Techniques for integrating note-taking and multimedia information

• US 20050114521A1
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Graham, Jamey, Hart, Peter E., Hull, Jonathan J., Erol, Berna, Lee, Dar-Shyang
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes

Abstract

Techniques to improve a user'"'"'s note-taking experience. While taking notes for a presentation, a user can request one or more portions of information recorded during the presentation to be inserted into the user'"'"'s notes document. User interfaces are provided that enable a user to specify which portions of the recorded information are to be inserted into the user'"'"'s notes document. User information requests that cannot be immediately processed are stored or cached in the notes document for later processing. These cached requests are processed and the requested information inserted into the user'"'"'s notes document at a later time.

Claims

1. In a system comprising a server configured to respond to requests requesting a portion of stored information, the stored information comprising first information captured by one or more capture devices during a first presentation, and a note-taking device for taking notes during the first presentation in a notes document, a method of taking notes comprising:

receiving, at the note-taking device during the first presentation, a first request to insert a first portion of the first information in a first location in the notes document;

determining if the first request can be processed; and

storing the first request in the notes document upon determining that the first request cannot be processed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if the first request can be processed comprises determining if the note-taking device can communicate with the server, and the first request cannot be processed if it is determined that the note-taking device cannot communicate with the server.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining, subsequent to storing the first request in the notes document, if the note-taking device can communicate with the server; and

processing the first request upon determining that the note-taking device can communicate with the server.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein determining if the note-taking device can communicate with the server comprises:

detecting a first signal after storing the first request in the notes document; and

determining if the note-taking device can communicate with the server responsive to the first signal.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first signal is generated when the notes document is opened.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the first signal is generated at a periodic interval.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the first signal is generated in response to an action performed by a user of the note-taking device.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein processing the first request comprises:

communicating the first request from the note-taking device to the server;

receiving, at the note-taking device, the first portion of the first information from the server; and

inserting the first portion of the first information in the first location in the notes document.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

communicating, from the note-taking device to the server, information identifying a user of the note-taking device requesting the first portion of the first information;

determining, at the server, if the user is authorized to receive the first portion of the first information; and

communicating the first portion of the first information from the server to the note-taking device if it is determined that the user is authorized to receive the first portion of the first information.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating, from the note-taking device to the server, information identifying a user of the note-taking device requesting the first portion of the first information; and

determining, at the server, if the user is authorized to receive the first portion of the first information.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining one or more requests stored in the notes document, the one or more requests including the first request;

communicating the first request from the note-taking device to the server;

receiving, at the note-taking device from the server, the first portion of the first information; and

inserting the first portion of the first information in the first location in the notes document.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first portion of the first information is a slide displayed during the first presentation.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first portion of the first information is at least one of an audio segment recorded during the first presentation and a video segment recorded during the first presentation.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the first portion of the first information is at least one of an image displayed during the first presentation, and text information recorded during the first presentation.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein storing the first request in the notes document comprises:

inserting a visual marker in the first location in the notes document indicative of the first request.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the stored information further comprises second information captured by one or more capture devices during a second presentation, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the note-taking device during the first presentation, a second request to insert a first portion of the second information in a second location in the notes document;

determining if the second request can be processed; and

storing the second request in the notes document upon determining that the second request cannot be processed.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

identifying one or more requests stored in the notes document, the one or more requests including the first request and the second request;

communicating the first request and the second request from the note-taking device to the server;

receiving, at the note-taking device from the server, the first portion of the first information and the first portion of the second information;

inserting the first portion of the first information in the first location in the notes document; and

inserting the first portion of the second information in the second location in the notes document.

18. A system for taking notes comprising:

a server configured to respond to requests requesting portions of stored information, the stored information comprising first information captured by one or more capture devices during a first presentation; and

a note-taking device for taking notes during the first presentation,

wherein the note-taking device is configured to execute a composing application that creates a notes document for storing the notes,

wherein the note-taking device is configured to allow a user of the note-taking device to configure a first request to insert a first portion of the first information in a first location in the notes document, and

wherein the note-taking device is configured to store the first request in the notes document.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein note-taking device is configured to store the first request in the notes if the note-taking device cannot communicate with the server.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the note-taking device is configured to:

determine, subsequent to storing the first request in the notes document, if the note-taking device can communicate with the server; and

process the first request upon determining that the note-taking device can communicate with the server.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the note-taking device is configured to:

detect a first signal after storing the first request in the notes document; and

determine if the note-taking device can communicate with the server responsive to the first signal.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the first signal is generated when the notes document is opened.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the first signal is generated at a periodic interval.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the first signal is generated in response to an action performed by a user of the note-taking device.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the note-taking device is configured to:

communicate the first request to the server;

receive the first portion of the first information from the server; and

insert the first portion of the first information in the first location in the notes document.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein:

the note-taking device is configured to communicate information identifying a user of the note-taking device requesting the first portion of the first information to the server; and

the server is configured to determine if the user is authorized to receive the first portion of the first information, and to communicate the first portion of the first information to the note-taking device if it is determined that the user is authorized to receive the first portion of the first information.

27. The system of claim 18 wherein:

the note-taking device is configured to communicate information identifying a user of the note-taking device requesting the first portion of the first information to the server; and

the server is configured to determine if the user is authorized to receive the first portion of the first information.

28. The system of claim 18 wherein the note-taking device is configured to:

determine one or more requests stored in the notes document, the one or more requests including the first request;

communicate the first request to the server;

receive the first portion of the first information from the server; and

insert the first portion of the first information in the first location in the notes document.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the first portion of the first information is a slide displayed during the first presentation.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the first portion of the first information is at least one of an audio segment recorded during the first presentation and a video segment recorded during the first presentation.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein the first portion of the first information is at least one of an image displayed during the first presentation, and text information recorded during the first presentation.

32. The system of claim 18 wherein the note-taking device is configured to insert a visual marker in the first location in the notes document indicative of the first request.

33. The system of claim 18 wherein the stored information further comprises second information captured by the one or more capture devices during a second presentation and the note-taking device is configured to:

allow the user of the note-taking device to configure a second request during the first presentation to insert a first portion of the second information in a second location in the notes document;

determine if the second request can be processed; and

store the second request in the notes document upon determining that the second request cannot be processed.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the note-taking device is configured to:

identify one or more requests stored in the notes document, the one or more requests including the first request and the second request;

communicate the first request and the second request to the server;

receiving the first portion of the first information and the first portion of the second information from the server;

insert the first portion of the first information in the first location in the notes document; and

insert the first portion of the second information in the second location in the notes document.

35. In a system comprising a server configured to respond to requests requesting a portion of stored information, the stored information comprising first information captured by one or more capture devices during a first presentation, and a note-taking device for taking notes during the first presentation in a notes document, a computer program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium for taking notes, the computer program product comprising:

code for receiving, at the note-taking device during the first presentation, a first request to insert a first portion of the first information in a first location in the notes document;

code for determining if the first request can be processed; and

code for storing the first request in the notes document upon determining that the first request cannot be processed.

36. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the code for determining if the first request can be processed comprises code for determining if the note-taking device can communicate with the server, and the first request cannot be processed if it is determined that the note-taking device cannot communicate with the server.

37. The computer program product of claim 35 further comprising:

code for determining, subsequent to storing the first request in the notes document, if the note-taking device can communicate with the server; and

code for processing the first request upon determining that the note-taking device can communicate with the server.

38. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein the code for determining if the note-taking device can communicate with the server comprises:

code for detecting a first signal after storing the first request in the notes document; and

code for determining if the note-taking device can communicate with the server responsive to the first signal.

39. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the first signal is generated when the notes document is opened.

40. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the first signal is generated at a periodic interval.

41. The computer program product of claim 38 wherein the first signal is generated in response to an action performed by a user of the note-taking device.

42. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein the code for processing the first request comprises:

code for communicating the first request from the note-taking device to the server;

code for receiving, at the note-taking device, the first portion of the first information from the server; and

code for inserting the first portion of the first information in the first location in the notes document.

43. The computer program product of claim 42 further comprising:

code for communicating, from the note-taking device to the server, information identifying a user of the note-taking device requesting the first portion of the first information;

code for determining, at the server, if the user is authorized to receive the first portion of the first information; and

code for communicating the first portion of the first information from the server to the note-taking device if it is determined that the user is authorized to receive the first portion of the first information.

44. The computer program product of claim 35 further comprising:

code for communicating, from the note-taking device to the server, information identifying a user of the note-taking device requesting the first portion of the first information; and

code for determining, at the server, if the user is authorized to receive the first portion of the first information.

45. The computer program product of claim 35 further comprising:

code for determining one or more requests stored in the notes document, the one or more requests including the first request;

code for communicating the first request from the note-taking device to the server;

code for receiving, at the note-taking device from the server, the first portion of the first information; and

code for inserting the first portion of the first information in the first location in the notes document.

46. The computer program product of claim 45 wherein the first portion of the first information is a slide displayed during the first presentation.

47. The computer program product of claim 45 wherein the first portion of the first information is at least one of an audio segment recorded during the first presentation and a video segment recorded during the first presentation.

48. The computer program product of claim 45 wherein the first portion of the first information is at least one of an image displayed during the first presentation, and text information recorded during the first presentation.

49. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the code for storing the first request in the notes document comprises:

code for inserting a visual marker in the first location in the notes document indicative of the first request.

50. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the stored information further comprises second information captured by one or more capture devices during a second presentation, the computer program product further comprising:

code for receiving, at the note-taking device during the first presentation, a second request to insert a first portion of the second information in a second location in the notes document;

code for determining if the second request can be processed; and

code for storing the second request in the notes document upon determining that the second request cannot be processed.

51. The computer program product of claim 50 further comprising:

code for identifying one or more requests stored in the notes document, the one or more requests including the first request and the second request;

code for communicating the first request and the second request from the note-taking device to the server;

code for receiving, at the note-taking device from the server, the first portion of the first information and the first portion of the second information;

code for inserting the first portion of the first information in the first location in the notes document; and

code for inserting the first portion of the second information in the second location in the notes document.