Patent Description:
In order to meet the special needs in the market, some companies have developed applications with barcode-scanning function and/or optical character recognition (OCR) function, so that the applications can be applied to various types of mobile devices (for example, smartphones, tablet PCs, or industrial touch PCs). However, these applications are not convenient to use. For example, when a user wants to convert a barcode pattern or a character pattern into a string through the application so as to input the string into an input field of another application (for example, Facebook, or Google Chrome), the user needs to open a window frame of the application and another window frame of the another application alternately to complete the above operation.

The prior-art document "<NPL>] discloses: a mobile device comprising at least two camera modules, a barcode-decoding application, wherein the barcode-decoding application is configured to capture at least one barcode pattern through one of the camera modules and convert the at least one barcode pattern into at least one first string, wherein each of the at least one barcode pattern is generated by using at least one of the camera modules to capture at least one barcode; a touch display module configured to display a display frame, wherein the display frame has an input field; wherein a control module is configured to activate a virtual keyboard window of a system default input method and a trigger element of an image conversion input method in response to an input trigger event of the input field, and the control module is configured to control the touch display module to display an overlapping window of the image conversion input method on the display frame overlappingly in response to a first trigger event of the trigger element.

In order to address the problem(s) mentioned above, the present disclosure provides a mobile device according to independent claim <NUM>. The dependent claims show further preferred embodiments of the said mobile device. In one or some embodiments, the mobile device integrates an application which has a barcode-scanning function and/or an OCR function (hereinafter, abbreviated as an image conversion input method) into an input method of the mobile device so as to obtain contents represented by a barcode and/or an image by using the barcode-scanning function and/or the OCR function and input the obtained content into the input field directly. Therefore, the convenience of using the image conversion input method can be improved.

The mobile device includes a general camera module, a specific camera module, a barcode-decoding module, a touch display module, and a control module. The barcode-decoding module is electrically connected to the specific camera module, wherein the barcode-decoding module is configured to capture at least one barcode pattern through the specific camera module and convert the at least one barcode pattern into at least one first string, wherein each of the at least one barcode pattern is generated by using the specific camera module to capture at least one barcode. The specific camera module and the barcode decoding module are integrated into an individual hardware component, that is, a barcode engine. The touch display module is configured to display a display frame, wherein the display frame has an input field. The control module is electrically connected to the general camera module, the specific camera module, and the touch display module, wherein the control module is configured to activate a virtual keyboard window of a system default input method and a trigger element of an image conversion input method in response to an input trigger event of the input field, and the control module is configured to control the touch display module to display an overlapping window of the image conversion input method on the display frame overlappingly in response to a first trigger event of the trigger element.

In some embodiments, the trigger element is a virtual button, and the virtual button, the input field, and the virtual keyboard window are displayed on the display frame at the same time.

In some embodiments, the control module is further configured to control the touch display module to hide the overlapping window displayed on the display frame in response to a recurrence of the first trigger event.

In some embodiments, the first trigger event is a short press operation.

In some embodiments, the control module is further configured to control the touch display module to display a setting window of the image conversion input method in response to a second trigger event of the trigger element.

In some embodiments, the second trigger event is a long press operation.

In some embodiments, the mobile device further includes at least one selection button, wherein the specific camera module is configured to capture a preview frame having the at least one barcode pattern, the control module is further configured to activate the barcode-decoding module in response to a barcode selection event of the at least one selection button, and the control module is further configured to display the preview frame in the overlapping window in a real-time manner after the control module activates the barcode-decoding module and display one of the at least one first string in the input field.

In some embodiments, the at least one barcode pattern includes a plurality of barcode patterns, the overlapping window further has a candidate field, the candidate field is above the overlapping window, and the control module is further configured to display the at least one first string as input options of the input field in the candidate field after the control module activates the barcode-decoding module.

In some embodiments, the mobile device further includes a character recognition engine disposed between the general camera module and the control module, wherein the character recognition engine is configured to capture at least one string pattern and another preview frame having the at least one string pattern through the general camera module, and the character recognition engine is configured to recognize and convert each of the at least one string pattern into at least one second string, and wherein each string pattern is generated by using the general camera module to capture at least one character.

In some embodiments, the control module is further configured to activate the character recognition engine correspondingly in response to a character selection trigger event of the at least one selection button, and the control module is configured to display the another preview frame in the overlapping window in a real-time manner after the control module activates the character recognition engine and display one of the at least one second string in the input field.

In some embodiments, the overlapping window includes an enlargement button, and the control module is further configured to control the touch display module to enlarge and display the overlapping window in response to an enlargement trigger event of the enlargement button.

In conclusion, according to any one of embodiments, the mobile device has both the system default input method and the image conversion input method so as to provide diverse input functions. Therefore, the user can select an appropriate input method for input operations (such as but not limited to a Chinese/English input, a barcode-scanning input, or an OCR input) when performing a character input of any one of input fields so as to improve the convenience and the efficiency of the character input.

Please refer to <FIG>. A mobile device <NUM> having various input methods (hereinafter abbreviated as mobile device <NUM>) is provided, and the mobile device <NUM> can provide various input operations such as virtual keyboard and image conversion (for example, barcode-scanning and/or character recognition). The mobile device includes a general camera module <NUM>, a specific camera module <NUM>, a barcode-decoding module <NUM>, a touch display module <NUM>, and a control module <NUM>. The barcode-decoding module <NUM> is electrically connected between the specific camera module <NUM> and the control module <NUM>, and the control module <NUM> is electrically connected to the general camera module <NUM>, barcode-decoding module <NUM>, and the touch display module <NUM>.

The barcode-decoding module <NUM> captures at least one barcode pattern through the specific camera module <NUM> and converts each of the at least one barcode patterns into at least one string (hereinafter referred to as first strings).

Please refer to <FIG>. In some embodiments, the mobile device <NUM> includes a housing <NUM>. In some embodiments, the touch display module <NUM> is embedded on the front surface of the housing <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>), the general camera module <NUM> and the specific camera module <NUM> are embedded on the housing <NUM>, and the barcode-decoding module <NUM> and the control module <NUM> are disposed in the housing <NUM> (not shown).

In some embodiments, the general camera module <NUM> may be embedded on the back surface of the housing <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>). In some embodiments, the general camera module <NUM> may also be embedded on the front surface of the housing <NUM> (not shown).

In some embodiments, the specific camera module <NUM> may be embedded on the back surface of the housing <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>). In some embodiments, the specific camera module <NUM> may also be embedded on the front surface of the housing <NUM> (not shown).

In some embodiments, the mobile device <NUM> may be a device having a touch function and a character input application, such as but not limited to a smartphone, a tablet computer, or a touch computer. In some embodiments, the general camera module <NUM> may be a front camera or a rear camera on the mobile device <NUM> which is normally configured to take pictures or record videos.

Please refer to <FIG>, when the mobile device <NUM> starts operating, the touch display module <NUM> displays an input field <NUM> on a display frame <NUM> (the step S100, as shown in <FIG>; the method steps are not part of the claim set, but are provided as additional information).

In some embodiments, the size of the display frame <NUM> is not larger than the size of the screen of the touch display module <NUM>. For example, the size of the display frame <NUM> may be substantially equal to the size of the touch display module <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>).

In some embodiments, the input field <NUM> may be a desktop widget constantly configured on the desktop and provided by an operating system or an application of the mobile device <NUM> (such as but not limited to a search bar on the main frame of the mobile device <NUM>), a field of the application or a search engine in a webpage (such as but not limited to an App Store search engine or a Google search engine), or a character input page or field in the application or the webpage (such as but not limited to an input page of Word Application or a field for creating a post of Facebook Application).

After the step S100, the mobile device <NUM> triggers the control module <NUM> to activate a system default input method and an image conversion input method through the input field <NUM> so as to control the touch display module <NUM> to display the input field <NUM>, a virtual keyboard window <NUM> of the system default input method, and a trigger element <NUM> of the image conversion input method on the display frame <NUM> at the same time (the step S110, as shown in <FIG>; the method steps are not part of the claim set, but are provided as additional information). In some embodiments, the trigger element <NUM> is a virtual button, and the system default input method and the image conversion input method are linked to the input field.

It should be noticed that sequences between two events which occurred at the same time may have a short delay time. In some embodiments, the short delay time is below than <NUM> milliseconds (ms). For example, the trigger element <NUM> of the image conversion input method is displayed on the display frame <NUM> in <NUM> milliseconds after that the input field <NUM> and the virtual keyboard window <NUM> of the system default input method have been displayed on the display frame <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the trigger element <NUM> may be disposed in the display frame <NUM> floatingly. In some embodiments, the trigger element <NUM> may also be disposed in the display frame <NUM> fixedly; for example, the trigger element <NUM> is located at the middle position of the display frame <NUM> fixedly which is adjacent to the left side.

After the step S110, the control module <NUM> controls the touch display module <NUM> to display an overlapping window <NUM> of the image conversion input method on the display frame <NUM> overlappingly in response to a first trigger event of the trigger element <NUM> (the step S120, as shown in <FIG>; the method steps are not part of the claim set, but are provided as additional information). In some embodiments, the overlapping window <NUM> is linked to the general camera module <NUM> or the specific camera module <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the overlapping window <NUM> may be a window extending from the trigger element <NUM>. In some embodiments, the overlapping window <NUM> may be located at the upper layer of the virtual keyboard window <NUM> fixedly and overlappingly, or the overlapping window <NUM> may be located at the upper layer of the virtual keyboard window <NUM> floatingly and overlappingly.

Take the input field <NUM> as the search bar on the main frame of the mobile device <NUM> as an example. When a user clicks the input field <NUM>, the control module <NUM> controls the touch display module <NUM> to display a cursor <NUM> in the input field <NUM> in response to the click event of the user, and the virtual keyboard window <NUM> of the system default input method is emerged from the bottom of the display frame <NUM>. Meanwhile, the virtual button of the image conversion input method (i.e., the trigger element <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>) is displayed on any position in the display frame <NUM> floatingly or fixedly. Then, when the user presses the trigger element <NUM> once (i.e., in this embodiment, the first trigger event), the overlapping window <NUM> which is located at the upper layer of the virtual keyboard window <NUM> and overlaps the virtual keyboard window <NUM> will appear on the touch display module <NUM>.

Please refer to <FIG>. In some embodiments, the mobile device <NUM> further includes at least one selection button <NUM>, <NUM>, and the image conversion input method includes a barcode-scanning input method. In other words, the mobile device <NUM> has a barcode-scanning function.

Please refer to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> (the method steps are not part of the claim set, but are provided as additional information). In some embodiments, after the step S120, the control module <NUM> activates the barcode-scanning input method in response to a barcode selection event for one selection button <NUM> of the at least one selection button <NUM>, <NUM> (the step S131). In other words, in some embodiments, the selection button <NUM> corresponds to the barcode-scanning function. In some embodiments, the selection button <NUM> corresponding to the barcode-scanning function can be a physical button of the mobile device <NUM> or a virtual button on the overlapping window <NUM>. Take the selection button <NUM> being the virtual button as an example, the barcode selection event may be that the user clicks the virtual button once.

After the step S131, the mobile device <NUM> scans the at least one barcode through the barcode-scanning input method to obtain at least one first string (the step S132).

In step S132, the specific camera module <NUM> captures the at least one barcode to obtain at least one barcode pattern <NUM> of the at least one barcode (the step S132a). Then, the at least one barcode pattern <NUM> will be transmitted to the barcode-decoding module <NUM>, and the barcode-decoding module <NUM> decodes each of the at least one barcode pattern <NUM> into the at least one first string (the step S132c).

Please refer to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> (the method steps are not part of the claim set, but are provided as additional information). In other embodiments of the step S132, the specific camera module <NUM> captures the at least one barcode to obtain the at least one barcode pattern <NUM> of the at least one barcode and to obtain a preview frame <NUM> having the at least one barcode pattern <NUM> (the step S132a'). Then, the control module <NUM> of the mobile device <NUM> controls the touch display module <NUM> to preview and display the preview frame <NUM> in the overlapping window <NUM> in a real-time manner (the step S132b, as shown in <FIG>) so as to facilitate the user to confirm the barcode aligned with the specific camera module <NUM>. After that, the control module <NUM> transmits the at least one barcode pattern <NUM> to the barcode-decoding module <NUM>, and the barcode-decoding module <NUM> decodes each of the at least one barcode pattern <NUM> into the at least one first string (the step S132c).

After the step S132, the control module <NUM> receives the first strings output by the barcode-decoding module <NUM> and controls the touch display module <NUM> to display any one of the first strings ST1 of the at least one first string in the input field <NUM> (the step S134, as shown in <FIG>).

Take one barcode as an example, a barcode information carried by the barcode is "ABC123456". In this embodiment, the specific camera module <NUM> captures the barcode to obtain a barcode pattern <NUM> of the barcode, and the barcode-decoding module <NUM> decodes the obtained barcode pattern <NUM> to obtain the first string ST1 carrying "ABC123456".

In some embodiments, when the specific camera module <NUM> captures a plurality of barcodes at one time (i.e., the at least one barcode pattern includes a plurality of barcode patterns), the touch display module <NUM> displays the first string represented by the barcode pattern located at a specified position in the preview frame <NUM> (for example, the barcode pattern overlapping the center of the preview frame <NUM>) in the input field <NUM>.

Please refer to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> (the method steps are not part of the claim set, but are provided as additional information). In some embodiments, the at least one first string includes a plurality of first strings, and the overlapping window <NUM> further has a candidate field <NUM>. In some embodiments, the candidate field <NUM> is above the overlapping window <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>). In other words, in some embodiments, the specific camera module <NUM> captures a plurality of barcodes at one time to obtain the plurality of barcode patterns <NUM>, <NUM> correspondingly. At this moment, in the step S132c, the barcode-decoding module <NUM> decodes the barcode patterns <NUM>, <NUM> of the plurality of barcodes into the plurality of first strings, and the control module <NUM> controls the touch display module <NUM> to display the plurality of first strings as input options IT1, IT2 of the input field <NUM> in the candidate field <NUM> (the step S133, as shown in <FIG>).

Take that the specific camera module <NUM> captures two barcodes as an example (as shown in <FIG>), barcode information carried by the two barcodes are "DEF789012" and "GHI345678", respectively. At this moment, the candidate field <NUM> has two input options IT1, IT2, wherein one input option IT1 is the first string "DEF789012" converted by the barcode pattern <NUM>, and the other input option IT2 is the first string "GHI345678" converted by the barcode pattern <NUM>. Specifically, in this embodiment, when the mobile device <NUM> captures the two barcode patterns <NUM>, <NUM>, the barcode-decoding module <NUM> decodes the two barcode patterns <NUM>, <NUM> into the first string "DEF789012" and the first string "GHI345678", respectively. The two first strings are displayed in the candidate field <NUM> as input options IT1, IT2, so that one of the two first strings can be selected to be input into the input field <NUM>.

Please refer to <FIG>. In some embodiments, the image conversion input method further includes a character recognition input method, and the mobile device <NUM> further includes a character recognition engine <NUM>. In some embodiments, the character recognition <NUM> is electrically connected between the general camera module <NUM> and the control module <NUM> and is disposed in the housing <NUM> (not shown). In other words, in some embodiments, the mobile device <NUM> has an optical character recognition (OCR) function.

Please refer to <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> (the method steps are not part of the claim set, but are provided as additional information). In some embodiments, after step the S120 or the step S134, the control module <NUM> activates the character recognition input method in response to a character selection event for the other selection button <NUM> of the at least one selection button <NUM>, <NUM> (step S141). In other words, in some embodiments, the selection button <NUM> corresponds to the OCR function. In some embodiments, the selection button <NUM> corresponding to the OCR function may be a physical button of the mobile device <NUM> or a virtual button on the overlapping window <NUM>. Take the selection button <NUM> being the virtual button as an example, the character selection event may be that the user clicks the virtual button one time.

In some embodiments, the selection button <NUM> corresponding to the barcode-scanning function and the selection button <NUM> corresponding to the OCR function are both physical buttons of the mobile device <NUM> or are both virtual buttons on the overlapping window <NUM>. In other embodiments, one of the at least one selection button <NUM>, <NUM> is a physical button of the mobile device <NUM>, and the other of the at least one selection button <NUM>, <NUM> is a virtual button on the overlapping window <NUM>.

After the step S141, the mobile device <NUM> can detect at least one character to obtain at least one string (hereinafter referred to as second strings, the step S142) through the character recognition input method.

Please refer to <FIG> and <FIG> to <FIG> (the method steps are not part of the claim set, but are provided as additional information). In some embodiments of the step S142, the general camera module <NUM> captures the at least one character to obtain at least one string pattern <NUM>, <NUM> of the at least one character and to obtain another preview frame <NUM> having the at least one string pattern <NUM>, <NUM> (the step S142a, as shown in <FIG>). Then, the control module <NUM> of the mobile device <NUM> controls the touch display module <NUM> to preview and to display the another preview frame <NUM> in the overlapping window <NUM> in a real-time manner (the step S142b, as shown in <FIG>). After that, the mobile device <NUM> recognizes and converts the at least one string pattern <NUM>, <NUM> into the at least one second string through the character recognition engine <NUM> (the step S142c, as shown in <FIG>).

Finally, the control module <NUM> displays any one of the second strings ST2 of the at least one second string in the input field <NUM> (the step S144, as shown in <FIG>). Take two character patterns <NUM>, <NUM> as an example, in the step S142c, the second string converted by the character pattern <NUM> is "Hello", and the second string converted by the character pattern <NUM> is "world". In addition, in the step S144, the second string ST2 which is "Hello" is displayed in the input field <NUM>.

In some embodiments, when the at least one second string obtained in the step S142c includes a plurality of second strings, the control module <NUM> can control the touch display module <NUM> to display the plurality of second strings as input options of the input field <NUM> in the candidate field after the step S142c and before the step S144 (the step S143, not shown). After the user selects the second string ST2, the touch display module <NUM> displays the second string ST2 selected by the user in the input field <NUM> (the step S144, as shown in <FIG>).

Please refer to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> (the method steps are not part of the claim set, but are provided as additional information). In some embodiments, after the step S120, the control module <NUM> controls the touch display module <NUM> to hide the overlapping window <NUM> displayed on the display frame <NUM> in response to a recurrence of the first trigger event (the step S160, as shown in <FIG>). Following the previous example and taking that the first trigger event is an one-press operation as an example, when the overlapping window <NUM> is displayed on the display frame <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>) and the user presses the trigger element <NUM> again, the control module <NUM> can hide the overlapping window <NUM> in the display frame <NUM> so as to make the touch display module <NUM> no longer display the overlapping window <NUM> on the display frame <NUM>. It should be understood that, the step S160 shown in <FIG> is performed after the step S120 in a real-time manner, but the order of the steps is not a limitation for the present disclosure. The step S160 can be performed before or after any step after the step S120 (for example, any one of the steps S131-S134 and S141-S144) under reasonable circumstances.

Please refer to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> (the method steps are not part of the claim set, but are provided as additional information). In some embodiments, after the step S110, the control module <NUM> controls the touch display module <NUM> to display a setting window <NUM> of the image conversion input method in response to a second trigger event of the trigger element <NUM> (the step S170, as shown in <FIG>). It should be understood that, the step S170 shown in <FIG> is performed after the step S110 in a real-time manner, but the order of the steps is not a limitation for the present disclosure. The step S170 can be performed before or after any step after the step S110 (for example, any one of the steps S120, S131-S134, S141-S144, and S160) under reasonable circumstances.

In some embodiments, the first trigger event and the second trigger event are different trigger events. In some embodiment, the first trigger event is a short press operation, and the second trigger event is a long press operation. In some embodiments, the short press operation is, for example, a single press or an operation that presses for <NUM> second and releases, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The long press operation is, for example, an operation that presses for more than <NUM> seconds, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

In some embodiments, the mobile device <NUM> can adjust the image conversion input method and various functions of the overlapping window <NUM> of the image conversion input method through the setting window <NUM>.

Please refer to <FIG>. In some embodiments, the setting window <NUM> has a plurality of virtual buttons BT, and each of the plurality of virtual buttons BT has a corresponding setting or a corresponding function. For example, the button BT1 of "function" is configured to adjust detailed settings of OCR function, QR code scanning function, and the barcode-scanning function (for example, an automatic/manual function setting of barcode-scanning function). The button BT2 of "Windows" is configured to set the size of the overlapping window <NUM> and the position of the overlapping window <NUM>. The button BT3 of "Notice" is configured to set a switch of sound notification and/or a switch of vibration notification when the recognition operation or the scanning operation is successful. The button BT4 of "Prefix/Suffix" is configured to set a switch for adding a prefix/suffix string before and after the at least one first string. The button BT5 of "Auto return" is configured to set a switch for hiding the overlapping window <NUM> automatically or manually after the recognition operation or the scanning operation is successful. The button BT6 of "Others" is configured to perform other detailed settings related to the overlapping window <NUM> (for example, appearance settings of language or background).

Please refer to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> (the method steps are not part of the claim set, but are provided as additional information). In some embodiments, the overlapping window <NUM> may include an enlargement button <NUM>. After the step S120, the control module <NUM> controls the touch display module <NUM> to enlarge and display the overlapping window <NUM> in response to an enlargement trigger event (for example, the enlargement button <NUM> is pressed and selected) of the enlargement button <NUM> (the step S180, as shown in <FIG>). It should be understood that, the step S180 shown in <FIG> is performed after the step S120 in a real-time manner, but the order of the steps is not a limitation for the present disclosure. The step S180 can be performed before or after any step after the step S120 (for example, any one of the steps S131-S134 and S141-S144) under reasonable circumstances.

In some embodiments in the step S180, the control module <NUM> controls the touch display module <NUM> to display the overlapping window <NUM> in full screen in response to the enlargement trigger event of the enlargement button <NUM>. In some embodiments, the display frame <NUM> has a first size, the overlapping window <NUM> before enlarging has a second size, and the overlapping window <NUM> after enlarging has a third size. In some embodiments, the second size is smaller than the first size, the third size is larger than the second size, and the third size is smaller than or equal to the first size. In some embodiments, the second size and/or the third size of the overlapping window <NUM> can be set through the setting window <NUM> of the image conversion input method. For example, the third size of the overlapping window <NUM> is substantially equal to the first size of the display frame <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>).

In some embodiments, the general camera module <NUM> and the specific camera module <NUM> may be photosensitive elements, respectively, wherein the photosensitive element is configured to sense a pattern and convert the pattern into an electronic signal, such as but not limited to a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor.

In some embodiments, the barcode-decoding module <NUM> and the character recognition engine <NUM> may be hardware components, respectively, wherein the hardware component has an operating function, such as but not limited to a microprocessor, a graphics processing unit (GPU), an embedded controller, or a microcontroller unit (MCU),.

In some embodiments, the barcode-decoding module <NUM> converts the at least one barcode pattern into the at least one first string according to data in a database built in the mobile device <NUM>, and the character recognition engine <NUM> converts the at least one string pattern into the at least one second string according to the data in a database built in the mobile device <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the mobile device <NUM> is coupled to a cloud database in a way of wireless communication through a communication module (not shown). In some embodiments, the barcode-decoding module <NUM> converts the at least one barcode pattern into the at least one first string according to data in the cloud database, and the character recognition engine <NUM> converts the at least one string pattern into the at least one second string according to the data in the cloud database.

In some embodiments, the touch display module <NUM> may be a display device which has a touch function, such as but not limited to a resistive touch panel, a capacitive touch panel, an infrared touch panel, an optical touch panel, or a surface acoustic wave touch panel.

In some embodiments, the control module <NUM> may be a hardware component which has a logic processing function, such as but not limited to a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or an MCU.

In some embodiments, the barcode-decoding module <NUM>, the character recognition engine <NUM>, and the control module <NUM> may be three hardware components, and each of the three hardware components has a signal processing function.

The specific camera module <NUM> and the barcode decoding module <NUM> are integrated into an individual hardware component, that is, a barcode engine (also referred to as a barcode-scanning module). The character recognition engine <NUM> and the control module <NUM> may be realized using a single hardware component which has a signal processing function.

In some other embodiments, the barcode-decoding module <NUM>, the character recognition engine <NUM>, and the control module <NUM> may be realized using a single hardware component which has a signal processing function.

Claim 1:
A mobile device comprising:
a general camera module (<NUM>);
a specific camera module (<NUM>);
a barcode-decoding module (<NUM>) electrically connected to the specific camera module (<NUM>), wherein the barcode-decoding module (<NUM>) is configured to capture at least one barcode pattern (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) through the specific camera module (<NUM>) and convert the at least one barcode pattern (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) into at least one first string (ST1), wherein each of the at least one barcode pattern (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) is generated by using the specific camera module (<NUM>) to capture at least one barcode;
wherein the specific camera module (<NUM>) and the barcode decoding module (<NUM>) are integrated into an individual hardware component, that is, a barcode engine;
a touch display module (<NUM>) configured to display a display frame (<NUM>), wherein the display frame (<NUM>) has an input field (<NUM>); and
a control module (<NUM>) electrically connected to the general camera module (<NUM>), the specific camera module (<NUM>), and the touch display module (<NUM>), wherein the control module (<NUM>) is configured to activate a virtual keyboard window (<NUM>) of a system default input method and a trigger element (<NUM>) of an image conversion input method in response to an input trigger event of the input field (<NUM>), and the control module (<NUM>) is configured to control the touch display module (<NUM>) to display an overlapping window (<NUM>) of the image conversion input method on the display frame (<NUM>) overlappingly in response to a first trigger event of the trigger element (<NUM>).