Method and apparatus for capturing handwritten information and providing visual feedback

• US 5,401,916 A
• Filed: 09/29/1992
• Issued: 03/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Crooks, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US07/953,433
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 434/410, 178/18, 178/19, 382/3, 345/173-179
• US Class Current: 178/18.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041

Abstract

A method and apparatus for electronically capturing handwritten information and for providing a visual feedback to the user of the device to show what has been written. A digitizer is provided for the electronic capture of the handwritten data, and a device comprising multiple superimposed sheets, which coact to produce a visible mark when pressure is applied thereto, is placed over the digitizer to receive a writing impression at the same time that the digitizer does. A mechanical eraser is placed between the sheets to separate them and thereby erase the visible mark which has been made. The eraser also includes a sensing device to sense when an erasure has been made, and to provide a signal indicating that this has been done. In using the device, it is first ascertained that any previous marking has been erased, the desired handwritten entry is then made, and is subsequently erased, to ready the device for its next use.

Claims

1. An apparatus for capturing handwritten information electronically and for providing a visible trace of what has been written, comprising:

a housing;

a sensing device within the housing for electronically sensing movement of a marking implement with respect to a surface of said device; and

a reusable medium having self-contained marking material therein and located in operative relation to said sensing device on which a trace of handwritten information appears when said marking implement is moved with respect to said sensing device;

said medium comprising at least two sheets of material placed on top of one another so that localized pressure causes selective adhesion between the two sheets at the points of pressure application, causing a visible trail;

said medium also including a separator for separating the two sheets after a visible trail has been produced on the sheets, to erase the trail, said separator having an extension for actuating a switch when operated to indicate that an erasing operation has taken place;

a first of said sheets comprising a flexible translucent sheet having a fluorescent dye dispersed throughout and a second sheet comprising an opaque sheet;

said apparatus also including an ultraviolet light source located within said housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which a surface of the sensing device is rough and the second sheet is positioned adjacent to said surface.

3. An apparatus for capturing handwritten information electronically and for providing a visible trace of what has been written, comprising:

a sensing device for electronically sensing movement of a marking implement with respect to a surface of said device; and

a reusable medium having self-contained marking material therein and located in operative relation to said sensing device on which a trace of handwritten information appears when said marking implement is moved with respect to said sensing device;

in which the medium comprises a first sheet of flexible translucent material, a second sheet of flexible translucent material having a fluorescent dye dispersed throughout, a third sheet of opaque material, and a two-element separator having a first paddle located between the first and second sheets for separating the first and second sheets and having a second paddle located between the second and third sheets for separating the second and third sheets, after a trail has been produced on the sheets, in order to erase the trail.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, also including an additional protective layer positioned above said other layers, the marking implement being engageable with said additional protective layer during writing on the apparatus.

5. Apparatus for capturing handwritten information, comprising:

a temporary mechanical marking means;

a handwriting sensing device positioned in operative relation to said temporary mechanical marking means;

a controller; and

a communications interface coupled to said controller and said handwriting sensing device;

the temporary mechanical marking means comprising three layers of material, a first of said layers comprising a first sheet of flexible translucent material, a second of said layers comprising a sheet of flexible translucent material having a fluorescent dye dispersed throughout, and a third layer comprising a sheet of opaque material, and a two-element separator having a first paddle located between the first and second layers for separating the first and second layers and having a second paddle located between the second and third layers for separating the second and third layers.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, also including an additional protective layer positioned above said other layers.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, in which the temporary mechanical marking means has indicia placed thereon.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, in which the indicia comprises a business form.

9. A method for capturing handwritten information and providing visual feedback utilizing a host system having a keyboard, a display and a handwriting capture apparatus comprising a sensing device, a marking implement and a temporary marking device comprising at least two sheets of material placed on top of one another so that localized pressure causes selective adhesion between the two sheets at points of pressure application, causing a visible trail, comprising the following steps:

(a) determining by the host system whether or not the temporary marking device has been erased from any previous use;

(b) if the temporary marking device has not been erased, displaying a message on the display to prompt the operator to perform an erasure;

(c) performing an erasure by moving a separator between said at least two sheets of material to cause the sheets to separate, erasing the visible trail, if this has not been done;

(d) displaying a message on the display to prompt an operator to begin entering handwritten data on the handwriting capture apparatus;

(e) entering handwritten data on the handwriting capture apparatus using the marking implement;

(f) operating a key on the keyboard of the host system to signal completion of handwritten data; and

(g) erasing the temporary marking device by moving said separator between said at least two sheets of material.