Abstract:
A wireless telecommunications terminal is provided comprising a digital camera and a processor. The digital camera is configured to take a digital photograph of an item showing a character string. The processor is configured to receive data of or relating to the character string read by an optical character recognition (OCR) reader in the digital photograph information, and to process said data.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to wireless telecommunications, particularly but not exclusively to mobile wireless telecommunications.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART  
       [0002]     It is known for a user to be presented with a telephone number or other character string on one apparatus, such as a computer terminal screen, a phone book or even a scrap of paper, and then to type the number or other character string into a telephone handset, in order to make the call or otherwise act on the data.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     An example of the present invention is a wireless telecommunications terminal comprising a digital camera and a processor. The digital camera is configured to take a digital photograph of an item showing a character string. The processor is configured to receive data of or relating to the character string read by an optical character recognition (OCR) reader in the digital photograph information, and to process said data.  
         [0004]     In some embodiments, the terminal may comprise a display, the processor then being configured to process the data by providing the data of or relating to the character string to the display. In some embodiments, the terminal may include an authorisation stage configured to enable a user of the terminal to indicate to the processor that the character string should be processed further. For example, where the character string is a telephone number, the authorisation stage may enable the user to indicate that a call connection to a terminal associated with the telephone number should be made.  
         [0005]     Another example of the invention is a wireless telecommunications network apparatus comprising a receiver, an optical character recognition (OCR) reader, and a transmitter. The receiver is configured to receive information of a digital photograph of an item bearing a character string from a wireless telecommunications terminal. The optical character recognition (OCR) reader is configured to read a character string in the information. The transmitter is configured to transmit, to the wireless telecommunications terminal, data of or relating to the character string read by the OCR reader.  
         [0006]     The present invention also relates to broadly corresponding methods. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     Some embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the drawings, in which:  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to a first embodiment,  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating operation of the mobile terminal shown in  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal and network according to a second embodiment,  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating operation of the mobile terminal and network shown in  FIG. 3 ,  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal and network according to a third embodiment,  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal and network according to a fourth embodiment,  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal and network according to a fifth embodiment, and  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal and network according to a sixth embodiment,  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to a further embodiment,  
         [0017]      FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating a mobile terminal according to a yet further embodiment. 
     
    
       [0018]     The drawings are not to scale but are schematic representations.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]     When considering a known system, the inventor realised that it was unnecessarily laborious, and a potential source of error, that a user had to read and type in a telephone number in order to make a call.  
         [0020]     The inventor realised that as more and more wireless terminals, such as mobile phones are becoming equipped with built-in digital cameras, it would be useful to be able to point the terminal at a visually displayed phone number and press an appropriate function key on the terminal&#39;s keypad, such as a “dial” or “store” function key.  
         [0000]     Number Recognition at the Mobile Terminal  
         [0021]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the mobile terminal  2  includes a digital camera  4  connected to an optical character recognition (OCR) reader  6 . The OCR reader  6  is connected both to a visual display  8  of the mobile terminal  2 , such as a liquid crystal diode (LCD) display, and also to a storage device  10 , such as a memory. The storage device  10  is connected to the display  8 . The display  8  is connected to an authorisation stage  12  via which the user can indicate, via keypad  14  connected to the authorisation stage  12 , whether he wishes the displayed number to be dialled up. The authorisation stage  12  is accordingly connected to a dial-up stage  16  which is connected to a transmitter-receiver  18 .  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the mobile terminal  2  shown in the  FIG. 1  operates as follows:  
         [0023]     In the mobile terminal  2 , the camera  4  takes a digital photograph in the form of a JPG file (step a). A JPG file is one in accordance with the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) standard. (In other embodiments, the digital photograph could be, for example, a Tag Image File Format (TIFF) file, a Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) file, or the like.  
         [0024]     This JPG file is then passed to the OCR reader  6  (step b).  
         [0025]     The OCR reader processes the JPG file to recognise all the text in the picture which it converts to ASCII text, in other words text strings within a text file (step c).  
         [0026]     The OCR reader  6  also queries that text file in order to identify number strings (step d).  
         [0027]     The OCR reader  6  provides those text strings to the display  8  where they are displayed (step e).  
         [0028]     The user selects among the number strings that are displayed on the display  8  using the keypad  14  (step f).  
         [0029]     If the user decides to dial-up one of the numbers displayed (step g) then appropriate signals are sent from the keypad  14  causing the authorisation stage  12  to direct the numbers to the dial-up stage  16 . A call connection is then made via the transmitter-receiver  18 . In other words, a call is made (step h). (In some otherwise similar embodiments, the user can select the type of call made to the identified telephone number string. For example, the dial-up stage  16  can be controlled by the user to select between a voice call or an SMS text message or an e-mail communication.) If the user elects not to dial the number (step i) then the user is asked to indicate via the keypad  14  whether he wishes the number to be stored (step j).  
         [0030]     If he indicates yes (step k) via the keypad  14  then an appropriate signal is sent via the authorisation stage  12  to the storage element  10  so as to store (step l) the number for subsequent recall and use.  
         [0031]     Alternatively, if the user indicates (step m) via the keypad  14  that the number is not to be stored, then the authorisation stage  12  acts to have that number discarded (step n).  
         [0032]     When the OCR reader  6  recognises more than one number string within the digital picture received from the camera  4 , it orders the number strings based on location within the picture and relative numeral size. The OCR reader  6  includes optical character recognition software such as “SimpleOCR”. Details of “SimpleOCR” are available from the following Internet site address: http://www.simpleocr.com/. “SimpleOCR” is provided by SimpleOCR having postal address of P.O. Box 548, Knoxville, Tenn. 37901-0548, USA, and a physical address of 1808 N. Cherry Street, Knoxville, Tenn. 37917, USA, The OCR reader  6  not only identifies the number strings but also the location of those number strings within the picture.  
         [0000]     Number Recognition at a Remote Node  
         [0033]     In a second example embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the optical character recognition reader is shifted from the mobile terminal to a node within the radio access network, for example to a base station or base station controller.  
         [0034]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , in the mobile terminal  302  a digital camera  304  is connected to a radio transmitter-receiver  318 . The mobile terminal  302  includes a visual display  308 , a storage means  310  such as a memory, and a keypad  314  connected via an authorisation stage  312  to a dial-up stage  316 . The dial-up stage  316  is connected to the transmitter receiver  318 . In the network node  320 , there is a further radio transmitter-receiver  322  connected to an optical character recognition (OCR) reader  306 .  
         [0035]     The arrangement shown in  FIG. 3  operates as shown in  FIG. 4  as follows:  
         [0036]     The camera  304 ′ takes a digital photograph in the form of a JPG file (step a′).  
         [0037]     This JPG file is passed to the transmitter receiver  318  and so sent by radio (step b′) to the network node.  
         [0038]     In the network node, this JPG file is received (step b 1 ). The JPG file is then processed (step c′), specifically by converting all text in the picture to ASCII text and giving the results as text strings ordered based on, for example, location within the picture and relative size. The optical character recognition software used is preferably “SimpleOCR” mentioned above, which provides text strings and the location of the text within the picture.  
         [0039]     In the optical character recognition reader  306  the text strings are queried to identify number strings (step d′).  
         [0040]     These number strings are returned to the transmitter receiver  322  from where they are transmitted (step d 1 ) back to the mobile terminal  302 .  
         [0041]     Back at the mobile terminal  302 , those transmitted number strings are received and displayed (step e′) on the visual display  308 .  
         [0042]     The user selects among the number strings that are displayed on the display  8  using the keypad  14  (step f,).  
         [0043]     If the user decides to dial-up one of the numbers displayed (step g′) then appropriate signals are sent from the keypad  314  causing the authorisation stage  312  to direct the numbers to the dial-up stage  316 .  
         [0044]     A call connection is then made via the transmitter-receiver  318 . In other words, a call is made (step h′). (In some otherwise similar embodiments, the user can select the type of call made to the identified telephone number string. For example, the dial-up stage can be controlled by the user to select between a voice call, an SMS text message or an e-mail communication.)  
         [0045]     If the user elects not to dial the number (step i′) then the user is asked to indicate via the keypad  314  whether he wishes the number to be stored (step j′).  
         [0046]     If he indicates yes (step k′) via the keypad  314  then an appropriate signal is sent via the authorisation stage  312  to the storage element  310  so as to store (step l′) the number for subsequent recall and use.  
         [0047]     Alternatively, if the user indicates (step m) via the keypad  314  that the number is not to be stored, then the authorisation stage  312  acts to have that number discarded (step n′).  
         [0048]     The picture is transmitted from the mobile terminal  302  to the network node  322  by e-mail. The number strings are returned to the mobile terminal  302  via a short message service (SMS) message or by e-mail.  
         [0000]     Applications  
         [0049]     It will be seen that regardless of whether the optical character recognition is undertaken within the mobile or at a remote node, in these example systems, it is a straightforward matter to make a telephone call. For example, a telephone number on a roadside advertisement such as a billboard can be photographed and dialled-up in a largely automated way as the user of the terminal is driven by in a car. Also, numbers can be photographed from advertisements on television or computer screens etc, and readily dialled up.  
         [0050]     There are many applications for such example systems. For example, product packaging can be printed with telephone numbers which are free for the user to dial (i.e. without a call charge to the user). A user can simply photograph the telephone number, and indicate, for example using a single keypad key that he wishes to dial up the number, and by the mobile handset then dialling-up the number, the user hears a description of the product.  
         [0051]     Another application is where dialling a phone number in respect of a product causes the user to be charged with the cost of the product. For example, a vending machine for soft drinks can have phone number labels for products. The user sends a SMS message to the selected phone number requesting charging of the appropriate cost to the user&#39;s account.  
         [0000]     Some Variants  
         [0052]     In the particular example systems described above, it is number strings, specifically telephone number strings, that are sought out by the OCR readers. Of course character strings such as recognised by OCR readers, can include alphabetic letters. One possible variant is basically as shown in  FIG. 3 , but with the OCR reader  306  identifying letter strings, such as words, or alphanumeric strings that are combinations of letters and numbers, rather than number strings for transmission to the mobile terminal. Such character strings are displayed at the mobile terminal and can be selected by the user for incorporation into SMS text messages and/or e-mails.  
         [0053]     Some other possible variants, in particular to the example system shown in  FIG. 3 , are shown in FIGS.  5  to  8 . In each of these example variants, the mobile terminal and network node are basically as described in respect of  FIG. 3 , subject, of course, to the variations explained below.  
         [0054]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the network node (here denoted  520 ) can be adapted so that character strings, in particular strings of letters, are directed to a directory service stage  524 . The directory service stage  524  acts to inspect directory databases (not separately shown) so as to provide a telephone number from identified letter strings of names, or name and address combinations or the like. The mobile terminal can include a mobile global positioning system (GPS) locator  526 , such that position data of the location of the mobile terminal  502  is sent to the network node  520 . This position information is passed to the directory service  524  enabling a telephone number to be identified with little information identified by the OCR reader  506 ; for example merely a person&#39;s name or a company name.  
         [0055]     In the variant shown in  FIG. 6 , the character string could be an Internet domain name, such as a URL, or a URL-like character sequence, or a search engine  624  such as Google could be used to do a search of letter strings, such as names or words, in the photograph so as to identify possible Internet addresses of interest.  
         [0056]     In the variant shown in  FIG. 7 , character strings provided by the optical character reader  706  are input into a character string translator  724 . The character string translator  724  is operative to translate letters or words into a selected language or script. For example a photograph of a sign could be taken by the mobile terminal  702 , and transmitted to the network node  720 . The network node  720  would identify the letter strings using its optical character recognition reader, be they for example, in Arabic, Cyrillic, Chinese or Japanese script. The text string translator  724  would then operate to convert the text strings recognised into for example roman letters. As another example, the character string translator  724  could be used to translate from one language to another, for example French to English.  
         [0057]     In the variant shown in  FIG. 8 , at the network node  820 , the optical character recognition reader  806  is connected to a geographic feature-locator  824 . Character string information identified by the OCR reader  806 , such as street names from street name-plates, information on signs, and milestones, is provided to the geographic feature-locator  824  which processes that information to give an estimate of the position of the mobile handset and/or an electronic map of the vicinity of that estimated position. That position information or map is then transmitted to the mobile handset  802  for display on the mobile handset  802  so as to inform the user.  
         [0058]     In some embodiments, where the OCR reader is in the terminal, for example as shown in  FIG. 3 , the OCR reader can include a character string translator as shown in  FIG. 9  or a geographic feature-locator as shown in  FIG. 10 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , a mobile  902 , which is basically as shown in  FIG. 1  can include an OCR reader  906  including a character string translator  924 . The character string translator  924  is operative to translate letters or words into any selected language or script. Similarly as shown in  FIG. 10 , a mobile  1002  that is basically as shown in  FIG. 1  includes a geographic feature-location  1024  with the OCR reader  1006 . The geographic feature-locator  1024  processes the character string information to give an estimate of the position of the mobile handset e.g. on an electronic map.  
         [0059]     In some embodiments, other types of OCR software or processors than “SimpleOCR” can be used.  
         [0060]     In some embodiments, rather than ordering character strings based on location in the picture and/or relative size, strings can be ordered based on similarity to known telephone numbers for example. In some embodiments character strings can be added to by further software, for example identified telephone number strings can be extended by country codes or area prefixes.  
         [0000]     General  
         [0061]     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.