Patent ID: 6850931

Claim:
A method of enabling users to search stored information, the method including the steps of: providing a user with a search request form including information relating to a search request, the search request form having disposed therein or thereon coded data indicative of an identity of the search request form and of at least one reference point of the search request form, the search request form further including at least one search field within which the user can input a handwritten search request; the coded data comprising a plurality of substantially undifferentiated marks positioned relative to a set of predetermined nominal mark positions; receiving in a computer system, indicating data from a sensing device, operated by the user, regarding the identity of the search request form and at least one of a position and a movement of the sensing device within the at least one search field relative to the search request form, the sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the search request form, sensing at least some of the coded data and generating the indicating data using at least some of the sensed coded data; identifying, in the computer system and from the indicating data, the handwritten search request; and performing the search of the stored information by utilising handwriting recognition of the handwritten search request or by utilising digital ink stroke matching of the handwritten search reciuest.