Portable scanning and memory device

• US 8,081,849 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2007
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• 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., Tong, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Kassa, Yosef
• Application Number:
  US11/672,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20070279711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 382/303, 382/305, 382/307, 382/313
• US Class Current: 382/313
• 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: H04N 1/107 with manual scanning

Abstract

A handheld optical scanner and/or memory device for capturing images of text from a rendered document is described. The handheld device may include a data storage component, a scanning component configured to capture text from rendered documents, a power storage component, and a universal serial bus port configured to receive and store data from a computing device and transmit data to the computing device.

Claims

1. A memory device, comprising:

a package suitable to be held in a user'"'"'s hand; and

inside the package;

a data storage component;

an imaging component coupled to the data storage component configured to capture images of text from rendered documents at a first time, convert at least some of the captured images to textual representations at a second time, and compress or delete any converted captured images at a third time;

a universal serial bus port coupled to the data storage component, wherein the data storage component is configured to receive and store data from a computing device via the universal serial bus port and to transmit data from the data storage component to a computing device via the same universal serial bus port; and

a power storage component coupled to the data storage component and the scanning component.

2. The memory device of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio recording component coupled to the data storage component configured to capture audio data.

3. The memory device of claim 1, wherein the data storage component incorporates a flash memory device.

4. The memory device of claim 1, wherein the power storage component is coupled to the universal serial bus port in such a way as to recharge when the universal serial bus port is coupled to the universal serial bus port.

5. The memory device of claim 1, wherein the scanning component uses information stored in the in the data storage component to assist in recognition of data obtained from captured images.

6. The memory device of claim 5, wherein the information contained in the data is one of context information, user information, or scan history information.

7. One or more computer memories contained in a portable scanning device, the memories collectively containing a data structure, the data structure containing both (1) data derived from images of text captured by the scanning device and (2) data created by an application on a computing device and transferred to the scanning device via a universal serial bus port, the data derived from images of text captured by the scanning device comprising (1) an image of text captured by the scanning device in a first capture operation, and (2) a textual representation of text captured by the scanning device in a second capture operation, the textual representation having been obtained by converting an image of text captured by the scanning device in the second capture operation.

8. The computer memories of claim 7, wherein data derived from the image of text captured by the scanning device include both textual data and image data.

9. The computer memories of claim 7, wherein the data structure contains data that does not contain all information derived from the image of text captured by the scanning device.

10. The computer memories of claim 7, wherein the data derived from the image of text captured by the scanning device include both textual data and compressed image data.

11. A handheld optical scanner, comprising:

an optical imaging component adapted to capture images of text from rendered documents at a first time, convert at least some of the captured images to textual representations at a second time, and compress or delete any converted captured images at a third time;

a memory component coupled to the optical imaging component;

a universal serial bus port coupled to the memory component;

a processor coupled to the memory component; and

a battery coupled to the optical imaging component, the memory component, the universal serial bus port, and the processor;

wherein the memory component is adapted to receive data from the universal serial bus port, to store data received via the universal serial bus port, and to transmit data via the universal serial bus port to another device, and wherein the memory component is further adapted to receive data derived from images captured by the optical imaging component and store the data derived from images captured the optical imaging component.

12. The handheld optical scanner of claim 11, further comprising:

an audio recorder coupled to the memory component and the battery.

13. The handheld optical scanner of claim 11, further comprising:

an accessory coupled to the memory component and the battery.

14. The handheld optical scanner of claim 11, further comprising:

a short-range infrared connection component.

15. The handheld optical scanner of claim 11, further comprising:

a camera.

16. The handheld optical scanner of claim 11, wherein the memory component incorporates a flash memory component.

17. The handheld optical scanner of claim 11, wherein the memory component is a battery-backed random access memory component.

18. The handheld optical scanner of claim 11, wherein the memory component is a magnetic storage component.

19. The handheld optical scanner of claim 11, wherein the memory component is an optical storage component.

20. The handheld optical scanner of claim 11, wherein the memory component is a solid-state storage component.

21. The handheld optical scanner of claim 11, wherein the optical imaging component is configured to capture characters on a rendered document one at a time.

22. The handheld optical scanner of claim 11, wherein the optical imaging component is configured to capture text from a rendered document when placed proximate to the rendered document.

23. A method of transferring data to and from a memory device to a computing device having a file system, comprising:

at a first time, capturing images of text using an imaging device connected to the memory device;

storing a version of the captured images of text in the memory device;

at a second time, converting at least some of the captured images of text to textual representations;

storing the textual representations in the memory device;

at a third time, compressing or deleting any converted captured images;

connecting the memory device to the computing device;

transferring the textual representations stored in the memory device to the file system of the computing device; and

in response to a file system command issued to the computing device by a user, copying data from the file system to the memory device.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the copying data from the file system is performed before the capturing of textual data, further comprising, in the memory device, recognizing the captured textual data by using the data from the file system to obtain a recognition result, and wherein the stored version of the captured textual data is the recognition result.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the copying data from the file system is performed before the capturing of textual data, further comprising, in the memory device, identifying electronic instances of rendered documents containing the captured textual data by using the data from the file system to obtain a recognition result, and wherein the stored version of the captured textual data is the recognition result.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the copying data from the file system is performed before the capturing of textual data, further comprising, in the memory device, identifying electronic instances of rendered documents containing the captured textual data, and a specific location within the electronic instances, by using the data from the file system to obtain a recognition result, and wherein the stored version of the captured textual data is the recognition result.