Print media information system with a portable print media receiving unit assembly

• US 6,750,978 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Knowledge Kids Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (VTech Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Marggraff, James, Wood, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, King Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/632,534
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.2, 358/1.3, 358/1.4, 358/1.5, 358/1.6, 358/1.7, 358/1.8, 358/1.9, 358/1-1-, 345/335, 345/173, 345/156, 345/162, 345/169, 345/179, 235/462.15, 235/375, 434/317, 434/365, 434/318, 434/169, 434/319, 434/308, 434/309, 434/307.R, 369/24.01, 369/27.01, 369/29.02, 725/133, 463/30, 463/31, 463/36, 463/37
• US Class Current: 358/1.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/10 Selecting, i.e. obtaining data of one kind from those record carriers which are identifiable by data of a second kind from a mass of ordered or randomly- distributed record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel interactive information system which can be used to make a traditional print medium such as a magazine, “interactive”. When the traditional print medium is placed on a print media receiving unit in a predetermined position, a user can interact with the traditional print medium. Printed matter elements on the printed medium can be made “selectable” by the user.

Claims

1. A print media information system comprising:

(a) a portable print media receiving unit assembly including

(i) a platform including a surface and a print medium on the surface,

(ii) an electronic position determining system capable of determining a position of a selected portion of the print medium using an electronic map that correlates print elements in the print medium with their locations in the print medium when the print medium is disposed on the surface, wherein the electronic position determining system includes a processor,

(iii) an audio output device coupled to the processor, and

(iv) a writeable memory device coupled to the processor, wherein the audio output device and the processor are included in the platform in the portable print media receiving unit assembly; and

(b) an information server computer adapted to send auxiliary information to a user via the Internet after receiving the information relating to the position of the selected portion of the print medium, and wherein the information server computer is also adapted to transmit the electronic map that correlates the print elements in the print medium with their locations in the print medium to the user via the Internet for use in the portable print media receiving unit assembly,

wherein the writeable memory device is adapted to receive and store the auxiliary information from the information server computer and store the electronic map that correlates the print elements in the print medium with their locations in the print medium.

2. The print media information system of claim 1 wherein the information server computer is adapted to perform a task after receiving the information relating to the position of the selected portion of the print medium.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the task comprises retrieving auxiliary information relating to the selected portion of the print medium;

and

wherein the audio output device is adapted to communicate the auxiliary information.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the print media receiving unit assembly further comprises a stylus, and wherein the processor is programmed to identify an area where the stylus is positioned.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the task comprises retrieving auxiliary information relating to the selected portion of the print medium;

and

wherein the audio output device is a speaker or an audio jack.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the audio output device is a speaker or an earphone.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the print media receiving unit assembly further comprises a visual output device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the print media receiving unit assembly further comprises a voice generator.

9. A method of augmenting a print medium, the method comprising:

(a) electronically encoding information relating to portions of the print medium; and

(b) transmitting the information relating to the portions of the print medium to a user via the Internet using a server computer, wherein the transmitted information is to be used in a portable print media receiving unit assembly comprising

(i) a platform including a surface with the print medium on the surface,

(ii) an electronic position determining system capable of determining a position of a selected portion of the print medium using an electronic map that correlates print elements in the print medium with their locations in the print medium when the print medium is disposed on the surface, wherein the electronic position determining system comprises a processor,

(iii) an audio output device coupled to the processor, and

(iv) a writeable memory device for storing the electronic map, the writeable memory device being coupled to the processor, wherein the audio output device and the processor are included in the platform in the portable print media receiving unit assembly;

wherein the information relating to portions of the print medium includes auxiliary information relating to a print element in the print medium and wherein the method further comprises

transmitting the electronic map that correlates print elements in the print medium with their locations in the print medium to the user via the Internet for use in the portable print media receiving unit assembly.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the print media receiving unit assembly further comprises:

a numeric input region disposed to a side of the surface for permitting the user to enter data.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic position determining system includes a plurality of antennas.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the print media receiving unit assembly further comprises an alphanumeric keyboard disposed to a side of the surface.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the print media receiving unit assembly further comprises:

a plurality of selectable icons disposed to a side of the surface.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the print media receiving unit assembly further comprises:

a plurality of selectable icons disposed to the side of the surface; and

a numeric input region for allowing a user to input data into the print media receiving unit, and

wherein the electronic position determining system includes a plurality of antennas.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein transmitting the information relating to the portions of the print medium to the user comprises transmitting the information relating to the portions of the print medium to an e-mail account of the user.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic map is a first electronic map and the print medium is a first print medium, and wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting a second electronic map that correlates print elements in a second print medium with their locations in the second print medium to the user via the Internet.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the print medium is a magazine.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic map is transmitted to a client computer operated by the user.

19. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic map is transmitted to a client computer operated by the user and wherein the user thereafter loads the electronic map into the writeable memory device using the client computer and then inserts the writeable memory device into a housing of the print media receiving unit assembly.

20. The method of claim 9 wherein the print medium is a children'"'"'s book.

21. The method of claim 9 wherein the print medium includes a number of selectable print elements that have an appearance different than non-selectable print elements in the print medium.

22. The method of claim 9 wherein the auxiliary information comprises music or voice data.

23. The method of claim 9 wherein the print medium was obtained by the user through a subscription.

24. The method of claim 9 wherein the surface is part of a platform that has a center, the platform being hinged at the center.

25. The method of claim 9 wherein the print media receiving unit assembly has a strip of numbers so that the user is able to select a page number for the print medium.

26. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic position determining system includes an antenna system.

27. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic position determining system includes pressure sensitive switches that are under the surface.

28. The method of claim 9 wherein the writeable memory device comprises a flash memory device.

29. The method of claim 9 wherein the print medium is a publication and wherein (a) and (b) are performed by a publisher of the publication.

30. The method of claim 9 wherein the print medium is a publication and wherein (a) is performed by a publisher of the publication and (b) is performed by a host entity.

31. The method of claim 9 wherein the print medium is in the form of a single sheet.

32. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving at the server computer information relating to a selected portion of the print medium and then performing a task after receiving the information relating to the selected portion of the print medium using the server computer.

33. The method of claim 9 further comprising sending the print medium to the user through the U.S. mail.

34. The method of claim 9 wherein the print media receiving unit assembly and the print medium on the surface are used without being in direct communication with the server computer.

35. The method of claim 9 wherein the writeable memory device is a removable writeable memory device.

36. The method of claim 9 wherein the surface is planar.

37. The method of claim 9 wherein the print media receiving unit assembly further comprises a stylus.

38. The method of claim 9 further comprising a voice synthesizer in the platform.