An imaging tool creates a first image of a scene and a second image of the scene taken after the first image. An RF tag reader receives data from an RF tag associated with the scene. A 3D representation of a change in the scene is created based on the first image, the second image, and the data from the RF tag.

A variety of methods and systems involving sensor-equipped portable devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are described. One particular embodiment decodes a digital watermark from imagery captured by the device and, by reference to watermark payload data, obtains salient point data corresponding to an object depicted in the imagery. Other embodiments obtain salient point data for an object through use of other technologies (e.g., NFC chips). The salient point data enables the device to interact with the object in a spatially-dependent manner. Many other features and arrangements are also detailed.

A technology that enables accurate position specification on an image displayed on a screen to perform processing and correction of the image data is provided. When the image is printed on a sheet on which a dot pattern is printed, a reference point of the image on the display device is set and the reference point is printed in a visible mark together with the image. This mark is imaged with an imaging means, and calibration is performed in which position coordinates of the marks on the sheet and the reference points of the image are matched, thereby preventing variation in coordinates between designation made on the sheet with the imaging means and processing on the image.

An electronic device associates first information and at least a first portion of a first image, and uses a second image that includes a portion corresponding to at least the first portion of the first image to access the associated first information.

Methods and systems for inspection, safety assurance, tracking, and/or as-built comparison use an imaging tool to acquire imaging data of a scene. The imaging data is processed to create a three-dimensional representation of the scene. Radio frequency (RF) data is received from an RF tag using an RF reader. The RF tag is associated with an object within the scene. The object in the three-dimensional representation of the scene is identified based on the RF data and compared to a model of the object.

A method of inserting an image into an electronic document, the method including receiving setting information and identification information regarding the image; determining whether the image included in image data corresponds to the identification information by using a result of analysis of the image data; and according to a result of the determination, inserting the image corresponding to the identification information into a position of the electronic document, according to the setting information.

A method and system for managing consistent data objects are included herein. The method includes detecting an operation to store a consistent data object. Additionally, the method includes detecting an attribute for the consistent data object. Furthermore, the method includes storing the consistent data object based on the attribute. In addition, the method includes determining an additional format of the consistent data object is to be stored. The method also includes generating a second consistent data object based on the additional format and storing the second consistent data object.

Disclosed are technologies are useful in enabling a smart phone to respond to a user's environment, e.g., so it can serve as an intuitive hearing and seeing device. Some of the detailed arrangements involve using radio base station SDR equipment (e.g., at a cell tower) to perform image recognition operations for phones; forecasting service needs from remote processors delegating a remote execution task to a service provider chosen in a competitive process; using nearby processors, e.g., in an automobile, another phone, or set-top box, for remote execution tasks; phones with separable camera and/or illumination components; phone camera illumination using different colors of light; using search tree methods with image frames captured at different focuses; using a phone's microprojector to aid in object identification; correcting lens aberrations by texture mapping captured imagery onto a corrective polygon surface using a phone GPU; etc. A great variety of other features are also detailed.

An image pickup apparatus includes a shooting unit, a control unit, and an association unit. The shooting unit performs a plurality of shooting operations and obtain a plurality of images. The control unit acquires position information and acquire direction information. The association unit associates the direction information and the position information with the plurality of images. The control unit controls the shooting unit to perform a single shooting operation and a continuous shooting operation selectively. The position information associated with each of the plurality of images obtained in the continuous shooting operation is the same position information, and the direction information associated with each of the plurality of images obtained in the continuous shooting operation is individual direction information in the continuous shooting operation.

A variety of methods and systems involving sensor-equipped portable devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, are described. One particular embodiment decodes a digital watermark from imagery captured by the device and, by reference to watermark payload data, obtains salient point data corresponding to an object depicted in the imagery. Other embodiments obtain salient point data for an object through use of other technologies (e.g., NFC chips). The salient point data enables the device to interact with the object in a spatially-dependent manner. Many other features and arrangements are also detailed.