Techniques for retrieving documents using an image capture device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of retrieving electronic documents, the method comprising:
- receiving an image captured using an image capture device;
extracting contents of the image;
forming a search query based upon the extracted contents; and
searching a plurality of electronic documents to identify a first electronic document that satisfies the search query.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for retrieving electronic documents based upon images captured using an image capture device. One or more images captured by a user using an image capture device are used to search a set of documents to retrieve one or more documents that match the search query. The one or more documents retrieved by the search may then be provided to the user or some other recipient.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method of retrieving electronic documents, the method comprising:
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receiving an image captured using an image capture device;
extracting contents of the image;
forming a search query based upon the extracted contents; and
searching a plurality of electronic documents to identify a first electronic document that satisfies the search query. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of retrieving electronic documents, the method comprising:
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receiving a first image captured using an image capture device;
extracting contents of the first image;
forming a search query based upon the extracted contents of the first image;
performing a search to identify a first set of electronic documents comprising one or more electronic documents that satisfy the search query;
determining if the first set of electronic documents comprises a predefined number of electronic documents;
requesting a second image if the first set of electronic documents does not comprise the predefined number of electronic documents;
extracting contents of the second image;
forming a search query based upon the extracted contents of the second image; and
performing a search to identify a second set of electronic documents comprising one or more electronic documents that satisfy the search query based upon the extracted contents of the second image. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method of retrieving electronic documents, the method comprising:
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receiving a first image captured by using an image capture device;
extracting contents of the first image;
forming a search query based upon the extracted contents of the first image;
performing a search using the search query formed based upon the extracted contents of the first image;
(a) requesting another image if the search does not identify at least one electronic document;
(b) receiving another image;
(c) extracting contents of the another image;
(d) forming a search query based upon the extracted contents of the another image; and
(e) performing a search using the search query formed based upon the extracted contents of the another image;
repeating (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) until the search identifies at least one electronic document that satisfies the search query.
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16. A method of retrieving electronic documents, the method comprising:
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receiving an image captured using an image capture device;
extracting a plurality of text patterns from the image using an image processing technique;
selecting a subset of text patterns from the plurality of text patterns such that the plurality of text patterns comprises at least one text pattern that is not included in the subset;
forming a search query based upon the subset of text patterns;
searching a plurality of electronic documents to identify a first electronic document that satisfies the search query. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of retrieving electronic documents, the method comprising:
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receiving an image captured using an image capture device;
extracting a plurality of text patterns from the image using an image processing technique;
selecting a first subset of text patterns from the plurality of text patterns such that the plurality of text patterns comprises at least one text pattern that is not included in the first subset;
forming a search query based upon the first subset of text patterns;
searching a plurality of electronic documents to identify a first electronic document that satisfies the search query;
performing a search using the search query formed based upon the first subset of text patterns;
selecting a second subset of text patterns from the plurality of text patterns if the search performed using the first subset of text patterns does not identify at least one electronic document;
forming a search query based upon the second subset of text patterns; and
performing a search using the search query formed based upon the second subset of text patterns.
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20. A system for retrieving electronic documents, the system comprising:
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a memory configured to store an image captured device using an image capture device;
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to;
extract contents of the image;
form a search query based upon the extracted contents; and
search a plurality of electronic documents to identify a first electronic document that satisfies the search query. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions for controlling a data processor to retrieve electronic documents, the plurality of instructions comprising:
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instructions that cause the data processor to receive an image captured using an image capture device;
instructions that cause the data processor to extract contents of the image;
instructions that cause the data processor to form a search query based upon the extracted contents; and
instructions that cause the data processor to search a plurality of electronic documents to identify a first electronic document that satisfies the search query.
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33. A system for retrieving electronic documents, the system comprising:
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a memory configured to store a first image captured using an image capture device; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to;
extract contents of the first image;
form a search query based upon the extracted contents of the first image;
perform a search to identify a first set of electronic documents comprising one or more electronic documents that satisfy the search query;
determine if the first set of electronic documents comprises a predefined number of electronic documents;
request a second image if the first set of electronic documents does not comprise the predefined number of electronic documents;
extract contents of the second image;
form a search query based upon the extracted contents of the second image; and
perform a search to identify a second set of electronic documents comprising one or more electronic documents that satisfy the search query based upon the extracted contents of the second image.
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34. A system for retrieving electronic documents, the system comprising:
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a memory configured to store a first image captured using an image capture device; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to;
extract contents of the first image;
form a search query based upon the extracted contents of the first image;
perform a search using the search query formed based upon the extracted contents of the first image;
(a) request another image if the search does not identify at least one electronic document;
(b) receive another image;
(c) extract contents of the another image;
(d) form a search query based upon the extracted contents of the another image; and
(e) perform a search using the search query formed based upon the extracted contents of the another image;
repeat (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) until the search identifies at least one electronic document that satisfies the search query.
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35. A system for retrieving electronic documents, the system comprising:
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a memory configured to store an image captured using an image capture device; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to;
extract a plurality of text patterns from the image using an image processing technique;
select a subset of text patterns from the plurality of text patterns such that the plurality of text patterns comprises at least one text pattern that is not included in the subset;
form a search query based upon the subset of text patterns;
search a plurality of electronic documents to identify a first electronic document that satisfies the search query.
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36. A system for retrieving electronic documents, the system comprising:
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a memory configured to store an image captured using an image capture device; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to;
extract a plurality of text patterns from the image using an image processing technique;
select a first subset of text patterns from the plurality of text patterns such that the plurality of text patterns comprises at least one text pattern that is not included in the first subset;
form a search query based upon the first subset of text patterns;
search a plurality of electronic documents to identify a first electronic document that satisfies the search query;
perform a search using the search query formed based upon the first subset of text patterns;
select a second subset of text patterns from the plurality of text patterns if the search performed using the first subset of text patterns does not identify at least one electronic document;
form a search query based upon the second subset of text patterns; and
perform a search using the search query formed based upon the second subset of text patterns.
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Specification