Journal of Software Engineering and Applications, 2013, 6, 582-588
Published Online November 2013 (http://www.scirp.org/journal/jsea)
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jsea.2013.611070
Open Access JSEA
An Improved Storage Structure Format for VCF Standard
Qi Cao, H. J. Cai*, Tianqi Cai
International School of Software, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Received October 6, 2013; revised October 30th, 2013; accepted November 6th, 2013
Copyright © 2013 Qi Cao et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which
permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
ABSTRACT
The Visiting Card Format (VCF) has already been widely used in mobile devices and personal computers (PC). Many
mobile manufacturers have develop ed visiting card recognition systems by using Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
technology, which can convert and save the information on the paper cards. However, the inaccuracy of OCR always
leads to error in recog nition, and it only seizes text information, ignoring images. Our research is to solv e that problem
based on the vCard format by creating a new VCF, vCardPackage, which contains both textual and pictorial information.
It consists of a layout layer, a text content layer, a resource layer and a template layer. The design combines content,
layout and images together, and enables users to view or modify mobile devices. The XML storage structure is adopted
in the vCardPackage, which is compatible with VCF data, so that the original data can be stored completely when
shared or transferred.
Keywords: Component; VCF; Card; OCR
1. Introduction
This article is based on vCard format. A vCard presents a
standard visiting card format which is widely used in PC
and mobile devices. It is a string-based type of label for-
mats and covers most of the visiting card information.
Our research starts from that format and designs a new
visiting card format that combines visiting card content,
layout and pictures, completes presentation and editing
systems on mobile devices, according to the characteris-
tics and actual demand of the mobile Internet communi-
cation. By that, the orig inal data can be comp letely saved
in transmission.
The next chapter describes the background of this pa-
per, mainly on former works and related theories on this
kind of visiting card communication format.
2. Related Work
Versitcard was originally p roposed in 1995 by the Versit
Consortium, which consisted of Apple, AT & T Tech-
nologies (later Lucent), IBM and Siemens. It is a trend to
use the electronic equipment as the carrier to take advan-
tage of the VCF format information exchange visiting
cards. How to make this exchange of information is more
convenient and optimized, is worth exploring. Lots of
work has be en done.
2.1. OCR
Optical character recognition, usually abbreviated to
OCR [1], can scan and convert handwritten, typewritten
or printed text into machine-encoded text (VCF Format)
and store the data locally ,thus leaving out the step of
manual input and speeding the conversion [2].
2.2. RFID
Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID [3]) is a wireless
non-contact system that uses radio-frequency electro-
magnetic fields to transfer data from an attached tag to an
object, for the purposes of automatic identification and
tracking. Some tags require no battery and are powered
by the electromagnetic fields used to read them. So it is
convenient and accelerated to transmission during the
unlimited devices [4].
However, that mode only deals with the transmission
speed and convenience. According to the analysis of the
implementation process and its characteristic, we have
drawn the conclusion that there are some key points to
deal with in this paper: the recognition result after the
preparation.
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An Improved Storage Structure Format for VCF Standard 583
Shortcomings of the above conversion are fatal. We
decide not to conv ert, but store a custom electronic visit-
ing card directly which can achieve the effect of the pa-
per visiting card. It requires a definition o f a visiting card
format to display pictures, rich text and small enough.
XML comes to our mind firstly.
XML is a source language used to tag electronic docu-
ments and make them structural, which allows a user to
define the markup language. The development of an
XML parser is comparatively simple. For simplicity,
exquisite and satisfaction, we have chosen XML as the
source language of the format of our visiting cards.
3. Format Definition
The idea of the whole format definition is defining a new
card format, Visiting Card Package (VCP), to make data
compatible under VCF format, VCP file is based on
XML standard [5]. The root tag of a VCP format is that
VCP represents a set of cards, with at least one vSlide,
also contains vMaster and vBackground. The vSlide in-
cludes the card’s unique image or text, such as a specific
address, telephone number, email, text information are
stored in the external VCF file and text styles are stored
in the vSlide external RTF [6-17] file. The vMaster acts
as a model, contains images and texts, and usually stores
some common pictures or texts compared to vSlide, such
as background, company logo, easy to reuse. The vBack-
ground only stores images used for background. Figure 1
shows a card demo with vSlide, vMaster and vBack-
ground. The following coordinate-related illustration in
format definition is original at vSlide’s upper-left corner
(the point O in Figure 1), the domain contains two do-
mains. One is the text domain, which is a rectangular
area in continuous text of VCP. The other is the picture
domain, a rectangular area in a complete picture of VCP.
Whole structure of VCP is depicted in Figure 2.
Corresponding XML schema is described in Figure 3.
We have defined some basic tag type for vSlide vMaster
and vBackground: vLocation, vSize, vCard, vText and
vImage.
Figure 1. A complete card demo.
Figure 2. Whole structure of VCP.
Figure 3. XML schema of VCP.
3.1. vLocation
For the control of its domain location (text domain, pic-
ture domain) in the mobile phone screen view, its frame
is displayed in Figure 4.
The XML schema definition is shown in Figure 5.
In Figure 5, both x and y are integers, representing
deviation on x and y coordinate respectively. While z is
another integer, if the area of the two domains conflict,
the one with bigger z value cover the small one.
3.2. vSize
For the control of the wide, height of its domain, the
frame is given in Figure 6.
XML schema definition is shown as Figure 7.
In Figure 7, width and height are 2 integers, repre-
senting the width and height of the domain respectively.
3.3. vCard
Used to locate the plain text file path stored in vSlide and
vMaster, its frame is depicted in Figure 8.
XML schema definition is given in Figure 9, in which
file is a string, representing referred VCF file path. The
specified file stores all the plain text without style in
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An Improved Storage Structure Format for VCF Standard 584
Figure 4. Constructor of vLocation.
Figure 5. XML schema of vLocation.
Figure 6. Constructor of vSize.
Figure 7. XML schema of vSize.
Figure 8. Constructor of vCard.
vCardPackage.
3.4. vImage
To manipulate the picture illustration in vSlide, v Master,
and vBackground, a fr a me is displayed in Figure 10.
The XML schema definition is given in Figure 11.
Figure 9. XML schema of vCard.
Figure 10. Constructor of vImage.
Figure 11. XML schema of vImage.
The file is a string, setting up the file path of the pic-
ture to be filled in with. For instance, the left corner pic-
ture in Figure 1, the image path is the image_0.png file
under the images folder in the current directory, and set
its initial coordinates as: x = 10, y = 10, z is default,
width is 150, height is 150, then the codes should be as
shown in the Figure 12.
3.5. vText
For the control of tex t illustration in vSlide and vMaster,
the frame is shown in Figure 13.
XML schema definition is given in Figure 14.
The vText’s role is to control the text area in vSlide,
vMaster, and a card must have several vText to show the
key information. vSize controls t v Text’s size, vLocation
controls its coordinates in vSlide, vMaster, and then dis-
play the text in the rich-text file specified by docu-
ment .The rich-text file is a improved RTF file, which
stores the text index (the text in VCF file specified by
vCard) and text corresponding style. Take the lower right
corner vText in Figure 1 as an example, we want to set
its surname, given name as bold, then the vText label
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An Improved Storage Structure Format for VCF Standard 585
Figure12. Code of vImage sample.
Figure 13. Constructor of vText.
Figure 14. XML schema of vText.
code and part of RTF code should be as in Figures 15
and 16.
VCP’s three main labels are formed by the basic label
defined above.
4. Parsing and Rending Algorithm
In Figure 17 a user processing the VCP is described.
4.1. OCR Pattern Recognition Module
The OCR identification of card using Tesseract OCR
Engine, for the identification of text will be generated
VCF format automatically and add ed to the address book
which supports VCF format, if there are some errors, we
need to manually modified through OCR technology can
determine each text block coordinate, and then if the text
has been added to VCF file, the text will remove form
Figure 15. Code of vText sample.
Figure 16. Code of part of improved rtf file.
Figure 17. System process modules.
the origin. The rest should add to vMaster inside.
The overall process as the follow:
1) Take photographs of th e file;
2) Identify generation engine;
3) Generate VCP file.
Related algorithm in the resolution process used to as
following.
 Text Recognition and Conversion Algorithm
1) Parsing a line of text, the coun ter is incremented by
1. If any VCF keywords are included, then create a
document in the text label and associated with an RTF
document storage and physical location information.
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An Improved Storage Structure Format for VCF Standard 586
2) The identified VCF information will be records to
VCF file and the above RTF will be set reference by
VCF content. Recording the relative po sition of the lines
of text information, establish vLocation tag, length and
width information, establish vSize tags.
3) By vLocation, vSize, document tag data add vText
tag, then to add to the vText tag vSlide tag. It defined as
read by vLocation, vSize corresponding position of the
rectangle.
 Picture Identification Conversion Algo ri t hm
1) The user selected image area, the counter is incre-
mented by 1.
2) Based on the user-selected area of the screen to
generate vLocation vSize tags, the selected area will be
saved as a picture, and save the physical path to the file
tags.
3) Add the vLocation, vSize, file information the vI-
mage tag, then to vImage tag added to vSlide tag. It de-
fined as read by vLocation, vSize corresp onding position
of the rectangle.
The Position Algorithm.
If need to adjust the position and size of the vText or
vImage, drag the object, with the new Location Loca-
tionE, if (vTextM.vLocationE, vTextM.vLocationE +
vSizeD) z-index conflict with the other regions, the
vTextM the z-index where the maximum on the z-index
increment, and then update the canvas.
 Zoom Out and In Algorithm
If we zoom in to corresponding vText, the vSize of
vTextM will update with new value. If (vTextM. vLoca-
tionC, z-index conflicts with other regional vTextM.
vLocationC + vSizeH) is vTextM z-index where the
maximum z-index increment, and then with the new
canvas.
According to the above four algorithms, specific algo-
rithm can be summarized as follows.
1) Mobile phone camera shot and take pictures of vis-
iting cards;
2) Identification pictures via OCR engine;
3) Create a whole file VCP file.
Create a new empty VCP file vCardPackage.xml the
root label of vCardP ackage vSlides.
a) Create the visiting card vSlide an empty label to add
to vSlides child nodes identify the size of a visiting card
out of add vCardSize label, means the size of a visiting
card;
b) Create an empty the VCF file vcf1.vcf ();
c) Add the path of VCF to vSlide vCard tag, then add
vCard tag to vSlide inside;
4) Establishing the visiting cards of data files vSlide;
VCF text information on the identification card to
achieve the following:
a) Transformed according to the text recognition algo-
rithm, the calculation;
b) If a text is not empty continue first step in the op-
eration, otherwise exit.
VCF text recognition, begin to identify the picture on
the visiting card information, the specific process is as
follows:
a) According to the picture transformation algorithm to
calculate;
b) If the user chooses to continue to select the image,
continue to the first step, otherwise quit parsing.
Identify the complete text an d pictures, records related
readable area, complete generation of vSlide tag data;
5) File vMaster creation
Data locked outside the region of the identification
vSlide process identification to create a new empty the
VCF file vcf1.vcf ();
Template text recognition module, the corresponding
process is as follows:
a) Transformed according to the text recognition algo-
rithm, the calculation;
b) If a text is not empty continue first step in the op-
eration, otherwise exit.
The template image recognition module.
a) According to the picture transformation algorithm to
calculate;
b) If the user chooses to continue to select the image,
continue to the first step, otherwise quit parsing.
Uniform preservation does not recognize the text and
pictures as the background image:
a) In accordance with screen size area to generate
vLocation and the vSize, will not read the whole area is
saved as pictures, save the physical path to the file tags.
The selected area on behalf of the entire visiting cards;
b) vLocation, vSize, file information add vImage label,
then to vImage label added to vMaster label;
c) According to vLocation, vSize corresponding posi-
tion of the r ectangle define d as read.
6) To detect whether the entire card data has been
completed to read, if to read the finish will vSlide and
vMaster labels add to vSlides label.
7) If it continues to recognize the other card, continue
to identify and production vSlide tab and vMaster of la-
bels, and then add to vSlide label.
4.2. VCP Rendering Module
1) Use zipInputStream VCP file is read into memory;
2) First read vSlides notes, get which vSlide number of,
traverse vSlide label;
3) For a single vS lide to be associated vMaster the for-
eign key vMarsterId, and associated the vBackground
foreign key vBackgroundId ;
4) Out-key vBackgroundId vBackground, parse inside
vImage the the the vImage inside of vSize, vLocation file
to draw the corresponding picture, as the lowest level of
the draw;
5) Foreign key vMasterId, get vMarster, parsing the
inside of vText and vImage to draw which vText vSize,
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An Improved Storage Structure Format for VCF Standard 587
vLocation and document the rtf the text, and then ac-
cording to the the vImage inside of vSize vLocation, file
to draw the corresponding picture as an intermediate
layer drawn;
6) According to the document corresponding vSlide
inside rtf and vcf data, as well as vText in side, the corre-
sponding vSize and vLocation draw the corresponding
text, according vSize the vImage inside the vLocation,
file to draw the corresponding picture.
7) Completed first vSlide, draw, began to loop through
the next vSlide draw until th e end of the cycle.
4.3. VCP Editing Module
VCP presents complete, you can edit the text and pic-
tures. The specific algorithm is as fo llows:
1) Get current screen vSlideId;
2) vSlideId find the corresponding vSlide, and then the
vSlide to find corresponding vMaster and vBackgroud；
3) To obtain the user clicks on the position of the cur-
sor record their points A (x, y), traverse each vText
vSlide and vImage detect whether the point A belonging
([vText (the vImage). VLocation.x vText (vImage).
vLocation.x + vSize.width], [vText (vImage). vLoca-
tion.y, v Text (vImage). vLocation.y + vSize.heigth]);
4) If point A is a multiple vText or the vImage object
whichever vLocation.z value is the corresponding vText
or vImage;
5) If A is a vImage can only drag the location or size
of the update, drag algorithm and zoom down the algo-
rithm execution;
6) vMaster traversal (only the user can click Edit
vMaster edit);
7) Finished traversing all vText and vImage vSlide can
not be an area that contains A, then began to traverse all
vText vMaster and vImage obj ect;
8) If point A is multiple vText Or vImage object, take
vLocation.z largest, to find the corresponding point A
vText or vImage;
9) A belongs vText, then according to the correspond-
ing rtf data directly edit, if you need to drag and zoom
the corresponding algorithm A belongs vImage, you can
only drag the position or size of the update, the corre-
sponding drag the algorithm execution corresponding
zoom corresponding algorithm;
10) vBackground traversal, if A does not belong
vSlide and vMaster directly vBackground point, can not
be edited.
4.4. VCP Distribution Module
The user can in the final image presented, edit, save vis-
iting card conten ts. Export PDF, instant printing, and can
also be shared through Bluetooth or wireless to other
devices.
The Figure 18 below is the editing effects.
Figure 18. Editing effect chart.
5. Future Work
This paper has discussed a storage structure of the rich
visiting card. As a start, it customizes the vCardPackage
format, while the following steps of trans-missing private
information involve the security issues. All of those (us-
ing encryption or authorization to protect the format,
supporting style diversity, and renderer optimization)
will take some time to accomplish.
6. Acknowledgements
This study is supported by the Basic Research Program
of China/973 Project, Basic Research on Data Storage
System Theory and Technology for Complex Applica-
tion Environment under contract No. 2011CB302306.
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An Improved Storage Structure Format for VCF Standard
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