METHOD FOR CONFIGURING CAMERA-EQUIPPED ELECTRONIC DEVICES USING AN ENCODED MARK

• US 20090196456A1
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bisti, Jeffrey E., Dow, Eli M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,320,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2007/10504 Data fields affixed to objects or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof

Abstract

A wide range of digital devices either have or are provided with imaging devices which are capable of imaging externally provided information in the form of special codes that contain setup and/or configuration information. Processors within these devices, which include cell phones, cameras, PDAs and personal computers, to name just a few, recognize the image and convert it to the desired configuration and/or setup information.

Claims

1. A digital device having a setup feature, said device comprising:

an imaging device;

a processor which controls said digital device and which receives image information from said imaging device; and

a memory for data and instructions coupled to said processor, said memory including instructions for recognizing images presented to said imaging device and for converting said images to setup information for said device.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said digital device is selected from the group consisting of cell phones, cameras, PDA'"'"'s, GPS'"'"'s, smart phones, personal laptop computers, personal desktop computers and gaming devices.

3. The device of claim 1 in which said device is connected to a network via a wireless connection.

4. The device of claim 1 in which said device is connected to a network via a wired connection.

5. The device of claim 1 in which a portion of said memory is allocated to storage of said setup information.

6. The device of claim 1 in which said setup information is selected from the group consisting of passwords, default settings, wireless encryption information, user names, time and date stamps.

7. The device of claim 1 in which said image information is present in the form of printed media.

8. The device of claim 7 in which said printed media further includes instructions for its use.

9. The device of claim 1 in which said setup information is stored in said memory.

10. The device of claim 1 in which said setup information is stored in its own separate, non-volatile memory.

11. The device of claim 1 in which said instructions are in the form of pseudocode.

12. The device of claim 11 in which said processor has additional instructions in said memory to convert said pseudocode into machine instructions.

13. A method for configuring a digital device, said method comprising the steps of:

capturing an image and providing that image to a processor within the device in the form of an electrical signal representing the image;

converting said captured image so as to represent configuration information for the device; and

using said configuration information by said device, whereby the device is configured with setup data enabling secure future use of the device.

14. The method of claim 13 in which said image is provided on a medium selected from the group consisting of a printed medium and a monitor screen.

15. The method of claim 13 in which said image includes instructions for its use.

16. The method of claim 13 in which said configuration information is in the form of pseudocode and in which a further step of converting said pseudocode to machine code is provided.

17. The method of claim 13 in which said digital device is selected from the group consisting of cell phones, cameras, PDA'"'"'s, GPS'"'"'s, smart phones, personal laptop computers, personal desktop computers and gaming devices.

18. The method of claim 13 in which said setup information is selected from the group consisting of passwords, default settings, wireless encryption information, user names, time and date stamps.

19. The method of claim 13 further including a preliminary step of producing said image.

20. A computer readable medium containing program instructions thereon which enable:

the capturing of an image and the providing of that image to a processor within a digital device in the form of an electrical signal representing the image;

the converting of the captured image to represent configuration information for the device; and

, use of the configuration information by the device, whereby the device is configured with set up data enabling secure future use of the device.