Abstract:
Electronic device: including an image sensor; a screen for displaying a view captured by the image sensor; a motion detector for detecting a motion of the electronic device; and a variable being associated with a position on the screen and a specific selecting manipulation; and the electronic device being arranged: to change a value of the variable in every moment triggered by the selecting manipulation so as to compensate a motion of the electronic device by utilizing the motion detector; and to define an operation area associated with an operation of the electronic device based on the value of the variable. The above-described electronic device enables a user to interact with information of the real world intuitively.

Description:
FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY 
       [0001]    This invention relates to an electronic device comprising a camera. In particular this invention relates to a method and an apparatus for defining operation area in such electronic device, and to an application of the image data taken by the camera. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In recent years, technologies to superimpose computer-generated graphics such as images or characters on a real world have attracted increasing attention. By presenting a real world overlapped with supplemented information, it is possible to strengthen relationships between a real world and a human being. Such technologies are called as Augmented Reality, and have been studied in, e.g., Columbia University in United States. 
         [0000]    (See http://www1.cs.columbia.edu/graphics). 
         [0003]    Recent portable electronic devices such as mobile phones or PDAs have been equipped with a high-resolution camera, and their processing powers have become so powerful and equal to several yeas-old personal computers. Cameras have an ability to capture a real world, and processing units can create graphics such as images and characters. The processing ability of recent portable electronic devices has been enough powerful to extract character information from image data by OCR (optical character recognition), as written in WO02/41241. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has come to create a new concept for electronic devices that make it possible for a user to interact with real world intuitively, by combining image of real world taken by the camera, and processing power of electronic device. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A purpose of this invention is to provide a technology for enabling a user to interact with information of the real world intuitively. 
         [0006]    According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device comprising:
       an image sensor;   a screen for displaying a view captured by the image sensor;   a motion detection means for detecting a motion of the electronic device; and   a variable being associated with a position on the screen and a predetermined selecting manipulation;
 
and the electronic device being arranged:
   to change a value of the variable in every moment triggered by the selecting manipulation so as to compensate a motion of the electronic device by utilizing the motion detection means; and   to define an operation area associated with an operation of the electronic device based on the value of the variable.       
 
         [0013]    The number of the variables may be one or more. In one embodiment, the above-described electronic device may comprise a plurality of variables, each of them being associated with a own position on the screen and a own selecting manipulation, and wherein the electronic device may be arranged to define said operation area based on values of said plurality of variables. 
         [0014]    At the moment when the selecting manipulation is done, the value of the variable can be corresponds to a specific position on the screen, for example, the center. In such embodiment, a user can designate a specific point of a view of the real world, which is displayed on the screen, by moving the electronic device to make the specific point being displayed at the center of the screen and by performing the selecting manipulation. Once the selecting manipulation is performed, the electronic device starts changing a value of the variable in every moment so as to compensate a motion of the electronic device by the help of the motion detection means. Therefore, even if the user moves the electronic device, the position on the screen plane corresponding to the value of the variable keeps pointing the same point of the view of the real world. (Of course, the accuracy depends on the performance of the motion detection means.) Therefore, the selecting manipulation brings an effect as if marking on the view of the real world. By repeating moving the electronic device and doing the selecting manipulation several times, the user can put marks on different places of the real world. Then an operation area associated with an operation of the electronic device will be defined based on the marks. 
         [0015]    In this way, according to the above-described electronic device, the user can decide the area of the real world projected to the screen by moving the electronic device, which is a very intuitive way of operation. The decided area may be used for any operations of the electronic device such as taking a picture, performing an OCR processing to extract character information from the picture, adjusting a focus, or adjusting white balancing. Thus by virtue of the present invention, the user can interact with information of the real world in very intuitive way. It may be able to say that, the above-described electronic device provides a very intuitive user interface to interact with the real world. 
         [0016]    To enhance the virtue of the above-described electronic device, preferably the selecting manipulation may be an intuitive one. For this purpose, in one embodiment, above-described electronic device may be arranged in that a first round of said selecting manipulation is a pressing the key, and a second round of said selecting manipulation is a releasing the key. In addition, the electronic device may be arranged to define said operation area when the same key is pressed again. The key (or button) for the above selecting or defining manipulation may be a dedicated one, or a shared one having different functions. In this embodiment, the selecting operation may be more intuitive because the user can select the area of the real world by a simple key manipulation. In addition, the selecting or defining manipulation may utilize an audio input means. 
         [0017]    To enhance the virtue of the above-described electronic device, preferably, the electronic device may be arranged to indicate on the screen a position relating to the value of the variable. Preferably the way of indication is the one which can be easily recognized by the user, i.e. a bright point or a mark with any shapes. Further preferably, the electronic device may be arranged to define a screen area based on the value of the variable, and to indicate the screen area on the screen. The way of indication may be, i.e. highlighting by a fluorescent color or emphasizing the border by colored line. Later the screen area may be decided as said operation area. However, before being decided, as the value of the variable is changed in every moment in response to the movement of the electronic device, the screen area is also changed in every moment. Thus in these embodiment, the user can check a selected point and/or a preview of the operation area with the real world in overlapped manner on the screen, which enables the user&#39;s operation more intuitive. 
         [0018]    Moreover, in these embodiments, as the value of the variable is changed so as to compensate the movement of the electronic device, the place where the bright point or the screen area is designating does not change in the screen even the electronic device is moved. (As mentioned above, the accuracy depends on the performance of the motion detection means.) Therefore the user can really select a scene of the real world by the electronic device according to the present invention. In this way, the present invention provides a very intuitive way for interacting with the real world. 
         [0019]    To enhance the virtue of the above-described electronic device, a housing of the electronic device may be a handheld size, the screen may be located on a front surface of the housing, and an entrance for an incident light to the image sensor may be located on a back surface of the housing. A user in this electronic device may be able to actively interact with information of the real world, i.e., image or character information, by utilizing the mobility resulted from the small size and the intuitive and easy user interface provided from the virtue of the present invention. Imaging phones or PDAs equipped with cameras may be suitable objects to apply the present invention. 
         [0020]    In the above-described electronic device, the shape of said operation area can be defined in many ways. In one embodiment, the electronic device may be arranged in that the shape of the operation area may be defined as a rectangle, wherein a value of the variable associated with a first round of said selecting manipulation may be related with a upper-left corner of the rectangle, and a value of the variable associated with a second round of said selecting manipulation may be related with a lower-right corner of the rectangle. Further, in the other embodiment, the electronic device may be arranged in that the shape of the operation area may be defined as a circle or oval having a radius associated with a distance between a value of the variable and an initial value of the same variable. 
         [0021]    In one embodiment of the above-described electronic device, said motion detection means may comprise at least one of the accelerometer, gyroscopes, and magnetometer. In the other embodiment, the motion detection means comprising an image processing means for detecting a motion of the electronic device, such as comparing consecutive frames. The image processing may be purely software processing, or may be performed with the help of a dedicated hardware, i.e. a DSP. In the further embodiment, the motion detection means may comprise both sensors and image processing means. 
         [0022]    The features of the above-described electronic devices may be achieved by software processing. With this in mind, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program for an electronic device comprising an image sensor, a screen for displaying a view captured by the image sensor, and a motion detection means for detecting a motion of the electronic device; the computer program further comprising:
       a variable being associated with a position on the screen and a predetermined selecting manipulation;
 
and the computer program being arranged to instruct:
   to change a value of the variable in every moment triggered by the selecting manipulation so as to compensate a motion of the electronic device by utilizing the motion detection means; and   to define an operation area associated with an operation of the computer program based on the value of the variable.       
 
         [0026]    According to still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for defining an operation area associated with an operation of an electronic device comprising an image sensor, a screen for displaying a view captured by the image sensor, and a motion detection means for detecting a motion of the electronic device, wherein:
       preparing a variable being associated with a position on the screen and a predetermined selecting manipulation;   changing a value of the variable in every moment triggered by the selecting manipulation so as to compensate a motion of the electronic device by utilizing the motion detection means; and   defining the operation area based on the value of the variable.       
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0030]    The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0031]      FIG. 1  illustrates an appearance of the imaging phone  1  according to the present invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 2  illustrates the operation of the imaging phone  1  at preview mode. 
           [0033]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of hardware configuration of the imaging phone  1 . 
           [0034]      FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram of software configuration of OCR software  19  according to the present invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart to describe how the OCR software  19  works. 
           [0036]      FIG. 6  illustrates views of the LCD screen  2  during the OCR software  19  is working. 
           [0037]      FIG. 7  illustrates an another embodiment of the area selection module  33  according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0038]    The present invention will now be described by using exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. In particular, the present invention will be described in relation to an imaging phone with an OCR function.  FIG. 1  shows appearance of an imaging phone according to the present invention.  FIG. 1(   a ) shows a front view and (b) shows back view. An imaging phones  1  comprises a LCD screen  2 , a function key  3 , a left key  4 , a right key  5 , and ten key  6  on the front side, and a camera  7  on the back side. The LCD screen  2  displays information relating to cellular phone functions such as signal condition, remaining battery, phone number. The LCD screen  2  is also used as a display for installed applications. The LCD screen  2  is also used as a monitor of the camera  7 . A view of which a user is going to capture will be displayed on the LCD screen  2 . The function key  3 , the left key  4 , and the right key  5  are used to access to various functions of the imaging phone  1 . In addition, the left key  4  and the right key  5  are used for on-hook and off-hook. The ten key  6  is used to input phone numbers and texts. Most of the keys are allocated several functions on them. The imaging phone  1  comprises not only telephony and camera functions, but also various functions such as an OCR function for extracting character information from image data taken by the camera  7 , a messaging function such as e-mail or MMS, games, and a scheduler. 
         [0039]    When a user is going to take a picture by using the imaging phone  1 , the imaging phone  1  takes a view to be shot by the camera  7 , and shows the view on the screen  2  as a preview. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the number  9  expresses a newspaper, and alphabet a, b, c, &amp; on the newspaper  9  expresses articles, that is, character information. The imaging phone  1  shoots the newspaper by the camera  7 , and shows it on the screen  2 . At the preview mode, the imaging phone performs shooting about 10 times in a second, and updating the screen  2  in each time. Thus the real world is displayed on the screen  2  thought the camera  7  in real-time. At taking a picture, the function button  3  plays a role as a shutter button. Photograph data are stored in a memory of the imaging phone  1 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram showing hardware configuration in simple form. Generally, the imaging phone  1  comprises a phone module  9  and the camera module  7 . The phone module  9  comprises a CPU  10 , and CPU  10  is connected with a display  11 , a keypad  12 , an accelerometer  13   a , a gyrosensor  13   b , a baseband processing unit  14 , a DRAM  17  and a flash memory  18 . The flash memory  18  stores an operating system (OS) 21 of the imaging phone  1 . CPU  10  and OS  21  cooperate in each other to compose a controller for controlling operations of the imaging phone  1 . The flash memory  18  also stores an OCR software  18  taking charge of the OCR function of the imaging phone  1 , a MMS software  20  taking charge of the messaging function, and a variety of application software. These software cooperate with CPU  10  and the other hardware of the imaging phone  1  to operate the imaging phone  1  as an information processing apparatus with specific functions. The display  11  comprises the LCD screen  2 . Keypad  12  comprises a plurality of keys such as function key  3 , left key  4 , right key  5 , and ten key  6  shown in  FIG. 1 . The accelerometer  13   a  is a 3-dimensional accelerometer which is used to detect an inclination and a linear movement of the imaging phone  1 . The gyroscope is also a 3-dimensional gyroscope which is used to detect a rotation of the imaging phone  1 . The baseband processing unit  14  is connected to a RF processing unit  15  and an antenna  16 . They are taking charge of functions relating to signal transmission and reception. The baseband-processing unit  14  works for digital encoding/decoding, error correction, and so on. The RF processing unit  15  works for frequency conversion to/from a carrier frequency and so on. DRAM  17  works as a main memory of the imaging phone  1 . Since DRAM have a faster access speed than flash memory, frequently used data or programs will be stored in the DRAM when the imaging phone  1  is working. OS 21  or other application software may also be moved (or copied) to and used from the DRAM  17  when the imaging phone  1  is working; even initially they are stored in the flash memory  18 . SRAM or SDRAM may be used as a main memory. 
         [0041]    Camera module  7  comprises a lens  22 , a lens motor  22 , a CCD sensor  24 , a CCD driver  25 , a pre-processing unit  26 , an image construction unit  27 , a bus  28 , and etc. Lens  22  attracts incident light to CCD sensor  24 .  FIG. 3  shows only one piece of lens for the lens  22 , but actually it often comprises a plurality of lenses. Lens motor  23  is arranged to move a position of a lens, and it is used for focusing or an optical zooming. CCD sensor  24  is a sensor which converts incident light into an electric signal. CCD driver  25  controls timing and a resolution of data acquisition with CCD sensor  24 . The pre-processing unit  26  performs analog-to-digital conversion for an output signal of CCD sensor  24 , and adjusting white balance. The output signal of the pre-processing unit  26  is still a raw data and is not a format for displaying or printing by general imaging phones or personal computers. The image construction unit  27  builds the output signal of the pre-processing unit  26  as an image data with RGB or YUV format, by interpolation processing. This image data can be displayed or printed by using various imaging phones or personal computers. The image data is sent to the phone module  9  via a data interface  30 . 
         [0042]    CPU  10  is connected to the lens motor  23 , CCD driver  25 , pre-processing unit  26 , and etc though a data interface  29  and the bus  28 . On this account CPU  10  can adjust focusing or zooming by controlling the lens motor  23 , change a resolution for data taking by controlling the CCD driver  25 , and adjust white balance of the image by controlling pre-processing unit  26 . Before taking a picture, a view to be taken will be displayed on the screen of the display  11  for previewing. At the preview mode, CPU  10  controls CCD driver  25  so that the CCD sensor  24  performs capturing in a small resolution but about 10 times in a second. Thus the user can see a view to be taken on the screen  2  in real time at the preview mode. At taking a picture, CPU  10  controls CCD driver  25  so that the CCD sensor  24  captures a data in its maximum resolution. 
         [0043]      FIG. 4  shows a structure of the OCR software  19 . The OCR software  19  comprises four software modules, an area-selection module  33 , a camera-control module  34 , an OCR module  35 , and a motion detection module. The area-selection module  33  provides an user interface for defining an area for OCR in the real world. A user can select the OCR area as if he/she puts the marks on the real world with watching a view of the real world in the screen  2 . The detail of the area-selection module  33  will be described later with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
         [0044]    The camera control module  34  displays scenes captured by the CCD sensor  24  and takes an image data of a view of the area defined by the area selection module  33 . The camera selection module is not necessarily equipped with commands for directly controlling the camera module  7 . Such commands may be incorporated in the OS  21  or in another camera control software stored in DRAM  17  or flash memory  18 . In this case, the camera control module  34  may comprises a software interface to exchange instructions or data with the camera control software. The software interface may comprise an instruction to the camera control software such as “supply a preview image” or “Performing data acquisition in the designated area”. 
         [0045]    The OCR module  35  applies OCR to the image data provided by the camera control module  34  to obtain character information. OCR algorithms have been already known, so any algorithm may be used if it matches with the requirements of i.e. processing speed, power consumption, or language. The OCR module  35  stores character information obtained by OCR in a shared memory space which is used to transfer data between applications or within an application. Thus the character information provided by the OCR software  19  may be utilized from various application installed in the imaging phone  1 . 
         [0046]    The motion detection module  36  comprises an image-processing program for measuring a motion of the imaging phone  1  by comparing consecutive frames in corporation with CPU  10 . The motion detection module  36  also measures the motion of the imaging phone  1  from output signals of the accelerometer  13   a  and the gyrosensor  13   b . The output signal of the accelerometer  13   a  is used to know an inclination and a linear movement of the imaging phone  1 . The gyrosensor  13   b  is used to know a rotational movement. 
         [0047]    Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the working of the OCR software  19  will be described-below in detail.  FIG. 5  is a flow chart to describe how the OCR software  19  works, and  FIG. 6  illustrates views of the LCD screen  2  during the OCR software  19  is working.  FIG. 6  ( a )˜( f ) illustrates only LCD screen  2 , function key  3 , left key  4 , and right key  5  for hardware components of the imaging phone  1 . 
         [0048]    In step S 1 , the OCR software  19  starts to run. Then the OCR software  19  instructs the CPU  10  to set the imaging phone  1  to the preview mode. The instruction may be directed to the OS  21  or the other camera-module control software. According to the instructions of OCR software  19  or the other software, CPU  10  controls the camera module  7  to perform data acquisition about 10 times per a second for previewing, and displays obtained image data on the LCD screen  2  one after another. Thus the scene of the real world is displayed on the screen  2  in real-time. This is shown in  FIG. 6  ( a ). 
         [0049]      FIG. 6(   a ) is a screen where the OCR software  19  started. Referring to  FIG. 6  ( a ), a view of the real world  41  taken through the camera module  7  is displayed on the screen  2 . And it is written as “Menu” in lower left corner  43  of the screen, which shows that if the left key  4  is pressed a menu to access the function of area selection module  33  will be displayed. Also it is written as “Exit” on lower right corner of the screen corner  45 , which shows that if the right key  5  is pressed the OCR software  19  will stop to run. It is written as “Select (1)” in lower center  44  of the screen, which shows that if the function key is pressed, a starting point of the area for OCR will be decided. Watching the view  41 , we can find an area  42  at the central area of the screen where character information “These text are to be extracted” exists. In the following, by taking it as an example to obtain this string as character information by OCR, it will be continued to describe the working of the OCR software  19 . 
         [0050]    In step  2 , the area selection module  33  prepares two variables to put marks on specific places of the real world displayed on the screen  2 . Hereafter, it is called a first variable and a second variable respectively. Each of the variables has 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional coordinates as an internal parameter, and its initial value corresponds to a central position on the screen  2 . 
         [0051]    In step  3 , the area selection module  33  instructs CPU  10  to present a first pointer  71  at the position on the screen  2  corresponding to the value of the first variable. The first pointer  71  is used to specify the starting point of the area for OCR. As shown in  FIG. 6(   a ), initially the first pointer  71  is fixed to the screen center of the start screen because the value of the first variable corresponds to the center of the screen. Then, the user adjusts the spatial position of imaging phone  1  so that the upper left corner of area  42 , where OCR should be performed, is displayed at the center of screen  2 , by moving imaging phone  1  to the direction  47  by the hand. See  FIG. 6(   b ). When the adjustment is finished, the user presses the function key  3 . 
         [0052]    In step S 4 , the area selection module  33  is in the state to observe the pressing of the function key  3  in cooperation with the CPU  10 . By detecting the function key  3  being pressed, the area selection module  33  instructs the CPU 10  to display a second pointer  72  at the position on the screen  2  corresponding to the value of the second variable, that is, the center of the screen (step S 5 ) (See  FIG. 6(   c )). The second pointer  72  is used to specify the ending point of the area for OCR. The user moves the imaging phone  1  by hand to the direction  48  so that the lower right corner of area  42  is projected onto the center of the screen. While the user moving the imaging phone  1 , the user keeps pressing the function key  3 . 
         [0053]    At this time, the area selection module  33  is in a state to observe the movement of the imaging phone  1  by using movement detection module  36  (step S 6 ). When detecting the imaging phone being moved, the area selection module  33  changes the value of the first variable so as to compensate the movement of the imaging phone  1 . In addition to this, the area selection module  33  instructs the CPU  10  to re-display the first pointer  71  at the position on the screen  2  corresponding to the new value of the first variable. As a result, the first pointer  71  moves on screen  2  to the direction  49  which is opposite to direction  48 . Therefore, even the imaging phone  1  moves the place where the first pointer  71  is pointing does hardly change. In another words, the first pointer  71  tracks on the screen  2  a place of the real world where it pointed at the beginning. The accuracy of the tracking depends on the performance of the motion detection module  36 . In this way, as shown in  FIG. 6(   c ), even the view of the real world on the screen  2  has changed, the first pointer  71  is still pointing the upper left corner of area  42 . Thus, the pressing the function key  3  by the user in step S 4  has resulted an effect as if the he/she puts a mark on a point of the real world. 
         [0054]    As the value of the second variable corresponds to the center of the screen  2 , the second pointer  72  is also fixed at the center of the screen  2 . The area selection module  3  instructs the CPU  10  to highlight a rectangular area  73  defined by the first variable and the second variable, by i.e. a fluorescent color (step S 8 ). Therefore the user can check a preview of the area to be selected with view of the real world in overlapped manner on the screen. 
         [0055]    After the user selecting the starting point of the OCR by pressing the function key  3 , the string in lower center  44  of the screen changes to “Select (2)”. It shows that if the function key  3  is released then the ending point of the OCR area will be selected. 
         [0056]    In step S 9 , the area selection module  33  observe for the releasing of the function key  3  in cooperation with the CPU  10 . To select the ending point of the OCR area, the user moves the imaging phone  1  by hand so that the lower right corner of area  42  is displayed on the center of the screen  2 . Then as shown in  FIG. 6(   d ), the second pointer  72  points at the lower right corner of area  42 . The first pointer  71  is not displayed because the position corresponding to the value of the first variable is out of the screen  2 . 
         [0057]    When detecting the function key being released, the area selection module  33  enters to a state to observe the movement of the imaging phone  1  by using movement detection module  36  (step S 11 ). If detecting the motion of imaging phone  1 , the area selection module  33  changes values of both the first variable and the second variable so as to compensate the motion of the imaging phone  1 . In addition, the area selection module  33  instructs the CPU  10  to re-display the first pointer  71 , the second pointer  72  and the rectangular area  73  at the position on the screen  2  corresponding to the new values of the first variable and the second variable respectively. As a result, the view of the real world shown in the rectangular area  73  does not change even the imaging phone  1  is moved. The user can see the selected region of the real world in the screen  2 . 
         [0058]    After the user selecting the ending point of the OCR by releasing the function key  3 , the string in lower center  44  of the screen changes to “Go”. It shows that next time if the function key  3  is pressed then the rectangular area  73  will be decided as a area for OCR. That is, the camera module  7  will capture a view of the inside of the rectangular area  73 , and the OCR will be applied for the taken image data. Thus, to obtain the desired character string, it is necessary to adjust the spatial position of the imaging phone  1  so as to display a whole of the rectangular area  73  in the screen  2 , as shown in  FIG. 6  ( f ). 
         [0059]    Referring to  FIG. 6(   e ), the user moves the imaging phone  1  to the direction  49  to make all the selected areas  73  displayed on the screen  2 . Then the area selection module  33  move the first pointer  71 , the second pointer  72  and the rectangular area  73  to the direction  50  so as to compensate the motion of the imaging phone  1  (step S 12 ). The rectangular area  73  is highlighted by i.e. a fluorescent color (step S 13 ). The user moves the imaging phone  1  until the screen comes to the status of  FIG. 6  ( f ). 
         [0060]    The area selection module  33  observes pressing of the function key  3  again (step S 14 ). When function key  3  is pressed, the area selection module  33  decides area  73  as the operation area for performing the OCR operation (step S 15 ). In this way, the user can select the OCR area as if he/she puts the marks on the real world with watching a view of the real world in the screen  2 , by a simple key operation and intuitive hand movement. Thus a very intuitive and effective user interface is realized. 
         [0061]    Then in step S 16 , by using the camera control module  34 , the OCR software  19  instructs the CPU  10  or the control program of the camera module  7  to capture the view of the operation area to build an image data of the area. There may be 2 implementations to obtain an image data contains only information of the operation area. One is that the CCD driver  25  controls the CCD sensor  24 , by the control of the CPU  10 , to acquire data only from the pixels corresponding to the operation area. Another one is to acquire data from all pixels of the CCD sensor  24 , and to extract necessary data from the obtained image data by means of CPU  10 . 
         [0062]    Then in step S 17 , the OCR software  19  instructs CPU  10  to obtain acceleration information from the accelerometer  13   a . Obtained acceleration information represents the inclination of imaging phone  1 , and is used to correct the image data obtained in step S 16 . The accuracy of OCR may be expected to be improved by correcting the inclination. The inclination correction function with using acceleration sensor  13   a  can be turned off by the user&#39;s selection. 
         [0063]    In step S 18 , the OCR module  35  of the OCR software  19  applies OCR to the image data obtained by camera control module  34  and extracts character information with the cooperation of CPU  10 . The algorithms of OCR have already been known, and any algorithm may be used if it matches with the requirements of i.e. processing speed, power consumption, or language. By the OCR processing, the character information of “These text are to be extracted” can be extracted, which exists in the view of the area indicated by numeric  73  in  FIG. 6  ( f ). In addition, OCR module  35  instructs CPU 10  to store the character information obtained by OCR in the shared memory space which is used to transfer data between applications or within an application (step S 13 ). Therefore, character information obtained by the OCR software  19  may be used from various applications installed in the imaging phone  1 , such as text editors, word processors, electronic memos, messaging applications, or internet browsers. The shared memory space is prepared in DRAM 17 . In step  14  the OCR software  19  stop working. 
         [0064]    Further, in the step S 6  or step S 11 , if the movement detection module  36  detects that the amount of movement of the imaging phone  1  is larger than the certain threshold, it shows an error message on the screen  2  (step S 21 ) and initialize the OCR software  19  by the function key  3  being pressed (step S 22 ). This is because such a large movement will make it difficult to ensure the accuracy of the motion detection module  36 . 
         [0065]    In this way, the imaging phone  1  according to the present invention enables a user to overlap and see the selected area for OCR operation on the real world view in the screen  2 , which enables a user to understand intuitively the relationships between the operation area and the real world. 
         [0066]    Furthermore, in imaging phone  1  according to this invention, all operations of setting the operation area for the OCR, taking image data, and executing OCR can be completed by a simple key manipulation of pressing and releasing the function key  3 . Therefore, the user may be able to interact with character information on the real world intuitively and efficiently. And the user may be able to take character information on the real world into imaging phone  1  intuitively and efficiently. Such character information could not only be just a text but also be a e-mail address, URL, telephone number and etc. The taken character information could be pasted on applications such as electronic memos or MMS. In this way, the imaging phone  1  can acquire information on the real world in a way like a copy &amp; paste operation in the personal computers. 
         [0067]    In the other embodiment, the area selection module  33  may be arranged as follows. 
         [0068]    When the area selection module  33  starts to run, it prepares one variable. As shown  FIG. 7  ( a ), the area selection module  33  display a pointer  81  at the center of the screen  2  corresponding to the initial value of the variable. The user moves the imaging phone  1  so that the center of the region of the real world where the user wish to select is displayed at the center of the screen  2 , and then press the function key  3 . 
         [0069]    If the function key  3  is pressed, the area selection module  33  changes the value of said variable with the help of the motion detection module  36  so as to compensate the movement of the imaging phone  1 . In addition, the area selection module  33  instructs the CPU  10  to re-display the pointer  81  at the position on the screen  2  corresponding to the new value of said variable. Therefore, even the imaging phone  1  moves the place where the pointer  81  is pointing does not change. Referring to  FIG. 7  ( b ), if the user moves the imaging phone  1  to the lower direction  55 , the pointer  81  moves to the upper direction  56 . 
         [0070]    The area selection module  33  keeps displaying a bright point  82  at the initial position of pointer  81 . And the area selection module  33  instructs CPU  10  to display an oval  83  having a radius corresponding to a distance of the pointer  81  and the bright point  82 , and a center corresponding to a position of the pointer  81 . The oval  83  is highlighted by a fluorescent color. If the pointer  81  is moved, then the position of the oval  83  is also updated. Therefore, the place of the real world surrounded by the oval  83  does not change even if the imaging phone  1  moves. 
         [0071]    When the user release the function key  3 , the area selection module  33  fixes the radius oval  83 . The area selection module  33  continues to move the pointer  81  on the display  2  so as to compensate the movement of the imaging phone  1 , and the oval  83  is also moved on the screen  2  along with it. The user moves the imaging phone  1  so that oval  83  may come to a suitable position on screen  2  (see  FIG. 7  ( c )). 
         [0072]    The imaging phone  1  uses the area surrounded by the oval  83  as an area for adjusting focus and white balance. When the oval  83  moves, the CPU  10  re-adjust the focus or white balance by controlling the lens motor  23  and the pre-processing unit  26 . Therefore the user can set the focus or the white balance to any place in the screen  2 . The user can take a picture of the scene displayed on the screen  2  by pressing the function key  3  again. 
         [0073]    In this way, the user can select the focusing area as if he/she puts the marks on the real world with watching a view of the real world in the screen  2 , by a simple key operation and intuitive hand movement. Thus a very intuitive and effective user interface is realized. 
         [0074]    The present invention has been described above by using exemplary embodiments. But it should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention can take a lot of variations, the various modification may be possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, the area selection module  33  or the motion detection module  36  may be used from the other software. And the area on the LCD screen  2  specified by the area selection module  33  may be used for purposes which do not need to take a photography. For example, the OS  21  or the software for controlling the camera module  7  may use the specified area for adjusting the focus or the white balance. It may be possible to zoom electronically inside of the selected area. It may be possible to add colors or frames for the selected area of the photograph. In addition, the imaging phone  1  may comprise not only the accelerometer but also a gyroscopes and a magnetometer to arrange their output to use to correct the image data. The electronic device according to the present invention may comprise two or more functions that use the area selection module  33 . In such embodiment the electronic device may comprise a user interface for switching the function. For example, the electronic device by the present invention may be arranged to switch an operation of performing OCR for the image data of the operation area and an operation of preparing the image data to be transmitted by a messaging application such as MMS or E-mail.