Card for presenting information during waving

• US 8,607,486 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2007
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CardLab ApS
• Original Assignee: CardLab ApS
• Inventors: Nielsen, Finn, Domsten, Rune
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS, CASSANDRA HOPE
• Application Number:
  US12/310,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20100263242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,303 Days
• Field of Search: 345/31, 345/82, 404/42
• US Class Current: 40/442
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/004 to give the appearance of moving signs

Abstract

A card for presenting visual information while being waved. The card is flexible and has a sensor detecting or quantifying the bending of the card. The card has, preferably at an edge thereof, light emitters for presenting the information. A controller determines the position of the edge and forwards information so that a user watching the edge sees an emulated 2D information provider.

Claims

1. A card for presenting visual information during waving, the card comprising:

a flexible base element;

presenting elements for presenting visual information, the presenting elements including one or more rows of controllable light emitters, said light emitters being adapted to present the visual information as two-dimensional information when the presenting elements are exposed to a reciprocating movement during the waving, said light emitters being positioned on a first edge of the flexible base element;

a detecting element for detecting a bending of the base element during waving of the card;

a receiving element for receiving first information or signals, describing the movement of the presenting elements, from the detecting element and providing, on the basis of the first information, second information or signals for controlling the presenting elements, and for controlling the light emitters using the second information or signals.

2. The card according to claim 1, wherein the detecting element being positioned at or on a side of the base element and being adapted to output a signal corresponding to a stretching/compression of the detecting element.

3. The card according to claim 1, wherein the detecting element is selected from the group consisting of:

piezo electric transducer, strain gauge, and pressure sensitive resistor.

4. The card according to claim 1, wherein the detecting element is additionally adapted to provide a sound corresponding to a received signal, the card further including a providing element for providing a signal to the detecting element.

5. The card according to claim 1, wherein the card has one or more opposing edges, the detecting element being positioned closer to the opposing edge(s) than to the first edge.

6. The card according to claim 1, wherein the receiving element additionally includes a timing element adapted to provide timing information, the receiving element providing the second information also on the basis of the timing information.

7. The card according to claim 6, wherein the receiving element is adapted to estimate, from the first information and the timing information, a first distance through which the providing element moves during a reciprocal movement.

8. The card according to claim 7, wherein the receiving element is adapted to hold 2D information to be provided, to sequentially forward, to the presenting elements, data representing neighboring, elongate parts of the 2D information.

9. The card according to claims 8, wherein the receiving element is adapted to relate an extent of the 2D information along a first dimension to the distance and to adapt the number of light emitters of each row of the presenting elements to have the 2D information presented by the card during the reciprocating movement have a predetermined relationship between a dimension along the direction of waving and a direction perpendicular thereto.

10. The card according to claim 8, wherein the receiving element is adapted to determine, from the 2D information, a second distance required to present the information and to forward to the presenting elements a part of the 2D information corresponding to a relation between the first and second distances.

11. The card according to claim 6, wherein the receiving element is adapted to estimate, on the basis of the first information and the timing information, a position of the providing element and to provide the second information on the basis of the estimated position.

12. The card according to claim 1, wherein the receiving element is adapted to estimate a curve, in a plane of the bending, adopted by the presenting elements, and to adapt the second information accordingly.

13. The card according to claim 1, wherein the detecting element is positioned at or on a side of the base element.

14. A method of operating the card for presenting visual information during waving, the method comprising:

providing a card that includes a flexible base element, presenting elements for presenting visual information, the presenting elements including one or more rows of controllable light emitters adapted to present the visual information as two-dimensional information when the presenting elements are exposed to a reciprocating movement during the waving, said light emitters being positioned on a first edge of the flexible base element, the card further including a detecting element for detecting a bending of the base element during waving of the card, and a receiving element for receiving first information or signals, describing the movement of the presenting elements, from the detecting element and providing, on the basis of the first information, second information or signals for controlling the presenting elements, and for controlling the light emitters using the second information or signals;

bending the card;

the detecting element providing the first information or signals to the receiving element;

the receiving element receiving the first information and providing the second information to the presenting element;

the presenting elements, as positioned on the first edge of the flexible base element, presenting visual information relating to the second information;

wherein the detection or quantification of the bending generates information describing the movement of the presenting elements, which information is used by the receiving element controlling the presenting element; and

wherein the visual information is presented as two-dimensional information when the presenting elements are exposed to a reciprocating movement by waving the card.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the detecting element is positioned at or on a side of the base element and output a signal corresponding to a stretching/compression of the detecting element.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the detecting element additionally provides a sound corresponding to a signal.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the card has one or more opposing edges, the bending primarily taking place closer to the opposing edge(s) than to the first edge, and where the detecting element is positioned closer to the opposing edge(s) than to the first edge.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising providing timing information, where the second information is determined also on the basis of the timing information.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of estimating, from the first information and the timing information, a first distance which the providing element moves during a reciprocal movement.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the receiving element holds 2D information to be provided, and sequentially forwards, to the presenting elements, data representing neighboring, elongate parts of the 2D information.

21. The method according to claims 20, further comprising relating an extent of the 2D information along a first dimension to the distance and adapting the extent of the information provided by the presenting step in a direction perpendicular to the direction of bending to have the 2D information presented by the card during the reciprocating movement have a predetermined relationship between a dimension along the direction of waving and a direction perpendicular thereto.

22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising determining, from the 2D information, a second distance required to present the information and to forward to the presenting elements a part of the 2D information corresponding to a relation between the first and second distances.

23. The method according to claim 19, further comprising estimating, on the basis of the first information and the timing information, a position of the providing element and providing the second information on the basis of the estimated position.

24. The method according to claim 14, further comprising estimating a curve, in a plane of the bending, adopted by the presenting elements, and adapting the second information accordingly.

25. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method includes positioning the detecting element at or on a side of the base element.