Recording and Communication of Handwritten Information

• US 20070222770A1
• Filed: 06/01/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul, Walmsley, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 7,738,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• 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 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• 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 specialized liquids, e.g. transparent or 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: 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 : using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
• 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: G06V 30/1426 : by sensing position defining codes on a support
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 : Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1448 : based on markings or identifiers characterising the document or the area
• 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 2201/3243 : of type information, e.g. handwritten or text document
• 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

Abstract

A pen system for recording a track of handwritten information created by the pen device is provided. The pen system comprises: a handheld pen device for recording the information in a digital format; and a memory for storing the recorded information. The memory includes: a first memory unit located in the hand-held pen device; and a second memory unit located in an external data storage device. The memory units are connected in such a way that transmission of the recorded information is caused to occur automatically from the first memory unit to the second memory unit, and through transmission of the recorded information from the first memory unit to the second memory unit. The recorded information can exceed the storage capacity of the first memory unit and thereby, from the point of view of the user the first memory unit and second memory unit form a coherent memory unit.

Claims

1. A pen system for recording a track of handwritten information created by the pen device, comprising:

a handheld pen device for recording said information in a digital format; and

a memory for storing said recorded information, wherein the memory includes;

a first memory unit located in the hand-held pen device; and

a second memory unit located in an external data storage device, which memory units are connected in such a way that a transmission of said recorded information is caused to occur automatically from the first memory unit to the second memory unit, and through transmission of the recorded information from the first memory unit to the second memory unit, the recorded information can exceed the storage capacity of the first memory unit and thereby, from the point of view of the user the first memory unit and second memory unit form a coherent memory unit.

2. A pen system according to claim 1, wherein the pen system is arranged, after a “

send”

command, to send all information associated with the “

send”

command and stored in the first and second memory units to an external information management unit.

3. A pen system according to claim 1, further comprising a device for transmission of information between the first and the second memory units, the first memory unit being arranged to receive and store the recorded information from the recording device and the information transmission device being arranged to transfer according to predetermined rules at least a subset of the recorded information from the first to the second memory unit for storage therein.

4. A pen system according to claim 3, in which the information transmission device is arranged to carry out exclusively one-way transmission of information from the first to the second memory unit.

5. A pen system according to claim 3, in which said rules comprise transferring said information when the first memory unit has attained a given level of fullness.

6. A pen system according to claim 3, in which said rules comprise transferring said information when this has been stored in the first memory unit for a certain period of time.

7. A pen system according to claim 3, in which the information transmission device is arranged to carry out wireless transmission of information from the hand-held pen device.

8. A pen system according to claim 3, in which the information transmission device is arranged to transfer all the recorded information to the second memory unit.

9. A pen system according to claim 3, in which the information transmission device is arranged to send automatically the recorded information when the hand-held pen device comes within wireless communication range of the external data storage device.

10. A pen system according to claim 1, in which the recorded information comprises a plurality of absolute positions that form an electronic version of the handwritten information.

11. A pen system according to claim 1, in which the second memory unit has a data storage capacity that is considerably larger than the data storage capacity of the first memory unit.

12. A pen system according to claim 1, in which said hand-held pen device for recording handwritten information comprises an image sensor for optical recording of a position code on a base.

13. A hand-held pen device, comprising:

a device for recording a track of handwritten information created by the pen device; and

an information transmission device for transferring information from the pen device automatically from the internal memory unit to an external memory unit in an external data storage device in such a way that by said transfer the recorded information can exceed the storage capacity of the internal memory unit and thereby, from the point of view of the user, the memory units form a coherent memory unit.

14. A system for information management, comprising:

an information management unit; and

a pen system which is designed for recording a track of handwritten information created by a hand-held pen device, the pen system being arranged to store the recorded information in a memory and to communicate a required part thereof to the information management unit via a communication network, wherein the memory includes;

a first memory unit located in the hand-held pen device; and

a second memory unit located in an external data storage device, which memory units are connected in such a way that a transmission of said recorded information is caused to occur automatically from the first memory unit to the second memory unit, and through a transmission of the recorded information from the first memory unit to the second memory unit the recorded information can exceed the storage capacity of the first memory unit and thereby, from the point of view of a user, the first memory unit and the second memory unit form a coherent memory unit.

15. A system according to claim 14, in which the first memory unit is arranged to receive and store the recorded information and in which the hand-held pen device is arranged to transfer in accordance with predetermined rules at least a subset of the recorded information from the first to the second memory unit for storage therein.

16. A system according to claim 14, in which the pen device is arranged to carry out exclusively one-way transmission of information from the first to the second memory unit.

17. A system according to claim 14, further comprising a base with a position code, wherein the hand-held pen device comprises an image sensor for optical recording of the position code and a processor unit for converting the recorded position code into absolute positions that form an electronic version of the handwritten information, and in which the pen system is arranged to obtain an address for the information management unit by a request to an external look-up unit and on the basis of a base identity identified by said position code.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the external look-up unit is a DNS.

19. A system according to claim 17, in which the pen system is arranged to obtain said address via a communication unit in the external data storage device.

20. A method for providing memory capacity for a user of a hand-held pen device which is designed for recording and communicating a track of handwritten information created by the pen device, comprising the steps of:

reserving memory capacity for the pen device in an external data storage device; and

receiving, automatically, recorded information from a memory located in the pen device and storing the same in the external data storage device.