System and method for collaborative annotation using a digital pen

Abstract

A method and system for collaborative annotation by team members of a master document using a digital pen system is described. At least one hardcopy printout of the master document is printed on digital paper used with a digital pen system. Using the digital pen, annotations are made to the hardcopy representation. The user may then select which of the annotations may be shared with each of the particular team members. In another example, the user may select annotations for promotion onto an action item cover sheet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. As shown throughout the drawings, like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts.

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a Digital Pen and Paper (DPP) Document Creation System (DCS) used in the annotation management system for selective annotation sharing according to an illustrative embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 2 is schematic representation of an Annotations Processing System (APS) including an Advanced Commenting System (ACS) used with the DCS of FIG. 1 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an annotated DPP page for use with the APS of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top view of an annotated DPP page for use with the APS of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a DPP cover page for use with the APS of FIG. 2 for selective sharing of annotations.

FIG. 6 is schematic representation of an Annotations Viewing System (AVS) that is used with an Annotations Processing System (APS) including an Advanced Commenting System (ACS) used with a DCS for action item creation according to an alternative illustrative embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a portion of an annotated DPP page for use with the AVS of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the DPP page of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a top view of a DPP cover page used for content promotion and action item creation with the AVS of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing an annotation management process according to another illustrative embodiment of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for managing the annotation of a document comprising: obtaining an original document;making an original electronic version of the document available to an annotation manager system;associating the original electronic version of the document with digital paper;printing a plurality of hardcopies of the original electronic version of the document on the associated digital paper;distributing the hardcopies to a plurality of team members;receiving a plurality of annotations from the team members;receiving selective sharing data for each of the plurality of annotations from the team members;associating each public annotation with a location in the original electronic version of the document; andassociating each non-public annotation with a location a non-public electronic version of the document.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: creating a new annotated version of the original electronic version of the document incorporating the public annotations.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: incorporating annotation metadata into the new annotated version.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, the metadata includes a time and date associated with each annotation; andthe metadata includes a user identification for each annotation.

5. The method of claim 1, further including: anchoring at least one of the annotations to a paragraph of the original electronic version of the document.

6. The method of claim 1, further including: determining if any annotations collide.

7. The method of claim 6, further including: if annotations collide, determining if annotation priority can resolve the collision, and resolving the collision by ignoring the lower priority annotation.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: if annotation priority cannot resolve the collision, modifying the annotations to remove the collision.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: grouping a plurality of pen strokes into each of the plurality of annotations.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein: the grouping step utilizes time and space data associated with each pen stroke.

11. A method for managing the promotion of annotations on a digital paper document for a user comprising: printing a hardcopy of the original electronic version of the digital paper document;receiving a plurality of annotations from the user by receiving user pen strokes;receiving a content promotion command indication from the user;determining which pen strokes indicate content promotion selection; andrendering a copy of each content promotion selection on a content promotion page of the document.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: exporting action item data based upon the content promotion selection data.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising: incorporating annotation metadata into the rendered copy.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein, each content promotion selection is rendered in the order that the annotation appears in the document.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein, each content promotion selection is rendered in the order that the annotation was selected for promotion.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising: grouping a set of pen strokes as an annotation using a relatedness parameter.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: determining the relatedness parameter using spatial data related to the pen strokes.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising: determining the relatedness parameter using temporal data related to the pen strokes.