Method and system for identifying a paper form using a digital pen

• US 20040064787A1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Coffy, Jean-Hiram, Braun, John F., Rojas, John W., Norris, James R., Parkos, Arthur, Leung, Alan, Leung, Wendy Chui Fen
• Granted Patent: US 7,343,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/505
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/171 by use of digital ink
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

The present application describes systems and methods for composing documents using a digital pointing instrument. In further configurations, a user utilizes a pen to trace a form serial number that is utilized to identify a form template that is used to process input data from a digital pen.

Claims

1. A method for processing form input data comprising:

capturing user stroke data relating to strokes made by a user with a pointing device;

processing the strokes in order to determine form identification data;

retrieving a form template using the form identification data;

processing the form input data using the form template and the user stroke.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pointing instrument is a digital pen and strokes are provided by the user writing on a paper form.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

processing a pre-determined portion of the stroke data to determine the form identification data.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein:

processing stroke data that satisfies pre-determined criteria to determine the form identification data.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:

the pre-determined criteria includes font criteria.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein:

the pre-determined portion of the stroke data is related to a pre-determined physical portion of the form.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the form identification data includes a form serial number printed on the form.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the form serial number printed on the form includes a dashed font

9. A system for composing a facsimile comprising:

a processor;

a storage device connected to the processor;

the storage device storing a logic program;

the processor operative with the logic program to perform;

capturing user stroke data relating to strokes made by a user with a pointing device;

processing the strokes in order to determine form identification data;

retrieving a form template using the form identification data; and

processing the form input data using the form template and the user stroke.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the pointing instrument is a digital pen and strokes are provided by the user writing on a paper form.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising the processor operative with the logic program to perform:

processing a pre-determined portion of the stroke data to determine the form identification data.

12. The system of claim 10 further comprising the processor operative with the logic program to perform:

processing stroke data that satisfies pre-determined criteria to determine the form identification data.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein:

the pre-determined criteria includes font criteria.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the pre-determined portion of the stroke data is related to a pre-determined physical portion of the form; and

the form identification data includes a form serial number printed on the form.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein-the form serial number printed on the form includes a dashed font.