Method of enabling conferencing using encoded forms

• US 8,010,604 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Paul, Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Barbara N
• Application Number:
  US12/837,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20100281115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 411 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 encoded forms is provided in which a computer system receives indicating data from a sensing device used to interact with a first form, determines conference information, and outputs a second form. The first form has first tags and an identity associated with a form description in the computer system. Each first tag encodes data on the identity and the location of that tag on the first form, which is included in the indicating data. The computer system determines the conference information from the indicating data and form description. The second form is output with second tags, the conference information and a hierarchical tree of form versions. The computer system produces the hierarchical tree by associating the second form identity with the form description. Each second tag encodes data on the second form identity and the location of that tag on the second form.

Claims

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

receiving, in a computer system, indicating data generated by a sensing device through interaction with first coded tags printed on a first conferencing encoded form, each first coded tag encodes data on an identity of the first conferencing encoded form associated with a form description in the computer system and the location of that first coded tag on the first conferencing encoded form, the indicating data is generated to include the data encoded by at least one of the first coded tags sensed by the sensing device when placed in operative position relative to the first conferencing encoded form;

determining, in the computer system and from the indicating data and form description, conference information; and

outputting, from the computer system, a second conferencing encoded form with second coded tags, the determined conference information and a hierarchical tree of form versions, the computer system producing the hierarchical tree of form versions by associating an identity of the second conferencing encoded form with said form description by determining each second coded tag encoding data on the second conferencing encoded form identity and the location of that second coded tag on the second conferencing encoded form.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the conference information 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.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the conference information 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.

4. The method of claim 1 in which the conference information 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.

5. The method of claim 1 in which the conference information is a signature of a conference participant hand-drawn by the participant on the first form using the sensing device, the method comprising verifying, in the computer system, that the signature is that of the participant.

6. The method of claim 1 in which the conference information is associated with updating a whiteboard page.

7. The method of claim 6 in which the conference information is associated with a hand-drawn markup to a whiteboard page.

8. 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.