Method and system for navigating a history list

• US 6,976,035 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Paul, Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Filipczyk, Marc R.
• Application Number:
  US09/607,656
• Time in Patent Office: 1,992 Days
• Field of Search: 700/227, 705/408, 707/4, 707/10, 707/1, 707/6, 707/100, 707/101, 707/200, 358/114, 358/1.14, 358/1.1, 382/181, 382/314, 399/38, 715/500
• 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 2203/0337 Status LEDs integrated in the mouse to provide visual feedback to the user about the status of the input device, the PC, or the user
• 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: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1243 : Variable data printing, e.g. document forms, templates, labels, coupons, advertisements, logos, watermarks, transactional printing, fixed content versioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 : Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 : Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/171 : by use of digital ink
• 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: G06V 30/1423 : the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 : Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• 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 obtain a printed copy of a document previously printed by the user, the method including: maintaining a history list in a computer system of documents previously printed by the user; printing the history list, or a portion of the history list, in a list document including at least one user interface element associated with at least one history item in the history list, to allow the user to indicate a request for a copy of the previously printed document associated with the history item by interacting with the interface element using a sensing device which is adapted to transmit request data to the computer system; retrieving the copy via the computer system; and printing the copy.

Claims

1. A method of enabling a user to obtain a printed copy of a document previously printed by the user, the method including:

maintaining a history list in a computer system of documents previously printed by the user;

using a printer, printing a list document, the list document including at least one history item from the history list and at least one user interface element associated with the at least one history item, the user interface element allowing the user to indicate a request for a copy of a previously printed document associated with the history item by sensing the interface element in the printed list document using a sensing device, the sensing device being responsive to sensing of the interface element to transmit request data to the computer system;

retrieving the copy via the computer system; and

printing the copy.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one previously printed document is identified by a description in the list document which presents a link to a corresponding instance of the previously printed document, for retrieval by the computer system.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one further user interface element is provided in the list document to allow the history list to be subject to at least one navigation action using the sensing device, and wherein the navigation action indicated to the computer system via the sensing device results in a further list document being printed.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the navigation action is at least one of:

requesting an ordering of the history list by date, requesting an ordering of the history list by description, requesting a chronologically earlier portion of the history list, and requesting a summary version of the history list.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further including deletion of a history item from the history list upon request from the use, wherein the sensing device is adapted to identify the history item to be deleted and this list document includes an appropriate interface element to allow the request to be transmitted to the computer system using the sensing device.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the list document includes coded data indicative of an identity of the list document and at least partially defining the at least one interface element, and wherein the method includes receiving, in the computer system indicating data from the sensing device regarding the identity of the list document and a position of the sensing device relative to the list document in order to identify the list document and determine when the sensing device is used to interact with the interface element to indicate the request, the sensing device generating the indicating data by sensing at least some of the coded data.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, including receiving, in the computer system, movement data regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the list document, the sensing device sensing its movement relative to the list document using at least some of the coded data and identifying the request in the computer system from the movement being at least partially within a zone associated with the interface element.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the list document is printed on a surface of a structure at the same time as the coded data is printed on the surface.

9. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the coded data is invisible to an average unaided human.

10. A method as claimed in claim 6, including retaining a retrievable record of the printed list document, the list document being retrievable using the identity data as contained in the coded data.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing device includes an identification code associated with a particular user and the method includes monitoring use of the sensing device in the computer system.

12. A system for enabling a user to obtain a printed copy of a document previously printed by the user, the system including:

a database maintaining a history list of documents previously printed by the user,

a computer system for accessing the database and for generating a list document including at least one history item from the history list, and—

including at least one user interface element associated with the at least one history item, the user interface element enabling a user to indicate a request for a copy of a previously printed document associated with the history item;

a printer to print the list document; and

a sensing device for sensing the interface element in the printed list document, the sensing device being responsive to sensing of the interface element to transmit request data to the computer system which, upon receipt of the request data, retrieves the copy for printing at the printer.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one previously printed document is identified by a description in the list document which presents a link to a corresponding instance of the previously printed document, for retrieval by the computer system.

14. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the list document is printed with further user interface elements to allow the history list to be subjected to one or more navigation actions using the sensing device, each navigation action indicated to the computer system via the sensing device resulting in a further list document being printed.

15. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the list document includes coded data indicative of an identity of the list document and at least partially defining the sensing device sensing the at least one interface element by sensing at least some of the coded data.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the computer system is adapted to receive movement data regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the list document and interpret said movement of the sensing device as it relates to the interface element, the sensing device, when moved relative to the list document, sensing the data regarding the interface element using at least some of the coded data and generating the data regarding its own movement relative to the list document.

17. A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the printer is arranged to print the coded data at the same time as printing the list document on a surface-defining structure.

18. A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the coded data is invisible to an average unaided human.

19. The system as claimed in claim 15, including a database for keeping a retrievable record of each list document generated, each list document being retrievable by using its identity, as included in its coded data.

20. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the printer includes a binding means for binding the list document in the event the list document includes a plurality of pages.

21. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sensing device includes an identification code associated with a particular user and the computer system is arranged to monitor the use of the sensing device.

22. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sensing device includes a marking nib.

23. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the list document is printed on a surface of a surface-defining structure and wherein the printer prints the list document on demand.

24. A method of enabling a user to obtain a printed copy of a document previously printed by the user the method including:

maintaining a history list in a computer system of documents previously printed by the user;

printing a list document including at least one history item from the history list, and at least one user interface element associated with the at least one history item, the interface element allowing the user to indicate a request for a copy of a previously printed document associated with the history item by interacting with the interface element using a sensing device, wherein the sensing device interacts with the at least one interface element by sensing the interface element in the printed list document, generating request data based on the sensed interface element; and

transmitting the request data to the computer system;

retrieving the copy via the computer system; and

printing the copy.