Method, system and product for information management

Abstract

A method, a system and a product for managing information uses of an absolute position-coding pattern formed of marks positioned on one or more products. The coordinates of the marks define an imaginary surface, which includes all marks which the absolute position-coding pattern has the capacity to code. The imaginary surface is divided into at least two regions, the coordinates of which can be separated from each other. The information is generated by passing a sensor device over the marks on the product and reading the absolute coordinates of the position of the sensor device. Reading of coordinates from the first region results in a information management function of the sensor device, such as a send function, and reading of coordinates from the second region forms message information.

1 . A system for generating and managing information, comprising: 
 a position-coding pattern that codes absolute coordinates on a reference surface;    a sensor device that generates said information while being operated on the position-coding pattern, said information including coordinates read by the sensor device from the position-coding pattern;    a database that defines at least one continuous main region on part of the reference surface, each main region being associated with a main region attribute and being subdivided into a plurality of individual sub-regions, and    a processor, which is operatively connected to said sensor device and said database, and which manages said information as a function of said main region attribute.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of products, wherein a product surface of each product comprises at least one subset of the position-coding pattern.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the reference surface is much larger than any practically usable product surface in the system.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said processor accesses said database to derive the main region attribute for said information.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said database defines a plurality of main regions on the reference surface, each being associated with a unique main region attribute.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said database associates each of said individual sub-regions with a sub-region attribute, and wherein said processor manages said information as a function of said sub-region attribute.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said individual sub-regions have identical format within the main region.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said individual sub-regions are defined to tile the main region in non-overlapping fashion.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the main region attribute indicates a context for coordinates falling within the main region.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said context is selected from the group comprising: a notepad context, a calendar context, an electronic mail context, an address book context, and an address information context.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the main region attribute indicates a processing function for coordinates falling within the main region.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the processing function comprises at least one of processing at least part of said information for character recognition, sending at least part of said information, sending an identifier of said sensor device, sending a data packet to a specific network address, retrieving an address parameter based on said information, sending an address parameter to said sensor device, sending a debiting signal to a network address, establishing a connection to a predetermined device, and storing data in a local memory.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the processing function comprises a send instruction, and wherein said database further associates each of said individual sub-regions with a respective network address, said processor mapping said information against said database to derive said send instruction and one of said network addresses, and associating said send instruction with the thus-derived network address.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the main region attribute indicates an access privilege for coordinates falling within the main region.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said access privilege defines an exclusivity of the main region.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said database associates each of said individual sub-regions with a sub-region attribute, said sub-region attribute indicating at least one of an owner, an authorized sensor device, a time period, and a user-defined information management rule.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said access privilege defines an unrestricted accessibility to the main region.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of said coordinates is given by a multiple bit code, and wherein said database identifies a first part of said multiple bit code as being indicative of the main region.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said database, for a given main region, identifies a second part of said multiple bit code as being indicative of said sub-regions within the main region.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said database and said processor are located together with said sensor device in a handheld device.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said database and said processor are located in a computer device which is physically separate from said sensor device.  
   
   
       22 . A method of generating and managing information, comprising: 
 operating a sensor device on a position-coding pattern that codes absolute coordinates on a reference surface, the sensor device thereby generating said information which includes coordinates read by the sensor device from the position-coding pattern;    deriving a main region attribute for said information by mapping its coordinates against data that defines at least one continuous main region on part of the reference surface, each main region being associated with a main region attribute and being subdivided into a plurality of individual sub-regions, and    managing said information as a function of said main region attribute.