Self-Addressing Paper

• US 20090000832A1
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Livescribe Incorporated (Anoto Group AB)
• Original Assignee: Livescribe Incorporated (Anoto Group AB)
• Inventors: Pesic, Alexander Sasha, Edgecomb, Tracy L., Marggraff, Jim
• Granted Patent: US 9,250,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 178/19.10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A “self-addressing” writing surface, such as paper, includes an encoded identifier that is uniquely associated with the recipient or a group of recipients. A pen-based computing system is used to capture writing made on the writing surface. The captured writing and the recipient identifier are sent electronically to a routing system, which identifies the recipient to which the content is to be routed based on the recipient identifier. The routing system forwards the message to the identified recipient, thereby enabling communication from the writer to the recipient associated with the writing surface.

Claims

1. A method for delivering an electronic communication, the method comprising:

digitally capturing writing gestures made on a writing surface using a digital pen device, wherein the writing surface is associated with a recipient identifier;

capturing the recipient identifier associated with the writing surface;

generating a digital message comprising the captured writing gestures;

identifying a recipient system based on the recipient identifier; and

forwarding the message to the identified recipient system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the writing gestures are digitally captured using an imaging system in a smart pen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the writing surface comprises an encoded coordinate system that is readable by the digital pen.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein capturing the recipient identifier comprises:

determining a set of coordinate values in the encoded coordinate system on the writing surface where the writing gestures were made; and

identifying the recipient identifier that is associated with a region containing the coordinate values.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the recipient identifier comprises:

receiving a user selection on an addressing region of the writing surface using the digital pen device, wherein the addressing region includes an encoded pattern; and

identifying the recipient identifier that is associated with the encoded pattern on the addressing region.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is forwarded as an electronic mail to the recipient system

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is forwarded to a web server for automatic inclusion within a web page.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises an animation of the digitally captured writing gestures.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording audio using the digital pen device; and

adding the recorded audio to the digital message.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

incorporating into the digital message at least one of;

functional software code and metadata associated with the message.

11. A system for delivering an electronic communication, the system comprising:

a writing surface that is associated with a recipient identifier;

a digital pen device comprising;

a processor,

a storage medium,

a writing capture system for digitally capturing writing gestures made on the writing surface using the digital pen device, the captured writing gestures for inclusion in a message,

a recipient identifier module for capturing the recipient identifier associated with the writing surface; and

a routing system capable of communicating with the digital pen device for receiving the writing gestures and recipient identifier therefrom, the routing system programmed to identify a recipient system based on the recipient identifier and to forward a message containing the captured writing gestures to the identified recipient system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the writing capture system comprises an imaging system on the digital pen device, and where the digital pen device is a smart pen.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the writing surface comprises an encoded coordinate system that is readable by the digital pen.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the recipient identifier module is configured to capture the recipient identifier by:

determining a set of coordinate values in the encoded coordinate system on the writing surface where the writing gestures were made; and

identifying the recipient identifier that is associated with a region containing the coordinate values.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the recipient identifier module is configured to capture the recipient identifier by:

receiving a user selection on an addressing region of the writing surface using the digital pen device, wherein the addressing region includes an encoded pattern; and

identifying the recipient identifier that is associated with the encoded pattern on the addressing region.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the routing system is programmed to forward the message as an electronic mail to the recipient system

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the routing system is programmed to forward the message to a web server for automatic inclusion within a web page.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the message comprises an animation of the digitally captured writing gestures.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the digital pen device further comprises:

an audio recording module for recording audio and adding the recorded audio to the digital message.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the message further includes, incorporated into the digital message, at least one of:

functional software code and metadata associated with the message.