Method and apparatus for collaborative annotation of a document

• US 20020078088A1
• Filed: 12/19/2000
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Taylor, Alex S., Kuruoglu, Ercan E., Taylor, Stuart A., Seeger, Mauritius
• Granted Patent: US 7,346,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/512
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes

Abstract

A system enables users at different locations (e.g. different geographic locations) to work collaboratively on a document, and to view each other'"'"'s annotations to the document. Each user can work with a paper document, and make handwritten annotations to the paper document. The system includes a plurality of workstations communicating with a server. Each workstation comprises a document-imaging device, such as a camera, for generating a digital image of the document. Handwritten annotations are identified by image processing, and new annotations made by each user can be tracked in real time. Image bitmaps of the annotations are distributed by the server to each workstation so that each user can view other user'"'"'s annotations. In one view, the annotations from different users are superimposed in a combined image.

Claims

1. A system for permitting collaborative annotations of a document, the system comprising:

a plurality of workstations each comprising a computer processor, a display, and a capture device for capturing a digital image of a document; and

a base computer communicating with the plurality of workstations;

wherein the system is operative to;

(a) identify handwritten annotations in images of documents captured at each workstation; and

(b) communicate the data representing the identified annotation images to each workstation to permit an annotation entered at a first workstation to be distributed to other workstations for display.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the system is operative to identify a new annotation made at a workstation, and to update the distribution of annotations to the workstations.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the capture device at least one workstation comprises a camera.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the each annotation is stored in the form of an annotation object, the object comprising:

(a) information representing the annotation as a bitmap; and

(b) information indicating the location of the annotation in a document.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the object further comprises information representing the origin of the annotation.

6. A system according to claim 4, wherein the object further comprises information representing at least one of a time and date associated with the annotation.

7. A system according to claim 4, further comprising information representing the identity of the document with which the annotation is associated.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the workstations is operative to display annotations in a plurality of different colors, the color being indicative of the origin of the annotation.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein each workstation is operative to identify handwritten annotations.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the base computer is operative to identify handwritten annotations.

11. In a method for distributing annotations made at one workstation of a collaborative annotation system to other workstations in the system for display, the improvement comprising:

(a) capturing a digital image of an document;

(b) identifying a portion of the image corresponding to a handwritten annotation in the document; and

(c) distributing data representing the handwritten annotation to said other workstations for display.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of identifying a new annotation made at a workstation, and updating the distribution of annotations to other workstations.

14. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of capturing an image at at least one workstation using a camera device.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein identified annotations are stored as annotation objects comprising:

(a) information representing the annotation as a bitmap; and

(b) information indicating the location of the annotation in a document.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the object further comprises information representing the origin of the annotation.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the object further comprises information representing at least one of a time and date associated with the annotation.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein the object further comprises information representing the identity of the document with which the annotation is associated.

19. A method according to claim 12, further comprising selectively displaying, at a workstation, a plurality of annotations originating from at least two different other workstations.

20. A method according to claim 19, each annotation is displayed in a color indicative of the origin of the annotation.

12. A method for permitting collaborative annotation of a document in a system which comprises:

a plurality of workstations each comprising a computer processor, a display, and a capture device for capturing a digital image of a document; and

a base computer communicating with the plurality of workstations;

wherein the method comprises;

(a) identifying handwritten annotations in images of documents captured at each workstation; and

(b) communicating the data representing the identified annotation images to each workstation to permit an annotation entered at a first workstation to be distributed to other workstations for display.