Intuitive computing methods and systems

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to mobile devices and content recognition. One claim recites a method employing a mobile device having a processor configured to perform one or more acts of the method, the mobile device including at least one sensor. The method includes: obtaining information from the sensor; and selecting a user profile from among a plurality of different user profiles based on the information. Other claims and combinations are provided as well.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method employing a mobile device having a processor configured to perform one or more acts of the method, the mobile device including at least one sensor, said method comprising:
 obtaining information from the sensor;   selecting a user profile from among a plurality of different user profiles based on the information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  in which the sensor comprises an accelerometer for indicating relative movement. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  in which the information comprises relative movement. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  in which the sensor comprises a microphone for capturing ambient audio. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  in which the information is inferred based on captured ambient audio. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  in which the information is inferred based on an audio noise level of captured ambient audio. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  in which the information is inferred based on signal characteristics of captured ambient audio. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  in which the sensor comprises a global positioning system receiver (GPS receiver). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  in which the information comprises location information. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  in which the plurality of different user profiles comprises a social media profile and a retail profile. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  in which the plurality of different user profiles is associated with different information in memory or a database. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  in which the mobile device further comprises a display screen and said method further comprises selecting—based on a selected user profile—an image or graphic for display on the display screen, the image or graphic being associated with the user profile. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising embedding a digital watermark in a selected image or graphic, the digital watermark including a plural-bit payload associated with the selected user profile. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 populating a plurality of different user profiles;   obscuring which user profile out of the plurality of different user profiles is selected by selection of an image from a plurality of different images;   displaying a selected image on a display screen of a first mobile device for image capture by a second mobile device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  in which each image in the plurality of different images comprises a variation of one another. 
     
     
         16 . A method employing a mobile device having a processor configured to perform one or more acts of the method, the mobile device including or communicating with a clock:
 obtaining information from the clock; and   selecting a user profile from among a plurality of different user profiles based on the information.   
     
     
         17 . An electronic device programmed to perform the method of  claim 16 . 
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon to cause a processor to perform the method of  claim 16 . 
     
     
         19 . A mobile device comprising:
 a sensor; and   a processor programmed for:
 obtaining information from the sensor; 
 selecting a user profile from among a plurality of different user profiles based on the information. 
   
     
     
         20 . The mobile device of  claim 19  in which the sensor comprises an accelerometer for indicating relative movement. 
     
     
         21 . The mobile device of  claim 20  in which the information comprises relative movement. 
     
     
         22 . The mobile device of  claim 19  in which the sensor comprises a microphone for capturing ambient audio. 
     
     
         23 . The mobile device of  claim 22  in which the information is inferred based on captured ambient audio. 
     
     
         24 . The mobile device of  claim 22  in which the information is inferred based on an audio noise level of captured ambient audio. 
     
     
         25 . The mobile device of  claim 22  in which the information is inferred based on signal characteristics of captured ambient audio. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19  in which the sensor comprises a global positioning system receiver (GPS receiver). 
     
     
         27 . The mobile device of  claim 26  in which the information comprises location information. 
     
     
         28 . The mobile device of  claim 19  further comprising memory, in which the plurality of different user profiles is associated with different information in said memory. 
     
     
         29 . The mobile device of  claim 19  further comprising a display screen, in which said processor is programmed for selecting—based on a selected user profile—an image or graphic for display on the display screen, the image or graphic being associated with the user profile. 
     
     
         30 . The mobile device of  claim 29  in which said processor is programmed for embedding a digital watermark in a selected image or graphic, the digital watermark comprising a plural-bit payload associated with the selected user profile.