Device, Method And Server For Retrieving Information Using A Machine Readable image

Abstract

Icons/text/images representing selections areas are placed near a machine-readable image to for retrieving an information item about a product to which the machine-readable image is associated. These selection areas can be visually represented by icons/text/images that inform the user what information will be retrieved or what action will be controlled if selected. A capturing device captures a machine-readable image together with icons/text/images representing selections areas, displays these on the screen for the user to select one of the icons/text/images. The capturing device calculates the coordinates of the selection relative to the machine-readable image using a unit of distance and perspective correction derived from the machine-readable image. These coordinates are provided to an information server associated with the machine-readable image which in turn provides the information associated to the coordinates to the capturing device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for selecting information represented by an icon associated to a machine-readable image comprising:
 capturing the machine-readable image and the icon;   displaying the machine-readable image and the icon on a screen;   determining an orientation of the machine-readable image;   determining a coordinate representing a selected icon based on an angle between the selected icon and the machine-readable image;   forwarding the coordinate to an information provider; and   receiving information represented by the selected icon from the information provider.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the screen is a touch screen and the method further comprises:
 deriving a unit of distance from the captured machine-readable image; and   receiving user input indicating a selected icon on the touch screen;   wherein the step of determining the coordinate is based on the received user input, the angle between the selected icon and the machine-readable image, the rotation angle of the machine-readable image and the derived unit of distance.   
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the coordinate is a polar coordinate. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the polar coordinate comprises a distance expressed in the derived unit of distance from a predefined point of the machine-readable image to the selected icon. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the coordinate is a Cartesian coordinate expressed in the derived unit of distance. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising:
 deriving a perspective correction information derived from the machine-readable image; and 
 applying the perspective correction information to the captured image before determining the coordinate. 
 
     
     
         7 . A device for retrieving information represented by an icon associated to a machine-readable image comprising:
 capturing means for capturing the machine-readable image and the icon;   a screen for displaying the machine-readable image and the icon;   a processor for determining an orientation of the machine-readable image and for determining a coordinate representing a selected icon based on an angle between the selected icon and the machine-readable image; and   a communication interface for forwarding the coordinate to an information provider and receiving information represented by the selected icon from the information provider.   
     
     
         8 . The device as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the coordinate processor is also arranged for deriving a unit of distance from the captured machine-readable image and for determining the coordinate representing the selection based on the received user input, the orientation of the machine-readable image and the derived unit of distance. 
     
     
         9 . The device as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the coordinate is a polar coordinate. 
     
     
         10 . The device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the polar coordinate comprises an angle relative to a predefined normal orientation of the machine-readable image and a distance expressed in the derived unit of distance from a predefined point of the machine-readable image. 
     
     
         11 . The device as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the coordinate is a Cartesian coordinate expressed in the derived unit of distance. 
     
     
         12 . The device as claimed in  claim 7  further comprising:
 perspective correction means comprising perspective distortion detection means for deriving perspective correction information from the machine-readable image; and 
 perspective distortion correction means for applying a perspective correction to the captured image based on the perspective correction information. 
 
     
     
         13 . An information providing server comprising:
 a receiver for receiving from a client a coordinate corresponding to an icon associated to a machine-readable image;   a processor for selecting an information item represented by the icon based on the received coordinate; and   a transmitter for providing the selected information item to the client.   
     
     
         14 . The information providing server as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the selected information item is a hyperlink redirecting the client to information represented by the icon. 
     
     
         15 . The information providing server as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the information providing server comprises a retriever for retrieving the information item from an information storage. 
     
     
         16 . The information providing server as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein a second information providing server comprises the information storage. 
     
     
         17 . The information providing server as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the processor for selecting information based on the received coordinate is arranged to perform the selection based on a local translation image comprising the machine-readable image and icons. 
     
     
         18 . The information providing server as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the processing means is arranged for retrieving a pixel value from the local translation image corresponding to the received coordinate. 
     
     
         19 . The information providing server as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the pixel value of the local image comprises a pointer value pointing to a hyperlink or a location in the information storage. 
     
     
         20 . The information providing server as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the pixel value of the local image comprises a pointer value pointing to a translation entry in a translation table. 
     
     
         21 . A machine-readable image for retrieving an information item represented by an icon associated to the machine-readable image using the machine-readable image;
 wherein at least two information items are associated with the product and in that each information item is associated with a different angle between the icon representing the information item and the machine-readable image.   
     
     
         22 . The machine-readable image as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the machine-readable image is a QR code. 
     
     
         23 . The machine-readable image as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the machine-readable image is selected from the group consisting of a graphic or an image representing a person, a commercial entity, a legal entity and a product. 
     
     
         24 . The machine-readable image as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein each information item is also associated with a distance between the icon and the machine-readable image. 
     
     
         25 . The machine-readable image as claimed in  claim 24 , where each information item is associated to a range of angles and a range of distances. 
     
     
         26 . The machine-readable image as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein each icon has a different orientation. 
     
     
         27 . The machine-readable image as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein one of the information items is a business card data set.