Digital Ink Log for Cross-Device Annotation Repositioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital annotation systems for web browsers lack the capability to accurately capture, store, and reproduce digital ink annotations across different browsers and devices, as they fail to provide a robust association between digital ink and the dynamic elements of web pages, leading to rendering issues due to variations in layout and device compatibility.
Innovation Solution
A method for capturing, storing, and streaming digital ink annotations using an ink log that associates handwritten notes with specific information, allowing for real-time sharing and optimal re-positioning of ink annotations across different browsers and devices, employing Browser Helper Objects and the Document Object Model to anchor ink annotations to relevant elements within the markup language document.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If digital ink annotations are stored using traditional methods, then storage is simple, but accurate reproduction across different browsers and devices cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ink annotation data into distinct components: ink data, associated information, and timestamp data. Each component is stored in a separate field within the ink log data structure, allowing for precise retrieval and reproduction of each element independently across different browsers and devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an ink log as an intermediary data structure that mediates between the digital ink annotations and the storage system. This ink log contains all necessary information (ink data, associated information, timestamp) to enable accurate reproduction without requiring complex direct mapping between different browser and device environments.
2Manufacturing precision
If ink annotations are anchored to dynamic web page elements, then accurate re-positioning across layout changes is achieved, but complexity of association increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by capturing and storing the associated information (such as element identifiers or positional references) at the moment the ink annotation is created. This pre-captured information is stored in the ink log, enabling the annotation to be accurately re-positioned later even when the web page layout changes, without requiring complex real-time calculations.
3Ease of operation
If real-time sharing of ink annotations is enabled, then user interaction is enhanced, but data transmission overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential components of the ink annotation (ink data, associated information, timestamp) into a structured ink log format for transmission. By extracting and transmitting only the necessary data elements rather than entire web page contexts or redundant information, the data transmission overhead is reduced while maintaining real-time sharing capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Digital ink is captured using either a digitizer attached to the serial port of the computer or by a tablet computer having a stylus during the detection, capture, storage and association of ink with particular types of information. An ink log stores handwritten notes that are generated during a phone call. Whenever a call is made or received via a regular telephone or an IP Softphone, the number being dialed or that the call is being received from is used in a search to locate a file associated with this number within an ink log. If a file associated with the called or dialed number exists, then the file is retrieved and all prior ink notes associated with this number, including their time stamps, are displayed in a window that is opened. If a file corresponding to the called or dialed number is not present in the ink log, then a new file is created along with an associated blank window, whereby the user can begin “inking” into this file. Alternatively, a user may highlight a phone number and view the InkLog for the particular number. Upon a user selecting a View Ink Log category, the ink log is accessed and all notes, drawings, etc. that a user generated in all previous calls that where either made to the number or calls received from this number are displayed.