Interactive personal interpretive device and system for retrieving information about a plurality of objects
First Claim
1. A system for retrieving and displaying object information for any of a plurality of distributed objects, each object associated with object information, the system comprising:
- a plurality of object identification devices, each object identification device disposed near at least one object, and transmitting an object identification signal identifying the object or objects near which the object identification device is disposed within a transmission area;
a personal interpretive device, comprising;
a receiver for receiving an object identification signal from an object identification device of which the personal interpretive device is within the transmission area of the object identification device;
a storage device for storing object information, including audio data, graphic data, and text data for at least one of the plurality of objects, the object information for each object associated in the storage device with at least one object identification signal;
a processor operatively coupled to the receiver and the storage device, retrieving from the storage device the object information associated with the object identification signal received by the receiver;
an audio output device operatively coupled to the processor adapted to output audio data included in the retrieved object information;
a display operatively coupled to the processor, adapted to output text data or graphic data included in the retrieved object information; and
a map generator operatively coupled to the display for generating a map having graphic representations of selected objects, the map generator operatively coupled to the storage device for retrieving from the storage device the graphic representation of the selected objects.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for providing interpretive information about objects or exhibits located in a facility employs a plurality of object identification devices, each disposed at an object or exhibit of interest, and each transmitting a signal identifying the object there located, and any number of personal interpretive devices that receive the signal and retrieve information from a storage device about the object identified by the received signal. The retrieved information includes text data, graphic data, and audio data, which is a recording of the text data. The text data is output on a display and the audio data is output by an audio output circuit in synchronism with the text display. The data is stored in a compressed format to increase the overall amount of information available. Information comparing an object with previous objects is retrieved when the object is one of predetermined set of objects, and others in the set having already been viewed. The information about the objects includes both general and detailed information, and the level of information retrieved is selectable by the visitor. When the visitor has retrieved detailed information for a predetermined number of exhibits, detailed information is retrieved directly for further exhibits. A timing function limits the amount of time the personal interpretive device can be used. The personal interpretive devices may be interconnected via signal transmission to allows interconnected devices to commonly view object information. The system regulates traffic in the facility by monitoring the positions of the personal interpretive device and redirecting them to less congested locations.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A system for retrieving and displaying object information for any of a plurality of distributed objects, each object associated with object information, the system comprising:
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a plurality of object identification devices, each object identification device disposed near at least one object, and transmitting an object identification signal identifying the object or objects near which the object identification device is disposed within a transmission area; a personal interpretive device, comprising; a receiver for receiving an object identification signal from an object identification device of which the personal interpretive device is within the transmission area of the object identification device; a storage device for storing object information, including audio data, graphic data, and text data for at least one of the plurality of objects, the object information for each object associated in the storage device with at least one object identification signal; a processor operatively coupled to the receiver and the storage device, retrieving from the storage device the object information associated with the object identification signal received by the receiver; an audio output device operatively coupled to the processor adapted to output audio data included in the retrieved object information; a display operatively coupled to the processor, adapted to output text data or graphic data included in the retrieved object information; and a map generator operatively coupled to the display for generating a map having graphic representations of selected objects, the map generator operatively coupled to the storage device for retrieving from the storage device the graphic representation of the selected objects. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, 38, 39)
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21. A computer implemented method for retrieving and displaying object information for any of a plurality of distributed objects, each object associated with object information, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing object information in a memory, including audio data, graphic data, and text data, for at least one of the plurality of objects, the object information for each object being stored in association with at least one object identification signal associated with the object; wirelessly receiving a transmitted object identification signal within a transmission area in a vicinity of at least one object; retrieving from storage the object information associated with the received object identification signal for the at least one object; outputting audio data included in the retrieved object information; displaying text data or graphic data included in the retrieved object information; selectively retrieving a stored graphic representation of selected objects; and generating a map having the graphic representations of the selected objects. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification