Client-Server Image Matching for Augmented Reality

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile computing devices often face resource constraints when performing complex image recognition tasks, such as identifying multiple objects or locations, due to limited memory and computing power.

Innovation Solution

The image matching technology uses a client-server architecture where a portable device captures images, collects location data, and transmits it to a server to match templates with supplementary information, overlaying relevant data onto the image, employing techniques like template matching and geospatial database correlation to enhance reality in the captured image.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If image recognition is performed locally on mobile devices to identify objects and locations, then recognition accuracy and speed are improved, but device memory and computing power are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage recognition accuracyVSAvoiddevice memory and computing power
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a server as an intermediary between the mobile device and the image recognition database. The device captures images and sends them to the server for template matching, while the server maintains a comprehensive database of location and object templates. This intermediary architecture allows complex recognition tasks to be performed remotely, overcoming the mobile device's limited computational resources while maintaining high recognition accuracy through access to extensive template databases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If complex image recognition tasks are performed on mobile devices, then object and location identification capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobject and location identification capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the complex image recognition processing functionality from the mobile device and relocates it to a remote server. The mobile device retains only simple image capture and transmission capabilities, while the server handles the computationally intensive template matching and recognition algorithms. This extraction principle reduces device complexity while preserving comprehensive object and location identification capabilities through server-side processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Loss of information

If multiple templates are matched against captured images to provide supplementary information, then information completeness is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-organizing templates in a structured database on the server, categorized by location and object type. Before actual image matching occurs, the system pre-processes and indexes templates according to geographic locations and object categories. When an image is captured, the server quickly retrieves relevant pre-organized templates based on metadata and performs matching, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining comprehensive information coverage across multiple templates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9001252B2Image matching to augment reality
Publication Date: 2015.04.07 INTELLECTUAL VENTURES ASIA PTE
  • US9001252B2 patent drawing
  • US9001252B2 patent drawing
  • US9001252B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Technology for augmenting reality using image matching is described. The technology can receive a captured image, determine location information relating to the received image, and transmit the location information to a server computing device. The technology may then receive one or more tags from the server computing device, wherein each tag can include one or more patches and supplementary information corresponding to at least one of the patches and each patch can be associated with the location information. The technology can then determine using an image matching process whether at least one of the received one or more patches appears in the received image, and if a patch appears in the received image, render the supplementary information corresponding to the patch.