# US 2013/0254701 A1 · Unlocking digital content using image recognition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0254701 A1 - Document ID: US20130254701A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/425,700 - Filed: 2012-03-21 - Published: 2013-09-26 - Earliest claimed: 2012-03-21 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Inventors: Jeremy Faller; Erik Walter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130254701A1 ## CPC - G06F 21/10: Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material (protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16) {; Digital rights management [DRM]} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An electronic book system prompts a user to provide an image, for instance by taking a picture using a camera integrated on a smart phone. The user provides the image, the image is sent for processing by an image search facility and a check is made to see whether the image matches the prompt. If so, content is unlocked for access by the user. Advertising material may also be provided relating to the prompt. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system to selectively unlock a portion of an electronic book, comprising: a system database storing book data and user profile information; a reader device in communication with the system database, the reader device configured to provide a prompt to a user to submit an image; an image processing facility, the image processing facility configured to receive data relating to the image from the reader device, the image processing facility further configured to generate metadata corresponding to the image; and an unlocking subsystem in communication with the image processing facility, the unlocking subsystem configured to unlock the portion of the electronic book responsive to correspondence between the prompt and the metadata. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the portion is a chapter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising an ordering subsystem operatively coupled to the reader device, the ordering subsystem configured to generate a communication to the user related to the prompt. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the communication is an electronic advertisement. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the image is of the user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the portion relates to the image. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic book further comprises a prior portion, wherein the prior portion relates to the image. ### Claim 8 A system to selectively unlock content for access on a device by a user, comprising: a system database configured to store the content and to store profile information of the user; an interface subsystem configured to provide a prompt to the user to supply an image; an image processing facility, the image processing facility configured to receive data relating to the image from the device and generate results therefrom; and an unlocking subsystem in communication with the image processing facility, the unlocking subsystem configured to unlock the content responsive to correspondence between the prompt and the results. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the interface subsystem is configured to provide a subsequent prompt to the user to submit a subsequent image, the prompt and the subsequent prompt being different. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the image is a self-portrait of the user in a first pose and the subsequent image is a self-portrait of the user in a second pose. ### Claim 11 A computer-implemented method of unlocking a portion of an electronic book, comprising: storing book data and user profile information in a database; providing a prompt to a user to supply an image via a user device; generating metadata corresponding to the image; unlocking the portion of the electronic book responsive to correspondence between the prompt and the metadata; and updating a database to indicate that the portion has been unlocked. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the portion is a chapter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a communication to the user related to the prompt. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the communication is an electronic advertisement. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the image is of the user. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the portion relates to the image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic book further comprises a prior portion, wherein the prior portion relates to the image. ### Claim 18 A computer-implemented method for selectively unlocking content for access on a device by a user, comprising: storing the content and profile information of the user in a system database; providing a prompt to the user to supply an image; processing the image and generating results therefrom; and unlocking the content responsive to correspondence between the prompt and the results. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising providing a subsequent prompt to the user to provide a subsequent image, the prompt and the subsequent prompt being different. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the image is a self-portrait of the user in a first pose and the subsequent image is a self-portrait of the user in a second pose. ### Claim 21 A system to selectively provide content for access on a device by a user, comprising: a system database configured to store the content and to store profile information of the user; an interface subsystem configured to provide a prompt to the user to supply a sensed input; a processing facility configured to receive data relating to the sensed input from the device and generate results therefrom; and an unlocking subsystem in communication with the processing facility, the unlocking subsystem configured to provide the content responsive to correspondence between the prompt and the results. ### Claim 22 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the sensed input is one or more of: a static image, a moving image, a sound, an environmental condition. ### Claim 23 A computer-implemented method for selectively providing content for access on a device by a user, comprising: storing the content and profile information of the user in a system database; providing a prompt to the user to supply a sensed input; processing the sensed input and generating results therefrom; and providing the content responsive to correspondence between the prompt and the results. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the sensed input is one or more of: a static image, a moving image, a sound, an environmental condition.