Telegraphy – Systems – Position coordinate determination for writing
Reexamination Certificate
1996-11-12
2001-07-10
Shankar, Vijay (Department: 2673)
Telegraphy
Systems
Position coordinate determination for writing
C178S018030, C178S018050, C178S018060, C178S018070
Reexamination Certificate
active
06259043
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to the field of devices for real time digitization and recognition of handwritten text. The invention addresses the problem of integrating digital recordation of handwritten text with traditional paper-based record making systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A variety of technology is known for digitizing handwritten text as the text is written, and for processing of handwritten text data. Typical digitization equipment employs a digitizing tablet which generates data representing the coordinates of a stylus applied to the tablet. Present technology includes digitizing tablets which generate positional information by detecting radio frequency emissions generated by the stylus. The typical stylus of this type may also be provided with an inking tip, and typically further includes a pressure sensor which generates a signal when the stylus is in contact with a surface (a “pen down” signal). This signal may be conveyed to the digitizing tablet by means of a dedicated line or through a secondary radio frequency transmission. By monitoring the pen down signal and the path of the stylus radio emission across a radio-sensitive grid, the digitizing tablet may generate a data stream representing the pen strokes (“strokes”) which comprise text written on or in proximity to the surface of the digitizing tablet.
Digitizing tablets are primarily used as input devices for data processing systems. For example, a digitizing tablet and its accompanying stylus may be coupled to a personal computer such that lines traced on the tablet with the stylus are recorded as input to the computer. See, e.g., Tsugei et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,317. It is known to overlay a digitizing tablet with a grid or other form for indicating the proper location on the tablet for entering a particular type of input. See, e.g., Abe, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,336. It is further known to overlay a display device such as an LCD screen with a transparent digitizing tablet, thus allowing a computer-generated form to be displayed which is visible through the digitizing tablet and allowing the strokes produced by the stylus to be displayed on the display device. See, e.g., Dao et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,862; Ito et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,328.
Present technology further includes the ability to convert stroke data to character strings using a variety of known recognition processes. Generation from stroke data of image data representing a graphical display of the strokes is also known.
With particular regard to integration of digitizing tablets with tasks which are paper-oriented, it is known to combine a digitizing tablet with a scanner, thus allowing a handwritten document to be initially scanned into memory and then altered in memory by input generated by use of a stylus and digitizing tablet. See, e.g., Comerford et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,149. It is also known to overlay the input window of a photocopier with a digitizing tablet such that particular areas of a document may be indicated for copying by circumscribing these areas of the document using the stylus as the document lies on the window. See, e.g., Kishi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,491.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Although instructive as to the operation of the individual components described above, the prior art does not disclose or suggest a way in which these components may be employed in conjunction with conventional paper-based hand written record making tasks. Examples of conventional paper-based record making tasks include note-taking during meetings or classes using notebooks or pads of paper, the recording of addresses and phone numbers in paperbased address books, and the making of “to do” lists and reminder notes. While the prior art suggests that these functions may be performed using a computer as a recording medium and a digitizing tablet and stylus as an input device, such a system would require the user to forego the benefits of paper-based records. These benefits include portability and ease of record retrieval, ease of protection of records, ease of record production, ease of browsing a large amount of records, and the familiar tactile experience of writing on paper.
The present invention combines the benefits of digitizing technology and handwritten record making. In general terms, the invention may be embodied in a recording unit which includes a system for recording a digital copy of records responsive to production of the records by hand using ink on paper or another writing medium associated with the recording unit. A user may produce handwritten records on the writing medium using an inking stylus of the type described above. A data stream reflecting strokes and associated events may be generated by a digitizing tablet included in the recording unit. The digitized record may be stored in nonvolatile memory associated with the digitizing tablet as the data stream is produced. The events reflected in the data stream may be automatically generated by the unit or may be user invoked. User invoked events may include events indicating the particular page upon which the user is writing and events characterizing groups of strokes as being of a predefined type, for example, as being an address book entry.
The invention may further be embodied in systems and methods for utilizing data recorded in the manner described above. Such systems may sort data into collections of strokes and events. Strokes and associated events may further be organized into collections of fields. Strokes or fields may in turn be provided as input to a recognition engine to produce character strings, or to an image data generator to produce image data.
The invention thus provides a non-tethered stand-alone unit for generating a data stream representative of handwritten text and for recording and storing the data stream without the assistance of another computer system. In this manner, data may be recorded by the unit at any time and may be later transferred to another computer system for processing in accordance with various applications.
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Clary Gregory James
Corbi Thomas Allan
Evans Robert Joseph
Hortensius Peter Dirk
Karidis John Peter
International Business Machines - Corporation
Otterstedt Paul J.
Shankar Vijay
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