Outer Rim Archives
Archives · 2021 · 10922700

Granted patent

Systems and methods to provide a software benefit when a consumer object is recognized in an image

Number
10922700
Published
2021-02-16
Filed
2010-09-29
Assignee
Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors
Heatherly; Christopher W.
CPC
G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02
Verdict
Set aside image-recognition marketing/commerce feature, business
Source
Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

Abstract

According to some embodiments, it may be recognized that a consumer has placed a consumer object, such as a toy or action figure, into a field of view of a camera (e.g., a video camera incorporated into a portable computer). A software benefit associated with the consumer object may then be automatically determined, and, responsive to the recognition and determination, it may be arranged for the consumer to receive that software benefit (e.g., in a virtual world).

Background

FIELD (1) The present invention relates to systems and methods wherein a software benefit may be provided to a consumer. Some embodiments relate to systems and methods to efficiently provide a software benefit to a consumer when a consumer object is recognized in an image. BACKGROUND (2) In some cases, a company may wish to provide a consumer with a benefit in connection with his or her purchase of a consumer product. For example, a consumer who purchases a doll may be able to log onto a web site to participate in a virtual environment associated with the doll. To verify that that consumer has, in fact, purchased the object a unique alphanumeric registration code may be provided on the object (or the packaging associated with the object). The consumer can then enter the code when he or she access a web site, the code may be verified, and the benefit can be provided to the consumer. Such an approach, however, can be awkward and confusing for consumers. For example, it may be difficult to accurately enter a lengthy registration code and/or the code may be misplaced by the consumer. These concerns may be especially important when the typically consumers are relatively young (e.g., entering a ten digit registration code can be a frustrating process for a six year old boy or girl).

Claims

1. A method of authenticating purchase of consumer objects and rewarding users for purchase of the consumer objects based on user-captured images of the consumer objects, the method being implemented in a computer system including one or more physical processors and storage media storing machine-readable instructions, the method comprising: receiving, at the one or more physical processors, image information captured by a camera, the image information corresponding to one or more images captured by the camera; identifying, by the one or more physical processors, a consumer object from the image information based on the consumer object being portrayed in a first image, the consumer object embodying a physical appearance of a virtual object of a virtual world, the identification being based on a comparison of the image information with at least one stored image of the consumer object; determining, by the one or more physical processors, a software benefit to provide to a user of the consumer object, the software benefit being a reward for purchase of the consumer object; and responsive to the identification of the consumer object and determination of the software benefit, providing, by the one or more physical processors, the software benefit to the user as the reward for purchase of the consumer object, the software benefit comprising unlocking the virtual object within the virtual world. || 10. A system configured for authenticating purchase of consumer objects and rewarding users for purchase of the consumer objects based on user-captured images of the consumer objects, the system comprising: a camera configured to provide image information corresponding to images captured by the camera, the image information including first image information corresponding to a first image of a consumer object, the consumer object embodying a physical appearance of a virtual object of a virtual world; one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to: obtain the first image information; identify the consumer object within the first image based on the first image information; determine a software benefit that is a reward for purchase of the consumer object; determine whether a user associated with the consumer object is eligible to receive the software benefit based at least in part on a list of user identifiers, the list of user identifiers representing one or more of users who have already received the software benefit and are thus no longer eligible to receive the software benefit or users who have not yet received the software benefit and are eligible to receive the software benefit; and responsive to the identification of the consumer object and a determination that the user is eligible to receive the software benefit, provide the software benefit to the user as the reward for purchase of the consumer object, the software benefit comprising unlocking the virtual object within the virtual world. || 15. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium having instruction embodied thereon, the instructions being executable by a computing platform including one or more physical processors to perform a method of authenticating purchase of consumer objects and rewarding users for purchase of the consumer objects based on user-captured images of the consumer objects, the method comprising: identifying a consumer object within an image of the consumer object captured by a camera, the consumer object embodying a physical appearance of a virtual object of a virtual world; determining a software benefit that is a reward for purchase of the consumer object; determining whether a user of the consumer object is eligible to receive the software benefit based at least in part on a list of user identifiers representing one or more of users who have already received the software benefit and are thus no longer eligible to receive the software benefit or users who have not yet received the software benefit and are eligible to receive the software benefit; and responsive to the identification of the consumer object and a determination that the user is eligible to receive the software benefit, provide the software benefit to the user as the reward for purchase of the consumer object, the software benefit comprising unlocking the virtual object within the virtual world. || 20. A method of authenticating purchase of consumer objects and rewarding users for purchase of the consumer objects based on user-captured images of the consumer objects, the method being implemented in a computer system including one or more physical processors and storage media storing machine-readable instructions, the method comprising: identifying, by the one or more physical processors, a consumer object from an image of the consumer object captured by a camera, the consumer object embodying a physical appearance of a virtual object of a virtual world; determining, by the one or more physical processors, a software benefit associated with the consumer object, the software benefit being a reward for purchase of the consumer object; determining, by the one or more physical processors, whether a user associated with the consumer object is eligible to receive the software benefit based at least in part on a list of user identifiers representing one or more of users who have already received the software benefit and are thus no longer eligible to receive the software benefit or users who have not yet received the software benefit and are eligible to receive the software benefit; and responsive to the identification of the consumer object and a determination that the user is eligible to receive the software benefit, providing, by the one or more physical processors, the software benefit to the user as the reward for purchase of the consumer object; wherein the software benefit comprises unlocking the virtual object within the virtual world.