Architecture - Digital Pen & Paper by CubeIQ

irForms - Architecture
irForms is an n-tier client/server architecture system that consists of the following structural levels:

• irForms Server
  

• irForms Server Database
  

• irForms Client
  

• Mobile Phone & Phone Software Application
  

• Base with PC USB interface  and irForms Client
  

• Digital Pen & Mobile Phone
  

• Paper - Forms with the special "Anoto background technology"
  

irForms Server
irForms server correlates the physical human writing patterns with the correct digital format, converts the natural handwriting into digital text, and stores the processed information into the system database.

irForms server is easy to be installed and operated. Depending on the end user (customer) requirements, iirForms server is available in several configurations for use either in the end user's premises, behind its own firewall or for through the SaaS model.

irForms platform is a complete system, ready to be installed either in a stand-alone operational mode or to be fully integrated within the existing back-office systems like ERP, CRM, CMS etc., so that users can take advantage of the functionality of environments with which they are already familiar.

In irForms server are defined and managed: (a) system's internal and external users (access and privileges), (b) digital pens (and thus the mobile phones), (c) forms, (d) forms' fields and fields' types, (e) languages and dictionaries per form and per form field and (f) system's access passwords.
In irForms server are made the corrections and validations of the captured and converted text along with the routing of electronic data and forms' images, based on the forms content, to the individual internal users or users groups for visual inspection, final validation and storage.
In irForms server is also defined and implemented the mechanism of extraction and transfer of stored data to other systems.

irForms server has been developed in .Net under .Net 3.0 & .Net 3.5 and also has an n-tier client/server internal architecture.
It consists of the following structural levels:

• Internet Information Server - IIS web server
  

• Apache web server (alternative web server)
  

• Apache Tomcat application server
  

• MySQL database για την αποθήκευση στοιχείων
  

• Microsoft Windows Server 2003/2008
  

irForms Client or irForms Visual
irForms Visual is a web-based program, client to irForms server that is used to view, visually inspect, correct, validate, storage and modify - change the handwritten data - text.
It is completely secure and provides comprehensive reporting, including system log, error log and extensive audit trail reporting.

irForms Visual presents the image of the original handwritten form as it was captured remotely together, in the same screen, with the converted in digital format data, for visual inspection and possible correction where necessary, validation and authorization for storage or routing for further processing.

Digital Pen
Forms' filling is realized by a digital pen:

• The digital pen externally looks like a ball point pen but it consist of, except the ball point and the ink, a microprocessor with memory, a micro camera, a Bluetooth unit and a battery (see picture).
  

• The digital pen has a memory capacity of about 100 forms and records 85 frames per second.
  

• During the transfer of captured data, digital pen sends its own identification number (serial number) together with the data and the time stamp. In this way ,it is accomplished a high degree of integration and transparency, in forms capture processing.
  

• The digital pen adopts and used the most contemporary technology in image perspective depiction, image rotation recognition and image error detection and correction.
  

• The digital pen is safer and more resilient than a PC or palmtop. It can be used indoors or outdoors as its operation is not affected by diverse environmental conditions (strong or weak light, illumination, etc.).
  

irForms system can use the digital pens manufacturers by Maxell (Anoto since June 2008), Nokia and Logitech.

Transfer of stored data in the digital pen is realized eithewr wireless fashion through Bluetooth and GPRS capable mobile phones or wired by connecting the digital pen directly to a PC USB port through special base.

Paper and Forms
The Swedish company, Anoto, has developed a special technology for defining the coordinates on a paper surface that is used for collecting data - a paper form. The technology is called "Anoto Background Technology" and makes possible to use the digital pen for writing on a normal paper while the pen keeps in its electronic memory the text that was written by calculating continuously its position (coordinates) on the paper.

irForms  system is using the "Anoto Background Technology". In order to print forms with the "Anoto background technology", normal xerographic paper with minimum quality of 80 gr/m2 has to be used (Anoto itself recommends the 80 gr/m2 as minimum paper quality). After printing the form, it contains a kind of gray background that is constituted from a unique structure (unique pattern), obscured to the human eye, visible to electronic means, thus allowing the readability of the form by the digital pen's  electronic micro camera. The unique structure on every different form's page ensures the correlation of the handwritten data with the corresponding form. The unique pattern is able to identify over 70 trillion different forms.

Fields - Data Elements
The printed paper forms are the physical replica of the corresponding electronic forms.
The forms (either electronic or printed) contain a number of elements that are used to record data.

Such elements can be:

• Boxes for writing letters or numbers
  

• Alphanumeric fields
  

• Alphabetical fields
  

• Numeric fields
  

• Checkboxes
  

• Fields for continue cursive handwriting text
  

• Fields for free handwriting text
  

• Fields for distinct handwriting text
  

• Fields for drawings - schemes - sketches
  

• Signature panel fields
  

• Fixed text fields with instructions
  

• And other field elements depending on the application requirements
  

All these field elements are filled on the printed form by hand using the digital pen

The electronic format of the form defines the fields, field types that are included in the form and also defines the behavior of the form within the irForms system.
The form prototype, the electronic form that is stored in the irForms Server and has been designed and developed with irForms FormsDesigner (a specialized forms design application), determines for all fields that are included in the form: (a) their dimensions, (b) their exact position on the printed form, (c) each field type, (d) the way of managing, converting and translating each field, (e) the way each form field corresponds to the system's database fields and (f) the way of saving form's field data into the system's database.