Today, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals an invention about new facial recognition algorithms that will likely be integrated into a future version of Apple's Photos app. The new feature will fun and convenient. The general idea is this: when you'll take a new photo with a group of your friends, family or work colleagues that also just happen to be in your contacts app, Apple's Photos app will recognize the faces and then match them to a contact name and email a copy to the individuals automatically if they've agree to that set-up with you ahead of time. What a great idea.

Apple's patent FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting a system for sending digital images; FIG. 8 is a block diagram (#800) illustrating a user interface on an iPhone suitable for sending a digital image; and FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating operations of a smartphone in performing methods of sending a digital image.

Interestingly, Apple notes that a "photo" is an image captured by a camera (e.g., a two-dimensional camera, a three-dimensional camera, an infrared camera) while a "picture" is a digital image, regardless of origin. Earlier today another 3D scanning/projection camera invention was revealed. 3D cameras will become a standard feature in the next few years and has already started with devices using Intel's RealSense camera.

For more of the details on today's invention titled "Systems and Methods for Sending Digital Images," see Apple's patent application number 20150227782 here.

Patent Credits

Apple credits Richard Salvador and Steve Salvador as the inventors. Apple's patent application was originally filed in Q1 2014. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.

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