Abstract: A programmable document includes a physical document having at least one sheet of material and information recorded thereon and a computer attached to the physical document. The computer includes an input/output device, a processor and a memory storing the recorded information in digital form and metadata pertaining to the physical document. By attaching small, inexpensive, computing devices to paper documents, various electronic information associated with the physical document can be retained, updated and modified.

Abstract: Automatic actions can be obtained through a network using an area of marking medium with machine-readable markings that encode an action/medium identifier. The action/medium identifier identifies an action that can be produced through the network, and also identifies the area of marking medium. For example, it may include a globally unique or network-wide page identifier as well as an action identifier that can be used to produce an action described by data associated with a counterpart digital page. Or it can include both a page identifier and a location identifier, with the location identifier also identifying an action that relates to the page's digital counterpart. Or it can include a document identifier and an action identifier. Or it can be a globally unique or network-wide sticker identifier that can be used to identify a document, a peripheral device, or another object to which the sticker is attached, and that also produces an action through the network.

Abstract: An identifier of an action that can be produced through a network, such as a page identifier or other substrate identifier with a counterpart digital page accessible through a network, is used to obtain a network address. The identifier is provided to a first machine such as a router, and the first machine uses the identifier to obtain a first network address that is for a set of identifier values that includes the identifier's value. The first network address is then used to provide the identifier to a second machine such as a server. The second machine uses the identifier to obtain a second network address that is for the value of the identifier. The second network address, when provided on the network, produces the action identified by the value of the identifier. The identifier can be read from a coded substrate by image input circuitry and the image signals can be used by a third machine, such as a processor in a pointer, to provide the identifier to the first machine.

Abstract: Automatic actions can be obtained through a network using an area of marking medium with machine-readable markings that encode an action/medium identifier. The action/medium identifier identifies an action that can be produced through the network, and also identifies the area of marking medium. For example, it may include a globally unique or network-wide page identifier as well as an action identifier that can be used to produce an action described by data associated with a counterpart digital page. Or it can include both a page identifier and a location identifier, with the location identifier also identifying an action that relates to the page's digital counterpart. Or it can include a document identifier and an action identifier. Or it can be a globally unique or network-wide sticker identifier that can be used to identify a document, a peripheral device, or another object to which the sticker is attached, and that also produces an action through the network.