Mixed Media Reality System Bridging Printed and Digital Documents
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a gap between the physical world of printed media and the virtual multimedia-based world, as users lack the tools to effectively combine static printed documents with digital communication and information, missing out on the benefits of both formats.
Innovation Solution
A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system that integrates printed paper with digital content, using a processor, capture device, communication mechanism, and memory with MMR software to create and access mixed media documents, enabling interaction between printed and electronic media through voice mail or email.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users rely solely on printed media, then tactile feel and permanency are provided, but portability and ease of transmission are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges printed media and digital media into a single mixed media document system. Printed documents contain embedded digital content (URLs, contact information, images) that can be captured by mobile devices, combining the tactile benefits of paper with the transmission capabilities of digital communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces mobile devices (cell phones, PDAs) as intermediaries between printed and digital media. These devices capture images of printed documents, extract digital content, and enable electronic transmission, serving as a bridge that connects the two media types without requiring users to choose one over the other.
2Stability of the object's composition
If users rely solely on digital media, then portability and ease of transmission are provided, but tactile feel and permanency are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines the permanency of printed media with the adaptability of digital media by embedding multiple digital content types (URLs, contact information, images, videos) within printed documents. This allows the document to maintain its physical form while providing access to versatile digital content through mobile device capture.
3Adaptability or versatility
If no integration tools are provided, then simplicity is maintained, but the gap between printed and digital media remains unbridged
Solution Approach 1:
Mobile devices serve as intermediary tools that users already possess, eliminating the need for specialized integration hardware. The devices' existing cameras, processors, and communication capabilities are leveraged to capture printed documents and extract embedded digital content, providing mixed media capability without requiring new complex devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables users to perform the integration themselves using their existing mobile devices. Users capture images of printed documents, and the devices automatically process and extract digital content, allowing users to bridge the gap between media types without requiring specialized equipment or complex setup procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A mixed media reality (MMR) system includes an MMR user, a MMR computer, a user printer that produces a printed document, a networked media server, an office portal, a service provider server, an electronic display that is electrically connected to a set-top box, a document scanner, a network, a capture device, a cellular infrastructure, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) technology, Bluetooth® technology, infrared (IR) technology, wired technology, and a geo location mechanism. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types, such as printed paper as a first medium and a digital photograph, digital movie, digital audio file, or web link as a second medium. Furthermore, the MMR system facilitates business methods that take advantage of the combination of a portable electronic device, voice mail or email, and a paper document.