Selectively attachable device for electronic annotation and methods therefor

• US 20030225572A1
• Filed: 03/18/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Co. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Co. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Rix, Malcom, Adams, Guy de Warrenne Bruce, Frohlich, David Mark, Waters, John Deryk
• Application Number:
  US10/390,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20030225572A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/201
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 31/06 in which sound track is associated with successively-shown still pictures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00342 with a radio frequency tag transmitter or receiver storage of additional information in an RFID tag attached to an image bearing paper sheet H04N1/32138
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras

Abstract

An annotation is recorded on to an electronic storage medium for inclusion within a storage device which is selectively engageable with an arbitrary physical object. This engagement can be provided by a number of conventional means: a spring loaded clip (particularly suitable for engagement with objects), a weakly adhesive surface, or a magnetic element. The annotation may then be read from the sound storage device while it remains engaged with such an arbitrary object using an appropriate further device. This arrangement is particularly appropriate for annotation of documents with sound, and thus allows sound passages to be used in a very versatile fashion, particularly for annotation and messaging.

Claims

1. A sound storage device for annotating an arbitrary object with a passage of sound comprising:

an electronic storage device adapted to store information defining a passage of sound;

a body on which, or in which, the electronic storage device is arranged; and

an attachment mechanism to enable selective engagement between the body and an arbitrary object of a type suitable for engagement with the attachment mechanism;

the sound storage device having within it no means for playing back the passage of sound, but being adapted such that the information defining a passage of sound may be accessed from the device throughout the time of engagement between the body and such an arbitrary object by a sound reproduction device adapted to convert said information received from the electronic storage device into the passage of sound.

2. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the attachment mechanism is a spring clip.

3. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the type of arbitrary object suitable for engagement with the attachment mechanism is a paper document.

4. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the attachment mechanism is an adhesive surface, and the type of arbitrary object suitable for engagement with the attachment mechanism consists of objects with a surface to which the adhesive surface weakly adheres.

5. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the attachment mechanism is a magnetic element, and the type of arbitrary object suitable for engagement with the attachment mechanism consists of objects attracted to the magnetic element.

6. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic storage device is adapted to store information other than that defining the passage of sound.

7. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said other information defines an image.

8. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said further information comprises information related to the recording of the passage of sound.

9. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic storage device comprises an integrated circuit.

10. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sound storage device further comprises electrical contacts for engagement with a further device to allow connection between the further device and the electronic storage device so that the further device may access a passage of sound recorded on the electronic storage device.

11. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the sound storage device is powered in use, and wherein the electrical contacts are adapted to provide a power input from the further device.

12. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sound storage device comprises an antenna adapted to couple power into the sound storage device from wireless signals, and further comprising wireless transmitting circuitry such that data may be transmitted from the electronic storage device when the sound storage device is powered.

13. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic storage device is adapted to be re-recordable.

14. A sound storage device for annotating an arbitrary object with a passage of sound comprising:

an electronic storage device adapted to store information defining a passage of sound;

an antenna adapted to couple power inductively into the sound storage device;

wireless transmitter circuitry adapted such that when powered, the sound storage device can wirelessly transmit data from the electronic storage device;

a body on which, or in which, the electronic storage device is arranged; and

an attachment mechanism to enable selective engagement between the body and an arbitrary object of a type suitable for engagement with the attachment mechanism;

the sound storage device having within it no means for playing back the passage of sound, but being adapted such that the information defining the passage of sound may be wirelessly transmitted from the sound storage device for receipt by a sound reproduction device adapted to convert said information received from the electronic storage device into the passage of sound throughout the time of engagement between the body and such an arbitrary object when the antenna couples sufficient power into the sound storage device.

15. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 14, further comprising wireless receiver circuitry adapted such that when powered, the sound storage device can wirelessly receive data and store such data in the electronic storage device.

16. A sound storage device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the sound storage device is further adapted to delete data stored in the electronic storage device for replacement by wirelessly received data.

17. A sound recording and playback system, comprising:

a sound storage device comprising an electronic storage device adapted to store information defining a passage of sound, a body on which, or in which, the electronic storage device is arranged, and an attachment mechanism to enable selective engagement between the body and an arbitrary object of a type suitable for engagement with the attachment mechanism, the sound storage device having within it no means for playing back the passage of sound, but being adapted such that the information defining the passage of sound may be accessed from the device throughout the time of engagement between the body and such an arbitrary object;

a sound recording device adapted to record a passage of sound on to the sound storage device; and

a sound reproduction device adapted to obtain the information defining the passage of sound from the sound storage device, to convert said information received from the electronic storage device into the passage of sound, and to reproduce the passage of sound.

18. A sound recording and playback system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the sound recording device and the sound reproduction device are the same device.

19. A method of temporarily annotating arbitrary objects with sound, comprising:

storing information defining a passage of sound in a sound storage device which comprises an electronic storage device but which does not comprise any means for playing back the passage of sound;

attaching the sound storage device to the arbitrary object such that information defining the passage of sound may be accessed through interaction with an appropriate sound reproduction device;

removing the sound storage device from the arbitrary object; and

attaching the sound storage device to a further arbitrary object such that information defined by a stored passage of sound may be played back by interaction with an appropriate sound reproduction device.

20. A method of temporarily annotating arbitrary objects with sound as claimed in claim 19, further comprising storing information defining a further passage of sound in the sound storage device, such that on attaching the sound storage device to the further arbitrary object the stored passage of sound which may be played back is the further passage of sound.

21. A method of annotating arbitrary objects and providing annotations to a user, comprising the steps of:

storing an annotation in a storage device which comprises an electronic storage device but which does not comprise any means for enabling the annotation to be directly perceived by a user, the storage device having an antenna to couple power inductively into the storage device, having a wireless transmitter circuit and having a wireless receiver circuit;

attaching the storage device to the arbitrary object such that the annotation may be transmitted from the storage device by the wireless transmitter circuit when the storage device is inductively powered through the antenna for receipt by apparatus adapted to provide the annotation for direct perception by the user; and

adding a further annotation to the storage device by coupling power inductively into the storage device through the antenna and transmitting the further annotation to the wireless receiver circuit for storage in the electronic storage device.

22. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the step of adding a further annotation further comprises removing the annotation already present.

23. A storage device for annotating an arbitrary object comprising:

an electronic storage device adapted to store an annotation;

an antenna adapted to couple power inductively into the storage device;

wireless transmitter and receiver circuitry adapted such that when powered, the storage device can wirelessly receive data for and transmit data from the electronic storage device;

a body on which, or in which, the electronic storage device is arranged; and

an attachment mechanism to enable selective engagement between the body and an arbitrary object of a type suitable for engagement with the attachment mechanism;

the storage device being adapted such throughout a time of engagement between the body and such an arbitrary object when the antenna couples sufficient power into the sound storage device, the annotation may be wirelessly transmitted from the storage device and a further annotation may be wirelessly received by the storage device for storage in the electronic storage device.

24. A sound storage device for annotating an arbitrary object with a passage of sound comprising:

an electronic storage device adapted to store information defining a passage of sound;

a body on which, or in which, the electronic storage device is arranged; and

an attachment mechanism to enable the body to be attached to an arbitrary object of a type suitable for use with the attachment mechanism and to be subsequently detached from the arbitrary object without damage to the sound storage device;

the sound storage device having within it no means for playing back the passage of sound, but being adapted such that the information defining the passage of sound may be accessed from the device throughout the time of engagement between the body and such an arbitrary object by a sound reproduction device adapted to convert said information received from the electronic storage device into the passage of sound.

25. A sound storage device for annotating a physical document with a passage of sound comprising:

a re-recordable electronic storage device adapted to store information defining a passage of sound;

a body on which, or in which, the electronic storage device is arranged; and

a spring clip to enable selective engagement between the body and the physical document and subsequent disengagement without damage to the sound storage device;

the sound storage device having within it no means for playing back the passage of sound, but being adapted such that the information defining the passage of sound may be accessed from the device throughout the time of engagement between the body and such an arbitrary object by a sound reproduction device adapted to convert said information received from the electronic storage device into the passage of sound.

26. A sound storage device for annotating a surface with a passage of sound comprising:

a re-recordable electronic storage device adapted to store information defining a passage of sound;

a body on which, or in which, the electronic storage device is arranged; and

a weakly adhesive surface on the body to enable selective engagement between the body and the surface and subsequent disengagement without damage to the sound storage device;

the sound storage device having within it no means for playing back the passage of sound, but being adapted such that the information defining the passage of sound may be accessed from the device throughout the time of engagement between the body and such an arbitrary object by a sound reproduction device adapted to convert said information received from the electronic storage device into the passage of sound.

27. A sound storage device for annotating a magnetic object with a passage of sound comprising:

a re-recordable electronic storage device adapted to store information defining a passage of sound;

a body on which, or in which, the electronic storage device is arranged; and

a permanent magnet to enable selective engagement between the body and the magnetic object and subsequent disengagement without damage to the sound storage device;

the sound storage device having within it no means for playing back the passage of sound, but being adapted such that the information defining the passage of sound may be accessed from the device throughout the time of engagement between the body and such an arbitrary object by a sound reproduction device adapted to convert said information received from the electronic storage device into the passage of sound.

28. A storage device for annotating an arbitrary object comprising:

an electronic storage device adapted to store an annotation;

electrical contacts for engagement with a further device to allow connection between the further device and the electronic storage device so that the further device may power the storage device and that when powered, the storage device can receive data for the electronic storage device from the further device and transmit data to the further device from the electronic storage device;

a body on which, or in which, the electronic storage device is arranged; and

an attachment mechanism to enable selective engagement between the body and an arbitrary object of a type suitable for engagement with the attachment mechanism;

the storage device being adapted such throughout a time of engagement between the body and such an arbitrary object when the electrical contacts are brought into contact with a further device, the annotation may be transmitted from the storage device to the further device and a further annotation may be received by the storage device from the further device for storage in the electronic storage device.

29. A method of annotating arbitrary objects and providing annotations to a user, comprising the steps of:

storing an annotation in a storage device which comprises an electronic storage device but which does not comprise any means for enabling the annotation to be directly perceived by a user, the storage device having electrical contacts for engagement with a further device to allow connection between the further device and the electronic storage device so that the further device may power the storage device and that when powered, the storage device can receive data for the electronic storage device from the further device and transmit data to the further device from the electronic storage device;

attaching the storage device to the arbitrary object such that the electrical contacts are engageable with the furthe device;

enagaging the electrical contacts with the further device and reading the annotation from the electronic storage device into the further device, wherein the further device is adapted to provide the annotation in a form susceptible of direct perception by the user; and

engaging the electrical contacts with the or another further device and adding a further annotation to the storage device by transmitting the further annotation from the or another further device to the storage device for storage in the electronic storage device.