System and method for associating handwritten information with one or more objects via discontinuous regions of a printed pattern

• US 7,720,286 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADS Software Mgmt LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC), Cardinal Brands Incorporated (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Digital Systems Incorporated, Cardinal Brands Incorporated (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Inventors: Clary, Gregory James
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter; Aaron W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Koziol; Stephen R
• Application Number:
  US11/138,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20060267965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 382/187, 345/179
• US Class Current: 382/187
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus

Abstract

A system is provided that includes a pen-enabled computing arrangement having a capture interface and at least one processing element. The capture interface can capture an electronic input defining a stroke through a plurality of concatenated regions. In addition, the handwriting capture interface can also optionally capture an electronic handwriting input based upon a position of the writing stylus with reference to a position-determining pattern. Each of the concatenated regions corresponds to a region of an identification pattern including a plurality of regions that are each associated with a character of an identifier associated with an object. The stroke includes a plurality of portions referenced to respective regions of the identification pattern such that the processing element can determine the identifier based upon the respective regions of the identification pattern, and associate the electronic input with the object associated with the identifier.

Claims

1. A system for capturing an identifier, the system comprising:

a capture interface configured to capture an electronic input defining a stroke through a plurality of concatenated regions, wherein each of the concatenated regions corresponds to a region of at least one identification pattern from which a position of a writing stylus on the at least one identification pattern is determinable, wherein the at least one identification pattern comprises a plurality of discontinuous regions each of which has a predetermined association with a character of an identifier associated with an object, wherein the identifier includes a modulus number with a character comprising a check digit, and wherein the stroke includes a plurality of portions through the concatenated regions such that each portion is referenced to a respective region of the identification pattern; and

at least one processor in communication with the capture interface, wherein the processor is configured to determine the identifier based upon the regions of the at least one identification pattern to which portions of the stroke are referenced, and based upon the characters of the identifier associated with the respective regions, and

wherein the at least one processor being configured to determine the identifier includes being configured to identify the check digit, and determine if the identifier is known and proper based upon the identified check digit.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the processor being configured to determine the identifier includes being configured to determine the regions of the identification pattern to which portions of the stroke are referenced, determine the characters associated with the determined regions of the identification pattern, and thereafter concatenate the determined characters to form the identifier.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the capture interface is configured to capture electronic handwriting input as the writing stylus marks through the concatenated regions of a printed paper.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the capture interface is configured to capture an electronic input based upon a position of the writing stylus with respect to the printed paper, the printed paper having a background pattern printed thereon.

5. A system according to claim 1 further comprising:

at least one computing arrangement configured to provide the plurality of concatenated regions, including being configured to;

divide at least one identification pattern into a plurality of discontinuous regions, the identification pattern comprising a pattern of markings from which a position of a writing stylus on the identification pattern is determinable;

associate each region with a character;

select an identifier comprising a plurality of characters, wherein each character of the identifier is associated with a region of the identification pattern;

concatenate the regions of the identification pattern that are associated with the characters of the identifier;

associate the concatenated regions with an object to thereby associate the identifier with the object; and

provide the concatenated regions associated with the object.

6. A system according to claim 1 further comprising a pen-enabled computing arrangement which comprises the capture interface and at least one processor, and wherein the capture interface comprises a handwriting capture interface.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein the handwriting capture interface is configured to capture an electronic handwriting input based upon a position of the writing stylus with reference to a background pattern.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein the processor is also configured to associate the electronic input with the determined identifier to thereby associate the electronic input with the object associated with the identifier.

38. A system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of discontinuous regions has a predetermined association with a character of one or more of a plurality of identifiers associated with a respective plurality of objects, one of the objects comprising a database record, and one or more others of the objects comprising one or more forms of the database record, and

wherein the at least one processor being configured to determine the identifier includes being configured to determine the database record identifier and form identifier for one of the forms of the database record based upon the regions of the at least one identification pattern to which portions of the stroke are referenced, and based upon the characters of the database record identifier and respective form identifier associated with the respective regions.

9. A system comprising:

at least one computing arrangement including a processor configured to divide an identification pattern into a plurality of discontinuous regions, the identification pattern comprising a pattern of markings from which a position of a writing stylus on the identification pattern is determinable,

wherein the processor is configured to associate each region with a character, select an identifier comprising a plurality of characters, wherein the identifier includes a modulus number with a character comprising a check digit, wherein each character of the identifier is associated with a region of the identification pattern, and wherein the processor is configured to concatenate the regions of the identification pattern that are associated with the characters of the identifier,

wherein the computing arrangement is configured to associate the concatenated regions with an object to thereby associate the identifier with the object, and wherein the concatenated regions are associated with the object such that the associated identifier is determinable based upon the concatenated regions and the regions of the identification pattern to which the concatenated regions correspond, the identifier being determinable including the check digit being identifiable, and the identifier being determinable as known and proper based upon the identified check digit.

10. A system according to claim 9 further comprising:

a pen-enabled computing arrangement, wherein the pen-enabled computing arrangement comprises;

a handwriting capture interface configured to capture an electronic handwriting input defining a stroke through the concatenated regions, wherein the stroke includes a plurality of portions through the concatenated regions such that each portion is referenced to a respective region of the identification pattern, and wherein the handwriting capture interface is also configured to capture an electronic handwriting input based upon a position of the writing stylus with reference to a background pattern; and

at least one processor in communication with the handwriting capture interface, wherein the processor is configured to determine the identifier based upon the regions of the identification pattern to which portions of the stroke are referenced, and based upon the characters of the identifier associated with the respective regions, and wherein the processor is configured to associate the electronic handwriting input with the determined identifier to thereby associate the electronic handwriting input with the object associated with the identifier.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the processor being configured to determine the identifier includes being configured to determine the regions of the identification pattern to which portions of the stroke are referenced, determine the characters associated with the determined regions of the identification pattern, and thereafter concatenate the determined characters to form the identifier.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein the handwriting capture interface is configured to capture an electronic handwriting input as the writing stylus marks through the concatenated regions of a printed paper, and

wherein the handwriting capture interface is configured to capture an electronic handwriting input based upon a position of the writing stylus with respect to the printed paper, the printed paper having the position-determining pattern printed thereon.

13. A method of capturing an identifier, the method comprising:

capturing, by a capture interface, an electronic input defining a stroke through a plurality of concatenated regions, wherein each of the concatenated regions corresponds to a region of at least one identification pattern from which a position of a writing stylus on the at least one identification pattern is determinable, wherein the identification pattern comprises a plurality of discontinuous regions each of which has a predetermined association with a character of an identifier associated with an object, wherein the identifier includes a modulus number with a character comprising a check digit, and wherein the stroke includes a plurality of portions through the concatenated regions such that each portion is referenced to a respective region of the identification pattern; and

determining, by a processor in communication with the capture interface, the identifier based upon the regions of the identification pattern to which portions of the stroke are referenced, and based upon the characters of the identifier associated with the respective regions, and

wherein determining the identifier includes identifying the check digit, and determining if the identifier is known and proper based upon the identified check digit.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein determining the identifier comprises:

determining the regions of the identification pattern to which portions of the stroke are referenced;

determining the characters associated with the determined regions of the identification pattern; and

concatenating the determined characters to form the identifier.

15. A method according to claim 13 further comprising:

receiving printed paper including the concatenated regions; and

wherein capturing an electronic input comprises marking through the concatenated regions of the printed paper to thereby capture the electronic input.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein capturing an electronic input comprises capturing an electronic input based upon a position of the writing stylus with respect to the printed paper, the printed paper having a background pattern printed thereon.

17. A method according to claim 13 further comprising:

providing a plurality of concatenated regions before capturing electronic input defining a stroke therethrough, wherein the providing step comprises;

dividing an identification pattern into a plurality of discontinuous regions, the identification pattern comprising a pattern of markings from which a position of a writing stylus on the identification pattern is determinable;

associating each region with a character;

selecting an identifier comprising a plurality of characters, wherein each character of the identifier is associated with a region of the identification pattern;

concatenating the regions of the identification pattern that are associated with the characters of the identifier;

associating the concatenated regions with an object to thereby associate the identifier with the object; and

providing the concatenated regions associated with the object.

18. A method according to claim 13 further comprising capturing an electronic handwriting input based upon a position of the writing stylus with reference to a background pattern.

19. A method according to claim 13 further comprising associating the electronic input with the determined identifier to thereby associate the electronic input with the object associated with the identifier.

20. A method comprising:

dividing an identification pattern into a plurality of discontinuous regions, the identification pattern comprising a pattern of markings from which a position of a writing stylus on the identification pattern is determinable;

associating each region with a character;

selecting an identifier comprising a plurality of characters, wherein the identifier includes a modulus number with a character comprising a check digit, and wherein each character of the identifier is associated with a region of the identification pattern;

concatenating the regions of the identification pattern that are associated with the characters of the identifier; and

associating the concatenated regions with an object to thereby associate the identifier with the object, wherein the concatenated regions are associated with the object such that the associated identifier is determinable based upon the concatenated regions and the regions of the identification pattern to which the concatenated regions correspond, the identifier being determinable including the check digit being identifiable, and the identifier being determinable as known and proper based upon the identified check digit,

wherein dividing an identification pattern into a plurality of regions, associating each region with a character, selecting an identifier, concatenating the regions, and associating the concatenated regions with an object are performed by a computing arrangement including a processor configured to divide an identification pattern into a plurality of regions, associate each region with a character, select an identifier, concatenate the regions, and associate the concatenated regions with an object.

21. A method according to claim 20 further comprising:

capturing an electronic handwriting input defining a stroke through the concatenated regions, wherein the stroke includes a plurality of portions through the concatenated regions such that each portion is referenced to a respective region of the identification pattern;

capturing an electronic handwriting input based upon a position of the writing stylus with reference to a position-determining pattern;

determining the identifier based upon the regions of the identification pattern to which portions of the stroke are referenced, and based upon the characters of the identifier associated with the respective regions; and

associating the electronic handwriting input with the determined identifier to thereby associate the electronic handwriting input with the object associated with the identifier.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein determining the identifier comprises:

determining the regions of the identification pattern to which portions of the stroke are referenced;

determining the characters associated with the determined regions of the identification pattern; and

concatenating the determined characters to form the identifier.

23. A method according to claim 21 further comprising:

receiving printed paper including the concatenated regions; and

wherein capturing an electronic handwriting input comprises marking through the concatenated regions of the printed paper to thereby capture the electronic handwriting input.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein capturing an electronic handwriting input comprises capturing an electronic handwriting input based upon a position of the writing stylus with respect to the printed paper, the printed paper having a background pattern printed thereon.

25. A computer program product for capturing an identifier, the computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for receiving an electronic input that has been captured to thereby define a stroke through a plurality of concatenated regions, wherein each of the concatenated regions corresponds to a region of at least one identification pattern from which a position of a writing stylus on the at least one identification pattern is determinable, wherein the identification pattern comprises a plurality of discontinuous regions each of which has a predetermined association with a character of an identifier associated with an object, wherein the identifier includes a modulus number with a character comprising a check digit, and wherein the stroke includes a plurality of portions through the concatenated regions such that each portion is referenced to a respective region of the identification pattern; and

a second executable portion for determining the identifier based upon the regions of the identification pattern to which portions of the stroke are referenced, and based upon the characters of the identifier associated with the respective regions, and

wherein the second executable portion is configured to determine the identifier including being configured to identify the check digit, and determine if the identifier is known and proper based upon the identified check digit.

26. A computer program product according to claim 25, wherein the second executable portion is adapted to determine the identifier by determining the regions of the identification pattern to which portions of the stroke are referenced, determining the characters associated with the determined regions of the identification pattern, and thereafter concatenating the determined characters to form the identifier.

27. A computer program product according to claim 25, wherein the first executable portion is adapted to receive an electronic input as or after the writing stylus marks through the concatenated regions of a printed paper to thereby capture the electronic input.

28. A computer program product according to claim 27 further comprising a third executable portion for receiving an electronic handwriting input captured based upon the position of the writing stylus with reference to a background pattern.

29. A computer program product according to claim 28, wherein the third executable portion is adapted to receive an electronic handwriting input captured based upon a position of the writing stylus with respect to the printed paper, the printed paper having the position-determining pattern printed thereon.

30. A computer program product according to claim 25 further comprising a third executable portion for associating the electronic input with the determined identifier to thereby associate the electronic input with the object associated with the identifier.

31. A computer program product according to claim 25 further comprising:

a fifth executable portion for providing a plurality of concatenated regions before capturing electronic input defining a stroke therethrough, wherein the fifth executable portion is adapted to provide the concatenated regions by;

selecting an identifier comprising a plurality of characters, wherein each character of the identifier is associated with a region of an identification pattern that is divided into a plurality of discontinuous regions that are each associated with a character, wherein the identification pattern comprises a pattern of markings from which a position of a writing stylus on the identification pattern is determinable;

concatenating the regions of the identification pattern that are associated with the characters of the identifier;

associating the concatenated regions with an object to thereby associate the identifier with the object; and

providing the concatenated regions associated with the object.

32. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for dividing an identification pattern into a plurality of discontinuous regions, the identification pattern comprising a pattern of markings from which a position of a writing stylus on the identification pattern is determinable;

a second executable portion for associating each region with a character;

a third executable portion for selecting an identifier comprising a plurality of characters, wherein the identifier includes a modulus number with a character comprising a check digit, and wherein each character of the identifier is associated with a region of the identification pattern;

a fourth executable portion for concatenating the regions of the identification pattern that are associated with the characters of the identifier; and

a fifth executable portion for associating the concatenated regions with an object to thereby associate the identifier with the object, wherein the concatenated regions are associated with the object such that the associated identifier is determinable based upon the concatenated regions and the regions of the identification pattern to which the concatenated regions correspond, the identifier being determinable including the check digit being identifiable, and the identifier being determinable as known and proper based upon the identified check digit.

33. A computer program product according to claim 32 further comprising:

a sixth executable portion for receiving an electronic input captured to thereby define a stroke through the concatenated regions, wherein the stroke includes a plurality of portions through the concatenated regions such that each portion is referenced to a respective region of the identification pattern;

a seventh executable portion for determining the identifier based upon the regions of the identification pattern to which portions of the stroke are referenced, and based upon the characters of the identifier associated with the respective regions; and

an eighth executable portion for associating the electronic input with the determined identifier to thereby associate the electronic input with the object associated with the identifier.

34. A computer program product according to claim 33, wherein the seventh executable portion is adapted to determine the identifier by determining the regions of the identification pattern to which portions of the stroke are referenced, determining the characters associated with the determined regions of the identification pattern, and thereafter concatenating the determined characters to form the identifier.

35. A computer program product according to claim 33, wherein the sixth executable portion is adapted to receive an electronic input as or after the writing stylus marks through the concatenated regions of a printed paper to thereby capture the electronic input.

36. A computer program product according to claim 33 further comprising a ninth executable portion for receiving an electronic handwriting input captured based upon a position of the writing stylus with reference to a background pattern.

37. A computer program product according to claim 36 wherein the ninth executable portion is adapted to receive an electronic handwriting input captured based upon a position of the writing stylus with respect to the printed paper, the printed paper having the position-determining pattern printed thereon.