METHOD AND DEVICE FOR COMMUNICATION USING AN OPTICAL SENSOR

• US 20050057669A1
• Filed: 09/12/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wakefield, Ivan N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,723,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/239
• 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

A device for communication may include an optical sensor to capture an image. A processor may be provided to identify or select a class of data in the image and to perform a predetermined function in response to the class of data.

Claims

1. A device for communication, comprising:

an optical sensor to capture an image; and

a processor to identify or select a class of data in the image and to perform a predetermined function in response to the class of data.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the optical sensor comprises one of a charge coupled device, a complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) and a camera.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a data structure including computer-executable instructions executable by one of the optical sensor and the processor to decode pixels in the image to identify or select the class of data.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the class of data comprises data visible to a human eye.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a display to display at least one of the image and the class of data.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the class of data comprises data that is unintelligible to a human eye.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the class of data comprises at least one of a phone number, a list of phone numbers, a bar code, access information to a web site, a sequence of commands, and information associated with a product or service.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the sequence of commands comprises commands to be performed automatically by a communication device.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the communication device comprises a cellular telephone.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the sequence of commands comprises commands to be performed by a communication device in response to a password.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the communication device comprises a cellular telephone.

12. The device of claim 10, further comprising at least one of a user interface and a voice recognition function to enter the password.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the optical sensor is operable to capture the image from one of a television, a video monitor, and a fixed medium.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined function comprises one of transmitting a signal to order a product or service, decoding data from one or more images to reprogram a communication device, downloading communication device setup parameters, storing one or more phone numbers, establishing a call, storing information associated with a web site or email address, accessing a web site, and sending an email message.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein transmitting a signal to order a product or service comprises sending one of a short message service (SMS) message, email message, or voice or data message, each including information associated with a purchaser.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface to at least one of select the class of data from the image, edit the class of data, store the class data and transmit the class of data.

17. A device for communication, comprising:

an optical sensor to capture an image;

a processor, wherein a data structure operable in association with one of the optical sensor, the processor and a mobile system includes computer-executable instructions to identify or select a class of data in the image;

another data structure operable in association with the processor to perform a predetermined function in response to the class of data; and

a transmitter to transmit signals in response to the class of data.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the data structure operable in association with one of the optical sensor, the processor and the mobile system includes computer-executable instructions executable by one of the optical sensor, the processor and the mobile system to decode pixels in the image to identify or select the class of data.

19. The device of claim 17, further comprising a storage device to store at least one of the image and the class of data.

20. The device of claim 17, further comprising a display to display at least one of the image and the class of data.

21. The device of claim 20, further comprising at least one function button to select the class of data from the image.

22. The device of claim 21, further comprising a pointing device to select the class data from the image.

23. The device of claim 17, further comprising a user interface to at least one of select the class data from the image, edit the class of data, store the class of data and transmit the class of data.

24. The device of claim 17, wherein the class of data comprises at least one of a phone number, a list of phone numbers, access information to a web site, a sequence of commands, and information associated with a product or service.

25. The device of claim 17, wherein the predetermined function comprises one of transmitting a signal to order a product or service, decoding data from one or more images to reprogram a communication device, downloading communication device setup parameters, storing one or more phone numbers, establishing communications, storing information associated with a web site or email address, accessing a web site, and sending an email message.

26. A device for communication, comprising:

a microphone to receive an acoustic signal; and

a processor to decode a class of data from the acoustic signal and to perform a predetermined function in response to the class of data.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the class of data comprises at least one of a phone number, a list of phone numbers, a bar code, access information to a web site, a sequence of commands, and information associated with a product or service.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the sequence of commands comprises commands performable automatically by a communication device.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein the sequence of commands comprises commands performable by a communication device in response to a password.

30. The device of claim 29, further comprising at least one of a user interface and a voice recognition system to enter the password.

31. The device of claim 26, wherein the predetermined function comprises one of transmitting a signal to order a product or service, decoding data from one or more images to reprogram a communication device, downloading communication device setup parameters, storing one or more phone numbers and storing information associated with a web site or email address, establishing communications, accessing a web site, and sending an email message.

32. A method for communication, comprising:

capturing an image;

identifying or selecting a class of data in the image; and

performing a predetermined function in response to the class of data.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising decoding pixels in the image to identify or select the class of data.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising displaying at least one of the image and the class of data.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein identifying or selecting the class of data comprises identifying at least one of a phone number, a list of phone numbers, a bar code, access information to a web site, a sequence of commands, and information associated with a product or service.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising performing the sequence of commands automatically.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising performing the sequence of commands in response to a password.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising receiving the password via at least one of a voice recognition system and a user interface.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein performing the predetermined function comprises one of transmitting a signal to order a product or service, decoding data from one or more images to reprogram a communication device, downloading communication device setup parameters, storing one or more phone numbers, storing information associated with a web site or email address, establishing a phone call, accessing a web site and sending an email message.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein transmitting a signal to order a product or service comprises sending one of a short message service (SMS) message, an email message, or a voice or data message, each including information associated with a purchaser.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising retrieving purchaser information from a data source in response to transmitting a signal to order a product or service.

42. The method of claim 32, further comprising at least one of selecting the class of data from the image, editing the class of data, storing the class of data and transmitting the class of data.

43. A method for communication, comprising:

receiving an acoustic signal;

identifying or selecting a class of data from the acoustic signal; and

performing a predetermined function in response to the class of data.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein identifying or selecting the class of data comprises identifying at least one of a phone number, a list of phone numbers, a bar code, access information to a web site, a sequence of commands, and information associated with a product or service.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising performing the sequence of commands automatically.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising performing the sequence of commands in response to a password.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein performing the predetermined function comprises one of transmitting a signal to order a product or service, decoding data from one or more images to reprogram a communication device, downloading communication device setup parameters, storing one or more phone numbers, storing information associated with a web site or email address, establishing a phone call, accessing a web site and sending an email message.

48. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method, comprising:

capturing an image;

identifying or selecting a class of data in the image; and

performing a predetermined function in response to the class of data.

49. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 48, further comprising decoding pixels in the image to identify or select the class of data.

50. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 48, wherein identifying or selecting the class of data comprises identifying at least one of a phone number, a list of phone numbers, a bar code, access information to a web site, a sequence of commands, and information associated with a product or service.

51. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 50, further comprising performing the sequence of commands automatically.

52. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 50, further comprising performing the sequence of commands in response to a password.

53. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 48, wherein performing the predetermined function comprises one of transmitting a signal to order a product or service, decoding data from one or more images to reprogram a communication device, downloading communication device setup parameters, storing one or more phone numbers, storing information associated with a web site or email address, establishing a phone call, accessing a web site and sending an email message.

54. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 53, wherein transmitting a signal to order a product or service comprises sending one of a short message service (SMS) message, an email message, or a voice or data message, each including information associated with a purchaser.