PEN SYSTEM FOR RECORDING HANDWRITTEN INFORMATION

• US 20100232730A1
• Filed: 05/25/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• 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 Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,019,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/314
• 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 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: 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 a handheld electronic pen. The pen system includes the handheld electronic pen and a second memory unit located in an external data storage device. The electronic pen has an image sensor for optically imaging a position-coding pattern printed on a surface, a processor for recording the handwritten information as digital ink and a first memory unit for storing the digital ink. The first and second memory units are connected in such a way that a transmission of digital ink is caused to occur automatically from the first memory unit to the second memory unit. Receipt of the digital ink by the second memory unit causes the second memory unit to associate the track of handwritten information with a stored description of the surface.

Claims

1. A pen system for recording a track of handwritten information created by a handheld electronic pen, said system comprising:

the handheld electronic pen comprising;

an image sensor for optically imaging a position-coding pattern printed on a surface;

a processor for recording said handwritten information as digital ink using the imaged position-coding pattern, said digital ink identifying a surface identity; and

a first memory unit for storing said digital ink; and

a second memory unit located in an external data storage device, wherein said first and second memory units are connected in such a way that a transmission of said digital ink is caused to occur automatically from the first memory unit to the second memory unit, and wherein receipt of said digital ink by said second memory unit causes said second memory unit to associate the track of handwritten information with a stored description of said surface, said stored description being identified by said surface identity.

2. A pen system according to claim 1, further comprising a device for transmission of the digital ink between the first and the second memory units, the first memory unit being arranged to receive and store the digital ink generated by the pen device, and the information transmission device being arranged to transfer according to predetermined rules at least a subset of the digital ink from the first to the second memory unit.

3. A pen system according to claim 2, in which the information transmission device is arranged to carry out exclusively one-way transmission of the digital ink from the first to the second memory unit.

4. A pen system according to claim 2, in which said rules comprise transferring said digital ink when the first memory unit has attained a given level of fullness.

5. A pen system according to claim 2, in which the information transmission device is arranged to carry out wireless transmission of digital ink from the handheld pen device.

6. A pen system according to claim 2, in which the information transmission device is arranged to transfer all the digital ink stored in the first memory unit to the second memory unit.

7. A pen system according to claim 5, in which the information transmission device is arranged to send automatically the digital ink when the hand-held pen device comes within wireless communication range of the external data storage device.

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

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

10. A computer system for receiving digital ink stored in a first internal memory unit of a handheld pen device, said digital ink representing a track of handwritten information recorded from an imaged position-coding pattern and said digital ink identifying a surface identity, wherein said computer system comprises:

a second memory unit connected to said first memory unit in such a way that transmission of said digital ink is caused to occur automatically from the first memory unit to the second memory unit; and

a processor for automatically associating the track of handwritten information with a stored description of said surface upon receipt of said digital ink, said stored description being identified by said surface identity.

11. A computer system according to claim 10, wherein said first and second memory units are connected wirelessly.

12. A computer system according to claim 11, wherein said first and second memory units are connected wirelessly via a relay device.