Method and system for searching information

• US 6,973,450 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• 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): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US09/608,178
• Time in Patent Office: 1,985 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/10, 707/101, 345/179, 345/115, 382/100, 235/487, 235/494
• 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 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 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 a user to search stored information by providing a user with a printed search request form. The search request form includes information relating to a search request and coded data. The coded data indicates to a sensing device information relating to an identity of the search request form, of at least one reference point of the search request form and/or at least one parameter of the search request. The sensing device communicates indicating data to a computer system based on the sensed coded data. The computer system is able to identify form this indicating data the identity of the search request form, movement of the sensing device as it relates to the parameters of the search request form and/or a search request.

Claims

1. A method of enabling a user to request a search of stored information via

a search request form, the search request form having disposed therein or thereon information relating to a search request and having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of an identity of the search request form and of a plurality of reference points of the search request form;

the method including, in a computer system;

(a) recording an association between the identity and a description of the search request form;

(b) causing a printer to print the search request form by printing the information and the coded data;

(c) receiving from a sensing device operated by the user, indicating data indicative of the identity of the search request form and a position of the sensing device relative to the search request form, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the search request form, generating the indicating data by sensing at least some of the coded data; and

(d) identifying, from the indicating data and the description, at least one parameter relating to the search request.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one parameter relating to the search request is associated with at least one zone of the search request form, and in which the method includes identifying, in the computer system and from the zone relative to which the sensing device is located, said at least one parameter.

3. The method of claim 2 which includes

receiving, in the computer system, data regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the search request form, the sensing device sensing its movement relative to the search request form using at least some of the coded data;

and

identifying, in the computer system and from said movement being at least partially within said at least one zone, said at least one parameter of the search request.

8. The method of any one of claims 2, 4 or 6 in which the parameter is an action parameter of the search request, the method including effecting, in the computer system, an operation in respect of the action parameter.

9. The method of claim 8 in which the action parameter of the search request is selected from the group including:

commencing a search of stored information; and

requesting a blank search request form.

10. The method of any one of claims 1, 4 or 6 in which the parameter is an option parameter of the search request, 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.

11. The method of claim 10 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; and

selecting the maximum number of returned matches to provide.

12. The method of any one of claims 1, 4 or 6 in which the parameter is a text parameter of the search request, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the user has entered handwritten text data by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the text parameter.

13. The method of claim 12 which includes converting, in the computer system, the handwritten text data to computer text.

14. The method of claim 13 in which the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

search text;

a sorting preference of the results;

a preferred language;

a range of relevant dates; and

an author of a document.

15. The method of any one of claims 1, 4 or 6 in which the parameter is an authorisation parameter of the search request, 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.

16. The method of claim 15 which includes verifying, in the computer system, that the signature is that of the user.

17. The method of claim 16 in which the authorisation parameter is associated with search authorisation.

18. The method of any one of claims 1, 4 or 6 in which the parameter is a picture parameter of the search request, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the user has entered a hand-drawn picture by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the picture parameter.

19. The method of claim 18 in which the picture parameter is associated with a picture search parameter of the search request.

20. The method of any one of claims 1, 4 or 5 in which the search request form contains information relating to at least one of:

the available stores of information; and

the available topic categories.

21. The method of any one of claims 1, 4 or 5 which includes printing the search request form on demand.

22. The method of claim 21 which includes printing the search request form on a surface of a surface-defining means and, at the same time that the search request form is printed, printing the coded data on the surface.

23. The method of claim 22 which includes printing the coded data to be substantially invisible in the visible spectrum.

24. The method of claim 1 or 5 which includes retaining a retrievable record of each search request form generated, the search request form being retrievable using its identity as contained in its coded data.

25. The method of any one of claims 1, 4 or 5 which includes distributing a plurality of search request forms using a mixture of multicast and pointcast communications protocols.

26. The method of claim 1 or 4 in which the sensing device contains an identification means which imparts a unique identity to the sensing device and identifies it as belonging to a particular user and in which the method includes monitoring, in the computer system, said identity.

27. The method of any one of claims 1, 4 or 5 which includes providing all required information relating to the search request in the search request form to eliminate the need for a separate display device.

28. The method of any one of claims 1, 4 or 5 in which the search request form is printed on multiple pages and in which the method includes binding the pages.

49. The method of claim 1, in which the method includes, in the computer system:

generating the identity;

recording the association between the generated identity and the description; and

,

generating the coded data using the generated identity.

55. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method includes, in the computer system, transferring to the printer print data, the printer being responsive to the print data to print the search request form, the print data being at least partially indicative of the information and at least one of:

the identity; and

,

the coded data.

4. A method of enabling a user to request a search of stored information via

a search request form, the search request form having disposed therein or thereon information relating to a search request, and having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of an identity of the search request form and at least one parameter of the search request, the method including, in a computer system:

(a) recording an association between the identity and a description of the search request form;

(b) causing a printer to print the search request form by printing the information and the coded data;

(c) receiving, from a sensing device operated by the user, indicating data indicative of the identity of the search request form and said at least one parameter, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the search request form, generating the indicating data by sensing at least some of the coded data; and

(d) identifying, from the indicating data and the description, said at least one parameter.

7. The method of claim 4 or 6 which includes receiving, in the computer system, data from the sensing device regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the search request form, the sensing device generating data regarding its own movement relative to the search request form.

50. The method as claimed in claim 4, in which the method includes, in the computer system:

generating the identity;

recording the association between the generated identity and the description; and

,

generating the coded data using the generated identity.

56. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the method includes, in the computer system, transferring to the printer print data, the printer being responsive to the print data to print the search request form, the print data being at least partially indicative of the information and at least one of:

the identity; and

,

the coded data.

5. A method of enabling a user to request a search of stored information, via

a search request form, the search request form having disposed therein or thereon information relating to a search request, and having disposed theron or therin coded data indicative of an identity of the search request form, the method including, in a computer system:

(a) recording an association between the identity and a description of the search request form;

(b) causing a printer to print the search request form by printing the information and the coded data;

(c) receiving, from a sensing device operated by the user, indicating data indicative of an identity of the user and the identity of the search request form, the sensing device containing the data regarding the identity of the user and generating the indicating data by sensing at least some of the coded data; and

(d) identifying, from the indicating data and the description, a search request.

6. The method of claim 5 in which the coded data is also indicative of at least one parameter of the search request, and the method includes receiving, in the computer system, indicating data from the sensing device regarding said at least one parameter of the search request, the sensing device sensing the indicating data using at least some of the coded data.

51. The method as claimed in claim 5, in which the method includes, in the computer system:

generating the identity;

recording the association between the generated identity and the description; and

,

generating the coded data using the generated identity.

57. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the method includes, in the computer system transferring to the printer print data, the printer being responsive to the print data to print the search request form, the print data being at least partially indicative of the information and at least one of:

the identity; and

,

the coded data.

29. A system for enabling a user to request a search of stored information via

a search request form, the search request form having disposed therein or thereon information relating to a search request, and having disposed thereon or thereon coded data indicative of an identity of the search request form and a plurality of reference points of the search request form, the system including

a computer system for:

(a) recording an association between the identity and a description of the search request form;

(b) causing a printer to print the search request form by printing the information and the coded data;

(c) receiving indicating data from a sensing device operated by the user, the indicating data being indicative of the identity of the search request form and a position of the sensing device relative to the search request form, the sensing device generating the indicating data by sensing at least some of the coded data; and

,

(d) identifying, from the indicating data and the description, at least one parameter relating to the search request.

30. The system of claim 29 in which said at least one parameter relating to the search request is associated with at least one zone of the search request form.

31. The system of claim 29 which includes the sensing device, the sensing device sensing its movement relative to the search request form using at least some of the coded data.

36. The system of any one of claims 29, 32 or 34 in which said at least one parameter of the search request is selected from the group comprising an action parameter of the search request, an option parameter of the search request, a text parameter of the search request, an authorisation parameter of the search request, and a picture parameter of the search request.

37. The system of claim 36 in which the action parameter of the search request is selected from the group comprising:

commencing a search of stored information; and

requesting a blank search request form.

38. The system of claim 36 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; and

selecting the maximum number of returned matches to provide.

39. The system of claim 36 in which the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

search text;

a sorting preference of the results;

a preferred language;

a range of relevant dates; and

an author of a document.

40. The system of claim 36 in which the authorisation parameter is associated with search authorisation.

41. The system of claim 36 in which the picture parameter is associated with a picture search parameter of the search request.

42. The system of any one of claims 31, 32 or 35 in which the sensing device includes a marking nib.

43. The system of claim 31 or 32 in which the sensing device contains an identification means which imparts a unique identity to the sensing device and identifies it as belonging to a particular user.

44. The system of any one of claims 29, 32 or 33 in which the search request form is printed on a surface of a surface-defining means and in which the system includes a printer for printing the search request form on demand.

45. The system of claim 44 in which the printer prints the coded data at the same time as printing the search request form on the surface-defining means.

46. The system of any one of claims 29, 32 or 33 in which the coded data is substantially invisible in the visible spectrum.

47. The system of claim 29 or 33 which includes a database for keeping a retrievable record of each search request form generated, each search request form being retrievable by using its identity as included in its coded data.

48. The system of claim 44 in which, to cater for a search request form printed on multiple pages, the printer includes a binding means for binding the pages.

52. The system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the computer system:

generates the identity;

records the association between the generated identity and the description; and

,

generates the coded data using the generated identity.

58. The system, as claimed in claim 29, wherein the computer system transfers to the printer print data, the printer being responsive to the print data to print the search request form, the print data being at least partially indicative of the information and at least one of:

the identity; and

,

the coded data.

32. A system for enabling a user to request a search of stored information via

a search request form, the search request form having disposed therein or thereon information relating to a search request, and having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of an identity of the search request form and of at least one parameter of the search request;

the system including a computer system for;

(a) recording an association between the identity and a description of the search request form;

(b) causing a printer to print the search request form by printing the information and the coded data;

(c) receiving indicating data from a sensing device operated by the user, the indicating data indicative of the identity of the search request form and said at least one parameter, the sensing device, when positioned operatively relative to the search request form, generating the indicating data by sensing at least some of the coded data; and

,

(d) identitfying, from the indicating data and the description, said at least one parameter.

59. The system as claimed in claim 32, wherein the computer system, transfers to the printer print data, the printer being responsive to the print data to print the search request form, the print data being at least partially indicative of the information and at least one of:

the identity; and

,

the coded data.

33. A system for enabling a user to request a search of stored information via

a search request form, the search request form having disposed thereon or therein coded data indicative of an identity of the search request form;

the system including a computer system for;

(a) recording an association between the identity and a description of the search request form;

(b) causing a printer to print the search request form by printing the information and the coded data;

(c) receiving, from a sensing device operated by the user, indicating data indicative of an identity of the user and the identity of the search request form, the sensing device containing the data regarding the identity of the user and generating the indicating data by sensing at least some of the coded data; and

,

(d) identifying, from the indicating data and the description, a search request.

34. The system of claim 33 in which the coded data is also indicative of at least one parameter of the search request, the computer system receiving indicating data from the sensing device regarding said at least one parameter of the search request, and the sensing device sensing the indicating data using at least some of the coded data.

35. The system of claim 33 which includes the sensing device, the sensing device sensing its movement relative to the search request form.

53. The system as claimed in claim 33, wherein the computer system:

generates the identity;

records the association between the generated identity and the description; and

,

generates the coded data using the generated identity.

54. The system as claimed in claim 33, wherein the computer system:

generates the identity;

records the association between the generated identity and the description;

generates the coded data using the generated identity; and

,

causes printing of the form.

60. The system as claimed in claim 33, wherein the computer system, transfers to the printer print data, the printer being responsive to the print data to print the search request form, the print data being at least partially indicative of the information and at least one of:

the identity; and

,

the coded data.