Historical information retrieval system
First Claim
1. A sealed storage unit for digital data, such storage unit adapted to be embedded within a monument, and comprising:
- a hermetically sealed housing; and
an electrical circuit sealed within said housing and including a memory containing data relative to the monument into which said storage unit is mounted, a microprocessor coupled to said memory, a battery power source, a switch positioned in said housing to be actuated by a visitor to the monument, said switch coupled to said battery and to said microprocessor for providing electrical operating power thereto, and an RF transceiver coupled to said microprocessor for communicating with a handheld RF receiver carried by a visitor which, upon actuation of the electrical switch in said housing, transmits data from said memory to the visitor'"'"'s handheld RF device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An embedded unit contains a microprocessor and memory for storing video, audio, photograph, and written digital data pertaining to a monument. The microprocessor, when actuated by a visitor, communicates through a two-way radio transceiver to a visitor carried transceiver. The embedded unit includes a long-life battery and is activated only upon a visitor approaching the marker and momentarily contacting an activation switch or passing an activating dongle adjacent the embedded unit for initiating power to the embedded unit for the transfer of data. A Bluetooth® receiver, such as a cellular phone having Bluetooth® capability, a PDA with Bluetooth®, or other Bluetooth® device, is employed for reading and/or storing information contained in the embedded unit.
24 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A sealed storage unit for digital data, such storage unit adapted to be embedded within a monument, and comprising:
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a hermetically sealed housing; and
an electrical circuit sealed within said housing and including a memory containing data relative to the monument into which said storage unit is mounted, a microprocessor coupled to said memory, a battery power source, a switch positioned in said housing to be actuated by a visitor to the monument, said switch coupled to said battery and to said microprocessor for providing electrical operating power thereto, and an RF transceiver coupled to said microprocessor for communicating with a handheld RF receiver carried by a visitor which, upon actuation of the electrical switch in said housing, transmits data from said memory to the visitor'"'"'s handheld RF device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for storing data within a monument for access by a visitor through a radio frequency (RF) transmission link comprising:
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an embedded unit including a microprocessor and a memory coupled to said microprocessor for the storage of information relating to the monument, a battery power source, an inductive receiver for receiving inductively transmitted signals from a hand-carried dongle, an electronic switch coupled to said inductive receiver and to said battery for coupling said battery to said microprocessor for providing operating power thereto, and an RF transmitter coupled to said microprocessor for transmitting data contained in said memory to a dongle; and
a dongle which includes a power source, an actuating switch for coupling said power source to a microprocessor, said microprocessor coupled to an inductive transmitter which, when positioned adjacent said embedded unit in a monument, provides an activation signal received by said inductive receiver to activate said embedded unit, said dongle further including an RF receiver tuned to the frequency of said RF transmitter of said embedded unit for transmitting stored data from said embedded unit to said dongle microprocessor, and an RF transceiver coupled to said microprocessor for retransmitting data received from said RF receiver and said dongle to a visitor transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A system for transmitting data relating to a monument to a visitor to said monument, said system comprising:
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a readable memory for storing one or more of video, audio, photographic, or text data;
a hermetically sealed container for encasing said readable memory within a monument, said sealed container including a Bluetooth®
transceiver and a circuit for transferring said data to said Bluetooth®
transceiver; and
a visitor carried Bluetooth®
transceiver for reading said data in said readable memory. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of providing information to a visitor relating to a monument comprising:
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collecting data relative to a monument;
digitizing said data;
storing the digitized data in a battery-actuated embedded storage unit which can be momentarily actuated by a visitor; and
transmitting the data from said storage unit through a Bluetooth®
transceiver upon actuation of said embedded unit to a visitor carrying a Bluetooth®
transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification