Image capture device and method of selecting and capturing a desired portion of text

• US 7,139,445 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2002
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Pilu, Maurizio, Adams, Guy de Warrenne Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): KASSA, YOSEF
• Application Number:
  US10/313,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20030128875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 382/187, 382/188, 382/190, 382/313, 382/321, 382/282, 382/317, 382/453, 358/473, 358/474, 358/505, 358/538
• US Class Current: 382/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00 Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/047 Detection, control or error compensation of scanning velocity or position H04N1/0402 and H04N1/17 take precedence

Abstract

An image capture device electronically captures and selects a desired text portion. A visible light image is projected onto text on a document to enable a user to position the light image relative to the desired text portion. At least some of the text is captured in accordance with a position of the light image. A text selector selects the desired text portion from the captured text.

Claims

1. An image capture device for capturing and selecting a desired portion of text, said device comprising:

projector apparatus adapted to project a visible guiding light image onto text on a document to enable a user of the device to position the visible guiding light image relative to the desired text portion;

capture apparatus adapted to capture at least some of said text based on a user responding to the position of the visible guiding light image; and

text selector apparatus adapted to select said desired text portion from the captured text.

2. An image capture device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is adapted to capture text over-passed by the visible guiding light image as the visible guiding light image moves between two locations in the document, said locations defining opposite ends of said desired text portion.

3. An image capture device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the device is adapted to perform optical character recognition on the text over-passed by the visible guiding light image.

4. An image capture device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the selector apparatus is adapted to automatically perform a best-fit operation on the text over-passed by the visible guiding light image so as to distinguish a desired said text portion disposed between two said locations on a line of text from text disposed on at least one adjacent, parallel, line of text.

5. An image capture device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selector apparatus is adapted to recognise a said desired text portion having a predefined text structure.

6. An image capture device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the predefined text structure is at least one of:

a word, a line, a sentence and a paragraph.

7. An image capture device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the selector apparatus is adapted to recognise a said predefined text structure disposed at or adjacent a location in the document identified by a position of the visible guiding light image.

8. An image capture device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the device is adapted to perform in response to a single actuating action, capture, optical character recognition, and recognition of a said predefined text structure.

9. An image capture device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the device is arranged to perform recognition of a said predefined text structure identified by moving the visible guiding light image so as to at least partially, substantially diagonally, strike-through the desired text portion.

10. An image capture device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the device is arranged to perform recognition of a said predefined text structure identified by moving the visible guiding light image at least partially around a periphery of a desired text portion, so as to substantially outline the desired text portion.

11. An image capture device as claimed in any claim 1, wherein the device is adapted to project the visible guiding light image in a form or manner indicative of a present operating mode of the device.

12. An image capture device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the device is adapted to vary a flash frequency or brightness of the visible guiding light image to distinguish between different operating modes of the device.

13. An image capture device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selector apparatus comprises user-operable actuating apparatus having:

a) a first stage adapted to start and stop projection of the visible guiding light image; and

b) a further stage adapted to start and stop image capture.

14. An image capture device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the actuating apparatus comprises a single two stage actuator.

15. An image capture device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the device is arranged so initiation of said further stage causes execution of an automatic capture operation.

16. An image capture device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the further stage is manually operable to start, and subsequently to stop, scanning.

17. An image capture device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the device is adapted to give a warning signal when it is unable to recognise a complete said predefined text structure in text captured by the device.

26. The image capture device of claim 1 wherein the projector apparatus is arranged so that the visible guiding light image is focused on the desired portion of text while the projector apparatus is at a position remote enough from the text document so text on the document can be seen directly by a user of the image capture device including the projector apparatus.

18. A method of selecting and capturing in electronic form a desired multi-letter portion of text from a text document, the method comprising:

a) guiding a projected light image relative to the desired multi-letter text portion;

b) capturing text in a region in response to the position of the guided projected image; and

c) processing the captured text so the desired multi-letter text portion is selected from the captured text.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the text capturing step is performed by guiding the image over the desired text portion.

20. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

the text capturing step is performed with the image positioned at one location in the document; and

further comprising processing the captured text to perform recognition of a predefined text structure disposed at said location, said text structure comprising a word, line, sentence or paragraph structure corresponding to the desired text portion.

21. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

the text capturing step is performed by moving the image around or across a desired paragraph; and

further comprising processing the captured text to perform recognition of a predefined text structure comprising a paragraph structure.

22. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising performing a best-fit operation to fit captured text to a predefined text structure in accordance with a present operating mode of the device.

23. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising automatically switching oft the projected light image immediately prior to capturing the text.

27. The method of claim 18 further including holding a source of the projected light image at a position remote enough from the text document so text on the document is seen directly by a user on the source;

step a) being performed while the source is at the remote position from the text of document and the user is looking at (i) the text on the document and (ii) the light image, as projected on the text.

24. Camera means for digitally capturing text, comprising:

a) means for projecting structured visible radiation to at least one specified location in a text document and for guiding a text capture field of the camera means, the guided text capture field including the at least one specified location, the projected structured visible radiation enabling a user of the camera means to select the guided text capture field, and

b) optical character recognition (OCR) means adapted to be responsive to a user input indicative of the captured guided text capture field for performing OCR on text in the guided text capture field captured by said means for projecting and guiding.

25. Camera means as claimed in claim 24, further comprising text structure recognition means for recognising a predefined text structure in the OCR'"'"'d text.

28. The camera means of claim 24 wherein the means for projecting is arranged so that a visible light image projected by the means for projecting is adapted to be focused on a desired portion of text so while the camera means including the means for projecting is at a position remote enough from the text so text can be seen directly by a user of the camera means.