Information detection apparatus and information detection method

An information detection method, comprising:

• inputting an image captured by an image capturing apparatus;
• detecting a first symbol and a second symbol, which are predetermined, according to the input image;
• detecting a service information existing at a relative position predetermined for the first symbol and the second symbol in the image when the first symbol and the second symbol are detected according to the input image;
• and
• outputting the detected service information,
• wherein the first symbol is a symbol representing a monetary unit, the second symbol is the shape of a border line surrounding the symbol, and the relative position is defined relative to the first symbol and located in a region surrounded by the border line.

An information detection apparatus, comprising:

• a processor that executes or facilitates execution of computer executable units stored in a memory, the computer-executable units comprising:
• an image input unit configured to input an image captured by an image capturing apparatus;
• a symbol detection unit configured to detect a first symbol and a second symbol, which are predetermined, according to the image input by the image input unit;
• a service information detection unit configured to detect a service information existing at a relative position predetermined for the first symbol and the second symbol in the image when the first symbol and the second symbol are detected by the symbol detection unit according to the image input by the image input unit;
• an output unit configured to output the service information detected by the service information detection unit;
• and
• wherein the first symbol includes a symbol representing a monetary unit and an end mark in a specified shape, the second symbol is in the shape of a border line surrounding the symbol and the end mark, and the relative position is in the region surrounded by the border line and located between the symbol and the end mark.