Sensing device having an image sensor for sensing and capturing images of coded data

• US 7,593,604 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• 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, Walmsley, Simon Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Duy M
• Application Number:
  US10/943,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20050036714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,828 Days
• Field of Search: 382/188, 382/312, 382/313, 382/314, 382/317, 345/169, 345/179, 358/1.15, 358/1.18, 235/375
• US Class Current: 382/313
• 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: 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 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: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 : using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
• 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 30/1444 : Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1448 : based on markings or identifiers characterising the document or the area
• 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 2201/3269 : 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 sensing device for sensing coded data on a surface, generating indicating data using the coded data, and transmitting the indicating data to a computer system is provided. The coded data is indicative of an identity of a region of the surface and of a plurality of locations of the region, whilst the indicating data comprises data regarding a region identity of the surface and data regarding a position and/or movement of the sensing device relative to the surface. The sensing device comprises: (a) an image sensor configured for sensing and capturing images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the surface; (b) a processor for generating the indicating data using the captured images; and (b) a transmitter for transmitting the indicating data to the computer system. The processor is configured to (i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images, (ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of the at least some of the coded data, (iii) decode the at least some of the coded data; and (iv) generate the indicating data using the decoded coded data.

Claims

1. A sensing device for sensing coded data on a surface, generating indicating data using the coded data, and transmitting the indicating data to a computer system networked with the sensing device,

the coded data comprising a plurality of coded tags, each tag being indicative of an identity of a region of the surface and a location and orientation of that tag within the region, the coded data being associated with a digital description of the surface maintained by the computer system which is identified by the region identity, the indicating data comprising data regarding a region identity of the surface and data regarding a position and/or movement of the sensing device relative to the surface;

the sensing device comprising;

an image sensor configured for sensing and capturing images of at least some of the coded tags when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the surface;

a processor for generating the indicating data using the captured images; and

a transmitter for transmitting the indicating data to the computer system, wherein the processor is configured to;

(i) identify at least some of the coded tags from one or more of the captured images;

(ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of the coded tags identified in (i);

(iii) decode the coded data of the coded tags at the orientation determined in (ii); and

(iv) generate the indicating data using the decoded coded data.

2. A sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is adapted to operate at processing speeds ranging from 1 instruction per second to 1×

10¹² instructions per second.

3. A sensing device according to claim 1 wherein the processor is housed within the sensing device.

4. A sensing device according to claim 1 wherein the coded data comprises non-barcode coded data.

5. A sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the coded data comprises undifferentiated marks.

6. A sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the marks are formed from ink comprising a dye which absorbs near infra-red radiation.

7. A sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate data regarding a position of the sensing device relative to the surface using the decoded coded data.

8. A sensing device according to claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to generate data regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the surface by periodically sampling the position of the sensing device relative to the surface.