Abstract: In an information management system for handling digital position data recorded by an electronic pen, the pen is controlled to convert recordings of a first code on a product to position data in a coordinate system, to convert recordings of a second code to input data, and to process the position data on the basis of the input data. The input data may define one or more functional areas in the coordinate system, and the pen may map the position data against the input data and take appropriate action if the position data is deemed to fall within a functional area. This allows the pen to be dynamically provided with a description of all or parts of the functional layout of a product, thereby reducing the need of the pen to pre-store such descriptions for all products. Encryption or usage may also be controlled based on data encoded by the second code. The product may be generated, via a computer-implemented method, to include the first code, the second code and any supporting graphics.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method in a computer for creating an electronic document to be printed, said document comprising a page description representing a layout of the document, said method comprising: retrieving a license from a database, said license defining a position-coding pattern, which is capable of encoding positions on a product when printed, selecting at least a portion of the position-coding pattern in the retrieved license to be associated with the page description, forming a sublicense from said license, said sublicense comprising a definition of the selected at least portion of the position-coding pattern, an indication of an origin of the sublicense to enable assuring that the sublicense stems from a trusted actor, and a data record allowing verification of integrity of the sublicense to enable assuring that the sublicense has not been tampered with, and associating said sublicense with said page description.

Abstract: Disclosed methods, computer-readable media, and systems relate to position-coded products and processing data from such products. In one implementation, a computer-readable storage medium stores a program for a computer to perform a method for creating an electronic representation of a position-coded product. The method may access an electronic document file with a set of document pages and map the document pages, copy for copy, within a selected number of copies, to pattern pages according to an ordering of the pattern pages.

Abstract: A method is designed for printing on regular digital printers of a coding pattern consisting of code symbols. In the method, a character-based representation of the coding pattern is obtained, wherein the code symbols are represented by characters according to a character definition set. A definition identifier is generated to identify the character definition set. The definition identifier is specific to the morphology of the coding pattern or to the printing job. Finally, a print module is caused to print the coding pattern based on the character-based representation, the character definition set and the definition identifier.

Abstract: A digital pen and paper system allows for printing of a document page superimposed on a pattern unit which is a unique part of a position-coding pattern. The system allows a user to change the format of the document page at the time of printing. To this end, the position-coding pattern is subdivided into predetermined pattern units, which are associated with a respective predetermined format. Knowledge about the pattern subdivision and its association with different formats is shared between a document generating part and a position processing part of the system. Thus, a method and apparatus in the document generating part enables the document page to be printed together with a pattern unit that is associated with a format selected by the user. Thereby, positions encoded on the printed document page will indicate a format change to a method and apparatus in the position processing part.

Abstract: A system for creating a response to input by an electronic pen comprises: a processing unit, which records positions when the electronic pen is used for writing; and a software module, which is arranged to receive pen data created by the processing unit during writing and which is arranged to refine said pen data by identifying pen data representing occurrences of specific events and create event data representing such specific events occurring. The system further comprises an application for providing processing instructions to be performed in response to input by the electronic pen. The application is arranged to load an electronic file to said software module, wherein said electronic file comprises information regarding the printed document on which writing is made, and to provide set-up instructions to said software module, wherein the set-up instructions are application-specific and customizes the software module to the application.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is designed for on-demand printing on digital printers of a coding pattern to code data on a surface. The coding pattern comprises a plurality of parallel number sequences which represent different rotations of a cyclic number sequence. The method could involve retrieving a digital representation of the coding pattern, and identifying the rotations therein to derive shift information which designates a phase difference between each rotation and the cyclic number sequence. In the printing operation, all the different rotations may be represented by the cyclic number sequence embodied as at least one code block image. This code block image is repeated in accordance with the shift information to form a printable image in the printer.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is designed for printing on regular digital printers of a coding pattern consisting of regularly spaced code symbols. In the method, a page-describing code (e.g. in PostScript programming language) is generated for the printer. The generation of the page-describing code is based a character definition set which assigns a set of characters to represent a set of mutually unique groups of the code symbols. By mapping the set of mutually unique groups against the coding pattern, the location of corresponding groups within the coding pattern can be identified. Each of the corresponding groups is then represented by its assigned character in the page-describing code. The resulting page-describing code is small in size and has a reduced set of printer instructions that can be processed efficiently by the receiving printer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method in a computer for creating an electronic document to be printed, said document comprising a page description representing a layout of the document, said method comprising: retrieving a license from a database, said license defining a position-coding pattern, which is capable of encoding positions on a product when printed, selecting at least a portion of the position-coding pattern in the retrieved license to be associated with the page description, forming a sublicense from said license, said sublicense comprising a definition of the selected at least portion of the position-coding pattern, an indication of an origin of the sublicense to enable assuring that the sublicense stems from a trusted actor, and a data record allowing verification of integrity of the sublicense to enable assuring that the sublicense has not been tampered with, and associating said sublicense with said page description.

Abstract: Non-pen stroke data, e.g. barcode data or keyboard data, can be transferred through a transfer system which is formatted specifically for the transfer of pen stroke data, by coding the non-pen stroke data as pen stroke data. The non-pen stroke data may particularly be coded as pen strokes in a position area which is not used for the transfer of ordinary pen strokes, e.g. a margin area.

Abstract: A control system in a device allows for installation of application packages to impart different position data processing abilities to the device. The position data may be generated by an electronic pen, and the control system may be arranged in such a pen. Each application package comprises a license specification and an application program. The application program is configured to access the position data and device functions via the control system. The license specification provides for digital rights management and data protection. For example, the license specification may be used by the control system to verify an application program for installation in the device. Further, the license specification may cause the control system to selectively allow the application program to access a specific device function only if it is listed in the license specification.

Abstract: An electronic pen (101) implements a method for information management, which controls association of information related to different position areas (104?, 105A?, 105B?) on a reference surface (106). The reference surface comprises a plurality of individually addressable position pages (105A?, 105B?). The pen has a position detector for detecting positions on the reference surface, each position being associated with a recording time. The pen also has a memory (108) for holding definition data which defines at least one selection area (104?) on the reference surface. A position processor in the pen maps the detected positions against the definition data. When the position processor identifies that a detected position falls within the selection area (104?), it selects at least one of the position pages (105A?, 105B?) based on further detected positions and according to a temporal selection criterion.

Abstract: Disclosed methods, computer-readable media, and systems relate to position-coded products and processing data from such products. In one implementation, a computer-readable storage medium stores a program for a computer to perform a method for creating an electronic representation of a position-coded product. The method may access an electronic document file with a set of document pages and map the document pages, copy for copy, within a selected number of copies, to pattern pages according to an ordering of the pattern pages.

Abstract: In an information management system for handling digital position data recorded by an electronic pen, the pen is designed to operate essentially independently of other system components. The pen is controlled to incorporate the position data into a data file object suitable for storage in a file system, and to expose the file object to an external data handler. The data file object may then be transported in the system from the external data handler in a sequential chain of transfers, with each transfer being independent of other transfers. The pen may be controlled to convert recordings of a first code on a product to one or more absolute positions in a coordinate system, to convert recordings of a second code to data indicative of a functional layout of the product, the data defining one or more functional areas in the coordinate system, and to map the absolute position(s) against the data to identify if the absolute position(s) falls within the functional area(s).

Abstract: A technique is provided to enable reproduction of a high-precision code symbol, which comprises a mark with a given location with respect to a reference point, using a comparatively low-resolution printing device which is arranged to apply dots of marking material in a resolution grid on a substrate. The resolution gris is defined by the dot resolution of the printing device and is composed as a two-dimensional array of dot-receiving cells. To enable the reproduction, the printing device is provided with data that represents the code symbol. Further, the printing device is controlled, based on the data, to reproduce the code symbol by arranging the reference point of the code symbol inside one of the dot-receiving cells and by applying at least one dot of marking material on the substrate.

Abstract: Device for processing of information, which device comprises a processor and, connected to the processor, a reading unit for electronic reading of information on a surface, which is provided with a position code which codes a plurality of positions on the surface. The device reads the position code, associates a position code for coded positions within a value area defined on the surface with values in a set of values which includes a plurality of values, and initiates the generation of a control signal whose level is related to a value associated with a read-off position code. Method for processing of position data obtained from said surface. According to the method, the position code is read for a coded position which lies within the value area; the value in the set of values which is associated with the read-off coded position is determined; and the generation of a control signal is initiated, the level of which control signal is related to the determined value.

Abstract: A data management device in an electronic pen apparatus operates to receive (602) images of a product surface and extract (604) data from these images. The product surface may be provided with part of a position-coding pattern, and the extracted data may then represent positions encoded by the pattern. The device selectively processes the extracted data in an online process and an offline process. The selection (606) of process may be controlled by the pattern data in the images. The online process is operable to provide (614) the extracted data, sequentially and typically in near real time, on a communications interface of the pen apparatus. The offline process is operable to store (608) the extracted data in an internal storage (M) of the pen apparatus. The offline process is also operable to selectively provide (610) the extracted data in non-sequential order on the communications interface, by retrieving and collating extracted data originating from a specific part of the abstract position-coding pattern.

Abstract: In a system for managing information from electronic pens, each electronic pen includes a memory which is designed to store controlling software and a set of templates. Each template associates pen positions with functionality implemented by the controlling software. In a method and arrangement of controlling operation of electronic pens, a separate set of template versions are generated for each of a plurality of different versions of the controlling software. A pen, which stores a given version of the controlling software, is provided with a corresponding set, in which all template versions suitably indicates functionality which is fully implemented by the given version of the software.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for connecting a portable unit (1) to a particular server unit from among a plurality of server units (5, 6, 7 and 8). The portable unit (1) comprises a first address list and the particular server unit comprises a second address list. The first and the second address lists comprise the attribute of at least one server unit and the address of this server unit. The method comprises the steps of updating the second address list from the first address list and updating the first address list from the second address list. The invention also relates to a server unit and a portable unit.

Abstract: In an information management system for handling digital position data recorded by an electronic pen, the pen is controlled to convert recordings of a first code on a product to position data in a coordinate system, to convert recordings of a second code to input data, and to process the position data on the basis of the input data. The input data may define one or more functional areas in the coordinate system, and the pen may map the position data against the input data and take appropriate action if the position data is deemed to fall within a functional area. This allows the pen to be dynamically provided with a description of all or parts of the functional layout of a product, thereby reducing the need of the pen to pre-store such descriptions for all products. Encryption or usage may also be controlled based on data encoded by the second code. The product may be generated, via a computer-implemented method, to include the first code, the second code and any supporting graphics.