Cloud-based photo management

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for identifying objects within images. Analyses are performed, comparing metadata, tags, and similarity of images, to determine trends and similarity. Based on these trends and similarities, metadata and tags are copied and generated, with the associated images then being more closely associated with one another. These images can then be organized in more meaningful and useful formats.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving an input image;   determining an identity of an object represented in the input image;   identifying metadata that is associated with at least one related image of a plurality of related images, the at least one related image including a representation of the object having the determined identity and being associated with a geographic location associated with the input image;   determining a subset of the metadata that is associated with the at least one related image and not associated with the input image;   storing the subset of metadata with the input image, wherein the input image is accessible by using the subset of metadata.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein image data manually associated with the input image by a user is also stored with the input image, and wherein the input image is able to be accessed using the metadata or the data manually associated with the input image. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the subset of metadata with a local copy of the input image on a computing device.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the input image, with the subset of metadata, to a location accessible to multiple users.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the subset of metadata to an index; and   associating a location of the image with the subset of metadata stored in the index.   
     
     
         6 . A system comprising:
 at least one device processor; and   a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, perform a method comprising:
 receiving an input image; 
 determining an identity of at least one object represented in the input image using at least one object recognition algorithm; 
 determining one or more metadata tags associated with at least one related image of a plurality of related images, the at least one related image including a representation of the object having the determined identity and a geographic location associated with the input image; 
 determining at least one metadata tag of the one or more metadata tags that is associated with the at least one related image and is not associated with the input image; and 
 storing the at least one metadata tag with the input image, wherein the input image is accessible by using the at least one metadata tag. 
   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one object recognition algorithm includes a facial recognition algorithm configured to recognize one or more persons represented in the input image. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the input image has intrinsic metadata including at least one of a time, a date, or a location where the input image was captured, and wherein the plurality of related images are capable of being searched using the intrinsic metadata to locate at least one related image of the plurality of related images captured at a substantially similar time and a substantially similar location to the input image. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 associating the input image with extrinsic metadata received from at least one user; and   locating related images of the plurality of related images with substantially similar extrinsic metadata.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 generating an enhanced view, a higher resolution image, or a three-dimensional model of the object in the input image based at least upon the input image and the at least one related image.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 exposing the one or more metadata tags to a search engine configured to enable one or more users to locate images using the one or more metadata tags.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving a search request from at least one user;   performing the search request on images stored locally on a client device or remotely in a collection of images captured by a plurality of users.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 providing an aggregation of images containing common extrinsic metadata;   receiving a request to access the aggregation of images; and   allowing access to the aggregation of images.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 presenting the aggregation of images as part of a slideshow, an album, a three-dimensional view, a multi-angle view, or a single enhanced image.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to:
 receive an input image;   analyze the input image using at least one object recognition algorithm to determine an identity of at least one object represented in the input image;   search for related images containing a representation of the at least one object;   identify, in a collection of image data, at least a portion of metadata that is associated with at least one related image including a representation of the object having the determined identity and a geographic location associated with the input image;   identify a subset of the identified portion of metadata that is associated with the at least one related image and is not associated with the input image; and   store the subset of the identified portion of metadata with the input image, wherein the input image is accessible by using at least the subset of the identified portion of metadata.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one computing device to:
 receive permission from a user of the computing device to enable access to the input image by one or more other users; and   allow the access.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the user is able to specify at least one type of the one or more other users to have access to the input image. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one computing device to:
 generate a notification for at least one of the one or more other users identified in the input image.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions when executed further cause the at least one computing device to:
 generate an enhanced view, a higher resolution image, or a three-dimensional model of the object in the input image based at least upon the input image and the at least one related image.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the input image includes at least one of a time and a location where the input image was captured, and wherein the related images are capable of being searched using the time and the location.