Print-to-web linking technology using a mobile phone camera and its applications in Japan

Abstract

In recent years, with the rapid spread of mobile phones, the technology of print-to-web linking using mobile phone camera has attracted increasing attention. The print-to-web linking technology using a mobile phone camera is a new technique. Users can instantly link from the printed image to a related website where more information can be obtained by taking a picture with a mobile phone camera. This is an application of print-to-web linking technology using mobile phone camera. Many techniques using QR (quick response) code or bar code have been commercialized. Yet makers and advertising agencies are still trying to develop new techniques to replace them. This is because of the dull designs of QR code and bar code. The proposed methods using the watermarking techniques and image recognition techniques have been paid more attention. There are still a number of restrictions on their real applications. The general use of them remains challenging problems. A significant problem is the question of how will the future of print-to-web linking technology develop. In this chapter, I will introduce the methods of printto- web linking technology using mobile phone camera and its applications in Japan in recent years. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.