System, method and computer program product for monitoring the filling in of remote forms

• US 8,554,184 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Zampini, Francesco, Del Gallo, Ulisse, Ortensi, Carlo
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Marisol
• Application Number:
  US12/373,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20100261458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,279 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/412.2, 455/406, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• 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: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A system monitors the remote filling of forms. The system includes an electronic writing device that may detect form input data corresponding to a first predefined area and a second predefined area of a form. The system also includes a mobile station that may receive the form input data from the electronic device and send the form input data to a monitoring station. The mobile station may receive an error notification from the monitoring station when the form input data corresponding to the first predefined area is deficient, but may not receive an error notification when the form input data corresponding to the second predefined area is deficient. The mobile station may generate an output signal in response to receive an error notification.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the filling in of forms comprising:

an electronic writing device; and

a mobile station;

the electronic writing device comprising;

a detector operable to detect form input data while the electronic writing device is moved, on a form, in a position corresponding to a first predefined area of the form and a second predefined area of the form; and

a first transceiver for sending the form input data to the mobile station;

the mobile station comprising;

an output for generating an output signal; and

a second transceiver for receiving the form input data from the electronic writing device and for sending the form input data to a monitoring station that is separate from the mobile station and separate from the electronic writing device; and

where when the form input data corresponding to the first predefined area of the form is deficient, then the second transceiver in the mobile station is operable to receive a first error notification from the monitoring station specifying that the form input data corresponding to the first predefined area is deficient;

where when the form input data corresponding to the second predefined area of the form is deficient, then the second transceiver is operable to not receive from the monitoring station a second error notification specifying that the form input data corresponding to the second predefined area is deficient; and

where the output of the mobile station generates the output signal in response to receiving any error notification by the second transceiver.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic writing device comprises a writing tip for writing information on a surface of the form by moving the writing tip over the surface, the surface comprising a positioning coding pattern, and wherein the detector detects the form input data while it is written by the writing tip into the first predefined area.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic writing device comprises a processor for processing the form input data and at least partly converting the form input data into digital data before or while the first transceiver sends said digital data to the mobile station.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic writing device and the mobile station are connected by Bluetooth for transmission of the form input data.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station and the monitoring station are connected by the Internet, UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System), GPRS (General Packet Radio System), MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service), or any combination thereof, for sending the form input data, for sending the first error notification, or both.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station receives the first error notification by SMS (Short Message Service), by MMS, by email, or any combination thereof.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the output is an optical output, acoustical output, or both.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station comprises an interface for receiving data, and storage for storing data received through the interface, and where the output comprise a display for displaying said data, wherein the interface comprises an USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface, a Bluetooth interface, or both.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station has access to an address database for updating mailing addresses stored in the address database, wherein changes of mailing addresses can be manually input into the mobile station.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station has access to GPS (Global Positioning System) for determining an addressee route comprising a shortest route to a mailing address, a shortest route which connects several mailing addressees, or both.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station has access to GPS and where the mobile station determines its current position based on data received from GPS, and sends information about its current position to the monitoring station.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station comprises a payment device that supports the performance of online payments.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the second transceiver of the mobile station is operable to send information regarding online payments, cash payments, or both to the monitoring station.

14. A system according to claim 12, wherein the mobile station comprises storage for storing data regarding payments made.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first transceiver of the electronic writing device is operable to send form input data to the mobile station in response to the electronic writing device marking a transmit area of the form.

16. The system according to claim 1, where, after receiving the notification indicating that the first predefined area is incorrectly filled in, the second transceiver of the mobile station is operable to:

receive amended data corresponding to the first predefined area of the form; and

send the amended data to the monitoring station.

17. The system according to claim 1, where the first predefined area requires filling in by an addressee and where the second predefined area can be filled in by a person other than the addressee.

18. The system according to claim 1, where the notification further indicates the monitoring station has interrupted processing of the form input data.

19. A method comprising:

providing a form comprising a first predefined area and a second predefined area;

electronically obtaining form input data written into the first predefined area and the second predefined area by an electronic writing device;

sending the form input data from the electronic writing device to a mobile station;

sending the form input data from the mobile station to a monitoring station;

when the form input data corresponding to the first predefined area of the form is deficient, then receiving, by the mobile station from the monitoring station, a first error notification specifying that the form input data corresponding to the first predefined area is deficient; and

when the form input data in the second predefined area of the form is deficient, then not receiving, by the mobile station from the monitoring station, a second error notification specifying that the form input data for the second predefined area is deficient; and

in response to receiving any error notification at the mobile station, generating an output signal with the mobile station.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the form has a structured surface such that first predefined area comprises or is at least partly covered with a positioning coding pattern.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein obtaining, sending to the mobile station, and sending to the monitoring station are repeated until the mobile station receives a confirmation from the monitoring station that all of the first predefined areas of the form are substantially correctly filled in.

22. A method according to claim 19, further comprising determining an addressee route comprising a shortest route to a mailing address, a shortest route which connects several mailing addressees, or both.

23. A method according to claim 19, comprising sending the form input data when a transmit area of the first predefined area is marked with the electronic writing device.

24. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

after receiving the notification indicating that the first predefined area is incorrectly filled in;

receiving, by the mobile station, amended data corresponding to the first predefined area of the form; and

sending the amended data from the mobile station to the monitoring station.

25. The method according to claim 19, where the first predefined area requires filling in by an addressee and where the second predefined area can be filled in by a person other than the addressee.

26. The method according to claim 19, where the notification further indicates the monitoring station has interrupted processing of the form input data.

27. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

identifying, by the monitoring station, that the form input data in the second predefined area of the form is deficient;

generating an error report identifying that the form input data in the second predefined area of the form is deficient, but not sending, to the mobile station, the error notification specifying that the second predefined area is deficient.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising:

receiving, by the mobile station, an error reporting identifying that the second predefined area of the form is deficient; and

where generating an output with the mobile station comprises foregoing generating an output in response to receiving the error report and generating the output in response to receiving any error notification.

29. An article of manufacture comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage; and

computer-readable instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage that cause a processor to;

provide a form comprising a first predefined area;

obtain form input data written into the first predefined area by an electronic writing device;

send the form input data from the electronic writing device to a mobile station;

send the form input data from the mobile station to a monitoring station;

when the when the form input data corresponding to the first predefined area of the form is deficient, then receive, by the mobile station from the monitoring station, a notification specifying that the first predefined area of the form is deficient;

when the form input data corresponding to the second predefined area of the form is deficient, then not receive, by the mobile station from the monitoring station, a second error notification specifying that the second predefined area is deficient; and

in response to receiving any error notification at the mobile station, generate an output with output of the mobile station.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 29, where the computer-readable instructions further cause the processor to:

after the mobile station receives the notification indicating that the first predefined area is incorrectly filled in;

receive, by the mobile station, amended data corresponding to the first predefined area of the form when the first predefined area is incorrectly filled in; and

send the amended data from the mobile station to the monitoring station.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 29, where the notification further indicates the monitoring station has interrupted processing of the form input data.