GB2377540A

GB2377540A - Information capture and processing device

Info

Publication number: GB2377540A
Application number: GB0116222A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeroen Geert Bijsmans; Rachel Lucy Murphy; Christine Ching-Hui Chuang
Original assignee: Hewlett Packard Co
Current assignee: HP Inc
Priority date: 2001-07-03
Filing date: 2001-07-03
Publication date: 2003-01-15
Also published as: GB0116222D0

Abstract

A portable information capture and processing device (10) comprises information capture means (38-42), display means (20), data storage means (36), connection means (32, 38-42), input means (22), processing means (36) and monies storage means (24,26). The capture means (38-42) captures data relating to an article or service in response to an input from the input means (22). The display means (20) displays the data and the data storage means (36a) stores the data. The connection means (32, 38-42) connects the device to a network (49) having networked resources such as, for example, a search engine (49c) to find the article, or service, and a networked resource (49a) from which the article, or service, can be purchased. The monies storage means (24,26) stores monies that can be used as payment for the article or service.

Description

INFORMATION CAPTURE AND PROCESSING DEVICE This invention relates to an information capture and processing device.

More particularly, but not exclusively, it relates to a device that captures information relating to goods or services and facilitates the purchase of those goods or services, typically via an electronic medium.

The capture of information relating to goods and services is known. There is, for example, a device that can bookmark the radio frequency being listened to and the time at any instant in response to a user activating it.

The device bookmarks the frequency by scanning the radio frequencies and locating the frequency that is being listened to. The device is connected to a PC having Internet access and the playlist for the radio station having the bookmarked frequency is read. Thus, the track played on the radio station at the time of bookmarking is identified and displayed on the PC. Further information regarding the track can be included on the website including information regarding where the CD can be purchased.

There also exists a similar device for identifying music from television programmes.

This system has the disadvantage that it is only possible to identify a track if the playlist for the radio station is available on the website, which most are not. It also does not allow the user to order or purchase the CD without connecting the device to a PC. Further to which the method of bookmarking frequency information and time requires more memory than is necessary to achieve the goal of providing identity of the track The method is also inflexible not allowing any prioritising of bookmarks or other processing of the information.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an information capture and processing device that, at least partly, ameliorate at least one of the above-mentioned problems or difficulties.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information capture and processing device comprising information capture means, display means, data storage means, connection means, input means, processing means and monies storage means, the capture means arranged to capture data relating to an article or service in response to an input from the input means, the display means arranged to display the data, the data storage means arranged to store the data, and the monies storage means storing monies useable in payment for the article or service.

By monies we mean any means of payment for good or service either electronic, credit card, debit card or cash based.

The invention therefore ties the act of capturing the information to purchasing the article or service to which the information relates in the mind of the user thereby increasing the ease of use of the device as an aide memoir.

The device may be a wallet. The wallet is typically hand held, pocket-sized and battery operated.

The information may be pricing information and/or information relating to the source of the good, or service. Alternatively, the information may be a universal resource locator (URL) or any other suitable indicator, for example to direct a user of the device to a website where further information relating to the good, or service, may be obtained, or from where the good or service may be purchased. The information may be a data file containing, for example, scheduling information for aircraft departures/arrivals, films, buses or the like.

The connection means may be arranged to connect the device to a network, if, for example, the information details to a networked resource, such as for example, a website, relating to the good, or service. This allows the device to access the network in order to utilise the networked purchasing and financial resources if necessary.

The monies storage means may be a slot, for example, for holding a credit card. Alternatively, or additionally, the monies storage means may be a pocket, for example, for holding coins or banknotes. As a further alternative or addition the monies storage means may be an electronic storage device, for example, capable of storing credits therein.

The information capture means may comprise any one, or combination of means from the following non-exhaustive list: infra-red transceiver, cellular transceiver, radio-frequency transceiver, wireless network transceiver. The wireless network transceiver may be a wireless LAN transceiver, utilising IEEE 802. lib data transfer protocols and/or it may be a Bluetooth transceiver, utilising Bluetooth data transfer protocols, and/or it may be a cellular, e. g. GSM, UTMS, GPRS, CDMA, CDPC, or PDC transceiver or an RF link. The information capture means may comprise a microphone. The possible use of a number of transceivers increases the functionality of the device as information from varying sources and emitters can be captured, for example bar codes to SMS messages can be captured with the transceivers listed. It also reduces geographical limitations on the use of the device as cellular links can be used to capture information when, for example, the device is remote from a wireless LAN.

The infra-red (IR) transceiver may include a laser emitter and/or a photodiode receiver. The IR transceiver may be configured to act as a barcode reader. The cellular transceiver may be a GSM, UMTS, GPRS, CDMA, CDPC, or PDC transceiver. The cellular transceiver may be

configured to receive and/or transmit SMS messages. The radio frequency (RF) transceiver may have a user selectable frequency of operation. Alternatively, the RF transceiver may have a pre-selected frequency of operation. The wireless LAN transceiver may be a high data transfer rate transceiver, for example employing IEEE802.11 data transfer protocols.

The wireless LAN transceiver may be an IR transceiver.

The information capture means may capture information, in use, from any one, or combination, of sources from the following, non-exhaustive, list: wireless LAN emitter, IR emitter, RF emitter, for example a pinger, barcode, loudspeaker, Bluetooth emitter The information captured may be in the form of any one, or combination of

forms from the following non-exhaustive list : barcode, universal resource t locator (URL), data packets, data stream, sound.

The display means may be an LCD screen. LCD screens are light, thin and robust which makes them suitable for portable applications particularly where flexion of the device may occur.

The input means may be a touch sensitive element. The touch sensitive element may be in the form of a film or laminate that may overlay the display means. An area of the touch sensitive element corresponding to an icon or menu displayed on the screen may be active. The processor my control which areas of the touch sensitive element are active. The touch sensitive element may register an input in response to a users digit and/or a stylus touching the element. The use of a touch sensitive element as the input means, particularly in the form of a film overlaying the screen, allows a light, compact and robust device to be formed.

The input means may be a button or a key attached to, or integral with, the device. Additionally, the input means may be a keyboard connectable to the device.

The data storage means may be any one, or combination, of the following data storage devices from the following, non-exhaustive, list: RAM, rewriteable CD, magneto-optical disc, EE2PROM, magnetic disc, magnetic tape, digital tape.

The processing means may include an event handler and/or a power management unit.

The connection means may be of the same form, or the same as any one of the information capture means listed hereinbefore. Alternatively, or additionally, the connection means may be a socket adapted to receive a connecting plug and lead arrangement.

The network may be any one or combination of: intranet, LAN, WAN, MAN, internet or the Internet. The network may include networked resources. The networked resources may include any one, or combination of resources from the following, non-exhaustive, list: search engine, timestamping, trusted, financial transaction services. By trusted it is meant that the services are non-repudiable and authentificiable, for example by means of a certificate issued by a certification authority. The provision of services as networked resources allows a user of the device to connect to the network and effect the purchase of an item or service over the network.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a portable device in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an internal layout of, and a charging arrangement for, the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic representation of data sources and a network to which the device of Figure 1 can be connected; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a portable device in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention.

A bookmark wallet 10, as shown in Figure 1, comprises a body 12 with first and second leaves 14,16 pivotally connected at a spine 18. The wallet 10 is typically hand held, pocket-sized and battery operated. The first leaf 14 has a screen 20, arranged to display information, with a touch-sensitive panel 22 on its exterior face. The panel 22 can be sensitive to touch by a users digits or, alternatively or additionally, by a stylus tip 23. The second leaf 16 has slots 24 therein arranged to receive credit cards 25 or the like and a pocket 26 arranged to receive cash in the form of coins or banknotes.

A wireless LAN transceiver port 28 and an infra-red transceiver port 30 are located in the first leaf 14. A data connection port 32 is located in the second leaf 16 and a power connector 34 is located in the spine 18.

Referring now to Figure 2, the body 12 includes a processor 36, a battery 37, the screen 20, the panel 22, a cellular transceiver 38, a wireless LAN transceiver 40, an infra-red (IR) transceiver 41, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 42 and the connection port 32. The wireless LAN transceiver 40 may incorporate a Bluetooth silicon transceiver.

The processor 36 includes a storage device 36a, typically a block of non-volatile RAM, an event handler 36b and a power management unit 36c. The storage device 36a retains an electronic record of credits, having a cash

equivalence, which can be used by a user of the wallet to enact electronic transactions over a network 49. The credits are decremented by an appropriate amount following each electronic transaction and can be incremented by'topping up'the wallet 10 either from a bank account, credit card or any other convenient means.

Alternatively, the storage device 36a or (advantageously) a separate, tamperproof storage device may contain a logically and preferably secure identity of the wallet owner. This identity could then be used directly in a transaction to authenticate the user or to authorise use of a new account (by an appropriate cryptographic challenge and response protocol such as described in ISO/IEC 9798-3,"Information Technology-Security Techniques-Entity Authentication Mechanisms, Part 3, Entity authentication using a public key algorithm", for example.

The event handler 36b manages input and output signals from/to the wallets input/output units. The power management unit 36c controls the power supply to the various devices within the wallet 10 so as to maximise the lifetime of the battery 37.

The cellular transceiver 38 operates the telecommunications standard appropriate to the locale, for example GSM, UMTS, GPRS, CDMA, CDPC, or PDC and will typically be configured to receive SMS messages. The wireless LAN transceiver 40 typically utilises high data transfer rate protocols such as, for example, IEEE802.11. The IR transceiver 41 is configured to act as a scanner, for example, to read barcodes or any other convenient form of optical identifier. The RF transceiver 42 scan either can suitable frequencies or can be set to a user selected, or factory set, frequency to receive signals relating to goods or services.

A charging cradle 44 is connectable to a PC 46 and an a. c. adapter 47. When the wallet 10 is placed in the cradle 44 to recharge the battery 37 the

power connector 34 locates in a complementary connection in the cradle 44 and the cradle 44 acts as a conduit for the recharging of the battery 37.

Similarly, the connection port 34 locates in a complementary connector in the cradle 44 and the cradle 44 acts as a conduit for data transfer between the wallet 10 and the PC 46. It will be appreciated that either, or both, of the connections between the wallet 10 and the PC 46 or/and the adapter 47 can be made directly without the mediation of the cradle 44.

In use, a user of the wallet 10 is, for example, in a discotheque and hears a song that they wish to purchase later. The user activates the wallet 10 by touching the panel 22 and elects to receive information from a menu of options (not shown) displayed on the screen 20 and requests information from a series of wireless LAN emitters 48 that are placed about the interior of the discotheque that transmit information about the song, for example, the title, artist and record label in response to the users request.

The information relating to the song is received by the LAN transceiver 40 via the port 28 and is stored in the storage device 36a. The user can display the information 21 upon the screen 20 at any time.

Upon returning to their home, office or other base location, the user connects the wallet 10 to the PC 46 either via the cradle 44 or directly. The PC 46 is typically connected to the network 49 and allows access to networked purchasing services 49a and financial services 49b. The user can use the information 21 stored in the wallet 10 to search the network 49, which is typically the Internet, for the song, using a search engine 49c or other convenient means, and, for example, obtain the best price for purchasing the song. The user can purchase the song from the purchasing services 49a directly over the network 49, either in the form of a data file, for example, an MP-3 file, or in the form of a CD or cassette that will be delivered to the user.

The trusted financial services 49b allow a user of the wallet 10 to purchase goods via the network once the details of their chosen items, or service, have been downloaded from the wallet 10 onto the network 49. Payment for the goods can be made, for example, by bank transfer, credit card debiting, or decrementation of credits from those stored in the storage device 36a.

Alternatively, the storage device 36a or alternative secure storage device can represent the user in an appropriate protocol to release funds directly from a user account.

One alternative to coupling the wallet 10 to the PC 46 is connecting the wallet 10 via a wireless LAN base station 50, either at the users name, office or at the discotheque, to the network 49 using the LAN transceiver 40. The processor 36 has software running that allows navigation about the networked resources resident upon the network 49. The software allows the user to use search engines 49c, or other convenient means to obtain information and purchase the song via the network 49 as described hereinbefore in relation to the wallet 10 when connected to the PC 46, using the panel 22 to select options displayed on the screen 20.

A further alternative to coupling the wallet 10 to the PC 46 involves using the cellular transceiver 38 to connect to a cellular base station 52 that is connected to the network 49 in order to provide access to the networked resources resident upon the network 49. The software running on the processor 36 is used to navigate the networked resources, obtain information and make purchases as described hereinbefore in relation to the wallet 10 when connected to the network 49 via the LAN base station 50.

If a user sees either in a catalogue 53, or a shop, an item 54 so that they wish to purchase and the item 54 has a barcode 56 associated with it the user can scan the barcode 56 into the wallet 10 either from the catalogue 53 or from the item 54 using the IR transceiver as a barcode reader. Data corresponding to the barcode 56 is stored in the storage device 36a and the

user typically has the option to enter a description of the item 54 into the wallet 10 via the panel 22 to make correlation of the barcode 56 with the item 54 easier.

The wallet 10 is connected to the PC 46 and the user accesses a networked database 49d that contains a look up table of barcodes from where the exact description of the item 54 can be recovered. The user can then search the network 49 and purchase the item 50 as described hereinbefore.

Alternatively the user can use either the cellular transceiver 38 or the LAN transceiver 40 to access the network 49 as described hereinbefore.

A user of the wallet 10 may enter a shop, or department in a department store, which has pingers 58, or RF emitters 59, mounted upon, for example, the walls which broadcast a universal resource locator (URL) associated with a networked resource, such as a webpage 49e detailing offers or availability of goods, that is located on the network 49. The wallet 10 can be configured to accept all such URLs or it can filter the URLs according to user preferences set in software running upon the processor 36. These preferences may include, for example, only accept URLs relating to special offers or one particular make of clothing etc. Alternatively, the user may choose to manually accept URLs by tapping on the panel 22.

The user can access the networked resource in any one of the ways described hereinbefore.

A URL, or other convenient resource locator, can be transmitted to the wallet 10 as a broadcast, multicast or unicast SMS text message via the cellular transceiver 38. Alternatively, an infra-red transmitter may transmit a URL and/or details about an item to the wallet 10.

Referring now to Figure 4, the wallet 10 can, in some embodiments, include a microphone 60. The microphone 60 is situated in the second leaf 16 such that when the wallet 10 is closed any signal received by the microphone 60 will be minimised by the leaves 14,16. The microphone 60 receives sounds, typically music or a film soundtrack, from a loudspeaker and, being mindful of copyright infringement. The processor 36 digitally encodes a short fragment, typically a few seconds, of the sound and records it to the storage device 36a.

The wallet 10 is connected to the network 49 in any manner previously described hereinbefore and the sound fragment is compared to a networked database 49e that contains a library of sound fragments in order to identify the song from the fragment. Once the song is identified the user of the wallet 10 can purchase it either over the network 49, as described hereinbefore, or by an in-store purchase, Information regarding the members of a Piconet and their available resources can be passed to the wallet 10 as it leaves a Piconet and can then be shared within any other Piconet as the wallet 10 enters.

It will be appreciated that any one of the transceivers within the wallet 10 can be utilised to receive any of the above-mentioned signals and/or messages for which they are suitable.

It will further be appreciated that the emitters can be situated in any suitable building, for example, a cinema emitting information relating to films, such as schedules or previews sports stadium detailing forthcoming fixtures or scores. Shops, lifts, offices and homes are also considered suitable locations for transmitters.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A portable information capture and processing device comprises information capture means, data storage means, input means, processing means and monies storage means, the capture means arranged to capture data relating to an article or service in response to an input from the input means, the data storage means arranged to store the data and the monies storage means storing monies useable in payment for the article or service.
2. A device according to Claim 1 wherein the device is a wallet.
3. A device according to either of Claims 1 or 2 further comprising wherein the connection means arranged to connect the device to a network.
4. A device according to Claim 3 wherein the network is any one or combination of : intranet, LAN, WAN, MAN, internet or the Internet.
5. A device according to either of Claims 3 or 4 wherein the network includes networked resources, including any one, or combination of resources from the following, non-exhaustive, list: search engine, time-stamping, trusted, financial transaction services.
6. A device according to any preceding Claim wherein the monies storage means is any one, or combination, of a slot, a pocket, or an electronic storage device.
7. A device according to any preceding Claim wherein the information capture means comprises any one, or combination of means from the following non-exhaustive list: infra-red (IR) transceiver, cellular

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transceiver, radio-frequency (RF) transceiver, wireless network transceiver, microphone.
8. A device as according to Claim 7 wherein the infra-red (IR) transceiver includes a laser emitter and/or a photodiode receiver and is configured to act as a barcode reader.
9. A device according to Claim 7 wherein cellular transceiver is a GSM, UMTS, GPRS, CDMA, CDPC, or PDC transceiver.
10. A device according to either of Claims 7 or 9 wherein the cellular transceiver is configured to receive and/or transmit SMS messages.
11. A device according to Claim 7 wherein the RF transceiver has a user selectable frequency of operation.
12. A device according to Claim 7 wherein the RF transceiver has a pre- selected frequency of operation
13. A device according to Claim 7 wherein the wireless network transceiver is a high data transfer rate transceiver.
14. A device according to Claim 13 wherein the wireless network transceiver employs either, or both, of the Bluetooth or/and IEEE802. 11 data transfer protocols.
15. A device according to any preceding Claim wherein the information capture means captures information, in use, from any one, or combination, of sources from the following, non-exhaustive, list: wireless LAN emitter, IR emitter, RF emitter for example a pinger, barcode, loudspeaker, Bluetooth emitter.

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16. A device according to any preceding Claim wherein the information captured is in the form of any one, or combination of forms from the following non-exhaustive list: barcode, universal resource locator (URL), data packets, data stream, sound.
17. A device according to any preceding claim further comprising display means adapted to display the data.
18. A device according to Claim 17 wherein the display means is an LCD screen.
19. A device according to any preceding Claim wherein the input means is a touch sensitive element.
20. A device according to Claim 19 where dependent on Claim 17 wherein the touch sensitive element overlays the display means.
21. A device according to either of Claims 19 or 20 wherein the touch sensitive element is in the form of a film or laminate.
22. A device according to any preceding Claim wherein the data storage means is any one, or combination, of the following data storage devices from the following, non-exhaustive, list: RAM, re-writeable CD, magnets-optical disc, EEPROM, magnetic disc, magnetic tape, digital tape.
23. A device according to any preceding Claim wherein the connection means comprises any one, or combination of means from the following non-exhaustive list: infra-red (IR) transceiver, cellular transceiver, radio-frequency (RF) transceiver, wireless network transceiver, a socket adapted to receive a connecting plug and lead arrangement.

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24. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the processing means is adapted to recognise identities of an article or service from the captured data and to store said identities in the storage means.
25. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the monies storage means comprises a secure identity of a user adapted for authentication of the user or authorisation of a transaction from a user account.
26. A device as claimed in Claim 25 where dependent on Claim 3, wherein the device is adapted to enable purchase of the article or service over the network using the secure identity of the user.