Convention ID badge system

• US 5,936,542 A
• Filed: 11/24/1995
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nomadix, Inc. (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nomadix, Inc. (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Kleinrock, Leonard, Short, Joel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US08/562,515
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.34, 340/825.31, 235/380, 235/382.5, 235/382, 235/492, 395/201, 395/230
• US Class Current: 340/5.61
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06009 with optically detectable marking G06K19/063, G06K19/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass

Abstract

A convention ID badge system which provides a trade-show badging system for two-way data exchange. It uses a floppy disk as an ID badge and stores exhibitor'"'"'s data on the ID badge. A user takes home an electronic record of the event, electronically stores all the brochures onto the diskette and computerizes a business card by using the IDisk. The new IDisk System replaces the old fashioned badge with a floppy disk loaded with information that attendees take home with them. The IDisk System has two components: the attendee Idisk badge and the exhibitor IDisk station. The badge identifies attendees by name visually and by electronic imprint, plus it provides room to retrieve selected data from the exhibitor'"'"'s IDisk station.

Claims

1. A conference ID badge system comprising a portable identification memory device, an identification writer for writing a user'"'"'s identification in the memory device, a label printer connected to the identification writer for printing a label with a part of the user'"'"'s identification in large distance-legible letters, the label being fixed on the memory device, a memory device holder with an attachment for attaching to a user'"'"'s clothing, and a receiver for receiving the portable identification memory device and for displaying the label on the memory device for visual access from a distance, plural storage reader-writers at exhibitor locations having a memory storage for storing exhibitor information about exhibitors, and having memory device slots for temporarily holding the portable identification memory device and having reading and writing heads adjacent the slots for reading user'"'"'s identification into the storage and for writing stored exhibitor information into the portable identification memory device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the identification writer is a computer.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the storage reader-writers are computers.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the portable identification memory device is a 3.5" floppy disk.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the portable identification memory device is a PCMCIA or PC Card.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the portable identification memory device is a smart card.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the portable identification memory device is a Flash card.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the portable identification memory device is a ZipDisk.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the portable identification memory device is a Floptical disk.

10. A convention attendee system comprising an exhibitor'"'"'s station having a programmable computer with a program for automatically receiving and storing information from a user'"'"'s identification data storage medium and for writing on that data storage medium information about an exhibitor and its products from a hard disk storage in the computer under control of a user according to the user'"'"'s selection of menus on a screen on the computer with a keyboard and mouse connected to the computer.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising attendees'"'"' badges comprising data storage media having affixed thereto large visually readable identification labels and carried in and removable from a clear plastic badge pockets with attachments for attaching the plastic badge pockets to clothing of attendees.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the data storage media are 3.5" floppy diskettes bearing large labels with identification indicia visually readable through the plastic pockets.

13. A convention attendee-exhibitor interface system comprising an attendee carried device including an identification badge and a coupled user data storage media for prerecording user identification data including an attendees'"'"' name, title, organization and addresses details in a predetermined format for recording utility software for accessing the storage medium for reading writing and checking data, and for providing available storage for exhibitor information, an exhibitor station having a computer with a memory for storing and providing exhibitor information data, a screen for displaying menus, a keyboard and a mouse for entering selections from the menu, a slot for receiving a control and an interface for receiving data from the user data storage media and for writing user identification data information from the attendee carried device into the memory under direction of the control and for providing the exhibitor information data from the memory to the user'"'"'s data storage media under direction of the control and user'"'"'s inputs on the keyboard and the mouse.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the data storage media are 3.5" floppy diskettes bearing large labels with identification indicia visually readable through the plastic pockets.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the attendee'"'"'s device includes a complementary user'"'"'s interface and the exhibitor station computer interface comprises an interface for communicating data with the user'"'"'s complementary interface by radio, infrared or wire.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the control provides an exhibitor with a complete record of identification of attendees who visited the exhibitor'"'"'s booth.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the control provides an organizer a complete record of attendees who visited an exhibitor'"'"'s booth, and a complete record of attendee'"'"'s responses to menus displayed on the exhibitor'"'"'s computer screens.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the control provides an organizer of a convention or trade show a complete record of attendees who visited an exhibitor'"'"'s booth.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the control provides an organizer of a convention or trade show a complete record of attendees who visited an exhibitor'"'"'s booth, and a complete record of attendee'"'"'s responses to menus displayed on the exhibitor'"'"'s computer screens.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein a control writes the time at which an attendee visits a booth, thereby providing time tracking of when the attendee attends the booth, how long before the attendee arrives at a next booth, and the order of booths visited.

21. An ID badge system comprising a portable identification memory device, an identification writer for writing a user'"'"'s identification in the memory device, a label printer connected to the identification writer for printing a label, a label with a part of the user'"'"'s identification in large distance-legible letters, the label being fixed on the memory device, a memory device holder with an attachment for attaching to a user'"'"'s clothing, and a receiver for receiving the portable memory device and for displaying the label on the memory device for visual access from a distance, plural storage reader-writers at locations having a memory storage for storing information, and having plural memory device slots for temporarily holding plural portable memory devices and having reading and writing heads adjacent the slots for reading user'"'"'s identification into the storage and for writing stored information into the portable identification memory device.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the identification writer is a computer.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the storage reader-writers are computers.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the portable identification memory device is a 3.5" floppy disk.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the portable identification memory device is a PCMCIA or PC Card.

26. The system of claim 21 wherein the portable identification memory device is a smart card.

27. The system of claim 21 wherein the portable identification memory device is a Flash card.

28. The system of claim 21 wherein the portable identification memory device is a ZipDisk.

29. The system of claim 21 wherein the portable identification memory device is a Floptical disk.

48. A system as in claim 27, in which the disk holder comprises an attachment for attaching the disk holder to a user'"'"'s clothing.

30. A user interface system comprising a station having a programmable computer with a program for automatically receiving and storing information from a user'"'"'s identification data storage medium and for writing on that data storage medium information from a hard disk storage in the computer under control of a user according to the user'"'"'s selection of menus on a screen on the computer with a keyboard and mouse connected to the computer.

31. The system of claim 30 further comprising users'"'"' badges comprising data storage media having affixed thereto large visually readable identification labels and carried in and removable from a clear plastic badge pockets with attachments for attaching the plastic badge pockets to clothing of users.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the data storage media are 3.5" floppy diskettes bearing large labels with identification indicia visually readable through the plastic pockets.

33. A user interface system comprising a user carried device including an identification badge and a coupled user data storage media for prerecording user identification data including users'"'"' names, titles, organizations and addresses details in a predetermined format for recording utility software for accessing the storage media for reading, writing and checking data, and for providing available storage for information, a station having a computer with a memory for storing and providing information data, a screen for displaying menus, a keyboard and a mouse for entering selections from the menu, a slot for receiving a control and an interface for receiving data from the user data storage media and for writing user identification data information from the user carried device into the memory under direction of the control and for providing the information data from the memory to the user'"'"'s data storage media under direction of the control and user'"'"'s inputs on the keyboard and the mouse.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the data storage media are 3.5" floppy diskettes bearing large labels with identification indicia visually readable through plastic pockets.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein the user carried device includes a complementary user'"'"'s interface and the station computer interface comprises an interface for communicating data with the user'"'"'s complementary interface by radio, infrared or wire.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein the control provides a complete record of identification of users who visited the station.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the control provides an organizer a complete record of users who visited a station, and a complete record of users responses to menus displayed on the computer screen.

38. The system of claim 33 wherein the control provides an organizer a record of users who visited the station.

39. The system of claim 33 wherein the control provides an organizer a complete record of users who visited a station, and a complete record of users'"'"' responses to menus displayed on the computer screen.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the control writes the time at which users visit the station, provides time tracking of when users attended the station, how long before the users arrived at a next station and an order of stations visited by the users.

41. A data transfer system, comprising:

a portable data storage medium having user data stored thereon; and

a terminal having terminal data stored therein, the terminal including a data transfer device which, when operatively connected to the storage medium, causes the user data to be transferred to and stored in the terminal, and enables at least a selected item of the terminal data to be transferred to and stored on the storage medium.

42. A system as in claim 41, in which:

the storage medium comprises a removable disk;

the data transfer device comprises a removable disk drive; and

the data transfer device is operatively connected to the storage medium by inserting the removable disk in the removable disk drive.

43. A system as in claim 42, in which:

the removable disk is a 3.5" magnetic floppy disk; and

the removable disk drive is a 3.5" magnetic floppy disk drive.

44. A system as in claim 41, in which:

the storage medium comprises a portable communicator for storing the user data and the terminal data; and

the data transfer device comprises a fixed communicator which communicates with the portable communicator.

45. A system as in claim 41, in which the storage medium comprises a disk having a storage medium user'"'"'s name thereon.

46. A system as in claim 45, in which the storage medium further comprises a label which has a storage medium user'"'"'s name thereon and is affixed to the disk.

47. A system as in claim 45, further comprising a disk holder for holding the disk such that the user'"'"'s name is visible.

49. A system as in claim 41, in which the terminal data is stored the storage medium as clear text.

50. A system as in claim 41, in which the storage medium further stores a program for reading terminal data which is stored thereon.

51. A system as in claim 50, in which:

the terminal data is stored on the storage medium as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) code; and

the program comprises a World Wide Web (WWW) browser for reading the HTML code.

52. A system as in claim 41, in which the terminal comprises:

a display for displaying a menu of items of the terminal data that can be selected for transfer to the storage medium; and

an input unit which enables selection of the items.

53. A system as in claim 52, in which the input unit comprises at least one of a keyboard and a mouse.

54. A system as in claim 52, which the terminal comprises a Graphic User Interface (GUI) for causing the display to display the menu and enable selection of the items using the input unit.

55. A system as in claim 41, further comprising a control medium for storing a control program for the terminal.

56. A system as in claim 55, in which the control medium comprises an internal storage device in the terminal.

57. A system as in claim 56, in which the internal storage device comprises a magnetic fixed disk drive.

58. A system as in claim 55, in which:

the control medium is portable; and

the system further comprises a reader which is operatively connected to the terminal for reading the control medium.

59. A system as in claim 55, in which:

the control medium comprises a PC card; and

the system further comprises a PC card reader which is operatively connected to the terminal for reading the PC card.

60. A system as in claim 55, in which the control program comprises code for preventing access to the control medium by the terminal except under control of the control program.

61. A system as in claim 55, in which the control program comprises code for preventing transmission of viruses to and from the storage medium and the terminal.

62. An identification badge comprising:

a portable data storage medium having user data stored thereon and which stores terminal data written thereon from a computer terminal; and

a visual user identification on the storage medium.

63. A badge as in claim 62, further comprising a label which has the visual user identification thereon and which is affixed to the storage medium.

64. A badge as in claim 62, in which the visual user identification comprises a user name.

65. A badge as in claim 62, in which the storage medium comprises a removable disk.

66. A badge as in claim 62, in which the storage medium comprises a 3.5" magnetic floppy disk.

67. A badge as in claim 62, further comprising a disk holder for holding the disk such that the visual user identification is visible.

68. A badge as in claim 67, in which the disk holder comprises an attachment for attaching the disk holder to a user'"'"'s clothing.

69. A badge as in claim 62, in which the terminal data is stored on the storage medium as clear text.

70. A badge as in claim 62, in which the storage medium further stores a program for reading terminal data which is stored thereon.

71. A badge as in claim 70, in which:

the terminal data is stored on the storage medium as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) code; and

the program comprises a World Wide Web (WWW) browser for reading the HTML code.

72. A conference ID badge system, comprising:

an attendee badge including a data storage medium having attendee data stored thereon; and

an exhibitor terminal having exhibitor data stored therein, the exhibitor terminal including a data transfer device which, when operatively connected to the storage medium, causes the attendee data to be transferred to and stored in the exhibitor terminal, and enables at least a selected item of the exhibitor data to be transferred to and stored on the storage medium.

73. A system as in claim 72, in which:

the storage medium comprises a removable disk;

the data transfer device comprises a removable disk drive; and

the data transfer device is operatively connected to the storage medium by inserting the removable disk in the removable disk drive.

74. A system as in claim 73, in which:

the removable disk is a 3.5" magnetic floppy disk; and

the removable disk drive is a 3.5" magnetic floppy disk drive.

75. A system as in claim 72, in which:

the storage medium comprises a portable communicator for storing the attendee data and the exhibitor data; and

the data transfer device comprises a fixed communicator which communicates with the portable communicator.

76. A system as in claim 72, in which:

the storage medium comprises a disk; and

the badge further comprises an attendee'"'"'s name on the disk.

77. A system as in claim 76, in which the storage medium further comprises a label which has the attendee'"'"'s name thereon and is affixed to the disk.

78. A system as in claim 76, further comprising a disk holder for holding the disk such that the attendee'"'"'s name is visible.

79. A system as in claim 78, in which the disk holder comprises an attachment for attaching the disk holder to an attendee'"'"'s clothing.

80. A system as in claim 72, in which the exhibitor data is stored on the storage medium as clear text.

81. A system as in claim 72, in which the storage medium further stores a program for reading exhibitor data which is stored thereon.

82. A system as in claim 81, in which:

the exhibitor data is stored on the storage medium as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) code; and

the program comprises a World Wide Web (WWW) browser for reading the HTML code.

83. A system as in claim 72, in which the exhibitor terminal comprises:

a display for displaying a menu of items of the exhibitor data that can be selected for transfer to the storage medium; and

an input unit which enables selection of the items.

84. A system as in claim 72, in which the input unit comprises at least one of a keyboard and a mouse.

85. A system as in claim 83, in which the exhibitor terminal comprises a Graphic User Interface (GUI) for causing the display to display the menu and enable selection of the items using the input unit.

86. A system as in claim 72, further comprising a control medium for storing a control program for the exhibitor terminal.

87. A system as in claim 86, in which the control medium comprises an internal storage device in the exhibitor terminal.

88. A system as in claim 87, in which the internal storage device comprises a magnetic fixed disk drive.

89. A system as in claim 86, in which:

the control medium is portable; and

the system further comprises a reader which is operatively connected to the exhibitor terminal for reading the control medium.

90. A system as in claim 86, in which:

the control medium comprises a PC card; and

the system further comprises a PC card reader which is operatively connected to the exhibitor terminal for reading the PC card.

91. A system as in claim 86, in which the control program comprises code for preventing access to the control medium by the exhibitor terminal except under control of the control program.

92. A system as in claim 86, in which the control program comprises code for preventing transmission of viruses to and from the storage medium and the exhibitor terminal.

93. A system as in claim 72, further comprising an administrator unit for storing the attendee data on the storage medium.

94. A system as in claim 93, in which:

the storage medium comprises a disk, and a label which has an attendee'"'"'s name printed thereon and is affixed to the disk; and

the administrator unit comprises a printer for printing the label.

95. A system as in claim 72, further comprising an administrator unit which is configured to record attendee data which is transferred to and stored in the exhibitor terminal, and selected items of exhibitor data which are transferred to and stored on the storage medium.

96. A system as in claim 95, further comprising a plurality of additional attendee badges and exhibitor terminals, in which the administrator unit is configured to record attendee data which is transferred to and stored in all exhibitor terminals, and selected items of exhibitor data which are transferred to and stored on all storage mediums.

97. A system as in claim 96, in which:

the administrator unit is configured to log attendee badges and exhibitor terminals between which attendee data is transferred.

98. A system as in claim 97, in which the administrator unit is further configured to log attendee badges and selected items of exhibitor data that are transferred.

99. A system as in claim 97, in which the administrator unit is further configured to log times at which attendee data is transferred.