Patent ID: 7697160

Claim:
A method of defining, producing and analyzing device and resolution independent data input forms comprising: (a) A means for the user to easily define the layout of the input form in a form definition file, with the form having one or more answer selections, the total of which comprise a complete form, (b) Outputting of said input form to a printing device or other electronically readable form, whereby the output form is divided into user-defined horizontal and vertical grids as specified in the form definition file and whereby each individual input element is placed into said grid, (c) Scanning said input forms into a machine readable graphic format and analyzing said machine readable graphic by dividing the graphic into a horizontal and vertical grid as defined by the user in the form definition file, locating the individual form elements within the grid, (d) Automatically determining the value of each input element by calculating the filled-in density of the grid location and subtracting off a base density for each form element. The base density, for each form is automatically calculated by using unfilled answer samples contained on the individual scanned form or may be supplied by the user, (e) Outputting the result of each input element in machine readable form, Whereby said input form will be used to enter data on the input form and entered into a computer for later processing.