Method and apparatus for sharing information using a handheld device

• US 7,392,287 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wireless Recognition Technologies LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hemisphere II Investment LP
• Inventors: Ratcliff, Raymond F. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit; Bunjob
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shin; Kyung H
• Application Number:
  US09/818,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20020143875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,646 Days
• Field of Search: 709/205, 709/217, 370/389, 250/236
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sending information to a data processing apparatus for identifying a document to share with a recipient. A handheld device is capable of communicating with the data processing apparatus. Information is captured from the document and stored in the handheld device as document data. A communications path is established between the handheld device and the data processing apparatus. The document data is sent to the data processing apparatus through the communications path. Reference documents are provided. Each reference document has reference data stored in a memory. At least a portion of the received document data is extracted as scanning data. The reference data is retrieved from the memory. The scanning data is compared with the reference data. When the scanning data matches at least a portion of the reference data of one of the reference documents, the one reference document is selected as the identified document for forwarding to the recipient.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a document for sharing with a recipient, in a data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of reference documents, each reference document having reference data stored in a memory;

receiving from a handheld device, document data associated with one of the reference documents, wherein the document data comprises actual data from the document;

extracting at least a portion of the received document data as scanning data;

retrieving the reference data from the memory;

comparing the scanning data with the reference data; and

selecting, when the scanning data matches at least a portion of the reference data of one of the reference documents, the one reference document as the identified document.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the scanning data extracted from the received document data includes digital text data identifying a name of the one reference document.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the scanning data extracted from the received document data includes digital test data identifying an author of the one reference document.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the scanning data extracted from the received document data includes digital text data identifying a publication date of the one reference document.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein the scanning data extracted from the received document data includes digital text data identifying a name of a publication in which the one reference document appears.

5. A method for identifying a document and sharing the identified document with a recipient, in a data processing apparatus, the data processing apparatus coupled to a data network, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of reference documents, each reference document having associated reference data scored in a memory;

receiving, from a handheld device in communication with the data processing apparatus, information captured from a source document by the handheld device, wherein the information comprises actual data from the source document, and address information identifying a receiving address for the recipient;

extracting at least a portion of the captured information as scanning data;

retrieving the scanning data from the memory;

comparing the scanning data with the reference data;

selecting, when the scanning data matches at least a portion of the reference data associated with one of the reference documents, the one reference document as the identified document; and

sending, using the address information, the selected document to the receiving address of the recipient.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the scanning data extracted from the received document data includes digital text data identifying a name of the source document.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the scanning data extracted from the received document data include digital text data identifying an author of the source document.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the scanning data extracted from the received document data includes digital text data identifying a publication date of the source document.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein sending the selected document includes:

attaching the selected document to an e-mail message, and

sending the e-mail message to the receiving address via the data network.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein sending the selected document includes:

sending the selected document to the receiving address via facsimile transmission.

35. The method of claim 5 wherein the scanning data extracted from the received document data includes digital text data identifying a name of a publication in which the source document appears.

11. A method for sharing with a recipient a document having information using a handheld device having a memory a capable of communicating with a data processing apparatus in communication with a data network, the method comprising:

capturing the information from the document using the handheld device, wherein the information comprises actual data from the document;

storing the captured in formation in the memory of the handheld device;

providing, to the handheld device, address information identifying a receiving address for the recipient;

storing, in the memory of the handheld device, the address information;

establishing a communications path between the handheld device and the data processing apparatus;

sending the captured information and the address information from the handheld device to the data processing apparatus via the communications path;

receiving, by the data processing apparatus, the captured information as scanning data;

information from the handheld device;

extracting at least a portion of the captured information as scanning data;

providing a plurality of reference documents, each reference document having reference data stored in a reference memory;

retrieving the reference data from the reference memory;

comparing the scanning data with the reference data;

selecting, when the scanning data matches at least a portion of the reference data of one of the reference document, the one reference document as the identified document; and

sending, using the address information, the selected document to the receiving address of the recipient.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the document is an electronic document.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the document is a physical document.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the physical document is a periodical article.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the physical document is a newspaper article.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the physical document is a magazine article.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein capturing the information includes:

scanning the document to generate scanned information, and

converting the scanned information to digital text data; and

wherein

storing the captured information includes storing the digital text data.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein captured the information includes:

providing, the information as spoken audio, and

converting the spoken audio to a digital audio signal; and

wherein

storing the captured information includes storing the digital audio signal.

19. A data processing apparatus for identifying one of a plurality of reference documents for sharing with a recipient in communication with a data network each reference document having reference data, from information received from a handheld device in communication with the data processing apparatus, the data processing apparatus coupled to the data network, the apparatus comprising:

a memory in which a plurality of instructions are stored; and

a processor coupled to the memory and coupled to;

(i) access the reference data in a storage medium, and (ii) receive the information from the handheld device, wherein the information comprises actual data from a document, the processor capable of executing the instructions in the memory, execution of the instructions causing a plurality of steps to be performed including;

extracting at least a portion of the information received from the handheld device as scanning data,

comparing the scanning data with the reference data, and

selecting, when the scanning data matches at least a portion of the reference data of one of the reference documents, the one reference document as the identified document.

20. The data processing apparatus of claim 19, wherein the execution of the instructions by the processor causes further steps to be performed, namely:

establishing a communications path between the data processing apparatus and the recipient via the data network, and

sending using the address information, the selected document to the receiving address of the recipient via the communications path.

21. The data processing apparatus of claim 20 wherein sending the selected document includes:

attaching the selected document to an e-mail message, and

sending the e-mail message to the receiving address via the data network.

22. The data processing apparatus of claim 20 wherein sending the selected document includes:

sending the selectee document to the receiving address via facsimile transmission.

23. A system for identifying one of a plurality of reference documents, each reference document having associated reference data, for sharing the identified document with a recipient, the system comprising:

a data processing apparatus in communication with a data network; and

a handheld device having a memory and capable of;

capturing the information from the document, wherein the information comprises actual data from the document,

storing the captured information in the memory,

storing, in the memory, address information identifying a receiving address for the recipient,

establishing a communications path with the data processing apparatus, and

sending the captured information and the address information from the handheld device to the data processing apparatus via, the communications path;

the data processing apparatus capable of;

receiving the captured information and the address in information from the handheld device,

extracting at least a portion of the captured information its scanning data,

accessing the reference data,

comparing the scanning data with the reference data,

selecting, when the scanning data matches at least a portion of the reference data associated with one of the reference documents, the one reference document as the identified document,

establishing a communications path between the data processing apparatus and the recipient via the data network, and

sending, using the address information, the selected document to the receiving address of the recipient via the communications path.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the handheld device is a cellular phone.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the handheld device is a personal digital assistant (“

PDA”

).

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the handheld device is a watch.

27. A processor readable storage medium having processor readable program code such that when executed by a processor in a data processing apparatus, performs a method for identifying one of a plurality of reference documents for sharing with a recipient, each reference document having reference data, from information received by the data processing apparatus from a handheld device in communication with the data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

extracting at least a portion of the information received from the handheld device as scanning data, wherein the information comprises actual data from a document;

extracting at least a portion of the information received from the handheld device as address information identifying a receiving address for the recipient;

comparing the scanning data with the reference data;

selecting, when the scanning data matches at least a portion of the reference data of one of the reference documents, the one reference document as the identified document; and

sending, using the address information, the selected document to the receiving address of the recipient.

28. The processor readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein the scanning data extracted from the received document data includes digital text data identifying a name of the one reference document.

29. The processor readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein the scanning data extracted from the received document data includes digital text data identifying an author of the one reference document.

30. The processor readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein the scanning data extracted from the received document data includes digital text data identifying a publication date of the one reference document.

36. The method of claim 27 wherein the scanning data extracted from the received document data includes digital text data identifying a name of a publication in which the one reference document appears.

31. A method, comprising:

providing a plurality of reference items, each reference item having associated reference data stored in a memory;

receiving, form a handheld device in communication with the data processing apparatus, information captured from an item by the handheld device, wherein the information comprises actual data from the item, and address information identifying a receiving address for the recipient;

extracting at last a portion of the captured information as scanning data;

comparing the scanning data with the reference data;

selecting, when the scanning data matches at least a portion of the reference data associated with one of the reference items, the one reference item as the identified item; and

sending, using the address information, the identified item to the receiving address of the recipient.

32. A method, comprising:

providing a plurality of reference documents, each reference document having associated reference data stored in a memory;

receiving, from a handheld device in communication with the data processing apparatus, information captured from a document by the handheld device, wherein the information comprises actual data from the document;

extraction at least a portion of the captured information as scanning data;

comparing the scanning data with the reference data; and

selecting, when the scanning data matches at least a portion of the reference data associated with one of the reference documents, the one reference document as the identified document.

33. A method, comprising:

providing a plurality of reference items, each reference item having associated reference data stored in a memory;

receiving, from a handheld device in communication with the data processing apparatus, information captured from an item by the handheld device, wherein the information comprises actual data from the item;

extracting at least a portion of the captured information as scanning data;

comparing the scanning data with the reference data; and

selecting, when the scanning data matches at least a portion of the reference data associated with one or the reference items, the one reference item as the identified item.