US5380958A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Handwriting capture device
Assignee: NCR Voyix Corp
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Filing: 1993-08-12
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Granted: 1995-01-10
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Expires: 2013-08-12
Abstract
Abstract A handwriting capture device which employs a highly sensitive digitizer to accurately capture signature information entered using a writing force greater than or equal to a predetermined writing force. The handwriting capture device includes a housing having a top surface, a resistive membrane digitizer mounted in the top surface and having a low pattern density, a layer of urethane rubber for frictionally holding the receipt in place, circuitry for processing digitizer information, a clamp for retaining a receipt in place over the digitizer during movement of the device, and circuitry for sensing the presence of the receipt and for activating data capture by the digitizer when the receipt is positioned under the clamp. In the preferred embodiment, the clamp also serves to minimize finger contact with the digitizer.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert L. Protheroe
- 👤 David C. Wills
- 👤 Scott M. Klement
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 16:23
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/03; G06F3/033; G06F3/039; G06F3/0393; G06F3/041
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A point-of-service (POS) system comprising: a POS terminal; and a signature capture device coupled to the POS terminal including a housing having a top surface, the top surface having a length; a digitizer, mounted within the top surface; a retainer located externally on the top surface which holds a paper receipt from the POS terminal in a predetermined position on the top surface for allowing a signature to be simultaneously applied to the receipt and the digitizer, wherein the retainer is capable of holding paper receipts from the POS terminal of various lengths, including lengths greater than the length of the top surface; and a processing circuit which is coupled to the digitizer and which processes the signature and controls information flow from the signature capture device to the POS terminal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
A point-of-service (POS) system comprising: a POS terminal; and a signature capture device coupled to the POS terminal including a housing having a top surface, the top surface having a length; a digitizer, mounted within the top surface; a retainer located externally on the top surface which holds a paper receipt from the POS terminal in a predetermined position on the top surface for allowing a signature to be simultaneously applied to the receipt and the digitizer, wherein the retainer is capable of holding paper receipts from the POS terminal of various lengths, including lengths greater than the length of the top surface; and a processing circuit which is coupled to the digitizer and which processes the signature and controls information flow from the signature capture device to the POS terminal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the POS terminal and the signature capture device are coupled by a wire cable.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the digitizer comprises a pressure-sensitive digitizer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the retainer forms a guide for aligning an edge of the receipt along the guide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the top surface of the housing is inclined towards an operator to facilitate handwriting.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system as recited in claim 1, herein the retainer is also operative to identify the location of the digitizer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the top surface has a signature line for aligning a corresponding signature line of the receipt over the digitizer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the retainer comprises: a planar member extending over a part of the digitizer less than the entire digitizer from a position on the top surface adjacent only one side of the digitizer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system as recited in claim 6, wherein an edge of the retainer identifies the location of the digitizer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
127 words
A point-of-service (POS) system comprising: a POS terminal; and a signature capture device coupled to the POS terminal including a housing having a top surface, the top surface having a length; a digitizer, mounted within the top surface; a guide on the top surface for aligning an edge of a paper receipt from the POS terminal along the guide for allowing a signature to be Simultaneously applied to the receipt and the digitizer, wherein the guide is capable of aligning paper receipts from the POS terminal of various lengths, including lengths greater than the length of the top surface; and a processing circuit which is coupled to the digitizer and which processes the signature and controls information flow from the signature capture device to the POS terminal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
127 words
A point-of-service (POS) system comprising: a POS terminal; and a signature capture device coupled to the POS terminal including a housing having a top surface, the top surface having a length; a digitizer, mounted within the top surface; a guide on the top surface for aligning an edge of a paper receipt from the POS terminal along the guide for allowing a signature to be Simultaneously applied to the receipt and the digitizer, wherein the guide is capable of aligning paper receipts from the POS terminal of various lengths, including lengths greater than the length of the top surface; and a processing circuit which is coupled to the digitizer and which processes the signature and controls information flow from the signature capture device to the POS terminal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the POS terminal and the signature capture device are coupled by a wire cable.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the digitizer comprises a pressure-sensitive digitizer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system as recited in claim 10, further comprising a retainer located externally on the top surface which holds the paper receipt from the POS terminal in a predetermined position on the top surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the top surface of the housing is inclined towards an operator to facilitate handwriting.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system as recited in claim 10, further comprising a guard over the receipt for minimizing undesired contact with the digitizer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the top surface has a signature line for aligning a corresponding signature line of the receipt over the digitizer.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
125 words
A method for capturing a signature comprising the steps of: generating a paper receipt requiring the signature on a point-of-service (POS) terminal; providing a signature capture device, having a top surface which has a length, and including a digitizer and a retainer which holds the paper receipt in a predetermined position on the digitizer, wherein the retainer is capable of holding paper receipts from the POS terminal of various lengths, including lengths greater than the length of the top surface; inserting the paper receipt between the retainer and the digitizer; applying the signature simultaneously to the digitizer and to the paper receipt; processing a signal representing the signature from the digitizer; and sending the processed signal from the signature capture device to the POS terminal.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
125 words
A method for capturing a signature comprising the steps of: generating a paper receipt requiring the signature on a point-of-service (POS) terminal; providing a signature capture device, having a top surface which has a length, and including a digitizer and a retainer which holds the paper receipt in a predetermined position on the digitizer, wherein the retainer is capable of holding paper receipts from the POS terminal of various lengths, including lengths greater than the length of the top surface; inserting the paper receipt between the retainer and the digitizer; applying the signature simultaneously to the digitizer and to the paper receipt; processing a signal representing the signature from the digitizer; and sending the processed signal from the signature capture device to the POS terminal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of: aligning an edge of the receipt along a guide surface adjacent one side of the digitizer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the step of sending comprises the substep of: coupling the signature capture device to the POS terminal using a wire cable.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the step of aligning comprises the substep of: aligning a signature line on the paper receipt with another signature line on the top surface adjacent to the receipt.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the digitizer comprises a pressure-sensitive digitizer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of: aligning a signature area on the paper receipt over the digitizer before the step of applying the writing.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
143 words
A method for capturing a signature without immediate feedback from an electronic display comprising the steps of: generating a paper receipt on a point-of-service (POS) terminal; providing a signature capture device, having a top surface which has a length, and including a digitizer and a guide surface adjacent one side of the digitizer; aligning one edge of the paper receipt along the guide surface so that a signature area on the paper receipt is over the digitizer, wherein the guide surface is capable of aligning paper receipts from the POS terminal of various lengths, including lengths greater than the length of the top surface; applying the signature simultaneously to the digitizer and to the paper receipt substantially within the signature area; processing a signal representing the signature from the digitizer; sending the processed signal from the signature capture device to the POS terminal.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
143 words
A method for capturing a signature without immediate feedback from an electronic display comprising the steps of: generating a paper receipt on a point-of-service (POS) terminal; providing a signature capture device, having a top surface which has a length, and including a digitizer and a guide surface adjacent one side of the digitizer; aligning one edge of the paper receipt along the guide surface so that a signature area on the paper receipt is over the digitizer, wherein the guide surface is capable of aligning paper receipts from the POS terminal of various lengths, including lengths greater than the length of the top surface; applying the signature simultaneously to the digitizer and to the paper receipt substantially within the signature area; processing a signal representing the signature from the digitizer; sending the processed signal from the signature capture device to the POS terminal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as recited in claim 23, further comprising the step of: retaining the receipt in a predetermined position over the digitizer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the step of sending comprises the substep of: coupling the signature capture device to the POS terminal using a wire cable.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the step of aligning comprises the substep of: aligning a signature line on the paper receipt with another signature line on the top surface adjacent to the receipt.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the digitizer comprises a pressure-sensitive digitizer.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
146 words
A signature capture device comprising: a housing having a top surface, the top surface having a length; a digitizer, mounted within the top surface; a retainer located externally on the top surface which holds a paper receipt from a POS terminal in a predetermined position on the top surface for allowing a signature to be simultaneously applied to the receipt and the digitizer, including a planar member extending over a part of the digitizer less than the entire digitizer from a position on the top surface adjacent only one side of the digitizer, wherein the retainer is capable of holding paper receipts of various lengths, including paper receipts having lengths greater than the length of the top surface; and a processing circuit which is coupled to the digitizer and which processes the signature and controls information flow from the signature capture device to the POS terminal.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
146 words
A signature capture device comprising: a housing having a top surface, the top surface having a length; a digitizer, mounted within the top surface; a retainer located externally on the top surface which holds a paper receipt from a POS terminal in a predetermined position on the top surface for allowing a signature to be simultaneously applied to the receipt and the digitizer, including a planar member extending over a part of the digitizer less than the entire digitizer from a position on the top surface adjacent only one side of the digitizer, wherein the retainer is capable of holding paper receipts of various lengths, including paper receipts having lengths greater than the length of the top surface; and a processing circuit which is coupled to the digitizer and which processes the signature and controls information flow from the signature capture device to the POS terminal.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
157 words
A signature capture device comprising: a housing having a top surface, the top surface having a length; a digitizer, mounted within the top surface; a retainer located externally on the top surface which holds a paper receipt from a POS terminal in a predetermined position on the top surface, including a planar member extending over a part of the digitizer less than the entire digitizer from a position on the top surface adjacent only one side of the digitizer, wherein the planar member contains an aperture for allowing a signature to be simultaneously applied to the receipt and the digitizer through the aperture, and wherein the retainer is capable of holding paper receipts of various lengths, including paper receipts having lengths greater than the length of the top surface; and a processing circuit which is coupled to the digitizer and which processes the signature and controls information flow from the signature capture device to the POS terminal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
157 words
A signature capture device comprising: a housing having a top surface, the top surface having a length; a digitizer, mounted within the top surface; a retainer located externally on the top surface which holds a paper receipt from a POS terminal in a predetermined position on the top surface, including a planar member extending over a part of the digitizer less than the entire digitizer from a position on the top surface adjacent only one side of the digitizer, wherein the planar member contains an aperture for allowing a signature to be simultaneously applied to the receipt and the digitizer through the aperture, and wherein the retainer is capable of holding paper receipts of various lengths, including paper receipts having lengths greater than the length of the top surface; and a processing circuit which is coupled to the digitizer and which processes the signature and controls information flow from the signature capture device to the POS terminal.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-01-09 | 1998-07-11 | 1999-01-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-01-09 | 2002-07-11 | 2003-01-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-01-09 | 2006-07-11 | 2007-01-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |