Computer system control via interface surface with coded marks

• US 6,786,397 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Livescribe Incorporated (Anoto Group AB)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Seung H
• Application Number:
  US10/291,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20030085270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/435, 235/439, 235/462.03, 235/487, 235/472.02, 235/376
• US Class Current: 235/375
• 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 2/17523 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: B42P 2261/04 Producing books by printing sheets in following order, e.g. for ordering via the Internet
• 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 3/0321 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: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 : resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1265 : Printing by reference, e.g. retrieving document/image data for a job from a source mentioned in the job
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 : Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 : Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 : Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 : multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 : Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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: 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 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 : of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 : of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3243 : of type information, e.g. handwritten or text document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3247 : Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 : data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 : Transmission

Abstract

A method of enabling a user to instruct a computer system to perform an operation via an interface surface and a sensing device. The interface surface includes an interface, the interface including visible graphical information and substantially invisible coded data. When the sensing device is placed by the user into an operative position relative to the interface surface to designate at least some of the graphical information, it senses indicating data indicative of the operation using at least some of the coded data. The graphical information designated is at least partially indicative, to the user, of the operation. The operation indicated by the indicating data is then performed in the computer system.

Claims

1. A method of enabling a user to instruct a computer system to perform an operation via:

an interface surface including an interface, the interface including visible graphical information and substantially invisible coded data, the coded data comprising a plurality of substantially undifferentiated marks positioned relative to a predetermined pattern, wherein each mark has a minimum radius and a maximum radius and wherein the length of a mark'"'"'s minimum radius is greater than 40% of the length of that mark'"'"'s maximum radius; and

a sensing device which, when placed by the user into an operative position relative to the interface surface to designate at least some of the graphical information, senses at least some of the coded data and generates indicating data indicative of the operation using the sensed coded data;

the method including the steps of, in the computer system;

receiving the indicating data from the sensing device; and

performing the operation indicated by the indicating data;

wherein the graphical information designated by the user is at least partially indicative, to the user, of the operation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the graphical information designated by the user is adjacent, or substantially coincident with, coded data upon which the indicating data is based.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the graphical information takes the form of any combination of:

text;

graphics;

images;

buttons;

icons; and

hypertext links.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein each mark has a plurality of possible values.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the value of a mark is at least partially determined by the mark'"'"'s position relative to the predetermined pattern.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined pattern includes a plurality of lines.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the lines are not visible.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the marks have centers and wherein the relative spacing of the centers of at least one pair of adjacent marks is less than 12 mm.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein any 10 millimeter diameter area of the coded data indicative of the operation includes sufficient information to identify the operation.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the coded data identifies remotely stored information defining a position of the coded data relative to the interface surface.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the coded data includes region identification information that identities the region within which the respective coded data is disposed.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the region encompasses substantially the entire surface.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the coded data includes data identification information that identifies data associated with the region within which the respective coded data is disposed.

14. An interface system for enabling a user to instruct a computer system to perform an operation via:

an interface surface including an interface, the interface including visible graphical information and substantially invisible coded data, the coded data comprising a plurality of substantially undifferentiated marks positioned relative to a predetermined pattern, wherein each mark has a minimum radius and a maximum radius and wherein the length of a mark'"'"'s minimum radius is greater than 40% of the length of that mark'"'"'s maximum radius; and

a sensing device which, when placed by the user into an operative position relative to the interface surface to designate at least some of the graphical information, senses at least some of the coded data and generates indicating data indicative of the operation using the sensed coded data;

the computer system being configured to;

receive the indicating data from the sensing device; and

perform the operation indicated by the indicating data;

wherein the graphical information designated by the user is at least partially indicative, to the user, of the operation.

15. The interface system according to claim 14, wherein the graphical information designated by the user is adjacent, or substantially coincident with, coded data upon which the indicating data is based.

16. The interface system according to claim 15, wherein the graphical information takes the form of any combination of:

text;

graphics;

images;

buttons;

icons; and

hypertext links.

17. The interface system according to claim 14, wherein each mark has a plurality of possible values.

18. The interface system according to claim 16, wherein the value of a mark as at least partially determined by the mark'"'"'s position relative to the predetermined pattern.

19. The interface system according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined pattern includes a plurality of lines.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the lines are not visible.

21. The interface system according to claim 14, wherein the marks have centers and wherein the relative spacing of the centers of at least one pair of adjacent marks is less than about 12 mm.

22. The interface system according to claim 14, wherein any 10 millimeter diameter area of the coded date indicative of the operation includes sufficient information to identify the operation.

23. The interface system according to claim 14, wherein the coded data identifies remotely stored information defining a position of the coded data relative to the interface surface.

24. The interface system according to claim 14, wherein the coded data includes region identification information that identifies the region within which the respective coded data is disposed.

25. The interface system according to claim 24, wherein the region encompasses substantially the entire surface.

26. The interface system according to claim 14, wherein the coded data includes data identification information that identifies data associated with the region within which the respective coded data is disposed.