Method and system for searching information using coded marks

• US 6,850,931 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul, Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Channawajjala, Srirama
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, KHANH B
• Application Number:
  US10/291,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20030103245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/10, 707/100, 707/104.1, 707/101, 382/100, 235/487, 235/494, 345/179, 345/175, 345/156
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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: 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 16/3323 using document space presentation or visualization, e.g. category, hierarchy or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• 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 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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: G06Q 20/042 : characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0248 : Avoiding fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 : Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 : Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 : Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 : Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 : Electronic negotiation
• 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: G09B 7/00 : Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• 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 1/00334 : with an apparatus processing barcodes or the like arrangements for sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00342 : with a radio frequency tag transmitter or receiver storage of additional information in an RFID tag attached to an image bearing paper sheet H04N1/32138
• 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 2201/3247 : 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: Y10S 707/915 : Image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 : Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 : Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 : Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 : Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 : Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 : Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method and system for enabling searching of stored information, the system including: a search request form including information relating to a search request, the search request form including coded data indicative of an identify of the search request form and of at least one reference point of the search request form; and a computer system for receiving indicating data from a sensing device for identifying at least one parameter relating to the search request, the indicating data being indicative of the identify of the search request form and a position of the sensing device relative to the search request form, the sensing device sensing the indicating data using at least some of the coded data.

Claims

1. A method of enabling users to search stored information, the method including the steps of:

providing a user with a search request form including information relating to a search request, the search request form having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of an identity of the search request form and of at least one reference point of the search request form, the search request form further including at least one search field within which the user can input a handwritten search request;

the coded data comprising a plurality of substantially undifferentiated marks positioned relative to a set of predetermined nominal mark positions;

receiving in a computer system, indicating data from a sensing device, operated by the user, regarding the identity of the search request form and at least one of a position and a movement of the sensing device within the at least one search field relative to the search request form, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the search request form, sensing at least some of the coded data and generating the indicating data using at least some of the sensed coded data;

identifying, in the computer system and from the indicating data, the handwritten search request; and

performing the search of the stored information by utilising handwriting recognition of the handwritten search request or by utilising digital ink stroke matching of the handwritten search reciuest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the search results are provided to the user in a printed search results page having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of an identity of the search results page and of at least one reference point of the search results page.

5. The method according to claim 1, claim 3 or claim 4, wherein each mark represents one of a plurality of coded values.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the coded value represented by a mark is at least partially determined by the position of the mark relative to the set of predetermined nominal mark positions.

7. The method according to claim 1, claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the predetermined nominal mark positions are arranged relative to a plurality of nominal lines.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein at least one pair of the lines are spaced apart from one another by a distance of less than 100 millimeters.

9. The method according to claim 1, claim 3 or claim 4, 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 millimeters.

10. The method according to claim 1 or claim 4, wherein any 10 millimeter diameter area of the coded data indicative of the identity of the search request form includes sufficient information to identify the search request form.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein any 10 millimeter diameter area of the coded data indicative of the at least one reference point of the search request form includes sufficient information to identify the at least one reference point.

13. The method of any one of claims 1, 3 or 4, wherein there is provided an action parameter as part of the search request form, the method including effecting, in the computer system, an operation if the action parameter is selected by the user.

14. The method of claim 13 in which the action parameter of the search request form is selected from the group including:

commencing a search of stored information;

or

requesting a blank search request form.

15. The method of any one of claims 1, 3 or 4, wherein there is provided an option parameter as part of the search request form, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the user has entered a hand-drawn mark by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the option parameter.

16. The method of claim 15 in which the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

selecting the store of information to search;

selecting a topic category to search;

or

selecting the maximum number of returned matches to provide.

17. The method of any one of claims 1, 3 or 4, wherein the user can enter handwritten text parameter within at least one search field of the search request form, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the user has entered handwritten text parameter by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the handwritten text parameter.

18. The method of claim 17 which includes converting, in the computer system, the handwritten test parameter to computer text.

19. The method of claim 18 which includes converting, in the computer system, the handwritten text parameter to computer text using an online handwriting recognition program.

20. The method of claim 18 in which the handwritten text parameter is associated with at least one of:

the search query text;

a sorting preference of the results;

a preferred language;

a range of relevant dates;

or

an author of a document.

21. The method of any one of claims 1, 3 or 4, wherein there is provided an authorisation parameter as part of the search request form, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the user has entered a handwritten signature by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the authorisation parameter.

22. The method of claim 21 which includes verifying, in the computer system, that the handwritten signature is that of the user.

23. The method of claim 25 in which the authorisation parameter is associated with search authorisation.

24. The method of any one of claims 1, 3 or 4, wherein the handwritten search query is at least one hand-drawn image or picture, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the user has entered a hand-drawn image or picture by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the hand-drawn image or picture.

25. The method of claim 24 in which a search image or picture is effected by digital ink stroke matching.

26. The method of any one of claims 1, 3 or 4, wherein the search request form contains information relating to at least one of:

the available stores of information;

or

the available topic categories.

3. A method of enabling searching of stored information, the method including the steps of:

providing a user with a search request form including information relating to a search request, the search request form having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of at least one parameter of the search request, the search request form further including at least one search field within which the user can input a handwritten search request;

the coded data comprising a plurality of substantially undifferentiated marks positioned relative to a set of predetermined nominal mark positions;

receiving, in a computer system, data from a sensing device regarding the at least one parameter and regarding at least one of a movement and a position of the sensing device within the at least one search field relative to the search request form, the sensing device, when moved relative to the search request form, sensing the data regarding the at least one parameter using at least some of the coded data and generating the data regarding at least one of the movement and the position of the sensing device relative to the search request form;

interpreting, in the computer system, at least one of the movement and the position of the sensing device as it relates to the at least one parameter and the handwritten search request; and

,

peforming the search of the stored information by utilising the handwritten search request and the at least one parameter.

12. The method according to claim 3, wherein any 10 millimeter diameter area of the coded data indicative of the at least one parameter of the search request form includes sufficient information to identify the at least one parameter

4. A method of enabling searching of stored information, the method including the steps of

providing a user with a search request form having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of an identity of the search request form, the search request form further including at least one search field within which the user can input a handwritten search request;

the coded data comprising a plurality of substantially undifferentiated marks positioned relative to a set of predetermined nominal mark positions;

receiving, in a computer system, data from a sensing device regarding an identity of the user and regarding the identity of the search request form, the sensing device containing the data regarding the identity of the user and sensing the data regarding the identity of the search request form using at least some of the coded data;

identifying, in the computer system and from the data regarding the identity of the user and the identity of the search request form, a handwritten search request; and

performing the search of the stored information by utiising handwriting recognition of the handwritten search request or by utilising digital ink stroke matching of the handwritten search request.

27. A system for enabling searching of stored information, the system including

a search request form including information relating to a search request, the search request form having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of an identity of the search request form and of at least one reference point of the search request form, the search request form further including at least one search field within which the user can input a handwritten search request;

the coded data comprising a plurality of substantially undifferentiated marks positioned relative to a set of predetermined nominal mark positions; and

a computer system for receiving indicating data from a sensing device for identifying the handwritten search request, the indicating data being indicative of the identity of the search request form and at least one of a position and a movement of the sensing device within the at least one search field relative to the search request form, the computer system effecting the search of the stored information by utilising handwriting recognition of the handwritten search request or by utilising digital ink stroke matching of the handwritten search request;

the sensing device sensing the indicating data using at least some of the coded data.

31. The system according to claim 27, claim 28 or claim 29, wherein each mark represents one of a plurality of coded values.

32. The system according to claim 31, wherein the coded value represented by a mark is at least partially determined by the position of the mark relative to the set of predetermined nominal mark positions.

33. The system according to claim 27, claim 28 or claim 29, wherein the predetermined nominal mark positions are arranged relative to a plurality of nominal lines.

34. The system according to claim 33 wherein at least one pair of the lines are spaced apart from one another by a distance of less than 100 millimeters.

35. The system according to claim 27, claim 28 or claim 29, 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 millimeters.

36. The system according to claim 27 or claim 29, wherein any 10 millimeter diameter area of the coded data indicative of the identity of the search request form includes sufficient information to identify the search request form.

37. The system according to claim 27, wherein any 10 millimeter diameter area of the coded data indicative of the at least one reference point of the search request form includes sufficient information to identify the at least one reference point.

39. The system of any one of claims 27, 28 or 29, wherein there is provided at least one parameter as part of the search request form, the at least one parameter selected from the group comprising an action parameter for the search request, an option parameter for the search request, a handwritten parameter for the search request, an authorisation parameter for the search request, or an image or picture parameter for the search request.

40. The system of claim 39 in which the action parameter for the search request is selected from the group comprising:

commencing a search of stored information;

or

requesting a blank search request form.

41. The system of claim 39 in which the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

selecting the store of information to search;

selecting a topic category to search;

or

selecting the maximum number of returned matches to provide.

42. The system of claim 39 in which the handwritten text parameter is associated with at least one of:

the search query text;

a sorting preference of the results;

a preferred language;

a range of relevant dates;

or

an author of a document.

43. The system of claim 39 in which the authorisation parameter is associated with search authorisation.

44. The system of claim 39 in which the image or picture parameter is a hand-drawn image or picture associated with an image or picture search parameter for an image or picture search.

28. A system for enabling searching of stored information, the system including

a search request form including information relating to a search request, the search request form having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of at least one parameter of the search request, the search request form further including at least one search field within which the user can input a handwritten search request;

the coded data comprising a plurality of substantially undifferentiated marks positioned relative to a set of predetermined nominal mark positions; and

a computer system for receiving data from a sensing device regarding the at least one parameter and regarding at least one of a movement and a position of the sensing device within the at least one search field relative to the search request form, and for interpreting at least one of the movement and the position of the sensing device as it relates to the at least one parameter and the handwritten search request, the computer system effecting the search of the stored information by utilising the handwritten search request and the at least one parameter;

the sensing device, when moved relative to the search request form, sensing the data regarding the at least one parameter and the handwritten search request using at least some of the coded data and generating the data regarding at least one of the movement and the position of the sensing device relative to the search request form.

38. The system according to claim 28, wherein any 10 millimeter diameter area of the coded data indicative of the at least one parameter of the search request form includes sufficient information to identify the at least one parameter

29. A system for enabling searching of stored information, the system including

a search request form having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of an identity of the search request form, the search request form further including at least one search field within which the user can input a handwritten search request;

the coded data comprising a plurality of substantially undifferentiated marks positioned relative to a set of predetermined nominal mark positions; and

a computer system for receiving from a sensing device data regarding an identity of the user and the identity of the search request form, and for identifying, from the received data, a handwritten search request, the sensing device containing the data regarding the identity of the user and sensing the data regarding the identity of the search request form using at least some of the coded data, and the computer system effecting the search of the stored information by utilising handwriting recognition of the handwritten search request or by utilising digital ink stroke matching of the handwritten search request.

30. The system of claim 29 in which the coded data is also indicative of at least one parameter associated with the search request, the computer system receiving indicating data from the sensing device regarding the at least one parameter of the search request, and the sensing device sensing the indicating data using at least some of the coded data.