Apparatus and methods for imaging written information with a mobile telephone set

• US 6,311,042 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1999
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stefaan Deschrijver
• Original Assignee: Stefaan Deschrijver
• Inventors: DeSchrijver, Stefaan
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Congvan
• Application Number:
  US09/344,723
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 455/66, 455/556, 455/557, 455/956, 455/457, 455/566, 455/575, 455/145, 455/151.2, 455/154.2, 455/158.4, 455/158.5, 345/133, 345/179, 345/180, 380/247, 380/276, 178/18.01, 178/19.01
• US Class Current: 455/66.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/35 by means of a handwritten signature
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237
• 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 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00392 Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The systems and methods described herein provide communication systems that allow for the transmission of voice and data over a wireless network. To that end, the systems described herein include a mobile wireless communication system, such as a GSM telephone, and a pen input device capable of collecting information about an image written on a writing surface and capable of transmitting that information into the wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting signature data representative of a characteristic of a written signature over a wireless network, comprising

an input device in the form of a pen, said pen including

a sensor for measuring forces acting on a nib of the pen and generating a data signal representative of the characteristic of the written signature being traced on a writing surface, and

a transmitter incorporated in the pen and transmitting said data signal to a remote receiver,

a wireless communication device having the remote receiver receiving said data signal, and

a remote verification processor receiving said data signal from the wireless communication device over a wireless communication channel of the wireless network,

wherein the remote verification processor compares said data signal against a signature template for verifying whether said signature data representative of the characteristic of the written signature corresponds to said template.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter includes an infrared transmitter.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter includes a radio-frequency transmitter.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said transmitter includes a serial data generator.

5. A system according to claim 1, further including a data packet generator for formatting said data signal into a data packet conforming to a preselected data transfer protocol.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a data screen for displaying an image representative of information carried in said data signal.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device includes a mobile telephone.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device includes a PDA having a wireless communication device.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device includes a wireless modem.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device includes a controller for processing said data signal generated by said pen input device to generate an image signal representative of an image traced by said pen on a writing surface.

11. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a processor for formatting said data signal into a format suitable for transmission as a facsimile transmission.

12. A method for verifying the identity of a user at a remote location based on signature data representative of a dynamic characteristics of a written signature of the user, comprising

providing an input device in the form of a pen, with a sensor capable of measuring forces acting on a nib of the pen and generating a data signal representative of the dynamic characteristics of the written signature been traced on a writing surface, the pen further including a transmitter for transmitting said data signal to a remote receiver,

providing a wireless communication device having a the remote receiver receiving said data signal, the wireless communication device transmitting said data signal over a communication channel,

directing a user to operate said pen on the writing surface to trace the written signature associated with the user,

capturing the signature data representative of said dynamic characteristics of the written signature, and

the wireless communication device transmitting said signature data to a remote verification processor for processing said signature data representative of said dynamic characteristics of the written signature to verify the identity of said user.

13. A system for transmitting signature data representative of dynamic characteristics of a written signature over a wireless network, comprising

an input device in the form of a pen, said pen including

a sensor for measuring forces acting on a nib of the pen and generating a data signal representative of the dynamic characteristics of the written signature being traced on a writing surface, and

a transmitter incorporated in the pen and transmitting said data signal to a remote receiver,

a wireless communication device having the remote receiver receiving said data signal, and

a remote verification processor receiving said data signal from the wireless communication device over a wireless communication channel of the wireless network,

wherein the remote verification processor compares said data signal against a signature template for verifying whether said signature data representative of the dynamic characteristics of the written signature corresponds to said template.