Identifying collection images with special events

Abstract

A method for associating event times or time periods with digital images in a collection for determining if a digital image is of interest, includes storing a collection of digital images each having an associated capture time; comparing the associated capture time in the collection with a special event time to determine if a digital image in the collection is of interest, wherein the comparing step includes calculation of a special event time associated with a special event based on the calendar time associated with the special event and using such information to perform the comparison step; and associating digital images of interest with the special event.

1 . A method for associating event times or time periods with digital images in a collection for determining if a digital image is of interest, comprising: 
 a) storing a collection of digital images each having an associated capture time;    b) comparing the associated capture time in the collection with a special event time to determine if a digital image in the collection is of interest, wherein the comparing step includes calculation of a special event time associated with a special event based on the calendar time associated with the special event and using such information to perform the comparison step; and    c) associating digital images of interest with the special event.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further including: 
 d) labeling a captured digital image with special event identifier information.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the comparing step further includes collecting a list of special events and related special event time for each collected special event, respectively.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the associating step includes storing in a database digital images of interest with a special event.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the comparing step includes user entry of a special event time associated with a special event and using such information to perform the comparison step.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the comparing step includes associating pre-determined groups of images with a special event.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a special event is identified from a journal entry, an appointment, or an occasion or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a special event is identified by user inspection or automatically or both.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further including: 
 d) supplying a query;    e) retrieving images and videos using the special event and the query; and    f) displaying the retrieved images and videos on a display.    
   
   
       10 . A method for associating event times or time periods with digital images in a collection for determining if a digital image is of interest, comprising: 
 a) storing a collection of digital images or each having an associated capture time;    b) clustering chronologically related digital images into one or more event clusters;    c) comparing the associated capture times of images in the event clusters with a special event time to determine if an event cluster is of interest; and    d) associating an event cluster of interest with the special event.    
   
   
       11 . A method for associating event times or time periods with digital images in a collection for determining if a digital image is of interest, comprising: 
 a) storing a collection of digital images each having an associated capture time;    b) providing a list of events with associated event times from a personal calendar;    c) classifying an event as a special event;    d) comparing the associated capture times in the collection with an event time associated with the special event to determine if a digital image in the collection is of interest; and    e) associating digital images and videos of interest with the special event.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the classification of an event as a special event includes determining a likelihood that images will be captured at the event.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the classification of an event as a special event includes using user input indicating whether images will be captured at the event.  
   
   
       14 . A method for associating event times or time periods with digital images in a collection for determining if a digital image is of interest, comprising: 
 a) storing a collection of digital images each having an associated capture time and an associated photographer;    b) providing a personal calendar of special events with the associated photographer    c) comparing the associated capture times in the collection with a special event time to determine if a digital image in the collection is of interest; and    d) associating digital images of interest with the special event.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further including: 
 e) labeling digital images of interest with special event identifier information associated with the special event.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the comparing step further includes collecting a list of special events and related special event time for each collected special event, respectively.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the associating step includes storing in a database digital images of interest with a special event.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the comparing step includes user entry of a special event time associated with a special event and using such information to perform the comparison step.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the comparing step includes calculation of a special event time associated with a special event based on the calendar time associated with the special event and using such information to perform the comparison step.  
   
   
       20 . A method for labeling digital images captured using a digital capture device, comprising: 
 a) receiving and storing personal calendar information in a digital capture device, the personal calendar information including occasion or appointment information;    b) capturing and storing a digital image in the digital capture device;    c) determining a capture time for the captured digital image;    d) automatically comparing the capture time with the personal calendar information to determine a special event label; and    e) storing the special event label in association with the captured digital image.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further including displaying the special event label on a display of the digital capture device.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , further including providing a user interface screen on the display to enable a user to approve the special event label.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , further including transferring the captured digital image and the special event label over a wireless network.  
   
   
       24 . A method for enabling a plurality of different users to access particular digital images in a collection of digital images, comprising: 
 a) storing data listing a plurality of special events and the subset of the plurality of different users associated with each of the special events;    b) storing a collection of digital images each having an associated capture time;    c) determining a particular special event for at least one associated capture time; and    d) enabling the users associated with the particular special event to access the digital image having the associated capture time.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , further including displaying a list of the users associated with the particular special event on a display.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , further including providing a user interface screen on the display to enable the list of users to be approved.  
   
   
       27 . A method for indicating an incoming phone call in a mobile phone, comprising: 
 a) storing personal calendar information in the mobile phone, the personal calendar information including occasion or appointment information and information indicating that at least one occasion or appointment is a silent event;    b) detecting an incoming phone call from a mobile phone network;    c) determining a current date and time;    d) comparing the current date and time with the personal calendar information to determine whether the current date and time corresponds to the silent event;    e) if the current date and time corresponds to the silent event, providing a non-audible indication of the incoming call; and    f) if the current data and time does not correspond to the silent event, providing an audible indication of the incoming call.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27  further including: 
 g) storing, in the personal calendar, information associating a custom ring tone with one of the occasions or appointments; h) comparing the current date and time with the personal calendar information to determine whether the current date and time corresponds to the occasion or appoint associated with the custom ring tone; and    h) if the current data and time corresponds to the occasion or appointment associated with the custom ring tone, using the custom ring tone to provide the audible indication of the incoming call.