Method and system for spatial accessing of time-based information

• US 5,600,777 A
• Filed: 07/31/1995
• Issued: 02/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Interval Research Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Weijia, White, Sean M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US08/509,165
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 395/155, 395/154, 395/161, 395/160, 395/159, 345/173, 345/156, 345/179, 345/184, 340/407.1, 340/407.2, 340/825.19
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/97 Instrumentation and component modelling, e.g. interactive control panel

Abstract

A method and system for permitting a user to spatially access and playback time-based information having a plurality of segments. Each of the plurality of segments are mapped to a corresponding one of a plurality of mapped spatial coordinates. A user interface determines an input spatial coordinate corresponding to a portion of a user'"'"'s body within an input coordinate space. A segment of the time-based information corresponding to the input spatial coordinate is accessed and played back using a playback device. A sensory output which corresponds to the segment is produced for sensing by the portion of the user'"'"'s body. The sensory output aids the user in obtaining a sense of the whole of the time-based information in the input coordinate space.

Claims

1. A system for permitting a user to spatially access and playback time-based information having a plurality of segments, the system comprising:

a timing-to-spatial converter which maps each of the plurality of segments to a corresponding one of a plurality of mapped spatial coordinates;

a user interface which defines an input coordinate space, the user interface operative to determine an input spatial coordinate corresponding to location of a portion of a user'"'"'s body within the input coordinate space;

a spatial access device which accesses at least one segment of the time-based information corresponding to the input spatial coordinate;

a playback device which plays back the at least one segment of the time-based information in its original form; and

means for producing a sensory output based on the at least one segment for sensing by the portion of the user'"'"'s body, wherein the sensory output aids the user in obtaining a sense of the whole of the time-based information in the input coordinate space.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensory output differs in form from the original form of the segment of the time-based information.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensory output emulates the original form of the at least one segment of the time-based information.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensory output is in a form of a vibration.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the user interface is a touch-sensitive pad which determines the input spatial coordinate of a portion of the user'"'"'s hand in contact therewith, and wherein the sensory output is for sensing by the user'"'"'s hand.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the time-based information is audio information, and wherein the sensory output is in a form of a vibration which emulates the at least one segment of the audio information.

7. A method of permitting a user to spatially access and playback time-based information having a plurality of segments, the method comprising:

(a) mapping each of the plurality of segments to a corresponding one of a plurality of mapped spatial coordinates;

(b) providing a user interface which defines an input coordinate space;

(c) determining an input spatial coordinate corresponding to position of a portion of a user'"'"'s body within the input coordinate space using the user interface;

(d) accessing at least one of the plurality of segments of the time-based information corresponding to the input spatial coordinate;

(e) playing back the at least one segment of the time-based information in its original form; and

(f) producing a sensory output based on the at least one segment for sensing by the portion of the user'"'"'s body, wherein the sensory output aids the user in obtaining a sense of the whole of the time-based information in the input coordinate space.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein steps (c), (d), (e), and (f) are repeated as the portion of the user'"'"'s body moves within the input coordinate space.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the sensory output differs in form from the original form of the segment of the time-based information.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the sensory output is in a form of a vibration.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the user interface is a touch-sensitive pad which determines the input spatial coordinate of a portion of the user'"'"'s hand in contact therewith, and wherein the sensory output is for sensing by the user'"'"'s hand.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the time-based information is audio information, and wherein the sensory output is in a form of a vibration which emulates the segment of the audio information.

13. A method of permitting a user to spatially access and playback time-based information having a plurality of segments, the method comprising:

(a) mapping each of the plurality of segments to a corresponding one of a plurality of mapped spatial coordinates;

(b) providing a user interface which defines an input coordinate space;

(c) determining an input spatial coordinate of a portion of a user'"'"'s body within the input coordinate space using the user interface;

(d) accessing a segment of the time-based information corresponding to the input spatial coordinate;

(e) playing back the segment of the time-based information in its original form; and

(f) producing a sensory output which corresponds to the segment for sensing by the portion of the user'"'"'s body, wherein the sensory output aids the user in obtaining a sense of the whole of the time-based information in the input coordinate space, and wherein the sensory output is in a form of a temperature.

14. A system for permitting a user to spatially access and playback time-based information having a plurality of segments, the system comprising:

a timing-to-spatial converter which maps each of the plurality of segments to a corresponding one of a plurality of mapped spatial coordinates;

a user interface which defines an input coordinate space, the user interface operative to determine an input spatial coordinate of a portion of a user'"'"'s body within the input coordinate space;

a spatial access device which accesses a segment of the time-based information corresponding to the input spatial coordinate;

a playback device which plays back the segment of the time-based information in its original form; and

means for producing a sensory output in a form of a temperature corresponding to the segment for sensing by the portion of the user'"'"'s body, wherein the sensory output aids the user in obtaining a sense of the whole of the time-based information in the input coordinate space.

15. A system for permitting a user to spatially access and playback time-based audio information having a plurality of segments, the system comprising:

a timing-to-spatial converter which maps each of the plurality of segments to a corresponding one of a plurality of mapped spatial coordinates;

a touch-sensitive pad which defines an input coordinate space, the touch-sensitive pad operative to determine an input spatial coordinate corresponding to location of a portion of a user'"'"'s hand in contact therewith;

a spatial access device which accesses at least one segment of the time-based audio information corresponding to the input spatial coordinate;

an audio playback device which plays back the at least one segment of the time-based audio information in its original form; and

means for producing a sensory output corresponding to the at least one segment for sensing by the portion of the user'"'"'s hand, the sensory output being in a form of a vibration which emulates the segment of the time-based audio information, wherein the sensory output aids the user in obtaining a sense of the whole of the time-based information in the input coordinate space.