Computer software interface

• US 7,080,780 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Seung H
• Application Number:
  US11/059,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20050167480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/435, 235/439, 235/487, 235/494, 235/462.45
• US Class Current: 235/435
• 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 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 16/00 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 computer system operating computer software for enabling interaction between a user and an interface surface. The computer system is configured to receive indicating data from a sensing device which is placed in an operative position relative to the interface surface to sense at least one coded data portion on or in the interface surface. The computer system then determines, using the indicating data, a determined identity, and retrieves, using the determined identity, a layout indicative of locations associated with corresponding identities. Then the computer system determines, using the layout and the determined identity, a determined location of the sensing device relative to the interface surface, and identifies, using the determined location, the at least one interactive element. The computer system is configured to operate the computer software at least partly in accordance with instructions associated with the at least one interactive element.

Claims

1. A computer system operating computer software for enabling user interaction between a user and an interface surface containing information relating to the computer software, the interface surface having disposed therein or thereon coded data including a number of coded data portions, each coded data portion being indicative of an identity, the computer system being configured to:

receive indicating data from a sensing device, the sensing device when placed in an operative position relative to the interface surface, being adapted to sense at least one coded data portion and generate the indicating data, the indicating data being at least partially indicative of the identity;

determine, using the indicating data, a determined identity;

retrieve, using the determined identity, a layout indicative of locations associated with corresponding identities;

determine, using the layout and the determined identity, a determined location of the sensing device relative to the interface surface;

identify, using the determined location, the at least one interactive element; and

,

operate the computer software at least partly in accordance with instructions associated with the at least one interactive element.

2. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the layout is at least one of:

a page description indicative of an arrangement of the computer software; and

,

a map indicative of an arrangement of the coded data.

3. A computer system according to claim 2, wherein each map is associated with a corresponding surface type.

4. A computer system according to claim 2, wherein the determined identity is an identity of at least one coded data portion, and where the computer system is configured to:

retrieve the map using the determined identity;

determine a location of the sensing device relative to the interface surface using the determined identity and map;

retrieve the page description using at least part of the determined identity; and

,

identify, using the determined location and the page description, the at least one interactive element.

5. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the indicating data is further indicative of a sensing device transform, and where the computer system is configured to determine a location of the sensing device relative to the interface surface using the determined identity, the map, and the sensing device transform.

6. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the identity is at least one of a:

page identity;

a region identity; and

,

a coded data portion identity.

7. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the computer system is configured to determine, using the indicating data, a movement of the sensing device relative to the interface surface.

8. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the indicating data is in the form of a series of time-stamped positions.

9. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the interactive element is a checkbox field relating to the computer software, the computer system being configured to:

identify that the user has entered a hand-drawn mark by means of the sensing device; and

effect an operation associated with the checkbox field.

10. The computer system according to claim 9, wherein the computer system is configured to associate, using the layout, a true value with the checkbox field.

11. The system according to 9, wherein the computer system is configured to send data to the computer software indicative of at least the checkbox field.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interactive element is a text field relating to the computer software, the computer system being configured to:

identify that the user has entered handwritten text data by means of the sensing device; and

effect an operation associated with the text field.

13. The system according to claim 12, the computer system being configured to convert the handwritten text data to computer text.

14. The system according to 13, the computer system being configured to associate, using the layout, the computer text with the text field.

15. The system according to claim 12, the computer system being configured to send data to the computer software indicative of at least the text field.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interactive element is a signature field relating to the computer software, the computer system being configured to:

identify that the user has entered a handwritten signature by means of the sensing device; and

effect an operation associated with the signature field.

17. The system according to claim 16, the computer system being configured to verify that the signature is that of the user.

18. The system according to claim 17, the computer system being configured to use a signature key associated with the user to generate a digital signature of at least data indicative of a name and/or value of at last one field related to the computer software.

19. The system according to claim 18, the computer system being configured to associate, using the layout, the digital signature with the signature field.

20. The system according to claim 16, the computer system being configured to send, to the computer software, data indicative of at least the signature field.