Method and apparatus for capturing handwritten information and providing visual feedback

An apparatus for capturing handwritten information electronically and for providing a visible trace of what has been written, comprising:

• a sensing device for electronically sensing movement of a marking implement with respect to a surface of said device;
• and
• a reusable medium having self-contained marking material therein and located in operative relation to said sensing device on which a trace of handwritten information appears when said marking implement is moved with respect to said sensing device;
• in which the medium comprises a first sheet of flexible translucent material, a second sheet of flexible translucent material having a fluorescent dye dispersed throughout, a third sheet of opaque material, and a two-element separator having a first paddle located between the first and second sheets for separating the first and second sheets and having a second paddle located between the second and third sheets for separating the second and third sheets, after a trail has been produced on the sheets, in order to erase the trail.

Apparatus for capturing handwritten information, comprising:

• a temporary mechanical marking means;
• a handwriting sensing device positioned in operative relation to said temporary mechanical marking means;
• a controller;
• and
• a communications interface coupled to said controller and said handwriting sensing device;
• the temporary mechanical marking means comprising three layers of material, a first of said layers comprising a first sheet of flexible translucent material, a second of said layers comprising a sheet of flexible translucent material having a fluorescent dye dispersed throughout, and a third layer comprising a sheet of opaque material, and a two-element separator having a first paddle located between the first and second layers for separating the first and second layers and having a second paddle located between the second and third layers for separating the second and third layers.

A method for capturing handwritten information and providing visual feedback utilizing a host system having a keyboard, a display and a handwriting capture apparatus comprising a sensing device, a marking implement and a temporary marking device comprising at least two sheets of material placed on top of one another so that localized pressure causes selective adhesion between the two sheets at points of pressure application, causing a visible trail, comprising the following steps:

• (a) determining by the host system whether or not the temporary marking device has been erased from any previous use;
• (b) if the temporary marking device has not been erased, displaying a message on the display to prompt the operator to perform an erasure;
• (c) performing an erasure by moving a separator between said at least two sheets of material to cause the sheets to separate, erasing the visible trail, if this has not been done;
• (d) displaying a message on the display to prompt an operator to begin entering handwritten data on the handwriting capture apparatus;
• (e) entering handwritten data on the handwriting capture apparatus using the marking implement;
• (f) operating a key on the keyboard of the host system to signal completion of handwritten data;
• and
• (g) erasing the temporary marking device by moving said separator between said at least two sheets of material.