Method and apparatus for providing information about a real-world space
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of providing information about a real-world space, comprising:
- as a user moves through said space, depositing and storing virtual markers to indicate associated locations visited by the user in the space, the virtual markers each having an initial strength value;
causing the strength values associated with the markers, either taken in location-dependent aggregations or individually, to decay with time after the markers have been stored; and
using data about the current strength of the stored markers of multiple locations to provide an information item relevant to use of the space, wherein depositing and storing the virtual markers comprises individually storing the virtual markers; and
wherein causing the strength values to decay comprises causing the strength values to decay individually, the current strength values of the individual markers being aggregated on a location dependent basis for using data about the current strength of the stored markers of multiple locations.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing information about a real-world space such as an exhibition space. In a preferred embodiment, users visiting a space are equipped with mobile devices in communication with a service system. The mobile devices are arranged to deposit virtual markers with the service system as the users progress around the space. These markers are stored and decayed with time, either individually or in location-dependent marker aggregations, and data on the current strength values of the markers or marker aggregations is used to provide information concerning use of the space.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method of providing information about a real-world space, comprising:
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as a user moves through said space, depositing and storing virtual markers to indicate associated locations visited by the user in the space, the virtual markers each having an initial strength value; causing the strength values associated with the markers, either taken in location-dependent aggregations or individually, to decay with time after the markers have been stored; and
using data about the current strength of the stored markers of multiple locations to provide an information item relevant to use of the space, wherein depositing and storing the virtual markers comprises individually storing the virtual markers; and
wherein causing the strength values to decay comprises causing the strength values to decay individually, the current strength values of the individual markers being aggregated on a location dependent basis for using data about the current strength of the stored markers of multiple locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. Apparatus for providing information about a real-world space, the apparatus comprising:
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a first arrangement arranged to deposit and store virtual markers to indicate associated locations visited by each of multiple users in the space; a second arrangement arranged to decay with time the strength values associated with the markers after the markers have been stored, either taken in location-dependent aggregations or individually; and a third arrangement having a data-processing system arranged to use data about the current strength of the stored markers of multiple locations to provide an information item relevant to use of the space, wherein the first arrangement is arranged to store the virtual markers individually and the second arrangement is arranged to decay the strength values of the markers individually, the third arrangement being arranged to aggregate, on a location dependent basis, the current strength values of the individual markers for use as said data. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification