Patent Publication Number: US-2003227553-A1

Title: Systems and methods for image indexing

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001] The described subject matter relates to imaging devices. In particular the subject matter pertains to automatically indexing acquired images.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002] Photographs, clip art, and so on are often digitized through the use of digital photography or by scanning in such images. After acquiring a digital image, an image archival utility may be used to analyze the image in an attempt to store the image onto an appropriate data storage device or into a corresponding directory folder. Unfortunately, such image analysis (e.g., optical character recognition (OCR)) is not error free and cannot always correctly determine the subject matter or context of an acquired digital image. Based on such incorrect image analysis, the image archival utility may store the document into an inappropriate data storage location. The following described subject matter addresses these and other problems of archiving or storing digital images into a corresponding directory location.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003] The described arrangements and procedures provide a user interface, which may or may not be displayed by an imaging device, for a user to specify a data storage location to index or store a digital image that is acquired by the imaging device.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0004] The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components.  
     [0005]FIG. 1 shows an exemplary imaging device to index acquired images.  
     [0006]FIG. 2 shows aspects of an exemplary imaging device user interface system to index images into a data storage location. Specifically, FIG. 2 shows a directory resource window for selecting locations within which to index images.  
     [0007]FIG. 3 shows further aspects of an exemplary imaging device user interface system to index images. Specifically, FIG. 3 shows a dropdown menu for selecting predefined directory locations to index acquired images.  
     [0008]FIG. 4 shows an exemplary system to index images into networked data storage locations.  
     [0009]FIG. 5 shows an exemplary procedure to index images acquired from an imaging device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     [0010] Overview  
     [0011] The described arrangements and procedures provide an imaging device interface to index acquired images into a directory that is either local to the imaging device or physically distributed across multiple devices and logically centralized at the imaging device.  
     [0012] Exemplary Imaging Device  
     [0013]FIG. 1 shows an exemplary imaging device  100  to index acquired images into a directory  118 . The imaging device  100  digitizes an image by dividing it into a grid of boxes and representing each box with either a zero or a one, depending on whether the box is filled in. For color and gray scale images, the same principle applies, but each box is then represented by multiple bits (e.g., 24 bits) of data. The resulting matrix of bits is called a bitmap. Optical scanners and digital cameras are examples of imaging devices  100  that digitize acquired images.  
     [0014] The imaging device  100  includes a processor  102  that is coupled to a system memory  104 . The system memory includes any combination of volatile and non-volatile computer-readable media for reading and writing. Volatile computer-readable media includes, for example, random access memory (RAM). Non-volatile computer-readable media includes, for example, read only memory (ROM), magnetic media such as a hard-disk, an optical disk drive, a floppy diskette, a flash memory card, a CD-ROM, etc.  
     [0015] The processor  102  is configured to fetch and execute computer program instructions from application programs  106  such as the image acquisition module  108 , the image indexing module  110 , a directory service (e.g., a service based on Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)—the directory service is not shown), an operating system (not shown), and so on. The processor also stores and fetches data  112  such as image data  114 , the user interface  11   6 , and directory data  118  while executing the application programs.  
     [0016] The image acquisition module  108  acquires or digitizes images  114  from any of a number of image sources. For instance, if the device  100  is a digital camera, the images  114  are anything that can be captured or recorded by the camera. In another example, if the device  100  is a scanner, images  114  include scanned paper documents, photographs, transparencies, and in general, anything that can be positioned on a scanner platen for acquisition or digitization.  
     [0017] The image indexing module  110  displays a user interface  116  (UI) to a display device  120  (e.g., a computer monitor, a liquid crystal display, and so on) that is operatively coupled to the imaging device  100 . Such UI elements include any combination of text and/or graphic based elements that can be selected or otherwise interacted with by the user to indicate a destination for acquired image data.  
     [0018] For instance, the UI elements may include text controls, button controls, dialog boxes, menus and corresponding menu items, scroll bars, etc. Pointing devices (e.g., a mouse control), touch sensitive displays, voice commands, keyboards, input keys, and so on, are several of many possible ways for the user to interact (e.g., select) with the user interface controls, input text, and so on.  
     [0019]FIG. 2 shows an exemplary imaging device user interface  116  (UI) to index acquired documents into a particular data storage location (e.g., a directory resource, a database, a server, a folder, a data storage device, and so on). This example illustrates a UI for specifying a directory resource. Directories are typically logically distributed across multiple computing device and data storage devices. Thus, just about any data storage device or memory location can be accessed from a directory.  
     [0020] This exemplary UI includes a window  202  divided into a resource/folder portion  204  and a file list portion  206 . These portions display directory  118  resources. Specifically, a storage or logical storage portion  204  of the window includes controls to represent one or more storage drives  208  and folders  210  positioned hierarchically thereunder. A file list  206  portion of the window  202  displays any files (e.g., documents, bitmaps, etc.) in a default or user selected drive  208  or folder  210 .  
     [0021] Responsive to user selection of a data storage location such as a physical or logical drive  208 , any folders  210  available for user access are displayed with respect to the selected resource  208 . Additionally, any files (e.g., documents, bitmaps, multimedia files, and so on) corresponding to the selected resource  208  or  210  are identified in the file list portion  206 . A “save-as” and/or confirmation dialog box (not shown) may also be displayed as part of the UI  116  to provide an opportunity to specify one or more particular file names to identify one or more acquired images and/or to confirm potential file overwrites.  
     [0022] Although the exemplary UI of window  202  displays directory  118  resources, it can be appreciated that other data storage locations or devices can be illustrated in the window  202 . For instance, the window  202  may be used to display a Web browser UI (e.g., a UI of Web browser  410  of FIG. 4) to specify that the imaging device  100  is to index images at networked locations such as a Web server (e.g., identified via a Universal Resource Locator (URL)). An exemplary networked imaging device  100  is described in greater detail below in reference to FIG. 4.  
     [0023] Accordingly, UI  116  provides for user selection of a particular location (e.g., a specific data storage device  208 , a folder  210 , a file to overwrite, a networked device, a Web server, a database, etc.) within which to index acquired images  114 .  
     [0024] The imaging device  100  may still employ techniques such as OCR to analyze an acquired image, providing an initial estimation of where an acquired image is to be stored. Such an initial estimation can be based on any number of various algorithms that are implementation specific. For instance such an algorithm may correspond to document subject matter, context, author, and so on. However, the user can use the UI  116  to override or verify any such original estimation by specifically indicating where the acquired image  114  is to be organized or stored.  
     [0025]FIG. 3 shows further aspects of an exemplary imaging device UI  116  to index images into a directory  118 . Specifically, the UI  116  includes a preset menu item  302 . Upon user selection of menu item  302 , a dropdown menu  304  provides for user selection of one or more predefined locations to index images  114 . The predefined locations are identified in the menu  304  in any manner that suits the needs or desires of the user or organization. For instance, the predefined locations can be mapped to networked location such as a Web server (e.g., identified via a URL), directory  118  locations based on the subject matter (e.g., invoices, bills, resumes, business plans, presentations, etc.) or other context of the image data.  
     [0026] To illustrate this, consider that if the user or organization frequently acquires images of resumes, a “resume” menu item may be added to the drop-down menu  304 . The resume menu item can be mapped to a particular storage location (drive and folder, Web server, database, and so on) where resumes are to be stored. Before or after acquiring one or more resume images, the user can select this menu item to automatically index the images into the particular storage location. (This is shown by the cursor at the highlighted “resume” menu item).  
     [0027] Although FIGS. 2 and 3 show portions of the UI  116  as a windowing UI, any type of UI can be used to indicate where acquired image data  114  is to be indexed. For example, a user can use a text-based UI, a touch-sensitive display screen, hardwired input keys, and so on, to indicate where acquired image data  114  is to be stored.  
     [0028]FIG. 4 shows aspects of an exemplary system  400  to index acquired images to data storage locations that are accessed in a networked environment (e.g., an environment wherein the directory  118  is logically centralized but physically distributed across multiple computing devices  404 , an intranet, the Internet, etc.). Specifically, the imaging device  100  is coupled across communications medium  402  to one or more other computing devices  404  and/or one or more data storage device  406 . The communication medium  402  is a parallel connection, a packet switched network (e.g., an organizational intranet network), the Internet, and/or other communication configurations that provide electronic exchange of information between the image device  100  and one or more computing devices  404  and/or data storage devices  406  using an appropriate protocol (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP, SOAP, etc.).  
     [0029] The computing device  404  is implemented as a personal computer (PC), server, Web Server, or other device configured to communicate with the image acquiring or forming device  100 . Other system  400  arrangements are possible including additional imaging devices  100 , and/or additional computing devices  404 .  
     [0030] In the system  400 , the imaging device  100  further includes an embedded Web server  408  for communicating Web pages  410  to a computing device  404 , and a Web browser  412  for indexing image data  114  onto a networked data storage device  406 . The computing device  404  includes, for example, an application such as a browser (not shown) for displaying the communicated Web pages  410  to a user. Such Web pages  410  may include a user interface (not shown) to remotely control the imaging device&#39;s imaging acquisition characteristics. Such imaging device  100  acquisition control UIs include, for instance, a TWAIN UI, which is distributed with the imaging device  100 .  
     [0031] Additionally, such Web pages  410  may be utilized to display the exemplary UIs  116  of FIGS. 3 and 4 on the remote computer  404 , thereby allowing a user at a remote device to indicate a directory location to index acquired images (e.g., documents, bitmaps, etc.). Furthermore, the Web pages  410  may include an imaging device administrative UI allowing an administrator to remotely manage user access to specific ones of the distributed directory  118  resources. In this manner, certain users may be provided with capability to index acquired images to specific ones of the directory  118  resources, whereas other users may be denied such access through Web pages  410  implementation of administrative policy.  
     [0032] Computer-Readable Media  
     [0033] The subject matter of FIGS. 1 and 4 are illustrated as being implemented in a suitable computing environment. Although not required, the subject matter is described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as the program modules  106  of FIG. 1 that are respectively executed by the imaging device  100 . Program modules typically include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Additionally, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the described arrangements and procedures may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and so on. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices (computer-readable media).  
     [0034] Exemplary Procedure  
     [0035]FIG. 5 shows aspects of an exemplary procedure  500  to index acquired images into a local or distributed data storage location. At block  502 , a user specifies a data storage resource within which to index or store one or more acquired images (e.g., an imaging job). For instance, a user can specify a particular directory location, Web server, database, file or folder, and so on, to index acquired images using the exemplary UIs  116  of FIGS. 3 and 4. The user can accomplish this at the imaging device  100  or at a remote computer  404  such as a general purpose computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, and so on (e.g., via communication of the Web pages  408  to the remote computer  404 ).  
     [0036] At block  504 , the procedure  500  acquires the images at the imaging device. There are any of a number of procedures that can be used to acquire images from the imaging device. For instance, if the device  100  is a scanner, one or more images are scanned in from the scanner platen—possibly using an automatic document feeder to position multiple images onto the platen as a scan job. In another example, if the imaging device  100  is a digital camera, the image may be a scene or media file (e.g., an audio and/or video multimedia file) that is being digitized.  
     [0037] Block  504  can be performed before block  502 , wherein the images may have already been acquired before a user specifies the location within which to store the acquired images. Regardless of whether block  502  is performed before block  504 , or vice versa, the user specifies where to index the imaging device&#39;s  100  to be acquired or already acquired images.  
     [0038] At block  506 , the acquired images are stored at the user specified data storage location (block  502 ).  
     [0039] Conclusion  
     [0040] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological operations, it is understood that the arrangements and procedures defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or operations described. Rather, the specific features and operations are disclosed as preferred forms of implementing the claimed subject matter.