Method and terminal for presenting in speech format product descriptions attachable to products

• US 8,074,875 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus
• Original Assignee: Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus
• Inventors: Ollikainen, Ville, Pursula, Pekka, Bäckström, Christer
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US11/577,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20080283584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,239 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/382, 235/492, 235/375, 235/383, 235/486
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering

Abstract

The invention is especially intended for visually impaired persons who are not able to read text printed on products or product containers. With the invented method at least a part of a product description, which corresponds to a bar code read and which is fetched from a product information database, is stored in at least one memory accessible to the terminal. After this, in response to a command ordered by a user of the terminal, the RFID identifier attached to the terminal is read and the product description is presented in speech format so that the information readable in the memory and the RFID identifier is utilized in the presentation. The terminal is preferably a mobile station equipped with a speech synthesizer. A visually impaired person can point with the terminal to one or more products and listen via an audio system of the terminal to the product descriptions related to them. When RFID identifiers are attached to the product, the products need to be pointed to as precisely when reading bar codes. The products are, for example, foodstuff or medicine.

Claims

1. A method for associating a product description with a product and presenting the product description in speech format to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

utilizing a terminal, reading a bar code printed on a product;

sending the bar code information to a product information server;

at the product information server;

receiving the bar code information;

fetching the product description associated with the bar code;

sending the product description from the product information server to the terminal;

at the terminal;

receiving the product description;

storing product information in an RFID identifier accessible by the terminal, the product information comprising at least part of the product description, or information related thereto;

in response to a user command;

reading an RFID identifier associated with the product; and

,

presenting the product information associated with the product in speech format, so that information which was read from the RFID identifier is utilized in the presentation.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of adding to the product information at least one of the following items:

product production date, product purchase date, RFID identifier writing date, product expiration date, and product expiration period.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the RFID identifier is detachable from the product and attachable to another product.

4. The method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of adding to the product information at least one of the following items:

product production date, product purchase date, RFID identifier writing date, product expiration date, and product expiration period.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the RFID identifier is detachable from the product and attachable to another product.

6. A method for associating a product description with a product and presenting the product description in speech format to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

utilizing a terminal, reading a bar code printed on a product,

sending the bar code information to a product information server,

at the product information server;

receiving the bar code information;

fetching the product description associated with the bar code;

sending the product description from the product information server to the terminal;

at the terminal;

receiving the product description;

storing product information in a data storage accessible by the terminal, and in response to a command ordered by a user, the product information comprising at least part of the product description, or information related thereto;

in response to a user command;

reading a search key from a RFID identifier attached to the product;

fetching product information associated with the search key from the data storage; and

,

presenting the product information associated with the product in speech format.

7. A terminal for associating a product description with a product, and presenting the product description in speech format to a user, the terminal comprising:

an audio system;

a bar code reader for reading a bar code from the product;

a communications module operable in at least one of the following networks;

a mobile network, the Internet, or a LAN (local area network), the communication module being constructed to send bar code information, and receive the product description;

a RFID identifier reader capable of reading a search key from an RFID identifier;

a memory accessible to the terminal, for storing at least a search key and product information associated therewith, the product information comprising at least a portion of the product description or information related thereto;

a user command module constructed to receive a user command, and responsive thereto, cause the terminal to read a search key from a RFID identifier associated with the product or coupled thereto;

fetch from the memory the product information associated with the search key; and

present the fetched product information in an audio format, via the audio system.

8. The terminal as in claim 7, wherein the memory is embedded in the terminal.

9. The terminal as in claim 7, wherein the memory is at least partly situated outside of the terminal and the terminal is constructed to access the memory through the communication module.

10. The terminal as in claim 7, wherein the terminal is further constructed to add to the product information at least one of the following items:

product production date, product purchase date, RFID identifier writing date, product expiration date, and product expiration period.

11. The terminal as in claim 7, further comprising a reminder module for reminding a user of a need for the product, the need being determined on the basis of dosage guidelines included in the product description.

12. The terminal as in claim 11, wherein at least a part of the product description originates from a medical prescription stored in electronic form.

13. The terminal as in claim 7, further comprising a warning device warning a user about a counterindicative risk of the product, the risk being determined on the basis of the product description and at least one other product description stored in the memory.

14. The terminal as in claim 7, wherein the terminal is further constructed to inform a user when the bar code reader is aligned so that the bar code is readable.

15. The terminal as in claim 7, wherein the bar code reader is a camera.

16. The terminal as in claim 7, wherein the terminal is one of the following devices:

a mobile station, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a hand-held computer, a portable computer, or a desktop computer.

17. A terminal for associating a product description with a product, and presenting the product description in speech format to a user, the terminal comprising:

an audio system;

a bar code reader for reading a bar code from the product;

a communications module operable in at least one of the following networks;

a mobile network, the Internet, or a LAN (local area network), the communication module being constructed to send bar code information, and receive the product description;

a RFID identifier reader capable of writing product information into a RFID identifier coupled to a product, and of reading the product information from the RFID identifier, the product information comprising at least a portion of the product description or information related thereto;

a user command module constructed to receive a user command, and responsive thereto, cause the terminal to read product information from the RFID identifier; and

present the fetched product information in an audio format, via the audio system.

18. The terminal as in claim 17, further comprising memory embedded therein or coupled thereto, for storing at least part of the information of the product description.