Non-telephonic, wireless information presentation device

• US 6,484,011 B1
• Filed: 07/06/1999
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Evolve Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Thompson, Brandt, Darbee, Paul, OʼDonnell, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US09/347,554
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 348/734, 348/13, 348/725, 340/825.44, 340/825.46, 340/825.35, 340/825.22, 455/3-4-, 455/412, 455/31-- 3, 455/566, 455/3.06, 455/419
• US Class Current: 455/3.06
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/36 Visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The wireless information presentation device includes a power supply, a visual display, circuitry for turning on and off the wireless information presentation device, RF wireless receiver device for receiving, from a host device, selected information including news, weather, sports, broadcast media content and advertising, switch circuitry for selecting and structure including liquid crystal materials for displaying one the selected information on the display and structure associated with the liquid crystal materials for maintaining advertising displayed on the visual display of the wireless information presentation device after a predetermined timeout period from the last actuation of the switch circuitry.

Claims

1. A wireless information presentation device including a power supply, a visual display, means for turning on and turning off said wireless information presentation device, RF wireless receiver means for receiving, from a host device, selected information including news, weather, sports, broadcast media content and advertising;

switch means for selecting and displaying means, including liquid crystal materials, for displaying one of said selected information on said display;

means for detecting and displaying on the visual display a low-battery condition together with an advertisement for a particular brand of battery; and

maintaining means associated with said liquid crystal materials for maintaining advertising displayed on said visual display of said wireless information presentation device after a timeout period from the last actuation of said switch means.

2. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein the host device is a cable decoder box.

3. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein the host device is a satellite decoder box.

4. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein the host device is a telephone company decoder box.

5. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein the host device is a television set.

6. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein the host device is a computer.

7. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 including wireless transmitting means for sending information to the host device.

8. The wireless information presentation device of claim 7 wherein said RF wireless receiving means and said RF wireless transmitting means are constructed and arranged to exchange information with a wireless modem.

9. The wireless information presentation device of claim 8 wherein said wireless information presentation device has intelligence for operating said modem.

10. The wireless information presentation device of claim 7 wherein some of the information comprises an advertising offer, and said wireless information presentation device includes input means for enabling a user to responding to said advertising offer via said RF wireless transmitting means using said input means.

11. The wireless information presentation device of claim 7 including means for moving a cursor on a host display.

12. The wireless information presentation device of claim 7 including a touch-sensitive display screen.

13. The wireless information presentation device of claim 7 wherein some of the information comprises an advertising offer, and said wireless information presentation device includes means for responding to the advertising offer using said wireless information presentation device.

14. The wireless information presentation device of claim 7 including means for synchronizing information displayed on said visual display of said wireless information presentation device with information being displayed on a host device and/or other remote display(s).

15. The wireless information presentation device of claim 14 wherein synchronization is achieved by said wireless information presentation device sending cursor position data to a host device.

16. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 including means for receiving date/time information from the host device.

17. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 including a buffer memory capable of storing information for being displayed under command from a realtime clock in said wireless information presentation device.

18. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein the information received from the host device is in compressed form.

19. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 including means for producing sound.

20. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 including motion detection means for placing said wireless information presentation device in a given state when it is picked up by a user.

21. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein said visual display includes a touch-sensitive display screen.

22. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein some of the information comprises a “

trailer”

from an advertisement appearing on a host device, thus giving the user more time to respond to an offer in the advertisement.

23. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein some of the information comprises games which can be played on said wireless information presentation device.

24. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein the selected information displayed includes an advertisement.

25. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 being programmed to cycle a buffer memory in a ROM/RAM circuit to display on the visual display multiple categories of information.

26. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein said wireless means for receiving data is constructed and arranged to receive IR data or visible light data from an IR transmitter or in a visible light signal from a TV screen or other flashing light source.

27. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein said wireless receiving means includes means for receiving data via radio signals sent from short range from one of a wireless modem, a settop box, a TV, or a computer.

28. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein said RF wireless receiving means includes means for receiving data via infrared signals sent from one of a wireless modem, a settop box, a TV, or a computer.

29. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 including means for receiving image data in the form of drawing commands and means for executing the drawing commands by drawing an image on said visual display.

30. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein some of the information received from a host device comprises a subset of an electronic program guide to be displayed on the wireless information presentation device and being limited to a selection of a channel, or a limited span of time, or a specific area of interest.

31. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 including means for reading the magnetic stripe on a credit card.

32. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 including a pointing means for moving a cursor on said visual display.

33. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 including a touch-sensitive display screen.

34. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein some of the information comprises executable code to be run on said wireless information presentation device.

35. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein some of the information includes an interactive application for being run on the wireless information presentation device for setting up he wireless information presentation device.

36. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein some of the received information include data for displaying a user guide and/or context-sensitive help on the wireless information presentation device.

37. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 including means for releasably mounting said wireless information presentation device to an object, person or surface.

38. The wireless information presentation device of claim 37 wherein said mounting means is a magnet for attaching said wireless information presentation device to a metal surface.

39. The wireless information presentation device of claim 37 wherein said mounting means is a suction cup for attaching said wireless information presentation device to an impervious surface.

40. The wireless information presentation device of claim 37 wherein said mounting means include an adhesive for attaching said wireless information presentation device to a surface.

41. The wireless information presentation device of claim 37 wherein said mounting means include hook and loop material fixed to a surface of said wireless information presentation device and mating hook and loop material fixed to a surface on which said wireless information presentation device is to be mounted.

42. The wireless information presentation device of claim 37 wherein said mounting means include a pin for attaching said wireless information presentation device to a suitable piece of material, such as clothing.

43. The wireless information presentation device of claim 37 wherein said mounting means is selected from the class consisting of a chain, a string, a ribbon, or other flexible means for attaching said wireless information presentation device to another object or to a person.

44. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 including means for supporting said wireless information presentation device on a generally horizontal surface with said visual display facing laterally, much like a picture in a stand up picture frame.

45. The wireless information presentation device of claim 44 wherein said means for supporting said wireless information presentation device on a generally horizontal surface includes fold out structure which folds out from the back of said wireless information presentation display.

46. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein said information presentation device is configured to look like and act as a beverage coaster.

47. The wireless information presentation device of claim 1 wherein said maintaining means associated with said liquid crystal materials is constructed and arranged to maintain advertising on said display after said wireless information device is turned off.