Decoding digital information included in a hand-formed expression

• US 8,897,605 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2011
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Cohen, Alexander J., Cohen, B. Isaac, Harlow, Ed, Leuthardt, Eric C., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ENTEZARI, MICHELLE M
• Application Number:
  US13/007,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20120189227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 382313-314
• US Class Current: 382/314
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03 Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• 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: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Embodiments include a method, a manual device, a handheld manual device, a handheld writing device, a system, and an apparatus. An embodiment provides a device. The device includes an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed analog expression marked on a surface by a handheld writing device. The device also includes a translator circuit operable to decode the digital information. The device further includes a correlation circuit operable to generate a signal indicative of the decoded digital information.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed analog expression marked on a surface by a handheld writing device, the digital information encoded in the hand-formed analog expression including at least binary data linearly deposited along at least part of the hand-formed analog expression;

a translator circuit operable to decode the digital information; and

a correlation circuit operable to generate a signal indicative of the decoded digital information.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a display operable to broadcast a human viewable image corresponding to the digital information.

31. The device of claim 1, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed analog expression marked on a surface by a handheld writing device, the digital information encoded in the hand-formed analog expression including at least binary data linearly deposited along at least part of the hand-formed analog expression includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed analog expression marked on a surface by a handheld writing device, the digital information encoded in the hand-formed analog expression including at least data readable by a computer.

32. The device of claim 1, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed analog expression marked on a surface by a handheld writing device, the digital information encoded in the hand-formed analog expression including at least binary data linearly deposited along at least part of the hand-formed analog expression includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed analog expression marked on a surface by a handheld writing device, the digital information encoded in the hand-formed analog expression including at least data readable by a scanner.

33. The device of claim 1, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed analog expression marked on a surface by a handheld writing device, the digital information encoded in the hand-formed analog expression including at least binary data linearly deposited along at least part of the hand-formed analog expression includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed analog expression marked on a surface by a handheld writing device, the digital information encoded in the hand-formed analog expression including at least data readable by translator circuitry.

34. The device of claim 1, further comprising

a verification module operable to authenticate a user.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the verification module operable to authenticate a user includes:

a verification module operable to authenticate a user by determining a correspondence between a user-entered identification aspect of an environment and a sensor-acquired information corresponding to a user aspect of the environment.

36. The device of claim 34 wherein the verification module operable to authenticate a user includes:

a verification module operable to authenticate a user by determining a correspondence between a user-entered identification aspect of an environment and a sensor-acquired information corresponding to a sensed aspect of the environment, the verification module being further operable to authenticate the user by determining a correspondence between the user- entered identification aspect of the environment and the sensed aspect of the environment.

37. The device of claim 36 wherein the sensed aspect of the environment includes at least one of an identity of the user, a marking, a manner of marking, a timing of the marking, a pattern of the marking, or a pattern recognition of the marking.

3. A device comprising:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device, the digital information encoded in the hand-formed expression including at least binary data linearly deposited along at least part of the hand-formed expression;

a translator circuit operable to decode the digital information corresponding to an environment of the handheld writing device when the expression was formed on the surface; and

a correlation circuit operable to generate a signal indicative of the environment of the handheld writing device when the expression was formed on the surface.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed by a handheld stylus moving on a surface.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed by a substance deposited by a handheld writing device on a surface.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in at least one of a line, grid, path, stroke, or a spot hand-formed on a surface by a handheld writing device.

7. The device of claim 3, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in at least one of a line, grid, path, stroke, or a spot hand-formed by a substance deposited on a surface by a handheld writing device.

8. The device of claim 3, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a marking substance deposited on a surface by a handheld writing device.

9. The device of claim 3, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in at least one of a visible or an invisible marking substance deposited on a surface by a handheld writing device.

10. The device of claim 3, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a fluorescent substance deposited on a surface by a handheld writing device.

11. The device of claim 3, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface of at least one of a container, a package, a living body, a human body, or an object by a handheld writing device.

12. The device of claim 3, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on at least one of a skin, layer, paper, metal, plastic, or a composite surface by a handheld writing device.

13. The device of claim 3, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device, the digital information corresponding to an environment of the handheld writing device contemporaneous with the formation of the expression on the surface.

14. The device of claim 3, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device includes:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device.

15. The device of claim 3, wherein the translator circuit operable to decode the digital information corresponding to an environment of the handheld writing device when the expression was formed on the surface includes:

a translator circuit operable to decode the digital information corresponding to at least one of a user context or an external context of the handheld writing device when the expression was formed on the surface.

16. The device of claim 3, further comprising:

a memory configurable by a file that includes at least one correlation between an instance of encoded digital information and an environment of the handheld marking device.

17. The device of claim 3, further comprising:

a memory configurable by a file that includes at least one user established correlation between an instance of encoded digital information and an environment of the handheld marking device.

18. The device of claim 3, further comprising:

a display operable to broadcast a human viewable image indicative of the environment of the handheld writing device when the expression was formed on the surface.

19. A method comprising:

acquiring information encoded in a track formed on a surface by a manual writing device, the information encoded in the track form including at least binary data linearly deposited along at least part of the track formed;

interpreting the-information encoded; and

generating a signal indicative of the context of the manual writing device when the substance was deposited.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein acquiring information encoded in a track formed on a surface by a manual writing device includes:

acquiring information encoded in a track formed by a substance deposited on a surface by a manual writing device.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein acquiring information encoded in a track formed on a surface by a manual writing device includes:

acquiring information encoded in a track formed by a substance deposited on a surface by a handheld manual writing device.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein interpreting the encoded information includes:

interpreting encoded information based at least in part in response to a file that includes at least one correlation between an instance of information encoded and a context of the manual marking device.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

broadcasting a human viewable image indicative of the context of the manual writing device when the substance was deposited.

24. A device comprising:

means for acquiring information encoded in a track formed on a surface by a manual writing device, the information encoded in the track formed including at least binary data linearly deposited along at least part of the track formed;

means for interpreting the information encoded; and

means for generating a signal indicative of the context of the manual writing device when the substance was deposited.

25. The device of claim 24, further comprising:

means for broadcasting a human viewable image indicative of the context of the manual writing device when the substance was deposited.

26. A device comprising:

an imaging circuit operable to acquire a digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device, the digital information encoded in the hand-formed expression including at least binary data linearly deposited incorporated into at least part of the hand-formed expression;

a translator circuit operable to decode the digital information; and

a correlation circuit operable to generate a signal indicative of the decoded digital information.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the handheld writing device includes a stylus.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein the surface is at least a touch-sensitive display screen.

29. The device of claim 26, wherein the imaging circuit operable to acquire a digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device includes at least translator circuitry, wherein the translator circuitry includes at least a touch-sensitive display screen.

30. The device of claim 26, wherein an imaging circuit operable to acquire a digital information encoded in a hand-formed expression formed on a surface by a handheld writing device includes at least input detection circuitry.