System and method of generic symbol recognition and user authentication using a communication device with imaging capabilities

Abstract

A system and method for recognizing symbols and identifying users or services, including the displaying of an image or video clip on a display device in which identification information is embedded in the image or video clip, the capturing the image or video clip on an imaging device, the transmitting of the image or video clip from the imaging device to a communication network, the transmitting of the image or video clip from the communication network to a processing and authentication server, the processing of the information embedded in the image or video clip by the server to identify logos, alphanumeric characters, or special symbols in the image or video clip, and converting the identified logos or characters or symbols into a digital format to identify the user or location of the user or service provided to the user, and the using of the processed information in digital format to provide one or more of a variety of additional applications.

1 . A method for recognizing symbols and identifying users or services, the method comprising:
 displaying an image or video clip on a display device in which identification information is embedded in the image or video clip;   capturing the image or video clip on an imaging device;   transmitting the image or video clip from the imaging device to a communication network;   transmitting the image or video clip from the communication network to a processing and authentication server;   processing the information embedded in the image or video clip by the server to identify logos, alphanumeric characters, or special symbols in the image or video clip, and converting the identified logos or characters or symbols into a digital format to identify the user or location of the user or service provided to the user;   wherein the display device further displays additional information which identifies the type or location of the display device;   wherein said embedded identification information in the image or video clip is the original image or video clip in which no modification has been made to the image or video clip for the purpose of enabling machine recognition of said embedded identification information;   wherein said embedded identification information is used to provide a product or service to the user.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the display device is a physical object with a fixed physical appearance. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the display device is a building or a human made landmark.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the identification of the building or landmark serves to provide the information about the location of the user. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the identification of the building or landmark serves to provide information about the relative angle and distance of the user to the building or landmark. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the special symbols are parts or components of a building or statue or landmark. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service is presenting to the user the original image with additional location based information on top of it or besides it, on the user's imaging device. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service is adding location information to the image the user has taken for geotagging. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service is adding the location information to the image the user has taken as metadata.