Messaging using a coded surface

• US 7,925,299 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2010
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• 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, Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Zewdu; Meless N
• Application Number:
  US12/787,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20100234052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 413, 455410-411, 455/466, 455514-517, 455/550.1, 4555561-5562, 455/564, 455/566, 455/66.1, 455/412.1, 4554141-4144, 455/415, 455418-420, 455/457, 455/460, 455557-558, 715/256, 715/273, 709/202, 709203-219, 709/228, 270/52.02, 270 5207- 5208, 270/52.1, 270 5213- 5214, 270/58.01, 270 5807- 5808, 283/37, 283/39, 283 72- 74, 283/81, 283/113, 707/712, 707/736, 707769-770, 707/774, 707/781, 707/785, 358/1.12, 358/3.28, 358470-474, 358/476, 358/505, 358/508
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• 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: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0018 Computer Telephony Resource Boards
• 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 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• 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 1/00392 Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• 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 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• 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 2201/3247 : Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 : of sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs

Abstract

A method of sending a message using a print medium is disclosed. A tag on a surface of the print medium is sensed using a sensor module. The surface includes a plurality of tags with each tag encoding an identifier which uniquely identifies the surface and a position with respect to the surface. From the tag sensed by the sensor module the identifier and the position with respect to the surface of the tag sensed by the sensor module are determined. A communications address is obtained, using the identifier and the position, from a database where the communications address is indexed by the identifier and the position. A message editor in a communications device is then opened, with a current message being addressed to the communications address.

Claims

1. A method of sending a message using a print medium, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing, by a sensor module, a tag on a surface of the print medium, the surface including a plurality of tags with each tag encoding an identifier which uniquely identifies a region on the surface and a position with respect to the surface;

determining, by a processing device, from the tag sensed by the sensor module the identifier and the position with respect to the surface of the tag sensed by the sensor module;

obtaining, by the processing device, using the identifier and the position, a communications address from a database where the communications address is indexed by the identifier and the position; and

opening, by the processing device, in a communications device a message editor, with a current message being addressed to the communications address.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the message editor is an SMS editor and the communications device is a mobile telephone.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

sensing coded data on a further surface using the sensor module, the further region including the coded data and printed content, the coded data encoding at least an identity of the further region;

determining from the coded data the identity of the further region;

obtaining, using the identity of the further region, a document representative of the printed content from the database where the document is indexed by the identity of the further region; and

attaching the document as an attachment to the current message.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the message editor is an MMS editor, the communications device is a mobile telephone, and the document is a photo includes in an MMS message.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining from the tag a digital signature; and

determining whether the digital signature is authentic,

wherein the obtaining step is performed if the digital signature is authentic.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of loading the communications address into an address book.