Facsimile and static presentation processing – Facsimile – Picture signal generator
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-26
2002-05-28
Grant, II, Jerome (Department: 2624)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Facsimile
Picture signal generator
C382S187000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06396598
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to document creation and communication through the document. More specifically, the present invention relates to method and apparatus allowing addition and display of an electronic memo to a document no matter whether the document is electronic or paper document, as well as to a computer readable recording medium storing an electronic memo processing program for implementing the electronic memo processing method.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recently, it is a common practice to create a document by using an apparatus called a word processor, dedicated for document creation, or by using an application software for document creation executed on a computer. Such method is advantageous in that modification and addition to the document can readily be performed. In companies and offices, however, though a person in charge creates a document by using such an application program, the document thus created by the person in charge is rarely distributed intact. It is more general that the created document is once printed, proof-read by a supervisor or a colleague, the result of correction is reflected on the original document file and the document thus refined to higher completeness is then distributed. In such a case, the content of modification or comments are written by a pen on the printed copy of the document.
Such a method is advantageous in that portions and contents of modification can be recognized at one sight, and that proof reading can readily be done even by one not accustomed to computer operation, as the method does not require any computer operation. Further, document review on paper medium is advantageous in that a large number of pages can be read through in quite a short time period and that pages far apart from each other can readily be compared. Such advantageous are not available in a display device such as a computer.
The method, however, is disadvantageous in that it is difficult to integrally manage correspondence between the document stored in the computer and the modification memo written on the sheet of paper. It is often the case that a person other than the author does proof reading or creates comments on the document, and that several persons do such process on the identical document. In such a case, it is necessary to integrally manage the document stored in the computer and considerable amount of memos and comments written on the paper medium, for the document. In the conventional method, such an integrated management has been extremely difficult. In order to overcome such disadvantages, a system for integrally managing paper document, electronic document and a memo or comment created for the document has been desired.
Several proposals have been made to solve the above described problem, for a technique of adding a comment to a document which is being created or to refer to a comment added to the document, by using a common computer set. A typical example is a “substance/alias” model of TRON (The Real-Time Operating system Nucleus) project (first prior art). According to the technique, the data has data substance (substantive entity) and an icon (alias) and the alias is incorporated in an arbitrary data substance, whereby the data comes to have a function of a sort of hypertext.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 1-026269, 1-035652 and 1-037656 disclose a method of document edition in which alternative character string for a character string in a document and information related thereto are stored, and the alternative character string is displayed as needed. A technique utilizing a “desk” on which one works provided with a function of a computer, allowing communication between the one and the computer has been proposed in “Interacting with Paper on the Digital Desk” (
Communications of the ACM.
Vol. 36, No. 7, 1993) or in “A Desk Which Responds to Operations on Real-World Objects” (
Interactive System and Software,
II-WISS'94, Kindaikagakusha, September, 1994) (Second Prior Art).
According to the second prior art, a camera is placed on a desk, movement of objects on the desk and movement of the user are monitored, and in accordance with the monitored situation, an image plane created by a computer is cast by a projector on the desk, thereby allowing communication between the computer and the user. When a user takes an action on an object on the desk or on the image plane cast by the projector, the function of the computer allotted to the object or the image plane is activated, and the result is projected on the desk. Especially in the article entitled “Interacting with Paper on the Digital Desk”, through the recognition of a graphic figure written on the desk, communication with the computer through paper medium is contemplated.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-91301 proposes another technique attempting communication with the computer through paper medium (third prior art). This technique is to apply the concept of hypertext and hyper media, which has been a closed technique in the computer world, to paper document. For this purpose, according to the technique, document component to which related information has been added, is printed with some mark, for example, a screen. The user marks by a marker, a desired document component of the printed paper document. The paper document is scanned by a scanner to be input to the computer, and information related to the marked document component is output to the printer or to an output device such as a computer display.
When the document is to be output to a paper medium to be proof-read, it is necessary to print the document in plural copies, corresponding to the number of persons who will proof-read the document. This leads to increased printer paper consumption. When the content of the document is to be proof-read by a person at a remote distance, to expedite processing, it is necessary to transfer the document by a facsimile, for example, and to receive the proof-read copy again by utilizing a facsimile, for example, which procedure is inconvenient. Further, as already mentioned, it is difficult to integrally manage correspondence between the electronic document file stored in the computer and handwritten comments on the document printed on sheets of paper. It is convenient if works such as proof reading can be done without using paper medium, if possible. For that purpose, one cannot help but use a computer. However, it is desired for those not accustomed to computer operation in general and word processor software operation in particular, especially for those not good at input through keyboards, that the processing of the document can be done in the similar manner as on a paper medium.
Among the above described three prior art techniques, the first prior art technique may be considered a method of managing a memo added to the document. This technique is closed in a computer environment, and therefore, it is disadvantageous in that it cannot be applied to processing such as proof reading of the document on paper medium. In the modern society with much developed computer technique, almost everything which can be done using paper can also be done on the computer. Nevertheless, formidable amount of paper is still consumed and it is said that the paper consumption is ever increasing along with the wide spread use of the computers. The reason for this may be the better visual comprehension of the document written on a sheet of paper, especially the document printed out by the computer. This urges transfer of information from the computer to paper medium, to which information such as memo is added. Such new information added to the paper medium is not reflected on the original information in the computer, and rather, the information is diffused. Accordingly, there is an increasing demand of a technique which integrates paper medium and electronic medium which can be managed by a computer, and to integrally manage information such as memo added to the paper medium related to the electronic information.
In the second p
Akasaka Kouji
Kashiwagi Kouichi
Urano Naoki
Grant II Jerome
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
Worku Negussie
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