Patent ID: 7010147

Claim:
A method of enabling a user to interact with computer software running in a computer system via: an interface surface having disposed therein or therein visible information relating to the computer software and a visible signature zone associated with a signature field and having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of an identity of a region of the interface surface containing the signature field and of a plurality of locations within the region; and a sensing device comprising: (a) an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed or moved operatively relative to the signature field by the user during the provision of a hand-written signature; and (b) a processor adapted to: (i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images; (ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of at least some of the coded data; (iii) decode at least some of the coded data; and (iv) generate, using at least some of the decoded coded data: (A) indicating data indicative of the identity of the region; and (B) movement data being indicative of the sensing device's movement relative to the region; the method including the steps of, in the computer system: (a) receiving the indicating data from the sensing device; (b) receiving the movement data from the sensing device; (c) identifying the signature field on the basis of the indicating data and the movement data; and (d) operating the computer software at least partly in reliance on the hand-written signature represented by the movement data, and in accordance with instructions associated with the signature field.