Abstract: Method of, and apparatus for, providing a group query. An Interrogator Process provides an interface to a requesting user and formulates appropriate queries. Queries may be of the form of a single user query, a multiple user query, a group query, or a physical area query. A group is a collection of users who share a common characteristic. This common characteristic may be the same department, the same surname, the same job title, using the same device, executing the same process or application, etc.

Abstract: Color coding of characters both for optical character recognition by a machine and for viewing by a human is provided by coloring a character with a predominate color distinguishable by humans and a non-predominate color non-distracting to humans, but distinguishable by a color scanner. The advantage of the present invention is higher optical character recognition accuracy rates without the severe visual distraction to human readers of prior art color coded characters. A further technical advantage is that the invention can be practiced with conventional color printers and color scanners instead of the specialized apparatus of prior art color coded characters.

Abstract: Method of, and apparatus for, processing a color coded character to recognize the character being examined by an OCR device. Said color coded character comprises a predominate color associated with said character distinguishable by humans, and a non-predominate color associated with said character and non-distracting to humans, but distinguishable by a color scanner. The present invention allows the non-predominate color of a character to be used as the sole criteria for recognizing the character.