Dropbox, Inc.

Jinpeng Ren

Michael Dwan

Embodiments are disclosed for detecting duplicate and near duplicate images. An exemplary method includes receiving an original image, preparing the image for fingerprinting, and calculating an image fingerprint, the fingerprint expressed as a sequence of numbers. The method further includes comparing the image fingerprint thus obtained with a set of previously stored fingerprints obtained from a set of previously stored images, and determining if the original image is either a duplicate or a near duplicate of an image in the set if the dissimilarity between the two fingerprints is less than a defined threshold T. Once a duplicate or near duplicate is detected, various defined actions may be taken, including culling the less desirable image or referring the redundancy to a user.

Duplicate/near duplicate detection and image registration

Embodiments are provided for organization and presentation of content. In some embodiments, a plurality of images and a plurality of similarity rules for image categorization are received. For each image in the plurality of images, that image and each remaining image from the plurality is compared by: applying each similarity rule to the image and a remaining image from the plurality to obtain a numeric result, and recording the numeric result for the pair of images in a numeric representation, the numeric representation embodying similarities. The numeric representation is used as a reference for clustering the plurality of images into clusters of similar images, and each image is stored with a marker denoting a cluster to which it has been assigned.

Presentation and organization of content

Embodiments are disclosed for randomly and pseudo-randomly presenting images to a user. An exemplary method includes receiving a first set of images from a user, receiving a second set of conditions that an image must satisfy, creating a subset of the first set of images that satisfies the second set of conditions, selecting a random element of said subset, and displaying said random element to a user. The conditions define the breadth or narrowness of the subset of images from which a random element is chosen. The conditions may be system set, user configured, or any combination, and a user may repeat the process, or may choose to view a new image that has one or more affinities to the last randomly chosen image presented. Affinities function in similar manner to the conditions of a pseudo-random selection, but generally serve to narrow the available set of photos to a greater extent. Conditions or affinities may be, for example, time based, location based, event based, based on a relationship of the user to a person appearing in the last displayed photo, or based upon various other defined connections or commonalities.

Shuffle algorithm and navigation

Embodiments are provided for organization and presentation of content. In some embodiments, a plurality of images and a plurality of similarity rules for image categorization are received. For each image in the plurality of images, the image from the plurality and each remaining image from the plurality is compared by: applying each similarity rule to the image and a remaining image from the plurality to obtain a numeric result, and recording the numeric result for the two images in a numeric representation, the numeric representation embodying similarities found between each of the plurality of images. The numeric representation is used as a reference for clustering the plurality of images into clusters of similar images, and each image is stored with a marker denoting a cluster to which it has been assigned.

Embodiments are provided for managing shared content with a content management system. In some embodiments, a request is received for a history of content shares for an authenticated account, at least one content share is retrieved for the authenticated account, the at least one content share having at least one shared item and at least one recipient identifier, information on the at least one content share on a user interface is displayed, and a request is received to modify the at least one content share and updating the at least one content share in response to the request.

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Jinpeng Ren