Subject identification aid using location

• US 6,546,368 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2000
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advantage Midwest, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Identity Concepts LLC
• Inventors: Weninger, Thomas W., Warner, Kevin James, Seeman, Nancy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knepper, David D.
• Application Number:
  US09/620,267
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 704/246, 704/250, 704/270, 342/357-1-3, 701/211
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/487 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/26 Recognition of special voice characteristics, e.g. for use in lie detectors; Recognition of animal voices

Abstract

A device includes a visual display and a memory for storing a plurality of subject record sets. The device may be used by a user to help identify a subject, and information related to the identified subject may be displayed on the visual display. In one embodiment of the present invention, the device includes a clock that determines the present time and a locator that determines the present location of the device. The subject record sets stored in the memory are evaluated to identify those subjects that are likely to be proximate the present location at the present time.

Claims

1. A device for aiding a user in identifying a subject, comprising:

locator means for determining a present location of the device;

memory means for storing a plurality of subject record sets, each describing a subject;

each subject record set including at least one location parameter that indicate a likely location or range of locations for the corresponding subject; and

identification means coupled to the locator means and the memory means for evaluating the subject record sets and identifying those subjects that are likely to be proximate the present location.

2. The device of claim 1, further including:

clock means coupled to the identification means for determining a present time;

each subject record set including at least one time parameter;

each time parameter being paired with a location parameter for describing a time when the subject is likely to be proximate the location described by the location parameter; and

the identification means being adapted to evaluate the subject record sets and identify those subjects that are likely to be proximate the present location at the present time.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the clock means for determining the present time is adapted to determine the present time of year.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the clock means for determining the present time is adapted to determine the present time of day.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the locator means comprises a global positioning system.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the identification means comprises a microprocessor.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein each subject record set further includes a name record comprising text corresponding to a name of the subject described by the subject record set.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein each subject record set further includes an appearance record comprising digital data corresponding to a pictorial representation of the subject described by the subject record set.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein each subject record set further includes at least one sound record comprising digital data corresponding to a characteristic sound likely to be produced by the subject described by the subject record set.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the characteristic sound is a birdsong.

11. The device of claim 9, further including a sound producing means for producing the characteristic sound corresponding to a sound record.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the sound producing means includes a speaker.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the sound producing means is activated by depressing a button.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more subject record sets further include a plurality of sound records, each sound record comprising digital data corresponding to a different characteristic sound likely to be produced by the subject described by the subject record set.

15. The device of claim 1, further including a display means for displaying a listing of those subjects likely to be proximate the present location.

16. The device of claim 13, further including selection means for selecting one of the subjects in the displayed listing.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the display means comprises a liquid crystal display.

18. The device of claim 1, further including a display means for displaying a pictorial representation of a subject.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the display means comprises a color liquid crystal display.

20. The device of claim 1, further including a display means for displaying text and a pictorial representation related to a subject.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein each subject record set further includes a classification record.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the classification record describes a genus associated with the subject.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the classification record describes a species associated with the subject.

24. The device of claim 21, wherein the classification record describes a family associated with the subject.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein each subject record set further includes a classification record, and a name record comprising text corresponding to a name of the subject described by the subject record set.

26. The device of claim 25, further including:

a display means for displaying a listing of the classifications of the subjects likely to be proximate the present location;

selection means for selecting one of the displayed classifications; and

wherein selection of one of the displayed classifications causes the display means to display the name record of the subject record set for each of the subjects that are members of the selected classification.

27. The device of claim 1, wherein each subject record set describes a living being.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein each subject record set describes a bird.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein each subject record set describes a person.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein each subject record set describes an insect.

31. The device of claim 27, wherein each subject record set describes a fish.

32. The device of claim 27, wherein each subject record set describes a mammal.

33. The device of claim 1, wherein each subject record set describes an object.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein each subject record set describes a vehicle.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein each subject record set describes a mineral.

36. The device of claim 33, wherein each subject record set describes a rock.

37. A method for aiding a user in identifying a subject, comprising the steps of:

determining a present location;

determining one or more subjects that are likely to be proximate the present location; and

displaying information related to the identified subjects.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising the steps of:

determining a present time; and

determining one or more subjects that are likely to be proximate the present location at the present time.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of:

playing a sound recording of a characteristic sound likely produced by one or more subjects.

40. A device for identifying one of a number of subjects and/or for aiding a user in identifying one of a number of subjects, comprising:

a sound sensor for detecting a sample sound originating from one or more subjects of the number of subjects to be identified;

memory means for storing one or more characteristic sound records corresponding to characteristic sounds produced by the number of subjects;

identifying means for identifying one or more characteristic sound records that may corresponds to the sample sound; and

means for providing information to the user regarding the one or more subjects that correspond to the one or more identified characteristic sound records.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein the memory means further stores a subject record set for each of the number of subjects, each of the subject record sets including information related to the corresponding subject.

42. The device of claim 41, further comprising display means for displaying at least some of the information in the subject record set that corresponds to the subject identified by the identification means.

43. The device of claim 40, wherein the memory means further stores the sample sound record detected by the sound sensor.

44. The device of claim 40, wherein the sound sensor comprises a microphone.

45. The device of claim 40, wherein the identifying means includes a microprocessor.

46. The device of claim 40, wherein the information provided to the user includes playing back one or more of the identified characteristic sound records through a sound producing means.

47. A device for electronically storing journal entries, comprising:

locator means for determining a present location of the device;

memory means for storing a plurality of journal entries;

user input means for entering a journal entry; and

a controller coupled to the locator means, the memory means, and the data entry means for storing in the memory means a journal entry entered via the user input means along with the present location.

48. The device of claim 47, further including:

clock means coupled to the controller for determining a present time; and

the controller being adapted to store the present time in the memory means along with the journal entry and the present location.

49. The device of claim 47, wherein the user input means comprises a keypad.

50. The device of claim 47, wherein the user input means comprises a touch sensitive display screen.

51. A method of electronically storing journal entries, comprising the steps of:

determining the present location;

providing a journal entry; and

electronically storing the journal entry along with the present location.

52. The method of claim 51, further comprising the steps of:

determining a present time; and

electronically storing the present time along with the journal entry and the present location.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein the journal entry is stored in an electronic device.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the electronic device includes a key and the journal entry is electronically stored by depressing the key.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the electronic device includes a touch sensitive display screen and the journal entry is electronically stored by depressing a portion of the touch sensitive display screen.

56. A method for aiding a user in identifying a bird, comprising the steps of:

displaying one or more categories of birds likely to be near the user;

selecting a category of birds;

displaying one or more birds of the selected category of birds;

selecting one of the displayed birds;

displaying a description of the selected bird; and

allowing the user to play one or more songs characteristic of the selected bird.

57. A method for aiding a user in identifying a bird, comprising the steps of:

displaying one or more categories of birds;

selecting a category of birds;

displaying one or more birds of the selected category of birds;

selecting one of the displayed birds; and

displaying information related to the selected bird.

58. A method according to claim 57 wherein the displaying step displays one or more categories of birds that are likely to be near the user.

59. A method for aiding a user in identifying a bird in a geographic region, the method comprising the steps of:

providing information related to a set of birds that are expected to be in the geographic region;

providing one or more menus to allow the user to select one of the birds from the set of birds; and

displaying information related to the selected bird.