Electronic Display Annotation Capture via Camera Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users prefer manual annotation on paper due to ease and portability, but integrating these annotations into electronic documents is challenging, especially with electronic paper displays that are limited in resolution, require power for updates, and have a poor user experience with visible delays.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an electronic display device, an annotation capture module, and a camera that captures images of the display after a change triggered by the module, allowing for high-resolution capture of manual annotations made with erasable ink or passive markers, which can be processed and incorporated into electronic documents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual annotation is done on paper printouts, then ease of annotation and portability are improved, but integration into electronic documents becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a camera to capture images of manual annotations made on the electronic display, creating a digital copy of the handwritten content. This copying approach allows paper-like annotation experience to be transferred to electronic documents without requiring special pens or sensors, resolving the contradiction between ease of annotation and integration capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a camera as an intermediary device between the manual annotation process and the electronic document system. The camera captures the annotations and enables their integration into electronic documents, serving as a mediator that bridges the gap between analog and digital workflows
2Use of energy by moving object
If electronic paper display is used for manual annotation, then portability and power consumption are improved, but resolution and user experience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on the electronic paper display's native resolution for annotation capture, the system uses a camera to capture high-resolution images of the annotations. This copying approach bypasses the display's resolution limitations while maintaining the low power consumption benefits of electronic paper technology
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the annotation making process from the annotation capture process. Users annotate on the low-resolution electronic paper display, but the camera captures the annotations at high resolution, dividing the functions to achieve both low power consumption and high image quality
3Adaptability or versatility
If special pen with sensor is used for on-screen annotation, then annotation capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes the electronic display surface universally annotatable by any writing instrument (pen, pencil, marker) without requiring specialized sensors or detection mechanisms. The camera captures annotations regardless of the writing tool used, providing universal annotation capability while avoiding the complexity of special pens
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows the annotation process to proceed without active detection or sensing mechanisms. The annotations are captured passively by the camera after being made, eliminating the need for complex sensor systems while maintaining versatile annotation capability
4Measurement precision
If annotation capture uses camera imaging, then annotation resolution is improved, but processing time and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures the annotation image immediately after the user completes the writing action, before any processing is needed. This preliminary capture of high-resolution imagery allows subsequent processing to work with already-acquired data, reducing overall processing time while maintaining high resolution
Data Source
AI summary
A system is described which comprises an electronic display device, an annotation capture module and a camera. The annotation capture module is configured to trigger a change in an image displayed on the electronic display device responsive to a capture trigger and the camera is configured to capture one or more images of the electronic display device in response to the capture trigger and/or a trigger received from the annotation capture module. The annotation capture module is further arranged to identify any manual annotations made by a user on the electronic display device by analyzing the images of the electronic display device captured by the camera, wherein at least one of the images was captured after the change in the image displayed.