System and method for delivering information at inaccessible locations

• US 7,254,666 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2001
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memory Medallion Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Memory Medallion Incorporated
• Inventors: Toothman, Glenn R. III, Chandhok, Ravinder P., Chandhok, Kimberly H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah; Sanjiv
• Assistant Examiner(s): Li; Zhuo H.
• Application Number:
  US09/777,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20020026455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,373 Days
• Field of Search: 711/4, 711/100, 711101-102, 711/103, 711/111, 711/115, 711/158, 711/100.115, 340/572.1, 340/10.51, 340/10.52, 340/933, 340/539.11, 340/539.14, 340/568.1, 340/572.2, 235/462.01, 235/462.02, 235/462.45, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 345/87, 345/81, 709223-225
• US Class Current: 711/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L

Abstract

Systems and methods of using the systems for delivering information related to an inaccessible location to individuals at the inaccessible location are disclosed. The system comprises a memory device affixed to the inaccessible location, the information related to the inaccessible location residing on the memory device, and a portable memory reading device, separate from the memory device, that retrieves the information from the memory device when positioned at the inaccessible location and communicates the information to a party located at the inaccessible location. The system may further comprise a database wherein the information residing on the memory device is replicated and the database can be accessed by a user of the system via a suitable communications medium or combination of mediums. The system may also comprise a portable memory reading device having a GPS receiver positioned at an inaccessible location and a database, such that the GPS coordinates of the inaccessible location are determined by the portable memory reading device and communicated to the database over a communications link, and the database communicates the information related to the inaccessible location back to the portable memory reading device over the communications link.

Claims

1. A system for providing instructions directly relating to individual ones of a plurality of substantially immovable equipment, each at a substantially inaccessible location, comprising:

(A) a plurality of permanently spatially fixed processors and memory devices, wherein at least one permanently spatially fixed processor and memory device is affixed to each of the individual ones of the plurality of substantially immovable equipment, the instructions residing on each memory device uniquely and directly relating to each one of the substantially immovable equipment to which the memory device is affixed; and

(B) a portable memory reading device, separate from the memory device, capable of uploading and downloading the instructions to and from multiple ones of the plurality of memory devices, via a non-permanent wireless proximity link, while the plurality of processors and memory devices are affixed to their respective substantially immovable equipment, and communicating received ones of the instructions to a user of said portable memory reading device,

wherein each of said plurality of processors processes the instructions to and from said memory device, including processing for forwarding of the instructions from the associated memory device to said memory reading device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory devices comprises a contact memory device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory devices comprises a programmable read only memory device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory devices comprises a weather resistant memory device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the information resides on at least one of the plurality of memory devices in extensible markup language format.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the information resides on at least one of the plurality of memory devices in hypertext markup language format.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of substantially immovable equipment is outdoor equipment.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of substantially immovable equipment is indoor equipment.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

(C) a database associated with at least one of the plurality of memory devices, wherein the information on each memory device is replicated; and

wherein each memory device is uniquely associated with an identifying code.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the replicated information is accessed upon receipt of the identifying code by the database.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the replicated information is accessed through an internet.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the replicated information is accessed through a telephone network.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the database is communicatively connected to selected ones of the plurality of memory devices.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the replicated information is revised at the database, and wherein the revised replicated information is communicated from the database to selected ones of the plurality of memory devices via the communicative connection.

15. A system for providing information directly relating to individual ones of a plurality of substantially immovable dedications each at a substantially inaccessible location, the information including details concerning reasons for individual ones of the dedications, comprising:

(A) a plurality of permanently spatially fixed processors and memory devices, wherein at least one permanently spatially fixed processor and memory device is affixed proximate to each of the individual ones of the plurality of substantially immovable dedications, the information uniquely and directly relating to each one of the substantially immovable dedications to which the memory device is affixed; and

(B) a portable memory reading device, separate from the plurality of memory devices, capable of uploading and downloading the dedication information to and from individual ones of the memory devices, via a non-permanent wireless proximity link while the associated processor and memory device are affixed proximate to the associated substantially immovable dedication, and communicating received ones of the dedication information to a user of said portable memory reading device,

wherein each of said processors processes the information to and from the associated memory device, including processing for forwarding of the information from the associated memory device to said memory reading device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory devices comprises a contact memory device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory devices comprises a programmable read only memory device.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory devices comprises a weather resistant memory device.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the information resides on at least one of the plurality of memory devices in extensible markup language format.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein said information resides on at least one of the plurality of memory devices in hypertext markup language format.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

(C) a database wherein the information residing on ones of the plurality of memory devices is replicated; and

wherein at least one of the plurality of memory devices is uniquely associated with an identifying code.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the replicated information is capable of being accessed upon receipt of the identifying code by the database.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the replicated information is accessed through an internet.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the replicated information is accessed through a telephone network.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the database is communicatively connected to at least one of the plurality of memory devices.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the replicated information is revised at the database, and wherein the revised replicated information is communicated from the database to at least one of the plurality of memory devices via the communicative connection.

27. An information generator for use at a plurality of substantially inaccessible locations, comprising:

a plurality of permanently spatially fixed processors and memory devices, wherein at least one permanently spatially fixed processor and memory device is affixed at least one of the plurality of substantially inaccessible locations, wherein each associated memory device includes thereon a plurality of information uniquely and directly related to the associated substantially inaccessible location;

a portable memory reading device, wherein said portable memory reading device is physically separate from each of said plurality of memory devices, wherein said portable memory reading device is capable of being communicatively connected to multiple ones of said plurality of memory devices, via a non-permanent wireless proximity link while the associated processor and memory device are affixed at the associated substantially inaccessible location; and

wherein, said portable memory reading device is capable of loading the plurality of information directly related to the associated substantially inaccessible location onto the associated memory device, and

wherein, upon establishing a communicative connection with said associated memory device at a request of at least one user, said portable memory reading device receives the plurality of information uniquely and directly related to the associated substantially inaccessible location for display to the user, and

wherein said associated processor processes the information to and from said associated memory device, including processing for forwarding of the information from the associated memory device to said memory reading device.

28. The information generator of claim 27, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory devices comprises a contact memory device.

29. The information generator of claim 28, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory devices comprises a programmable read only memory device.

30. The information generator of claim 28, wherein at least one of the plurality of memory devices comprises a weather resistant memory device.

31. The information generator of claim 27, wherein the information resides on at least one of the plurality of memory devices in extensible markup language format.

32. The information generator of claim 27, wherein the information resides on at least one of the plurality of memory devices in hypertext markup language format.

33. The information generator of claim 27, further comprising:

(C) a database wherein the information residing on at least one of the plurality of memory devices is replicated; and

wherein said at least one of the plurality of memory devices is uniquely associated with an identifying code.

34. The information generator of claim 33, wherein the replicated information may be accessed upon receipt of the identifying code by the database.

35. The information generator of claim 34, wherein the replicated information is accessed through an internet.

36. The information generator of claim 34, wherein the replicated information is accessed through a telephone network.

37. The information generator of claim 33, wherein the database is communicatively connected to at least one of the plurality of memory devices.

38. The information generator of claim 37, wherein the replicated information may be revised at the database, and wherein the revised replicated information is capable of being communicated from the database to at least one of the plurality of memory devices via the communicable connection.

39. A method for providing information related to individual ones of a plurality of substantially inaccessible locations, wherein individual ones of the plurality of substantially inaccessible locations is at least one selected from the group consisting of a cemetery site, a dedication site, an equipment site, and a historically notable site, comprising:

(A) storing and retrieving the information directly related to individual ones of the plurality of substantially inaccessible locations on a permanently spatially fixed processor and memory device uniquely and directly associated with the individual locations in a format that can be written to and retrieved from multiple ones of the memory devices each associated with the individual ones of the plurality of substantially inaccessible locations at different points in time by a user of a single portable memory reading device separate from the associated memory devices, via a non-permanent wireless proximity link, while each processor and memory device are permanently spatially fixed, and wherein the information is displayed to a user using the portable memory reading device upon request of the user while in proximity of individual ones of the processors and memory devices; and

(B) substantially immovably affixing each of the plurality of memory devices at individual ones of the plurality of inaccessible locations,

wherein each of said processors processes the information to and from the associated memory device, including processing for forwarding of the information from at least one of the plurality of memory devices to said memory reading device.

40. The method of claim 39, comprising the additional step of:

(C) replicating the information stored on at least one of the plurality of memory devices in a database.

41. The method of claim 40, comprising the additional step of:

(D) revising the replicated information at the database, and communicating the revised replicated information to at least one of the plurality of memory devices over a communicable connection between the database and at least one of the plurality of memory devices.

42. The method of claim 40, comprising the additional step of:

(E) providing the replicated information over a communication medium upon receipt by the database of an identifying code, the identifying code being uniquely associated with at least one of the plurality of memory devices having the information stored thereon.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the information comprises memorial information.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein the information comprises historical information.

45. The method of claim 39, wherein the information comprises reasons for the dedication.

46. The method of claim 39, wherein the information is at least one selected from the group consisting of a user'"'"'s manual, operation instructions, and warranties.