SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR USE OF VOICE MAIL AND EMAIL IN A MIXED MEDIA ENVIRONMENT

• US 20070047008A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Graham, Jamey, Piersol, Kurt, Ridout, Kevin, Hart, Peter, Weyl, Stephen, Hull, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,812,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/401
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/62 Text, e.g. of license plates, overlay texts or captions on TV images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/18086 by performing operations within image blocks or by using histograms
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/274 Syntactic or semantic context, e.g. balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/34 for coin-freed systems ; Pay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A mixed media reality (MMR) system includes an MMR user, a MMR computer, a user printer that produces a printed document, a networked media server, an office portal, a service provider server, an electronic display that is electrically connected to a set-top box, a document scanner, a network, a capture device, a cellular infrastructure, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) technology, Bluetooth® technology, infrared (IR) technology, wired technology, and a geo location mechanism. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types, such as printed paper as a first medium and a digital photograph, digital movie, digital audio file, or web link as a second medium. Furthermore, the MMR system facilitates business methods that take advantage of the combination of a portable electronic device, voice mail or email, and a paper document.

Claims

1. A method for updating hotspot information, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of a hotspot associated with a printed document;

receiving a user update signal;

receiving a voice mail from a user;

storing the voice mail for retrieval in response to a user request for hotspot information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prompting the user to identify the voice mail.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prompting the user to authorize payment for receiving a voice mail; and

wherein receiving the voice mail from the user occurs after payment is authorized.

4. A mixed media information device comprising:

a first communication mechanism for receiving information related to a printed document;

a memory for storing information related to the printed document;

a second communication mechanism for receiving a user selection of a hotspot associated with a printed document;

a third communication mechanism for receiving a user update signal;

a voice mail server for receiving a voice mail from the user in response to the user update signal, the voice mail being related to the hotspot of the printed document.

5. The mixed media information device of claim 4 further comprising:

a server for providing a prompt to the user to authorize payment for receiving a voice mail, and commanding the voice mail server to receive the voice mail if payment is authorized.

6. A method of providing hotspot information, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of a hotspot associated with a printed document;

retrieving a voice mail corresponding to the selected hotspot;

providing the voice mail to the user.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

providing a menu of voice mails corresponding to the selected hotspot;

retrieving the selected voice mail.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

prompting the user to authorize payment for receiving a voice mail; and

providing the voice mail to the user after payment is authorized.

9. A mixed media information device comprising:

a first communication mechanism for receiving information related to a printed document;

a memory for storing information related to the printed document;

a second communication mechanism for receiving a user selection of a hotspot associated with a printed document;

a voice mail server for providing a voice mail to the user in response to the user selection of the hotspot, the voice mail being related to the hotspot of the printed document.

10. The mixed media information device of claim 9 further comprising:

a server for providing a prompt to the user to authorize payment for receiving a voice mail, and commanding the voice mail server to provide the voice mail if payment is authorized.

11. A method of providing hotspot information, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of a hotspot associated with a printed document;

retrieving a hotspot information corresponding to the selected hotspot;

emailing the hotspot information to the user.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the emailing includes setting a priority code of the email to high priority.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein emailing the hotspot information includes emailing the hotspot information to an email server that is separate from a capture device that provides the user selection.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising sending a confirmation email to the capture device indicating sending of the email.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

storing said user selection in a capture device if the capture device is not in communication with a voice mail server;

sending said user selection from the capture device when the capture device is in communication with the voice mail server.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

storing hotspot information for a plurality of user selections of hotspots; and

indexing said hotspot information.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

searching said indexed hotspot information to find hotspot information related to a query.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

providing a user interface for user purchasing of hotspot information;

asynchronously providing purchased hotspot information in response to a user section of the hotspot information.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the asynchronously providing is via a communication channel different than a communication channel of a capture device.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

retrieving the hotspot information from a document database for asynchronous emailing.

21. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

storing emails including hotspot information in a user database.

22. A mixed media information device comprising:

a first communication mechanism for receiving information related to a printed document;

a memory for storing information related to the printed document;

a second communication mechanism for receiving a user selection of a hotspot associated with a printed document;

an email server for providing an email to the user in response to the user selection of the hotspot, the email being related to the hotspot of the printed document.

23. The mixed media information device of claim 22 wherein the email server sends a confirmation email to the capture device indicating providing of the email.

24. The mixed media information device of claim 22 further comprising:

a database storing hotspot information for a plurality of user selections of hotspots, said database including an index for searching said hotspot information.

25. The mixed media information device of claim 22 further comprising:

a database storing user emails related to a plurality of user selections of hotspots, said database including an index for searching said hotspot information.