Methods for determining contents of media
US6694042B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 8, 2002 |
| Grant date | Feb 17, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 8, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07F17/26
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
By printing documents and other objects with machine readable indicia, such as steganographic digital watermarks or barcodes, a great variety of document management functions can be enabled. The indicia can be added as part of the printing process (after document data has been output by an originating application program), such as by printer driver software, by a Postscript engine in a printer, etc. The indicia can encode data about the document, or can encode an identifier that references a database record containing such data. By showing the printed document to a computer device with a suitable optical input device (e.g., a webcam), an electronic version of the document can be recalled for editing, or other responsive action can be taken.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.