Apparatus and a method for providing information

• US 20020041293A1
• Filed: 03/23/2001
• Published: 04/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IR Vision AB
• Original Assignee: IR Vision AB
• Inventors: Pettersson, Jerry
• Granted Patent: US 7,051,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/817
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An apparatus for providing information to a user, comprising means for providing visual information to the user, the information providing means being adapted to provide active areas of a user interface providing the visual information, means for storing a number of information units, each unit being uniquely identifiable and comprising first information relating to a visual image to be provided by the providing means and second information relating to which areas of the providing means are active during providing of the visual image by the providing means, and for each active area, third information relating to which information unit to provide on the providing means when the actual active area is activated, first means for identifying which information unit is to have its first information provided on the providing means, the identifying means being adapted to cause the providing means to provide the first information of the identified information unit. Second means for identifying when an active area of the providing means has been activated during providing of the first information of an actual information unit and third means for identifying which active area of the providing means has been activated and altering means for, on the basis of the area identified by the third identifying means and the third information, of the actual information unit, relating to the identified activated area having the identifying means subsequently identify the information unit relating to the third information of the actual information unit.

Claims

14. A method of providing information to a user, the method comprising:

a) providing an information providing means for providing visual information to the user and being adapted to provide active areas of a user interface providing the visual information,

b) storing a number of information units, each unit being uniquely identifiable and comprising;

first information relating to a visual image to be provided by the providing means,

second information relating to;

which areas of the providing means are active during providing of the visual image by the providing means, and

for each active area, third information relating to which information unit to provide on the providing means when the actual active area is activated,

c) identifying which actual information unit is to have its first information provided on the providing means

d) providing the first information relating to the actual information unit on the providing means,

e) identifying when an active area of the providing means has been activated,

f) identifying which active area of the providing means has been activated,

g) on the basis of the area identified and the third information relating to the activated area and of the actual information unit, subsequently providing on the providing unit the first information of an information unit relating to the third information of the actual information unit.

1. An apparatus for providing information to a user, the apparatus comprising:

means for providing visual information to the user, the information providing means being adapted to provide active areas of a user interface providing the visual information,

means for storing a number of information units, each unit being uniquely identifiable and comprising;

first information relating to a visual image to be provided by the providing means,

second information relating to;

which areas of the providing means are active during providing of the visual image by the providing means, and

for each active area, third information relating to which information unit to provide on the providing means when the actual active area is activated,

first means for identifying which information unit is to have its first information provided on the providing means, the identifying means being adapted to cause the providing means to provide the first information of the identified information unit,

second means for identifying when an active area of the providing means has been activated during providing of the first information of an actual information unit,

third means for identifying which active area of the providing means has been activated,

altering means for, on the basis of the area identified by the third identifying means and the third information, of the actual information unit, relating to the identified activated area, having the identifying means subsequently identify the information unit relating to the third information of the actual information unit.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for receiving information units from an external source.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the receiving means comprise means for receiving information units transmitted using a wireless technology, such as via electromagnetic radiation, such as IR light, or radio waves.

4. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the providing means provides the first information of the actual information unit regularly.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the receiving means are adapted to regularly, such as continuously, receive a number of information units and wherein the storing means are adapted to be receive and store the received information units.

6. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the information providing means comprise a touch screen where the active areas are predefined areas thereof, a depression or touch of which by the user may be detected.

7. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein neither of the first, second, third means, or the altering means comprise a software programmable general-purpose processor.

8. An apparatus according to any of preceding claims, comprising a main circuitry (300) for controlling received data, said main circuitry comprising a Memory Manager Controller (305), Controller Unit (310) and a receiver (315).

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a Video Decoder (320), Audio Decoder (325), Display Controller (330), and Touch Screen Controller (335).

10. An apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising an Audio Controller (365), a Volume Controller (370) and a Navigator Controller (340).

11. An apparatus according to any of claims 8-10, further comprising a Page Decoder (345), and data compression means, such as RLE (Run Length Encoding) decoder (355) and Huffman Decoder (360).

12. An apparatus according to any of claims 8-11, wherein said Controller Unit is arranged as a dynamic state machine.

13. An apparatus according to any of claims 8-12, wherein the receiver (315) receives transmitted data and mainly depending on the type of the received data transmits the data to the correct receiving unit, i.e. Audio Decoder, Video Decoder or Memory Unit.

15. A method according to claim 8, the method further comprising, prior to step b), receiving the information units from an external source.

16. A method according to claim 9, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving information units transmitted using a wireless technology, such as via electromagnetic radiation, such as IR light, or radio waves.

17. A method according to any of claims 8-10, wherein the storing step comprises regularly, such as continuously, storing a number of information units.

18. A method according to any of claims 8-11, wherein step d) comprises regularly, such as continuously, providing/updating the first information of the actual information unit on the providing means.

19. A method according to any of claims 8-12, wherein the storing step comprises, for each information unit, identifying the first information and the individual parts of the second information relating to individual active areas, and relatively storing this information and these parts identically or similarly for all information units.

20. A method according to any of claims 8-13, wherein the information units are stored consecutively in the storing means.

20-1. A method according to any of claims 14-20, wherein the information units are classified in different levels and transmitted with different rates depending on said level.