Patent ID: 7133557

Claim:
A method of enabling user interaction with computer software running in a computer system via: an interface surface containing information relating to the computer software and a plurality of interactive elements including a signature field and having disposed therein or thereon coded data at least partially indicative of the signature field and the signature field being associated with a visible signature zone defined on the interface surface; and a sensing device adapted to store a sensing device identifier which is adapted to distinguish the sensing device from other sensing devices of the same type, the sensing device when placed in an operative position relative to the interface surface, senses at least some of the coded data uses the sensed coded data to generate: indicating data at least partially indicative of the signature field; and at least one of movement data and position data, the movement data being indicative of the sensing device's movement relative to the interface surface, the position data being indicative of the sensing device's position relative to the interface surface; the method including the steps of, in the computer system: (a) receiving the indicating data from the sensing device; (b) receiving at least one of the movement data and the position data from the sensing device at least part of said at least one of the movement and position data representing a signature input by the user; (c) receiving the sensing device identifier; (d) identify and distinguish the signature field from other interactive elements of the interface surface at least partially from the indicating data; and (e) operating the computer software at least partly in reliance on the signature, the sensing device identifier, and in accordance with instructions associated with the signature field.