Network access terminal, network system, method of network system, storage medium, and program code

• US 20030009673A1
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Junichi, Iwamura, Keiichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,546,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink

Abstract

When image data in which a digital watermark is embedded accesses a server, particularly, a Web server, via a network, the server is appropriately selected and accessed via the network in accordance with the environments of the clients that access the server. A network access terminal includes an extraction unit for extracting first information from an image that includes the first information, which is multi-valued, an acquisition unit for acquiring from a predetermined storage device the first information extracted by the extraction unit and address information specified by second information different from the first information, from among a plurality of address information stored in the predetermined storage device, and a communication unit for accessing an address based on the address information obtained by the acquisition unit.

Claims

1. A network access terminal, comprising:

an extraction unit for extracting first information from an image in which the first information is embedded;

an acquisition unit for obtaining, from a predetermined storage device, the first information extracted by said extraction unit, address information from among a plurality of address information stored in the predetermined storage device and specified by said extraction unit, and second information different from the first information; and

a communication unit for accessing an address based on the address information obtained by said acquisition unit.

2. A network access terminal according to claim 1, wherein the image is an image in which the first information is embedded as a digital watermark.

3. A network access terminal according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined storage device stores the second information and the address information, which is specified by the first and second information, in association with the first information, and

wherein said acquisition unit obtains the address information specified by the first and second information from the predetermined storage device.

4. A network access terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first information is an identifier for identifying the image and includes user information and copyright information of the image.

5. A network access terminal according to claim 1, wherein the second information includes at least one of time information on access of said communication unit, location information on an access destination, and information on a type of said network access terminal.

6. A network access terminal according to claim 1, wherein said communication unit accesses a content server in which content is stored.

7. A network access terminal according to claim 6, wherein the content includes at least one of text information, image information, audio information, and program information.

8. A network system that includes a network access terminal according to claim 1.

9. A network access method, comprising the steps of:

an extraction step of extracting first information from an image in which the first information is embedded;

an acquisition step of acquiring, from a predetermined storage device, the first information extracted in said extraction step, address information from among a plurality of address information stored in the predetermined storage device and specified in said extraction step, and second information different from the first information; and

an access step of accessing an address based on the address information obtained in said acquisition step.

10. A program product embodying a program for implementing a network access method, the program comprising:

program code of an extraction step of extracting first information from an image in which the information is embedded;

program code of am acquisition step of acquiring, from a predetermined storage device, the first information extracted in the extraction step, address information from among a plurality of address information stored in the predetermined storage device and specified in the extraction step, and second information different from the first information; and

program code of an access step of accessing an address based on the address information obtained in the acquisition step.

11. A computer-readable storage medium comprising said program product of claim 10.