Code generation method, terminal apparatus, code processing method, issuing apparatus, and code issuing method

• US 20040145777A1
• Filed: 01/14/2004
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Masukawa, Akihiro, Izumi, Jiro, Fukunaga, Shinji, Inoue, Atsushi, Kasai, Kenji, Satomi, Hiroshi, Ito, Kosuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,027,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• 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 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• 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 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00

Abstract

This invention is to make it unnecessary for a user to input all codes for identifying information, and reduce cumbersomeness and input error in code input. For example, to generate a code that means predetermined processing such as acquisition of specific information or acquisition of specific mail data, a user inputs, through a service terminal, a number section predetermined for the information to be acquired. The service terminal automatically generates the code of a classification section and attaches it to the number section input by the user. The number section and classification section, which are integrated, are output to a service server as a code.

Claims

1. A code generation method of generating a code which means predetermined processing, characterized by comprising the steps of:

inputting a predetermined first code portion by a user through predetermined input means;

attaching a predetermined second code portion to the first code portion input by said input means to generate an integrated code; and

externally outputting the integrated code.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing is processing of printing information corresponding to the code.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the code is externally output through a network.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first code portion contains a user identifier for identifying the user.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the user identifier contains a subscriber telephone number of the user.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first code portion is information identification code for specifying information to be processed.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the information identification code contains a predetermined information provider identifier for an information provider.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first code portion comprises a main code portion and a subcode portion.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the subcode portion contains a predetermined symbol representing a type of processing.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the predetermined symbol representing the type of processing is a symbol representing mail.

11. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the predetermined symbol representing the type of processing is a symbol representing data input/output by the user.

12. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the predetermined symbol representing the type of processing is a symbol representing a service using a frame.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that in the service using the frame means, a frame in which one or a plurality of other codes are registered is selected to execute processing corresponding to said one or the plurality of other codes registered in the selected frame.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that in the service using the frame, the user can register, change, and delete one or a plurality of codes in the frame.

15. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that when the code is linked from another code, the processing is processing of calling processing corresponding to the another code.

16. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second code portion contains a flag for discriminating a case wherein the first code portion contains information for identifying the user from a case wherein the first code portion contains information for identifying an information provider.

17. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second code portion contains version information.

18. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second code portion contains country identification information.

19. A terminal apparatus comprising said input means of claim 1.

20. A code processing method of processing a code representing predetermined processing, comprising the steps of:

inputting a first code portion by a user;

attaching a second code portion to the first code portion; and

handling the first code portion and the second code portion, which are integrated, as a code and executing processing corresponding to the code.

21. An issuing apparatus for generating a code for identifying information, comprising:

means for assigning a main code portion for identifying an information input user to information to be registered; and

means for attaching a subcode portion associated with the information to be registered to the main code portion.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, characterized by further comprising:

means for inputting the information to be registered; and

registration means for registering the information together with a code containing the main code portion and the subcode portion, which are integrated.

23. The apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that the information to be registered is advertisement information.

24. The apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that the information to be registered is a nonadvertisement information.

25. The apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that the information to be registered is information sent from the user.

26. The apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that the information to be registered is mail addressed to the user.

27. The apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that the information to be registered is frame information.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, characterized in that the frame can register one or a plurality of other codes, and when printing of the frame is designated, information corresponding to said one or the plurality of other information can be printed.

29. The apparatus according to claim 21, characterized by further comprising designation means for designating the code.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, characterized in that when a main code portion of a code to be linked is designated by said designation means, said attachment means attaches a subcode portion unused in a subcode portion corresponding to the main code portion to the main code portion.

31. The apparatus according to claim 29, characterized in that the user having the assigned main code portion can designate a subcode portion corresponding to the main code portion and use the code.

32. The apparatus according to claim 29, characterized in that said apparatus further comprises deleting means for instructing to delete the code, and

the code whose deletion is instructed by said deleting means is deleted together with the information corresponding to the code.

33. The apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that the main code portion contains an identification code representing a registration designation.

34. The apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that the main code portion contains a user identification code.

35. A code issuing method in a storage device for storing information and a code in correspondence with each other, characterized by comprising the steps of:

issuing a first code for specifying information to be stored in said storage device in accordance with a scale of said storage device within an allowable range; and

issuing a third code containing a second code predetermined in accordance with the scale of said storage device and the issued first code to said storage device.

36. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that the scale corresponds to a storage ability of said storage device.

37. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that the second code contains information representing the scale of said storage device.

38. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that the second code contains information for specifying said storage device.

39. A code processing method characterized by comprising the step of identifying, using a scale discrimination bit of an input code, a bit for specifying a storage device and a bit for specifying information held by said storage device in the code.