Interface system using hotspots

• US 7,177,954 B1
• Filed: 06/20/2002
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
• Inventors: van Allen, Philip A., Carryer, J. Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US10/177,737
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/002 Specific input/output arrangements not covered by G06F3/01 - G06F3/16 other optical apparatus G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06225 using wavelength selection, e.g. colour code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/12 using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1006 with static server selection, e.g. the same server being selected for a specific client
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method for providing interaction between a user and a computer system is disclosed. A computer system has a sensor configured to read and interpret a content hotspot and to read and interpret a context hotspot, and a processor configured to perform an operation that is based on content information interpreted from the content hotspot. The operation is influenced by context information interpreted from the context hotspot.

Claims

1. An interface system for providing interaction between a user and a computer system comprising:

a sensor configured to;

read and interpret a content hotspot;

read and interpret a context hotspot; and

a processor configured to perform a first operation based on a content information interpreted from the content hotspot in the event a first context information is or has been interpreted from the context hotspot and a second operation based on the content information interpreted from the content hotspot, which second operation is different from the first operation in at least one respect, in the event a second context information is or has been interpreted from the context hotspot;

wherein the content hotspot and context hotspot are separately readable by the sensor.

2. An interface system for providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 1 wherein the processor is located on the sensor.

3. An interface system for providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 1 wherein the processor is located on the computer system.

4. An interface system for providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a database accessible to the processor;

wherein the operation performed by the processor comprises locating an entry in the database.

5. An interface system for providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the content information is an indirection that designates a location for an operand; and

the processor performs the operation using the operand.

6. An interface system for providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the context information is an indirection that designates a location for an operand; and

the processor performs the operation using the operand.

7. An interface system for providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a marker that indicates the presence of the content hotspot.

8. An interface system for providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a marker that indicates the presence of the context hotspot.

9. An interface system for providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the sensor comprises a memory; and

the content information is stored in the memory.

10. An interface system for providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the sensor comprises a memory; and

the context information is stored in the memory.

11. An interface system for providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the context hotspot is encoded on a physical medium; and

the context hotspot comprises a document identification that provides an indication of an identity of the physical medium.

12. A method of providing interaction between a user and a computer system comprising:

reading and interpreting a content hotspot;

reading and interpreting a context hotspot; and

performing a first operation based on a content information interpreted from the content hotspot in the event a first context information is or has been interpreted from the context hotspot and a second operation based on the content information interpreted from the content hotspot, which second operation is different from the first operation in at least one respect, in the event a second context information is or has been interpreted from the context hotspot

wherein the content hotspot and context hotspot are separately readable.

13. A method of providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 12 wherein the operation comprises locating an entry in a database.

14. A method of providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 12 wherein the content information is an indirection that designates a location for an operand;

and wherein the operation performed uses the operand.

15. A method of providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 12 wherein the context information is an indirection that designates a location for an operand;

and wherein the operation performed uses the operand.

16. A method of providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 12 further comprising indicating the presence of the content hotspot.

17. A method of providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 12 further comprising indicating the presence of the context hotspot.

18. A method of providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 12 further comprising storing the content information in a memory.

19. A method of providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 12 further comprising storing the context information in a memory.

20. A method of providing interaction between a user and a computer system as recited in claim 12 wherein:

the context hotspot is encoded on a physical medium; and

the context hotspot comprises a document identification that provides an indication of an identity of the physical medium.