MESSAGING DEVICE AND SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A display device configured to use an array of discrete light sources to display information, the device comprising:
- a memory storing computer-executable instructions, a unique identifier for the display device, and an address of a remote computer;
a network interface couplable to a network and configured to use the address of the remote computer to send message requests comprising the unique identifier periodically to the remote computer over the network, the message requests each configure to request that the remote computer use the unique identifier for the display device to identify any messages received by the remote computer for the display device, the network interface being further configured if the remote computer identifies a message comprising information for display by the device, to download the message from the remote computer; and
a processor coupled to the memory and the array of discrete light sources, the processor being operable to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory and to turn selected ones of the discrete light sources on and off, the computer-executable instructions including instructions for instructing the processor to turn selected ones of the discrete light sources on and off at appropriate times to display the information of the downloaded message.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A display device configured to use an array of discrete light sources to display information received from a remote computer over a network. The device includes a processor coupled to the light sources and a memory storing computer-executable instructions and a device identifier. The device is coupled to the network by a network interface configured to send a request including the device identifier periodically to the remote computer. The remote computer is configured to receive messages from other remote computers for display by the display device. In response to each request, the remote computer uses the device identifier to identify messages for the display device stored in a device account, which are subsequently downloaded by the display device for display thereby. The processor is operable to turn selected ones of the discrete light sources on and off to display information in the downloaded message.
19 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A display device configured to use an array of discrete light sources to display information, the device comprising:
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a memory storing computer-executable instructions, a unique identifier for the display device, and an address of a remote computer; a network interface couplable to a network and configured to use the address of the remote computer to send message requests comprising the unique identifier periodically to the remote computer over the network, the message requests each configure to request that the remote computer use the unique identifier for the display device to identify any messages received by the remote computer for the display device, the network interface being further configured if the remote computer identifies a message comprising information for display by the device, to download the message from the remote computer; and a processor coupled to the memory and the array of discrete light sources, the processor being operable to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory and to turn selected ones of the discrete light sources on and off, the computer-executable instructions including instructions for instructing the processor to turn selected ones of the discrete light sources on and off at appropriate times to display the information of the downloaded message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system for displaying messages to a user comprising:
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a message server coupled to a network and configured to; automatically create a device account in response to a first time the message server receives a message request comprising a particular valid device identifier, the device account being configured to associate the valid device identifier with a selected identifier, receive messages addressed to the selected identifier from a plurality of computing devices over the network, and in response to receiving subsequent message requests including the particular valid device identifier, determine whether any messages were received for the selected identifier associated with the particular valid device identifier; and a display device couplable to the network and configured to; send a first message request comprising a unique valid device identifier for the display device over the network to the message server, the first message request causing the message server to create a device account associated with the unique valid device identifier, send subsequent message requests comprising the unique valid device identifier for the display device periodically over the network to the message server causing the message server to determine whether any messages were received for the display device, if the message server determines at least one message was received for the display device, download the at least one message from the message server, and display information included in the at least one message downloaded from the message server. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A method of communicating information to a plurality of users for display by a plurality of display devices, each display device being coupled to a network and having a unique device identifier, the method comprising:
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providing a message server having an account corresponding to each of the unique device identifiers of the display devices, each account also being associated with a selected identifier, the message server being configured to receive a plurality of messages from one or more senders over the network, each message of the plurality of messages being addressed to a selected identifier and including information for display by the display device having a device identifier associated with the selected identifier; receiving at the message server, a request from each display device of the plurality of display devices, the request requesting messages addressed to the selected identifier associated with the unique device identifier of the display device, the request including the unique device identifier of the display device; in response to each request, providing from the message server to the display device from which the request was received one or more messages addressed to the selected identifier associated with the unique device identifier of the display device from which the request was received; and at each display device, displaying the information of the one or more messages provided by the message server. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A persistence of vision display device configured to use an oscillating wand having an array of discrete light sources to display information, the device comprising:
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a memory storing computer-executable instructions; a network interface couplable to a network and configured to download at least one message from a remote computer over the network, the at least one message comprising information for display by the device; and a processor coupled to the memory and the array of discrete light sources, the processor being operable to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory and to turn selected ones of the discrete light sources on and off, the computer-executable instructions including instructions for instructing the processor to turn selected ones of the discrete light sources on and off at appropriate times as the wand oscillates to display the information of the at least one message received from the remote computer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for displaying messages to a user comprising:
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a persistence of vision display device couplable to a network and configured to download messages therefrom including information for display by the persistence of vision display device, the persistence of vision display device being configured to display the information; and a message server coupled to the network and configured to receive messages for the persistence of vision display device from a plurality of computing devices over the network and to respond to download requests for those messages from the persistence of vision display device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of communicating information to a user for display by a persistence of vision display device coupled to a network, the method comprising:
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providing a message server configured to receive a message from a sender over the network that includes information for display by the persistence of vision display device; receiving at the message server, a request from the persistence of vision display device for the message; in response to receiving the request, downloading the message from the message server to the persistence of vision display device; and at the persistence of vision display device, displaying the information to the user by the persistence of vision display device. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of communicating information to a plurality of persistence of vision display devices coupled to a network, the method comprising:
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providing a message server configured to receive messages including information for display by one or more of a plurality of persistence of vision display devices to a message server; receiving at the message server, a request for a message from each persistence of vision display device in a portion of the plurality of the persistence of vision display devices; for each request received at the message server, the message server providing at least one of the messages received by the message server for display by the persistence of vision display device thereto; and at each of the persistence of vision display devices that receives at least one message received by the message server, displaying the information included in the received message. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A method of communicating a plurality of messages each including information for display by a persistence of vision display device coupled to a network, the method comprising:
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receiving the plurality of messages; selecting messages from the plurality of messages for the persistence of vision display device to download; receiving a notification that the persistence of vision display device is available to receive messages; providing the selected messages to the persistence of vision display device; and at the persistence of vision display device, displaying the information in the selected messages.
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32. A method of communicating information to a user for display by a display device coupled to a network, the method comprising:
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providing a message server configured to receive a message from a sender over the network that includes information for display by the display device; receiving at the message server, a request from the display device for the message; in response to receiving the request, downloading the message from the message server to the display device; and at the display device, displaying the information to the user by the display device. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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Specification