System and method for optical character information retrieval (OCR) via a thin-client user interface

• US 20060095504A1
• Filed: 08/24/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Gelsey, Jonathan Ian
• Application Number:
  US10/925,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095504A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/34 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/32 Digital ink
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

A method and system for allowing optical character recognition (OCR) information retrieval via a thin-client user interface. The method includes receiving an information request from a user via a thin-client user interface, where the information request is an image. Next, optical character recognition is performed on the image to produce a string. A data network is then searched to extract content based on the string. Finally, the extracted content is displayed to the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an information request from a user via a thin-client user interface, wherein the information request is an image;

performing optical character recognition on the image to produce a string;

searching a data network to extract content based on the string; and

sending the extracted content to be displayed to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the thin-client interface is a pad of paper with the ability to track a pen tip.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the ability to track a pen tip incorporates ultrasound-based tracking.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the ability to track a pen tip incorporates infrared-based tracking.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the ability to track a pen tip incorporates visible spectrum-based tracking.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the thin-client interface is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data network is the Internet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data network is a local data network.

9. A system comprising:

a thin-client user interface that receives an information request from a user, wherein the information request is an image;

an optical character recognition (OCR) information retrieval system that performs optical character recognition on the image to produce a string, wherein the OCR information retrieval system searches a data network to extract content based on the string, and wherein the OCR information retrieval system sends the extracted content to be displayed to the user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the thin-client interface is a pad of paper with the ability to track a pen tip.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the ability to track a pen tip incorporates ultrasound-based tracking.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the ability to track a pen tip incorporates infrared-based tracking.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the ability to track a pen tip incorporates visible spectrum-based tracking.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the thin-client interface is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the data network is the Internet.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the data network is a local data network.

17. A machine-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving an information request from a user via a thin-client user interface, wherein the information request is an image;

performing optical character recognition on the image to produce a string;

searching a data network to extract content based on the string; and

sending the extracted content to be displayed to the user.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the thin-client interface is a pad of paper with the ability to track a pen tip.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the ability to track a pen tip incorporates ultrasound-based tracking.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the ability to track a pen tip incorporates infrared-based tracking.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the ability to track a pen tip incorporates visible spectrum-based tracking.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the thin-client interface is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the data network is the Internet.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the data network is a local data network.