Method and apparatus for accessing electronic data via a familiar printed medium

• US 6,866,196 B1
• Filed: 08/02/1999
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marshall Feature Recognition LLC
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey S. Nevid, Lois Fichner-Rathus, Spencer A. Rathus
• Inventors: Rathus, Spencer A., Fichner-Rathus, Lois, Nevid, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/365,961
• Time in Patent Office: 2,052 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/472, 235/462.15, 235/381, 235/436, 235/479, 367/788, 367/792, 367/753, 367/758, 434/317, 434/318, 434/319
• US Class Current: 235/462.15
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 3/123 incorporating sound producing or light emitting means or carrying sound records
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing

Abstract

The disclosed methods and apparatus relate generally to the electronics media industry, such as cable television (CATV), home shopping services, on-line computer services and computer memory applications. These methods and apparatus allow a user to access and make use of electronic media input and output devices by reference to and/or utilization of standard printed matter, such as magazines, textbooks, or any other printed matter that can be correlated to electronic media.

Claims

1. A system for providing electronic programming material to a user, the system comprising:

a printed matter having associated therewith at least one sensor, a first controller responsive to an actuation of said sensor, and a transmitter responsive to said first controller for transmitting a coded signal;

a second controller having associated therewith a receiver for receiving said coded signal;

a display unit having associated therewith means for accessing said programming material, and means for displaying or executing said programming material; and

wherein said user actuates said sensor to cause said programming material to be accessed and displayed or executed.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said display unit further has associated therewith a memory means for storing said programming material.

3. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said memory means comprises a magnetic disk.

4. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said memory means comprises a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (“

PCMCIA”

) card.

5. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said memory means comprises a flash random access memory (“

RAM”

).

6. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said memory means comprises a cache.

7. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said memory means comprises a compact disc read only memory (“

CD-ROM”

).

8. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said memory means comprises a digital videodisc (“

DVD”

).

9. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said memory means is housed on a remote server.

10. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for accessing said programming material operates via a data link.

11. A system as defined in claim 10 wherein said data link comprises a telephone line.

12. A system as defined in claim 10 wherein said data link comprises a computer network.

13. A system as defined in claim 10 wherein said data link comprises an integrated services digital network (“

ISDN”

) network.

14. A system as defined in claim 10 wherein said data link comprises an ethernet network.

15. A system as defined in claim 10 wherein said data link comprises a cable access television (“

CATV”

) line.

16. A system as defined in claim 10 wherein said data link comprises a wireless network.

17. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said display unit comprises a video display.

18. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said display unit comprises an audio transducer.

19. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said display unit comprises a flat panel display.

20. A system as defined in claim 19 wherein said flat panel display is a rigid flat panel display.

21. A system as defined in claim 19 wherein said flat panel display is a flexible flat panel display.

22. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said display unit comprises a cable access television (“

CATV”

) converter, or wireless cable converter, and a television set coupled thereto.

23. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said display unit comprises a personal computer system.

24. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said display unit comprises a portable personal computer system.

25. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said display unit comprises a personal digital assistant.

26. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said display unit comprises an Internet appliance.

27. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said display unit comprises a cellular telephone.

28. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said display unit comprises a wireless communication device.

29. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said programming material is accessed via a network.

30. A system as defined in claim 29 wherein said network comprises a wireless network.

31. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said programming material is accessed via the Internet.

32. A system for displaying programming material to a user, the system comprising:

a printed matter having at least one printed machine recognizable feature;

a feature recognition unit having associated therewith means for recognizing said machine recognizable feature and a transmitter for transmitting a coded signal in response to said recognizing;

an intelligent controller having associated therewith a receiver for receiving said coded signal and means for accessing said programming material; and

a display unit for displaying said programming material;

wherein said recognition unit, in response to said recognizing, causes said intelligent controller to access said programming material and said display unit to execute or display said programming material.

33. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said machine recognizable feature comprises a series of alphanumeric characters.

34. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said machine recognizable feature comprises a representation of a word or sound.

35. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said machine recognizable feature comprises a symbol.

36. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said machine recognizable feature comprises a code.

37. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said recognition means comprises a scanner.

38. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said recognition means comprises a voice recognition device.

39. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said recognition means comprises a charged coupled device (“

CCD”

) camera.

40. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said recognition means comprises a digital personal computer (“

PC”

) camera.

41. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said recognition means comprises a keyboard.

42. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said recognition means comprises a mechanical mouse device.

43. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said recognition means comprises an optical or digital mouse device.

44. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said display unit comprises a video display.

45. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said display unit comprises an audio transducer.

46. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said display unit comprises a flat panel display.

47. A system as defined in claim 46 wherein said flat panel display is a rigid flat panel display.

48. A system as defined in claim 46 wherein said flat panel display is a flexible flat panel display.

49. A system as defined in claim 46 wherein said flat panel display is embedded in said printed matter.

50. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said display unit has associated therewith a buffer for temporarily storing said programming material.

51. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said programming material is compressed, and wherein said display unit has associated therewith means for decompressing said programming material.

52. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said display unit comprises a cable access television (“

CATV”

) converter, or wireless cable converter, and a television set coupled thereto.

53. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said display unit comprises a personal computer system.

54. A system as defined in claim 53 wherein said programming material is compressed, and wherein said personal computer system includes means for decompressing said programming material.

55. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said display unit comprises a portable personal computer system.

56. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said display unit comprises a personal digital assistant.

57. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said display unit comprises an Internet appliance.

58. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said display unit comprises a cellular telephone.

59. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said display unit comprises a wireless communication device.

60. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said system further comprises a storage device for storing said programming material.

61. A system as defined in claim 60 wherein said storage device comprises a compact disc read only memory (“

CD-ROM”

).

62. A system as defined in claim 60 wherein said storage device comprises a digital videodisc (“

DVD”

).

63. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said memory means is housed on a remote server.

64. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said means for accessing said programming material operates via a data link.

65. A system as defined in claim 64 wherein said data link comprises a telephone line.

66. A system as defined in claim 64 wherein said data link comprises a computer network.

67. A system as defined in claim 64 wherein said data link comprises an integrated services digital network (“

ISDN”

) network.

68. A system as defined in claim 64 wherein said data link comprises an ethernet network.

69. A system as defined in claim 64 wherein said data link comprises a cable access television (“

CATV”

) line.

70. A system as defined in claim 64 wherein said data link comprises a wireless network.

71. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said programming material is accessed via a network.

72. A system as defined in claim 71 wherein said network comprises a wireless network.

73. A system as defined in claim 32 wherein said programming material is accessed via the Internet.

74. A system for displaying programming material to a user, the system comprising:

a printed matter having at least one magnetic code;

a feature recognition unit having associated therewith means for recognizing said magnetic code and a transmitter for transmitting a coded signal in response to said recognizing;

an intelligent controller having associated therewith a receiver for receiving said coded signal and means for accessing said programming material; and

a display unit for displaying said programming material;

wherein said recognition unit, in response to said recognizing, causes said intelligent controller to access said programming material and said display unit to execute or display said programming material.

75. A system as defined in claim 74 wherein said recognition means comprises a magnetic strip reader.

76. A system for displaying programming material to a user, the system comprising:

a printed matter having at least one bar code;

a feature recognition unit having associated therewith means for recognizing said bar code and a transmitter for transmitting a coded signal in response to said recognizing;

an intelligent controller having associated therewith a receiver for receiving said coded signal and means for accessing said programming material; and

a display unit for displaying said programming material;

wherein said recognition unit, in response to said recognizing, causes said intelligent controller to access said programming material and said display unit to execute or display said programming material.

77. A system for displaying programming material to a user, the system comprising:

a printed matter having at least one watermark;

a feature recognition unit having associated therewith means for recognizing said watermark and a transmitter for transmitting a coded signal in response to said recognizing;

an intelligent controller having associated therewith a receiver for receiving said coded signal and means for accessing said programming material; and

a display unit for displaying said programming material;

wherein said recognition unit, in response to said recognizing, causes said intelligent controller to access said programming material and said display unit to execute or display said programming material.

78. A system as defined in claim 77 wherein said watermark comprises a digital watermark.

79. A system as defined in claim 78 wherein said recognition means comprises a digital watermark reader.

80. A system as defined in claim 77 wherein said watermark comprises an invisible watermark.