Information storage system and book device for providing information in response to the user specification

• US 5,739,814 A
• Filed: 09/28/1992
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Original Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD. (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Sugiura, Shinichirou, Ohara, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Application Number:
  US07/951,862
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 341/31-34, 434/336, 345/156, 345/173, 345/175, 345/179
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0283 for data storage and retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0386 for light pen

Abstract

An electronic book which can store, in a ROM, a computer program, is integrated with graphic and textual material on a series of pages. Various input devices such as a finger, a light pen, a touch pen, etc. can be utilized with a sensing circuit combined with the page for inputting data into the computer system. The computer system can display this information in both an audio and visual manner.

Claims

1. In an information processing system including a computer-based system and an information storage device for providing an input to the computer-based system,

said information storage device comprising:

a plurality of sheets containing visual indicia, said plurality of sheets being bound together as a book and capable of being sequentially displayed to a user;

a position selection circuit integrated into each sheets

a read only memory device which stores, in an electronically readable form, information coordinated with a spatial location of the visual indicia on the sheets; and

first connector means for deriving the information stored in the read only memory; and

said computer-based system comprising;

second connector means to which said first connector means is detachably connected whereby the information storage device with the read only memory device is removably mounted to the computer-based system;

input means including a touch pen for inputting location information of a selected position on a specific sheet relative to the visual indicia operationally connecting to the position selection circuit integrated in the specific sheet;

control means for responding to the input means to address the memory device for providing data corresponding to the spatial location of the visual indicia via said connector means;

processing means for processing the data to provide a video signal corresponding to the spatial location of the position selected by the user for displaying visual indicia on a display screen; and

a touch panel for providing further coordinate information relative to the visual indicia selected on the specific user sheet.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said computer-based system further includes a manual controller for providing further coordinate information relative to the visual indicia for displaying the visual indicium selected by the user on the display screen.

3. A system comprising an information processing device and a removably attachable, book shaped information storage device

(1) the book shaped information storage device including:

(a) a sheet;

(b) a visual indicia located at an arbitrary position on the sheet;

(c) a position selection circuit integrated into the sheet and outputting positional information corresponding to a user-designated position;

(d) a ROM located in the book and storing a visual information packet corresponding to the visual indicia at a ROM address; and

(e) a book connector inputting the ROM address and outputting the visual information packet from the ROM; and

(2) the information processing device including;

(a) a base connector detachably connecting to the book connector when said book-shaped information storage device is attached to the information processing device;

(b) means for receiving the positional information from the position selection circuit;

(c) control means for generating the ROM address based on the positional information received from the position selection circuit, for retrieving the visual information packet from the ROM by outputting the ROM address to the book connector via the base connector, and for receiving the visual information packet output by the book connector via the base connector; and

(d) data processing means for processing the visual information packet retrieved by the control means to provide a video signal for displaying the visual information packet on a display monitor.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising a display monitor that is connected to the data processing means of said information processing device.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the information processing device further includes a touch panel for providing userdefined coordinate information for displaying the visual indicia packet at a user-defined-location.

6. In an information processing system including in combination a book for providing information to a user and an information processing apparatus, said book comprising:

a plurality of sheets containing visual indicia thereon, wherein the indicia are located at arbitrary positions in two dimensions on the sheets, said plurality of sheets being bound together as a book;

a ROM memory device incorporated in the book and storing a plurality of packets of information, each packet of information corresponding to one of the visual indicia on a particular location on one of the sheets; and

data output means through which said packets of information are supplied to the information processing;

the information processing apparatus comprising;

connector means to which said data output means is detachably connected so that said information storage device with said ROM memory device is removably installed to the information processing apparatus;

input means for providing, in response to an operation by a user, a positional information indicative of a two-dimensionally designated position on a specific sheet among the sheets, said designated position being relative to a corresponding one of the visual indicia, wherein said input means supplies the positional information indicative of the two-dimensionally designated position on the specific sheet;

control means for responding to the input means to access the ROM memory device through said connector means at an address corresponding to the positional information which corresponds to the particular location of the corresponding one of the visual indicia relative to the designated position;

data processing means for processing the provided packet of information to provide a video signal for displaying visual information on a display monitor; and

a touch panel for providing user-defined coordinate information for displaying the visual indicia packet at a user-defined location.

7. The invention of claim 6, wherein said information storage device includes a sensor circuit integrated into each of the sheets, said sensor circuit being functionally connected to said input means when the information storage device is installed to the information processing apparatus.

8. The invention of claim 6, wherein said information storage device includes a particular bar code indicative of a positional information printed in connection with each of the visual indicia on the sheets and said input means includes means for reading the bar code.

9. The system of claim 6 further comprising a display monitor that is connected to the data processing means of said information processing device.

10. A book device combining a software instruction manual and software program storage device in book-like form, for use with a data processing device having control means for two-dimensionally identifying a particular location on a specific sheet among a plurality of sheets of the book, each particular location being related to a corresponding one of visual indicia printed on the sheet and data processing means for processing information to provide a video signal for displaying visual information on a display monitor, said device comprising:

a plurality of sheets containing visual indicia comprising instructions for operating software therein, wherein the indicia may be located at arbitrary positions in two dimensions on the sheets, said plurality of sheets being bound in a book format;

a ROM memory device incorporated within the book for storing a plurality of packets of information, each packet of information corresponding to one of the visual indicia on a particular location on one of the sheets; and

connector means for electrically and detachably connecting the ROM memory device to the data processing device so that the book-like device with the ROM memory device is removably installed to the data processing device, whereby a packet of information, from among the plurality of packets of information, related to the particular location identified by said means for identifying is input to the data processing device and whereby the program can be read into the data processing device for execution.

11. The invention of claim 10, wherein the indicia is operating instructions for running a software program stored in the memory device.

12. The invention of claim 10, wherein said book device further includes a sensor means integrated into each of the sheets and responsive to manual contact by a user.

13. The invention of claim 10, wherein said book device further includes bar codes printed with respect to the visual indicia on each sheet.

14. The book device according to claim 10, wherein the ROM memory device is of an electronic type, for electronically storing the software program.

15. An electronic book for interfacing with a computer system with an audio and visual output, said computer system having sensor means including a touch pen for identifying specific spacial locations of visual indicia printed in the book, said electronic book comprising:

a plurality of sheets containing visual indicia which provide operating instructions, the sheets being bound together along one edge in a book format, and being capable of being sequentially displayed to the user;

a read only memory device for electronically storing information coordinated with the spacial location of the visual indicia on the sheets, the read only memory being operatively mounted in the book format and storing a program, wherein operating instructions for running the program are provided by the visual indicia; and

connector means for electrically and detachably connecting the read only memory devices to the computer system so that the electronic book with the read only memory device is removably installed to the computer system, wherein in response to a user'"'"'s operation to cause the touch pen to touch a location related to a desired indicium on one of the sheets the stored program corresponding to the selected spacial location is inputted to the computer system to provide audio and visual outputs to the user.

16. In an information processing system including a computer-based system and an information storage device for providing an input to the computer-based system,

said information storage device comprising:

a plurality of sheets containing visual indicia, said plurality of sheets being bound together as a book and capable of being sequentially displayed to the user;

a read only memory device which stores, in an electronically readable form, information coordinated with a spatial location of the visual indicia on the sheets; and

first connector means for deriving the information stored in the read only memory; and

said computer-based system comprising;

second connector means to which said first connector means is detachably connected whereby the information storage device with the read only memory device is removably mounted to the computer-based system;

input means including a touch pen for inputting location information of a selected position on a specific sheet relative to the visual indicia;

control means for responding to the input means to address the memory device for providing data corresponding to the spacial location of the visual indicia via said connector means;

processing means for processing the data to provide a video signal corresponding to the spacial location of the position selected by the user for displaying visual indicia on a display screen; and

a touch panel for providing further coordinate information relative to the visual indicia selected on the specific sheet by the user.

17. The invention of claim 16, wherein said information storage device includes a sensor circuit integrated into each sheet, the sensor circuit being formed so as to be operationally connected with said input means for providing location information relative to the visual indicia when the information storage device is mounted to the computer-based system.

18. The invention of claim 16, wherein said information storage device includes bar codes relative to the visual indicia on each sheet, and said input means includes means for reading the bar codes.

19. The invention of claim 16, wherein said computer-based system further includes a manual controller for providing further coordinate information relative to the visual indicia for displaying the visual indicium selected by the user on the display screen.

20. An information storing device for use in an apparatus for displaying a visual image on a display screen, said apparatus comprising a storage space on which the information storing device is to be detachably mounted, connector means to which the information storing device is to be detachably connected, and a control means retrieving the data from the information storing device, comprising:

a plurality of sheet plates bound together to form a book format, each sheet plate having a plurality of visual indicia, readable by an operator, indicated at locations of the surface thereof;

an integrated read only memory integratedly assembled on the book format so that the read only memory is detachably mounted together with the book format on the storage space of the apparatus, said read only memory storing a plurality of packets of information which are indicative of the visual indicia and of coordinates at the surfaces of said sheet plates corresponding to positions of the respective visual indicia;

connector means from which said packets of information are to be transmitted to the apparatus when connected to the connector means of the apparatus; and

sensor means associated with the respective visual indicia, said sensor means providing a coordinate signal indicative of the specific location at the surface of the sheet plate selected by the operator;

whereby, when the information storing device is mounted on the storage space of the apparatus, said control means retrieves the data from the packet of information corresponding to the specific indicia selected by the operator.

21. An apparatus for displaying a visual image on a display screen comprising:

a storage space on which an information storage device is to be detachably mounted, said information storage device containing a sheet plate with a plurality of visual indicia, readable by an operator, indicated at locations of the surface thereof, a read only memory assembled together with the sheet plate so that the read only memory is detachably mounted together with the sheet plate on the storage space, said read only memory storing a plurality of packets of information indicative of the visual indicia and of coordinates corresponding to positions of the respective visual indicia, connector means from which said packets of information are to be transmitted, and sensor means associated with the respective visual indicia,

a connector member to which the connector means of the information storage device is to be detachably connected; and

a control means, responsive to the information supplied through said connector means from said information storing device and responsive to a coordinate signal supplied from said sensor means indicative of the specific location at the surface of the sheet plate, retrieving the data from the packet of information corresponding to the specific indicia selected by the operator.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a touch pen connected to said control means so that said sensor means supplies the coordinate signal indicative of the specific location at the surface of the sheet plate selected by the operator touching a desired surface area of said sheet plate with said touch pen;

and

a touch panel electrically connected to said control means so that said touch panel in cooperation with said touch pen supplies the coordinate signal indicative of the location on the display screen at which the selected image is to be displayed, said location being selected by the operator touching a desired location of said touch panel with said touch pen.