Method and system for composition and delivery of electronic mail using sensor with identifier

• US 7,009,738 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II, Jerome
• Application Number:
  US10/291,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20030081252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 358/402, 358/1.11, 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/1.2, 358/1.9, 358/1.18, 382/187, 382/314, 382/313, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.09
• US Class Current: 358/402
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 19/207 Encoding along a bar
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/02 Framework
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1265 Printing by reference, e.g. retrieving document/image data for a job from a source mentioned in the job
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1894 Outputting the image data to the printing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/21 Combinations with auxiliary equipment, e.g. with clocks or memoranda pads
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• 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

A method for composition and transmission of an electronic mail message including: printing a document to facilitate composition and transmission of the electronic mail message; composing the electronic mail message on the document utilizing a sensing device adapted to read coded data in the document; transmitting interaction data from the sensing device to a computer system, the interaction data representing interaction of the sensing device with the coded data to allow the message to be electronically captured in the computer system; and transmitting the message to at least one recipient address.

Claims

1. A method for composition and transmission of an electronic mail message including:

printing a document to facilitate composition and transmission of the electronic mail message;

composing the electronic mail message on the document utilizing a sensing device adapted to read coded data in the document when placed in an operative position relative to the document;

transmitting interaction data from the sensing device to a computer system, the interaction data representing interaction of the sensing device with the coded data to allow the message to be electronically captured in the computer system; and

transmitting the message to at least one recipient address,

wherein the sensing device is further adapted to store a sensing device identifier which is adapted to distinguish the sensing device from other sensing devices of the same type.

2. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of receiving, in the computer system, the sensing device identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of receiving, in the computer system, the sensing device identifier comprises receiving the sensing device identifier as an encrypted sensing device identifier.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the encrypted sensing device identifier is encrypted using an encryption key.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of receiving, in the computer system, the sensing device identifier comprises receiving the sensing device identifier via a radio frequency signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of receiving, in the computer system, the sensing device identifier comprises receiving the sensing device identifier via a relay device adapted to receive the radio frequency signal.

7. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein the radio frequency signal is a Bluetooth signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing device is adapted to store the sensing device identifier in a non-volatile memory in the sensing device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sensing device is adapted to store the sensing device identifier in a read-only memory in the sensing device.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, including receiving, in the computer system, indicating data derived from the coded data, regarding the identity of the document and at least one of a position and a movement of the sensing device relative to the document in order to identify the document and determine when the sensing device is used to interact with the document.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, including the sensing device sensing at least one of the movement and the position of the sensing device relative to the document using the coded data.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a user addresses the electronic mail message to the recipient address by selecting a name from a list on the document using the sensing device.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the address of the recipient is converted, the computer system, from hand-written indicia on the document to an electronic form of the address to facilitate transmission.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least part of the message as applied to the document is converted, in the computer system, from hand-written indicia or alpha-numerals to electronic equivalents.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least part of the electronic mail message as applied to the document is converted, in the computer system, from hand-written indicia, alpha-numerals, diagrams, figures, or the like, to an electronic form which substantially preserves the format and appearance of the relevant part of the message.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein electronically capturing the message includes receiving, in the computer system, at least one of movement data and position data regarding at least one of a movement and a position of the sensing device relative to the document.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, including the sensing device sensing at least one of the movement and the position of the sensing device relative to the form using at least some of the sensed coded data.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least part of the electronic mail message is transmitted to the recipient address as digital ink.

19. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the message is delivered at the address in the form of a second document containing the electronic mail message.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the second document has at least one user interactive element which enables a recipient to indicate a response to associated information in the second document by interacting with the user interactive element using a sensing device which is adapted to transmit response data to a computer.

21. A system for composition and transmission of an electronic mail message including:

a printer for printing a document with coded data, to facilitate composition and transmission of the electronic mail message;

a sensing device for reading the coded data when placed in an operative position relative to the document and transmitting interaction data, representing interaction of the sensing device with the coded data to allow for electronic capture of the message, generated by moving the sensing device relative to the document; and

a computer system for receiving the interaction data from the sensing device and transmitting the message to a recipient address,

wherein the sensing device is further adapted to store a sensing device identifier which is adapted to distinguish the sensing device from other sensing devices of the same type.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the computer system is adapted to receive the sensing device identifier from the sensing device.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the computer system is adapted to receive the sensing device identifier as an encrypted sensing device identifier.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the encrypted sensing device identifier is encrypted using an encryption key.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the computer system is adapted to receive the sensing device identifier via a radio frequency signal.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the computer system is adapted to receive the sensing device identifier via a relay device adapted to receive the radio frequency signal.

27. The system of claim 25 or 26, wherein the radio frequency signal is a Bluetooth signal.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the sensing device is adapted to store the sensing device identifier in a non-volatile memory in the sensing device.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the sensing device is adapted to store the sensing device identifier in a read-only memory in the sensing device.

30. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the computer system is adapted to transmit the electronic mail message to an electronic mail server.

31. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the computer system is adapted to convert the address of the recipient from hand-written indicia on the document to an electronic form of the address.

32. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the computer system is adapted to convert at least part of the electronic mail message as applied to the document from electronically captured hand-written indicia or alpha-numerals to electronic equivalents.

33. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the computer system is adapted to convert at least part of the electronic mail message as applied to the document from electronically captured hand-written indicia, alpha-numerals, diagrams, figures, or the like, to an electronic form which substantially preserves the format and appearance of the relevant part of the electronic mail message.

34. A system as claimed in claim 32 or 33, wherein the computer system is adapted to receive at least one of movement data and position data regarding at least one of a movement and a position of the sensing device relative to the coded data, in order to electronically capture the message.

35. A system as claimed in claim 34, wherein the sensing device senses at least one of the movement and the position of the sensing device relative to the document using at least some of the coded data.

36. A system as claimed in claim 21, further including a printer at the recipient address for producing a second document containing the electronic mail message.

37. A system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the second document has at least one user interactive element which enables a recipient to indicate a response to associated information in the second document by interacting with the user interactive element using a sensing device which is adapted to transmit response data to a computer.

38. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the coded data serves to identify the document and a position of the sensing device relative to the document.

39. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the computer system is adapted to receive at least one of movement data and position data regarding at least one of the movement and the position of the sensing device relative to coded data, in order to capture the message.

40. A system as claimed in claim 39, wherein the sensing device generates at least one of the movement data and the position data using at least some of the sensed coded data.