Abstract: An automatic reading assistance application for documents available in electronic form. Embodiments of the present invention help a reader to quickly find and assimilate information contained in a document. According to an embodiment, the present invention annotates portions of a document which are relevant to user-specified concepts. According to another embodiment, the present invention builds and displays a thumbnail image which displays the contents of the document in a continuous manner.

Abstract: Techniques for providing relevant information to a user based on information or documents accessed or viewed by the user. The relevant information is provided automatically to the user without requiring user input. The information provided to the user is selected from information provided by various content provider systems. The present invention uses several techniques to determine relevancy between the contents of the document accessed by the user and between the information provided by the content provider systems. The relevancy information is used to select information to be provided to the user.

Abstract: A multimedia output device having embedded encryption functionality enables the outputting of content in an encrypted form. The multimedia output device receives the content to be encrypted, encrypts the content, and generates an electronic output of the encrypted content. The multimedia output device also generates an associated paper output that provides information about the decryption, such as a key, an identification of the electronic output of the encrypted content, and optionally a description of the contents of the content encrypted.

Abstract: A method of storing information for recorded information and a source document is provided. The method comprises: determining a first piece of information included in the recorded information; determining at least a first source document from one or more source documents that comprises information that matches the first piece of information; and storing information identifying the recorded information, information representative of the first piece of information, and information identifying the first source document such that the information identifying the first source document can be determined given the information identifying the recorded information and the information representative of the first piece of information.

Abstract: Automated techniques for comparing contents of images. For a given image (referred to as an “input image”), a set of images (referred to as “a set of candidate images”) are processed to determine if the set of candidate images comprises an image whose contents or portions thereof match contents included in a region of interest in the input image.

Abstract: A method of storing information for recorded information and a source document is provided. The method comprises: determining a first piece of information included in the recorded information; determining at least a first source document from one or more source documents that comprises information that matches the first piece of information; and storing information identifying the recorded information, information representative of the first piece of information, and information identifying the first source document such that the information identifying the first source document can be determined given the information identifying the recorded information and the information representative of the first piece of information.

Abstract: An automatic archiving system that makes document archiving largely transparent to the user. In one embodiment, documents scanned in or printed during the course of office equipment operation are automatically archived. For example, an office local area network (LAN) may interconnect a copier, a printer, a fax machine, and a document management workstation. Whenever, a document is copied, printed, or faxed, a document image is archived by the document management workstation without further user intervention. A single user command results in the document being copied and archived, printed and archived, or faxed and archived.

Abstract: Techniques that enable information recorded during a presentation to be accessed or retrieved using a handout printed for the presentation. A user can select one or more items, such as slides, printed on the handout and access portions of the recorded information when the user-selected items were presented or displayed. Different types of information may be accessed. Different actions may also be performed on the retrieved information.

Abstract: 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 mixed media document may also include hotspot images that uniquely identify a user associated with the mixed media document. Such individualized mixed media documents are used to identify users of the mixed media document, when orders for products or services are made using the mixed media documents through the MMR system.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for accessing and distributing data that includes a portable first device and a second device wherein both devices have unconscious capture capability. The first device has a first memory wherein at least one document is stored in the first memory of the first device. The first device has a transceiver, an identifier, and a public key to access a second device.

Abstract: A Mixed Media Reality (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). 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, such as a portable video player or a portable audio player, and a paper document for the portable electronic device to provide information.

Abstract: 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 embodiment, an MMR document is retrieved based on recognition of a paper document. Responsive to a comparison of the paper document and a virtual multimedia document, a set of actions is displayed to a user. Responsive to a user selection, the user-selected action is performed. In another embodiment, a captured list of names is used to assist a user with labeling a media file.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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 a method, system, and computer program product for transforming characters corresponding to a hotspot in a document. An electronic document to be printed is parsed for a mark indicating a beginning point for a hotspot, a transformation rule is a applied to a portion of the electronic document between the mark indicating the beginning point for the hotspot and a mark indicating an ending point for the hotspot, and the transformed electronic document is rendered.

Abstract: 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 a method, system, and computer readable medium for embedding a hot spot in an electronic document. Marks corresponding to a designation for a hot spot in an electronic document are embedded, allowing for later capture of coordinates corresponding to a printed representation of the electronic document and the hot spot.

Abstract: 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 a content-based retrieval database configured with an index table to represent two-dimensional geometric relationships between objects extracted from a printed document in a way that allows look-up using a text-based index. A ranked set of document, page and location hypotheses can be computed given data from the index table. The techniques effectively transform features detected in an image patch into textual terms (or other searchable features) that represent both the features themselves and the geometric relationship between them. A storage facility can be used to store additional characteristics about each document image patch.

Abstract: 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 a method, system, and computer program product for shared document annotation. A shared annotation is received or retrieved for a source document displayed in a browser. A modified document comprising a hotspot corresponding to the shared annotation is displayed in the browser, and upon a printing command, coordinates are captured corresponding to a printed representation of the modified document and the hotspot, resulting in a rendered page layout comprising the printed representation including the hotspot.

Abstract: 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 provides a method to associate related documents. The method acquires two associated documents and associates the related portions together. When the method acquires a portion of one of the document, it identifies the portion acquired, and provides the related portion of the other document.

Abstract: 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 embodiment of the present invention, the MMR system includes an action processor and method, and MMR documents with an associated action. The MMR document structure specifies different actions for different MMR documents combined with the ability to create any number of MMR documents for a particular location on any media, which allows the MMR architecture to serve as a universal trigger or initiator for additional processing. 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.

Abstract: 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 a method, system, and computer program product for adding a hotspot to an imaged document. A source document is converted to an imaged document, from which features are extracted. Hotspots are added to the imaged document, and the imaged document, hotspot definitions, and the feature representation are stored.