CAMERA-EQUIPPED WRITING TABLET APPARATUS FOR DIGITIZING FORM ENTRIES

• US 20070291017A1
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Syeda-Mahmood, Tanveer F., Zimmerman, Thomas G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,633,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields

Abstract

The embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus, method, etc. for a camera-equipped writing tablet for digitizing form entries. More specifically, a data capture apparatus comprises a form holder and an image capture device connected to the form holder. The image capture device is positioned to capture an image of a form on the form holder, wherein the form could be a paper form. A clip is connected to the form holder, wherein the image capture device is mounted to the clip. The apparatus further comprises an electronic pen connected to the form holder, wherein the form holder comprises an electronic pen capture device to electronically capture marks made on the form using the electronic pen. The electronic pen is a combination ink and electronic pen that is temporarily connected to the form holder.

Claims

1. A data capture apparatus, comprising:

a form holder;

an image capture device connected to said form holder; and

a pen associated with said form holder,

wherein said image capture device is positioned to capture an image of a form on said form holder, and

wherein said form holder comprises a pen capture device adapted to electronically capture marks made on said form using said pen.

2. The data capture apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pen comprises a combination ink and electronic pen.

3. The data capture apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said form comprises a paper form.

4. The data capture apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a clip connected to said form holder, wherein said image capture device is mounted to said clip.

5. The data capture apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of at least one audio recorder and at least one additional image capture device comprising at least one of a video recorder and a display, wherein said audio recorder and said additional image capture device are adapted to record data and send said data to a third party.

6. A data capture apparatus, comprising:

a form holder;

an image capture device connected to said form holder;

a pen connected to said form holder,

wherein said image capture device is positioned to capture an image of a form on said form holder, and

wherein said form holder comprises a pen capture device adapted to electronically capture marks made on said form using said pen; and

a processor adapted to query a form database using said image of said form to identify said form, correlate said marks made on said form with respective data fields on said form, and store said marks made on said form in said respective data fields.

7. The data capture apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said pen comprises a combination ink and electronic pen.

8. The data capture apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said form comprises a paper form.

9. The data capture apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a clip connected to said form holder, wherein said image capture device is mounted to said clip.

10. The data capture apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising at least one of at least one audio recorder and at least one additional image capture device comprising at least one of a video recorder and a display, wherein said audio recorder and said additional image capture device are adapted to record data and send said data to a third party.

11. A data capture apparatus, comprising:

a form holder;

an image capture device connected to said form holder;

a pen connected to said form holder,

wherein said image capture device is positioned to capture an image of a form on said form holder, and

wherein said form holder comprises a pen capture device adapted to electronically capture marks made on said form using said pen; and

a processor adapted to query a form database using said image of said form to identify said form, correlate said marks made on said form with respective data fields on said form, store said marks made on said form in said respective data fields, and match affine-invariant features of said form with affine-invariant features of model forms in said form database, wherein said affine-invariant features comprise at least one of point features, line features, and intersection of lines features.

12. The data capture apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said pen comprises a combination ink and electronic pen.

13. The data capture apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said form comprises a paper form.

14. The data capture apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a clip connected to said form holder, wherein said image capture device is mounted to said clip.

15. A method, comprising:

obtaining an image of a printed form using at least one camera attached to a form holder;

identifying said printed form, comprising querying a form database using said image of said printed form;

obtaining handwritten input on said printed form using said form holder, wherein said form holder comprises a pen capture graphic user interface;

correlating said handwritten input with respective data fields on said printed form; and

storing said handwritten input in said respective data fields.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said obtaining of said image comprises automatically initiating image capture when a user start command is received.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said obtaining of said image of said printed form comprises obtaining an image of only a portion of said printed form.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein said identifying of said printed form comprises model creation, comprising:

obtaining images of original forms;

identifying shape-based features within said images of said original forms; and

storing said shape-based features in said form database to create model forms.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein said querying of said form database comprises matching affine-invariant features of said printed form with affine-invariant features of model forms in said form database, wherein said matching of said affine-invariant features comprises matching at least one of point features, line features, and intersection of lines features.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

recording data via at least one of at least one audio recorder and at least one additional image capture device comprising at least one of a video recorder and a display; and

sending said data to a third party.