Method for communicating information, a receiver and a transmitter for use in that method and a system for performing the method

• US 7,062,778 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2000
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IR Vision AB
• Original Assignee: IR Vision AB
• Inventors: Pattersson, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ustaris, Joseph G.
• Application Number:
  US09/702,888
• Time in Patent Office: 2,050 Days
• Field of Search: 340/7.45, 340/7.46, 340/7.48, 340/572.1, 725/42, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.6, 455/457, 455/566, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 705/14
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/08 between user and terminal device

Abstract

A system comprising a number of transmitters spatially separated and transmitting different local information. A number of portable or mobile receivers adapted to receive transmitted information and provide this to a user, the receivers being adapted to inform the user about which transmitters are available and allow the user to select a transmitter. The information is transmitted via IR light, microwaves or radio waves.

Claims

1. A method for communicating information, comprising

providing a plurality of transmitters having a limited transmission range and positioned in selected loci, each of the transmitters being capable of transmitting information which can be adapted to the particular location of the transmitter and to the time of transmission,

providing a plurality of mobile receivers capable of receiving information from one or several of the transmitters, and of outputting the information,

transmitting, from at least some of the transmitters, first information to be output by mobile receivers, each of which is provided by an information provider related to the locus in which the transmitter is placed, optionally together with other information,

displaying, on the display of at least some of the receivers, the first information transmitted by transmitters available to the receiver, and

entering, at the display of the at least some of the receivers, a selection between the available transmitters,

and thereby enabling the receivers to receive, from a selected transmitter, second information that is to be output, where at least part of said second information includes local information dedicated to the locus within which the selected transmitter is placed, the local information being prepared by the information provider of the first information.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

each transmitter transmits the first information over one or more of a group of predetermined channels and

the at least one of the receivers periodically, cyclically or continuously scan(s) the group of predetermined channels and display(s) the first information relating to transmitters available to the receiver(s).

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the transmitters transmit the first information in channels defined by one or more of the group consisting of:

channels defined by frequency/amplitude modulated signals modulated at different frequencies/amplitudes,

channels defined by optical signals transmitted at different wavelengths, and

channels defined by different slots in a time division multiplexing system.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first or second information comprises visual information, and the receivers comprise displays capable of representing the visual information, the displays having a predetermined minimum resolution, the transmitters and receivers being adapted to operate at a bandwidth which allows utilisation of the minimum resolution.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the bandwidth allows transmission of a video signal.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the receivers comprise means for selecting between different sources of information transmitted from one or several of the transmitters.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the means for selecting between different sources of information function without any transmission from the receivers.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the means for selecting between different sources of information comprise means for performing the selection on the displays of the receivers.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the range of the transmission of at least some of the transmitters is limited to a building in which one or more of the at least some of the transmitters is located.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the range of the transmission of at least some of the transmitters is limited to a room.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the receivers are capable of selecting between several available transmitters on the basis of a positioning and/or directioning of the receiver.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein at least some of the at least some of the receivers are provided with pointing means, and the selection between several available transmitters is performed by pointing the pointing means toward the desired transmitter.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the displays of at least some of the receivers are touchscreens.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first or second information transmitted by at least some of the transmitters comprises video and/or audio.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first or second information transmitted by at least some of the transmitters comprises non-local information from the information providers who have leased all or part of the bandwidth of the respective transmitters.

16. A method according to a claim 1 wherein the local information is selected from the group consisting of:

information relating to free spaces in a parking lot or parking area,

information relating to offers or products in a super market or other type of shop,

information relating to items exposed, exhibited or offered for sale at a given location,

information relating to places visited during trips or round trips, and

information relating to the status of different items, such as refrigerators, locks, lamps, etc., of a building.

17. A method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting third information from one or more of the receivers to one or more of the transmitters.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the third information transmitted to a transmitter makes the transmitter alter the second information transmitted thereby.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first or second information transmitted by at least one transmitter comprises a number of different parts of information, each part at least comprising third and fourth information, the third information relating to an image to be presented on a screen or monitor of a receiver.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the receiver comprises a touchscreen and wherein the third information of an active part is output by the receiver by showing at least some of the third information on the touchscreen, and wherein, if one or more predetermined areas of the touchscreen is/are activated, at least part of the third information relating to one or more other selected parts is/are output, the fourth information of the active part being decisive in determining, on the basis of the activated area(s) which other part(s) to select.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein, if a predetermined part of the first or second information is selected, a video signal received from a transmitter is shown on the touchscreen.

22. A method according to claim 21, where a subsequent activation of a predetermined area of the touchscreen will select a predetermined part and output at least part of the third information thereof.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein a transmitter periodically transmits the first or second information to the one or more receivers, and where the period of transmission is sufficiently high to ensure that the video signal of the second part of the first or second information is transmitted with a predetermined bandwidth.

24. A receiver for use in the method according to claim 1, the receiver comprising:

means for receiving and storing transmitted the first or second information,

means for selecting between different parts of the first or second information received,

means for outputting the selected information,

display means for displaying the first information relating to transmitters available to the receiver, and

means for entering a selection between the available transmitters.

25. A receiver according to claim 24, further comprising means for continuously or cyclically scanning a predetermined group of channels and displaying the first information relating to transmitters available and transmitting at one or more of the channels.

26. A receiver according to claim 25, wherein the scanning means comprise means for scanning channels defined by one or more of the group consisting of:

channels defined by frequency/amplitude modulated signals modulated at different frequencies/amplitudes,

channels defined by optical signals transmitted at different wavelengths, and

channels defined by different slots in a time division multiplexing system.

27. A receiver according to claim 24, wherein the selecting means comprise a touchscreen being adapted to have a first predetermined part of the first or second information selected by a user touching the touchscreen at a predetermined position.

28. A receiver according to claim 24, wherein the receiving means comprises means for selecting between different sources of information transmitted from one or several transmitters.

29. A receiver according to claim 28, wherein the means for selecting between different sources of information function without any transmission from the receivers.

30. A receiver according to claim 24, wherein the means for selecting between different sources/channels of information comprise means for performing the selection on the touchscreen.

31. A receiver according to claim 24, wherein the selecting means are adapted to select between several available transmitters on the basis of a positioning and/or directioning of the receiver.

32. A receiver according to claim 29, the selecting means comprising pointing means, and the selection between several available transmitters being performed by pointing the pointing means toward the desired transmitter.

33. A receiver according to claim 24, the receiver further comprising means for transmitting the third information to one or more of the transmitters.

34. A receiver according to claim 24, wherein the selecting means and the outputting means are adapted to output a video signal, if a second predetermined part of the first or second information is selected.

35. A receiver according to claim 34, wherein the selecting means are adapted to, when the second predetermined part is output, select and output a predetermined first part of the first or second information received upon activation of the touchscreen.

36. A receiver according to claim 24, wherein the means for receiving and storing the first or second information comprise means for dividing the first or second information into the different parts thereof and for storing the individual parts in different predetermined parts of the storing means, and where the selecting means comprises means for identifying the part of the storing means corresponding to the selected part of the first or second information.

37. A receiver according to claim 36, wherein the receiving and storing means comprises:

means for dividing the first or second information of different parts of the information into information to be shown and controlling information, and

means for, for each of the different parts of information, the information in at least essentially the same manner/order so that the outputting means may output these parts of the information using the same procedure.

38. A receiver according to claim 24, further comprising means for increasing the capability of the storing means by interacting and/or engaging with an additional storing means.

39. A transmitter for use in the method according to claim 1, the transmitter comprising:

means for receiving and storing the first or second information to be transmitted,

means for identifying different parts of the first or second information,

means for dividing the first or second information of individual parts of the information into third information to be shown and fourth, controlling information,

means for transmitting the received first or second information in a manner so that the information of the individual parts of information is transmitted in at least substantially the same manner/order.

40. A transmitter according to claim 39, wherein the transmitting means are adapted to perform a continuous, a repeated, and/or a periodical transmission of the first or second information.

41. A transmitter according to claim 40, wherein a period of transmission of the first or second information is sufficiently high to ensure that the video signal is transmitted with a predetermined bandwidth as one of the different parts of the information.

42. A transmitter according to claim 39, wherein the receiving and storing means comprise a plurality of means for receiving or generating information, where at least one means for receiving or generating information is adapted to receive or generate information relating to a vicinity of a location of the transmitter, and wherein at least one other means for receiving or generating information is adapted to receive or generate information relating to one or more locations remote from the location of the transmitter.

43. A system for providing information and for performing the method according to claim 1, the system comprising a plurality of the receivers according to claim 24 and a plurality of the transmitters according to claim 39.