System and method for selecting an external user interface using spatial information

• US 20040003098A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: MacDonald, George M., Coffy, Jean-Hiram
• Granted Patent: US 7,225,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A method and system for selecting an external user interface using spatial information is described. In one configuration the floor space of a mailroom is mapped using a two dimensional grid. At least one machine is located on the mapped grid and an associated control zone is defined for that particular machine. The machine includes a wireless transceiver for providing user interface access. An external portable processor with a wireless transceiver is provided user interface logic for the machine. A user then moves the external portable processor into the control zone of the machine. An indoor positioning system is utilized to provide relative or absolute position information relating to a machine and the external processor. The system determines that the external processor is in the machine control zone and allows the external processor to interface with the machine as a user interface.

Claims

1. A method for selecting an external processor as a user interface to a machine comprising:

accessing control grid position information for the machine;

obtaining position information for the external processor; and

using the control grid position information and the external processor position information in determining whether an external processor is in the control grid of a machine.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the determination of whether an external processor is in the control grid is used to make a control transfer decision.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining authentication information for an external processor.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

the determination of whether an external processor is in the control grid and the authentication information is used to make a control transfer decision.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:

the authentication information is obtained from a user of the external processor.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein:

the authentication information is obtained from a user of the external processor and includes biometric information.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accessing control grid position information for a second machine;

obtaining position information for a second external processor; and

using the control grid position information and the external processor position information in determining whether to give priority of control to the external processor or the second external processor.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

obtaining hierarchal priority information for the external processor and the second external processor; and

using the hierarchal priority information in determining whether to give priority of control to the external processor or the second external processor.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

downloading user interface logic data to the external processor;

The method of claim 9 further comprising;

obtaining a second grid information for a group of machines including the machine; and

downloading user interface logic data to the external processor when the external processor enters the second grid.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining updated position information for the external processor; and

using the updated position information in determining whether to maintain external processor control of the machine.

11. A method for manipulating a file comprising:

selecting a file with a portable processor using a wireless communications channel; and

selecting a machine to process the file using position information relating to the portable processor.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

downloading the file to the portable processor.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

selecting a second machine to process at least a portion of the file using position information relating to the portable processor.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

selecting a first machine to process a portion of the file using position information relating to the portable processor; and

selecting a second machine to process a second portion of the file using position information relating to the portable processor.

15. A system for selecting an external processor as a user interface to a machine comprising:

means for determining control grid position information for the machine;

means for obtaining position information for the external processor; and

processing means for using the control grid position information and the external processor position information in determining whether an external processor is in the control grid of a machine.

16. The system of claim 16 wherein the means for obtaining position information comprises an indoor electromagnetic wave positioning system

The system of claim 16 wherein the means for obtaining position information comprises an ultrasonic positioning system

A system for selecting an external processor as a user interface to a machine comprising:

a processor;

a control grid position map data base information for at least one machine connected to the processor;

a position information receiver for obtaining position information data for an external processor; and

a processor having processing instructions for using the control grid position map database and the external processor position information in determining whether an external processor is in the control grid of a machine.

18. The system of claim 20 wherein:

the indoor positioning system provides relative position data relative to a reference point.

19. The system of claim 20 wherein:

the indoor positioning system provides absolute latitude and longitude data.

17. The system of claim 19 wherein:

the receiver for obtaining position information is an indoor positioning system receiver.