Visual Search System for Mobile Information Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current information retrieval systems, particularly on mobile devices, face challenges such as limited accessibility, cumbersome user interfaces, and the need for manual typing or voice recognition, which are inefficient and intrusive, and often require physical tags or extra equipment, limiting their usability and effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A visual search system that uses a mobile device's camera to capture media content associated with real-world objects, generating a list of relevant information links based on meta-information and environmental characteristics, allowing users to access desired information quickly without manual typing or voice input, and functioning without the need for physical tags or extra equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If manual typing or voice recognition is used for information search on mobile devices, then information can be retrieved, but the process is time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual typing (mechanical keyboard input) and voice recognition with optical recognition technology. The camera captures images of real-world objects, and the system automatically identifies and retrieves information, eliminating the need for manual input methods and significantly reducing access time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces physical tags (such as barcodes or visual markers) as intermediaries between real-world objects and digital information. These tags serve as mediators that the camera can detect and use to quickly retrieve associated information, bridging the physical and digital worlds efficiently.
2Loss of time
If physical tags are deployed for proximity-based information access, then information can be obtained quickly, but the system requires extra equipment and infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the mobile device's camera serve multiple functions: it acts as both a拍照 device for general photography and an optical scanner for detecting visual tags. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate scanning equipment, reducing system complexity while maintaining fast information access capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the mobile device to autonomously detect visual tags and retrieve information without requiring complex external infrastructure. The device uses its built-in camera and processing capabilities to automatically identify tags and fetch associated data, making the system self-sufficient and easier to deploy.
3Ease of operation
If voice recognition is used for input, then hands-free operation is possible, but quality deteriorates due to interference and background noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces voice recognition (acoustic input method) with optical recognition using the camera. This substitution maintains hands-free operation convenience while eliminating the reliability issues associated with voice recognition in noisy environments, as optical input is not affected by acoustic interference.
4Adaptability or versatility
If PC-based information retrieval tools are used, then comprehensive search capabilities are available, but accessibility is limited due to the need for fixed locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the mobile device to perform comprehensive information retrieval functions previously available only on PCs. By integrating camera-based visual search, web browsing, and information access capabilities into a single portable device, it provides both PC-level versatility and mobile accessibility simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions information access from a fixed-location paradigm (PC at desk) to a mobile paradigm. The camera-based visual search allows users to access comprehensive information resources anywhere in the physical world by simply pointing the camera at visual tags, adding the dimension of spatial freedom to information retrieval.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and computer-readable storage medium are provided for providing a list of candidates that may provide information requested by a user. In this regard, an indication of information desired by a user may be received. The indication of the desired information may include media content associated with one or more objects in a real world and/or meta-information providing one or more characteristics associated with the media content, a mobile device and/or the user. A list of candidates for the desired information may then be presented to the user, such as upon a mobile device of the user. In response to an indication of a selection of the user from among the list of candidates or otherwise, an association may be created between the selection of the user and the indication of information desired by the user.