Computer system for collaborative document markup

• US 20040217160A1
• Filed: 05/26/2004
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul, Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne
• Granted Patent: US 6,889,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/103 for the sheet feeding section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/106 for the sheet output section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17563 Ink filters
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2114 Ejecting transparent or white coloured liquids, e.g. processing liquids B41J2/211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 19/02 starting with single sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 9/0006 by applying adhesive to a stack of sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 9/0081 applying adhesive to individual sheets for binding them together by fusing, welding B42C9/0093
• CPC Class Codes: B42P 2261/04 Producing books by printing sheets in following order, e.g. for ordering via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/34 from supports slid from under the articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 37/04 for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0337 Status LEDs integrated in the mouse to provide visual feedback to the user about the status of the input device, the PC, or the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1243 : Variable data printing, e.g. document forms, templates, labels, coupons, advertisements, logos, watermarks, transactional printing, fixed content versioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 : Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 : Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/171 : by use of digital ink
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 : Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 : the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 : Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 : Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 : with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00358 : Type of the scanned marks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00376 : Means for identifying a mark sheet or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00567 : Handling of original or reproduction media, e.g. cutting, separating, stacking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 : by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 : Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 : attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 : in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32778 : using a mark-sheet or machine-readable code request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 : of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 : of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3243 : of type information, e.g. handwritten or text document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3247 : Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 : data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 : Transmission

Abstract

The invention concerns a computer system for enabling collaborative document markup. Employing the invention involves the use of one or more forms which support interaction with a computer system or network. Each form is printed on sheet material such as paper and includes coded data which allows it to be used to interact with the computer system via a sensing device operated by a user.

Specifically, the computer system is adapted to provide a participant with at least one document markup form containing information relating to a collaborative document markup session and including coded data indicative of an identity of the document markup form and of at least one reference point of the document markup form. The computer system receives indicating data from a sensing device operated by said participant involved in the document markup session, said indicating data regarding the identity of the document markup form and a position of the sensing device relative to the document markup form, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the document markup form, sensing the indicating data using at least some of the coded data. The computer system identifies, from the indicating data, at least one parameter relating to the document markup session, and provides at least one other participant remote from said participant with at least one document markup form containing information representative of the at least one parameter.

The invention can be employed by geographically distributed participants to mark up a shared document using interactive surface media, while engaged in a telephone conference or similar. Every time a participant adds a markup to the document the other participants can be provided with a printed copy of the updated page.

Claims

1. A computer system for enabling collaborative document markup between participants, the computer system being adapted to receive indicating data from a sensing device operated by a participant involved a collaborative document markup session in conjunction with at least one document markup form containing information relating to the document markup session and including coded data indicative of an identity of the document markup form and of at least one reference point of the document markup form;

said indicating data regarding the identity of the document markup form and a position of the sensing device relative to the document markup form, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the document markup form, sensing the indicating data using at least some of the coded data, said computer system including means for identifying, from the indicating data, at least one parameter relating to the document markup session;

the computer system further being adapted to provide at least one other participant remote from said participant with at least one document markup form containing information representative of the at least one parameter.

means for providing at least one other participant remote from said participant with at least one document markup form containing information representative of the at least one parameter.

2. The computer system of claim 1 in which said at least one parameter relating to the document markup session is associated with at least one zone of the document markup form.

3. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the computer system receives data from the sensing device indicative of the movement of the sensing device relative to the document markup form, the movement of the sensing device being derived using at least some of the coded data.

4. The computer system of claim 1 which said at least one parameter of the document markup session is selected from the group comprising an action parameter of the document markup session, an option parameter of the document markup session, a text parameter of the document markup session, an authorization parameter of the document markup session, and a graphical parameter of the document markup session.

5. The computer system of claim 4 in which the action parameter of the document markup session is selected from the group comprising:

sending an invitation to a document markup session;

starting a document markup session;

ending a document markup session;

sending a message to a participant during a document markup session;

viewing messages sent during a document markup session;

viewing the page history of a document markup session;

ordering the printing of a document markup page;

updating a document markup page; and

ordering the reprinting of a document markup page.

6. The computer system of claim 4 in which the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

an access level;

a message recipient; and

a line color.

7. The computer system of claim 4 in which the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

a document markup session description;

a document markup session purpose;

a document markup start date;

a start time;

an end time;

an attachment document identification;

a participant identification;

a document markup session purpose;

a message subject description; and

a message text.

8. The computer system of claim 4 in which the authorization parameter is associated with updating a document markup page.

9. The computer system of claim 4 in which the graphical parameter is associated with a markup to a document markup page.

10. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the computer system receives from the sensing device a unique identity of the sensing device which identifies the sensing device as being associated with a particular document markup session participant.

11. The computer system of claim 1 in which the document markup form is printed on a surface of a surface-defining means and in which the computer system is adapted to communicate with a printer to cause printing of the document markup form on the surface on demand.

12. The system of claim 11 in which computer system cause the printer to print the coded data on the surface at the same time as printing the document markup form on the surface.

13. The computer system of claim 1 in which the coded data is substantially invisible in the visible spectrum.

14. The computer system of claim 1 further including a database for keeping a retrievable record of each document markup form generated, each document markup form being retrievable by using its identity as included in its coded data.

15. The computer system of claim 1 further including a telephone communication means for simultaneous use during the collaborative document markup session.

16. The computer system of claim 15 further including a video communication means for use during the collaborative document markup session.