Method and apparatus for allowing a user to send an electronic mail message

• US 7,382,482 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• 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): Nguyen; Madeleine A V
• Application Number:
  US11/059,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20050157334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/402, 358/468, 358/442, 358/444, 358/473, 358/478, 715/505, 715/506, 715/507, 715/508, 715/200, 715/204, 715/243, 715/221, 715/229, 715/700, 382/314, 382/317, 382/188
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 19/207 Encoding along a bar
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/02 Framework
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• 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 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1894 Outputting the image data to the printing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/21 Combinations with auxiliary equipment, e.g. with clocks or memoranda pads
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping

Abstract

A system for allowing a user to send an electronic mail message. The system including a computer system which determines information relating to sending a message, generates coded data indicative of at least one parameter relating to sending the message, and determines a layout defining an arrangement for at least one of the coded data and the information. The computer system then causes printing of a form by printing of the coded data and the information, using the layout. The user interacts with the form using a sensing device, which, when placed in an operative position relative to the form, senses at least some of the coded data and generates indicating data using at least some of the sensed coded data. The indicating data, which is at least partially indicative of the at least one parameter, is used by the computer system to determine the at least one parameter and send the message using the at least one parameter.

Claims

1. A system for allowing a user to send an electronic mail message, the system including:

a computer system for;

determining information relating to sending a message;

generating coded data, the coded data being indicative of at least one parameter relating to sending the message;

determining a layout defining an arrangement for at least one of the coded data and the information, wherein at least some of the coded data and at least some of the information is coincident within the layout;

causing printing of a form by causing printing of the coded data and the information, using the layout, wherein the coded data is invisible in the visible spectrum and the information is visible in the visible spectrum, and wherein at least some of the information is coincident with at least some of the coded data on the form;

receiving indicating data from a sensing device the indicating data being at least partially indicative of the at least one parameter;

determining, from the indicating data, the at least one parameter; and

,

sending the message using the at least one parameter; and

the sensing device, wherein the sensing device is hand operable and includes;

an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed by a user holding the sensing device in an operative position relative to the form; and

a processor adapted to;

identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;

decode at least some of the coded data; and

generate the indicating data using at least some of the decoded coded data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a printer for:

receiving at least one of the coded data, the information and the layout; and

,

printing the form by printing the coded data and the information.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer system is for:

determining an identity;

recording an association between the identity and a page description; and

,

at least one of;

generating, using the identity, the coded data, the coded data being at least partially indicative of the identity; and

,

transferring the identity to the printer, the printer being responsive to the identity to generate the coded data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a relay device, the relay device being for:

receiving the indicating data from the sensing device; and

,

transferring the indicating data to the computer system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the relay device is a printer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the layout includes at least one of:

a page description indicative of an arrangement of the information; and

,

a map indicative of an arrangement of the coded data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the coded data includes a number of coded data portions, and wherein the coded data is generated by:

determining a data portion identity for each coded data portion; and

,

printing the coded data using the map, the map defining, for each data portion identity, a location for the corresponding coded data portion on the surface.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the indicating data is at least partially indicative of the data portion identity and wherein the computer system is for:

determining, from the indicating data, the data portion identity and the map;

determining, using the data portion identity and the map, a corresponding location; and

,

determining from the corresponding location and the page description, the at least one interactive element.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the indicating data is at least partially indicative of an identity and wherein the computer system is for:

determining, from the indicating data, the identity;

determining, using the identity, the page description; and

,

determining, using the page description, the at least one parameter.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the coded data is further indicative of a plurality of reference points, and the indicating data is at least partially indicative of at least one of a position and movement of the sensing device relative to the form, wherein the sensing device senses the movement of the sensing device relative to the form using at least some of the sensed coded data and wherein the computer system is for:

determining, using the indicating data, at least one of the position and the movement of the sensing device; and

,

at least one of;

determining, using the position and the page description, the at least one parameter; and

,

interpreting the movement as it relates to the at least one parameter.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensing device includes a store for storing an identifier, the indicating data being at least partially indicative of the identifier, and the computer system being for:

determining, using the indicating data, the identifier;

identifying, using the identifier, a user identity associated with the user; and

,

performing, using the user identity, an action associated with the at least one parameter.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system includes, in the computer system:

determining, from the indicating data, movement of the sensing device relative to the form;

determining, using the movement, a handwritten signature; and

,

determining, using the identity a predetermined signature;

verifying the user by comparing the handwritten signature to the predetermined signature.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer system performs an action associated with the at least one parameter, the action including at least one of:

composing the message;

providing a recipient address;

determining a recipient address; and

,

transmitting the message to a recipient.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the parameter is indicative of composing the message, wherein the composition of the message is performed utilizing the sensing device which senses at least some of the coded data on the form when placed by the user holding the sensing device in an operative position relative to the form, wherein the computer system is for:

determining, using the indicating data, message data indicative of a composed message;

determining, a recipient address; and

,

causing the message data to be transferred to the recipient using the recipient address, to thereby provide the composed message to the recipient.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the computer system is for:

generating coded data, the coded data being indicative of at least one parameter relating to the composed message;

determining a layout defining an arrangement for at least one of the coded data and the message data; and

,

causing printing of the composed message by causing printing of the coded data and the message data, using the layout, the composed message allowing the recipient to effect a response to the message using the at least one parameter.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the computer system is for:

receiving indicating data from a sensing device, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the composed message, sensing at least some of the coded data and generating the indicating data using at least some of the sensed coded data, the indicating data being at least partially indicative of the at least one parameter;

determining, from the indicating data, the at least one parameter; and

,

allowing the recipient to effect a response to the received message using the at least one determined parameter.

17. A method of allowing a user to send an electronic mail message, the method including:

determining, in a computer system, information relating to sending a message;

generating, in a computer system, coded data, the coded data being indicative of at least one parameter relating to sending the message;

determining, in a computer system, a layout defining an arrangement for at least one of the coded data and the information, wherein at least some of the coded data and at least some of the information is coincident within the layout;

causing, in a computer system, printing of a form by causing printing of the coded data and the information, using the layout, wherein the coded data is invisible in the visible spectrum and the information is visible in the visible spectrum, and wherein at least some of the information is coincident with at least some of the coded data on the form;

capturing, in a hand operable sensing device having an image sensor, images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed by a user holding the sensing device in an operable position relative to the form;

identifying, in a processor of the sensing device, at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;

decoding, in the processor of the sensing device, at least some of the coded data;

generating, using at least some of the decoded data, indicating data at least partially indicative of the at least one parameter;

receiving, in a computer system, the indicating data from the sensing device

determining, from the indicating data, the at least one parameter; and

,

sending the message using the at least one parameter.