Abstract: A user interface is implemented using visual indicia and a background for the visual indicia that encodes address information. The background appears visually as a stipple pattern, but is implemented using glyphs which form an address carpet that encodes address information uniquely identifying each location of the user interface. An image capture device is used to capture an area of the address carpet that is at or near visual indicia of interest to the user while selecting a location in the visual indicia. The image capture device captures the area of interest, and transmits the image area to a computer for processing. The computer first determines the proper orientation of the image, and then decodes the information encoded by the glyphs. The decoding results in an X, Y address identifying the location of the captured area in the address carpet and, by reference, the address of the selected location. Based on the address, the computer may perform an operation associated with the area.

Abstract: A camera pen is made from a pen-like housing contains a camera and has a button for sending a signal to a computer which directs the camera to capture an image. The pen-like housing includes landing gear on one end. The landing gear has an opening which forms a flat surface that is angled such that when a user places the camera pen on a surface, the angle at which the pen rests on the surface is ergonomically comfortable for the user. Furthermore, the camera is oriented toward the opening so that when the user presses the button indicating a desire to capture an image, the camera captures the image in the opening. By combining a camera with a pen-like device, the user can comfortably capture image information from a surface.

Abstract: A captured image includes a portion of a set of two-dimensional address codes. The portion of address codes can be decoded to determine a discrete pointer uniquely defining the portion. The captured image is first processed to determine the orientation of the portion, and then decoded based on the orientation to determine the discrete pointer. To determine the orientation of the portion, the portion is first analyzed to determine values at discrete locations within the portion. The values at each location form a matrix of binary data. The values of the matrix are then correlated to determine an orientation of the captured portion of two dimensional address codes. After determining the orientation of the portion, the values can be further analyzed to determine a discrete pointer that identifies the location of the portion within the address space defined by the two-dimensional address codes.