Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
  • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
  • G06F3/033—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor
  • G06F3/0354—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
  • G06F3/03545—Pens or stylus
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
  • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
  • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
  • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
  • G06F3/0304—Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means
  • G06F3/0317—Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means 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
  • G06F3/0321—Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means 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 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
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K19/00—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings
  • G06K19/06—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
  • G06K19/06009—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code with optically detectable marking
  • G06K19/06037—Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code with optically detectable marking multi-dimensional coding

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to collect- ing and processing of information. More specifically, the invention concerns on demand generation of position-coded bases and transmission of information recorded from such bases .
• Background Art Electronic pens can be used for generation of electronic information that reflects handwritten entries on a base. It would be desirable to incorporate such electronic pens in an information management system such that the electronic information could be efficiently conveyed to different destination units for further processing.
• each subset is intended for a respective physical page, it is denoted a pattern page and is represented by a unique page address.
• each absolute position may be represented by a page address and a local position within the associated pattern page.
• the electronic information can be automatically directed from the pen to the correct destination unit for processing.
• the system may include an intermediary server which, upon receipt of one or more absolute positions from a pen, identifies an associated network address of the correct actor and directs the flow of data to this address. It might be desirable to provide for on-demand generation of coded bases, e.g. by means of digital printers, in an information management system of the above-identified type.
• Fig. 1 shows a logical partitioning of an abstract position-coding pattern into an addressable tree structure of pattern pages.
• Fig. 2 shows an information management system based on the position-coding pattern of Fig. 1, including components for on demand printing of coded products.
• Fig. 3 shows the allowed state transitions for the pattern pages in the system of Fig. 2.
• Figs 4A-4D illustrate examples of allotment tables used in the system of Fig. 2.
• Fig. 5 illustrates yet another example of an allot- ment table.
• Fig. 6 shows an arrangement for allotting pattern pages in the system of Fig. 2, together with interfacing devices .
• Fig. 1 shown an example, in which the overall pattern 106 contains "segments” 110 which in turn are divided into a number of "shelves” 111, each containing a number of "books” 112 which are divided into a number of aforesaid page units 113, also called "pattern pages".
• all pattern pages have the same format within one level of the above pattern hierarchy. For example, some segments or shelves may consist of pattern pages in A4 format, while other consists of pattern pages in A5 format.
• the identification of a certain pattern page in the abstract pattern can be noted as a page address of the form: segment . shelf .book. page, for instance 99.5000.1.1500, more or less like an IP address.
• the internal representation of the page address may be different, for example given as an integer of a predetermined length, e.g. 64 bits.
• a segment may consist of more than 26,000,000 pattern pages, each with a size of about 50x50 cm 2 .
• at least one such segment is divided into 5,175 shelves, each consisting of 2 books with 2,517 pages each.
• Each pattern page may be regarded as an actual sub- set of the coding pattern, or as the absolute positions that are coded by the subset.
• Each such absolute position may be represented as a global position in the coordinate system 114 of the overall pattern, or as a page address and a local position in a coordinate system 115 within the corresponding pattern page.
• the following description is also based on each product containing position code that corresponds to one or more pattern pages. It is to be noted, however, that the position code on a product need not conform to a pattern page. Thus, one or more subsets from one or more pattern pages may be arbitrarily arranged on the product.
• the product may also embed functional areas that each is associated with a particular function to operate on any pen strokes therein. Thus, positions coded by the position code within each such functional area are associated with the particular function.
• Coded positions that fall outside any such functional areas may be associated with a default function, for example that any . such positions should be represented as pen strokes, i.e. result in a pure digitalization of the pen movement.
• Each product is represented by a definition file (PAD file) which identifies the page address (es) of the relevant pattern page(s), and defines the mapping of the pattern page(s) on the product, such as the placement and size of each functional area on the pattern page(s), as well as the associated function.
• PAD file definition file
• Each product is also represented by a graphics file which defines the human- readable information on the product, i.e. the supporting graphics or layout that aims at instructing, controlling and/or informing a user.
• a suitable electronic pen may represent its motion on a position-coded product as either a sequence of global positions or a page address and a sequence of local positions on the corresponding pattern page. In either case, a physical pen stroke is recorded by the pen as an electronic pen stroke in the form of a sequence of absolute positions.
• Fig. 2 illustrates an information management system with print on demand capability.
• a printing tool 200 in the form of a dedicated software module 202 which is executed on a personal computer, communicates with a repository 204 which stores graphics files available for printing.
• the printing tool also communicates with an assigner 206, which has access to a database 208 that represents at least part of the abstract pattern, and a digital printer 210.
• the printing tool 200 orchestrates the generation of position-coded product.
• the system also includes a flow controller 216, here embodied as a router, which communicates with electronic pens 214 to direct the flow on data to one of several destination units 218.
• the repository 204, the assigner 206 and the flow controller 216 are typically network-connected computers with software which, when executed in an internal processor, implements the processes that are performed in the respective units.
• each destination unit 218 is typically a network-connected computer with software that implements one or more services that operate on the information that is recorded with an electronic pen 214 on one or more service-related position-coded products 212. Via the printing tool 200, a user may select one of the graphics files in the repository 204 for printout.
• the printing tool then contacts, automatically or on command, the assigner 206 with a request for pattern data.
• the request may contain an indication of number of pages, number of printout copies, page format (e.g. A4, A3, B4, Letter), etc.
• the indication of the number of pages and/or page format can be replaced by the graphics file being included in the request.
• the number of pages and/or the page format and/or the number of printout copies are given by standard settings in the assigner 206.
• the assigner 206 then allots one pattern page for each physical page and each printout copy in the request.
• the assigner also maintains allocation data, which ultimately identifies the appropriate destination unit 218 to receive any information that is recorded from the respective pattern page.
• the assigner 206 In response to the request for pattern data, the assigner 206 returns assignment data corresponding to the allotted pattern page(s) .
• the assignment data includes one or more page addresses.
• the assignment data may comprise either of two opposite corner positions for the respective pattern page, a file with an algorithm for generating a corresponding position code, or a file containing a corresponding position code.
• the assignment data may alternatively be represented by a single global position, after which the printing tool 200 can compute the other positions for the allotted pattern page, if the logical partitioning of the abstract pattern (Fig. 1) is known to the printing tool .
• the printing tool 200 then compiles a graphics layer, which is given by the graphics file, and a coding layer, which is given by the assignment data, in a printout file which is sent to the printer 210 for printing on a suitable substrate, such as paper, plastic, laminate, etc.
• this compiling takes place in the printer itself, which also may send the request for pattern data to the assigner 206.
• access to the PAD file may be necessary for the compiling of the coding layer.
• the PAD file can be stored in the repository 204 to be accessible to the printing tool 200.
• relevant information from the PAD file may be incorporated into the graphics file.
• the resulting position-coded product 212 is then distributed to a user, who writes thereon with the electronic pen 214.
• the pen is subsequently caused to send an address query to the router 216 at a predetermined network address.
• the address query may contain one or more absolute positions (global position or page address) that have been decoded from the product.
• the router receives the address query and identifies the network address of the appropriate destination unit 218. This may take place via a corresponding query to the assigner 206 to derive the allocation data which, directly or indirectly, connects the received absolute position to the network address.
• each graphics file may have a unique identity (document identifier; docID) in the system, which is registered in the router 216 in association with the network address of the destination unit.
• the assigner may store an association between each allotted pattern page and the corresponding document identifier.
• the query from the router 216 to the assigner 206 includes position data (global position or page address) received from the pen. Based upon the position data, the assigner 206 identifies the associated document identifier and returns an indication of this document identifier to the router 216. Based upon this indication, the router identifies the relevant network address.
• the router 216 is capable of returning a reply message with the current network address to the pen 214, which may connect to this address and transfer some or all of the absolute positions that it has detected on the product 212.
• the assigner 206 operates with four different possible states of the pattern pages in the database 208. As indicated in Fig. 3, all pattern pages are initially designated as "Free". The "Free" state may be changed to an "Allotted” state, indicating that the pattern page has been allotted for printing. Such a pattern page is blocked from further allotment. The "Allotted” state may be changed to a "Released” state, either automatically, for example a predetermined time after the transition to the "Allotted” state, or upon external request, e.g.
• the "Released” state the related pattern page is again available for allotment, at least after a predetermined time has elapsed since the transition to the "Released” state.
• the "Released” state is changed to the "Allotted” state.
• the "Allotted” state may also be changed to a "Locked” state, in which the allocation data is made inaccessible to the router 216, to thereby block any transfer of information from the related pattern page in the system.
• the transition "Allotted" to "Locked” may be effected upon external request, e.g. by a destination unit. For example, the destination unit may only allow information to be conveyed from a pattern page a given number of times.
• the "Locked” state may be changed back to the "Allotted” state, either automatically, for example a predetermined time after the transition to the "Locked” state, or upon external request, e.g. by a destination unit.
• a destination unit can control the use of a given pattern page, for example to provide version control .
• the "Locked” state may also be changed to the "Released” state, again upon external request, e.g. by a destination unit. All requests for state change from an external unit to the assigner may have to be supplemented by authentication data, for example, an identifier (name/address) and a password.
• the allotment of pattern pages can be effected according to different principles.
• the adequate number of pattern pages for each printout copy is picked out as a set of consecutive pages, given by the page addresses. This principle may result in a more efficient use of the database 208 (Fig. 2), with respect to storage capacity and/or search speed. It may also be preferable that the pattern pages allotted to each printout copy all belong to one and the same book in the pattern hierarchy. It may also be preferable that all pattern pages that have been allotted to one and the same printout copy have their states changed simultaneously.
• the whole copy of a printed document will be locked for use with the electronic pen if a request for locking of one of the related pattern pages is sent to the assigner, and vice versa in the case of a request for un-locking (transition to "Allotted” state) . It may not be necessary to make use of all the states described above. In one simple example, only the "Free” and "Allotted” states are used.
• the assigner may have access to a parameter that designates the last pattern page ("Max Page Address") that was allotted in the last request. Upon receiving a request for pattern data, the assigner may operate according to:
• the association may for example be stored in an allotment table as shown in Fig. 4A.
• the allotment table only lists the pattern pages in the
• Allotted states (designated by "A") , and contains one record per allotted page.
• the above parameter "Max Page Address” could be obtained from the last record in this table.
• the table is also searched by the assigner to retrieve and output a document identifier (docID) upon a request for allocation data from a router in the system.
• the assigner operates according to:
• Each suitable block of pages is a set of consecutive pattern pages within one book, the number of pages being at least equal to the requested number of pages for each copy.
• the allotment process prioritizes "Released" pages over "Free" pages, i.a. since this will result in fewer records in the allotment table for the same number of allotted pages.
• the selection of one of many suitable blocks could be based, for example, on any one of the following algorithms, or combinations thereof: A. First fit, in which the allotment process selects the first block large enough to satisfy the request. B. Best fit, in which the allotment process always selects the smallest suitable block. C.
• Algorithm A may be advantageous for reasons of processing speed.
• Algorithm B may be advantageous when the allotment requests are similar in size (with respect to the number of requested pages per copy) .
• Algorithm C may be advantageous when the allotment requests are dissimilar in size.
• Fig. 4B illustrates another example of an allotment table, which contains one record per allotted page.
• the AllotmentID field indicates all pages that are allotted to one and the same printout copy.
• the PageCount field indicates the number of pages available within one allotment (given by the AllotmentID) , with the first record thereby indicating the number of consecutive records that belongs to the same allotment.
• a defragmentation process is intermittently effected, in which the allotment table is processed to merge adjacent records of "Released" pages.
• the defragmentation process results in larger blocks of released pages being made available for allotment.
• the defragmentation may result in an update of the PageCount field, as well as a cancellation of the AllotmentID and docID fields, as shown in Fig. 4D.
• all records that are changed from an "Allotted" state to a "Released" state are deleted from the allotment table. Possibly, the deletion is effected a predetermined time period (quarantine period) after the transition to the "Released" state.
• the allotment process may be implemented to locate the suitable blocks as gaps in the allotment table.
• a field in the allotment table may indicate the number of subsequent "Free" pages.
• the allotment process may be implemented to search for the suitable blocks in a second allotment table that contains the "Free" pages resulting from deletions in the basic allotment table.
• the allotment table may include additional fields, for example TimeAllotted, TimeLocked, TimeReleased, which may be used in the searching of the table and/or in the changing of states.
• the allotment table may include one record for each printout copy, instead of one record for each allotted pattern page, resulting in a more compact database representation.
• An example of such an allotment table is shown in Fig. 5, in which a PageCount field indicates the number of pattern pages included in each record. In the case of large print jobs, it is conceivable that entire books are being allotted (batch allocation) . For reasons of searching efficiency, the table of Fig. 5 also includes a BookCount field to indicate the number of complete books included in each record. In the event of a request for allocation of p pages, the allotment process searches the allotment table (Fig.
• the allotment process for a batch allocation of b books is effected analogously to the above, albeit based on BookCount instead of PageCount .
• the table of Fig. 5 also includes a Last Address field, which may facilitate both the above identification of the "Max Page Address", and the identification of allocation data upon a request from the router.
• the aforesaid defragmentation process may analogously be effected on the compact representation of Fig. 5.
• indicated in Fig. 5 indicates a further variant, indicated in Fig.
• the allotment table comprises a FormlnstancelD field which may hold a form instance identifier (printID) that contains characters and/or numbers in an arbitrary base.
• This printID may be generated by the printing tool to uniquely identify a specific printout (copy) of a graphics file.
• the printing tool may include the printID in the request for pattern data to the assigner, which may then store an association between the printID and the allotted pattern pages, via the FormlnstancelD field.
• the printID may be used to identify printout- specific data to be accounted for by the destination unit when processing information recorded from a specific printout. Alternatively or additionally, the printout- specific data may be included in the graphics layer of the printout.
• the destination unit may include a received page address in a request for printID which is sent to the assigner.
• the assigner may locate a corresponding record in the allotment table, and output the printID given by the FormlnstancelD field of that record.
• the destination unit may then use this printID as is, or use the printID as a key to derive further instance data from a suitable database.
• the printID may be an employee number which can be used by the receiving destination unit to fetch additional information about that employee, such as an address, a company affiliation, a bank account number, etc.
• the allotment table can be implemented in any type of data structure which allows for efficient searching and which is easy to extended, for example a table, a tree, etc.
• the allotment table may be implemented in a relational database, with Structured Query Language (SQL) being used for making interactive queries to and updating the database.
• SQL Structured Query Language
• the allotment table may be implemented in an object-oriented programming database.
• the assigner 600 includes a memory 602 (e.g. a hard disk, RAM, flash, etc) which holds the allotment table, and a processor 604 (e.g. a microprocessor, CPU, ASIC, FPGA, etc) which executes the processes of the assigner.
• a memory 602 e.g. a hard disk, RAM, flash, etc
• a processor 604 e.g. a microprocessor, CPU, ASIC, FPGA, etc
• the assigner has a number of interfaces.
• a first interface 606 for dynamic pattern allocation allows an interfacing unit, e.g. the printing tool 200 (Fig. 2), to request one or more pattern pages and to obtain the corresponding assignment data.
• a second interface 608 for handling of allotted pattern allows an interfacing unit, e.g. a destination unit 218 (Fig. 2), to request locking (Allotted —» Locked) , un-locking (Locked - Allotted) or releasing (Allotted/Locked —» Released) of one or more pattern pages, as given by their page addresses.
• the second interface 608 also allows the interfacing unit to request a form instance identifier (printID) , based on a page address.
• a third interface 610 for allocation data allows an interfacing unit, e.g. the router 216 (Fig. 2), to request and obtain a document identifier (docID) based on a page address.
• a fourth interface 612 for administration allows a system administrator to view and edit the allotment table, to update the implementing software of the assigner, to initiate a defragmentation process, to selectively or collectively release (Allotted/Locked -» Released) one or more pattern pages, to obtain database statistics, such as the number of "Allotted", “Free”, “Released” and “Locked” pattern pages, etc.
• At least some of these interfaces may be implemented as web services using the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) .
• SOAP Simple Object Access Protocol
• the web services may be described in the Web Services Description Language (WSDL) .
• the system of Fig. 2 may include more than one assigner.
• a subsystem including an assigner may be tailored to a specific company.
• each such sub-system should operate on an exclusive part of the abstract pattern.
• their sub-systems should also be merged to avoid confusion.
• a set of state rules are applied pattern page by pattern page when importing an allotment table from a first assigner into a second assigner, for example via the fourth interface 612 (Fig. 6) .
• the following rules designate the state in the first assigner, the state in the second assigner, and the resulting state of the pattern page after merging.
• the symbol * designates any one of the available states.
• the allotment table may explicitly record all states of all page addresses of the relevant part of the abstract pattern. Further, the allotment table may be distributed over any plurality of sub-tables. Instead of locating suitable blocks of consecutive pages, the allotment process may use any other principle, for example allotting the first pattern pages that are available in the allotment table irrespective of block size .
• the allotment process may be directed to the adequate segments, shelves and books dependent on format information included in the request for pattern data from the printing tool.
• the allocation data may take any form.
• the allocation data directly associates each page address with the appropriate network address of the destination unit.
• Further alternative formats of the allocation data are given in aforesaid PCT application WO 04/038651.
• the drawings illustrate the repository, the assigner, and the router as separate physical units. Such a modular construction may be preferred for reasons of administration or manufacture. However, it is possible to implement at least some of them in one and the same physical unit, for instance in order to reduce delays in the system.
• the repository and the assigner may be combined in one and the same physical unit.
• the assigner and the router may be combined in one and the same physical unit.

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• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Information Retrieval, Db Structures And Fs Structures Therefor (AREA)

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• 2004
  • 2004-11-16 EP EP04800328A patent/EP1690215A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2004-11-16 WO PCT/SE2004/001665 patent/WO2005050549A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2004-11-16 JP JP2006539437A patent/JP4996254B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2006
  • 2006-06-19 KR KR1020067012142A patent/KR101090545B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation

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