GB2445039A

GB2445039A - Method and apparatus for producing enhanced physical media

Info

Publication number: GB2445039A
Application number: GB0711652A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon Turvey
Original assignee: Symbian Software Ltd
Current assignee: Symbian Software Ltd
Priority date: 2006-12-21
Filing date: 2007-06-15
Publication date: 2008-06-25
Also published as: GB0625645D0; GB0711652D0

Abstract

A system for electronic reproduction of physical documents. The system includes a physical document, such as a sheet of paper, having an electronic tag embedded therein. The physical document has content formed thereon and the tag includes an electronic version of the content which can be read by a wireless reader which may form part of a mobile telephone. This enables reproduction of exact copies of the content at a later time. An embodiment of the invention also provides a printer which includes a tag writer which is arranged to print content on blank paper and to write the same content to tags embedded in the paper.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ENHANCED PHYSICAL MEDIA

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing enhanced physical media. In particular, it relates to the production of printed media enhanced with digital content.

Background to the Invention

Electronic communication has made the transmission of data between multiple users incredibly easy. For example, it is possible for electronic documents to be distributed by email, through websites, and via mobile phone messaging, together with numerous other electronic communication techniques. The prevalence of electronic documentation makes distribution, copying, duplication and editing of documents far easier than was the case when physical media, such as paper letters, paper reports and other paper based documents were in widespread use.

Despite the widespread replacement of physical documents with electronic documents, there is still a need in many circumstances for physical media to be the primary form of information distribution. In particular, many businesses continue to send letters, contracts and other legal documentation by post, and photographs are often printed onto photographic paper for easy viewing. If someone were to receive one of these documents in electronic form it would be relatively straightforward for them to copy it, print it, or redistribute it as may be required. However, when a user receives a physical media version of the document there may be no easy way of achieving this. For example, the main ways of reproducing physical media are photocopying, to produce physical copies of a document, and scanning, to produce electronic copies of a document. In order to photocopy or scan a document a photocopier or scanner is required. These devices tend to be expensive and bulky and are only available in certain locations, for example the home or office. It is therefore frequently the case that a person would not have access to a photocopier or scanner when they require copies of a physical document. This problem is heightened when the physical document in question cannot be moved from its current location. For example, if a person wanted to make copies of an information booklet which could not be taken away from a tourist information office.

Another problem with existing technologies is that repeated copying of documents using photocopiers and scanners can result in a substantial reduction in the quality of the image or text being reproduced, sometimes to the extent that the content of the document is partially obscured. Text based documents can be scanned into computers with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software which is indented to reduce errors by producing a document which is a copy of the actual text rather than an image of the text. However, OCR is actually quite error prone, especially with hand written documents.

It is therefore apparent that, while there is much emphasis on enabling people to easily reproduce and distribute electronic documents, the more traditional area of physical documentation has been neglected and the copying and distribution of such documents can be far more difficult than for their electronic equivalents. Furthermore, existing techniques for document reproduction generally reduce document quality, especially after repeated copies have been made. There is therefore a need for a system which enables physical documents to be copied in any location, in particular when photocopiers and scanners are not available.

Prior Art

It is known to embed electronic information within certain physical documents and to enable that information to be read by a suitable electronic device. In particular, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags enable electronic information relating to a physical item to be stored on that item. For example, RFID tags can be applied to packages to enable electronic tracking of those packages by delivery firms. It is also known to provide stock identification cards which include RFID tags to enable electronic stock taking.

Figure 1 shows an RFID tag 100 known from the prior art. The RFID tag 100 includes a microchip 101 and an antenna 102. The RFID tag 100 is around 50 microns thick and has a width and length of approximately 30mm. The size and shape of RFID tags can vary depending upon their application and the required data storage capacity of the tag. Figure 2 shows the RFID tag 100 schematically. The microchip 101 includes a processor 104 and memory 103. RFID tags can be passive, in which case they have no internal power supply, or active in which case they include their own internal power supply. The RFID tag 100 is passive and receives its power from the radio signal transmitted by an RFID interrogator.

RFID interrogator 105 includes an antenna 106, reading circuitry 107 and an external interface 108. The RFID interrogator is typically included within some sort of computing device, for example a hand held electronic stock taking device. When the RFID interrogator is instructed to read the RFID tag 100, it transmits an interrogation signal which is received by the RFID tag 100. The signal carries sufficient power to power the microchip 101. The RFID tag 100 then transmits the information stored in memory 103 in accordance with pre-stored instructions.

Figure 3 shows a stock label 200 having stock information 201 printed thereon and an RFID tag 202 applied to the surface of the label 200. A hand held stock taking device 203 is also shown which includes a display 204, keypad 205 and RFJD interrogator 206. The RFID tag 202 includes a unique stock identification code. The stock taking device 203 includes memory (not shown) which has a database stored thereon which includes information relating to each stock item as well as the stock identification code for each stock item. When a user instructs the stock taking device 203 to read the RFID tag 202, the tag transmits the stock identification code to the device 203. On receipt, the computing device 203 accesses the database which stores the stock item information. The computing device 203 retrieves the necessary information from the database using the stock identification code and displays the retrieved information on display 204.

The system described in relation to Figure 3 enables information relating to an item to be retrieved electronically. However, this system does require a database of additional information to be stored on the stock taking device. The RFID tag provides a way of referencing this information but does not provide the information itself.

Summary of the Invention

Embodiments of the invention provide a system for electronic reproduction of physical documents. In particular it provides a physical document, such as a sheet of paper, having an electronic tag embedded therein. The physical document has content formed thereon and the tag includes an electronic version of the content. The tag can be read by a wireless reader which may form part of a mobile telephone. This enables reproduction of exact copies of the physical document's content at a later time. An embodiment of the invention also provides a printer which includes a tag writer which is arranged to print content on blank paper and to write the same content to tags embedded in sheets of paper.

A first embodiment of the present invention provides a physical medium which has content formed on a surface thereof, wherein the physical medium includes a data carrier and the data carrier has data stored thereon, the data being a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced..

Preferably the physical medium is a sheet of paper, however it may be any item which is capable of having viewable information, whether that be text or graphics, formed on its surface. Other examples of physical media include canvas (for paintings), billboards (for advertising posters) and plastic documents (for maps and other durable documents). The above embodiment provides a medium which can be copied in the absence of a photocopier or scanner. This makes copying and distribution of such media far easier than is the case with the prior art. In particular, this embodiment is distinguished from the prior art because it enables reproduction of copies of the content directly from information stored on the data carrier. There is no need for a database to be provided with additional information in order for the content to be displayed. This makes this system highly versatile because new documents can be created without having to update a central database. It also means that any suitable data carrier reader can read and display the stored content. There is no need for the reader to be constantly updated with additional information relating to the content.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a content forming device comprising: a content forming unit arranged to form content on a surface of a physical medium; a data writer, arranged to write data to an data carrier of said physical medium, wherein said data is a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced.

In yet a further embodiment, the present invention provides a method of forming content on a surface of a physical medium, in which the physical medium has a data carrier embedded therein, the method including: forming content on a surface of a physical medium; and writing data to said data carrier; wherein said data is a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced.

In yet a further embodiment, the present invention provides a content reading device comprising: a content reading unit arranged to read content from a surface of a physical medium; a data writer, arranged to write data to an data carrier, wherein said data is a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced.

In yet a further embodiment, the present invention provides a method of reading content from a surface of a physical medium, the method including: reading content from a surface of a physical medium; writing data to a data carrier; wherein said data is a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced; and applying the data carrier to said physical medium.

In yet a further embodiment, the present invention provides a method of reading content from a physical medium, wherein the content is formed on a surface of said physical medium, the physical medium including a data carrier and said data carrier has data stored thereon which is a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced., the method comprising: reading said data carrier with a computing device; transferring said data to said device; and displaying said at least part of said content on a display of said device.

In yet a further embodiment, the present invention provides a kit comprising: a physical medium which has content formed on a surface thereof and a tag including a data carrier, the data carrier having data stored thereon, the data being a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced.

In yet a further embodiment, the present invention provides a physical medium which has content formed on a surface thereof, wherein the physical medium includes a data carrier anc the data carrier has carrier data stored thereon, the carrier data including a link to a source, separate to the physical medium, the source including source data which includes a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced.

The representation of the content stored as data on the physical medium may be the same as the content formed on the physical medium itself. It will be appreciated that by "the same", it is meant that visually similar electronic copies can be produced. The representation itself may be of lower resolution or quality than the original content, however this still enables reproduction of content which is the same as the original for the purposes of the present

description.

Preferably, the data is a complete representation of the content formed on the physical medium. This enables any device reading the data carrier to recreate the visual appearance of the content formed on the physical medium without the need for further information. The complete representation may be of lower quality or resolution than the original content, but it still enables a visually similar copy of the content to be produced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only and by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: -Figure 1 shows an RFID tag known from the prior art; Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an RFID tag and RFID interrogator known

from the prior art;

Figure 3 shows a stock taking label and hand held stock taking device known from the

prior art;

Figure 4 shows a blank sheet of paper having an RFID tag embedded therein in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 shows a printing device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is a flow chart showing the operation of the printing device of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a printed document in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 shows a printed document and a mobile device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 is a flow chart showing the method of operation of the mobile device of Figure 8; Figure 10 shows a system for printing documents in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 11 shows a method of operation of the system of Figure 10; Figure 12 shows a printed document in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention; and Figure 13 shows a printed document in accordance with yet a further embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the Embodiments

Referring to Figure 4, a blank sheet of paper 300 is shown having a Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) tag 301 embedded between the upper and lower surfaces of the sheet of paper. The sheet of paper 300 is A4 having dimensions of 210mm by 297mm. The sheet of paper 300 weighs approximately 8Ograms/sq.meter(gsm) and has a thickness of approximately 0.1mm. The sheet of paper 300 is therefore of standard size and shape for use in conventional desktop printing devices.

The RFID tag 301 is identical to RFID tag 100 described above in connection with Figure 2.

RFID tag 301 therefore includes a microchip (not shown) and an antenna (not shown). The microchip includes a processor and a non- volatile flash memory. The RFID tag 301 may have data written to it, or read from it, by an appropriate RFID tag reader/writer as will be explained in more detail below. The RFID tag 301 is approximately 5Omicrons thick and has a width and length of approximately 30mm. The RFID tag 301 is embedded in the blank sheet of paper 300 during production of the sheet of paper in accordance with practices familiar to the person skilled in the art. Following manufacture, a number of blank paper sheets are packaged together in reams which may then be supplied the end user.

Referring to Figure 5, an RFID enabled printer 302 and desktop computer 303 are connected to each other by cable 304. The RFID enabled printer 302 comprises a control processor 305, an ink cartridge 306 and an RFID tag writer 307. The ink cartridge 306 and the RFID tag writer 307 are each connected to the control processor 305. The printer 302 also includes an interface 308 which enables the control processor 305 to communicate with the desktop computer 303. The desktop computer 303 includes a display 309 and also includes standard components such as processors and memory (not shown). The memory has stored thereon various application programs (not shown) which allow a user of the desktop computer 303 to view, edit and print documents of various sorts. In particular, these application programs include applications for displaying image files, such as JPEG, TIFF and bitmap files, and word processing files, such as text, rich text, and WordTM files.

The memory of desktop computer 303 also includes a printer driver (not shown) for RFID tag enabled printer 302. The printer driver enables the desktop computer 303 to communicate with the printer 302. When a user instructs an application program to print a document to printer 302, the desktop computer signals the control processor 305 which controls the ink cartridge 306 so as to cause the ink cartridge to print document contents on blank sheets of paper. Sheets of paper are fed through the printer in a conventional manner. The operation of the RFID enabled printer 302 will now be described in connection with Figure 6.

When a user of desktop computer 303 wishes to print document content via printer 302, the user first opens the document using the appropriate application program in order to display it on display 309. Each application program provides a print option. When the user selects the print option they are provided with a number of print settings, some of which are common to all application programs and relate to print parameters associated with printer 302. In the present embodiment, the user has opened a JPEG file using a JPEG application program, and the JPEG document is displayed on display 309. The user selects the print option to open the print settings window (step 400). The JPEG application program then displays the print settings for the RFID enabled printer 302 (step 401). The user then sets the print parameters for the JPEG document in the usual manner (step 402). In other words, the user can set the image quality, colour or black and white printing, the number of copies etc..

Within the print settings window, the user is also able to turn RFID tag writing on or off (step 403). If the user selects "off", then when the user issues the final print command, the document is printed onto blank sheet 300 without writing the document data to the RFID tag 301 (step 404). If the user wishes to record a copy of the JPEG document to the RFID tag 301, then at step 403 the selects "on". If the user selects "on", they must then enter the settings for the writing of data to the RFID tag 301 (step 405).

The RFID tag settings include file size settings. The flash memory 103 on RFID tag 301 has a limited capacity. In the present embodiment, the capacity of flash memory 103 is 512 kilobytes, however the JPEG document displayed on display 309 may be in excess of 2 megabytes. Firstly therefore, the user enters the memory capacity of the flash memory 103.

The program application automatically reduces the resolution of the image to reduce its overall size to below 512 kilobytes and displays the new image resolution. Alternatively, the user can select a more lossy compression ratio in order to reduce the file size. Of course, if the file is already small enough, then it can be written straight to the RFID tag 301.

In addition to file size, the user is able to specify that any metadata included with the original document should be copied to the RFID tag 301. In the case of a JPEG photo document, metadata may include the date and time the photo was taken, as well as the place the photo was taken and other details. The user is also able to indicate if any additional data is to be written to the RFID tag 301 as will be explained in more detail below.

Once all the necessary print and RFID write setting have been entered, the user issues a final print command. The JPEG application program automatically reduces the resolution of the JPEG document in accordance with the settings entered by the user (step 406). The print command is then issued to the control processor 305. The control processor 305 then simultaneously commences printing via ink cartridge 306 and instructs the RFID tag writer 307 to write to RFID tag 301 (step 407).

Referring to Figure 7, a printed document 500 is shown having an image 502, which is a copy of the JPEG document, printed thereon. An RFID tag 501 embedded in the printed document 500 includes a copy of the JPEG document together with any metadata associated with the JPEG document.

Once the printed document 500 has been produced it may be distributed by post, for example, to other people. When someone has received the printed document 500, they may wish to produce copies of it. However, in order to scan the document into a computer, a scanner is required, and in order to produce photocopies of the document, a photocopier is required.

These devices are not always available to everyone in every location. Referring to Figure 8, a mobile device 503 comprises a display 504, a keypad 505 and an RFID tag reader 506. The mobile device 503 can be used to read the document data stored on RFID tag 501 as will be described in the following in connection with Figure 9.

When a user wishes to read document data from RFID tag 501 embedded in printed document 500, they firstly load an RFID tag reader application program into the memory (not shown) of mobile device 503 (step 600). The RFID tag reader application program includes an option for the user to instruct the RFID tag reader 506 to scan for any RFID tags in the vicinity. The user selects the scanning option and the RFJD tag reader 506 scans for RFID tags in the vicinity (step 601). The scanning process begins with the transmission of an interrogation signal which causes any RFID tags in the vicinity to respond with identification information. The RFID tag reader application program then displays a list of RFID tags which have responded to the interrogation signal (step 602). The displayed information includes details of document data stored on the available RFID tags. This information enables a user to match the content printed on the printed document 500 with the corresponding RFID tag listed on the display 504. The user then selects the RFID tag 501 from the displayed list (step 603) and the RFID tag reader 506 instructs the RFID tag 501 to transmit the document data stored therein to the RFID tag reader 506 (step 604). Once the document begins to upload, the user is given the option to save the document or to open it. If the user selects "open" the mobile device 503 automatically selects the appropriate application program to open and display the document. The document is then displayed on the display 504 of the mobile device 503 (step 605). Finally, the user may save the document in the memory of mobile device 503 (step 606).

Once the document is loaded onto the mobile device 503, the user of the device may simply wish to keep the document for later viewing. However, by storing a copy of the document on the mobile device, the user is able to produce copies of the document when the original printed document 500 is not to hand. Referring to Figure 10, a computer terminal 508, comprising a display 509 is shown connected to the mobile device 503. This connection may be a wired connection, such as a USB cable, or alternatively it may be a wireless connection such as a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) or a BluetoothTM connection. The

II

computer terminal is also connected to a conventional printer 511 via cable 510. The procedure for producing a printed copy of the document data will now be described in connection with Figure 11.

When a user wishes to print a copy of the printed document 500 they connect a cable 507 between the mobile device 503 and the computer terminal 508 (step 700). An application program running on the computer terminal 508 automatically detects the presence of the mobile device 503 and loads a file transfer application program into memory (not shown) of the computer terminal 508 (step 701). The file transfer application program allows the user to browse the memory of device 503 and select the appropriate document. The document is then downloaded to the computer terminal 508 (step 702). The user then opens the document using the relevant application program stored in memory on computer terminal 508 (step 703). The user then instructs the program to print the document on a blank sheet of paper via printer 511 (step 704). The printer 511 then prints the document on sheet of paper 512 (step IS 705).

In the above embodiments, the document data is the only information stored on the RFID tags. It is also possible for additional information, relating to the stored document, to be stored on the RFID tags. For example, if the RFID tag is embedded in a poster and has a copy of the poster stored thereon, a screen saver version of the poster can be stored as additional content which can be transferred to a mobile device. Certain file types may also have metadata associated therewith. Metadata is additional information relating to the main content of the document. So for example, a photograph stored as a JPEG file may have metadata indicating the date and time the photo is taken. The RFID tags are also able to store this information.

The above embodiments have been described in the context of a JPEG image file. In an alternative embodiment, the document may be a word processing document, for example a WordTM document. Figure 12 shows a printed document 800 having an RFID tag 801. A version of the word processing document is printed on the document 800. The RFJD tag 801 has a copy of the word processing document stored thereon. The RFID tag 801 can be read by the above described mobile device 503. The word processing document can then be loaded into a word processing application program stored on the device 503. The document can then be printed as described above in connection with Figure 11. Alternatively, the text can be edited on the mobile device 503 prior to printing.

In a further embodiment the document data may be map data. Figure 13 shows a printed document 900 having map data 902 printed thereon. The document 900 comprises an embedded RFID tag 901 which has map data stored thereon. In addition, the RFID tag 901 may store additional information relating to the map data printed on the document 900. This information may include GPS tracking information suitable for use by a GPS navigation application program loaded on the mobile device 503.

Although not shown, an embodiment of the present invention includes a scanner having an integral RFID tag writer. In use, a user scans a document, such as pages from a book, and the scanner creates an electronic version of the document in memory. The scanner also includes a display, enabling the user to review the scanned document. The user can then produce an RFID tag having the document stored thereon. This is achieved in the same manner as described above in connection with the RFID enabled printer. Once the data has been written to the RFID tag, the user can attach the tag to the original document. For example, the tag may have an adhesive side which can be used to stick the tag to, for example, the surface of a book. The advantage of this system is that it enables existing documents, such as books in a library to be enhanced with digital content.

It will be appreciated by the skilled person that the present invention is applicable to file documents of any sort, subject to the memory restrictions of RFID tags.

Although the above embodiments have been described in the context of RFID tags, it will be appreciated that other wireless electronic data carriers may perform the same function. An electronic data carrier is any data carrier suitable for embedding in physical media. The size, shape and weight of the data carrier can vary depending on the nature of the physical medium and the required memory capacity. For example, if the physical medium is a billboard, the data carrier can be larger in bothsize and memory capacity as it does not have to fit unnoticed within a sheet of paper.

In addition to electronic data carriers, other data carriers may be used which achieve the same benefits and advantages associated with the above-described embodiments of the present invention. In particular, machine-readable patterns such as barcodes and data matrices may be applied to the surface of the physical medium. Such data carriers have sufficient data capacity to store low-quality representations of the content formed on the surface of the physical medium. An additional benefit of such data carriers is that they may be applied by the same device (such as a printer) that applies the actual content to the surface of the physical medium.

A further embodiment includes a holographic data carrier. A holographic data carrier stores data in three dimensions and may be applied to the surface of a physical medium. The data carrier is typically a photopolymer material which stores data in a three dimensional translucent matrix. Data is read from the data carrier using light beams. The reflected light is scattered by the photopolymer material and the pattern is read by a suitable device which decodes the information represented by the pattern. Such data carriers have the advantages that they can easily be applied to the surface of a document and they have a much higher data capacity than other, surface based data carriers.

In a further embodiment, the data carrier does not include data representing a document which enables a visual representation of the content to be reproduced. Instead, the data carrier includes information which directs a user to another source, where information relating to the content of the physical medium can be obtained. For example, a street poster may be an advertisement for a feature film or the like. The poster includes an RFID tag, either in the poster material, or in a frame holding the poster. The RFID tag contains data which includes a URL (uniform resource locator) which the user can store in a web browser application. When a data connection is available, the user can direct the browser to the URL obtained from the poster. The URL directs the browser to a web-site relating to the feature film. Here, the user can download the poster, movie trailers, screen savers etc, as well as view other information relating to the film. This embodiment has the advantage that the user can access data heavy content, which could not be stored on the data carrier itself, due to its memory limitations.

In addition, further modifications, additions and variations to the above described embodiments will be apparent to the intended reader being a person skilled in the art, to provide further embodiments which incorporate the inventive concept of the present invention, and which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A physical medium which has content formed on a surface thereof, wherein the physical medium includes a data carrier and the data carrier has data stored thereon, the data being a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced.

2. A physical medium according to claim 1, wherein said data enables said at least part of said content to be reproduced with substantially the same visual appearance as said at least part of said content formed on the surface of the physical medium.

3. A physical medium according to claims I or 2, wherein said data includes sufficient information to enable said at least part of said content to be reproduced using the data alone.

4. A physical medium according to any of claims I to 3, wherein said data carrier is an electronic data carrier and said data enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced electronically.

5. A physical medium according to any of claims I to 4, wherein said data carrier also stores metadata relating to said content.

6. A physical medium according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said data carrier also stores data representing additional content.

7. A physical medium according to any preceding claim, wherein said data carrier is arranged to be read wirelessly.

8. A physical medium according to any preceding claim, wherein said physical medium is paper.

9. A physical medium according to any preceding claim, wherein said representation of said content is an electronic document.

10. A physical medium according to any preceding claim, wherein said data carrier is an RFID tag.

II. A physical medium according to claim 10, wherein the tag is a passive RFID tag.

12. A physical medium according to any preceding claim, wherein said data carrier is embedded in the physical medium.

13. A content forming device comprising: a content forming unit arranged to form content on a surface of a physical medium; a data writer, arranged to write data to an data carrier of said physical medium, wherein said data is a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced.

14. A content forming device according to claim 13, wherein said data writer is a wireless data writer and said data carrier is an electronic data carrier.

15. A content forming device according to claims 13 or 14, wherein said content forming unit is a print cartridge.

16. A content forming device according to claims 13, 14 or 15, wherein said data carrier is an RFJD tag and said data writer is an RFID tag writer.

17. A method of forming content on a surface of a physical medium, in which the physical medium has a data carrier embedded therein, the method including: -forming content on a surface of a physical medium; and -writing data to said data carrier; wherein said data is a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced.

18. A method of forming according to claim 17, wherein said step of forming is carried out by a printing device.

19. A method of forming according to claim 17 or 18, wherein said step of writing is carried out by an RFID tag writer and said electronic data carrier is an RFID tag.

20. A content reading device comprising: a content reading unit arranged to read content from a surface of a physical medium; a data writer, arranged to write data to an data carrier, wherein said data is a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced.

21. A content reading device according to claim 20, wherein said content reading unit is a scanner.

22. A content reading device according to claims 20 or 21, wherein said data writer is an RFID tag writer and said data carrier is and RFID tag.

23. A method of reading Content from a surface of a physical medium, the method including: -reading content from a surface of a physical medium; -writing data to a data carrier; wherein said data is a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced; and -applying the data carrier to said physical medium.

24. A method of reading according to claim 23, wherein said step of scanning is carried out by a scanning device.

25. A method of reading according to claim 23 or 24, wherein said step of writing is carried out by an RFID tag writer and said data carrier is an RFID tag.

26. A method of reading content from a physical medium, wherein the content is formed on a surface of said physical medium, the physical medium including a data carrier and said data carrier has data stored thereon which is a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced., the method comprising: - -reading said data carrier with a computing device; -transferring said data to said device; and -displaying said at least part of said content on a display of said device.

27. A method of reading content according to claim 26, wherein said data carrier is an RFID tag.

28. A method of reading content according to claims 26 or 27, wherein said computing device is a mobile telephone.

29. A kit comprising: a physical medium which has content formed on a surface thereof and a tag including a data carrier, the data carrier having data stored thereon, the data being a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced.

30. A physical medium which has content formed on a surface thereof, wherein the physical medium includes a data carrier and the data carrier has carrier data stored thereon, the carrier data including a link to a source, separate to the physical medium, the source including source data which includes a representation of at least part of said content which enables the visual appearance of said at least part of said content to be reproduced.

31. A physical medium according to claim 30, wherein said source data includes information relating to said content.

32. A physical medium according to claims 30 or 31, wherein said link is a uniform resource locator and said source data is accessed via a web site.

33. A physical medium substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 to 13.

34. A content forming device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 5 and 6

35. A method of forming content substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

36. A content reading device substantially as hereinbefore described.

37. A method of reading content substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 8, 9 and 10