AU649370B2 - Data capture assembly - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 M E. 3- Y>1 S IAY TCgrT DIq APPLICANT: MAESTRO PTY LTD NUMBER: PL2247 FILING DATE: 4/ 5/92 Inv ention Title: DATA CAPTURE ASSEMBLY The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: "DATA CAPTURE ASSEMBLY" TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a data capture assembly.

This invention has particular but not exclusive application to a data capture assembly for the selective electronic capture and storage of passages of text for indexing and subsequent retrieval, and for illustrative purposes reference will be made to such an application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Known optical character readers are not easily adapted to read portions of a text but rather scan an entire sheet. Furthermore optical character readers are 15 relatively bulky and it is usual for material requiring scanning to be brought to the optical scanner. This can be inconvenient and in the case of off-site material may enot be possible.

Highlighting pens are well known and widely used to highlight relevant information for subsequent perusal so that it will be unnecessary to later peruse irrelevant material. Such highlighting does not of course collect, S. collate or index the information and it is necessary Ssubsequently for a manual indexing system to be utilised if a collection of information relevant to a number of the topics is to be created.

eoeee SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to provide a data capture assembly which will be reliable and efficient in use.

This invention in one aspect resides broadly in a data capture assembly for capturing data in a selected text, the assembly including:portable scanning means having a read head; data storage means for storing selected data from scanned text in accordance with an eDtered index, and a housing accommodating the scanning means and the 8 data storage means, the housing being an elongate pen-

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like housing having a cap releasably affixable thereto and adapted to cover the read head.

Data captured by the data capture assembly may be subsequently downloaded into remote storage means in a stand alone facility such as a PC or the like and indexed therein. However it is preferred that the data capture assembly includes indexing means for entering a reference index for selected text. It is preferred that the data capture assembly is portable.

The scanning means may be any scanner adapted to scan text for storage as image data or text data.

However it is preferred that the scanning means is an OCR scanner.

In a preferred embodiment the face of the read head 15 is inclined at an ai glle to the longitudinal axis of the housing. Suitably the read head is reversible.

It is preferred that the indexing means includes input means operable to input a selected index code, and/or function generating means operable to input A S 20 predetermined code, and/or identification means adapted to be read by the scanning means to input a predetermined Scode.

The input means and the function generating means could include slot-like receiving means adapted to 25 receive a coded card therein or any other suitable means whereby a coded index can be entered. However it is preferred that the input means and the function generating means are keys located on the exterior of the housing, and the identification means are encoded identification tags located on the exterior of the cap.

In one preferred embodiment the data capture assembly includes visual display means. Preferably the visual display means is an LCD display panel adapted to display selected indexings, the data being scanned, selected control functions and user instructions and information.

The data capture assembly may include control means X for controlling operations and may also include power 'P d supply means. Suitably the power supply means is a replaceable battery assembly.

The data capture assembly may also include switching means for activating the scanning means. The switching means may be an on/off switch positioned on the housing, or in an alternative embodiment removal of the cap from the housing activates the switching means. The data capture assembly may also include transmission means for selectively transmitting data stored in the data storage means to a remote location.

In another aspect this invention resides broadly in a method of capturing data in a selected text, the method including:providing a data capture assembly as defined in any 15 of the preceding statements; e• entering a reference index for the selected text; and moving the scanning means across the selected text.

S 20 DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In order that this invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:- 25 Fig 1 is a perspective view of an electronic highlighting pen in accordance with the invention and seen from one side thereof; Fig 2 is a side elevation of the electronic highlighting pen showing the cap removed and illustrating the control features; and Fig 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the functional components of the electronic highlighting pen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As can be seen in Fig 1 an electronic highliahting pen 11 has a body portion 12 and a cap 13. The electronic highlighting pen 11 is not dissimilar in shape X to known highlighting pens. The body portion 12 has a tapered head portion 26 adapted to be held between the fingers in known manner.

As can be seen in Fig 2 the body portion 12 includes a plurality of functional controls on one side of the outer surface thereof. The functional controls include a numeric keypad 16, a function bar or entry key 17, a plurality of function keys 18 and an LCD display panel 19. The keys may be recessed in the casing of the body portion to prevent accidental operation.

An optical character recognition (OCR) read head 14 is located at the head 26 of the pen and arranged in analogous manner to a normal highlighting pen. The OCR read head 14 has an angled face so that the surface of a book or page 24 (as seen in Fig 3) can be accurately 15 scanned. The user holds the pen at a convenient and normal writing angle with the read head 14 being thus positioned so that it substantially abuts the surface of :the book 24. The head portion 26 is releasably fixed to body portion 12 so as to be removable therefrom.

20 This enables the head portion 26 to be rotated through 180 degrees and reaffixed so that the read head 14 abuts o a page being scanned with equal facility for both lefthanded and right-handed users.

The lid 13 includes a number of identifying or 25 indexing tags 15 for use in a manner subsequently to be described.

As can be seen in Fig 3 the body portion 12 houses a CCD (charge coupled device) scanner 25 having a read head 14, OCR indexing means 20, memory means 21 and transmitter means 22 adapted to communicate with a computer 23.

The numeric keypad 16 can optionally be alphabetical so that indexing can be achieved using alpha-numeric as well as numeric characters.

The lid 13 may optionally include a pocket clip bar (not shown) so that the pen may be carried in a pocket.

With such an arrangement the pocket clip bar can be used V" as a stylus to facilitate indexing when using keypad 16

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or keys 18.

The assembly is powered by batteries 27 in a known manner and it is preferred that the batteries be replaceable. The electronic highlighting pen can include an on/off switch 28 or the scanner 25 *ay be activated when cap 13 is removed. Releasing the cap 13 can cause a spring mounted plunger switch 29 to activate the scanner In use, the cap 13 of the electronic highlighting pen 11 is removed and the LCD display 19 checked to see that the system is operational. The LCD display then instructs that an index code be entered to index the material to be scanned. An index code may be entered via keypad 16 or by swiping the read head 14 across one of 15 the pre-indexed identification tags 15. The tags 15 can be pre-indexed to correspond with common subject matter categories having short term relevance. Alternatively, common indexings having long term relevance change can be programmed into function keys 18. The indexing can also be effected by depressing appropriate ones of function index keys 18.

Function bar 17 is operated to enter the appropriate indexing once checked in the LCD panel 19 which indicates the indexing selected. The read head 14 is then swiped 25 across the portion of text to be stored. The material is o• 00 thus "electronically highlighted" in manner similar to known highlighting pens.

It is also possible to display the most recently read characters in the LCD panel 19 by operating appropriate function codes by keys 16. This facilitates a check that the material is being correctly read.

The material read is indexed by indexing means and is stored in memory 21 in accordance with the code indexed. It may be downloaded to a computer 23 by means of transmission device 22. This downloading may be achieved by conventional cabling means or by an infrared transmission link. The base of the body portion opposite the head portion 26 can include a miniaturised plug and socket assembly so that the base can be clipped or plugged into a corresponding socket i a computer input device to facilitate downloading.

The indexing may also be achieved by utilising bar codes. The reader can incorporate a bar code reading facility whereby the source of the indexed material can be automatically indexed by swiping a source bar code on a magazine, book or pamphlet.

It will be appreciated that the electronic highlighting pen in accordance with the invention is extremely useful for researching and collating. Selected material can be stored in storage means in the electronic highlighting pen and subsequently downloaded to a computer or central database when convenient. Memory 15 chips may be replaceable within a pen so that more than one store of memory can be filled without the need to S.download and this facilitates the use of the pen in remote locations.

Material can subsequently be automatically collated S 20 in the computer and retrieved in formatted categories to greatly enhance the facility to review material at a later date.

The pen can also be used as an organizer and include a built-in alarm. An itinerary or diary is maintained by scanning a printed diary with read head 14. The electronic highlighting pen can also include an inking facility so that the selected text which is electronically stored as data or text can be visually highlighted in known manner as the text is being scanned.

33 It will of course be realised that whilst the above has been given by way of an illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations hereto, as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art, are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is hereinafter claimed.

Claims (16)

1. A data capture assembly for capturing data in a selected text, said assembly including:- portable scanning means having a read head; data storage means for storing selected data from scanned text in accordance with an entered index, and a housing accommodating said scanning means and said data storage means, said housing being an elongate pen- like housing having a cap releasably affixable thereto and adapted to cover said read head.

2. A data capture assembly as claimed in claim 1, and including indexing means for entering a reference index for selected text.

3. A data capture assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said data capture assembly is portable.

4. A data capture assembly as claimed in claim 3, 20 wherein said scanning means is an OCR scanner.

5. A data capture assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said read head has a face inclined at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said housing.

6. A data capture assembly as claimed in claim wherein said read head is reversible.

7. A data capture assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said indexing means includes input means operable to input a selected index code, and/or function generating means operable to input a predetermined code, and/or identification means adapted to be read by said scanning means to input a predetermined code.

8. A data capture assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said input means and said function generating y means are keys located on the exterior of said housing, and said identification means are encoded identification tags located on the exterior of said cap.

9. A data capture assembly as claimed in claim 2, and including visual display means.

A data capture assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said visual display means is an LCD display panel located on the exterior of said housing and adapted to display selected indexings, data being scanned, selected control functions and user instructions and information.

11. A data capture assembly as claimed in claim 2, and including control means for controlling operation of said 15 data capture assembly.

12. A data capture assembly as claimed in claim 11, and including power supply means.

13. A data capture assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein said power supply means is a replaceable battery assembly.

14. A data capture assembly as claimed in claim 13, and 25 including switching means for activating said scanning *a means.

A data capture assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein removal of said cap from said housing activates said switching means.

16. A data capture assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and including transmission means for selectively transmitting data stored in said data storage means. S DATED this FIFTEENTH day of MARCH 1994. MAESTRO PTY LTD by THOMSON PIZZEY ABSTRACT A portable data capture assembly for capturing data in a selected text includes an OCR scanner (25) having a reversible read head (14) and a memory (21) for storing selected data from a scanned text in accordance with a reference index entered by input means (15-18). The assembly is in an elongate pen-like housing (12) having a cap (13) releasably affixable thereto and adapted to cover the read head. o 0 0 0 66 0 o*O 0 a e 00