Programmable physical document

• US 20020080386A1
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Dymetman, Marc, Fernstrom, Christer, Glance, Natalie S., Snowdon, Dave
• Granted Patent: US 7,495,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes

Abstract

A programmable document includes a physical document having at least one sheet of material and information recorded thereon and a computer attached to the physical document. The computer includes an input/output device, a processor and a memory storing the recorded information in digital form and metadata pertaining to the physical document. By attaching small, inexpensive, computing devices to paper documents, various electronic information associated with the physical document can be retained, updated and modified.

Claims

1. A programmable document, comprising:

a physical document including at least one sheet of material and information recorded thereon; and

a computer attached to the physical document, wherein the computer includes an input/output device, a processor and a memory storing the recorded information in digital form and metadata pertaining to the physical document.

2. The programmable document of claim 1, wherein the metadata comprises processing information, version information, user comments, copy information, transformation information, distribution information or index information.

3. The programmable document of claim 1, wherein the computer is attached to the physical document by an adhesive.

4. The programmable document of claim 1, wherein the computer is attached to the physical document by a spiral binding.

5. The programmable document of claim 1, wherein the computer comprises an iButton.

6. The programmable document of claim 1, wherein the computer has a machine readable label.

7. A knowledge management system comprising:

a programmable document comprising a physical document including at least one sheet of material for receiving information recorded thereon; and

a computer attached to the physical document, wherein the computer includes an input/output device, a processor and a memory for storing information pertaining to the physical document;

a recording device for recording information on a sheet of material;

a device for attaching a computer to a physical document; and

a reader for reading information from and writing information to the programmable document computer.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the programmable document computer comprises an iButton.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the recording device is selected from the group consisting of printer, copier, scanner and multi-function device.

10. A method for managing information, comprising:

recording information on at least one sheet of material to generate a physical document;

storing a digital copy of the recorded information and metadata pertaining to the physical document in a computer, wherein the computer includes an input/output device, a processor and a memory;

associating the stored information with the physical document;

attaching the computer to the physical document.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

performing an activity pertaining to the physical document; and

store a digital record of the performed activity in the computer.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the metadata comprises processing information, version information, user comments, copy information, transformation information, distribution information or index information.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the computer is attached to the physical document by an adhesive.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the computer is attached to the physical document by a spiral binding.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the activity is selected from the group consisting of copying, providing comments, scanning, referencing an earlier version of the information.