Patent ID: 8370525

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a processor, including: an encoder to encode handwritten input in an ink data format received from a handwriting input device into a string of data having an American Standard Code of Information Interchange (ASCII) format supported by a server having an instant message infrastructure, the ink data format representing the handwritten input as a plurality of x, y coordinate pairs and a corresponding plurality of instances in time, wherein each x, y coordinate pair indicates a position of the handwriting input device at a corresponding instant in time; a packetizer coupled to the encoder to break the string of data into packets no larger than a maximum message size allowed by the instant message infrastructure, at least one packet having an ink message header identifying the string of data therein as part of an ink message, wherein the at least one packet is transmitted to the server supporting the ASCII format; and a decoder to decode a received packet encoded in the ASCII format back into the handwritten input encoded in the ink data format, wherein the handwritten input in the ink data format further represents the handwritten input as a plurality of scale parameters and a plurality of ink strokes that include ink color and width.