Method and system for locating position in printed texts and delivering multimedia information

• US 20030152293A1
• Filed: 01/24/2003
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chatterbox Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Chatterbox Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Raffel, Jack, Bresler, Joel
• Granted Patent: US 7,239,747 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/414 Extracting the geometrical structure, e.g. layout tree; Block segmentation, e.g. bounding boxes for graphics or text

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for processing printed material to provide an index of locations within the printed material that can be associated with external actions such as displaying a graphical image, providing an audio or video output, or providing a multimedia output. The associations are stored in a database. Apparatus and methods are also disclosed that allow a user to image the printed material and by indicating a desired location within the printed material can cause one of the associated actions to be executed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing printed material comprising:

an input module operative to receive an electronic scan the printed material and provide a bitmapped image thereof;

a processing module, receiving the bitmapped image and operative to process the bitmapped image to create an index listing the location of at least one identified location within the bitmapped image referenced to a unique characteristic of the bitmapped image, the processing module providing the association between the identified location within the printed material and the unique characteristic of the printed material; and

an association module receiving the printed material and the index, the association module operative to associate the identified location with a predetermined external action.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the input module is a scanning module and is operative to scan printed material.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the printed material is selected from the group consisting of text, a line drawing, a graphic image, and a photograph.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the unique characteristic of the bitmapped image is a pattern within the bitmapped image.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the unique characteristic of the bitmapped image is a blank space pattern generated by the processing module from the spaces between the characters in the bitmapped image.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the unique characteristic of the bitmapped image is a blank space pattern generated by processing module from the spaces between the words in the bitmapped image.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the unique characteristic of the bitmapped image is a blank space pattern generated by the processing module from the spaces between the characters and the spaces between the words in the bitmapped image.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the unique characteristic of the bitmapped image is a blank space pattern generated by the processing module from the spaces between the characters, the spaces between the words in the bitmapped image, and the position of blank lines within the bitmapped image.

9. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the unique characteristic of the bitmapped image is a blank space pattern generated by the processing module from the spaces between the words in the bitmapped image and the position of blank lines within the bitmapped image.

10. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the unique characteristic of the bitmapped image is a blank space pattern generated by the processing module from the spaces before and after each paragraph and the position of blank lines within the bitmapped image.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the external action is to provide a an output selected from the group consisting of a graphical image, a video image, a multimedia image, a link to an internet site, trigger program logic in software, and an audio output.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing module is further operative to provide pattern metadata and to presort the pattern data using the pattern metadata.

13. An apparatus for processing printed material, the apparatus including a previously processed image of the printed material having an index of at least one identified location and an at least one external action associated with each identified location, the apparatus comprising:

an imager to image the printed material and to provide a bitmapped image thereof;

a pointer device operative to designate a user-indicated position within the printed material;

a processing module, operative to receive and to process the bitmapped image to identify the designated location according to a unique characteristic of the bitmapped image;

a comparison module operative to compare the identified designated location and the index of identified locations within the processed text and to provide output signals indicative of either a match between the designated location and one of the identified locations or no match occurring;

an output device responsive to the output signals indicative of a match and operative to execute the at least one external action associated with the matched identified location.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further including a display portion operative to display a portion of the imaged text to the user.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the external action is selected from the group consisting of a graphical image, a video image, a multimedia image, a link to an internet site, trigger program logic in software, and an audio output.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the processed printed material is stored on a medium selected from the group consisting of a CD ROM, a DVD, a ROM cartriedge, and a magnetic media.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the previously processed image is stored on a server and available via a network.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of the Internet, a local area network, and a wireless network.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the printed material is selected from the group consisting of text, a line drawing, a graphic image, and a photograph.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the unique characteristic of the bitmapped image is a pattern within the bitmapped image.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the pattern within the bitmapped image is a blank space pattern generated from the spaces between the characters in the bitmapped image.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the pattern within the bitmapped image is a blank space pattern generated from the spaces between the words in the bitmapped image.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the pattern within the bitmapped image is a blank space pattern generated from the spaces between the characters and the spaces between the words in the bitmapped image.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the pattern within the bitmapped image is a blank space pattern generated from the spaces between the characters, the spaces between the words in the bitmapped image, and the position of blank lines within the bitmapped image.

25. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the pattern within the bitmapped image is a blank space pattern generated from the spaces between the words in the bitmapped image and the position of blank lines within the bitmapped image.

26. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the pattern within the bitmapped image is a blank space pattern generated from the spaces before and after each paragraph and the position of blank lines within the bitmapped image.