Creating and processing a mark-able document

• US 8,542,411 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Sisco, Richard Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): KAU, STEVEN Y
• Application Number:
  US12/939,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20110235128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/3.28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3878 Skew detection or correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping

Abstract

The invention enables creating a mark-able document for a user to mark, and recognizing and processing the user-marked mark-able document to generate an accurate user-readable result that has broad application. The application program used to create, process, and generate a printed output based on the processing includes an array of functionality to create a wide variety of mark-able documents.

Claims

1. A method for creating a mark-able document, comprising:

creating a definition file defining the content and layout of, and instructions for processing user-made-marks on, the mark-able document;

automatically generating a globally unique identification (GUID) upon creation of the definition file, the GUID being associated with the definition file;

storing the definition file and the GUID;

creating a two-dimensional identification representative of the GUID, the two-dimensional identification containing a plurality of blocks, each of which encodes either a first state or second state, and which collectively encode an identifier, the two-dimensional identification being positioned along a side edge of the document and being configured to detect and correct any skew that occurred during generation of a scanned image of the document after having been marked by a user and find the stored definition file from among other stored definition files;

outputting the mark-able document;

scanning the mark-able document containing user-marks and generating and saving an image thereof;

reading and decoding the two-dimensional identification;

identifying the GUID based on the reading and decoding of the two-dimensional identification;

accessing the definition file associated with the identified GUID;

analyzing the image based on the definition file and the user-made marks on the mark-able document, including detecting and correcting any skew in scanning the mark-able document containing user-marks based on the reading and decoding of the two-dimensional identification; and

outputting a result of the image analyzing operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein creating of the definition file comprises inputting at least one category, a plurality of mark-able items associated with the at least one category, and at least one formula defining relationships between the at least one category and the plurality of mark-able items.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the inputting is performed using an interactive window displayed on a display associated with a computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the GUID comprises decoding the two-dimensional identification for the mark-able document.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

using the decoded two-dimensional identification, detecting whether the image is skewed, and if so, de-skewing the image.

6. A non-transitory medium containing a program for directing one or more processors to create a mark-able document, the program comprising:

instructions for creating a definition file defining the content and layout of, and instructions for processing user-made-marks on, the mark-able document;

instructions for automatically generating a globally unique identification (GUID) upon creation of the definition file, the GUID being associated with the definition file;

instructions for storing the definition file and the GUID;

instructions for creating a two-dimensional representation of the GUID, the two-dimensional identification containing a plurality of blocks, each of which encodes either a first state or second state, and which collectively encode an identifier, the two-dimensional identification being positioned along an edge of the document and being configured to detect and correct any skew that occurred during generation of a scanned image of the document after having been marked by a user and find the stored definition file from among other stored definition files;

instructions for outputting the mark-able document;

instructions for scanning the mark-able document containing user-marks and generating and saving an image thereof;

instructions for reading and decoding the -o-dimensional identification;

instructions for identifying the GUID based on the reading and decoding of the two-dimensional identification;

instructions for accessing the definition file associated with the identified GUID;

instructions for analyzing the image based on the definition file and the user-made marks on the mark-able document, including detecting and correcting any skew in scanning the mark-able document containing user-marks based on the reading and decoding of the two-dimensional identification; and

instructions for outputting a result of the image analyzing operation.

7. The medium of claim 6, wherein the instructions for creating the definition file comprises instructions for inputting at least one category, a plurality of mark-able items associated with the at least one category, and at least one formula defining relationships between the at least one category and the plurality of mark-able items.

8. The medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions for inputting renders an interactive window displayed on a display associated with a computing device.

9. The medium of claim 6, wherein the instructions for identifying the GUID comprises instructions for decoding the two-dimensional identification for the mark-able document.

10. The medium of claim 9, further comprising:

instructions for detecting whether the image is skewed, and if so, de-skewing the image, using the decoded two-dimensional identification.