An interface system for enabling a user to instruct a computer system to
perform an operation via an interface surface including an interface, the
interface including visibly printed graphical information and
substantially invisible coded data printed in infra-red ink, the coded
data comprising a plurality of substantially undifferentiated marks
positioned relative to a predetermined pattern, wherein each mark has a
minimum radius and a maximum radius and wherein the length of a mark's
minimum radius is greater than 40% of the length of that mark's maximum
radius; and a sensing device which, when placed by the user into an
operative position relative to the interface surface to designate at
least some of the graphical information, senses at least some of the
coded data and generates indicating data indicative of the operation
using the sensed coded data; the computer system being configured to:
receive the indicating data from the sensing device; and perform the
operation indicated by the indicating data; wherein the graphical
information designated by the user is at least partially indicative, to
the user, of the operation, and wherein the coded data indicative of the
operation is substantially coincident with graphical information
indicative of the operation.