Patent US8189880B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US8189880B2
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Interactive photo annotation based on face clustering
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 2007-05-29
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Granted: 2012-05-29
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Expires: 2027-05-29
Abstract
Abstract An interactive photo annotation method uses clustering based on facial similarities to improve annotation experience. The method uses a face recognition algorithm to extract facial features of a photo album and cluster the photos into multiple face groups based on facial similarity. The method annotates a face group collectively using annotations, such as name identifiers, in one operation. The method further allows merging and splitting of face groups. Special graphical user interfaces, such as displays in a group view area and a thumbnail area and drag-and-drop features, are used to further improve the annotation experience.
Inventors
- 👤 Fang Wen
- 👤 Rong Xiao
- 👤 Qiong Yang
- 👤 Xiaoou Tang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:47
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/50; G06F16/58; G06F16/583; G06F16/5854; G06F16/51
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A computer-implemented method comprising: extracting facial features of a collection of digital photos; clustering the collection of digital photos into a plurality of face groups, at least first and second face groups of the plurality of face groups each including multiple digital photos, each photo having a facial feature satisfying a programmed facial similarity requirement; associating an annotation with the at least first face group; adding the second face group to the first face group; and responsive to the adding, automatically associating the second face group with an annotation of the first face group.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
94 words
A computer-implemented method comprising: extracting facial features of a collection of digital photos; clustering the collection of digital photos into a plurality of face groups, at least first and second face groups of the plurality of face groups each including multiple digital photos, each photo having a facial feature satisfying a programmed facial similarity requirement; associating an annotation with the at least first face group; adding the second face group to the first face group; and responsive to the adding, automatically associating the second face group with an annotation of the first face group.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the multiple digital photos each has a torso feature satisfying a programmed torso similarity requirement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the multiple digital photos each has a photo time feature satisfying a programmed photo time similarity requirement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the facial similarity requirement comprises a facial similarity level at or beyond which the facial features of the multiple digital photos are considered that of a person of same identity, and wherein the annotation comprises an identifier of the person.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein clustering the collection of digital photos comprising: automatically clustering the collection of digital photos by applying a face clustering algorithm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: receiving from a user at least one ad hoc annotation for a plurality of digital photos in the collection of digital photos; and clustering the collection of digital photos based on the at least one ad hoc annotation received from the user.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: modifying a face group of the plurality of face groups by removing a photo from the face group; and disassociating the removed photo with the annotation of the face group.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: automatically merging face groups of the plurality of face groups if the face groups are associated with an identical annotation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: displaying in a first view area an image representation of the at least one face group, the image representation being selectable by a user to select the at least one face group; and displaying in a second view area thumbnails of the multiple digital photos of the at least one face group when selected by the user.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: allowing a user to select a target face group from the plurality of face groups; ranking the plurality of face groups according to face similarity of each face group to the target face group; and displaying the plurality of face groups according to a result of the ranking.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: allowing a user to select a target face group from the plurality of face groups; allowing the user to select a target photo from the target face group; ranking photos of the target face group according to face similarity of each photo to the target photo; and displaying the photos of target face group according to a result of the ranking.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising clustering the collection of digital photos into a plurality of event/location group; and associating an event/location annotation with the at least one event/location group.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
78 words
A graphical user interface for adding annotations to a photo album, the graphical user interface comprising: a group view area in which a plurality of face groups of the photo album are displayed, each displayed face group being selectable by a user, wherein the displayed face groups are enabled for a drag-and-drop operation to merge two or more face groups; and an annotation input interface via which a user can enter an annotation for a selected face group.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
A graphical user interface for adding annotations to a photo album, the graphical user interface comprising: a group view area in which a plurality of face groups of the photo album are displayed, each displayed face group being selectable by a user, wherein the displayed face groups are enabled for a drag-and-drop operation to merge two or more face groups; and an annotation input interface via which a user can enter an annotation for a selected face group.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The graphical user interface as recited in claim 13 , further comprising a thumbnail area in which thumbnails of a plurality of photos of a selected face group are displayed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The graphical user interface as recited in claim 14 , wherein the displayed thumbnails are enabled for a drag-and-drop operation to remove a corresponding photo from the selected face group or to move a corresponding photo to another face group.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The graphical user interface as recited in claim 13 , wherein the annotation input interface comprises: an annotation field listing existing annotations enabled for selection by the user to be the annotation of the selected face group.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The graphical user interface as recited in claim 13 , wherein the annotation input interface comprises: an annotation field via which the user can manually enter the annotation for the selected face group.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
111 words
One or more computer storage devices having stored thereupon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform operations including: extracting facial features of a collection of digital photos; clustering the collection of digital photos into a plurality of face groups, at least first and second face groups of the plurality of face groups each including multiple digital photos, each photo having a facial feature satisfying a facial similarity requirement; associating an annotation with the at least first face group; adding the second face group to the first face group; and responsive to the adding, automatically associating the second face group with an annotation of the first face group.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
111 words
One or more computer storage devices having stored thereupon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform operations including: extracting facial features of a collection of digital photos; clustering the collection of digital photos into a plurality of face groups, at least first and second face groups of the plurality of face groups each including multiple digital photos, each photo having a facial feature satisfying a facial similarity requirement; associating an annotation with the at least first face group; adding the second face group to the first face group; and responsive to the adding, automatically associating the second face group with an annotation of the first face group.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2015-05-29 | 2015-11-28 | 2016-05-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2019-05-29 | 2019-11-28 | 2020-05-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2023-05-29 | 2023-11-28 | 2024-05-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |