Information providing system and method therefor

• US 7,496,502 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2001
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hiroki, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Huyen X.
• Application Number:
  US09/880,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20020023146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,813 Days
• Field of Search: 704/257, 704/200, 704/7, 704/270, 704/274, 704/270.1, 707/5, 707/9, 707/10, 713/176, 709/217, 701/48, 701/200, 455/466, 455/450
• US Class Current: 704/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

Upon attempting to display information consisting of large amounts of data on a display portion of a portable terminal, there existed a problem that long durations of time were required for completion of the display, and display capacities were insufficient. A search signal is sent from a portable information equipment to a server, and the server conducts a search on a database based on the search signal and sends information of the search to a display device such as a television or projector mounted at a place where an unspecified number of the general public are present such as a large-sized monitor in a hotel lobby, in a train station meeting room, or out on the street.

Claims

1. An information providing system comprising:

a first server for obtaining information from a database managed by a second server;

a portable information equipment capable of two-way communication with the first server, the portable information equipment having a first display portion; and

a display device for receiving information from the first server, the display device having a second display portion,

wherein the portable information equipment sends an identification signal to the display device by an electromagnetic wave,

wherein the portable information equipment sends an identification signal of the display device to the first server,

wherein the portable information equipment sends a search signal to the first server,

wherein the first server sends the search signal to the second server and conducts a search to the database managed by the second server based on the search signal, receives information obtained by the search from the second server, and sends the information to the display device,

wherein the display device displays the information on the second display portion of the display device,

wherein the display device is mounted on means for transportation, and

wherein the display device has a unit for detecting the electromagnetic wave sent from the portable information equipment.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the means for transportation is one selected from the group consisting of a bus, a taxi, a train and a boat.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave is light or infrared rays.

4. An information providing method, comprising the steps of:

sending an identification signal of a portable information equipment to a display device by an electromagnetic wave, the portable information equipment having a first display portion and the display device having a second display portion;

sending, by the portable information equipment, an identification signal of the display device and the identification signal of the portable information equipment to a first server;

verifying, by the first server, the identification signal of the display device and the identification signal of the portable information equipment;

sending, by the portable information equipment, a search signal to the first server;

communicating, by the first server, with a second server;

sending, by the first server, the search signal to the second server;

conducting a search on a database managed by the second server based on the search signal;

sending information obtained by the search from the second server to the first server;

sending the information from the first server to the display device; and

displaying, by the display device, the information on the second display portion of the display device,

wherein the display device is mounted on means for transportation, and

wherein the display device has a unit for detecting the electromagnetic wave sent from the portable information equipment.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the display device is disposed at a place that can he seen by an unspecified number of the general public.

6. A method according to claim 4, further comprising a step of:

receiving, by the display device, the information sent from the first server through a line.

7. A method according to claim 4, further comprising a step of:

receiving, by the display device, information sent from the first server via a satellite.

8. A method according to claim 4, further comprising a step of:

displaying, by the display device, information selected from information delivered by a news agency, a newspaper publishing company or a broadcasting station.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising a step of:

displaying, by the display device, on the same screen the delivered information and the information obtained by the search on the database, for a programmed period of time or at a time when the server performs an operation.

10. A method according to claim 4, wherein the means for transportation is one selected from the group consisting of a bus, a taxi, a train and a boat.

11. A method according to claim 4, wherein the electromagnetic wave is light or infrared rays.

12. An information providing system comprising:

a first server for obtaining information from a database managed by a second server;

a portable information equipment capable of two-way communication with the first server, the portable information equipment having a first display portion; and

a display device for receiving information from the first server, the display device having a second display portion,

wherein the portable information equipment sends an identification signal to the display device by an electromagnetic wave,

wherein a response of the display device to detecting the electromagnetic wave sent from the portable information equipment is transmitted to the first server,

wherein the portable information equipment sends an identification signal of the display device to the first server,

wherein the portable information equipment sends a search signal to the first server,

wherein the first server sends the search signal to the second server to cause the second server to conduct a search to the database managed by the second server based on the search signal, receives information obtained by the search from the second server, and sends the information to the display device,

wherein the display device displays the information on the second display portion of the display device,

wherein the display device is mounted on means for transportation, and

wherein the display device has a unit for detecting the electromagnetic wave sent from the portable information equipment.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the electromagnetic wave is light or infrared rays.

14. An information providing method, comprising the steps of:

sending an identification signal of a portable information equipment to a display device by an electromagnetic wave, wherein the portable information equipment has a first display portion and the display device has a second display portion, and wherein a response of the display device to detecting the electromagnetic wave sent from the portable information equipment is transmitted to a first server,

sending, by the portable information equipment, an identification signal of the display device and the identification signal of the portable information equipment to the first server;

verifying, by the first server, the identification signal of the display device and the identification signal of the portable information equipment;

sending, by the portable information equipment, a search signal to the first server

communicating, by the first server, with a second server;

sending, by the first server, the search signal to the second server;

conducting a search on a database managed by the second server based on the search signal;

sending information obtained by the search from the second server to the first server;

sending the information from the first server to the display device; and

displaying, by the display device, the information on the second display portion of the display device,

wherein the display device is mounted on-means for transportation, and

wherein the display device has a unit for detecting the electromagnetic wave sent from the portable information equipment.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the electromagnetic wave is light or infrared rays.