Method for processing information

• US 20020159089A1
• Filed: 04/05/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anoto Group AB
• Original Assignee: Anoto Group AB
• Inventors: Ericson, Petter, Wiebe, Linus
• Granted Patent: US 7,649,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for generating a printout of a section of a global position-coding pattern in a system comprising a computer unit and a printer unit connected to the computer unit. The method is characterized by the steps of generating in the computer unit boundary information that describes the boundaries of the section in the global position-coding pattern; transmitting the boundary information from the computer unit to the printer unit; generating graphical information in the printer unit by means of an algorithm that defines the global position-coding pattern and on the basis of the boundary information, which graphical information describes pattern symbols in the section; and printing out the graphical information on a base by the printer unit.

Claims

1. A method for generating a printout of at least one section of a global position-coding pattern, in a system comprising a computer unit and a printer unit connected to the computer unit, comprising:

generating in the computer unit boundary information describing the boundaries of the section in the global position-coding pattern;

transmitting the boundary information from the computer unit to the printer unit;

generating graphical information in the printer unit by means of an algorithm that defines the global position-coding pattern and on the basis of the boundary information, which graphical information describes pattern symbols in said section; and

printing out by said printer unit said graphical information on a base.

2. A method according to claim 1, which further comprises the step of transmitting said algorithm from the computer unit to the printer unit.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of sections are printed out on one and the same base, several sets of boundary information being transmitted from the computer unit to the printer unit.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein sections in said plurality of sections originate from separate parts of the global position-coding pattern.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said pattern symbols consist of dots.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the computer unit transmits a required pattern quality specification to the printer unit and wherein the printer unit, by means of said algorithm, adapts a set of printer parameters on the basis of the pattern quality specification.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said algorithm is so constituted that the distances between said pattern symbols in said graphical information are dependent upon a printer parameter.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said algorithm is so constituted that said pattern symbols in said graphical information are displaced relative to each other by essentially whole multiples of the printer unites smallest possible symbol displacement.

9. A method according to claims 7 or 8, wherein, where the scale of a position-coding pattern has been adjusted in relation to an ideal pattern, the printer unit is arranged, when printing out, also to adjust the scale of printed-out information that does not constitute a position-coding pattern.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said algorithm is so constituted that the size of said pattern symbols in said graphical information is dependent upon a parameter that is specific to the printer.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said algorithm is so constituted that the intensity of said pattern symbols in said graphical information is dependent upon a parameter that is specific to the printer.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said printing out the printer unit operates with a print speed that is reduced in comparison to the printer'"'"'s maximum print speed.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one section is the shape of a planar curve, corresponding boundary information comprising a parameter representation of this curve.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one section is the shape of a rectangle, corresponding boundary information comprising at least positions in the position-coding pattern for two diagonally opposite corners of the rectangle.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one section is the shape of a polygon, corresponding boundary information comprising at least positions in the position-coding pattern for corners of the polygon.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one section is the shape of a circle, corresponding boundary information comprising at least the position in the position-coding pattern for the center of the circle and a piece of information concerning the diameter of the circle.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one section is the shape of an ellipse, corresponding boundary information comprising at least positions in the position-coding pattern for the foci of the ellipse and a piece of information concerning the total distance between on the one hand each of the foci and, on the other hand, a given point on the periphery of the ellipse.

20. A printer device according to claim 19, wherein graphical information corresponding to a position-coding pattern is printed out using an ink that absorbs infrared light, and other graphical information is printed out using an ink that does not absorb infrared light.

21. A printer device according to claim 20, wherein the ink that absorbs infrared light is a carbon-based ink and wherein the carbon-based ink is reserved for the position-coding pattern.

18. A system, comprising a computer unit and a printer unit connected to the computer unit, for generating a printout of at least one section of a global position-coding pattern, comprising:

means in the computer unit for generating boundary information describing the boundaries of the section in the global position-coding pattern;

means for transmitting the boundary information from the computer unit to the printer unit;

means in the printer unit for generating graphical information by means of an algorithm that defines the global position-coding pattern and on the basis of the boundary information, which graphical information describes pattern symbols in said section; and

means in the printer unit for printing out said graphical information on a base.

19. A printer device for generating a printout of at least one section of a global position-coding pattern, the printer device being intended to be connected to a computer unit, comprising:

means for receiving boundary information from the computer unit, which boundary information describes the boundaries of the section in the global position-coding pattern;

means for generating graphical information by means of an algorithm that defines the global position-coding pattern and on the basis of the boundary information, which graphical information describes pattern symbols in said section; and

means for printing out said graphical information on a base.

22. A printer device according to any of claims 19 to 21, further comprising a paper tray intended for sheets of paper adapted for printout of position-coding patterns.

25. A printer according to claim 24, which arranged to obtained boundary information from a computer system connected to the printer, which boundary information is used by said algorithm.

23. A computer data storage medium having a computer program stored therein and intended to generate a printout of at least one section of a global position-coding pattern in a system comprising a computer unit and a printer unit connected to the computer unit, the computer program performing, when in said computer unit, the process of:

generating boundary information describing the section'"'"'s boundaries in the global position-coding pattern; and

transmitting the boundary information from the computer unit to the printer unit, the printer unit being intended to generate graphical information by means of an algorithm that defines the global position-coding pattern and on the basis of the boundary information, which graphical information describes pattern symbols in said section, and to print out said graphical information on a base.

24. A printer for printing out visual information, which printer is intended to be connected to a computer unit, comprising:

operating means, which is arranged on the printer, for activating an algorithm in the printer, said algorithm generating graphical information corresponding to a position-coding pattern, and

a print element printing graphical information superimposed on said visual information during printing out.