Region encoding using substantially undifferentiated marks

• US 7,025,276 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Paul, Silverbrook, Kia, Walmsley, Simon Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): ST CYR, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US10/986,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20050064503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/487, 235/494, 235/380, 235/382, 235/385
• US Class Current: 235/487
• 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 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• 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 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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: 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: 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 20/346 : Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 : Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 : Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 : Character recognition
• 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: G06V 30/1426 : by sensing position defining codes on a support
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1448 : based on markings or identifiers characterising the document or the area
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 : Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• 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 2201/3243 : 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

Abstract

A region defined in relation to a surface having a plurality of regions. The region includes coded data disposed thereon or therein, which is adapted to distinguish the region from each other ones of the plurality of regions. The coded data includes a plurality of substantially undifferentiated marks, and is indicative of a region identity associated with the region and a plurality of reference points within the region.

Claims

1. A region defined in relation to a surface having a plurality of regions, the region including coded data disposed thereon or therein, the coded data being adapted to distinguish the region from each other ones of the plurality of regions, the coded data including a plurality of tags, the coded data being indicative of:

a region identity associated with the region; and

a plurality of reference points within the region; and

wherein the tags within each region are identical to each other, but are distinct from tags in other ones of the plurality regions.

2. The region of claim 1, wherein the region identity is associated with a page description, the page description being indicative of at least one of:

an arrangement of the coded data within the region;

an arrangement of the coded data on the substrate;

an arrangement of visual information provided on the substrate; and

,

an arrangement of the region on the substrate.

3. A region according to claim 1, wherein the coded data represents one of a plurality of coded values.

4. The region of claim 3, wherein the coded value is redundantly encoded.

5. The region of claim 3, wherein the coded value encodes at least one of:

the region identity; and

,

at least one flag associated with the region.

6. The region of claim 3, wherein the coded value is encoded as a number of codewords, each codeword being formed from a number of symbols.

7. The region of claim 1, wherein the coded data includes a plurality of tags, each tag being at least partially indicative of at least one of:

a position of the tag within the region; and

,

an identity of the respective tag.

8. The region of claim 7, wherein each tag encodes a tag identity, and wherein the page description is indicative of a position of each tag within the region according to the tag identity.

9. The region of claim 7, wherein the plurality of tags substantially fill the region.

10. The region of claim 7, wherein the plurality of tags are at least one of:

positioned uniformly distributed within the region;

positioned stochastically within the region; and

,

positioned in a regular array.

11. A region according to claim 1, wherein any 10 millimeter diameter subregion of the region includes sufficient coded data to identify at least one of:

the region; and

,

at least one reference point of the region.

12. The region of claim 1, wherein the coded data is printed on the surface in infrared-absorptive ink.

13. A surface having a plurality of regions including at least one region according to claim 1.

14. A method of providing a region on a surface having a plurality of regions, the method including:

defining coded data adapted to distinguish the region from each other ones of the plurality of regions, the coded data including a plurality tags, the coded data being indicative of;

a region identity associated with the region; and

a plurality of reference points within the region; and

disposing the coded data within the region on the surface, wherein the tags within each region are identical to each other, but are distinct from tags in other ones of the plurality regions.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method includes:

associating the region identity with a page description, the page description being indicative of at least one of;

an arrangement of the coded data within the region;

an arrangement of the coded data on the substrate; and

,

an arrangement of the region on the substrate; and

,

disposing the coded data based on the arrangement.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method includes, for the coded data:

defining a coded value; and

,

generating the tag so as to encode the coded value.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the method includes, printing the coded data on the surface in infrared-absorptive ink.