Portable handwritten data capture device and method of using

• US 5,587,560 A
• Filed: 04/10/1995
• Issued: 12/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Global Information Solutions Company (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Protheroe, Robert L., Crooks, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Safourek, Benedict V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US08/419,657
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19, 235/379, 235/380, 345/173, 345/179, 345/182, 382/119, 382/187, 382/313, 382/325
• US Class Current: 178/18.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32

Abstract

A system for capturing handwritten data includes a base station, a docking station coupled to the base station and a plurality of portable handwriting capture devices, which may be in the form of pads or trays. The pads or trays normally rest in quick release slots in the docking station, and are removed from the slots when put into use. Each pad includes a digitizer for capturing handwritten information, a controller for digitizing the information, a memory for storing the digitized information and an interface for transmitting the digitized information through the docking station to the base station, where it is decoded. A paper slip may be placed over the digitizer and retained in position, where it provides visual feedback to a person writing on the pad and also provides a written record.

Claims

1. A method for operating a portable signature capture device having a digitizer, said portable handwriting capture device operating in association with a computer and a docking station, comprising the following steps:

(a) determining whether the computer is transmitting a command to the portable signature capture device;

(b) if step (a) is true, determining whether the command is a command to transmit data;

(c) if step (b) is true, transmitting data to the computer;

(d) if step (a) is not true, determining whether a coordinate is available from the digitizer to obtain data from the digitizer;

(e) if step (d) is true, determining whether a pen is in contact with the digitizer;

(f) if step (e) is true, determining whether a paper slip is located over the digitizer; and

(g) if step (f) is true, storing the coordinate and repeating the process for obtaining another coordinate.

2. A method for operating a portable signature capture device having a digitizer, said portable handwriting capture device operating in association with a computer and a docking station, comprising the following steps:

(a) determining whether the computer is transmitting a command to the portable signature capture device;

(b) if step (a) is true, determining whether the command is a command to transmit data;

(c) if step (b) is true, transmitting data to the computer;

(d) if step (b) is not true, determining whether the command is a command to transmit identification data for the portable signature capture device to the computer;

(e) if step (d) is true, transmitting identification data to the computer;

(f) if step (d) is not true, determining whether the command is a command to receive identification data from the computer;

(g) if step (f) is true, erasing a memory in the portable signature capture device and storing received identification data in said memory; and

(h) returning to step (a).

3. A method for retrieving handwritten data from a portable signature capture device and converting it to useful information by a computer, comprising the following steps:

(a) determining by the computer that it needs said handwritten data from the portable signature capture device;

(b) confirming that the portable signature capture device is in a receptacle of a docking station for transmission of said handwritten data;

(c) if said portable handwriting capture device is not in said receptacle, prompting to cause said portable handwriting capture device to be placed in said receptacle;

(d) commanding said portable handwriting capture device to send an identification number to the computer;

(e) determining that the transmitted identification number is valid;

(f) commanding said portable handwriting capture device to transmit said handwritten data;

(g) transmitting said handwritten data by said portable handwriting capture device;

(h) performing by the computer a character recognition operation on the received handwritten data;

(i) determining whether or not said handwritten data includes any unrecognizable characters;

(j) if step (i) is true, prompting a user to manually recognize the unrecognizable characters;

(k) if step (i) is not true, determining whether the recognized characters are logically reasonable characters for the transaction being performed;

(l) if step (k) is not true, prompting a user to manually recognize the characters; and

(m) if step (k) is true, reconciling the transaction, storing the handwritten data and returning to step (a).

4. The method of claim 3, in which step (k) comprises the following substeps:

(k-1) adding amounts contained in the handwritten data; and

(k-2) determining whether the addition agrees with a handwritten total amount contained in the handwritten data.

5. A method controlled by a computer for causing handwritten data to be entered on a portable handwriting capture device having a digitizer for use by a computer, comprising the following steps:

(a) determining that the computer is ready for a new transaction;

(b) prompting a person having the portable handwriting capture device to enter transaction information;

(c) generating a unique transaction identification number;

(d) prompting said person to insert the portable handwriting capture device into a docking station coupled to said computer;

(e) determining that the portable handwriting capture device is present in the docking station;

(f) commanding the portable handwriting capture device to store the unique transaction identification number

(g) printing of a paper form by the computer;

(h) prompting said person to remove the portable handwriting capture device from the docking station, insert the form on said portable handwriting capture device and deliver said portable handwriting capture device to a customer for writing data on the form and the digitizer of said portable handwriting capture device;

(i) writing said data by said customer; and

(j) returning said portable handwriting capture device to said docking station for transmission of said data to said computer.

6. A method for completing a transaction using a system which includes a computer, at least one portable handwriting capture device and a docking station having receptacles for receiving said at least one portable handwriting capture device, comprising the following steps:

(a) obtaining a charge or debit card from a customer for a transaction;

(b) entering transaction data into the computer;

(c) coupling the portable handwriting capture device to the docking station;

(d) printing a paper receipt by the computer for the transaction;

(e) storing an identification number for the transaction in said portable handwriting capture device;

(f) uncoupling said portable handwriting capture device from said docking station and securing the paper receipt over the digitizer on said portable handwriting capture device;

(g) transporting said portable handwriting capture device to said customer;

(h) writing handwritten data simultaneously on said paper receipt and said digitizer by said customer and storing said handwritten data in a memory of said portable handwriting capture device;

(i) removing said paper receipt from said portable handwriting capture device;

(j) coupling said portable handwriting capture device to said docking station;

(k) retrieving said handwritten data from said portable handwriting capture device by said computer and matching said handwritten data to the transaction by the identification number; and

(l) performing character recognition and signature verification of said handwritten data by said computer.

7. A method for retrieving handwritten data from a portable signature capture device and converting it to useful information by a computer, comprising the following steps:

(a) determining by the computer that it needs said handwritten data from the portable signature capture device;

(b) commanding said portable handwriting capture device to transmit said handwritten data;

(c) transmitting said handwritten data by said portable handwriting capture device;

(d) performing by the computer a character recognition operation on the received handwritten data;

(e) determining whether or not said handwritten data includes any unrecognizable characters;

(f) if step (e) is true, prompting a user to manually recognize the unrecognizable characters; and

(g) reconciling the transaction, storing the handwritten data and returning to step (a).

8. A method for retrieving handwritten data from a portable signature capture device and converting it to useful information by a computer, comprising the following steps:

(a) determining by the computer that it needs the handwritten data from the portable signature capture device;

(b) commanding said portable handwriting capture device to transmit handwritten data;

(c) transmitting said handwritten data by said portable handwriting capture device;

(d) performing by the computer a character recognition operation on the received handwritten data;

(e) determining whether or not said handwritten data includes any unrecognizable characters;

(f) if step (e) is not true, determining whether the recognized characters are logically reasonable characters for the transaction being performed;

(g) if step (f) is not true, prompting a user to manually recognize the characters; and

(h) if step (f) is true, reconciling the transaction, storing the handwritten data and returning to step (a).