Information search method and system for registering and searching for associated multimedia data using embedded information

A computer-implemented information search method for requesting to search for associated multimedia data defining a Web page based on perceptually unrecognizable code information embedded in perceptually recognizable fixed-pattern data using a digital watermark, mounted in said multimedia data including at least one of character data, still data, moving image data, and audio data, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) decoding said code information embedded in said fixed-pattern data using said digital watermark, related to said multimedia data, wherein said fixed-pattern data embedded with said code information using said digital watermark is a mark image in the form of a still image;
• (b) issuing a search request for information related to said multimedia data to an external processing unit based on said code information, said external processing unit having information related to said multimedia data corresponding to said code information as a database;
• and
• (c) displaying acquired information related to said multimedia data on a display device.

A computer-implemented information search processing method for requesting to search for associated multimedia data defining a Web page based on visually unrecognizable code information embedded, using a digital watermark, in a visually recognizable mark image mounted in said multimedia data including at least one of character data, still data, moving image data and audio data, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) displaying said mark image embedded with said code information in the form of a still image, on a display device;
• (b) issuing, to an external processing unit, a search request for information related to said multimedia data based on said code information embedded therein using said digital watermark, when said mark image was specified;
• and
• (c) displaying acquired information related to said multimedia data on said display device.

An information search system having a first server for providing multimedia data defining a Web page including at least one of character data, still image data, moving image data and audio data, a client terminal for receiving said multimedia data provided by said first server, and a second server for embedding perceptually unrecognizable code information using a digital watermark in perceptually recognizable fixed-pattern data mounted in said multimedia data for managing information related to said multimedia data mounted with said code information, wherein:

• said first server includes means responsive to a request from said client terminal for sending specified multimedia data to said client terminal, means for requesting said second server to send said fixed-pattern data embedded with said code information using said digital watermark, and means for mounting said fixed-pattern data in corresponding said multimedia data, wherein said fixed-pattern data embedded with said code information using said digital watermark is a mark image in the form of a still image;
• said second server includes means responsive to a request from said first server for mounting specified code information in specified fixed-pattern data and sending said fixed-pattern data to said first server, means for registering information related to said multimedia data mounted with said code information in a database, and means responsive to a search request from said client terminal for searching said database based on specified code information to extract information related to said multimedia data corresponding to the specified code information and sending the extracted information to said client terminal;
• and
• said client terminal includes means for requesting said first server to acquire said multimedia data mounted with said fixed-pattern data, means for decoding code information embedded in acquired fixed-pattern data, means for issuing to said second server a search request for information related to said multimedia date associated with said code information based on decoded code information, and means for displaying acquired information related to said multimedia data on a display device.

A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium to perform method steps for registering in a database information related to multimedia data defining a Web page, having code information associated therewith, said method steps comprising:

• (a) in response to a request from a requester, embedding perceptually unrecognizable code information using a digital watermark in perceptually recognizable fixed-pattern data mounted in said multimedia data including at least one of character data, still image data, moving image data and audio data, and sending said multimedia data embedded with said code information to the requester;
• (b) registering information related to said multimedia data embedded with said code information in the database, in correspondence with said code information;
• and
• (c) in response to a search request from a requester, searching said database based on specified code information to extract information on said multimedia data corresponding to the specified code information, and sending the extracted information to the requester,
• wherein said fixed-pattern data, embedded with said code information using said digital watermark, is a mark image in the form of a still image.

A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium to perform method steps far requesting to search for associated multimedia data defining a Web page based on perceptually unrecognizable code information embedded, using a digital watermark, in perceptually recognizable fixed-pattern data mounted in said multimedia data including at least one character data, still image data, moving image data and audio data, said method steps comprising:

• (a) decoding said code information embedded in said fixed-pattern data using said digital watermark, related to said multimedia data, wherein said fixed-pattern data embedded with said code information using said digital watermark is a mark image in the form of a still image;
• (b) issuing a search request for information related to said multimedia data to an external processing unit based on said code information, said external processing unit having information related to said multimedia data corresponding to said code information as a database;
• and
• (c) displaying acquired information related to said multimedia data on a display device.

A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium to perform method steps for requesting to search for associated multimedia data defining a Web page based on visually unrecognizable code information embedded in a visually recognizable mark image, using a digital watermark, mounted in said multimedia data including at least one character data, still image data, moving image data and audio data, said method steps comprising:

• (a) displaying said mark image embedded with said code information in the form of a still image, on a display device;
• (b) issuing to an external processing unit a search request for information related to said multimedia data based on said code information embedded therein using said digital watermark, when said mark image was specified;
• and
• (c) displaying acquired information related to said multimedia data on a display device.

An information system, comprising:

• a first server arranged to provide multimedia data defining a Web page, including at least one of character data, still image data, moving image data and audio date;
• a second server arranged to embed perceptually unrecognizable code information, using a digital watermark, in perceptually recognizable fixed-pattern data mounted in said multimedia data for managing information related to said multimedia data mounted with said code information, wherein said fixed-pattern data embedded with said code information using said digital watermark is a mark image in the form of a still image;
• and
• a client terminal connected to said first server and said second server, via a network, and arranged to receive said multimedia data provided by said first server,
• wherein said first server is configured to send specified multimedia data to said client terminal in response to a request from said client terminal, to request said second server to send said fixed-pattern data embedded with said code information using said digital watermark, and to mount said fixed-pattern data in corresponding said multimedia data;
• wherein said second server is configured to mount specified code information in specified fixed-pattern data and send said fixed-pattern data to said first server in response to a request from said first server, to register information related to said multimedia data mounted with said code information in a database, and to search said database based on specified code information to extract information related to said multimedia data corresponding to the specified code information and send the extracted information to said client terminal in response to a search request from said client terminal;
• and
• wherein said client terminal is configured to request said first server to acquire said multimedia data mounted with said fixed-pattern data, to decode code information embedded in acquired fixed-pattern data using said digital watermark, to send a search request to said second server for information related to said multimedia data associated with said code information based on decoded code information, and to provide a visual display of acquired information related to said multimedia data.