Abstract: A system and method for associating rendered advertisements with digital content is described. In some examples, the system receives an image of a rendered advertisement, information associated with digital content, and information associating the rendered advertisement with the digital content via a web portal.

Abstract: A system and method for authorizing access to computing resources, access to services, software and so on, based on capturing information associated with a request is described.

Abstract: A device for capturing rendered text is described. The device incorporates one or more visual sensors that receive visual information as a part of capturing rendered text. The visual sensors are collectively capable of capturing both text that is permanently printed on a page, and text that is displayed transitorily on a dynamic device. The device further incorporates a visual information disposition subsystem for disposing of visual information received by the visual sensors. The device further incorporates a package that bears the visual sensors and the visual information disposition subsystem, and is suitable to be held in a human hand.

Abstract: Information is scanned to a scanner memory. A user of the scanner is signaled when sufficient information has been obtained to determine at least one action associated with the scanned information.

Abstract: A system for interactive paper is described. Data fragments are captured at locations in a rendered document. A digital version of the document is optionally located. Markup data applied to the capture creates a rich set of interactions for the user. New models for publishing documents and new document-related services are described.

Abstract: Information is captured from a rendered document with a handheld document data capture device. Electronic information associated with the rendered document is applied to determine the system's actions and/or behaviors in response to the data capture. In some embodiments, the electronic information is markup data or an action map associated with the rendered document. In some embodiments, an electronic counterpart corresponding to the rendered document is located, and information associated with the electronic counterpart is applied to determine actions and/or behaviors available to a user of the handheld document data capture device.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Character recognition is described. In one embodiment, it may use matched sequences rather than character shape to determine a computer-legible result.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying a document based on a spectral analysis of the text of the document is described. In some examples, the system generates a document identifier for a rendered document based on assigning values to words in the rendered document, such as values associated with the frequency of use of the word by the rendered document, the absolute or relative position of the word in the rendered document, and so on. The system may use the document identifier to generate a group of documents having similar document identifiers, and choose a likely match from the group of documents based on predictive analysis.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating interactions between multi-function devices and rendered documents is described. In some examples, the systems overlays an image of a rendered document with display elements associated with actions to perform for the rendered document. In some examples, the system presents a virtual real-time image in place of a real-time of a document or other display of information.

Abstract: A system for processing text captured from rendered documents is described. The system receives a sequence of one or more words optically or acoustically captured from a rendered document by a user. The system identifies an electronic version of the rendered document and associated an action. The system then performs the associated action with respect to the user.

Abstract: A facility for initiating a purchase is described. The facility receives a text sequence captured by a user from a rendered document using a handheld text capture device. The facility identifies in the received text sequence a reference to a distinguished product. In response to identifying the reference, the facility presents to the user an opportunity to place an order for the established product. If the user accepts the presented opportunity to order the distinct product, the facility orders the distinct product on behalf of the user.

Abstract: A facility for exposing an index of private documents is described. In a private network, the facility (1) identifies electronic versions of documents that are available inside the private network, including a distinguished document; (2) constructs an index covering the identified electronic versions of documents; and (3) exports the constructed index from the private network to an index publication server. At the index publication server, the facility (1) receives the exported index; (2) receives a query via a public network; and (3) uses an index, based upon the received index, to generate a query result for the received query that contains the distinguished document.

Abstract: A hardware, firmware, and/or software facility (“facility”) for providing information relevant to rendered documents is described. In some embodiments, the facility identifies multiple versions of an electronic document corresponding to a rendered document captured by a capture device. The facility may then provide a person utilizing the capture device with various ways to interact with one or more versions of the electronic document. In some embodiments, the facility determines that use of a rendered document is restricted, such as by copyright, to some degree. The facility may then offer the person the option to obtain unrestricted use of the rendered document. If the person accepts, the person obtains the right to store captures of the rendered document. If the person declines, the facility automatically discards captures of the rendered document. In some embodiments, the facility may automatically purchase rights to restricted-use rendered documents based upon the person's pre-defined criteria.

Abstract: A system for processing a visual capture operation as described. The system receives an indication of a visual capture operation performed from a rendered document. The indication specifies both a text sequence capture as part of the capture operation and a supplemental marking captured as part of the capture operation. The system determines an action to perform in response to receiving the indication, based both upon the text sequence specified in the indication and the supplemental markings specified by the indication.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically changing the operation of a mobile device in response to a presence of information is described. In some examples, the system determines an information capture device is proximate to text, automatically changes operation of the capture device to a certain mode, captures the text, and performs an action associated with the captured text.

Abstract: A facility for navigating an electronic document is described. The facility receives user input selecting a portion of the content of a rendered document that constitutes a sentence fragment. In response to receiving the user input, the facility identifies an electronic document contained in a corpus of electronic documents, the identified electronic document containing the selected document portion. In response to receiving the user input, the facility further identifies a position within the identified electronic document at which the selected document portion occurs.

Abstract: An action plan data structure for one or more selected rendered documents is described. The data structure contains information specifying an action to perform automatically in response to a text capture from any of the selected rendered documents.

Abstract: Systems and methods for quickly and easily getting information about, or included in, a paper document into a public or private digital page. One embodiment of an example system includes a scanner that generates scan information from at least a portion of a paper document and a processing system that receives the generated scan information from the scanner, accesses a database of digital documents, searches the database based on the received scan information, locates a digital document corresponding to the paper document, and sends either the digital content or a hyperlink to the digital content to a predetermined web page.

Abstract: A facility for securing text captured from a rendered document is described. The facility receives data including an encryption of text captured from a rendered document. The facility decrypts the captured text included in the received data.