CARD FOR PRESENTING INFORMATION DURING WAVING

• US 20100263242A1
• Filed: 08/28/2007
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CardLab ApS
• Original Assignee: CardLab ApS
• Inventors: Domsten, Rune, Nielsen, Finn
• Granted Patent: US 8,607,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 40/124.20
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/004 to give the appearance of moving signs

Abstract

A card for presenting visual information while being waved. The card is flexible and has a sensor detecting or quantifying the bending of the card. The card has, preferably at an edge thereof, light emitters for presenting the information. A controller determines the position of the edge and forwards information so that a user watching the edge sees an emulated 2D information provider.

Claims

1. A card comprising:

a flexible base element,

means for presenting visual information,

means for detecting a bending of the base element,

means for receiving first information or signals from the detecting means and providing, on the basis of the first information, second information or signals to the presenting means.

2. A card according to claim 1, the detecting means being positioned at or on a side of the base element and being adapted to output a signal corresponding to a stretching/compression of the detecting means.

3. A card according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means is selected from the group consisting of:

piezo electric transducer, strain gauge, and pressure sensitive resistor.

4. A card according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means are additionally adapted to provide a sound corresponding to a received signal, the card further comprising means for providing a signal to the detecting means.

5. A card according to claim 1, the card having a first edge and one or more opposing edges, the presenting means being positioned at or on the first edge of the card, and where the detecting means are positioned closer to the opposing edge(s) than the first edge.

6. A card according to claim 1, wherein the presenting means comprises one or more rows of light emitters each being controllable by the receiving means.

7. A card according to claim 1, wherein the receiving means additionally comprises a timing means adapted to provide timing information, the receiving means providing the second information also on the basis of the timing information.

8. A card according to claim 7, wherein the receiving means is adapted to estimate, from the first information and the timing information, a first distance through which the providing means moves during a reciprocal movement.

9. A card according to claim 8, wherein the receiving means is adapted to hold 2D information to be provided, to sequentially forward, to the presenting means, data representing neighboring, elongate parts of the 2D information.

10. A card according to claims 6 and 9, wherein the receiving means are adapted to relate an extent of the 2D information along a first dimension to the distance and to adapt the number of light emitters of each row of the presenting means to have the 2D information presented by the card during the reciprocating movement have a predetermined relationship between a dimension along the direction of waving and a direction perpendicular thereto.

11. A card according to claim 9, wherein the receiving means are adapted to determine, from the 2D information, a second distance required to present the information and to forward to the presenting means a part of the 2D information corresponding to a relation between the first and second distances.

12. A card according to claim 1, wherein the receiving means is adapted to estimate a curve, in a plane of the bending, adopted by the presenting means, and to adapt the second information accordingly.

13. A card according to claim 7, wherein the receiving means is adapted to estimate, on the basis of the first information and the timing information, a position of the providing means and to provide the second information on the basis of the estimated position.

14. A method of operating the card of claim 1, the method comprising:

bending the card,

the detecting means providing the first information or signals to the receiving means,

the receiving means receiving the first information and providing the second information to the presenting means,

the presenting means presenting visual information relating to the second information.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the detecting means are positioned at or on a side of the base element and output a signal corresponding to a stretching/compression of the detecting means.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the detecting means additionally provide a sound corresponding to a signal.

17. A method according to claim 14, the card having a first edge and one or more opposing edges, the presenting means being positioned at or on the first edge of the card, the bending primarily taking place closer to the opposing edge(s) than the first edge, and where the detecting means are positioned closer to the opposing edge(s) than the first edge.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein the presenting step comprises each light emitter of one or more rows of light emitters being controlled by the receiving means.

19. A method according to claim 14, further comprising providing timing information, where the second information is determined also on the basis of the timing information.

20. A method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of estimating, from the first information and the timing information, a first distance which the providing means moves during a reciprocal movement.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the receiving means holds 2D information to be provided, and sequentially forwards, to the presenting means, data representing neighboring, elongate parts of the 2D information.

22. A method according to claims 18 and 21, comprising relating an extent of the 2D information along a first dimension to the distance and adapt the extent of the information provided by the presenting step in a direction perpendicular to the direction of bending to have the 2D information presented by the card during the reciprocating movement have a predetermined relationship between a dimension along the direction of waving and a direction perpendicular thereto.

23. A method according to claim 21, comprising determining, from the 2D information, a second distance required to present the information and to forward to the presenting means a part of the 2D information corresponding to a relation between the first and second distances.

24. A method according to claim 14, comprising estimating a curve, in a plane of the bending, adopted by the presenting means, and adapting the second information accordingly.

25. A method according to claim 19, comprising estimating, on the basis of the first information and the timing information, a position of the providing means and providing the second information on the basis of the estimated position.