Method of enabling conferencing using printed forms

• US 7,765,260 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2008
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul, Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANYAN, BARBARA BURGESS
• Application Number:
  US12/324,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/207, 709/227, 709/228, 235/435, 235/486, 235/487, 235/494, 235/382, 235/375, 235/432, 235/470
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/608 Watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 118/15 Roller structure

Abstract

A method of enabling conferencing using printed forms includes, in a computer system, receiving indicating data generated by a sensing device through interaction with conference information and coded tags printed on a first form, determining a parameter relating to the conference information and outputting a second form with coded tags and information on the parameter and a form version hierarchial tree. Each tag encodes an identity of, and the location of that tag on, the respective form. The indicating data includes the first form'"'"'s identity and a sensing device position relative to the tags sensed on the first form. The computer system has a form description associated with the first form'"'"'s identity and produces the hierarchical tree by associating the second form'"'"'s identity with the form description by determining whether any other form is associated therewith. The parameter is determined from the indicating data and digital description.

Claims

1. A method of enabling conferencing using printed forms, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, in a computer system, indicating data generated by a sensing device through interaction with conference information and first coded tags printed on a first conferencing form, the computer system having a form description associated with an identity of the first conferencing form, each first coded tag encoding data on the first conferencing form identity and the location of that first coded tag on the first form, the indicating data including at least some of the first coded tag encoding data on the first conferencing form identity and a position of the sensing device relative to the first coded tags sensed by the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the first conferencing form;

determining, in the computer system and from the indicating data and form description, a parameter relating to the conference information; and

outputting, from the computer system, a second conferencing form with second coded tags and information on the parameter and a hierarchial tree of form versions, the computer system producing the hierarchical tree of form versions by associating an identity of the second conferencing form with said form description by determining whether an identity of any other second conferencing form is associated with said form description and the parameter, each second coded tag encoding data on the second conferencing form identity and the location of that second coded tag on the second conferencing form.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the parameter is associated with at least one zone of the first conferencing form, and in the determining step, the parameter is determined from the zone relative to which the sensing device is positioned.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the parameter is an action parameter of the conference, the method comprising effecting, in the computer system, an operation in respect of the action parameter.

4. The method of claim 3, in which the action parameter is selected from the group comprising:

sending an invitation to a conference session;

starting a conference session;

ending a conference session;

viewing the history of a conference session;

sending a message to a participant during a conference session;

viewing messages sent during a conference session;

ordering the printing of a palette of available line styles and colors;

ordering the printing of a whiteboard page;

updating a whiteboard page; and

ordering the reprinting of a new whiteboard page.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the parameter is an option parameter of the conference, the method comprising effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the option parameter.

6. The method of claim 5 in which the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

an access level;

a message recipient;

a line style of a hand-drawn mark made on the first conferencing form using the sensing device; and

a line color of a hand-drawn mark made on the first conferencing form using the sensing device.

7. The method of claim 1 in which the parameter is a text parameter of the conference, the method comprising effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the text parameter.

8. The method of claim 7 in which the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

a conference session description;

a conference start date;

a start time;

an end time;

a participant identification;

a conference session purpose;

a message subject description; and

message text.

9. The method of claim 1 in which the parameter is an authorization parameter of the conference, the method comprising effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the authorization parameter.

10. The method of claim 9 in which the authorization parameter is a signature of a conference participant hand-drawn by the participant on the first conferencing form using the sensing device, the method comprising verifying, in the computer system, that the signature is that of the participant.

11. The method of claim 9 in which the authorization parameter is associated with updating a whiteboard page.

12. The method of claim 1 in which the parameter is a graphical parameter of the conference, the method comprising effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the graphical parameter.

13. The method of claim 12 in which the graphical parameter is associated with a hand-drawn markup to a whiteboard page.

14. The method of claim 1 in which the conference information includes at least one of:

booking a conference session;

cancelling a conference session;

controlling a conference session;

selecting invitees to a conference session;

inviting participants to a conference session;

composing messages in a conference session;

sending messages in a conference session;

viewing messages in a conference session;

printing a palette of available line styles and colors in a conference session;

selecting a line style and color in a conference session;

viewing the history of a conference session;

printing whiteboard pages;

updating whiteboard pages;

reprinting whiteboard pages;

pasting content to whiteboard pages; and

ending a conference session.