Systems and methods that detect proximity information using electric field sensing devices and a page identification using embedded identification tags

• US 6,262,662 B1
• Filed: 02/25/2000
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chartoleaux KG LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Back, Maribeth J., Minneman, Scott L., Cohen, Jonathan R., Goldstein, Richard J., Harrison, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US09/512,890
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/825.19, 340/10.1, 340/10.51, 340/551, 434/112, 434/113, 434/114, 434/115, 434/116, 235/435, 235/462.15
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer

Abstract

Identifier tags are embedded in pages of a document. Each of these identifier tags identifies the particular page that a reader is viewing. By correlating the currently read page to information stored memory, dynamic content corresponding to the currently read page can be activated. Additionally, proximity sensors are associated with one or more portions of the document. Thus, the range of dynamic content can also be activated by placing an object within the sensible area of the proximity sensors. This dynamic content can include, for example, lighting, sound effects, environmental conditions, or the like.

Claims

1. A page identification and proximity information system for use with an object, comprising:

at least one identification tag;

at least one identification tag reader having a sensible area that senses whether the at least one identification tag is located within the sensible area;

at least one proximity sensor that senses whether the object is in a proximity of the at least one proximity sensor; and

a page identification management system that determines a page identification, wherein the at least one identification tag and the at least one proximity sensor are associated with one or more portions of a document.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the page identification management system controls dynamic content based on at least one of the determined page identification and proximity information corresponding to the at least one proximity sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an identification tag identifier memory that stores associations between the at least one identification tag and the one or more pages of a document;

an identification tag page determination device that determines at least one currently viewed page based on the associations;

a proximity identifier memory that stores associations between the at least one proximity sensor and the one or more portions of a document; and

a proximity sensor determination device that determines at least one currently viewed portion of a page based on the associations.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one of the proximity sensor identifier memory and the identification tag identifier memory identify dynamic content associated with the at least one currently viewed portion.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the dynamic content is at least one of music, sound effects, voice recordings, spot lighting, ambient room lighting, temperature, chair motion control, volume control, pan, fade, web page access, and effects on a computer comprising dynamic text, colors, patterns, graphics and multimedia presentations.

6. The system of claim 4, further comprising a dynamic content controller that controls one or more dynamic content providing devices based on the at least one currently viewed page.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one identification tag and proximity sensor is at least one of an electronic device, a capacitive device, an inductive device, an electromechanical device, a micro-machine, a micro-electromechanical device, an ultrasonic transmitting device or a microchip.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one identification tag reader is at least one of a an electronic sensing device, an electromechanical sensing device, an inductive sensing device, a capacitive sensing device, a microchip reader, a micro-machine device reader, a micro-electromechanical device reader or an ultrasonic reader.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the page identification management system is capable of determining at least one of the page identification and the proximity information based just on a users interaction with the document.

10. A method for determining at least one currently viewed page comprising:

detecting at least one identification tag;

sensing the proximity of an object to at least one proximity sensor; and

correlating the at least one identification tag and a page identifier, wherein the at least one identification tag and the at least one proximity sensor are associated with one or more portions of a document.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising activating dynamic content based on at least one of the page identifier and proximity information received from the at least one proximity sensor.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

retrieving an association between the at least one identification tag and the one or more pages of a document;

determining at least one currently viewed page based on the association;

retrieving an association between the at least one proximity sensor and the one or more sensible portions of a document; and

determining at least one currently sensed portion based on the association.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising identifying dynamic content associated with at least one of the currently viewed portion and the currently sensed portion.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the dynamic content is at least one of music, sound effects, voice recordings, spot lighting, ambient room lighting, temperature, chair motion control, volume control, pan, fade, web page access, and effects on a computer comprising dynamic text, colors, patterns, graphics and multimedia presentations.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling one or more dynamic content providing devices based on the at least one currently viewed page.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the at least one proximity sensor and the at least one identification tag is at least one of an electronic device, a capacitive device, an inductive device, an electromechanical device, a micro-machine, a micro-electromechanical device, an ultrasonic transmitting device or a microchip.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one identification tag reader is at least one of a an electronic sensing device, an electromechanical sensing device, an inductive sensing device, a capacitive sensing device, a microchip reader, a micro-machine device reader, a micro-electromechanical device reader or an ultrasonic reader.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the page identification and proximity information are determined based just on a users interaction with the document.

19. An information storage medium having information that determines at least one currently viewed page comprising:

information that effects detection of at least one identification tag;

information that effects detection of at least one object to at least one proximity sensor; and

information that correlates the at least one identification tag and a page identifier, wherein the at least one identification tag and the at least one proximity sensor are associated with one or more portions of a document.

20. The information storage medium of claim 19, further comprising information that activates dynamic content based on at least one of the page identifier and proximity information received from the at least one proximity sensor.

21. The information storage medium of claim 19, further comprising:

information that retrieves an association between the at least one identification tag and the one or more pages of a document;

information that determines at least one currently viewed page based on the association;

information that retrieves an association between the at least one proximity sensor and one or more sensed portions of a document; and

information that determines at least one sensed portion based on the association.

22. The information storage medium of claim 21, further comprising information that identifies dynamic content associated with at least one of the at least one currently viewed portion and the at least one sensed portion.

23. The information storage medium of claim 22, wherein the dynamic content is at least one of music, sound effects, voice recordings, spot lighting, ambient room lighting, temperature, chair motion control, volume control, pan, fade, web page access, and effects on a computer comprising dynamic text, colors, patterns, graphics and multimedia presentations.

24. The information storage medium of claim 22, further comprising information that controls one or more dynamic content providing devices.

25. The information storage medium of claim 19, wherein at least one of the at least one proximity sensors and the at least one identification tag is at least one of an electronic device, a capacitive device, an inductive device, an electromechanical device, a micro-machine, a micro-electromechanical device, an ultrasonic transmitting device or a microchip.

26. The information storage medium of claim 19, wherein the at least one identification tag reader is at least one of a an electronic sensing device, an electromechanical sensing device, an inductive sensing device, a capacitive sensing device, a microchip reader, a micro-machine device reader, a micro-electromechanical device reader or an ultrasonic reader.

27. The information storage medium of claim 19, wherein the page identification and the sensed portion are determined based just on a users interaction with the document.