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:
- (a) as users move through said space, virtual markers are deposited and stored as marker data to indicate associated locations visited by the users in the space; and
(b) the stored marker data is used to provide trail information for guiding users in The space;
wherein an operator, using an interface unit and without the need to move around said space, modifies the stored marker data or its significance whereby to modify the trail information derived therefrom;
wherein the virtual markers deposited in respect of said users are aggregated, in dependence on their associated locations, either when being stored or subsequently and the trail information provided in step (b) is based upon the aggregated markers;
the operator modifying the stored marker data by depositing additional markers in respect of particular locations or areas in said space;
the additional markers, when aggregated with the markers deposited in respect of said users for the same locations or areas, serving to modify said trail information; and
wherein a plurality of location cells are defined that correspond to respective areas of said space, the markers having associated strength values and each marker being stored and aggregated by having its strength value added to an existing aggregated strength value, if any, associated with in the corresponding location cell.
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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 used to provide trail information concerning use of the space. An operator provided with an interface to the service system can directly modify the stored markers or their significance to thereby modify the trail information.
37 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of providing information about a real-world space, comprising:
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(a) as users move through said space, virtual markers are deposited and stored as marker data to indicate associated locations visited by the users in the space; and (b) the stored marker data is used to provide trail information for guiding users in The space;
wherein an operator, using an interface unit and without the need to move around said space, modifies the stored marker data or its significance whereby to modify the trail information derived therefrom;wherein the virtual markers deposited in respect of said users are aggregated, in dependence on their associated locations, either when being stored or subsequently and the trail information provided in step (b) is based upon the aggregated markers;
the operator modifying the stored marker data by depositing additional markers in respect of particular locations or areas in said space;
the additional markers, when aggregated with the markers deposited in respect of said users for the same locations or areas, serving to modify said trail information; andwherein a plurality of location cells are defined that correspond to respective areas of said space, the markers having associated strength values and each marker being stored and aggregated by having its strength value added to an existing aggregated strength value, if any, associated with in the corresponding location cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. Apparatus for providing information about a real-world space, comprising :
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a marker-data arrangement for receiving virtual markers deposited in respect of users in said space to indicate locations visited by said users, and for storing marker data corresponding to, or based on, the received virtual markers; a trail-information arrangement for using the stored marker data to provide trail information for guiding users in the space; an interface unit for enabling an operator, without the need to move around said space, to modify the stored marker data or its significance whereby to modify the trail information derived therefrom; wherein one of the marker-data arrangement and the trail-information arrangement is arranged to aggregate said virtual markers in dependence on their associated locations; wherein the trail-information arrangement is arranged to provide said trail information based upon the aggregated markers; and
the interface unit is arranged to enable the operator to modify the stored marker data by depositing additional markers in respect of particular locations or areas in said space;
the additional markers, when aggregated with the markers deposited in respect of said users for the same locations or areas, serving to modify said trail information; andwherein the interface unit is arranged to enable the operator to deposit markers of a strength value greater than that of markers deposited in respect of said users. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification