Beacon-based electronic guide system

• US 6,958,708 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2003
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Burg, Bernard, Sayers, Craig P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie Bichngoc
• Application Number:
  US10/647,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20040039519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/905, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/573.1, 701/200, 701/300, 342/386, 342/457, 432/386, 432/457
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/102 using electrical means

Abstract

An electronic guide system is described that includes a fixed-location beacon located adjacent to a location which is associated with a plurality of landmarks to transmit electronic signals containing descriptive information of each of the landmarks. The guide system also includes a client device physically separated from the beacon to receive the electronic signals containing the descriptive information of each of the landmarks when placed by a user within a transmission range of the beacon. A viewing direction sensor is provided to determine viewing direction of the user to cause the client device to provide the user with the descriptive information of one of the landmarks at which the user is looking. An electronic guide system that includes a movable beacon is also described.

Claims

1. An electronic guide system, comprising:

a fixed-location beacon associated with a plurality of landmarks to transmit electronic signals containing descriptive information of each of the landmarks;

a client device physically separated from the beacon to receive the electronic signals containing the descriptive information of each of the landmarks when placed by a user within a transmission range of the beacon;

a viewing direction sensor that determines viewing direction of the user to cause the client device to provide the user with the descriptive information of one of the landmarks at which the user is looking.

2. The electronic guide system of claim 1, wherein the fixed-location beacon further comprises

a landmark data store that stores the descriptive information of each of the landmarks;

a transmitter coupled to the landmark data store to transmit the electronic signals containing the descriptive information of the landmarks.

3. The electronic guide system of claim 2, wherein the transmitter transmits the electronic signals periodically, constantly, or only when activated by external stimulus.

4. The electronic guide system of claim 2, wherein the fixed-location beacon further comprises an updating module that updates the descriptive information stored in the landmark data store.

5. The electronic guide system of claim 2, wherein the transmitter transmits the electronic signals wirelessly or through wire-line, wherein if the transmitter transmits the electronic signals through wire-line, the client device is regarded to be within the transmission range of the beacon when the client device is coupled to the transmitter of the beacon by the wire-line.

6. The electronic guide system of claim 1, wherein the beacon transmits the descriptive information of the landmarks using multiple communication channels, each channel for transmitting the electronic signals of the descriptive information of one of the landmarks.

7. The electronic guide system of claim 1, wherein the beacon multiplexes the electronic signals containing the descriptive information of the landmarks such that the descriptive information of the landmarks is transmitted by a single communication channel.

9. The electronic guide system of claim 1, wherein the viewing direction sensor further determines the direction of the user to cause the client device to provide the user with a relative direction of one of the landmarks at which the user desires to look.

10. The electronic guide system of claim 1, wherein the viewing direction sensor further determines the direction of the user to cause the client device to provide the user with a relative direction of the fixed-location beacon.

8. An electronic guide system, comprising:

a fixed-location beacon associated with a plurality of landmarks to transmit electronic signals containing descriptive information of each of the landmarks;

a cilent device physically separated from the beacon to receive the electronic signals containing the descriptive information of each of the landmarks when placed by a user within a transmission range of the beacon;

a viewing direction sensor that determines viewing direction of the user to cause the client device to provide the user with the descriptive information of one of the landmarks at which the user is looking, wherein the viewing direction sensor is located within the client device.