Code generation method, terminal apparatus, code processing method, issuing apparatus, and code issuing method

• US 6,747,755 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2000
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Inoue, Atsushi, Kasai, Kenji, Satomi, Hiroshi, Masukawa, Akihiro, Ito, Kosuke, Izumi, Jiro, Fukunaga, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Arthur G.
• Application Number:
  US09/547,399
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.6, 358/1.13, 358/1.14, 358/402, 358/403, 358/405, 358/440, 358/442, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/378, 710/8, 710/9, 710/10, 710/11, 710/20, 710/62, 710/64
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• 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

This invention is to make it unnecessary for a user to input all codes for identifying information, and reduce cumbersomeness and input error in code input. For example, to generate a code that means predetermined processing such as acquisition of specific information or acquisition of specific mail data, a user inputs, through a service terminal, a number section predetermined for the information to be acquired. The service terminal automatically generates the code of a classification section and attaches it to the number section input by the user. The number section and classification section, which are integrated, are output to a service server as a code.

Claims

1. A code processing method of processing a code for identifying information, said method comprising the steps of:

determining, when a predetermined first code portion of the code for identifying information has been input through a predetermined input unit, a type of inputted first code portion based on a predetermined identifier included in the inputted first code portion;

attaching a predetermined second code portion including a code indicating the type of the first code portion to the first code portion so as to generate an integrated code; and

externally outputting the integrated code for acquiring information corresponding to the integrated code.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

acquiring information corresponding to the integrated code; and

printing the acquired information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the integrated code is externally output through a network.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the type of the first code portion is a personal user code or an information provider code.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the personal user code includes a subscriber telephone number of the user.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first code portion comprises a number section and an attached section.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the attached section includes a predetermined symbol representing a type of a service.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined symbol representing the type of service is a symbol representing mail service.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined symbol representing the type of service is a symbol representing data input/output service for the user.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined symbol representing the type of service is a symbol representing a service using a frame;

and

in the service using a frame, one or a plurality of other codes selected by the user is registered in a frame and when a code corresponding to the frame has been input, a service corresponding to the one or the plurality of other codes registered in the frame is executed.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, in the service using a frame, the user can register, change, and delete one or a plurality of codes in the frame.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the outputted code is linked from another code, information corresponding to the other code is acquired from an external apparatus receiving the outputted code.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second code portion includes at least one of either version information or country identification information.

32. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

displaying, when only the number section has been input, a selection list of content corresponding to the inputted number section; and

outputting a code, corresponding to the content selected by the user from the selection list, to acquire the information.

14. A terminal apparatus for processing a code for identifying information, said apparatus comprising:

an input unit for inputting a predetermined first code portion of the code for identification information;

a determination unit for determining a type of the inputted first code portion based on a predetermined identifier included in the inputted first code portion;

a generation unit for attaching a predetermined second code portion including a code indicating the determined type of the first code portion to the first code portion and generating an integrated code; and

an output unit for externally outputting the integrated code for acquiring information corresponding to the integrated code.

15. An issuing apparatus for issuing a code for identifying information, said apparatus comprising:

an assignment unit for assigning a main code portion for identifying a user associated with information to be registered; and

an issuing unit for attaching a subcode portion associated with the information to be registered to the main code portion and issuing a code that includes the main code portion and the subcode portion and that identifies the information.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

an input unit for inputting the information to be registered; and

a registration unit for registering the information together with a code that includes the main code portion and the subcode portion, which are integrated.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the information to be registered is advertisement information.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the information to be registered is non-advertisement information.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the information to be registered is information sent from the user.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the information to be registered is mail addressed to the user.

21. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the information to be registered is frame information.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein

the frame information can be used to register one or a plurality of other codes, the frame information corresponding to a frame, and

when printing of the frame is designated, information corresponding to the one or the plurality of other information can be printed.

23. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a designation unit for designating the code for identifying the information.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein, when a main code portion of a code to be linked is designated by said designation unit, said issue unit attaches a subcode portion, which is unused in a subcode portion corresponding to the main code portion, to the main code portion and issues the code for identifying the information.

25. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein

said issue unit, when the user corresponding to an assigned main code portion can designate a subcode portion corresponding to the main code portion, issues the code that includes the main code portion for identifying the user and the designated subcode portion and that identifies the information.

26. The apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a deletion control unit for instructing to delete the code, wherein a code whose deletion is instructed by said deletion control unit is deleted together with information corresponding to the code to be deleted.

27. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the main code portion includes an identification code representing a registration designation.

28. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the main code portion includes a user identification code.

29. An issuing method of issuing a code for identifying information, said method comprising:

an assignment step of assigning a main code portion for identifying a user associated with information to be registered; and

an issuing step of attaching a subcode portion associated with the information to be registered to the main code portion and issuing a code that includes the main code portion and the subcode portion and that identifies the information.

30. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing a code processing method of processing a code for identifying information, the program comprising:

program code for a determination step of determining, when a predetermined first code portion of the code for identifying information has been input through a predetermined input unit, a type of inputted first code portion based on a predetermined identifier included in the inputted first code portion;

program code for an attachment step of attaching a predetermined second code portion including a code indicating the determined type of the first code portion to the first code portion to generate an integrated code; and

program code for an output step of externally outputting the integrated code for acquiring information corresponding to the integrated code.

31. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing an issuing method of issuing a code for identifying information, the program comprising:

program code for an assignment step of assigning a main code portion for identifying a user associated with information to be registered; and

program code for an issuing step of attaching a subcode portion associated with the information to be registered to the main code portion and issuing a code that includes the main code portion and the subcode portion and that identifies the information.