Photographic assistance for mobile devices

Abstract

The invention relates to photography assistance for mobile devices. A method of assisting photography includes: receiving an input related to an object of interest to be photographed; obtaining a set of information sets associated with the object of interest, each information set comprising a respective position at which a respective photo of the object of interest is taken; selecting a specific information set in the set of information sets, wherein a position in the specific information set is a specific position for shooting a specific photo of the object of interest; and providing user direction guidance through a user interface of the mobile device to guide a user of the mobile device to the particular location.

Description

[0001] This invention patent application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with international application number PCT / US2020 / 016231, international application date January 31, 2020, application number 202080010954.4 entering the Chinese national phase, and name “Photography assistance for mobile devices”.

[0002] Priority claim under 35 U.S.C. § 119

[0003] This patent application claims priority to non-provisional application No. 16 / 264,969, filed on February 1, 2019, entitled “PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANCE FOR MOBILE DEVICES,” which has been assigned to its assignee and is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0004] The present application relates to photography assistance for mobile devices. Background Art

[0005] Wireless communication devices are becoming more popular and more sophisticated. For example, the number of available features of smartphones has increased and has almost replaced some technologies / devices. For example, as cameras in smartphones have improved, fewer and fewer people are buying separate point-and-shoot cameras, instead relying on smartphones that users usually carry with them for both planned photography and impromptu snapshots.

[0006] With current camera technology in smart devices (such as smart phones), users can capture pictures through available features and check whether the picture meets the user's approval, such as whether it is in focus, whether the desired content is captured, etc. The availability of digital images has allowed users to take many more pictures than film cameras, and determine in real time whether the user has captured a desired picture, or whether the user wants to retry capturing the picture.

[0007] Users often wish to capture one or more images of an object of interest (OOI) that is immediately appealing to the user and / or desirable for one or more other reasons, such as a historical object, a monument, a tourist attraction (e.g., the Eiffel Tower), or an OOI that indicates a visited location (e.g., in front of a theme park such as Universal Studios). Sometimes there are viewpoints for specific OOIs, such as in national parks, along highways, etc., that provide users with suggested locations to take photos. Users may rely on serendipity, watching / following others, and / or a tour guide to determine the location and / or angle at which to take photos. Summary of the invention

[0008] An example of a mobile device includes: one or more transceivers; one or more cameras; a user interface; a memory; and one or more processors, the one or more processors being communicatively coupled to the one or more transceivers, the one or more cameras, the user interface, and the memory, the one or more processors being configured to: obtain a collection of information sets associated with an object of interest to be photographed, each information set including a corresponding location at which a corresponding photo of the object of interest was taken using the one or more cameras; select a specific information set from the collection of information sets, the location in the specific information set being a specific location at which a specific photo of the object of interest was taken; and provide user directional guidance through the user interface to guide a user of the mobile device to the specific location.

[0009] An example of a method for assisted photography, comprising: receiving input related to an object of interest to be photographed; obtaining a collection of information sets associated with the object of interest, each information set including a corresponding location where a corresponding photo of the object of interest was taken; selecting a specific information set in the collection of information sets, the location in the specific information set being a specific location where a specific photo of the object of interest was taken; and providing user direction guidance through a user interface of a mobile device to guide a user of the mobile device to the specific location.

[0010] An example system for assisted photography includes: a device for receiving input related to an object of interest to be photographed; a device for obtaining a collection of information sets associated with the object of interest, each information set including a corresponding location where a corresponding photo of the object of interest was taken; a device for selecting a specific information set in the collection of information sets, the location in the specific information set being a specific location where a specific photo of the object of interest was taken; and a device for providing user directional guidance through a user interface of a mobile device to guide a user of the mobile device to the specific location.

[0011] An example non-volatile, processor-readable storage medium storing processor-readable instructions for assisting photography so as to cause one or more processors to: receive input related to an object of interest to be photographed; obtain a collection of information sets associated with the object of interest, each information set including a corresponding location where a corresponding photo of the object of interest was taken; select a specific information set from the collection of information sets, the location in the specific information set being a specific location where a specific photo of the object of interest was taken; and provide user direction guidance through a user interface of a mobile device to guide a user of the mobile device to the specific location. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the communication system.

[0013] Figure 2 yes Figure 100140] A block diagram of components of a communication device is shown in FIG.

[0014] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A block diagram of the components of the server is shown in FIG.

[0015] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A block diagram of the components of an access point is shown in FIG.

[0016] Figure 5 It is a flowchart of the method of assisting photography.

[0017] Figure 6-Figure 10 is an example of a user interface during input related to an object of interest to be photographed.

[0018] Fig.11 is a simplified block diagram of a memory storing a collection of information sets of objects of interest.

[0019] Fig. 12A and Fig. 12B yes Fig.11 A simplified diagram of the various parts of the collection shown in .

[0020] Fig.13 is a simplified diagram of a user interface that provides sample photos for reproduction.

[0021] Fig.14 is a simplified diagram of a user interface providing directional guidance to the location where a photo was taken.

[0022] Fig.15 is a transparent reference image and is to be Figure 2 A simplified diagram showing images captured by the cameras being displayed simultaneously.

[0023] Fig.16 It is a flowchart of the method of assisting photography.

[0024] Fig.17 is a transparent reference image and is to be Figure 2 A simplified diagram showing images captured by the cameras being displayed simultaneously.

[0025] Fig.18 is a simplified diagram of a user interface providing a preview of a photo with automatically set camera settings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Camera users often want to take pictures of tourist attractions or other OOIs. Even with digital photography, users can take a large number of pictures and determine in real time whether the pictures taken by the user are acceptable and / or whether the user wants to take more pictures, but users usually want to get the best pictures possible. Users can benefit from the techniques discussed herein to help users take pleasing pictures. Although a camera (e.g., a camera in a smart portable device) may be able to automatically adjust the camera's settings, the user may benefit from camera settings that are different from the camera settings that the camera would select, and / or may benefit from one or more other suggestions, such as the location of the picture, the orientation of the picture, the placement of the foreground subject, the time of day of the picture, and / or the date of the year of the picture, etc.

[0027] This article discusses technologies for assisting users in taking photos. For example, a smart device may use input about an OOI to suggest one or more locations for taking photos of the OOI. The device may provide directional guidance to the user through the user interface of the device for the user to follow in order to reach the suggested location. Sample photos may be presented to the user, and the user may select a desired photo to be reproduced from the sample photos. Based on information associated with the selected photo (e.g., information in the metadata of the photo), assistance in taking similar photos may be presented to the user. For example, directions to the location where the selected photo was taken and / or a suggested date and / or time for taking the selected photo may be presented to the user. The user's camera settings may be automatically adjusted to reproduce the selected photo, such as reproducing one or more effects and / or capturing the OOI with similar lighting. For example, the focus, ISO (sensitivity), flash, shutter speed, magnification (zoom), aperture (F-stop) (focal length), depth effect, etc. of the user's camera may be automatically set based on: information associated with the photo, information about the user's camera, current date and / or time, and / or current conditions at the location corresponding to the photo, etc. Additionally or alternatively, the user may be presented with positioning information for a foreground subject (eg, a person) in a photo and / or the subject may be presented with the positioning information. However, other configurations and / or techniques may be used.

[0028] The items and / or technologies described herein may provide one or more of the following capabilities, as well as other capabilities not mentioned. Suggested photo opportunities may be provided to the user. For example, photos may be improved by using camera settings that the user and the user's camera would not otherwise use. The user experience may be improved by allowing the user to take photos that the user would not otherwise think of capturing and / or would not otherwise be able to capture without assistance. The user's photo-taking experience may be improved by guiding the user to locations where photos are taken (e.g., taking into account congestion at one or more locations and / or the paths to these locations). Other capabilities may be provided, and not every implementation according to the present disclosure must provide any of the capabilities discussed, let alone all of the capabilities. In addition, it may be possible to achieve the effects described above in unspecified ways, and the noted items / techniques may not necessarily produce the noted effects.

[0029] refer to Figure 1 , the communication system 10 includes mobile wireless communication devices 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, a network 18, a server 20, base stations 22, 23, an access point (AP) 24, and a satellite 26. The mobile wireless communication devices are also referred to herein as mobile devices. Although not part of the system 10, the mobile devices 12-16 are arranged near the OOI 28, where the OOI 28 is the Great Pyramid of Egypt. The system 10 is a wireless communication system because the components of the system 10 can communicate with each other (e.g., using wireless connections and / or wired connections) directly or indirectly (e.g., via the network 18, the base station 22, the base station 23, and / or the access point 24 (and / or one or more other devices not shown, such as one or more other base stations and / or one or more other access points). For example, the base station 22 and the devices 15, 16 and the base station 23 and the devices 12-14 can use signals according to one or more protocols (such as LTE, GSM, CDMA or OFDM) to communicate wirelessly. A single access point 24 and two base stations 22, 23 are examples only, and other numbers of access points and / or base stations may be used. The term "base station" does not limit the base stations 22, 23 to any particular form, protocol, etc. For example, each of the base stations 22, 23 (and / or other base stations not shown) may be referred to as a base transceiver station (BTS), an access node (AN), a Node B, an evolved Node B (eNB), etc. For indirect communication, during transmission from one entity to another, the communication may be modified, for example, to modify header information of a data packet, change the format, etc.

[0030] The illustrated mobile devices 12-16 are mobile wireless communication devices (although they may communicate wirelessly as well as via wired connections), devices 12, 14, 16 are mobile phones (where devices 12, 16 are smart phones), device 15 is a laptop computer, and device 13 is a tablet computer. The types of devices 12-16 illustrated are examples, and other types of devices (e.g., non-mobile devices, such as desktop computers) may be used, whether currently existing or developed in the future. In addition, other wireless devices (whether mobile or not) may be implemented within the system 10 and may communicate with each other and / or with the mobile devices 12-16, the network 18, the server 20, and / or the AP 24. For example, such other devices may include Internet of Things (IoT) devices, medical devices, home entertainment and / or automation devices, etc. The mobile devices 12-16 or other devices may be configured to communicate in different networks and / or for different purposes (e.g., 5G, Wi-Fi communications, Wi-Fi communications at multiple frequencies, satellite positioning, one or more types of cellular communications (e.g., GSM (Global System for Mobile), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), etc.). In addition, one or more of the devices 12-16 may be configured to receive and process satellite signals from the satellite 26.

[0031] refer to Figure 2 , and further reference Figure 1 , mobile device 30 is an example of any of mobile wireless communication devices 12-16 and includes a computer system including a processor 32, a memory 34 including software (SW) 36, a user interface 38, one or more sensors 39, a transceiver 40, a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver 41, a camera 42, and a positioning system 44. Processor 32 is preferably an intelligent hardware device, such as a central processing unit (CPU) (such as a Company, or The processor 32 may include a plurality of separate physical entities that may be distributed in the device 30. The memory 34 may include a random access memory (RAM) and / or a read-only memory (ROM). The memory 34 is a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium that stores software 36, which is a processor-readable, processor-executable software code that contains instructions configured to cause the processor 32 to perform various functions described herein when executed. The description may only mention the processor 32 or device 30 that performs a function, but this includes other implementations, such as implementations in which the processor 32 executes software 36 and / or firmware. The software 36 may not be directly executed by the processor 32, but may be configured to cause the processor 32 to perform a function, for example, when compiled and executed. Whether or not compilation is required, the software 36 contains instructions that cause the processor 32 to perform a function. The processor 32 is communicatively coupled to the memory 34. The processor 32, in combination with the memory 34, the user interface 38, the transceiver 40, the camera 42 and / or the positioning system 44, provides a means for performing the functions as described herein. The software 36 may be loaded onto the memory 34 by downloading via a network connection, uploading from a disk, etc. The device 30 may be Figure 1 As is clear from the wireless communication devices 12-16, the term "wireless communication device" does not require that the functionality of the device is dedicated to communication or even primarily used for communication, or that the device is a mobile device, but rather indicates that the device includes wireless communication capabilities (one-way or two-way), for example, including at least one radio for wireless communication (each radio is part of a transmitter, receiver or transceiver).

[0032] The user interface 38 includes one or more mechanisms for interacting with a user of the device 30. For example, the user interface 38 may include a display for providing visual information to the user. The display may be a touch-sensitive display configured to receive input from the user, for example, by the user touching the screen to select an application associated with an icon displayed on the display, or by the user touching an icon of a letter to enter text, etc. The user interface 38 may additionally or alternatively include a keyboard for entering characters (e.g., text, numbers, etc.) (e.g., as the device 15 is shown as a laptop computer). The user interface 38 may additionally or alternatively include a speaker for providing audible information to the user. The user interface 38 may additionally or alternatively include a microphone for receiving audio input from the user.

[0033] The sensor(s) 39 may include one or more sensors for sensing motion and providing signals indicative of the sensed motion. For example, the sensor(s) 39 may include a gyroscope and / or an accelerometer. The sensor(s) 39 may provide output signals indicative of the sensed motion to one or more other components of the system 30 (e.g., to the positioning system 44, to the memory 34, and / or to the processor 32).

[0034] The transceiver 40 is configured to communicate with other entities in the system 10. The transceiver 40 may be configured to communicate bidirectionally with the network 18, base stations 22, 23, and / or access point 24 using wireless and / or wired communications. For wireless communications, the transceiver 40 may include a wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver 46 and / or a wireless wide area network (WWAN) transceiver 48 and / or Transceiver 49 (or other short-range wireless communication protocol transceiver). Transceivers 46, 48, 49 may each include one or more antennas for wirelessly transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals to / from network 18, base stations 22, 23, and / or access point 24. Transceivers 46, 48, 49 are shown as part of transceiver 40, but any one or combination of transceivers 46, 48, 49 may be independent of transceiver 40 (although the present disclosure assumes that transceivers 46, 48, 49 are part of transceiver 40). The description of the functions performed by transceiver 40 applies even if some or all of the functions are performed by components physically separate from transceiver 40. Transceiver 40 is configured to process and send electrical signals, for example, to one or more antennas, for conversion and transmission as wireless signals through one or more antennas. The transceiver 40 is configured to process signals wirelessly received and converted by the one or more antennas and provided to the transceiver 40, and provide the signals to one / more appropriate entities in the device 30, for example, to the processor 32, the user interface 38 and / or the positioning system 44, etc.

[0035] SPS receiver 41 is configured to receive and measure signals received from satellites 26. SPS receiver 41 may include one or more antennas configured to receive wireless signals from satellites 26. SPS receiver 41 may provide an indication of received satellite signals, such as an indication of measurements of the signals, to positioning system 44 for use in determining the location of device 30. Additionally or alternatively, SPS receiver 41 may be configured to determine the location of mobile device 30.

[0036] The camera 42 is configured to capture images and provide information about the images to the processor 32 and / or the memory 34. The camera 42 may be configured to capture still images and or videos. Although the discussion herein focuses on still image photography, the techniques discussed are also applicable to video capture where possible. The camera 42 may have one or more adjustable settings, such as focus, ISO (sensitivity), flash, shutter speed, aperture (focal length), depth effects, etc. The camera 42 may be configured to process images, for example, apply filters to images, add special effects (e.g., graphics, distortion of objects in the image), etc. The information about the image may be provided to the processor 32 for processing and / or may be provided to the memory 34 for storage, processing by the processor 32, and / or transmission by the transceiver to one or more external entities (e.g., server 20). The information about the image may include indications of pixel values, values ​​of camera settings (e.g., shutter speed, etc.), the location of the mobile device 30, etc. Camera 42 may include more than one camera, such as a forward-facing camera oriented from the front of mobile device 30 (e.g., on a side of the mobile device having a display) to capture images of objects in the field of view located in front of mobile device 30, and / or a rearward-facing camera placed on the bottom side of mobile device 30 and oriented to capture images of objects in the field of view of the bottom of mobile device 30.

[0037] The positioning system 44 is configured to determine the location of the mobile device 30 and provide an indication of the location of the mobile device 30. The positioning system 44 may work in conjunction with the SPS receiver 41, for example, being configured to obtain measurements from the SPS receiver 41 and process the measurements to determine the location of the mobile device 30. Additionally or alternatively, the positioning system 44 may be configured to use signals from the base station 22, the base station 23, and / or the access point 24, and / or one or more other entities (e.g., other base stations, other access points, etc.) to determine the location of the mobile device 30. Additionally or alternatively, the positioning system 44 may be configured to use signals from the camera 42 and apply computer vision (e.g., apply computer vision to one or more still photos and / or one or more video frames) to determine the location of the mobile device 30 and / or the OOI within the field of view of the mobile device 30. The positioning system 44 may be configured to cause the camera 42 to capture one or more images without input from the user (e.g., intermittently according to a schedule, in response to external stimuli, such as moving within the range of an access point and receiving a signal from the access point, etc.). The positioning system 44 may be configured to determine information based on multiple locations, such as the speed and / or direction of the mobile device 30. The positioning system 44 may provide information about the position (or speed, or direction, etc.) of the mobile device 30 to the processor 32, the memory 34, the user interface 38, and / or the transceiver 40. The positioning system 44 may be implemented using the processor 32. Additionally or alternatively, the positioning system 44 may be configured to determine the position using signals from one or more sensors 39 (e.g., gyroscopes, accelerometers, etc.), for example by performing dead reckoning based on motion from known previous positions of the device 30.

[0038] refer to Figure 3 , and further reference Figure 1 , an example configuration of the server 20 includes a computer system including a processor 52, a memory 54 including software (SW) 56, and a transceiver 58. The processor 52 is preferably an intelligent hardware device, such as a central processing unit (CPU) (such as a Company, or The processor 52 may include a plurality of separate physical entities that may be distributed in the server 20. The memory 54 may include a random access memory (RAM) and / or a read-only memory (ROM). The memory 54 is a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium that stores software 56, which is a processor-readable, processor-executable software code that contains instructions configured to cause the processor 52 to perform various functions described herein when executed. This description may only mention the processor 52 or the server 20 that performs the function, but this includes other implementations, such as implementations in which the processor 52 executes the software 56 and / or firmware. The software 56 may not be directly executed by the processor 52, but may be configured to cause the processor 52 to perform functions, for example, when compiled and executed. Whether or not compilation is required, the software 56 contains instructions that cause the processor 52 to perform functions. The processor 52 is communicatively coupled to the memory 54. The processor 52, in combination with the memory 54 and the transceiver 58, provides a device for performing functions as described herein. The software 56 may be loaded onto the memory 54 by downloading via a network connection, uploading from a disk, etc. As discussed further below, the memory 54 may store a library of information associated with photographs or possible photographs of the OOI.

[0039] The transceiver 58 is configured to communicate with other entities in the system 10. The transceiver 58 may be configured to communicate bidirectionally with the network 18, the base station 22, the base station 23, and / or the access point 24, etc. The transceiver 58 may include one or more antennas for wirelessly sending and / or receiving wireless signals to / from the network 18, the base station 22, the base station 23, and / or the access point 24, etc. The transceiver 40 is configured to process electrical signals and send the electrical signals to one or more other entities (e.g., the network 18) and / or to one or more antennas to be converted by the one or more antennas and sent as wireless signals. The transceiver 58 is configured to process signals received from other entities, such as signals received from the network 18 and / or signals wirelessly received and converted by the one or more antennas and provided to the transceiver 58, and provide the signals to one / more appropriate entities in the server 20, for example, to the processor 52.

[0040] refer to Figure 4 , and further reference Figure 1 , an example configuration of the access point 24 includes a computer system including a processor 62, a memory 64 including software (SW) 66, and a transceiver 68. The processor 62 is preferably an intelligent hardware device, such as a central processing unit (CPU) (such as a Company, or The processor 62 may include a plurality of separate physical entities that may be distributed in the access point 24. The memory 64 may include a random access memory (RAM) and / or a read-only memory (ROM). The memory 64 is a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium that stores software 66, which is a processor-readable, processor-executable software code that contains instructions configured to cause the processor 62 to perform various functions described herein when executed. The description may only mention the processor 62 or the access point 24 that performs the functions, but this includes other implementations, such as implementations in which the processor 62 executes the software 66 and / or firmware. The software 66 may not be directly executed by the processor 62, but may be configured to cause the processor 62 to perform functions, for example, when compiled and executed. Whether or not compilation is required, the software 66 contains instructions that cause the processor 62 to perform functions. The processor 62 is communicatively coupled to the memory 64. The processor 62, in combination with the memory 64 and the transceiver 68, provides a means for performing functions as described herein. The software 66 may be loaded onto the memory 64 by downloading via a network connection, uploading from a disk, etc. Figure 4 Access point 24 is shown, but base stations 22, 23 may be similarly configured and thus related to Figure 4 The discussion is equally applicable to base stations 22 and 23.

[0041] The transceiver 68 is configured to communicate with other entities in the system 10. The transceiver 68 may be configured to communicate bidirectionally with the mobile devices 12-16, the network 18, and / or the base stations 22, 23, etc. The transceiver 68 may include one or more antennas for wirelessly transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals to / from the mobile devices 12-16, the network 18, and / or the base stations 22, 23, etc. The transceiver 68 is configured to process electrical signals and transmit the electrical signals to one or more other entities (e.g., the network 18) and / or to one or more antennas to be converted by the one or more antennas and transmitted as wireless signals. The transceiver 68 is configured to process signals received from other entities, such as signals received from the network 18 and / or signals wirelessly received and converted by the one or more antennas and provided to the transceiver 68, and provide the signals to one / more appropriate entities in the access point 24, for example, to the processor 62.

[0042] refer to Figure 5 , and further reference Figure 1-4, the method 110 of assisting photography includes the stages shown. However, the method 110 is only an example and is not limiting. The method 110 can be modified, for example, by having stages added, removed, rearranged, combined, executed concurrently, and / or having a single stage split into multiple stages. In the following discussion, the processor 32 is often mentioned, and sometimes one or more of the processors 52, 62 are mentioned, but where possible, one or more of the processors 52, 62 can be used to implement the functions, even if only the processor 32 is mentioned.

[0043] At stage 112, method 110 includes receiving input related to the object of interest to be photographed. For example, input may be received from a user, from a camera 42, or from a communication from an access point 24, a base station 22, and / or a base station 23 to a server 20, etc., via a user interface 38. The input may be in the form of a request for assistance, an identification of an OOI, a notification of the location of a mobile device, etc. The processor 32 may be configured to receive input via the user interface 38, for example, an indication of a user pressing a display of the user interface 38, or an indication of a user entering text via the user interface 38, etc. Non-exhaustive examples of input related to OOI are discussed below. Means for receiving input may be provided by, for example, a user interface 38, a transceiver 40, an SPS receiver 41, a camera 42, and a positioning system 44. As another example, means for receiving input may be provided by a processor 32, a memory 34, a transceiver 40, a processor 52, a memory 54, and a transceiver 58. As another example, means for receiving input may be provided by processor 32, memory 34, transceiver 40, processor 62, memory 64, and transceiver 68. Still other examples of means for receiving input are possible.

[0044] Also refer to Figure 6-Figure 7 , a user may, for example, type a query into a search box 130 of a display 132 of a user interface 38 of a mobile device 13, or into a search box 134 of a display 136 of a user interface 38 of a mobile device 15. Although the following discussion assumes the use of a mobile device 13 for simplicity, the discussion is applicable to other mobile devices. A user may enter a search query while being close to an OOI that is the subject of the query. Alternatively, a user may enter a search while being away from the OOI. For example, a user may enter a search query while at home (or elsewhere) before a trip in order to plan places to go and objects to see and possibly photograph. A user may use one of the mobile devices 12-16 to enter a query, or use another device such as a laptop computer.

[0045] Also refer to Figure 8-Figure 9, one or more icons may be provided to the user that may be selected to provide assistance to the user. Photo assistance may be provided, for example, by a photo assistance application, and the application may be installed in the mobile device 13 during manufacture, or may be a third-party application downloaded (e.g., by the user) after the mobile device 13 is manufactured. For example, Figure 8 As shown in , a photo assistance application icon 140 for an application providing photographic assistance as discussed herein may be provided to the user. Icon 140 may be continuously displayed (at least on a resident page for icon 140, such as a home page), or may be displayed on display 132 in response to device 13 moving into a proximate area, for example, within a threshold distance (e.g., 100m, 800m, 1500m, 1 / 4 mile, 1 mile, etc.) of the OOI of a base station or access point, or within a communication range of a base station or access point (e.g., as indicated by a base station or access point receiving a signal from device 13), etc. Assistance (e.g., directional guidance to the user and / or subject, and / or camera settings, etc.) may be provided to the user in response to the user selecting icon 140, such as by pressing the display where icon 140 is displayed. As shown in FIG. Fig. 9 As shown in , a photo assistance prompt icon 142 may be provided to the user, asking the user whether he wants assistance with photos as discussed herein (or other appropriate prompts). Icon 142 may be continuously displayed (at least on a page where icon 142 resides, such as a home page), or may be displayed on display 132 in response to device 13 moving to the vicinity of a base station or access point. Icon 142 may be a prompt to the user and may indicate, before or after user selection, that photo assistance is a paid service (e.g., the user may pay via a payment card or via a communication service to which the user subscribes, etc.). For example, a prompt for paid photo assistance may be provided at one or more tourist attractions. In response to the user selecting icon 142, such as by pressing the display where icon 142 is displayed, assistance may be provided to the user (e.g., a launched application). Icon 140 and / or icon 142 may prompt the user about one or more OOIs near the user's location, for example, where icon 142 reads "Do you want assistance with photos of the Great Pyramids?" or the like, rather than a general query about photos in general (e.g., such as Fig. 9 ).

[0046] Also refer to Fig.10, camera 42 may automatically provide input regarding the OOI. Camera 42 may be automatically triggered, for example, intermittently, in response to moving to a new area, in response to seeing a new access point or base station (i.e., a change in a neighbor list, even if a "new" neighbor has been seen before), etc. One or more images captured by camera 42 (such as image 144) may be analyzed, for example by applying computer vision techniques, to determine whether the OOI may be close to the user. For example, image 144 may be analyzed (e.g., by processor 32, processor 52, and / or processor 62) to determine the location of device 13 and the location used to determine whether the OOI is within a threshold distance. Additionally or alternatively, image 144 may be determined to be the OOI itself. The OOI and / or location may be determined, for example, by identifying the OOI and / or one or more other objects (such as street signs, buildings, billboards, etc.), and using the known locations of these objects to determine the location of mobile device 12-16.

[0047] Input regarding the OOI may be received by server 20, base station 22, base station 23, and / or access point 24. For example, Figure 6-Figure 9 The indication of the input discussed may be sent by the device 13 to the server 20, base station 22, 23, and / or access point 24. In practice, the input may not be received by the mobile device 12-16, for example, if the input is a signal received from the mobile device 12-16 by the base station 22, base station 23, and / or access point 24. In this case, the input may be a received signal that provides an estimated location of the mobile device 12-16, which may be used (e.g., by the server 20, base station 22, base station 23, and / or access point 24) to determine OOIs that the user may wish to photograph (e.g., OOIs within a threshold distance of the mobile device 12-16). As another example, the mobile device 12-16 may send an indication of the location of the mobile device 12-16 (which may be referred to herein simply as the location), and the server 20, base station 22, base station 23, and / or access point 24 may receive the indication and associate the location with the OOI. The indication of the location may be sent by the mobile device 12-16 intermittently (e.g., in response to the expiration of a timer), in response to the mobile device 12-16 seeing a new neighbor (e.g., base station 22, base station 23, and / or access point 24), in response to a user input via the user interface 38, in response to a request from one or more other entities (e.g., server 20, base station 22, base station 23, and / or access point 24). The location of the mobile device 12-16, whether determined by the positioning system 44 or otherwise (e.g., by being input by a user), may be used to determine possible OOIs, such as those within a threshold distance (e.g., a default threshold distance, a user-input threshold distance, etc.) of the mobile device 12-16.

[0048] return Figure 5 , and further refer to Figure 1-Figure 4 and Figure 6-Figure 10 At stage 114, method 110 includes obtaining a set of information sets associated with the object of interest, each information set including a corresponding location where a corresponding photo of the object of interest was taken. Fig.11 , the processor 32, the processor 52 and / or the processor 62 may access the memory 34, the memory 54 and / or the memory 64 to access the set 150 of information sets 151, 152, 153, 154, 155 corresponding to the object of interest. Alternatively, the processor may receive the set 150 via the transceiver 40. In this example, there are five information sets 151-155 corresponding to the objects of interest #1-#5, respectively. This is only an example, and other numbers of information sets may be stored in the memory 34, 54 and / or 64. The objects of interest in the information sets 151-155 may be the same OOI or two or more OOIs. The set 150 or at least the information set 151-155 corresponding to the input OOI is obtained from the memory 34, 54, 64 and or another source such as cloud-based storage. In fact, in the example of the mobile device 13, the memory 54 of the server 20 can be considered as cloud-based storage because the server 20 can be accessed by the mobile device 13 via the network 18. The mobile device (e.g., processor 32) can use metadata associated with the images and filter images from the cloud (or other source) based on one or more criteria (e.g., current location, current weather, current time of day, current date of week, current date of year, and / or current year, etc.). Means for obtaining a collection of sets of information may be provided by, for example, processor 32 and memory 34. As another example, means for obtaining a collection of sets of information may be provided by processor 32, memory 34, transceiver 40, processor 52, memory 54, and transceiver 58. As another example, means for obtaining a collection of sets of information may be provided by processor 32, memory 34, transceiver 40, processor 62, memory 64, and transceiver 68.

[0049] Also refer to Fig. 12A and Fig. 12B , each of the information sets 151-155 in the set 150 (the corresponding parts of which are in Fig. 12A and Fig. 12B160 ) may include information for one or more of several categories. Here, for example, the categories include image 160, user location 162, camera settings 164, time of day 166, date 168 (from which the date of the year can be determined), image / camera effect 170, subject position 172, and subject orientation 174. The values ​​of the categories may be stored in metadata associated with the image 160. Some information sets may not include values ​​for all categories or a subset of values ​​for one or more categories. The image 160 shows possible photos from various angles and / or perspectives and / or distances and / or using various camera settings and / or image / camera effects. The user location 162 may include, for example, latitude, longitude, and altitude values. The user location 162 may include the orientation of the camera, i.e., the direction in which the camera 42 is pointed to capture the corresponding image 160 at the user's location. These position values ​​may correspond to position values ​​of the camera that captured the image 160 and / or may be suggested values ​​for capturing the corresponding image 160. The altitude value may correspond to an altitude above sea level, or an altitude above ground level at a corresponding latitude and longitude is an altitude relative to another reference point. The location value may correspond to a specified point for taking a photo, for example, a marked vista or viewpoint may be included indicating a good location for taking a photo. Camera settings 164 include values ​​for various adjustable camera settings, such as shutter speed, aperture, and zoom (magnification value), although different values ​​may be included in information sets 151-155. Effects 170 may include one or more values ​​for one or more corresponding information subcategories of effects that may be applied to the camera 42 and / or the captured image. For example, an effect may include a color capture effect such as grayscale, a filter such as sepia, or a "warm color" filter. For a subject that is to be placed in the foreground of image 160 (while the OOI is in the background of image 160), subject location 172 may include latitude and / or longitude values ​​(and may include altitude, although not shown). For example, information set 155 includes values ​​for subject position 172 and subject orientation 174 because there is a subject (here, a person) in the foreground of image 160 in information set 155. Subject position 172 information can be used to locate the subject, e.g., in the position of the subject in the image to be reproduced, and orientation 174 information can be used to orient the subject, e.g., to face a desired direction to reproduce the image. Here, subject orientation 174 is provided in spherical coordinates, i.e., values ​​for p, theta, and phi, but other orientation values ​​may be used. Additionally or alternatively, user and subject position and orientation may be provided in a relative manner, e.g., how far away the subject is from the user and in what direction, the orientation of the subject relative to the user and / or relative to an object such as an OOI or other object.

[0050] The values ​​of the categories 162, 164, 170, 172 may be values ​​that will assist the camera 42 in reproducing the image 160 for the corresponding information set 151-155. The values ​​stored in the various information sets may correspond to actual values ​​used to capture the image 160 and the corresponding information set, or may be suggested values, such as values ​​determined to be optimal for capturing an image at a particular location, a particular time of day, and / or a particular time of year. The information in the set 150 may be used to provide assistance to the user when taking a photograph, for example, to set camera settings to values ​​indicated in a selected information set, to set camera settings based on (e.g., by extrapolating or interpolating) values ​​indicated in a selected information set, to guide the user to a location for taking a photograph, to guide the location of a foreground subject of a photograph, etc., as further discussed below.

[0051] Fig. 12A and 12B The categories provided in are examples only and are not limiting. One or more categories may be omitted and / or one or more other categories may be included. For example, other categories may include exposure time, exposure procedure, number of bits per pixel compression, exposure bias, aperture value (e.g., maximum aperture value), metering mode, flash (whether flash is used), number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the image, latitude reference, longitude reference, altitude reference (e.g., sea level), or image direction (camera orientation). Still other categories may be used.

[0052] The collection 150 of information sets may be stored at one or more of a variety of locations. For example, the collection 150 may be stored in the memory 54 of the server 20, in the memory 64 of the access point 24, and / or in the memory 34 of the mobile device 12-16. As an example, the access point 24 may be set in an amusement park and may store a collection of information sets corresponding to various OOIs of the amusement park. The access point 24 may download the collection 150 to any of the mobile devices 12-16 that enter the communication range of the access point. As another example, the server 20 may download a collection of information sets corresponding to one of the mobile devices 12-16 via an access point that is an access point that the mobile device 12-16 enters its communication range and is associated with the collection of information sets (e.g., due to the location of the access point and one or more corresponding OOIs of the collection of information sets). As yet another example, less than all of the information in the collection 150 may be downloaded to the mobile device 12-16. For example, images in the image category 160 of the information sets 151 - 155 may be downloaded to the mobile devices 12 - 16 without (at least initially) downloading other information of the information sets 151 - 155 .

[0053] One or more of the information sets 151 - 155 may include a subset of information. For example, an information set may include multiple images 160 corresponding to one location but different camera orientations 174 .

[0054] return Figure 5 , and further refer to Figure 1-Figure 4 and Figure 6-Figure 1 2. At stage 116, method 110 includes selecting a specific information set of the information set collection, the location in the specific information set being the specific location where the specific photo of the object of interest was taken. The selection may be a selection of the entire specific information set, or by selecting any portion of the specific information set. The selection may be made by the user, for example, based on the location, popularity of the image, proximity to the current location, accessibility to one or more locations of one or more corresponding information sets, etc. The selection may be made by processor 32, 52 and / or 62, for example, based on popularity of the image, proximity to the current location, accessibility to one or more locations of one or more corresponding information sets, time of day, date of year, weather conditions, etc. Processor 32, 52 and / or 62 may be configured to analyze set 150 in view of the input received at stage 112 so as to select one or more of sets 151-155 corresponding to the OOI indicated by the input. For example, also refer to Fig.13, the processor 32 may be configured to cause the user interface 38 to display images 181, 182, 183, 184, 185 in each of the respective information sets 151-155 that correspond to images in the image category 160. The processors 32, 52, and / or 62 may be configured to select a particular information set in the information sets 151-155 based on input from a user in response to the display of the images 181-185, such as the user touching one of the images 181-185, entering a number corresponding to one of the images 181-185, entering a desired location from which a photo was taken (selecting the information set with the closest location 162), etc. In this case, for the processor 52 or 62, the processor 52 or 62 may select the particular information set in response to an indication of a selection by a user of the mobile device 12-16 through the user interface 38. As another example, processors 32, 52 and / or 62 may be configured to select one of information sets 151-155 based on a description of a desired image provided by a user, for example, a user inputs a request for a grayscale photo with a Sphinx and a pyramid. In this example, processors 32, 52 and / or 62 may select image 182 and corresponding information set 152, and even if the image in information set 152 is taken in color, a grayscale camera effect may be used. As another example, processors 32, 52 and / or 62 may be configured to select one of information sets 151-155 with or without input from a user based on one or more criteria. For example, processors 32, 52 and / or 62 may be configured to select one of information sets 151-155 based on the current date of the year, the current time of the day, ambient conditions, etc., and the information in each information set 151-155 of set 150. Although this discussion focuses on selecting an information set, more than one information set may be selected. For example, means for selecting a particular set of information may be provided by processor 32, memory 34, and user interface 38. As another example, means for selecting a particular set of information may be provided by processor 32, memory 34, user interface 38, transceiver 40, processor 52, memory 54, and transceiver 58. As another example, means for selecting a particular set of information may be provided by processor 32, memory 34, user interface 38, transceiver 40, processor 62, memory 64, and transceiver 68.

[0055] Information about one or more of the displayed images 181-185 may be provided. Fig.13As shown in , one or more appropriate indications associated with one or more corresponding images (here, adjacent to the images) may be displayed to convey information, such as information about the location where the corresponding image was taken, about features at or near the location, and / or about the route to the location, etc. Here, each image has a distance indication 191 to indicate the distance from the current location of the mobile device to the user location 162 used to take the corresponding image 181-185. The washroom icon 192 indicates that there is a restroom (washroom WC) near the user location of the image. The stairs icon 193 indicates that there are stairs in at least one route between the current location of the mobile device and the user location 162 used to take the corresponding image. The wheelchair icon 194 indicates that the user location used to take the corresponding image is accessible by a wheelchair. The tableware icon 195 indicates that food is available at the user location used to take the corresponding image. One or more other indications may be provided, such as to indicate that the user location corresponding to the image (or one or more OOIs in the image) is or includes a landmark, a historical location, a family-friendly location, a park, a scenic spot, a playground, a natural area (e.g., a protected area), etc. or is located near it.

[0056] The processor 32 may also cause the user interface 38 to display other image / location icons 186. If the user selects one of the images 181-185, the user may ignore the icon 186. Alternatively, the user may select the icon 186 to view other images that the user may select in order to receive photography guidance such as location guidance, settings, etc.

[0057] return Figure 5 , and further refer to Figure 1-Figure 4 and Figure 6-Figure 13, at stage 118, method 110 includes providing directional guidance through the user interface of the mobile device to guide the user of the mobile device to a specific location. The directional guidance can be visual and / or auditory and / or tactile (for example, the mobile device can vibrate to indicate which direction to go, or the user has made a wrong turn, or the user is heading in the wrong direction, or the user is getting closer to the final location, etc.). The final location (where the photo is to be taken) can be determined from the selected information set from the collection 150, for example as the user location 162 from the selected information set 151-155. Directional guidance can be provided to the mobile device 12-16 from one (or more) entities outside the mobile device 12-16, such as from the server 20, the base station 22, the base station 23 and / or the access point 24. The mobile device 12-16 can use the user location 162 as an input to the positioning system 44 to provide directional guidance. The positioning system 44 can determine a route from the current location of the mobile device 12-16 to the user location 162 and provide guidance to the user through the user interface 38. Directional guidance can be provided so that the user will arrive at the location at a desired time. For example, means for providing directional guidance may be provided by processor 32, memory 34, user interface 38, and positioning system 44. As another example, means for providing directional guidance may be provided by processor 32, memory 34, user interface 38, transceiver 40, processor 52, memory 54, and transceiver 58. As another example, means for providing directional guidance may be provided by processor 32, memory 34, user interface 38, transceiver 40, processor 62, memory 64, and transceiver 68.

[0058] Also refer to Fig.14 , the processor 32 may cause the display 132 of the mobile device 13 to display an overhead view of an area including the current location 210 of the user (i.e., of the mobile device 13), a destination location 212, a window 214 indicating an estimated distance and an estimated time to the destination location 212, and a window 216 indicating the next direction change and the estimated distance to the direction change. If more than one location is selected for taking a photo (e.g., multiple information sets in the information sets 151-155 are selected), the processor 32 may further cause the display 132 to display another destination location 218. The processor 32 may also cause the display 132 to display one or more OOIs 220, 222 nearby, which may be the subject of a desired photo. Depending on the scale shown in the display 132 and the relative positions of the mobile device 13, the destination locations 212, 218, and the OOIs 220, 222, one or more of the destination locations 212, 218 and / or the OOIs 220, 222 may not be shown. Different destination locations 212 , 218 may be used to take photos of the same and / or different OOIs.

[0059] Additionally or alternatively, other forms of directional guidance may be provided to the user. For example, processor 32 may cause display 132 to indicate a Fig.14 . For example, the processor 32 may cause the display 132 to display an indication of the direction the user should take at the current time. When approaching a turn, the display 132 may indicate the nearby turns and directions, and when a turn should be made, the display 132 may display different direction indications to prompt the user to make the turn. As another example, the processor 32 may cause the user interface 38 to provide visual and / or audible indications as to whether the user is approaching, moving away from, or within an area corresponding to the destination location 212. For example, the processor 32 may cause the user interface 38 to play an intermittent tone, wherein the frequency of the tone (i.e., how often the tone is played) increases as the user approaches the destination location 212, and play an active sound, such as a ringtone, when the user reaches the destination location, for example, within a threshold distance (such as 2m) of the latitude and longitude indicated by the user location 162.

[0060] Still other forms of directional guidance may be provided. Directional guidance may include orientation guidance, for example, when the user is near or in a user position to capture a desired image. For example, when the user changes the orientation of camera 42 (e.g., the orientation of the mobile device), processor 32 may cause display 132 to provide visual feedback to the user. For example, the visual feedback may include one or more arrows indicating suggested changes in roll, pitch, and / or yaw. Orientation guidance may include audio feedback to help the user achieve the orientation indicated by the information set 151-155 of the selected image 160. Additionally or alternatively, tactile feedback may be provided to help guide the user to the orientation indicated by the selected information set. Visual guidance of the position and / or orientation of camera 42 may include transparently displaying the selected image 160 so that display 132 simultaneously displays both image 160 and the current image to be captured by camera 42. For example, as Fig.15 As shown in , the transparent image 232 may be displayed simultaneously with the image to be captured 234 (the current field of view of the camera 42). The user may change the orientation of the camera 42 and / or the characteristics of the camera 42 (e.g., here the camera zoom (focal length)) so that the image to be captured 234 and the selected image 160 (as indicated by the image 232) have a desired relationship (e.g., match or have a desired non-matching relationship).

[0061] Directions may include directions to multiple locations and / or may provide directions for planning a trip. For example, directions to the destination location 212 may be provided, and then directions may be provided to guide the user from the destination location 212 to the destination location 218. The directions may take into account a variety of factors, such as route difficulty, different modes of transportation to reach the destination, congestion at one or more locations, congestion on routes to these locations, congestion on other possible routes to these locations, and the like. Based on one or more of these factors, the directions may determine a suggested order for the user to visit the locations 212, 218 (or more locations). The directions may suggest different possible forms of transportation, such as cars, public transportation, walking, biking, and the like. The directions may be provided to help the user plan a vacation (e.g., days, weeks, months, or even years in advance), and may provide directions related to different travel times to the destination location depending on the selected time of day, days of the week, months of the year, and the like. In addition, depending on the day (or days) of the year selected by the user for the trip, different possible images of photos to be taken may be presented to the user (e.g., at stage 116) based on the lighting at different times of the year.

[0062] The directional guidance may take into account one or more factors, and one or more of these factors may be input by the user and / or determined by the processor 32. For example, the directional guidance may take into account the forms of transportation that the user chooses to use or avoid (e.g., car, public transportation, walking, etc.), and / or one or more restrictions selected by the user (e.g., avoiding tolls, requiring wheelchair accessibility, etc.), etc. The processor 32 may determine the characteristics of various alternative routes (e.g., presence of stairs, total distance, elevation gain / loss, expected travel time, etc.) to provide one or more suggested routes and corresponding directional guidance to the user and / or subject.

[0063] refer to Fig.16 , and further reference Figure 1-15 , the method 250 for assisting photography includes the stages shown. However, the method 250 is merely an example and is not restrictive. The method 250 can be changed, for example, by causing stages to be added, removed, rearranged, combined, executed concurrently, and / or causing a single stage to be split into multiple stages. The method 250 can be executed independently of the method 110, and one or more stages of the method 250 can be executed in addition to the method 110. For example, the stages 252 and 254 discussed below can be executed after the stage 116 of the method 110 and before the stage 118 of the method 110. As another example, the stage 118 of the method 110 can be interspersed with the stage 256 and / or the stage 258. As another example, the stage 254 can be executed after the stage 118, for example, after presenting to the user an image and / or other information from which the user can select in order to set one or more settings of the camera 42.

[0064] At stage 252, method 250 includes adjusting the subject position. For example, processor 32 (or processor 52 and / or processor 62) may analyze image 160 to be reproduced and determine the position of a foreground subject, such as a person (or persons), where OOIs are background objects in the photograph. For example, processor 32 and user interface 38, or processor 32 and transceiver 40, may provide a means for providing subject direction input. Processor 32 may provide subject direction input to a user via user interface 38 to indicate the subject in terms of where to stand, sit, etc. to take a photo. Additionally or alternatively, processor 32 may establish a communication link to (pair with) a mobile device associated with the subject via transceiver 40 and provide subject direction input to the mobile device for providing guidance to the subject to position in the photograph via a user interface of the subject's mobile device. The communication link may be a direct connection (e.g., a peer-to-peer connection, such as a wireless communication interface). The subject's mobile device may be directly or indirectly connected (e.g., through one or more base stations and / or one or more access points, and / or one or more networks). Thus, directional input may be provided directly or indirectly from a user's mobile device, such as mobile device 12, to a subject's mobile device. The directional input may include directional guidance (e.g., a map, and / or instructions such as "move 10 meters north", and / or audio and / or visual feedback guiding the subject's movement, etc.) and / or the subject's destination location (e.g., where the subject's mobile device provides directional guidance (e.g., a map) based on the destination location and the current location of the subject's mobile device). The input provided to the subject may be provided by another (or more) entity (such as a base station, access point, etc.) (possibly under the control of another (or more) entity (such as server 20)). The input to the subject may include the subject's location and / or orientation, such as the direction the subject is facing. Thus, for example, a user's mobile device may be paired with the subject's mobile device (e.g., using or other wireless communication technologies) to provide information (e.g., direction guidance, orientation guidance, etc.) to the subject via the subject's mobile device. In response to the user selecting an image that includes the subject (e.g., in addition to the OOI), the user's mobile device may be paired with (or at least initiate pairing) another mobile device, or prompt the user as to whether the device should be paired with another mobile device. For example, the subject may be instructed to stand in a particular location and assume a particular pose to achieve a desirable photo, such as an interesting photo, such as a person appearing to touch the top of one of the great pyramids. Guidance may be given to the subject in real time while the user is attempting to take a photo, such that the subject is guided until an appropriate pose is achieved, at which point the processor 32 may instruct the subject to remain still and / or the processor 32 may cause the camera 42 to capture one or more images. To assist with subject position and / or orientation, the processor 32 may cause the display 132 to provide visual guidance. The visual guidance may include transparently displaying the selected image 160 so that the display 132 displays both the image 160 and the image currently to be captured by the camera 42. For example, as Fig.17 As shown in , transparent image 262 may be displayed simultaneously with to-be-captured image 264 (the current field of view of camera 42). The user and / or processor 32 may determine a difference in the position and / or orientation of the subject in the two images and may provide instructions to the subject (or the subject's mobile device) to change the position and / or orientation of the subject so that the to-be-captured image has a desired relationship (e.g., matches or has a desired non-matching relationship) with selected image 160.

[0065] At stage 254, method 250 includes setting one or more camera settings. The camera settings may be based on the OOI (e.g., the background of the photo), the subject (e.g., the foreground of the photo), and / or the user (e.g., the user's desired photo content, angle, perspective, magnification, effects, etc., such as reflected in the selected information set). For example, processor 32 may analyze the selected information set, such as information set 151, and automatically set the camera settings according to the values ​​in camera settings 164 of the corresponding information set 151, which may help ensure quality pictures and / or pictures similar to the selected / desired pictures. If no camera settings are available in the selected information set, default settings (e.g., autofocus settings) may be used, or settings may be inferred, such as by analyzing image 160 in the selected information set. Processor 32 may override the current settings of camera 42, may override the autofocus settings that camera 42 would otherwise use, and / or settings selected by the user. However, the automatic settings set by processor 32 may be overridden, such as by the user before or after taking one or more photos. The camera settings set by the processor 32 may be settings found in the camera settings 164 of the corresponding information set, which in this example is the information set 151, or may be different settings based on settings found in the information set 151. For example, the processor 32 may adjust the settings in the information set 151 based on the current time of day, the current date of year, and / or current environmental conditions, etc. and the camera settings 164 and / or other information associated with the image 160 in the selected information set 151 (e.g., the time of day, the date of year, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the camera settings 164 may be adjusted from the stored settings based on one or more characteristics of the camera 42 of the mobile device 13 and / or one or more characteristics of the camera that captured the image 160 of the selected information set 151. The settings of the camera 42 may be dynamically received (and possibly stored in the memory 34), for example, via the access point 24 and / or the base station 22 and / or may be pre-stored in the memory 34 and retrieved from the memory 34. Setting the camera settings may include applying one or more filters to the intended image.

[0066] Also refer to Fig.18, can provide the user with an image 270 to be captured while the user is using the camera application of the mobile device 13. The image 270 shows a preview of the photo as it will appear once the photo is taken, with all current settings and / or filters applied. The processor 32 can be configured to cause the display 132 to display a change settings icon 272, asking the user whether the user wishes to change any settings in the daily settings, which may include any filters. The user can capture an image using the current settings and determine whether the captured image should be retained or deleted and / or retaken. The processor 32 can be configured to allow the user to change one or more settings (possibly including one or more filters) in response to the user selecting (e.g., touching on the display 132) the change settings icon 272. The processor 32 can be configured to use the selected image 160 from the selected information set 151 to determine a desirable OOI, and can use it to focus on the desirable OOI in the presence of extraneous objects (such as people other than the subject in the field of view of the camera 42). For example, processor 32 may adjust focus and / or depth effects to focus on the OOI and possible subject while helping to ignore (e.g., blur) one or more objects that are not OOIs or subjects. As another example, processor 32 may adjust camera 42 for picture-in-picture based on the desired OOI and / or subject.

[0067] The user may be presented with images having different settings for a picture corresponding to the user's current location. For example, if the user (and possibly the subject) has been directed to a location corresponding to the input information, e.g., based on the information selected at stage 116 and after receiving the guidance at stage 118 discussed above, then multiple images of the selected OOI may be presented to the user, but each image having different settings. For example, in addition to presenting image 270 to the user (e.g., processor 32 causes user interface 38 to display image 270), image 271 corresponding to camera 42 having a different zoom setting than image 270 may also be presented to the user. The user may select an image that the user wants to capture, e.g., an image having a pleasing appearance, and in response to the selection, processor 32 may appropriately adjust one or more settings of camera 42 (e.g., changing filters and / or changing zoom levels, etc.).

[0068] Adjusting the settings of camera 42 based on information from set 150 can help capture images in a variety of situations. For example, an image in front of a monument with a crowd of people walking within the field of view of camera 42 can be improved by focusing on the OOI while ignoring the crowd. Adjusting the zoom in this case can also help improve the image. As another example, a sunset occurring at a popular beach can be better captured using the techniques discussed herein by having processor 32 automatically adjust the settings of camera 42 based on information from previously captured images in addition to or in lieu of autofocus settings. As another example, a waterfall OOI can be better captured by using slow motion video capture and focusing on the flowing water, knowing that the water is the OOI. Other examples are possible without limitation.

[0069] return Fig.16 , and further refer to Figure 1-Figure 15 At stage 256, method 250 includes taking one or more photographs. For example, as part of an automatic burst mode, processor 32 may cause camera 42 to take a plurality of photographs. Processor 32 may be configured to cause camera 42 to use the same settings for the photographs and / or may be configured to cause camera 42 to use a plurality of different settings for different ones of the photographs. The photographs captured with one or more configured settings may be displayed to the user, and the user may select the ones of the photographs that the user wants to keep or delete and / or retake. Processor 32, processor 52, and / or processor 62 may provide positioning guidance before and / or after taking the one or more photographs (e.g., see stage 118 discussed above). For example, guidance may be given to the user to move forward or backward and / or change the orientation of camera 42 to adjust the image to be captured, for example, before capturing the image or after capturing the image.

[0070] At stage 254, method 250 includes adding one or more special effects. Effects may include allowing a user to add visual effects (e.g., animated / cartoon objects), distort objects within the captured image, and / or apply coloring effects, etc., to the captured image, and / or auditory effects, such as commentary, sound effects, etc. Some coloring effects include grayscale images and sepia images, although these may be part of the camera settings rather than effects added to the captured image.

[0071] Other considerations

[0072] Similarly, as used herein, “or” used in a list of items followed by “at least one of” or followed by “one or more of” indicates a disjunctive list, so that, for example, a list of “at least one of A, B, or C” or a list of “one or more of A, B, or C” means A or B or C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C), or a combination having more than one feature (e.g., AA, AAB, ABBC, etc.).

[0073] A wireless communication system is a system in which communications are conveyed wirelessly, i.e., by electromagnetic waves and / or sound waves propagating through atmospheric space rather than by wires or other physical connections. A wireless communication network may not enable all communications to be transmitted wirelessly, but may be configured to enable at least some communications to be transmitted wirelessly. In addition, the term "wireless communication device" or similar terms does not require that the functionality of the device is exclusively or uniformly primarily used for communication, or that the device is a mobile device, but rather indicates that the device includes wireless communication capabilities (unidirectional or bidirectional), for example, including at least one radio (each radio is part of a transmitter, receiver or transceiver) for wireless communication.

[0074] Substantial variations may be made depending on specific requirements. For example, customized hardware may also be used, and / or specific elements may be implemented in hardware, in software executed by a processor (including portable software, such as applets, etc.), or in both. In addition, connections to other computing devices (such as network input / output devices) may be employed.

[0075] The systems and devices discussed above are examples. Various configurations may appropriately omit, replace, or add various procedures or components. For example, features described with reference to certain configurations may be combined in various other configurations. Different aspects and elements of a configuration may be combined in a similar manner. In addition, technology may evolve, and thus, many elements are examples, without limiting the scope of the present disclosure or claims.

[0076] Specific details are given in this description to provide a thorough understanding of example configurations (including implementations). However, these configurations can be practiced without these specific details. For example, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques have been shown without unnecessary details to avoid confusing these configurations. This description only provides example configurations, without limiting the scope, applicability, or configuration of the claims. On the contrary, the previous description of the configuration provides a description for implementing the technology. Various changes can be made to the functions and arrangements of the elements without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0077] Several example configurations have been described, and various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the above elements may be components of a larger system, in which other rules may take precedence over the application of the present invention or otherwise modify the application of the present invention. In addition, several operations may be taken before, during, or after considering the above elements. Accordingly, the above description does not limit the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising: one or more transceivers; one or more cameras; user interface; Memory; as well as one or more processors, the one or more processors being communicatively coupled to the one or more transceivers, the one or more cameras, the user interface, and the memory, the one or more processors being configured to: obtaining a set of information sets associated with an object of interest to be photographed, each of the information sets comprising a corresponding location at which a corresponding photo of the object of interest is taken by the one or more cameras; selecting a specific information set from the set of information sets, wherein the location in the specific information set is a specific location where the specific photo of the object of interest was taken; as well as User direction guidance is provided through the user interface to guide the user of the mobile device to the specific location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to analyze images captured by the one or more cameras to determine the object of interest, and wherein in order to obtain the set of information sets, the one or more processors are configured to obtain the set of information sets associated with the object of interest from a plurality of information sets associated with a plurality of objects including the object of interest.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide subject direction input to a subject that is a foreground object in a photograph of the object of interest, wherein the object of interest is a background object in the photograph of the object of interest.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein to provide the subject directional input to the subject, the one or more processors are configured to transmit the subject directional input to a subject mobile device associated with the subject via the one or more transceivers. 5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to set at least one camera setting based on the specific set of information.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the one or more processors are configured to set the at least one camera setting based on at least one of a time of day, a date of year, or weather conditions, or a combination of more thereof.

7. A device as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause the user interface to display an image of the collection of information sets, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to select the particular information set in the collection of information sets in response to user input.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide the user directional guidance including a recommended altitude for taking the corresponding photograph of the object of interest.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein to provide the user directional guidance, the one or more processors are configured to cause the user interface to provide at least one of auditory feedback or visual feedback when the mobile device moves.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object of interest is a first object of interest, the set of information sets is a first set of first information sets, the position in each first information set is a first position, and the one or more processors are configured to: obtaining a second set of second information sets associated with a second object of interest, each second information set comprising a respective second location at which a photograph of the second object of interest was taken; and selecting another information set in the second information set, wherein a second position in the another information set is another position where another photo of the object of interest is taken; In order to provide the user with directional guidance, the one or more processors are configured to provide directional guidance to the specific location and to the other location.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide directional guidance to the specific location and the another location based on at least one of: congestion at the particular location and the another location; or the current location of the mobile device relative to the particular location and the another location; or An estimated travel time from the current location of the mobile device to the particular location and then to the other location, and an estimated travel time from the current location of the mobile device to the other location and then to the particular location.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to obtain the set of information sets from a server via the one or more transceivers.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device further comprises a display, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the display to simultaneously display a transparent version of the image in the particular information set and a preview of the image to be captured by the one or more cameras.

14. A device as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to select the particular information set based on popularity of images in the particular information set, or proximity of the particular location to the current location of the mobile device, or accessibility of one or more locations of one or more corresponding information sets, or time of day, or date of year, or one or more weather conditions, or a combination of more than one of the above.

15. A method for assisting photography, the method comprising: receiving input related to an object of interest to be photographed; obtaining a set of information sets associated with the object of interest, each information set including a corresponding location where a corresponding photo of the object of interest was taken; selecting a specific information set from the set of information sets, wherein the location in the specific information set is a specific location where the specific photo of the object of interest was taken; as well as A user direction guidance is provided through a user interface of the mobile device to guide the user of the mobile device to the specific location.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the input comprises capturing an image with a camera of the mobile device, and wherein obtaining the set of information sets comprises: determining, based on the image, that the object of interest is within a threshold distance of the mobile device; as well as A set of the information sets associated with the object of interest is obtained from a plurality of information sets associated with a plurality of objects including the object of interest.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing subject direction input for a subject that will be a foreground object in a photograph of the object of interest, wherein the object of interest is a background object in the photograph of the object of interest.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the mobile device is a user mobile device, and providing the subject directional input to the subject comprises wirelessly transmitting the subject directional input directly or indirectly from the user mobile device to a subject mobile device associated with the subject.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising automatically setting at least one camera setting based on the specific set of information.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the user directional guidance comprises providing at least one of audible or visual feedback through the user interface as the mobile device moves.

21. A system for assisting photography, the system comprising: means for receiving input related to an object of interest to be photographed; means for obtaining a collection of information sets associated with the object of interest, each information set comprising a respective location at which a respective photograph of the object of interest was taken; means for selecting a specific information set from the set of information sets, the location in the specific information set being a specific location where a specific photograph of the object of interest was taken; as well as A device for providing user direction guidance through a user interface of a mobile device to guide a user of the mobile device to the specific location.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for receiving the input comprises means for capturing an image with a camera of the mobile device, and wherein the means for obtaining the set of information sets comprises: means for determining, based on the image, that the object of interest is within a threshold distance of the mobile device; as well as Means for obtaining a set of information sets associated with the object of interest from a plurality of information sets associated with a plurality of objects including the object of interest.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for providing subject direction input for a subject that will be a foreground object in a photograph of the object of interest, wherein the object of interest is a background object in the photograph of the object of interest.

24. A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the mobile device is a user mobile device, and the device for providing the subject direction input to the subject includes a device for wirelessly sending the subject direction guidance information from the user mobile device to a subject mobile device associated with the subject.

25. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for automatically setting at least one camera setting based on the specific set of information.

26. A non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium storing processor-readable instructions for photography assistance to cause one or more processors to: receiving input related to an object of interest to be photographed; obtaining a set of information sets associated with the object of interest, each information set including a corresponding location where a corresponding photo of the object of interest was taken; selecting a specific information set from the set of information sets, wherein the location in the specific information set is a specific location where the specific photo of the object of interest was taken; as well as A user direction guidance is provided through a user interface of the mobile device to guide the user of the mobile device to the specific location.

27. The storage medium of claim 26, wherein the instructions for causing the one or more processors to receive the input include instructions for causing the one or more processors to capture an image using a camera of the mobile device, and wherein the instructions for causing the one or more processors to obtain the set of information sets include instructions for causing the one or more processors to: determining, based on the image, that the object of interest is within a threshold distance of the mobile device; and A set of the information sets associated with the object of interest is obtained from a plurality of information sets associated with a plurality of objects including the object of interest.

28. The storage medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions for causing the one or more processors to provide subject direction input for a subject that is to be a foreground object in a photograph of the object of interest, wherein the object of interest is a background object in the photograph of the object of interest.

29. A storage medium as described in claim 28, wherein the mobile device is a user mobile device, and the instructions for causing the one or more processors to provide the subject direction input to the subject include instructions for causing the one or more processors to wirelessly send the subject direction input from the user mobile device to a subject mobile device associated with the subject.

30. The storage medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions for causing the one or more processors to automatically set at least one camera setting based on the particular set of information.

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