Patent EP0276109A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0276109A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for capturing information in drawing or writing
Assignee: BTG International Ltd
•
Filing: 1988-01-18
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2008-01-18
Abstract
Abstract The forgery of signatures is made more difficult if the dynamic features of a signature can be checked when the signature is verified. Signatures to be verified are written with a pen 10 which is sensitive to light received at its tip, each signature being written on an area 13 having shading in intensity or colour which varies with position. As the pen is moved a signal which depends on the light received by the pen varies in a way which is characteristic of the dynamic features of the signature. Verification is by comparing the time variation of the said signal with a previous authentic version as well as by comparing signatures. Comparison may be carried out automatically or by an operator who views a display of the authentic signal. The invention may also be used for data capture when characters are written on paper which has areas of different intensity or colour of shading.
Inventors
- 👤 Colin Sefton Hilton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 16:24
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/0304; G06F3/0317; G06F3/0321; G06F3/033; G06V; G06V40/00; G06V40/30; G07; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/30; G07C9/32; G07C9/35; G06V10/00; G06V10/10; G06V10/19
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of obtaining information as writing or drawing is carried out comprising the steps of using the tip of a writing or drawing instrument to write or draw in relation to a surface, and deriving an output signal from light reflected or transmitted by the surface at the point where the tip is currently located, characterized in that the surface has shading which varies with position, and the said output signal is representative of the shading at the said point.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of obtaining information as writing or drawing is carried out comprising the steps of using the tip of a writing or drawing instrument to write or draw in relation to a surface, and deriving an output signal from light reflected or transmitted by the surface at the point where the tip is currently located, characterized in that the surface has shading which varies with position, and the said output signal is representative of the shading at the said point.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized in that the surface shading varies in intensity and/or colour with position and the output signal is representative of the intensity and/or colour of the shading at the said point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to Claim 2 characterized in that the shading increases in intensity, or changes colour, parallel to a straight line in the said surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to Claim 3 characterized by displaying a graph of the magnitude of the said output signal versus time.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
72 words
A method according to Claim 2 characterized in that the surface is divided into a plurality of areas each divided into a plurality of regions, the regions are divided into groups relating to the surface as a whole, the regions of each group are shaded in intensity by a constant amount or have the same colour, and the regions of each group are interspersed in each area with those of other groups.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method of data entry according to Claim 5 characterized by so writing characters representing data that each character extends into several of the said regions, detecting from the said output signal the sequence of regions entered in writing each character, and analysing the sequences obtained to indicate which characters have been written.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to Claim 2 characterized in that the surface is divided into a plurality of regions each having an intensity and/or colour unique thereto.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
28 words
A method according to any preceding claim characterized in that writing or drawing using the said tip causes a trail to be left which can be traced later.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to Claim 2 characterized by projecting light onto the surface to provide the shading in intensity or colour.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
82 words
Apparatus for obtaining information as writing or drawing is carried out comprising sensing means for deriving an output signal from light reflected or transmitted by a surface at a point where the tip of a writing or drawing instrument is currently located, the surface being suitable for writing or drawing, characterized in that the surface has shading which varies with position, and the sensing means being so arranged that the said output signal is representative of the shading at the said point.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
82 words
Apparatus for obtaining information as writing or drawing is carried out comprising sensing means for deriving an output signal from light reflected or transmitted by a surface at a point where the tip of a writing or drawing instrument is currently located, the surface being suitable for writing or drawing, characterized in that the surface has shading which varies with position, and the sensing means being so arranged that the said output signal is representative of the shading at the said point.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to Claim 10 characterized in that the surface shading varies in intensity and/or colour with position and the output signal is representative of the intensity and/or colour of the shading at the said point.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to Claim 11 characterized by means for projecting light onto the surface to provide the shading in intensity or colour.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to Claim 11 including the said surface, or Claim 12, characterized in that the amount of light reflected or transmitted by the said surface increases parallel to a straight line in the said surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to Claim 13 characterized by means for displaying a graph of the magnitude of the said output signal versus time.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus according to Claim 11 including the said surface, or Claim 12, characterized in that the surface is divided into a plurality of regions each having an intensity or colour unique thereto, and analysis means storing information specifying the intensity and/or colour of each said region, the analysis means being arranged to determine the position of the said tip and/or the shape of its path over the surface from the said output signal and the said information.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
78 words
Apparatus according to Claim 11 including the said surface, or Claim 12, characterized in that the surface is divided into a plurality of areas each divided into a plurality of regions, the regions are divided into groups relating to the surface as a whole, the regions of each group are shaded in intensity by a constant amount or have the same colour, and the regions of each group being interspersed in each area with those of other groups.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus for data entry according to Claim 15 by so writing characters representing data that each character extends into several of the said regions, characterized in that the apparatus includes means for detecting from the said output signal the sequence of regions entered in writing each character, and means for analysing the sequences obtained to indicate which characters have been written.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to any of Claims 10 to 17 characterized by a writing or drawing instrument which, when writing or drawing is carried out, causes a trail to be left which can be traced.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus according to Claim 17 characterized in that the sensing means comprises light-sensing means contained in the writing or drawing instrument and the said instrument is arranged to dispense a marking material to form the said trail which reflects or absorbs light of different wavelengths to those transmitted or reflected by the shading on the said surface.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to Claim 18 characterized by processing means, remote from the said instrument, for deriving information from the said output signal, and means for transmitting signals from the said instrument to the processing means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
85 words
Apparatus according to Claim 18 characterized in that the surface is transparent or translucent the said instrument contains a light source arranged to emit light through the said tip, and the apparatus contains light sensing means positioned to receive light emitted from the instrument which passes through the said surface the said instrument being arranged to dispense a marking material to form the said trail which reflects or absorbs light of different wavelengths to those transmitted or reflected by the shading on the said surface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to Claim 11 including the said surface, or Claim 12, characterized in that the surface has shading in two colours which varies in two directions.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to Claim 22 characterized by means for illuminating the surface at least adjacent to the said tip alternately with each of the two colours separately and means coupled to the sensing means for deriving two output signals, each output signal being derived while the surface is illuminated by a respective colour.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to Claim 22 characterized in that, in operation, the surface is illuminated in at least the two colours, and the sensing means derives two output signals, each representative of light of a different one of the colours but not the other colour.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.