Network-based system

• US 7,333,947 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anoto Group AB
• Original Assignee: Anoto Group AB
• Inventors: Skantze, Kristofer, Wiebe, Linus
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin; Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): KESACK, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US09/987,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,289 Days
• Field of Search: 345/179, 705/23, 705/26, 705/35, 705/39
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• 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: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A system for information management consists of a product, for instance a notepad sheet, which has a writing surface (3) with a position code (5), which codes a plurality of positions on the surface, and a device, which is adapted to record the information which is being written on the writing surface by detecting the position code. Moreover, on the product there are a number of activation icons (7a-g). When such an activation icon is detected by the device, the device initiates a predetermined operation which utilizes the recorded information. Such an operation can, for instance, consist of sending the recorded information to an indicated address.

A product, a device, a method and a computer program for information management are also shown.

Claims

1. A method in a hand-held device for initiating an operation concerning goods or services indicated on a product, comprising:

receiving a position-coding pattern from the product;

determining at least one absolute position by determining displacements of center of gravity of marks from nominal positions in the position coding pattern;

identifying, on the basis of the at least one absolute position;

an instruction from a person who uses the device to the effect that the operation is to be carried out using person-specific information previously stored in the system; and

carrying out of the operation by communication with a network-based system.

2. A method of initiating a payment operation in a network-based system, by using a handheld device and a product, which is provided with human-understandable information about an item for which payment is to be carried out and at least one area comprising a position code coding absolute positions by marks that have their center of gravity displaced from respective nominal positions defined by intersections of grid lines in a regular grid, comprising:

recording, by the handheld device, a subset of the position code coding at least one absolute position;

determining said at least one absolute position by determining the displacements of the markings from the nominal positions in the recorded part of the position code;

identifying, on the basis of the said at least one absolute position, that a payment operation is to be carried out; and

identifying, on the basis of the said at least one absolute position, said item for which the payment is to be carried out.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the identifying that a payment operation is to be carried out is carried out in the handheld device.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the identifying that a payment operation is to be carried out is carried out in an external unit.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising sending a unique identity of the handheld device to the network-based system to enable the payment operation to be carried out.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the unique identity is associated with at least one account number in the networkbased system.

7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising sending an indication of an account number stored in the handheld device to the network-based system to enable the payment operation to be carried out.

8. The method according to claim 2, further comprising identifying, on the basis of said at least one absolute position, a payment recipient.

9. The method according to claim 2, further comprising recording graphical information specifying the payment operation by means of the position code and sending the graphical information from the handheld device to the network-based system to enable the payment operation to be carried out.

10. The method according to claim 2, wherein the product comprises at least two different payment areas which are provided with the position code, said payment areas representing alternative parameters of the payment operation, and said recording being carried out from a selected one of the payment areas.

11. The method according to claim 2, further comprising sending absolute positions decoded from the position code on the product to the network-based system to enable the payment operation to be carried out.

12. The method according to claim 2, wherein the recording is carried out by ticking said at least one area.

13. A server for processing a payment operation in a network-based system, initiated by a handheld device and a product, which is provided with human-understandable information about an item for which payment is to be carried out and at least one area comprising a position code coding absolute positions, the server comprising:

a processor; and

memory, functionally coupled to the processor, containing executable instructions for receiving, from the handheld device, at least one absolute position on the basis of marks included in a subset of the position code recorded by the handheld device, wherein the at least one absolute position is based upon displacements of center of gravity of the marks from nominal positions in the position code,

establishing, on the basis of the said at least one absolute position, that a payment operation is to be carried out, and

identifying, on the basis of the said at least one absolute position, said item for which the payment is to be carried out.