Mixed Media Reality System Triggering Digital Actions via Printed Text Recognition
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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 seamlessly integrate and utilize the benefits of both, such as the tactile feel of printed media and the interactivity of digital media.
Innovation Solution
A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system that combines printed paper with digital content, using a processor, capture device, communication mechanism, and memory with software to create and manage mixed media documents, allowing actions to be triggered by recognizing printed text or images, enabling access to additional digital content and services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If printed media is used, then tactile feel and permanency are provided, but interactivity and ease of transmission are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges printed media and digital media into a single mixed media document. The printed document contains machine-readable code (barcode, QR code, or text) that links to digital content, allowing users to access interactive digital content through a capture device while maintaining the tactile and permanent properties of printed media.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (machine-readable code embedded in printed media) that acts as a bridge between printed and digital worlds. This code can be captured by a capture device (camera, scanner) to trigger access to digital content, email, or web pages, enabling interaction without requiring the printed media itself to be interactive.
2Ease of operation
If digital media is used, then interactivity and ease of transmission are provided, but tactile feel and permanency are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The mixed media document combines the permanency of printed media with the interactivity of digital media. The printed portion provides a permanent, tangible reference that does not require power, while the linked digital content provides interactive capabilities for updating, searching, and transmitting information.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a capture device is used to recognize printed text, then access to digital content is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The capture device can be a universal device (such as a smartphone camera or document scanner) that serves multiple functions: capturing images, recognizing text or barcodes, and accessing digital content. This multi-functional approach reduces the need for specialized devices for each function.
4Adaptability or versatility
If mixed media documents are created, then benefits of both printed and digital media are exploited, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The machine-readable code (barcode, QR code, or text) is embedded in the printed document during the printing process itself. This preliminary action ensures that the link to digital content is already established when the document is printed, eliminating the need for separate coding or tagging steps and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system and associated techniques are disclosed. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). In one particular embodiment, the MMR system includes an action processor and method, and MMR documents with an associated action. The MMR document structure is particularly advantageous because the ability to specify different actions for different MMR documents, combined with the ability to create any number of MMR documents for a particular location on any media, allows the MMR architecture to serve as a universal trigger or initiator for additional processing. In other words, addition processing or actions can be triggered or initiated based on MMR recognition. The action processor receives the output of the MMR recognition process which yields an MMR document including at least one action. The action processor executes that action which includes various commands to the MMR system or other systems coupled to the MMR system. The MMR system architecture is advantageous because an action can be executed by pointing the capture device at a block of text, and the action is performed. Example actions include retrieving the text in electronic form to the capture device, retrieving the specification for the action, inserting data to a MMR document, transferring data between documents, purchasing items, authoring actions or reviewing historical information about actions. The MMR system includes a variety of user applications (one or more actions) initiated by the MMR recognition of a text patch such as information retrieval for a travel guide book, stock listings or advertisements; information capture such as recording content from a conference, recording and storing multimedia associated with the document, capturing information for a calendar and on the fly authoring; purchasing media files for storage on any part of an MMR document.