Messaging via a coded business card and mobile telephone

• US 8,290,522 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Paul, Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne, Walmsley, Simon Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US13/301,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20120083252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 4554141-4144, 455/415, 455418-420, 455/466, 455557-558, 455/564, 455/566, 4554121-4122, 455/550.1, 4555561-55602, 358/452, 358/537, 358/539, 369/20.02, 369/30.05, 369/30.19, 369/47.13, 700 87- 88, 700/83, 400/63, 400521-522, 400/536, 902/25, 902/27, 707/753, 707/769, 707/784, 270/52.14, 270 5222- 5223, 270 5801- 5802, 709202-203, 709217-219
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• 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: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0018 Computer Telephony Resource Boards
• 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 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• 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 1/00392 Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• 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 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• 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 2201/3247 : Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 : of sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs

Abstract

A method of sending a message using a business card with data encoded on a surface, and a mobile phone. The data includes an identifier which uniquely identifies the surface and the mobile telephone senses the coded data to determine the identifier. Using the identifier, the phone retrieves a representation of the business card, which has a plurality of fields, one of which being a messaging field. The business card is displayed on the phone such that the messaging field can be user selected, a message generated and transmitted to a communications address retrieved from a database.

Claims

1. A method of sending a message using a business card with data encoded on a surface of the business card, the data including an identifier which uniquely identifies the surface of said business card, and the method further including a mobile telephone with a processor, a display, a media feed path for receiving the business card and a sensor module in the media feed path, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning the business card in the media feed path;

sensing the encoded data on the surface of the business card;

using the processor to determine the identifier from the sensed encoded data;

using the identifier to retrieve a representation of the business card, the representation including a plurality of fields with one of the fields being a messaging field;

displaying the representation of the business card on the display;

selecting the messaging field;

using the processor and the identifier to retrieve a communications address from a database; and

using the processor to open a message editor, with a current message being addressed to the communications address.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the message editor is an SMS editor.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining from the encoded data a digital signature; and

determining whether the digital signature is authentic,

wherein the retrieving of the representation step is performed when it is determined that the digital signature is authentic.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of loading the communications address into an address book.