COMBINED DETECTION OF POSITION-CODING PATTERN AND BAR CODES

摘要

A form has a form layout with at least one entry field. It may be printed on a base in the form of a sheet (or any other surface). The surface of the base may have a position-coding pattern. The entry field can be completed using a user unit that has an optical detector to detect positions on the sheet utilizing the position-coding pattern. The optical detector can thereby enable digital recording of the information entered in the entry field and input thereof to an information management system. The surface may also have a bar code that can identify the form layout to the information management system, suitably after being recorded by means of the optical detector in the user unit. The user unit with such bar code reading capability may also be generally applicable to support registration of a product with is labeled with a bar code and to link the bar code, and thereby the product or information related thereto, to information entered on a position-coded form.