DE10104270A1 - Method and system for processing information displayed on information carriers - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system for processing information represented on card-type information carriers. According to the invention, the information carrier is positioned in a holder in front of a digital camera and an image of at least one part of the information carrier is recorded. The image is fed to a character recognition device to convert the image information into textual information and said textual information is evaluated to extract the desired information. The information thus obtained is saved to a database.

Description

The invention relates to a method for processing on Card-shaped information carriers shown Informatio and a system for carrying out such a procedure proceedings. In addition, the invention relates to a holder for Position an appropriate information carrier in front a lens of a camera for such a system and one Camera with a holder for such a system.

Nowadays, the most varied of devices, in particular also small, mobile hand-held devices such as mobile devices, Or ganizer, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) etc. be able to store addresses in a database, and so on to use the devices as electronic address books. In the case of new contacts, the respective one is often Business partner presented a business card. To the data of the interlocutor into the electronic as quickly as possible Address book must include the data from the business card manually transferred into the device by the user, whereby especially with small hand-held devices due to the limited As a rule, the keyboard can make this entry is quite uncomfortable. An alternative is the Visi cards at home or in the office with one Scan the scanner and use conventional OCR (Optical Character Recognizing) software the information from the Process business card and in a corresponding ad transfer database in the PC. Then you can Data then in turn via suitable interfaces in the mo bile device can be transferred. However, this method has the Disadvantage that the information about a new conversation partner not immediately in the device database for more Applications are available.  

It is an object of the present invention, an inexpensive ge and simple alternative to this state of the art create.

This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 and a system for carrying out a corresponding procedure rens solved according to claim 11.

According to the invention, information based on a card-shaped information carriers are shown, thereby processed that the information carrier first in a Holder positioned in front of a lens of a digital camera becomes. Then the digital camera takes a picture of at least part of the information carrier, for example from one side of the information carrier or from a part the page on which the information is located, added. This image then becomes the image's conversion formations in text information of a character recognition direction fed. The text information will eventually evaluated to extract the desired information and the information obtained in a database stores. With the card-shaped information carriers it can besides business cards also credit cards, index cards ten, stickers, for example address labels on envelopes beat, or floppy disks or CDs with the appropriate Trade imprint etc. It is only essential that the total information on it in a database should be melted and that the information carriers are in a suitable holder in front of a digital camera to let. Because of the easy implementation options tels any, especially small, devices and the associated mobility is the inventive method especially for the immediate reading of information from Business cards suitable on site. The information is about accordingly preferably address information. It can also be any other cataloged Trade information.  

Because the information you want is within a certain Format of a database to be saved the evaluation of the text information preferably an assignment strings for certain information fields this database. The strings in question are then saved according to the information fields in the database chert. The strings can be any kind of anei other groupings of characters, d. H. Sections of be agreed information, including spaces or in extreme in the case of individual characters, especially logos. For example, a character string can be characterized in this way be an arrangement of characters within a specific line. That way, at for example the street and the house number of a certain one Address a specific "street information field of an ad can be assigned to the database and the name of the conversation partners a specific "name information field" etc.

This assignment of the different strings to the information fields of the database can be created automatically or through the Users themselves can be carried out explicitly.

In a preferred embodiment, the Text information on a display device, for example on the display of the device that ver with the camera is bound. The assignment of the strings to the information fields are then made using a User interface by the user, e.g. B. in Dis play certain character strings using a cursor control be marked and then to the desired information field be ordered. It can also automatically change the different recognized character strings with an assignment number and the user then assigns strings to one matched assignment number to an information field of the data bank too. There are also combinations of strings possible.  

Preferably there is also the possibility of the corresponding Edit strings to possibly not correctly recognized Correct characters or information that is not on the information carrier.

In a particularly preferred embodiment to assign the strings to the information fields for separate pictures of the different information fields Information carrier made, then one for each the relevant character field on the relevant information field Ver information carrier from the user with a marker will see.

In the simplest case, this marking can be done by that a characteristic, preferably an evaluation Setup or software of the device known and thus Easily identifiable object in a specific area is positioned in relation to the relevant character string. That means, for example, it is used to assign people named on a business card to a "name information field "with your finger or a specific pen next to the relevant line shown on the business card and from it made a picture and evaluated. The Line next to which the finger or pen is located, the Name information field assigned. That way you can by creating multiple images and showing the series according to the corresponding lines, the information fields the correct information is assigned to the database.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, a Layout of an information carrier, which the arrangement of the information belonging to the various information fields includes on the information carrier, stored. With egg ner processing information of a new information Carrier can then automatically use the evaluation this layout. This procedure offers  especially when new contacts with Mit workers of the same company. usual Wise companies give business cards to their employees with a uniform appearance, d. H. a certain layout. This layout can then be based on saved his first business card from this company and subsequently used if by other employees business cards from the same company.

Preferably different layouts are made of different ones Information carriers stored so that during processing then information from a new information carrier one of the layouts can be selected. Here it is too possible, for example, in an evaluation device several common layouts are already used by default stores and this layout collection by the user Storage of certain layouts from different informatics carriers that have been read so far will be expanded.

In a particularly comfortable variant of this version for example, the layout is selected automatically. For this a company logo and / or company becomes the layouts lettering or other particularly characteristic note times the company's business cards. At a Processing the image information then becomes the image first according to the company logos stored in this "library", Searched lettering or other features. Since the Lo gos or company logos mostly large and clearly marked are raised, a relatively reliable detection is possible Lich. As soon as a logo, company lettering or other note times is recognized, the corresponding layout for the further processing of the information selected.

When using the system for addresses or business cards the address information is particularly preferred in one Format saved to an address database format of a commercially available communication management program compatible  is. This way it becomes a simple, unproblematic Data exchange between different devices possible. This is preferably a so-called con takt-Folder-Format, the electronic business card format of the Outlook® e-mail management program from Microsoft®. This format is already used by many PDAs, organizers, Palm tops and cell phones used. This format offers forth the advantage that address data via the serial interface can be exchanged directly under the devices without having to Interpose a PC as a "translator".

A corresponding system for carrying out such a Ver driving must first have a holder for positioning the In formation carrier in front of a lens of a digital camera point. In addition, the system needs of course a digital camera to take a picture of the subject Part of the information carrier, a character recognition device device for converting the image information of the image into the Text information and means to extract the desired one Information from the text information as well as a memory to save the extracted information. The characters Detection device, the means for extracting the ge Desired information and the memory can be in one any device, for example in a PC or in a small hand-held device. The digital camera can This device can be connected, but it can also be connected directly to the device must be integrated. The holder is preferably so designed to be fixed to the camera or device is or can be fixed, d. H. for example around a clip-on holder.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the system is a mobile device with an in tegrated or connectable, for example one on the Device attachable digital camera and a corresponding ge fixed or fixed in relation to the lens of the digital camera cash holder. The mobile terminal is, for example  a mobile device. In this respect, this is from before part, since it can be assumed that the most mobile devices anyway for the purpose of picture communication tion with an integrated or attachable digital camera are equipped.

Since the usual digital cameras have a focus area sen, which is above a few 10 cm, in order to play in a mobile device with suitable positioning record the user and the picture to the conversation partner to forward, is preferably on the holder Close-up lens that moves the focus into the macro area. This close-up lens can be a simple plastic act lens. However, you should click on the card holder Distance from the digital camera as well as the focus of the digital camera be optimized.

By using a digital camera to scan Business cards and other information carriers exist simple and inexpensive way to get on very quickly information contained in the information carriers in correspondence Enter appropriate databases of an electronic device.

It just needs a digital camera to connect to it necessary device with a suitable holder. camera and holder can be added to any Terminal devices are manufactured and offered. For end devices, in which a digital camera is already integrated is only an appropriate holder is required as an additional device. The time Chen detection device and the means for extracting the desired information can be in the form of soft realize goods within most end devices without any problems. Likewise, the corresponding end devices usually indicate that they already have an address book function or another da have tenbank function, also a corresponding memory on.  

The invention is described below with reference to the beige added figures explained using an exemplary embodiment tert. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a system for performing the method according to the invention, consisting of a mobile device with an integrated camera and a plug-in holder for business cards.

Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of the method of assigning the various character strings on a business card to certain information fields.

Fig. 1 shows a typical mobile radio device 10 with a übli chen display 11 and soft key keys 12 and further keys 13 arranged underneath. The display 11 with the soft key 12 and the buttons 13 is also referred to below as the user interface 14 of the mobile device 10 .

As an additional component, a digital camera 8 with a lens 9 is integrated in the upper area above the display 11 . This is a commercially available camera 8 provided for the type of devices, which has a focus range of 30 cm to ∞.

A holder 3 for business cards is located on the mobile radio device 10 as an additional device. This holder 3 has a slot 4 in which a business card can be inserted from the side. This holder 3 is attached to the housing of the mobile radio device 10 from above by means of a holding arm 6 and a clip 7 . The attachment is such that the business card is optimally positioned in front of the lens 9 of the camera 8 .

A close-up lens 5 is located on the holder 3 for shifting the focus of the lens 9 of the digital camera 8 into the macro area. Such a close-up lens 5 can of course also be dispensed with if the camera 8 already has a lens with a focusing possibility in the macro range.

To process the information on a business card 1 , the system consisting of the mobile radio device 10 with the integrated digital camera 8 and the holder 3 is used as follows:
A business card 1 is first inserted into the insertion slot 4 of the holder 3 . Then a photo is taken from the business card 1 with the digital camera. This photo is temporarily stored in a memory of the mobile device 10 and serves as a starting point for creating an address book entry in the address database. Using an OCR software (character recognition software) adapted to the mobile radio device 10 and the specific use, the characters found within the photo are then converted into text. Depending on the quality of the business card and the photo, this is more or less successfully done. Under normal conditions, such an OCR software is normally capable of identifying contiguous areas of character strings Z ₁ to Z ₇ (see FIG. 2).

These character strings Z ₁ to Z ₇ (or information areas) are shown and marked, for example, in a reduced representation of the video card 1 on the display 11 of the mobile radio device 10 . This marking can be done, for example, by automatically assigning a number to the individually recognized character strings Z ₁ to Z ₇ . The user can then use a menu to display the recognized contents of the individual numbers and, if necessary, also edit these contents to correct or add further information. The software then guides the user step by step, for example, through the individual marked areas, ie from one recognized character string Z ₁ to Z ₇ to the next. In addition to editing, the user can then assign the content of the respective character string to individual address book entries or information fields within the address book format. Here, there is also the possibility of combining markings or related character strings Z ₁ to Z ₇ , also several times. This is useful if there is related information, e.g. B. phone numbers, len over several lines. For example, a first line could contain the company number, a second line the extension and the third line the extension of a fax machine. A first combination of the first two lines and a second combination of the second and third lines could then be created, which are stored in different information fields of the database.

As a further optional feature, the user can the pre Mark assignments taken as a form template or as Save layout. This later largely enables automatic recording of data during standardized visits cards like this B. is the case with larger companies.

Fig. 2 shows schematically a second method of assigning strings Z ₁ to Z _{7 of} a business card 1 to various information fields of a database.

Here, a separate photo is taken with the digital camera 8 for each line that is to be assigned to a specific information field. In addition to the line, ie the character string Z ₁ to Z ₇ , a pen 2 is held as a marker. This marking is immediately recognized by an evaluation device on the image and the character string next to it is assigned to the respective information field in the database. That is, in order to assign, for example, a company name, here the character string Z ₁ , to a corresponding "company name information field within the database, the pen 2 is held next to the associated character string Z _1. Then another picture is taken, in which the Pin 2 is held next to the character string Z ₂ and the area marked in this way, here the personal name, is assigned to a name information field, then position ₃ , for example department head, is assigned to a position information field, etc. In the example shown is located the pen 2 is next to the character string Z ₄ , which contains street and house number information and which is accordingly assigned to a suitable information field in the address database, instead of the pen 2 the user can of course also point his finger at the area only that the pointing object used is identified by the evaluation program nn.

With the method according to the invention, one possibility is ge create, in a simple and inexpensive way very comfortably the data of business cards in one elect ronic address book of a terminal, in particular a mo cheap terminal, to save. This data can then immediately for further functions within the relevant device be used.

Claims (16)

1. A method of processing on the card-shaped informa tion carriers presented information (1), in which the in formation carrier (1) in a holder (3) of a digital camera (8) is positioned in front of a lens (9) and with the Di gitalkamera (9 ) an image of at least part of the information carrier ( 1 ) is recorded and the image for converting image information into text information is supplied to a character recognition device and the text information for extracting the desired information is evaluated and the information determined is stored in a database , 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the evaluation comprises an assignment of character strings (Z ₁ to Z ₇ ) to specific information fields in the database, and the relevant character strings (Z ₁ to Z ₇ ) are stored in the database in accordance with the information fields , 3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the text information is displayed on a display device ( 11 ) and the assignment of the character strings (Z ₁ to Z ₇ ) to the information fields using a user interface ( 14 ) by a user. 4. The method of claim 2 or 3, characterized in that for assigning to certain Informati onsfeldern associated strings (Z ₁ to Z ₇₎ on the infor mationsträger (1) of different information fields ver different images of the information carrier (1) can be made , in each case a character string belonging to the relevant information field (Z ₁ to Z ₇ ) on the information carrier ( 1 ) is provided with a marking. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the marking is carried out in that a characteristic object ( 2 ) is positioned in a specific area in relation to the relevant character string (Z ₁ to Z ₇ ). 6. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized characterized that a layout of an information medium gers, which the arrangement of the various informa fields on the information medium ger includes, is stored, and when processing Information of a new information carrier the evaluation is done using this layout. 7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that different layouts from different information carriers like to be saved and processed by Infor a new information carrier for evaluation Layout is selected. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized ge indicates that the information to be processed Include address information in an address database get saved. 9. The method according to any one of claim 8, characterized in that the information carriers ( 1 ) are business cards ( 1 ). 10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized records that the address information is in a format stores that to an address database format one commercially available communication management program compatible is. 11. System for carrying out a method for processing information shown on card-shaped information carriers ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 10, with a digital camera ( 8 ) for taking an image of at least part of the information carrier ( 1 ), a holder ( 3 ) for positioning the information carrier ( 1 ) in front of a lens ( 9 ) of the digital camera ( 8 ), a character recognition device for converting image information of the image into text information, means for extracting the desired information from the text information and with a memory for storing the extracted information , 12. System according to claim 11, comprising a mobile terminal with an integrated or connectable digital camera ( 8 ) and with respect to the lens ( 9 ) of the digital camera ( 8 ) fixed or fixable holder ( 3 ). 13. System according to claim 11 or 12, characterized by a on the holder ( 3 ) arranged close-up lens ( 5 ). 14. holder ( 3 ) for positioning an information carrier ( 1 ) in front of the lens ( 9 ) of a digital camera ( 8 ) for a system according to one of claims 11 to 13. 15. Holder according to claim 14, characterized by a close-up lens arranged thereon ( 5 ). 16. Digital camera for a system according to one of claims 11 to 13 with a holder according to claim 14 or 15.