System and method for presentation of remote information in ambient form

• US 20030076369A1
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ambient Devices Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ambient Devices Incorporated
• Inventors: Rose, David L., Gandhi, Pritesh V., Resner, Benjamin I., McRobbie, Christopher, Hyatt, Nabeel
• Application Number:
  US10/247,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20030076369A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/864
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/353 where the information comprises non-audio but is provided over voice channels protocols for multimedia information services per se H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

In a system and method for the display, or presentation, of electronic information in an ambient, or pre-attentive, form, a centralized server converts textual or quantitative data into a form suitable for remotely located non-textual ambient displays, or objects. The conversion, or translation, of the information occurs in response to a set of rules which may be fixed at the server, or otherwise modifiable by a user of the display, for example via Web-based interface, or at the display itself. The translated data, referred to herein as “ambient data” is in compressed, encoded form, so as to optimize the efficiency of its periodic transmission of such data to multiple remotely located recipient displays. In one example, the display comprises an analog-type gauge having a hand that varies in angular or linear offset, or multiple hands that independently vary in angular or linear offset, in response to the received ambient data. In another example, the transmission of data from the information server to the ambient displays occurs via a one-way or two-way wireless network.

Claims

1. A system for the ambient presentation of information from a remote source comprising:

an information server receiving information from an information source; and

a translation unit for translating the information to an ambient data element, the ambient data element being optimized for presentation by a remote ambient object in ambient form.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the translation unit translates the information to the ambient data element in response to translation rules.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the translation rules are programmable by a user of the ambient object.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the translation rules are programmable via a web-based interface.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the translation rules are programmable via an electronic interface selected from the group of interfaces consisting of:

telephonic, wireless, and pager devices.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the translation rules are programmable at the ambient object.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein the translation rules are fixed at the information server.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the translation unit comprises software that operates at the information server.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a transmission system for communicating the ambient data element to the remote ambient object.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising an aggregation unit for aggregating multiple ambient data elements into an ambient data packet, and wherein the transmission system communicates the ambient data packet to multiple remote ambient objects.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the transmission system comprises a wireless transmission system and wherein the ambient data packet is configured for transfer by the wireless transmission system.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the ambient objects are programmed to receive an ambient data packet and to extract the respective ambient data element designated for the ambient device from the ambient data packet.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the aggregation unit aggregates the multiple ambient data elements adjacent each other in the ambient data packet and wherein the ambient device extracts the ambient data element from the ambient data packet according to a programmed numeric offset that corresponds to the position of the ambient data element in the ambient data packet.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the numeric offset is fixed or variable.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the aggregation unit aggregates the multiple ambient data elements into the ambient data packet with an associated element identification header, and wherein the ambient device extracts the ambient data element from the ambient data packet in response to the element identification header.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the aggregation unit aggregates the multiple ambient data elements into the ambient data packet and wherein the ambient object extracts the ambient data element from the ambient data packet in response to a programmable selection signal.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the programmable selection signal is generated at the ambient object.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the programmable selection signal is generated in response to a medium that locally interfaces with the ambient object.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the medium comprises a user swappable gauge face selected from the group of media consisting of:

a printed medium, an electronic medium, and a magnetic medium.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the programmable selection signal is generated in response to a dial or switches located at the ambient object.

21. The system of claim 9 wherein the transmission system comprises a one-way wireless communication system.

22. The system of claim 9 wherein the transmission system comprises a two-way wireless communication system.

23. The system of claim 9 wherein the transmission system comprises a distributed data network.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the distributed data network is a network selected from the group consisting of:

pager, telephone, wireless data, and Internet.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein the ambient data is optimized for instructing the ambient object for presentation of the information in ambient form, so as to minimize the amount of data that is transferred from the information server to the ambient object.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein the ambient object comprises an object selected from the group consisting of:

a light of varying color, a gauge with hands of varying angular or linear offset; and

a device that varies in mass or force required to operate.

27. The system of claim 1 wherein the ambient object comprises an object that is wearable on a human body.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the ambient object comprises a wristwatch-type device having a gauge with at least one hand that varies in angular or linear offset in response to the ambient data.

29. The system of claim 1 wherein the information comprises textural or quantitative electronic data related to an event that is remote from the ambient object.

30. An ambient object for the ambient presentation of remote information comprising:

a receiver for receiving an ambient data element from a remote information source, the ambient data element being optimized for presentation at the ambient object, and being representative of remote information; and

a presentation unit for presenting the received ambient data element in ambient form.

31. The ambient object of claim 30 wherein the remote information source comprises an information server.

32. The ambient object of claim 30 wherein the receiver comprises a wireless data packet receiver.

33. The ambient object of claim 30 wherein the ambient data element is received in aggregated form with multiple ambient data elements in an ambient data packet, and wherein the receiver extracts the respective data element designated for the ambient device from the ambient data packet.

34. The ambient object of claim 33 wherein the receiver extracts the ambient data element from the ambient data packet according to a programmed numeric offset that corresponds to the position of the ambient data element in the ambient data packet.

35. The ambient object of claim 34 wherein the numeric offset is fixed or variable.

36. The ambient object of claim 33 wherein the receiver extracts the ambient data element from the ambient data packet in response to an element identification header.

37. The ambient object of claim 33 wherein the receiver extracts the ambient data element from the ambient data packet in response to a programmable selection signal.

38. The ambient object of claim 37 wherein the programmable selection signal is generated at the ambient object.

39. The ambient object of claim 37 wherein the programmable selection signal is generated in response to a medium that interfaces with the ambient object.

40. The ambient object of claim 39 wherein the medium comprises a user swappable gauge face selected from the group of media consisting of:

a printed medium, an electronic medium, and a magnetic medium.

41. The ambient object of claim 37 wherein the programmable selection signal is generated in response to a dial or switches located at the ambient object.

42. The ambient object of claim 30 wherein the presentation unit comprises a light source, the emitted wavelength of which is varied in response to the received ambient data element.

43. The ambient object of claim 30 wherein the presentation unit comprises a gauge having a hand and a controller for varying the angular or linear offset of the hand with respect to the gauge in response to the received ambient data element.

44. The ambient object of claim 43 wherein the gauge is wearable on a human body.

45. The ambient object of claim 44 wherein the gauge comprises a wristwatch-type device.

46. The ambient object of claim 43 wherein the hand comprises multiple hands and wherein the controller varies the angular or linear offset of each of the multiple hands independently, in response to multiple aspects of the remote information.

47. The ambient object of claim 30 wherein the remote information comprises textural or quantitative electronic data related to an event that is remote from the ambient object.

48. The ambient object of claim 30 wherein the ambient data element is translated from the remote information at an information server that is remote from the ambient object, in response to translation rules.

49. The ambient object of claim 48 wherein the translation rules are programmable by a user of the ambient object via a web-based interface.

50. The ambient object of claim 48 wherein the translation rules are programmable at the ambient object.

51. The ambient object of claim 48 wherein the translation rules are fixed at the information server.

52. An ambient object for the ambient presentation of remote information comprising:

a gauge with a hand;

a receiver for receiving information from a remote information source; and

a controller for varying the angular or linear offset of the hand with respect to the gauge in response to the received information.

53. The ambient object of claim 52 wherein the gauge is wearable on a human body.

54. The ambient object of claim 53 wherein the gauge comprises a wristwatch-type device.

55. The ambient object of claim 52 wherein the information received from the remote information source comprises ambient data that is optimized for instructing the controller for varying the angular or linear offset of the hand with respect to the gauge.

56. The ambient object of claim 52 wherein the information received from the remote information source comprises textural or quantitative data.

57. The ambient object of claim 52 wherein the hand comprises multiple hands and wherein the controller varies the angular or linear offset of each of the multiple hands independently, in response to like multiple different aspects of the remote information.

58. A method for the ambient presentation of information from a remote source comprising:

receiving information from an information source at an information server; and

translating the information to an ambient data element, the ambient data element being optimized for presentation by a remote ambient object in ambient form.

59. The method of claim 58 further comprising translating the information to the ambient data element in response to translation rules.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the translation rules are programmable by a user of the ambient object.

61. The method of claim 60 further comprising programming the translation rules via a web-based interface.

62. The method of claim 60 further comprising programming the translation rules via an electronic interface selected from the group of interfaces consisting of:

telephonic, wireless, and pager devices.

63. The method of claim 60 further comprising programming the translation rules at the ambient object.

64. The method of claim 60 further comprising programming the translation rules at the information server.

65. The method of claim 58 further comprising communicating the ambient data element to the remote ambient object.

66. The method of claim 65 further comprising aggregating multiple ambient data elements into an ambient data packet, and communicating the ambient data packet to multiple remote ambient objects.

67. The method of claim 66 wherein communicating comprises communicating on a wireless transmission system and wherein the ambient data packet is configured for transfer by the wireless transmission system.

68. The method of claim 66 wherein the ambient objects are programmed to receive an ambient data packet and to extract the respective ambient data element designated for the ambient object from the ambient data packet.

69. The method of claim 68 further comprising aggregating the multiple ambient data elements adjacent each other in the ambient data packet and wherein the ambient object extracts the ambient data element from the ambient data packet according to a programmed numeric offset that corresponds to the position of the ambient data element in the ambient data packet.

70. The method of claim 69 wherein the numeric offset is fixed or variable.

71. The method of claim 68 further comprising aggregating the multiple ambient data elements into the ambient data packet with an associated element identification header, and wherein the ambient object extracts the ambient data element from the ambient data packet in response to the element identification header.

72. The method of claim 68 wherein the aggregation unit aggregates the multiple ambient data elements into the ambient data packet and wherein the ambient object extracts the ambient data element from the ambient data packet in response to a programmable selection signal.

73. The method of claim 72 wherein the programmable selection signal is generated at the ambient object.

74. The method of claim 72 wherein the programmable selection signal is generated in response to a medium that locally interfaces with the ambient object.

75. The method of claim 72 wherein the programmable selection signal is generated in response to a dial or switches located at the ambient object.

76. The method of claim 58 wherein the ambient data is optimized for instructing the ambient object for presentation of the information in ambient form, so as to minimize the amount of data that is transferred from the information server to the ambient object.

77. The method of claim 58 wherein the ambient object comprises an object selected from the group consisting of:

a light of varying color, a gauge with hands of varying angular or linear offset; and

a device that varies in mass or force required to operate.

78. The method of claim 58 wherein the ambient object comprises an object that is wearable on a human body.

79. The system of claim 78 wherein the ambient object comprises a wristwatch-type device having a gauge with at least one hand that varies in angular or linear offset in response to the ambient data.

80. The method of claim 58 wherein the information comprises textural or quantitative electronic data related to an event that is remote from the ambient object.

81. A method for the ambient presentation of remote information at an ambient object comprising:

receiving an ambient data element from a remote information source, the ambient data element being optimized for presentation at the ambient object, and being representative of remote information; and

presenting the received ambient data element in ambient form.

82. The method of claim 81 wherein the remote information source comprises an information server.

83. The method of claim 81 further comprising receiving the ambient data element at a wireless data packet receiver.

84. The method of claim 81 wherein the ambient data element is received in aggregated form with multiple ambient data elements in an ambient data packet, and further comprising extracting the respective data element designated for the ambient device from the ambient data packet.

85. The method of claim 84 further comprising extracting the ambient data element from the ambient data packet according to a programmed numeric offset that corresponds to the position of the ambient data element in the ambient data packet.

86. The method of claim 85 wherein the numeric offset is fixed or variable.

87. The method of claim 84 further comprising extracting the ambient data element from the ambient data packet in response to an element identification header.

88. The method of claim 84 further comprising extracting the ambient data element from the ambient data packet in response to a programmable selection signal.

89. The method of claim 88 wherein the programmable selection signal is generated at the ambient object.

90. The method of claim 88 wherein the programmable selection signal is generated in response to a medium that interfaces with the ambient object.

91. The method of claim 90 wherein the medium comprises a user swappable gauge face selected from the group of media consisting of:

a printed medium, an electronic medium, and a magnetic medium.

92. The method of claim 88 wherein the programmable selection signal is generated in response to a dial or switches located at the ambient object.

93. The method of claim 81 further comprising presenting the received ambient data element at a presentation unit comprising a light source, the emitted wavelength of which is varied in response to the received ambient data element.

94. The method of claim 81 further comprising presenting the received ambient data element at a presentation unit comprising gauge having a hand and a controller for varying the angular or linear offset of the hand with respect to the gauge in response to the received ambient data element.

95. The method of claim 94 wherein the gauge is wearable on a human body.

96. The method of claim 95 wherein the gauge comprises a wristwatch-type device.

97. The method of claim 94 wherein the hand comprises multiple hands and wherein the controller varies the angular or linear offset of each of the multiple hands independently, in response to multiple aspects of the remote information.

98. The method of claim 81 wherein the remote information comprises textural or quantitative electronic data related to an event that is remote from the ambient object.

99. The method of claim 81 wherein the ambient data element is translated from the remote information at an information server that is remote from the ambient object, in response to translation rules.

100. The method of claim 99 wherein the translation rules are programmable by a user of the ambient object via a web-based interface.

101. The method of claim 99 wherein the translation rules are programmable at the ambient object.

102. The method of claim 99 wherein the translation rules are fixed at the information server.