Capturing Physical Document Content for Digital Retrieval
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current devices poorly capture and interact with information in their surrounding environment, failing to effectively utilize text-based, image-based, and audio-based information from rendered documents and media.
Innovation Solution
A system that captures and processes information from rendered documents using optical and audio capture devices, converting it into searchable queries to retrieve relevant digital content, and provides interactive functionality by associating physical documents with their electronic counterparts, enabling users to access additional information and perform actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If devices capture and process information from rendered documents using optical and audio capture devices, then information interaction capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into distinct functional modules: optical capture device for text/image capture, audio capture device for speech capture, processing unit for query generation, and output device for presenting results. Each module performs a specific function, allowing the complex information interaction task to be broken down into manageable components that can be developed and maintained independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system integrates multiple capture modalities (optical and audio) into a single platform that can handle diverse information types. The processing unit universally converts different input types (text, images, speech) into searchable queries, and the system can interact with various document formats and information sources, making it adaptable to multiple use cases without requiring separate specialized devices.
2Loss of information
If the system converts captured information into searchable queries to retrieve digital content, then information retrieval effectiveness is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-processes captured information by converting optical and audio inputs into standardized searchable queries before full document retrieval begins. By preparing queries in advance and using them to quickly filter and identify relevant documents, the system reduces the time required for complete information retrieval while maintaining high retrieval effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The query conversion process acts as an intermediary step between raw captured information and the full document retrieval system. Instead of directly processing entire documents, the system first converts captured snippets into queries that serve as mediators to efficiently locate and retrieve relevant digital content from large databases.
3Ease of operation
If the system associates physical documents with electronic counterparts, then user access to additional information is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates and maintains copies of physical document information in electronic form. By capturing text and images from physical documents and storing them as searchable digital replicas, the system enables users to access additional information about physical documents without requiring complex direct integration between physical and digital systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses captured information snippets as intermediaries to associate physical documents with their electronic counterparts. Instead of requiring direct identification mechanisms between physical and digital systems, the captured text, images, or audio serve as mediating keys that link physical documents to their electronic versions and related digital content.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to seamlessly interact with and access additional information from physical documents, enhancing their experience by providing relevant digital content and actions, such as linking to electronic versions, purchasing items, and retrieving related information, without altering existing document creation or publishing processes.
Implementation Method 1
optical capture device captures light reflected from the rendered document
Implementation Method 2
audio capture devices...capturing audio-based information
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for automatically providing content associated with captured information is described. In some examples, the system receives input by a user, and automatically provides content or links to content associated with the input. In some examples, the system receives input via text entry or by capturing text from a rendered document, such as a printed document, an object, an audio stream, and so on.