Electronically message capture through interaction with printed document

Abstract

A system for capturing an electronic message is disclosed. The system includes a printer, a sensing device and a computer system. The printer prints on a substrate user information visible to a user and coded tags invisible to the user. Each coded tag encodes an identity unique to the substrate and a location of the coded tag on the substrate. The user information defines a message area on the substrate. The sensing device senses the coded tags on the substrate when the sensing device is moved relative to the substrate. The computer system electronically captures a message composed with the sensing device via movement of the sensing device relative to the message area, the computer system using the identity of the substrate and a sequence of respective locations of coded tags sensed by the sensing device for determining the movement relative to the message area and the message.

1 . A system for capturing an electronic message, the system comprising:
 a printer for printing on a substrate user information visible to a user and coded tags invisible to the user, each coded tag encoding an identity unique to the substrate and a location of the coded tag on the substrate, said user information defining a message area on the substrate;   a sensing device for sensing the coded tags on the substrate when the sensing device is moved relative to the substrate; and   a computer system for electronically capturing a message composed with the sensing device via movement of the sensing device relative to the message area, the computer system using the identity of the substrate and a sequence of respective locations of coded tags sensed by the sensing device for determining the movement relative to the message area and the message.   
     
     
         2 . A system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer system determines, using the identity of the surface, a page description, the page description being indicative of a layout of the coded tags and the user information, the layout being used to determine the message area. 
     
     
         3 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the user information further includes a send instruction, and upon the sensing device sensing at least one coded tag coincident with the send instruction, the computer system transmits the message to a recipient address. 
     
     
         4 . A system of  claim 3 , wherein the computer system determines, using the identity of the surface, a page description, the page description being indicative of a layout of the coded tags and the user information, the layout being used to determine locations of coded tags coincident with the send instruction. 
     
     
         5 . A system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the user information further includes a recipient address area, the recipient address being electronically captured and converted into digital form by the computer system. 
     
     
         6 . A system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the user information further includes a parameter instruction, and upon the sensing device sensing at least one coded tag coincident with the parameter instruction, the computer system performs an operation associated with the parameter. 
     
     
         7 . A system of  claim 6 , wherein the computer system determines, using the identity of the surface, a page description, the page description being indicative of a layout of the coded tags and the user information, the layout being used to determine locations of coded tags coincident with the parameter instruction. 
     
     
         8 . A system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the recipient address is selected from a further substrate provided with an address list visible to the user and further coded tags invisible to the user, each further coded tag encoding an identity unique to the further substrate and locations of the further coded tags on the further substrate, the sensing device being adapted to sense the further coded tags on the further substrate when the sensing device is positioned over one or more entries of the address list.