Pretrained computer vision classifier
Identify time of day with one API call.
A pretrained time of day classifier that sorts an image into one of 10 categories — what time of day it is. Use the time of day API immediately, no training required, then adapt it to your own data when you need more.
Try the time of day classifier
Drop in a photo and get the prediction back. No signup, no setup.
What this time of day classifier recognizes
A sample of the 11 labels this pretrained classifier chooses between.
Need a label that isn't here? Clone the classifier into your Nyckel console and edit the label set to fit your data.
Call the time of day API
Get your own copy of this classifier behind your own endpoint — callable from any HTTP client:
curl -X POST "https://www.nyckel.com/v1/functions/YOUR_FUNCTION_ID/invoke" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"data": "https://example.com/photo.jpg"}'import requests
response = requests.post(
"https://www.nyckel.com/v1/functions/YOUR_FUNCTION_ID/invoke",
headers={"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"},
json={"data": "https://example.com/photo.jpg"},
)
print(response.json())const response = await fetch("https://www.nyckel.com/v1/functions/YOUR_FUNCTION_ID/invoke", {
method: "POST",
headers: {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN",
"Content-Type": "application/json",
},
body: JSON.stringify({ data: "https://example.com/photo.jpg" }),
});
console.log(await response.json());$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, 'https://www.nyckel.com/v1/functions/YOUR_FUNCTION_ID/invoke');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, '{"data": "https://example.com/photo.jpg"}');
$headers = array();
$headers[] = 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN';
$headers[] = 'Content-Type: application/json';
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $headers);
$result = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
echo $result;Example response
{
"labelName": "Afternoon",
"labelId": "label_...",
"confidence": 0.92
}Under the hood
Trained on a Nyckel-curated dataset covering 10 time of day categories, served on Nyckel's own infrastructure — your image stays on Nyckel.
Send an image URL or file to the invoke endpoint; the response is a label with a confidence score.
Clone it, then correct predictions and add your own samples in the console — Nyckel retrains automatically, turning this into a custom model tuned to your data.
Where teams use time of day classification
Smart Lighting Control
This function can be used to automatically adjust indoor and outdoor lighting based on the time of day. By identifying the current time, smart lighting systems can optimize energy usage, ensuring lights are only on when needed and enhancing user comfort.
Automated Marketing Campaigns
Businesses can leverage the time of day identifier to schedule marketing emails or social media posts for maximum engagement. By analyzing customer behavior patterns at different times of the day, brands can target their audience more effectively.
Dynamic Pricing Models
E-commerce platforms can employ this function to adjust pricing dynamically based on the time of day. For example, peak hours might see higher prices, while off-peak times could offer discounts, helping to balance demand and improve sales.
Personalized Content Delivery
Media streaming services can utilize the time of day identifier to recommend content that aligns with users' viewing habits. By analyzing user data, platforms can suggest shows or movies that are popular during specific times, enhancing viewer satisfaction.
Workforce Management
This function can assist in employee scheduling by identifying peak operational hours throughout the day. Businesses can optimize staffing levels in real-time, ensuring the right number of employees are available when demand is highest, thereby improving efficiency.
Energy Consumption Optimization
Utility companies can use the time of day identifier to analyze energy usage patterns. By understanding peak consumption times, they can implement programs that encourage users to reduce consumption during high-demand periods, leading to better resource management.
Customer Support Availability
Call centers can employ the time of day identifier to adjust support availability according to peak customer interaction times. By aligning staffing with periods of high demand, businesses can enhance customer satisfaction and reduce wait times for support.
Common questions
What's the difference between a zero-shot and a Nyckel-trained classifier?
A zero-shot classifier uses a large foundation model's general knowledge to pick between your labels — no task-specific training, so new or edited labels work immediately. A Nyckel-trained classifier has been trained on labeled examples and runs on Nyckel's own infrastructure, which typically makes it faster, cheaper per call, and more accurate on data that resembles its training set. The "Under the hood" section on this page shows which kind this classifier is, and any classifier can be adapted into a trained one by adding your own examples.
How do I know whether this will work for my application?
Honestly: we can't know in advance — it depends on your data stream and how closely it resembles what this classifier has seen. The reliable way to find out is to measure it on your own data: start invoking the classifier with real traffic, or upload and annotate a set of images in the console — make sure they look like your production data, not idealized examples. Nyckel's evaluation metrics then show you exactly how it performs on that data before you rely on it.
What happens when it makes a mistake?
No classifier is perfect, so Nyckel is built around the correction loop: invokes can be captured for review, you confirm or correct predictions in the console, and corrections become training data. Over time the model adapts to your data distribution — accuracy on your traffic improves with use rather than staying fixed.
Do I need training data to get started?
No. This time of day classifier works out of the box — clone it into your console and you'll have your own API endpoint in under a minute. Training data only enters the picture when you want to adapt it: your corrected predictions and uploaded samples improve the model, and you can also edit the label set to match your needs.
What does it cost to try?
Trying the classifier on this page is free with no signup. Cloning it requires a free account, and the free tier covers your first API calls each month — see nyckel.com/pricing for current limits and paid tiers.
Related classifiers
Ready to classify time of day at scale?
Add this pretrained classifier to your Nyckel console — you'll get a live API endpoint in under a minute, and a path to a custom model when you need one.