Search engines and systems with handheld document data capture devices

• US 9,268,852 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: King, Martin T., Grover, Dale L., Kushler, Clifford A., Stafford-Fraser, James Q.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABRAHAM, AHMED M
• Application Number:
  US13/614,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20130132367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/707, 707/708, 707/709, 707/710, 707/711, 707/712
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/316 Indexing structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/483 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0016 Selecting or retrieving of images by means of their associated code-marks, e.g. coded microfilm or microfiche microfilm reading G03B21/11; computers therefor G06F16/00; teaching devices G09B5/02; accessing record carriers G11B27/002; static digital stores using optical elements G11C13/04; intermediate storage of facsimile picture signals H04N1/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 : specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 : Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 : Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 : Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 : Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 : Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 : Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 : Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 : Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 : Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 : Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 : Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 : Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 : using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 : Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1448 : based on markings or identifiers characterising the document or the area
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/248 : involving plural approaches, e.g. verification by template match; Resolving confusion among similar patterns, e.g. "O" versus "Q" G06V30/242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/262 : using context analysis, e.g. lexical, syntactic or semantic context
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 : Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/40 : for devices for accepting orders, advertisements, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 : with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• 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 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0036 : Alphanumeric symbols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00363 : Bar codes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00374 : on the same page as at least a part of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00381 : Input by recognition or interpretation of visible user gestures manual input means, e.g. digitisers, writing tablets H04N1/00392; gesture input to computers G06F3/017; recognition algorithms G06V40/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/107 : with manual scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2166 : for mass storage, e.g. in document filing systems information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2187 : with image input from a plurality of different locations or from a non-central location, e.g. from one or more users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 : attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/34 : for coin-freed systems ; Pay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 : Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 : of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 : data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 : Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3263 : of a graphical motif or symbol, e.g. Christmas symbol, logo H04N2201/3211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3266 : of text or character information, e.g. text accompanying an image H04N2201/3226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 : The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 : Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 : Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 : Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 : Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosed innovations provide systems and methods for locating data associated with rendered documents. Some embodiments support the use of a handheld document data capture device.

Claims

1. A method performed by a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving an image optically captured from a textual portion of a rendered document;

determining multiple text strings from the image;

generating multiple search queries, each search query comprising a respective one of the multiple text strings;

sending the multiple search queries to an Internet search engine at a location remote from the mobile device;

receiving, at the mobile device and from the Internet search engine, multiple respective sets of search results determined by the search engine in response to the respective search queries;

determining from the multiple respective sets of search results a first search result that most likely identifies an electronic content counterpart of the rendered document; and

providing, for output, the first search result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the search results include an indication of electronic content corresponding to the rendered document.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the search results include one or more actions associated with the rendered document, and

wherein displaying the first search result comprises displaying a menu of the one or more actions associated with the rendered document.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more actions include at least one action selected from the group consisting of:

purchasing a product, reviewing a product, linking to an associated web site, retrieving at least a portion of an electronic counterpart to the rendered document, associating annotations with the rendered document, and retrieving a translation of an electronic counterpart to the rendered document.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the search results include markup data associated with an electronic counterpart to the rendered document, and wherein the method further comprises:

optically capturing a portion of the rendered document;

determining that the captured portion of the rendered document corresponds to a portion of the electronic counterpart to the rendered document that is associated with the markup data; and

performing one or more functions that are associated with the markup data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the markup data includes an advertisement for presentation in response to capturing the portion of the rendered document.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the markup data includes a multimedia annotation for presentation in response to capturing the portion of the rendered document.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising storing the markup data in a memory of the mobile device.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions, that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving an image optically captured from a portion of a rendered document, wherein the portion at least partially includes text;

determining multiple text strings from the image;

generating multiple search queries, each search query comprising a respective one of the multiple text strings;

sending the multiple search queries to an Internet search engine at a location remote from the computing device;

receiving, at the computing device and from the Internet search engine, multiple respective sets of search results determined by the search engine in response to the respective search queries;

determining from the multiple respective sets of search results a first search result that most likely identifies an electronic content counterpart of the rendered document; and

providing, for output, the first search result.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the search results include an indication of electronic content corresponding to the rendered document.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the search results include one or more actions associated with the rendered document, and

wherein displaying the first search result comprises displaying a menu of the one or more actions associated with the rendered document.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more actions include at least one action selected from the group consisting of:

purchasing a product, reviewing a product, linking to an associated web site, retrieving at least a portion of an electronic counterpart to the rendered document, associating annotations with the rendered document, and retrieving a translation of an electronic counterpart to the rendered document.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the search results include markup data associated with an electronic counterpart to the rendered document, and wherein the functions further comprise:

optically capturing a portion of the rendered document;

determining that the captured portion of the rendered document corresponds to a portion of the electronic counterpart to the rendered document that is associated with the markup data; and

performing one or more functions that are associated with the markup data.

14. A system in a mobile device, the system comprising:

a capture component configured to optically capture text of a rendered document;

an optical character recognition component configured to determine multiple text strings that correspond to the captured text;

a query generation component configured to a generate multiple search queries, each search query comprising a respective one of the multiple text strings;

a query transmission component configured to transmit the generated multiple search queries to an Internet search engine at a location remote from the mobile device;

a results reception component configured to receive multiple respective sets of search results matching the generated respective search queries, wherein the search results comprise a first search result that most likely identifies an electronic content counterpart of the rendered document; and

a display output component configured to provide output data for display of at least the first search result.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the search results include an indication of electronic content corresponding to the rendered document.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the search results include one or more actions associated with the rendered document.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the output data includes data for providing display of a menu of the one or more actions associated with the rendered document.