System, method and computer program for an integrated digital workflow for processing a paper form

• US 20050262429A1
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Angela Assuras Professional Corporation
• Original Assignee: Workonce Wireless Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Robert N., Maxwell, Andrew Lewis, Elder, Michael James
• Granted Patent: US 7,492,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/222
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/171 by use of digital ink
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

A method, system and computer program for creating a digital workflow associated with the completion of a paper form is provided. An electronic clipboard includes a panel for receiving a paper form, a computer including a clipboard computer application, and an input device that completes the paper form with handwritten input data and also created digital signals corresponding to the handwritten input data. The computer application interprets the digital signal data so as to define digital input data, which corresponds to the handwritten input data. The electronic clipboard also includes verification/correction facility that enables the display of the digital input data and verification and correction thereof using a series of input devices provided on the electronic clipboard. The electronic clipboard is linked to a remote computer. The remote computer includes a forms creation and management application for the creation of the electronic forms, and definition of rules for processing digital input data includes in the various fields of the electronic forms. In a server implementation of the invention, the remote computer is an application server that provides access to a plurality of software utilities for processing the digital input data included in the electronic forms. The application server enables processes such as financial transactions associated with electronic forms, transmission of selected digital input data to other computer systems, and field level encryption. Another aspect of the invention is a point of sale device that include the electronic clipboard.

Claims

1. A method of providing a digital workflow associated with the completion of a paper form comprising the steps of:

(a) Providing at least one paper form, the paper form including a plurality of fields for receiving handwritten input data;

(b) Providing an electronic form corresponding to the paper form, and including a plurality of rules for processing the input data;

(c) Completing the paper form with handwritten input data with an input device that enables the capture of the input data in electronic form to define digital data;

(d) Displaying the digital data for verification and/or correction of the digital data by operation of a verification/correction facility provided by the input device; and

(e) Processing the digital data in accordance with the rules.

2. The method claimed in claim 2, comprising the further step of enabling interactive communication between the input device and a remote computer system.

3. The method claimed in claim 2, comprising the further step of creating the electronic form on the remote computer system by operation of a form creation computer application linked to the remote computer system.

4. The method claimed in claim 3, whereby the rules for processing data define:

(a) Traffic information defining one or more third party computer systems to which particular digital data is transmitted for processing;

(b) Transaction data defining one or more credit/debit card transactions associated with the electronic form;

(c) Verification of the digital data by operation of a remote computer linked to the electronic clipboard;

(d) Real time processing of specific digital data to enable rapid processing thereof; and

(e) Encryption protocols defining the secure processing of particular digital data at the field level.

5. An electronic clipboard apparatus for providing a digital workflow associated with the completion of a paper form, the electronic clipboard comprising:

(a) A panel for receiving a paper form;

(b) A computer linked to a memory, the computer being operable to receive computer instructions defining a clipboard computer application, the computer application being operable to process an electronic form corresponding to the paper form;

(c) An input device operable to complete the paper form with handwritten input data and create digital signals corresponding to the handwritten input data, wherein the computer application is operable to interpret the digital signals so as to define digital input data, said digital input data corresponding to the handwritten input data; and

(d) A verification/correction facility linked to the computer application, a display and one or more correction devices including the input device for verification/correction of the digital input data at the point of entry.

6. The electronic clipboard claimed in claim 5, wherein the correction devices include one or more of the following:

(a) A display for displaying the digital input data;

(b) At least one input device for navigating within the digital input data;

(c) A real or virtual key pad that enables correction of the digital input data;

(d) A scroll device that enables selection of alphanumeric characters for correction of the digital input data.

7. The electronic clipboard claimed in claim 5, wherein the electronic clipboard includes a location/identification facility that enables the electronic clipboard to determine the particular paper form being processed, and the location of the paper form on the panel.

8. The electronic clipboard claimed in claim 5, wherein the electronic clipboard is operable to connect to a remote computer for processing of the digital input data for one electronic form or multiple electronic forms.

9. The electronic clipboard claimed in claim 5, wherein the connection is a wireless connection that supports two-way communication between the electronic clipboard and the remote computer.

10. The electronic clipboard claimed in claim 9, wherein the remote computer consists of a desktop computer that includes a forms creation application for creating electronic forms corresponding to the paper forms, the electronic forms defining rules for processing the digital input data.

11. The electronic clipboard claimed in claim 5, wherein the remote computer consists of a server computer, the server computer including a server application for:

(a) Creating electronic forms corresponding to the paper forms, the electronic forms defining rules for processing the digital input data;

(b) Processing the digital input data included in particular fields of the electronic forms based on the rules for processing the digital input data corresponding to the particular fields; and

(c) Establishing traffic parameters for defining the routing of particular digital input data, including transmission to third party computer systems, and applying the traffic parameters to digital input data received from the electronic clipboard.

12. The electronic clipboard claimed in claim 11, wherein the server application also provides instructions for creating electronic forms linked to financial transactions and processing the financial transactions linked to the electronic forms.

13. The electronic clipboard claimed in claim 5 further comprising a biometric device including a biometric sensor and an encryption/authentication facility that are operable based on biometric input provided to the biometric sensor to perform one or more of the following functions:

(a) Restrict access to the functions of the electronic clipboard to authorized users only;

(b) Confirm the presence of particular individuals at the time the electronic form was completed;

or

(c) Encrypt/authenticate the digital input data.

14. A system for providing a digital workflow associated with the completion of a paper form, the electronic clipboard comprising:

(a) An electronic clipboard including;

(i) A panel for receiving a paper form;

(ii) A computer linked to a memory, the computer being operable to receive computer instructions defining a clipboard computer application, the computer application being operable to process an electronic form corresponding to the paper form;

(iii) An input device operable to complete the paper form with handwritten input data and creating digital signals corresponding to the handwritten input data, wherein the computer application is operable to interpret the digital signals so as to define digital input data, said digital input data corresponding to the handwritten input data; and

(iv) A verification/correction facility linked to the computer application, a display and one or more correction devices including the input device for verification/correction of the digital input data; and

(b) A remote computer linked to the electronic clipboard, the remote computer including;

(i) a forms creation computer application for creating electronic forms corresponding to paper forms, the electronic forms defining rules for processing the digital input data; and

(ii) a form processing computer application operable to process the digital input data based on the corresponding rules for processing the digital input data;

wherein the electronic clipboard and the remote computer are linked to permit the remote computer to forward particular digital input data to particular software applications associated with the remote computer for processing of the particular digital input data.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the remote computer consists of a server computer, the server computer including a server application for:

(a) Creating electronic forms corresponding to the paper forms, the electronic forms defining rules for processing the digital input data;

(b) Processing the digital input data included in particular fields of the electronic forms based on the rules for processing the digital input data corresponding to the particular fields; and

(c) Establishing traffic parameters for defining the routing of particular digital input data, including transmission to third party computer systems, and applying the traffic parameters to digital input data received from the electronic clipboard.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the server application also provides instructions for creating electronic forms linked to financial transactions, including credit/debit card transactions, and processing the credit/debit card transactions linked to the electronic forms.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

(a) the electronic clipboard includes a biometric device including a biometric sensor and an encryption/authentication facility that is operable to encrypt/authenticate the digital input data based on biometric input provided to the biometric sensor; and

(b) wherein the server application is operable to encrypt data at the field level to a database linked to the server computer.

18. A computer program, including a computer usable medium, configurable to provide instructions to a computer associated with an electronic clipboard to:

(a) Receive an electronic form corresponding to a paper form, the electronic form including a plurality of rules for processing digital input data;

(b) Identify a particular paper form and define its location on a panel of the electronic clipboard;

(c) Capture digital input data from handwritten data included in the paper form by operation of an input device;

(d) Display the digital data for verification and/or correction of the digital data by operation of a verification/correction facility provided by the input device; and

(e) Process the digital data in accordance with the rules for processing digital input data.

19. The computer program claimed in claim 18, further configurable to:

(a) Transmit the digital input data via a wireless connection to a remote computer.

20. The computer program claimed in claim 19, further configurable to:

(a) Enable two-way communications between the electronic clipboard and the remote computer.

21. A point of sale device comprising:

(a) An electronic clipboard comprising;

(i) A panel for receiving a paper form;

(ii) A computer linked to a memory, the computer being operable to receive computer instructions defining a clipboard computer application, the computer application being operable to process an electronic form corresponding to the paper form;

(iii) An input device operable to complete the paper form with handwritten input data and create digital signals corresponding to the handwritten input data, wherein the computer application is operable to interpret the digital signals so as to define digital input data, said digital input data corresponding to the handwritten input data; and

(iv) A verification/correction facility linked to the computer application, a display and one or more correction devices including the input device for verification/correction of the digital input data at the point of entry; and

Wherein the electronic clipboard enables the input of financial transaction data by one or more of the following input means;

A Swipe card reader linked to the electronic clipboard;

(v) A key pad;

or

(vi) Handwriting of the financial transaction data in a particular field of the paper form.

22. A point of sale device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the electronic clipboard enables the use of a transaction record that includes an invoice and a credit/debit card receipt.

23. The point of sale device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the electronic clipboard enables the creation of a digital carbon copy of the transaction record, including the signature of an individual, which digital carbon copy is operable to provide a digital record of the transaction.