Method and system for submitting bids

• US 7,233,924 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Paul, Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne, Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Jr., Richard E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Subramanian, Narayanswamy
• Application Number:
  US09/608,022
• Time in Patent Office: 2,545 Days
• Field of Search: 705 35- 37, 705/26, 235/462.01, 235/487, 345/169, 345/179, 345/180, 178/18, 178/19.01, 707/100
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/103 for the sheet feeding section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/106 for the sheet output section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17556 Means for regulating the pressure in the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17563 Ink filters
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2114 Ejecting transparent or white coloured liquids, e.g. processing liquids B41J2/211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 19/02 starting with single sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 9/0006 by applying adhesive to a stack of sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B42C 9/0081 applying adhesive to individual sheets for binding them together by fusing, welding B42C9/0093
• CPC Class Codes: B42P 2261/04 Producing books by printing sheets in following order, e.g. for ordering via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/34 from supports slid from under the articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 37/04 for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3323 using document space presentation or visualization, e.g. category, hierarchy or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• 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 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 : Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 : characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0248 : Avoiding fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 : Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 : Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 : Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 : Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 : Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1423 : the instrument generating sequences of position coordinates corresponding to handwriting preprocessing or recognising digital ink G06V30/32
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 : Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 : Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 : with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00334 : with an apparatus processing barcodes or the like arrangements for sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00342 : with a radio frequency tag transmitter or receiver storage of additional information in an RFID tag attached to an image bearing paper sheet H04N1/32138
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00358 : Type of the scanned marks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00376 : Means for identifying a mark sheet or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00567 : Handling of original or reproduction media, e.g. cutting, separating, stacking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 : by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 : Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 : attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32771 : in response to a request, e.g. for a particular document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32778 : using a mark-sheet or machine-readable code request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3243 : of type information, e.g. handwritten or text document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3247 : Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 : data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/915 : Image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 : Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 : Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 : Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 : Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 : Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 : Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed which relate to submitting auction bids via interface surfaces printed with information and coded data. The coded data, encoded visibly or invisibly, may be queried by an appropriate sensing device. The sensing device communicates with a computer system. Together, the interface surfaces, sensing device and computer system are capable of effecting auction bid transactions over a network.

Claims

1. A method of enabling an auction buyer to submit a bid, the method including the steps of:

providing, to the auction buyer, a printed paper form containing visible information relating to a bid transaction and invisible coded data indicative of an identity of the printed form and of a plurality of reference points identifying a plurality of unique locations on the printed form, the printed form being provided to the auction buyer by printing the form, using a printer, wherein a computer system records, at the time of printing the form, an association between the type and spatial extent of the coded data and the spatial extent of at least some of the visible information;

receiving, in the computer system, indicating data from a sensing device regarding the identity of a printed paper form and a position of the sensing device relative to the printed form, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the form, sensing at least some of the coded data and generating, using the sensed coded data, the indicating data; and

identifying, in the computer system and from the indicating data and the association, at least one parameter relating to the bid transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said at least one parameter relating to the bid transaction is associated with at least one zone of the form and in which the method includes identifying, in the computer system and from the zone relative to which the sensing device is located, said at least one parameter.

3. The method of claim 2 which includes:

receiving, in the computer system, data regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the form, the sensing device sensing its movement relative to the form using at least some of the coded data; and

identifying, in the computer system and from said movement being at least partially within said at least one zone, said at least one parameter of the bid transaction.

4. The method of claim 2 in which the parameter is an action parameter of the bid transaction, the method including effecting, in the computer system, an operation in respect of the action parameter.

5. The method of claim 4 in which the action parameter of the bid transaction is selected from the group comprising:

requesting the subcategories contained in an auction category, requesting the auction listings contained in an auction subcategory, searching auction listings, requesting the details of an auction item listing, sending e-mail to the seller of an item, requesting a bid history related to an item, requesting a list of leading bidders related to an item, and placing a bid.

6. The method of claim 3 in which the parameter is an option parameter of the bid transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the auction buyer has entered a hand-drawn mark by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the option parameter.

7. The method of claim 6 in which the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

requesting the subcategories contained in an auction category, requesting the auction listings contained in an auction subcategory, searching auction listings, requesting the details of an auction item listing, sending e-mail to the seller of an item, requesting a bid history related to an item, requesting a list of leading bidders related to an item, placing a bid, a search results limit, and a search category specification.

8. The method of claim 3 in which the parameter is a text parameter of the bid transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the auction buyer has entered handwritten text data by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the text parameter.

9. The method of claim 8 which includes converting, in the computer system, the handwritten text data to computer text.

10. The method of claim 9 in which the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

a name of the auction buyer, auction item search text, and a bid amount.

11. The method of claim 3 in which the parameter is an authorization parameter of the bid transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the auction buyer has entered a handwritten signature by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the authorization parameter.

12. The method of claim 11 which includes verifying, in the computer system, that the signature is that of the auction buyer.

13. The method of claim 12 in which the authorization parameter is associated with authorization of at least one of:

placing a bid, and payment for a successful bid.

14. The method of claim 3 in which the parameter is a picture parameter of the bid transaction, the method including identifying, in the computer system, that the auction buyer has entered a hand-drawn picture by means of the sensing device and effecting, in the computer system, an operation associated with the picture parameter.

15. The method of claim 14 in which the picture parameter is associated with a picture of a listed item.

16. The method of claim 1 in which the form contains information relating to at least one of:

terms of an item auction, a description of an item being listed for auction, categories in which an item can be listed, subcategories in which an item can be listed, a number of items in a subcategory, a title of an item listing, and an identification number of a listed item.

17. The method of claim 1 which includes printing the form on demand.

18. The method of claim 1 which includes retaining a retrievable record of each form generated, the form being retrievable using its identity as contained in its coded data.

19. The method of claim 1 which includes distributing a plurality of the forms using a mixture of multicast and pointcast communications protocols.

20. The method of claim 1 in which the sensing device contains an identification means which imparts a unique identity to the sensing device and identifies it as being associated with a particular auction buyer and in which the method includes monitoring, in the computer system, said identity.

21. The method of claim 1 which includes providing all required information relating to the bid transaction in the form to eliminate the need for a separate display device.

22. The method of claim 1 in which the form is printed on multiple pages and in which the method includes binding the pages.

23. An apparatus for enabling an auction buyer to submit a bid, the apparatus including

a printed paper form containing visible information relating to a bid transaction and including invisible coded data indicative of an identity of the form and of a plurality of reference points of the form, the coded data identifying a unique location of each of the reference points relative to the form;

and

a computer system for receiving indicating data from a sensing device for identifying at least one parameter relating to the bid transaction, the indicating data being indicative of the identity of the form and a position of the sensing device relative to the form, the sensing device sensing the indicating data using at least some of the coded data, wherein at the time of printing the computer system associates the type and spatial extent of the coded data with the spatial extent of at least some of the visible information.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 in which said at least one parameter relating to the bid transaction is associated with at least one zone of the printed form.

25. The system of claim 23 which includes the sensing device, the sensing device sensing its movement relative to the printed form using at least some of the coded data.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 in which said at least one parameter of the bid transaction is selected from the group comprising an action parameter of the bid transaction, an option parameter of the bid transaction, a text parameter of the bid transaction, an authorization parameter of the bid transaction, and a picture parameter of the bid transaction.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 in which the action parameter of the bid transaction is selected from the group comprising:

requesting the subcategories contained in an auction category, requesting the auction listings contained in an auction subcategory, searching auction listings, requesting the details of an auction item listing, sending e-mail to the seller of an item, requesting a bid history related to an item, requesting a list of leading bidders related to an item, and placing a bid.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 in which the option parameter is associated with at least one of:

requesting the subcategories contained in an auction category, requesting the auction listings contained in an auction subcategory, searching auction listings, requesting the details of an auction item listing, sending e-mail to the seller of an item, requesting a bid history related to an item, requesting a list of leading bidders related to an item, placing a bid, a search results limit, and a search category specification.

29. The apparatus of claim 26 in which the text parameter is associated with at least one of:

a name of the auction buyer, auction item search text, and a bid amount.

30. The apparatus of claim 26 in which the authorization parameter is associated with authorization of at least one of:

placing a bid, and payment for a successful bid.

31. The apparatus of claim 26 in which the picture parameter is associated with a picture of a listed item.

32. The apparatus of claim 25 in which the sensing device includes a marking nib.

33. The apparatus of claim 25 in which the sensing device contains an identification means which imparts a unique identity to the sensing device and identifies it as being associated with a particular auction buyer.

34. The apparatus of claim 23 in which, to cater for a form printed on multiple pages, the printer includes a binding means for binding the pages.