Performing an action with respect to hand-formed expression

• US 20060267964A1
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Cohen, Alexander J., Lord, Robert W., Jung, Edward K.Y., Levien, Royce A., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,232,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus

Abstract

Embodiments include an apparatus, device, system, computer-program product, and method. In an embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes receiving a signal originated by a handheld writing device and indicative of a handwriting on a surface. The method also includes receiving a signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag associated by a user with the handwriting. The machine-distinguishable tag selected from at least two machine-distinguishable defined tags. The method includes performing an action with respect to a representation of the handwriting in response to the machine-distinguishable tag.

Claims

1. A method performed in a computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a signal originated by a handheld writing device and indicative of a handwriting on a surface;

receiving a signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag associated by a user with the handwriting, the machine-distinguishable tag selected from at least two machine-distinguishable defined tags; and

distributing a representation of the handwriting to a data recipient in response to the machine-distinguishable tag.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a signal indicative of a handwriting on a surface includes receiving a signal indicative of a handwriting on a paper surface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag associated by the user with the handwriting includes recognizing the machine-distinguishable tag associated by the user with the handwriting.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag associated by the user with the handwriting includes characterizing the machine-distinguishable tag associated by the user with the handwriting.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag associated by the user with the handwriting includes receiving a signal originated by the handheld writing device and indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag associated by the user with the handwriting.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving another signal originated by the handheld writing device and indicative of another handwriting on the surface;

receiving another signal indicative of another machine-distinguishable tag associated by the user with the another handwriting, the machine-distinguishable tag selected from the at least two machine-distinguishable defined tags; and

in response to the another machine-distinguishable tag, distributing a representation of the another handwriting to another data recipient associated with the computing device.

7. A computer program product, comprising:

(a) program instructions operable to perform a process in a computer system, the process comprising;

receiving a signal indicative of a handwriting;

receiving a signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag associated with the handwriting, the machine-distinguishable tag being selected from at least two machine-distinguishable tags; and

distributing a representation of the handwriting to a data recipient in response to the machine-distinguishable tag; and

(b) a computer-readable signal-bearing medium bearing the program instructions.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the receiving a signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag associated with the handwriting includes receiving a signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag associated by a user with the handwriting.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the distributing a representation of the handwriting to a data recipient in response to the machine-distinguishable tag includes distributing a representation of the handwriting to a data recipient saved in a computer-readable storage medium associated with the computing system in response to the machine-distinguishable tag.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the distributing a representation of the handwriting to a data recipient saved in a computer-readable storage medium associated with the computing system in response to the machine-distinguishable tag includes distributing a representation of the signal indicative of a handwriting to a data recipient saved in a computer-readable storage medium associated with the computing system in response to the signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the signal-bearing media includes a computer storage media.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the signal-bearing media includes a communications media.

13. A system comprising:

a pen comprising;

a writing element;

a writing detector module operable to generate a signal indicative of a handwriting by the writing element on a surface; and

a tag detector module operable to generate a signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag associated by a user with the handwriting, the machine-distinguishable tag being selected from at least two machine-distinguishable tags; and

a computer program product, comprising;

(a) program instructions operable to perform a process in a computer system, the process comprising;

receiving the signal indicative of a handwriting;

receiving the signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag associated with the handwriting; and

distributing a representation of the handwriting to a data recipient in response to the machine-distinguishable tag; and

(b) a computer-readable signal-bearing medium bearing the program instructions.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the tag detector module is at least substantially similar to writing detector module.

15. A device comprising:

means for receiving in a computing device a signal indicative of a handwriting on a surface;

means for receiving in the computing device a signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag associated by a user with the handwriting, the machine-distinguishable tag being selected from at least two machine-distinguishable tags; and

means for distributing a representation of the handwriting to a data recipient associated with the computing device in response to the machine-distinguishable tag.

16. A method comprising:

generating a content signal indicative of a hand-formed mark on a surface; and

generating a label signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag user associated with the hand-formed mark, the machine-distinguishable tag selected from at least two machine-distinguishable tags.