring users within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising populating the virtual three-dimensional space with artificial-intelligence avatars that do not represent invited users.
6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
enabling the users to communicate with each other; and
displaying visual overlays within the virtual three-dimensional space to represent communications between the users.
7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
providing each avatar with a position and orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space; and
displaying the selected video streams to each user with a yaw and pitch consistent with relative differences between the user’s position and orientation and a position and orientation of the virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface.
8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
enabling each avatar to navigate to a user-selected position and orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space; and
updating the display of the virtual three-dimensional space to the user to provide the user with a field of view consistent with the selected position and orientation of the avatar within the virtual three-dimensional space;
wherein if any portion of the virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface is still within the field of view of the user, then that portion of the instantiated media content continues to be displayed to the user.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling users to zoom into video feeds that they select.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing one or more additional viewing surfaces within the virtual three-dimensional space;
instantiating clickable advertisements on the one or more additional viewing surfaces; and
if one of the clickable advertisements is selected, launching a web browser window with a point-of-sale web page outside the interface, without pausing the experience within the user interface.
11. A method for leveraging a social network to create virtual social media experiences within a virtual three-dimensional space, the method comprising:
providing a user with an interface that provides a shareable virtual three-dimensional space and enables the user to invite friends from a social network to which he or she belongs;
enabling the user to select two-dimensional media content to share within that space;
connecting to the user’s social network, wherein the social network provides a social graph with a list of friends of the user;
leveraging the social graph to enable the user to invite friends from the social network to share the two-dimensional media within the shareable virtual three-dimensional space;
providing a virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface within the virtual three-dimensional space;
instantiating the selected media content onto the virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface; and
displaying the selected media content to a user within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space;
within the virtual social venue, providing one or more displays containing one or more advertisements for one or more products or services related to the selected media content, the one or more advertisements being selectable by the user;
upon selection by a user of an advertisement, opening a browser window to a point-of-sale webpage where the user can purchase a corresponding product or service.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:
after the step of opening a browser window, completing a purchase of the one or more products.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of opening a browser window comprises launching a browser window external to the enclosed virtual social venue, enabling a purchase transaction to be performed without pausing the experience within the social venue.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the virtual three-dimensional space is a virtual three-dimensional representation of a stadium, coliseum, arena, stage, theater, or other large physical structure providing a seating area for clustering an audience of people in proximity to each other.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:
providing three-dimensional animated avatars to represent the users; and
displaying the multiple selected video streams to the users while simultaneously displaying the avatars of neighboring users within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space.
16. A social media platform comprising:
a user interface providing a virtual social venue represented in virtual three-dimensional space and powered by a three-dimensional graphics engine;
the user interface enabling users to select multiple video streams to feed into the virtual three-dimensional space;
a data interface between the virtual social venue and a social network that enables invitation of users from the social network to participate in the virtual social venue; and
a plurality of virtual screens, windows, or other viewing surfaces within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space;
wherein the user interface is operable to instantiate the multiple selected video streams onto the plurality of virtual screens, windows, or other viewing surfaces and simultaneously display them to the users within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space.
17. The social media platform of claim 16, wherein the plurality of virtual screens, windows, or other viewing surfaces include different angularly oriented screens, billboards, windows, or other viewing surfaces.
18. The social media platform of claim 17, wherein the virtual three-dimensional space is a virtual three-dimensional representation of a stadium, coliseum, arena, stage, theater, or other large physical structure providing a seating area for clustering an audience of people in proximity to each other.
19. The social media platform of claim 18, wherein the user interface is operable to provide three-dimensional animated avatars to represent the users, provide each avatar with a position and orientation within the virtual three-dimensional space, and display the selected video streams to each user with a yaw and pitch consistent with relative differences between the user’s position and orientation and a position and orientation of the virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface.
20. A social media platform comprising:
a virtual social venue comprising a three-dimensional graphics engine providing a virtual three-dimensional space;
a data interface between the virtual social venue and a social network that enables invitation of users from the social network to participate in the virtual social venue;
a virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space;
a clickable advertisement instantiated onto the virtual screen, window, or other viewing surface; and
a user interface that displays the clickable advertisement to each admitted user within the context of the virtual three-dimensional space;
wherein selection by a user of an advertisement launches a browser window to a point-of-sale webpage where the user can purchase a corresponding product or service.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1-100. (canceled)
101. An article of manufacture for authorized distribution of multimedia content comprising a machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions adapted to be executed by a processor, the instructions which, when executed, result in the process: receiving at least one copy of content to be imperceptibly encoded with at least one digital watermark; and encoding the digital watermark into one or more locations in the content utilizing a key associated with a plurality of functions.
102. The article of manufacture of claim 101, wherein said key is selected from the group comprising: a random key; a pseudo-random key; a candidate key; a watermark key; a watermarking key; a private key; a public key; a semiprivate key; a master framework key; and, a digital watermark key.
103. The article of manufacture of claim 101, wherein the encoded at least one digital watermark is associated with title, ownership, payment, distribution parameters, or uniquely identifiable information.
104. The article of manufacture of claim 101, wherein the encoded at least one digital watermark is integral with the encoded content.
105. The article of manufacture of claim 101, wherein a plurality of digital watermarks is encoded into one or more locations in the content.
106. The article of manufacture of claim 105, wherein at least one of the plurality of digital watermarks is accessible by a separate key.
107. The article of manufacture of claim 105, wherein each of the plurality of digital watermarks is encoded using separate keys.
108. The article of manufacture of claim 101, wherein at least one of the plurality of functions is upgradeable.
109. The article of manufacture of claim 101, further comprising an processor to generate information to identify the key used for encoding.
110. The article of manufacture of claim 101, further comprising a processor to generate information to reduce the computational expense to identify a key in a likely set of keys corresponding to the at least one key utilized in the encoding step.
111. The article of manufacture of claim 110, wherein the processor is bound by one of either heuristics or search scoring to reduce computational expense.
112. The article of manufacture of claim 101, further comprising a detector to detect or decoder the encoded at least one digital watermark.
113. An system for authorizing content comprising: a receiver to receive a potentially watermarked signal; a selector to select a portion of the potentially watermarked signal to detect a digital watermark; and, a processor to determine the contents of the detected digital watermark with a key.
114. The system of claim 113, wherein the detected digital watermark is hashed, encrypted, time stamped or signed.
115. The system of claim 113, wherein the detected digital watermark is authenticated, certified or verified by a third party to authorize the corresponding encoded content.
116. The system of claim 113, wherein said key is selected from the group of keys comprising: a random key; a candidate key; a pseudo-random key; a watermark key; a watermarking key; a private key; a public key; a semiprivate key; a master framework key; and, a digital watermark key.
117. The system of claim 113, wherein a plurality of digital watermarks are encoded in the potentially watermarked signal.
118. The system of claim 117, wherein each of the plurality of the digital watermarks is accessible using separate keys.
119. The system of claim 118, wherein said separate keys are selected from the group comprising: a random key; a candidate key; a pseudo-random key; a watermark key; a watermarking key; a private key; a public key; a semiprivate key; a master framework key; and, a digital watermark key.
120. The system of claim 113, wherein the key describes how the digital watermark is encoded in the potentially watermarked signal.
121. An article of manufacture for authorizing content comprising a machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions adapted to be executed by a processor, the instructions which, when executed, result in the process: receiving a potentially watermarked signal; selecting a portion of the potentially watermarked signal to detect a digital watermark; and, determining the contents of the detected digital watermark with a key.
122. The system of claim 113, wherein one of the key, the digital watermark or both the key and the digital watermark enable upgrades to the system.