Interactive Mirror

Abstract

The present invention relates to an interactive mirror (1) and to a method for displaying information on an interactive mirror (1).

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. Interactive mirror comprising a reflective mirror surface, at least one display integrated in the mirror surface, at least one optical detector integrated in the mirror and being adapted to read a barcode and/or a QR code, and a processor adapted to display information on the at least one display based on information detected by the at least one optical detector, wherein the interactive mirror is adapted to communicate, by wire or wireless, with one or more external electronic devices, wherein the processor is adapted to retrieve information from one or more external electronic devices based on the information detected by the at least one optical detector, and wherein the information displayed on the at least one display comprises the information retrieved or part of it.

15. Interactive mirror according to claim 14, wherein the information displayed on the at least one display comprises information contained in the information detected by the at least one optical detector.

16. Interactive mirror according to claim 14, wherein the interactive mirror comprises one or a combination of the following interfaces: near field communication, Bluetooth transmitter and/or receiver, Wi-Fi, TP Ethernet, 433/866 MHz network, ZigBee network, RFID sensor, infrared transmitter and/or receiver.

17. Interactive mirror according to claim 14, wherein the at least one optical detector is further adapted to detect, identify, and/or read one or a combination of: text, letters, numerals, characters, or figurative or graphical information.

18. Interactive mirror according to claim 17, wherein the figurative or graphical information comprises a logo, a trademark, a color, a shape and/or a contour of an object.

19. Interactive mirror according to claim 17, wherein the information displayed on the at least one display comprises information contained in the information detected by the at least one optical detector.

20. Interactive mirror according to claim 17, wherein the interactive mirror comprises one or a combination of the following interfaces: near field communication, Bluetooth transmitter and/or receiver, Wi-Fi, TP Ethernet, 433/866 MHz network, ZigBee network, RFID sensor, infrared transmitter and/or receiver.

21. Method for displaying information on an interactive mirror, the method comprising the following steps: a) providing an interactive mirror comprising a reflective mirror surface, at least one display, at least one optical detector having a field of view and being integrated in the mirror and being adapted to read a barcode and/or a QR code, and a processor; b) providing an article; c) disposing the article within the field of view of the at least one optical detector; d) collecting information linked to the article by means of the at least one optical detector, wherein the collected information contains a barcode and/or a QR code; e) retrieving information from one or more external electronic devices based on the collected information; and f) displaying information on the at least one display based on the information collected by the at least one optical detector; wherein the information displayed on the at least one display comprises the information retrieved or part of it.

22. Method according to claim 21, wherein the collected information further contains one or a combination of the following information provided on the article: text, letters, numerals, characters, or figurative or graphical information.

23. Method according to claim 22, wherein the figurative or graphical information comprises a logo, a trademark, a color, a shape and/or a contour of the article.

24. Method according to claim 21, wherein the information displayed on the at least one display comprises information contained in the collected information.

25. Method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of storing data in a memory, wherein the information displayed on the at least one display comprises information contained in the stored data and related to the information collected by the at least one optical detector.

26. Method according to claim 21, wherein the information retrieved is provided by a producer and/or retailer of the article via an internet-accessible database.

27. Method according to claim 21, wherein the information displayed comprises one or a combination of the following pieces of information: information concerning the article; instructions or examples for use or application of the article; information concerning products similar or related to the article; additional information designed to facilitate the use of the article comprising the display of the period of use.

28. Method according to claim 27, wherein information concerning the article comprises declaration of content of the article or details concerning risks and side effects associated with the article.

29. Method according to claim 27, wherein the additional information comprises a period of use of the article.

30. Method according to claim 21, wherein the information displayed comprises written information, image information, acoustic information and/or information provided in the form of a movie.

31. Method according to claim 21, wherein the mirror further comprises an input, the method further comprising the following steps: receiving feedback by a user of the article using the input and transferring the feedback to a producer and/or retailer of the article.

32. Method according to claim 31, wherein the input comprises a gesture sensor, microphone, keyboard and/or touch screen.

33. Method according to claim 31, wherein the feedback comprises a rating and/or an order of the article.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are further elucidated with reference to the following FIGURE which shows:

[0057] FIG. 1 schematically shows a preferred embodiment of an interactive mirror according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] FIG. 1 schematically shows an interactive mirror 1 comprising a reflective mirror surface, at least one display 2 integrated into the mirror surface and at least one optical detector 3 integrated into the mirror. A processor adapted to display information on the display 2 based on information detected by the detector 3 is not shown in FIG. 1, but is preferably also integrated into the interactive mirror 1. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 two displays 2 are integrated into the mirror surface. Of course, the mirror may comprise only a single display or more than two displays, e.g., three, four, or more displays. The various displays 2 need not be of the same size and shape (as shown in FIG. 1). Alternatively, identical displays (in size and shape) may be provided.

[0059] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 two optical detectors 3 are integrated into the mirror. Of course, the mirror may comprise only a single optical detector or more than two optical detectors, e.g., three, four, or more optical detectors. The optical detector 3 may be a barcode reader or a digital camera and may be provided on the mirror surface such as shown in FIG. 1 or mounted on a side of the mirror, preferably on the mirror's bottom side. It may also be advantageous to provide two or more optical detectors. Thus, the product or article need not be held at a very specific spot but can simply be brought into proximity of the mirror.

[0060] During use of the inventive mirror the optical detector 3 scans the area in front of the mirror for a graphical code such as a 1D or 2D code, a shape, logo, text or another attribute which can be electronically detected and processed.

[0061] Depending on the place and type of the installed optical detector, the user has to either manually place the product in front of the optical reader (near field IR or CCD optical reader) or simply hold the product in front of the mirror (CCD HD camera or similar device) in order to start the product recognition and display of data, instructions and/or applications.

[0062] In most cases the product will be identified by a 1D barcode, typically specified by the UPC or EAN barcode standard. Depending on its capabilities and technical integration level, the optical reader component 3 either digitizes the barcode area based on the shape and line pattern, then decodes the number stored within the UPC or EAN code and sends the number via a data connection such as an USB bus to the host system, or transfers the binary image data containing the barcode representation to the host system which then decodes the pattern based on the UPC or EAN standard. This process is similar for other graphical encoded data such as 2D codes including codes based on the Datamatrix and QR Code standard.

[0063] Alternatively, the product can be identified by analyzing the image containing the product for specific text contents (OCR optical character recognition technology), logos or shapes (pattern recognition technology) and/or specific shapes or colors. Such Barcode/2D Code, OCR and pattern recognition technologies are widespread and well documented.

[0064] For recognizing products based on the text, logo, shape or other features which cannot be directly transformed into an unique product reference, the data set containing data such as a binary image, shapes, outlines etc. is processed locally against a database of know objects via a pattern recognition algorithm or other recognition approach, or processed via a networked ressource such as a backend service which receives pattern, shape and/or image information and then does the pattern recognition process decentrally.

[0065] Based on the number derived from the UPC or EAN code or another unique identifier the host system then searches for locallly stored product content and/or sends a query to a networked ressource such as an interne service to fetch product contents, descriptions and applications, which are then displayed on one or more mirror displays 2. The stored content can also enable the user to interact with the mirror for gaining further information, applications and contents, both stored locally or on a network ressource. Retrieved content and applications can be stored locally to reduce access and loading time on further requests (“cacheing”).