Access system

• US 20020055957A1
• Filed: 11/08/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ohsawa, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,188,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/513
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/62 Text, e.g. of license plates, overlay texts or captions on TV images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields

Abstract

A character string is extracted from an image photographed by a camera. It is determined whether or not the extracted character string includes an address on a network. Software for accessing the address runs. Accordingly, a user can easily access a desired address on the network.

Claims

1. An access system comprising:

a display device for displaying an image picked up by an image pickup device on a screen; and

a control device for extracting a character string included in the image displayed on the screen, interpreting the extracted character string, and causing program code to run software for accessing an address included in the interpreted character string, via a network.

2. An access system according to claim 1, wherein, when the interpreted character string, including the address, is not displayed on the screen of said display device, said control device does not cause the program code to run.

3. An access system according to claim 1, wherein the character string includes a URL.

4. An access system according to claim 1, wherein the character string includes an email address.

5. An access system comprising:

a receiving device for receiving an image picked up by an image pickup device; and

a control device for referring to a memory storing a predetermined symbol and an address corresponding to the predetermined symbol, extracting the predetermined symbol from the image displayed on a screen, and executing processing for accessing the address corresponding to the extracted predetermined symbol.

6. An access system according to claim 5, wherein when the predetermined symbol is extracted from the image displayed on the screen, said control device causes program code to run for accessing the address corresponding to the predetermined symbol via a network.

7. An access system according to claim 6, wherein when the predetermined symbol is not displayed on the screen, said control device does not cause the program code to run.

8. An access system according to claim 5, wherein said control device extracts the symbol based on information on a shape of the symbol.

9. An access system according to claim 5, wherein said control device extracts the symbol based on information on a color of the symbol.

10. An access system according to claim 5, wherein the address includes a URL.

11. An access system according to claim 5, wherein the address includes an email address.

13. An access system according to claim 12, wherein, when the image received by said receiving device is included within the predetermined image, said control device causes program code to run for accessing the address corresponding to the predetermined image.

14. An access system according to claim 12, wherein the address includes a URL.

15. An access system according to claim 12, wherein the address includes an email address.

17. An access method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of:

preventing the program code from running when the character string including the address is not displayed on the screen.

18. An access method according to claim 16, wherein the character string includes a URL.

19. An access method according to claim 16, wherein the character string includes an email address.

12. An access system comprising:

a receiving device for receiving an image picked up by an image pickup device and information on the picked up image; and

a control device for, when it is determined based on the information on the picked up image that the image received by said receiving device includes a predetermined image, executing processing for accessing an address corresponding to the predetermined image by referring to a memory storing an address corresponding to the picked-up image.

16. An access method comprising the steps of:

extracting a character string included in an image displayed on a screen;

interpreting the extracted character string; and

running program code for accessing an address included in the interpreted character string, via a network.

20. An access method comprising the steps of:

referring to a memory storing a predetermined symbol and an address corresponding to the predetermined symbol;

extracting the predetermined symbol included in an image displayed on a screen; and

executing processing for accessing the address corresponding to the extracted predetermined symbol.

21. An access method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of:

running program code for accessing the address corresponding to the predetermined symbol, via a network, when the predetermined symbol is extracted from the image displayed on the screen.

22. An access method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of:

preventing the program code from running when the predetermined symbol is not displayed on the screen.

23. An access method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of:

extracting, using a control device, the predetermined symbol based on information on a shape of the symbol.

24. An access system according to claim 20, further comprising the step of:

extracting, using a control device, the predetermined symbol based on information on a color of the symbol.

25. An access method according to claim 20, wherein the address includes a URL.

26. An access method according to claim 20, wherein the address includes an email.

28. An access method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of:

running program code for accessing the address corresponding to the predetermined image, when the image received in said receiving step is included within the predetermined image.

29. An access method according to claim 27, wherein the address includes a URL.

30. An access method according to claim 27, wherein the address includes an email address.

27. An access method comprising the steps of:

receiving an image picked up by an image pickup device and information on the picked up image; and

when it is determined, based on the information on the picked up image, that the image received in said receiving step includes a predetermined image, referring to a memory storing an address corresponding to the predetermined image and executing processing for accessing the address corresponding to the predetermined image.

31. A storage medium storing a program for executing an operational processing method of an access system, wherein the program comprises:

program code of an extraction step of a character string included in an image displayed on a screen;

program code of an interpretation step of the extracted character string; and

program code of an access step of running software for accessing an address included in the interpreted character string, via a network.

32. A storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the program further comprises:

program code of a prevention step of the software from running, when the character string including the address is not displayed on the screen.

33. A storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the character string includes a URL.

34. A storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the character string includes a email address.

36. A storage medium according to claim 35, wherein the access step includes:

running software for accessing the address corresponding to the predetermined symbol, via a network, when the predetermined symbol is extracted from the image displayed on the screen.

37. A storage medium according to claim 36, wherein the program further comprises:

program code of a prevention step of preventing the software from running, when the predetermined symbol is not displayed on the screen.

38. A storage medium according to claim 35, wherein the extraction step extracts the symbol based on information on a shape of the symbol.

39. A storage medium according to claim 35, wherein the extraction step extracts the symbol based on information on a color of the symbol.

40. A storage medium according to claim 35, wherein the address includes a URL.

41. A storage medium according to claim 35, wherein the address includes a email address.

35. A storage medium storing a program for executing an operational processing method of an access system, wherein the program comprises:

program code of a referring step of referring to a memory storing a predetermined symbol and an address corresponding to the predetermined symbol;

program code of an extraction step of the predetermined symbol included in an image displayed on a screen; and

program code of an access step of executing processing for accessing an address corresponding to the extracted predetermined symbol.

42. A storage medium storing a program for executing an operational processing method of an access system, wherein the program comprises:

program code of a reception step of receiving an image picked up by an image pickup device and information on the picked-up image; and

when it is determined based on the information on the picked-up image that the image received in the reception step includes a predetermined image, program code of an access step of executing processing for accessing an address corresponding to the predetermined image by referring to a memory storing an address corresponding to the picked-up image.

43. A storage medium according to claim 42, wherein, when the image received in the reception step is included within the predetermined image, access step runs software for accessing the address corresponding to the predetermined image.

44. A storage medium according to claim 42, wherein the address includes a URL.

45. A storage medium according to claim 42, wherein the address includes an email address.