Digital Ink Semantic Search for Accurate Stroke-Based Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital ink strokes often convey meaning only as a group, leading to failures in search key interpretation and inappropriate search results when users attempt to search using digital ink.
Innovation Solution
A digital ink processing system that includes an electronic pen and a tablet, utilizing a processor to enable pointing operations based on semantic attributes of strokes, allowing for relevant content retrieval and highlighting of strokes, with optional server interaction for enhanced search capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If digital ink strokes are used as search keys, then search functionality is enabled, but the search key may fail to convey meaning or convey wrong meaning resulting in inappropriate search results
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces semantic attributes as an intermediary layer between digital ink strokes and search keys. Instead of using raw stroke data directly as search keys, the system extracts semantic attributes (meaning, context, intent) from the strokes through analysis. This intermediary semantic layer ensures that the search key accurately reflects the user's intent, resolving the issue of meaningless or wrong-meaning search keys while preserving search functionality.
2Measurement precision
If semantic attributes are assigned to strokes through server analysis, then search accuracy is improved, but system complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-analyzing digital ink strokes and assigning semantic attributes before the search operation occurs. The system processes and stores semantic attributes in advance, so when a search is needed, the pre-computed semantic data is already available. This eliminates the need for complex real-time analysis during search operations, reducing system complexity and processing time while maintaining high search accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If pointing operations are enabled on individual strokes, then user interaction precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the digital ink into individual strokes, each with its own semantic attributes and interaction capabilities. Instead of treating the entire ink drawing as a single unit, the system segments it into manageable stroke-level components. This allows pointing operations to be enabled on individual strokes with precise control, improving user interaction precision while keeping the implementation complexity manageable through modular stroke-level processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A digital ink processing system, method, and program are provided that are capable of presenting, to a user, useful and highly relevant information as a search result when a search is performed using digital ink. A processor included in a tablet enables a pointing operation of an electronic pen relative to a stroke or strokes. The processor, after enabling the pointing operation of the electronic pen, performs a search for content related to a semantic attribute of the stroke or strokes pointed at, or requests an external server to perform the search. The processor performs control so as to display the related content retrieved by the search on a display with the stroke or strokes.