Information service system capable of providing desired information depending on user-memorable information

• US 6,601,060 B1
• Filed: 03/10/2000
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tomaru, Tomonobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAM LINH T
• Application Number:
  US09/522,613
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995, 364/444, 179/15.5, 395/200.47, 370/352, 707/3, 707/4
• US Class Current: 707/621
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

An information service system allowing a user to use user-memorable information to obtain desired information includes: a portable device referring to an input logical concept indicating a destination, such as a dining hall for breakfast, a public bath, to search for a physical concept, such as “AZALEA (corresponding to the name of a dining hall for breakfast),” a corner on the third floor, and transmit a retrieved physical concept to a stationary device installed, e.g., at an intersection of passageways in a hotel, and receiving from the stationary device a direction to be taken by the user and displaying such direction; and the stationary device searching for a direction to a physical concept and transmitting to the portable device a retrieved direction to the physical concept. The information service system also includes an association control system to rewrite an association between a logical concept and a physical concept that is stored in the portable device.

Claims

1. An information service system comprising:

a portable device receiving information contained in a first group and converting the information contained in said first group into information contained in a second group for output; and

an information service device receiving the information contained in said second group and converting the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group;

wherein;

said portable device includes

an input block inputting the information contained in said first group,

a first memory storing an association between the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said second group,

a first conversion block connected to said input block and said first memory to receive the information contained in said first group and refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group into the information contained in said second group, and

a first transmit block connected to said first conversion block to receive an output of said first conversion block and transmit the output of said first conversion block to said information service device; and

said information service device includes

a second memory storing an association between the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said third group,

a first receive block receiving information from said first transmit block, and

a second conversion block connected to said first receive block and said second memory to receive an output of said first receive block and refer to the association stored in said second memory to convert the information contained in said second group into the information contained in said third group for output.

2. The information service system of claim 1, wherein said portable device also includes a rewrite block connected to said first memory to rewrite the association between the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said second group stored in said first memory.

3. The information service system of claim 1, wherein:

said second memory includes

a third memory storing an association between the information contained in said second group and information contained in a fourth group, and

a fourth memory storing an association between the information contained in said fourth group and the information contained in said third group; and

said second conversion block includes

a third conversion block connected to said first receive block and said third memory to receive the output of said first receive block and refer to the association stored in said third memory to convert the information contained in said second group into the information contained in said fourth group for output, and

a fourth conversion block connected to said third conversion block and said fourth memory to receive an output of said third conversion block and refer to the association stored in said fourth memory to convert the information contained in said fourth group into the information contained in said third group for output.

4. The information service system of claim 3, further comprising a central control system connected to said third memory to rewrite the association between the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said fourth group stored in said third memory.

5. The information service system of claim 1, said portable device further including an information output block outputting the information contained in said fourth group, wherein:

said first memory stores an association between the information contained in said first group, the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said fourth group; and

said first conversion block is connected to said input block, said information output block and said first memory to receive the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said fourth group and refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said fourth group into the information contained in said second group.

6. The information service system of claim 5, wherein said information output block includes a clock block outputting a current time.

7. The information service system of claim 1, wherein:

said information service device also includes a second transmit block connected to said second conversion block to transmit an output of said second conversion block to said portable device; and

said portable device also includes

a second receive block receiving information from said second transmit block, and

a display block connected to said second receive block to display an output of said second receive block.

8. The information service system of claim 7, said portable device also including an identifier memory storing an identifier of said portable device, wherein:

said first transmit block is connected to said first conversion block and said identifier memory to output the output of said first conversion block together with the identifier of said portable device to said information service device;

said second transmit block transmits to said portable device the output of said second conversion block together with the identifier of said portable device received by said first receive block; and

said display block is connected to said second receive block and said identifier memory to refer to a result of comparing an identifier received by said second receive block with an identifier stored in said identifier memory to display the output of said second conversion block.

9. The information service system of claim 7, wherein said second receive block receives and converts the information from said second transmit block into a predetermined language for output.

10. The information service system of claim 1, wherein said information service device also includes a display block connected to said second conversion block to display an output of said second conversion block.

11. The information service system of claim 10, said portable device also including an identifier memory storing an identifier of said portable device, wherein:

said first conversion block is connected to said input block, said first memory and said identifier memory to receive the information contained in said first group and refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group into the information contained in said second group for output together with said identifier; and

said second conversion block is connected to said first receive block and said second memory to receive the output of said first receive block and refer to the association stored in said second memory to convert the information contained in said second group into the information contained in said third group for output together with said identifier.

12. The information service system of claim 1, wherein

said information contained in the first group corresponds to information that is incapable of specifying places, and

said information contained in the second group corresponds to information that is capable of specifying the places.

13. In an information service system comprising a portable device receiving information contained in a first group and converting the information contained in said first group into information contained in a second group for output, and an information service device receiving the information contained in said second group and converting the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group, said portable device includes:

an input block inputting the information contained in said first group;

a first memory storing an association between the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said second group;

a first conversion block connected to said input block and said first memory to receive the information contained in said first group and refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group into the information contained in said second group; and

a first transmit block connected to said first conversion block to receive an output of said first conversion block and transmit the output of said first conversion block to said information service device.

14. The portable device of claim 13, further including a rewrite block connected to said first memory to rewrite the association between the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said second group stored in said first memory.

15. The portable device of claim 13, further including an information output block outputting information contained in a fourth group, wherein:

said first memory stores an association between the information contained in said first group, the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said fourth group; and

said first conversion block is connected to said input block, said information output block and said first memory to receive the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said fourth group and refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said fourth group into the information contained in said second group.

16. The portable device of claim 15, wherein said information output block includes a clock block outputting a current time.

17. The portable device of claim 13, further comprising:

a first receive block receiving from said information service device the information contained in said third group; and

a display block connected to said first receive block to display an output of said first receive block.

18. The portable device of claim 17, wherein said first receive block receives from said information service device the information contained in said third group and converts the received information contained in said third group into a predetermined language for output.

19. In an information service system comprising a portable device receiving information contained in a first group and converting the information contained in said first group into information contained in a second group for output, and an information service device receiving the information contained in said second group and converting the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group, said information service device includes:

a first memory storing an association between the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said third group;

a first receive block receiving from said portable device the information contained in said second group; and

a first conversion block connected to said first receive block and said first memory to receive an output of said first receive block and refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said second group into the information contained in said third group for output.

20. The information service device of claim 19, wherein:

said first memory includes

a second memory storing an association between the information contained in said second group and information contained in a fourth group, and

a third memory storing an association between the information contained in said fourth group and the information contained in said third group; and

said first conversion block includes

a second conversion block connected to said first receive block and said second memory to receive the output of said first receive block and refer to the association stored in said second memory to convert the information contained in said second group into the information contained in said fourth group for output, and

a third conversion block connected to said second conversion block and said third memory to receive an output of said second conversion block and refer to the association stored in said third memory to convert the information contained in said fourth group into the information contained in said third group for output.

21. The information service device of claim 19, further comprising a display block connected to said first conversion block to display an output of said first conversion block.

22. The information service device of claim 19, wherein

the information contained in the first group corresponds to information that is incapable of specifying places, and

the information contained in the second group corresponds to information that is capable of specifying places.

23. An information service system comprising:

a portable device receiving information contained in a first group, and outputting the information contained in said first group and an identifier of the portable device; and

an information service device receiving the information contained in said first group and said identifier to convert the information contained in said first group and said identifier into information contained in a second group and convert the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group for output;

wherein;

said portable device includes

an identifier memory storing said identifier,

an input block inputting the information contained in said first group, and

a first transmit block connected to said input block and said identifier memory to receive the information contained in said first group and transmit to said information service device the information contained in said first group and said identifier stored in said identifier memory; and

said information service device includes

a first receive block receiving information from said first transmit block,

a first memory storing an association between the information contained in said first group, said identifier and the information contained in said second group,

a second memory storing an association between the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said third group,

a first conversion block connected to said first receive block and said first memory to receive an output of said first receive block and refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group and said identifier into the information contained in said second group for output, and

a second conversion block connected to said first conversion block and said second memory to receive an output of said first conversion block and refer to the association stored in said second memory to convert the information contained in said second group into the information contained in said third group for output.

24. The information service system of claim 23, further comprising a central control system connected to said first memory to rewrite the association between the information contained in said first group, said identifier and the information contained in said second group, stored in said first memory.

25. The information service system of claim 23, wherein:

said information service device also includes a second transmit block connected to said second conversion block to transmit an output of said second conversion block to said portable device; and

said portable device also includes

a second receive block receiving information from said second transmit block, and

a display block connected to said second receive block to display an output of said second receive block.

26. The information service system of claim 25, wherein said second receive block receives and converts the information from said second transmit block into a predetermined language for output.

27. The information service system of claim 23, wherein said information service device also includes a display block connected to said second conversion block to display an output of said second conversion block.

28. The information service system of claim 27, wherein:

said first conversion block includes a third conversion block connected to said first receive block and said first memory to receive the output of said first receive block and refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group and said identifier into the information contained in said second group for output together with said identifier; and

said second conversion block is connected to said third conversion block and said second memory to receive an output of said third conversion block and refer to the association stored in said second memory to convert the information contained in said second group into the information contained in said third group for output together with said identifier.

29. In an information service system comprising a portable device receiving information contained in a first group and outputting the information contained in said first group and an identifier of said portable device, and an information service device receiving the information contained in said first group and said identifier and converting the information contained in said first group and said identifier into information contained in a second group and further converting the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group for output, said portable device includes:

an identifier memory storing said identifier;

an input block receiving the information contained in said first group; and

a first transmit block connected to said input block and said identifier memory to receive the information contained in said first group and transmit to said information service device the information contained in said first group and said identifier stored in said identifier memory.

30. The portable device of claim 29, further comprising:

a first receive block receiving an output of said information service device; and

a display block connected to said first receive block to display an output of said first receive block.

31. The portable device of claim 30, wherein said first receive block receives and converts the output of said information service system into a predetermined language for output.

32. In an information service system comprising a portable device receiving information contained in a first group and outputting the information contained in said first group and an identifier of said portable device, and an information service device receiving the information contained in said first group and said identifier and converting the information contained in said first group and said identifier into information contained in a second group and further converting the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group for output, said information service device includes:

a first receive block receiving an output of said portable device;

a first memory storing an association between the information contained in said first group, said identifier and the information contained in said second group;

a second memory storing an association between the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said third group;

a first conversion block connected to said first receive block and said first memory to receive an output of said first receive block and refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group and said identifier into the information contained in said second group for output; and

a second conversion block connected to said first conversion block and said second memory to receive an output of said first conversion block and refer to the association stored in said second memory to convert the information contained in said second group into the information contained in said third group for output.

33. The information service device of claim 32, further comprising a display block connected to said second conversion block to display an output of said second conversion block.

34. An information service system comprising:

a portable device receiving information contained in a first group and outputting the information contained in said first group; and

an information service device receiving the information contained in said first group and converting the information contained in said first group into information contained in a second group and further converting the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group for output;

wherein;

said portable device includes

an input block inputting the information contained in said first group, and

a first transmit block connected to said input block to receive the information contained in said first group and transmit to said information service device the information contained in said first group; and

said information service device includes

a first receive block receiving information from said first receive block,

an information output block outputting information contained in a fourth group,

a first memory storing an association between the information contained in said first group, the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said fourth group,

a second memory storing an association between the information stored in said second group and the information stored in said third group,

a first conversion block connected to said first receive block, said information output block and said first memory to receive the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said fourth group and refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said fourth group into the information contained in said second group, and

a second conversion block connected to said first conversion block and said second memory to receive an output of said first conversion block and refer to the association stored in said second memory to convert the information contained in said second group into the information contained in said third group for output.

35. The information service system of claim 34, wherein said information output block includes a clock block outputting a current time.

36. The information service system of claim 34, wherein:

said information service device also includes a second transmit block connected to said second conversion block to transmit an output of said second conversion block to said portable device; and

said portable device also includes

a second receive block receiving information from said second transmit block, and

a display block connected to said second receive block to display an output of said second receive block.

37. The information service system of claim 36, said portable device also including an identifier memory storing an identifier of said portable device, wherein:

said first transmit block is connected to said input block and said identifier memory to transmit to said information service device the information contained in said first group together with the identifier of said portable device;

said second transmit block transmits to said portable device the output of said second conversion block together with the identifier of said portable device received by said first receive block; and

said display block is connected to said second receive block and said identifier memory to refer to a result of comparing an identifier received by said second receive block with the identifier stored in said identifier memory to display the output of said second conversion block.

38. In an information service system comprising a portable device receiving information contained in a first group and outputting the information contained in said first group, and an information service device receiving the information contained in said first group and converting the information contained in said first group into information contained in said second group and further converting the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group for output, said portable device includes:

an input block inputting information contained in said first group;

an identifier memory storing an identifier of said portable device;

a transmit block connected to said input block and said identifier memory to transit to said information service device the information contained in said first group together with the identifier of said portable device;

a receive block receiving from said information service device the information contained in said third group and the identifier of said portable device; and

a display block connected to said receive block and said identifier memory to refer to a result of comparing the identifier received by said receive block with the identifier stored in said identifier memory to display the information contained in said third group.

39. In an information service system comprising a portable device receiving information contained in a first group and outputting the information contained in said first group, and an information service device receiving the information contained in said first group and converting the information contained in said first group into information contained in said second group and further converting the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group for output, said information service device includes:

a first receive block receiving information from said portable device;

an information output block outputting information contained in a fourth group;

a first memory storing an association between the information contained in said first group, the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said fourth group;

a second memory storing an association between the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said third group;

a first conversion block connected to said receive block, said information output block and said first memory to receive the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said fourth group and refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said fourth group into the information contained in said second group; and

a second conversion block connected to said first conversion block and said second memory to receive an output of said first conversion block and refer to the association stored in said second memory to convert the information contained in said second group into the information contained in said third group for output.

40. An information service system comprising:

a portable device receiving information contained in a first group and outputting the information contained in said first group;

an information service device receiving the information contained in said first group and converting the information contained in said first group into information contained in a second group and further converting the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group for output; and

a relay device relaying information between said portable device and said information service device;

wherein;

said portable device includes

an input block inputting the information contained in said first group, and

a first transmit block connected to said input block to receive the information contained in said first group and transmit to said relay device the information contained in said first group;

said relay device includes

a first receive block receiving information from said first transmit block, and

a second transmit block connected to said first receive block to receive the information contained in said first group and transmit to said information service device the information contained in said first group; and

said information service device includes

a first memory storing an association between the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said second group,

a second memory storing an association between the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said third group,

a second receive block receiving information from said relay device,

a first conversion block connected to said second receive block and said first memory to refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group into the information contained in said second group for output, and

a second conversion block connected to said first conversion block and said second memory to refer to the association stored in said second memory to convert the information contained in said second group into the information contained in said third group for output.

41. The information service system of claim 40, said information service device further including an information output block outputting information contained in a fourth group, wherein:

said first memory stores an association between the information contained in said first group, the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said fourth group; and

said first conversion block is connected to said second receive block, said information output block and said first memory to refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said fourth group into the information contained in said second group for output.

42. The information service system of claim 41, wherein said information output block includes a clock block outputting a current time.

43. The information service system of claim 41, wherein:

said relay device also includes a relay device identifier memory storing an identifier of said relay device;

said second transmit block is connected to said first receive block and said relay device identifier memory to transmit to said information service device the information contained in said first group together with the identifier of said relay device;

said information service device also includes a third memory storing an association between the identifier of said relay device and information contained in a fifth group;

said first memory stores an association between the information contained in said first group, the information contained in said second group, the information contained in said fourth group and the information contained in said fifth group; and

said first conversion block is connected to said second receive block, said information output block, said first memory and said third memory to receive the identifier of said relay device and refer to the association stored in said third memory to convert the identifier of said relay device into the information contained in said fifth group, and further refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group, the information contained in said fourth group and the information contained in said fifth group into the information contained in said second group for output.

44. The information service system of claim 40, wherein:

said information service device also includes a third transmit block connected to said second conversion block to transmit an output of said second conversion block to said relay device;

said relay device also includes

a third receive block receiving information from said third transmit block, and

a fourth transmit block connected to said third receive block to transmit to said portable device the information from said third transmit block; and

said portable device also includes

a fourth receive block receiving information from said fourth transmit block, and

a display block connected to said fourth receive block to display an output of said fourth receive block.

45. The information service system of claim 44, said portable device also including a portable device identifier memory storing an identifier of said portable device, wherein:

said first transmit block is connected to said input block and said portable device identifier memory to transmit to said relay device the information contained in said first group together with the identifier of said portable device;

said fourth transmit block transmits to said portable device the output of said second conversion block together with the identifier of said portable device received by said first receive block; and

said display block is connected to said fourth receive block and said portable device identifier memory to refer to a result of comparing an identifier received by said fourth receive block with an identifier stored in said portable device identifier memory to display the output of said fourth receive block.

46. In an information service system comprising a portable device receiving information contained in a first group and outputting the information contained in said first group, an information service device receiving the information contained in said first group and converting the information contained in said first group into information contained in a second group and further converting the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group for output, and a relay device relaying information between said portable device and said information service device, said information service device includes:

a first memory storing an association between the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said second group;

a second memory storing an association between the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said third group;

a receive block receiving the information from said relay device;

a first conversion block connected to said receive block and said first memory to refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group into the information contained in said second group for output; and

a second conversion block connected to said first conversion block and said second memory to refer to the association stored in said second memory to convert the information contained in said second group into the information contained in said third group for output.

47. The information service device of claim 46, further including an information output block outputting information contained in a fourth group, wherein:

said first memory stores an association between the information contained in said first group, the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said fourth group; and

said first conversion block is connected to said receive block, said information output block and said first memory to refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said fourth group into the information contained in said second group for output.

48. The information service system comprising:

a portable device receiving information contained in a first group to convert the information contained in said first group into information contained in a second group for output;

an information service device receiving the information contained in said second group to convert the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group for output; and

a relay device relaying information between said portable device and said information service device;

wherein;

said portable device includes

an input block inputting the information contained in said first group,

a first memory storing an association between the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said second group,

a first conversion block connected to said input block and said first memory to refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group into the information contained in said second group, and

a first transmit block connected to said first conversion block to transmit to said relay device the information contained in said second group;

said relay device includes

a first receive block receiving information from said first transmit block, and

a second transmit block connected to said first receive block to receive the information contained in said second group and transmit to said information service device the information contained in said second group; and

said information service device includes

a second memory storing an association between the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said third group,

a second receive block receiving information from said second transmit block, and

a second conversion block connected to said second receive block and said second memory to refer to the association stored in said second memory to convert the information received by said second receive block and contained in said second group into the information contained in said third group for output.

49. The information service system of claim 48, said portable device further including an information output block outputting information contained in a fourth group, wherein:

said first memory stores an association between the information contained in said first group, the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said fourth group; and

said first conversion block is connected to said input block, said information output block and said first memory to refer to the association stored in said first memory to convert the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said fourth group into the information contained in said second group for output.

50. The information service system of claim 49, wherein said information output block includes a clock block outputting a current time.

51. The information service system of claim 49, said relay device also including a relay device identifier memory storing an identifier of said relay device, wherein:

said second transmit block is connected to said first receive block and said relay device identifier memory to transmit to said information service device the information contained in said second group together with the identifier of said relay device;

said second memory stores an association between the information contained in said second group, the identifier of said relay device and the information contained in said third group; and

said second conversion block is connected to said second receive block and said second memory to refer to the association stored in said second memory to convert the information received by said second receive block and contained in said second group and the identifier of said relay device into the information contained in said third group for output.

52. The information service system of claim 48, wherein:

said information service device also includes a third transmit block connected to said second conversion block to transmit an output of said second conversion block to said relay device;

said relay device also includes

a third receive block receiving information from said third transmit block, and

a fourth transmit block connected to said third receive block to transmit to said portable device the information from said third transmit block; and

said portable device also includes

a fourth receive block receiving information from said fourth transmit block, and

a display block connected to said fourth receive block to display an output of said fourth receive block.

53. The information service system of claim 52, said portable device also including a portable device identifier memory storing an identifier of said portable device, wherein:

said first transmit block is connected to said first conversion block and said portable device identifier memory to transmit to said relay device the information contained in said second group together with the identifier of said portable device;

said fourth transmit block transmits to said portable device the information from said third transmit block together with the identifier of said portable device received by said first receive block; and

said display block is connected to said fourth receive block and said portable device identifier memory to refer to a result of comparing an identifier received by said fourth receive block with an identifier stored in said portable device identifier memory to display the output of said fourth receive block.

54. In an information service system comprising

a portable device receiving information contained in a first group and converting the information contained in said first group into information contained in a second group for output,

an information service device receiving the information contained in said second group and converting the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group for output, and

a relay device relaying information between said portable device and said information service device, said portable device includes:

an input block inputting the information contained in said first group;

a memory storing an association between the information contained in said first group and the information contained in said second group;

a conversion block connected to said input block and said memory to refer to the association stored in said memory to convert the information contained in said first group into the information contained in said second group for output; and

a transmit block connected to said conversion block to transmit to said relay device the information contained in said second group.

55. In an information service system comprising

a portable device receiving information contained in a first group and converting the information contained in said first group into information contained in a second group for output, an information service device receiving the information contained in said second group and converting the information contained in said second group into information contained in a third group for output, and a relay device relaying information between said portable device and said information service device, said information service device includes:

a memory storing an association between the information contained in said second group and the information contained in said third group;

a receive block receiving information from said relay device; and

a conversion block connected to said receive block and said memory to refer to the association stored in said memory to convert the information received by said receive block and contained in said second group into the information contained in said third group for output.