Electronic board system

• US 20020126120A1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Grasso, Antonietta, Snowdon, Dave, Bentley, Richard, Pycock, James
• Granted Patent: US 6,964,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/971 Cooperative decision support systems for group of users

Abstract

An electronic board system includes an electronic board having a screen for displaying information of interest to a work group or community, an input device for receiving information from users in a group or community to be displayed on the electronic board, a memory for storing information received from the input device and a processor for selecting which information stored in the memory to display on the screen, where and how to display the selected information on the screen and displaying the selected information on the screen. The processor selects which information to display in accordance with a predetermined relationship based on a group-based recommendation criteria and user interest. A plurality of sensors disposed behind the screen detect user interest in information displayed on the screen near the sensor. User interest may also be determined by monitoring user requests for copies of information displayed on the screen.

Claims

1. An electronic board system, comprising:

an electronic board including a screen for displaying information;

apparatus for determining user interest in information displayed on the screen;

an input device for receiving information to be displayed on the electronic board from a plurality of users;

a memory for storing information received from the input device;

a processor for selecting which information to display on the screen, for determining where and how to display the selected information on the screen and for displaying the selected information on the screen;

wherein the processor selects which information to display in accordance with a predetermined relationship based on group-based recommendation criteria and user interest.

2. The electronic board system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a multi-function device for printing, scanning and copying.

3. The electronic board system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a mobile computing device.

4. The electronic board system of claim 3, wherein the mobile computing device is selected from the group consisting of personal digital assistant, portable computer and cell phone.

5. The electronic board system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of personal computers and workstations connected to a network.

6. The electronic board system of claim 5, wherein, responsive to a user request, information displayed on the screen is transmitted to the user'"'"'s personal computer or workstation and displayed thereon.

7. The electronic board system of claim 5, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

8. The electronic board system of claim 5, wherein the network comprises an intranet.

9. The electronic board system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a touch screen embedded in the electronic board.

10. The electronic board system of claim 1, wherein the input device, responsive to a user request for information in the memory, outputs a copy of the requested information.

11. The electronic board system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises an electronic information system having a paper user interface.

12. The electronic board system of claim 1, further comprising a device for receiving email submissions and requests for information from users.

13. The electronic board system of claim 1, further comprising an external service for providing information and wherein the processor selects information to be displayed from the external service in accordance with the group-based recommendation criteria.

14. The electronic board system of claim 13, wherein the external service comprises video information.

15. The electronic board system of claim 13, wherein the external service comprises audio information

16. The electronic board system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to user input to the input device, the processor stores a rating for the user input information in the memory, stores a representation of the user input information in the memory and analyzes the content of the user input information.

17. The electronic board system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined relationship is a function of information topics most representative to the plurality of users at the current time.

18. The electronic board system of claim 17, wherein information is displayed about the most representative topics in a manner which enables onlookers to view which information is of current interest to the plurality of users.

19. The electronic board system of claim 1, wherein the recommendation criteria is a function of preferences of the plurality of users and wherein the predetermined relationship is a based on criteria that is likely to be of general interest to the plurality of users or of interest to several of the plurality of users.

20. The electronic board system of claim 1, further comprising a group calendar comprising a calendar of schedules of the plurality of users and wherein the predetermined relationship is further a function of the group calendar.

21. The electronic board system of claim 1, wherein the information stored in the memory comprises a plurality of topics and wherein the processor ranks the information stored in the memory according to topic and according to activity of the plurality of users.

22. The electronic board system of claim 21, wherein user activity comprises the number of times individual users have input the item and the number of times individual users have output the item.

23. The electronic board system of claim 21, wherein each topic is ranked in accordance with the number of higher rated individual items in such topic.

24. The electronic board system of claim 23, wherein the predetermined relationship comprises a rule for determining which items of information are to be displayed on the screen based on higher ranked topics.

25. The electronic board system of claim 21, wherein the predetermined relationship comprises a rule for determining which items are to be displayed on the screen based on higher individual rankings.

26. The electronic board system of claim 1, wherein the size and location of items displayed on the screen is a function of time displayed and user interest.

27. The electronic board system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus for determining user interest comprises a plurality of sensors disposed behind the screen, wherein each sensor detects user interest in information displayed on the screen near the sensor.

28. The electronic board system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus for determining user interest comprises the processor storing requests for copies of displayed items.

29. The electronic board system of claim 27, wherein the predetermined relationship comprises a rule for determining which items are to be displayed on the screen based on user ratings, item attributes and sensor input.

30. The electronic board system of claim 27, wherein the sensors detect information written on the screen or pointed to by persons near the screen.

31. The electronic board system of claim 1 further comprising a camera for detecting presence of a person near the screen and identifying the person.