SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR INFORMING ABOUT SPATIALLY DISTRIBUTED OBJECTS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a portable device (1) for providing a user with audio information about spatially distributed objects (50), comprises: a bone conduction generator having an electromechanical transducer to convert electrical signals to mechanical vibrations, an identification receiver (24) configured to receive an identification identifying one of the objects, and a controller (25) connected to the bone conduction generator and to the identification receiver (24), wherein the controller (25) is configured to obtain the identification received by the identification receiver (24) and to provide electrical signals to the bone conduction generator such that the bone conduction generator provides mechanical vibrations to generate sound waves representing the audio information about the one of the objects (59) identified by the obtained identification signal. The present invention also relates to a system for providing a user with audio information about spatially distributed objects (50), comprising at least one portable device as described above, and a plurality of identifiers each configured to be associated to one of the objects (50) and to send an identification signal identifying the one of the objects.

Claims

1.-35. (canceled)

36. A portable device for providing a user with audio information about spatially distributed objects, comprising: a bone conduction generator having an electromechanical transducer to convert electrical signals to mechanical vibrations; an identification receiver configured to receive an identification signal identifying an object of the spatially distributed objects; and a controller connected to the bone conduction generator and to the identification receiver, wherein the controller is configured to obtain the identification signal received by the identification receiver and to provide electrical signals to the bone conduction generator such that the bone conduction generator provides mechanical vibrations to generate sound waves representing the audio information about the object of the spatially distributed objects identified by the obtained identification signal.

37. The portable device of claim 36, wherein the identification receiver is configured to receive the identification signal from an identifier associated with the object of the spatially distributed objects when the identification receiver is within a signal reach of the identifier.

38. The portable device of claim 36, wherein the identification signal of the object of the spatially distributed objects represents a position, and/or wherein the identification signal comprises a position of the object of the spatially distributed objects.

39. The portable device of claim 38, wherein the position comprises a proximity between the portable device and the object of the spatially distributed objects.

40. The portable device of claim 38, wherein the controller is configured to evaluate the position of the identification signal to determine proximity between the portable device and the object of the spatially distributed objects, wherein the controller is configured to provide the electrical signals to the bone conduction generator in accordance with the determined proximity.

41. The portable device of claim 36, wherein the identification receiver comprises an ultra-wideband sensor configured to receive ultra-wideband signals, wherein the identification receiver is configured to receive the identification signal embodied as an ultra-wideband signal.

42. The portable device of claim 36, comprising a housing encasing the bone conduction generator, the identification receiver and the controller, wherein at least a part of the housing encasing the bone conduction generator forms an essentially completely tight outer surface, wherein the electromechanical transducer of the bone conduction generator is decoupled from at least a further part of the housing other than the part of the housing encasing the bone conduction generator.

43. The portable device of claim 36, wherein the audio information of the spatially distributed objects has an index indicative of each of the spatially distributed objects.

44. The portable device of claim 36, comprising a non-volatile memory configured to: digitally store the audio information about the spatially distributed objects, and/or obtain the audio information digitally stored in a non-volatile memory on a host connected to the portable device via a data communication network.

45. The portable device of claim 44, wherein the controller has a processor configured to extract the audio information about the object of the spatially distributed objects identified from the non-volatile memory, and to generate and forward the electrical signals to the bone conduction such that the bone conduction generator provides the mechanical vibrations representing the audio information about the object of the spatially distributed objects.

46. The portable device of claim 36, comprising a bookmark button connected to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to store an electronic bookmark referring to the object of the spatially distributed objects when being activated.

47. The portable device of claim 36, comprising a readiness indicator configured to provide a readiness signal to indicate that the identification receiver received the identification signal, wherein the controller is connected to the readiness indicator and configured to operate the readiness indicator to provide the readiness signal when the identification signal is obtained.

48. The portable device of claim 36, comprising a play button connected to the controller and configured to induce the controller to provide the electrical signals to the bone conduction generator.

49. The portable device of claim 36, wherein the electromechanical transducer of the bone conduction generator is surrounded by a sound absorbing material.

50. The portable device of claim 36, wherein the device is arranged to contact a head of a user in order to transfer the audio information about the object of the spatially distributed objects by means of sound waves generated by the mechanical vibrations provided by the bone conduction generator, wherein the portable device is shaped to keep an ear canal of the user free while contacting a head of the user.

51. A system for providing a user with audio information about spatially distributed objects, comprising: at least one portable device according to claim 36; and a plurality of identifiers each identifier being configured to be associated with a respective object of the spatially distributed objects and to send an identification signal identifying the respective object.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein each identifier of the plurality of the identifiers comprises at least one ultra-wideband sender configured to send ultra-wideband signals.

53. The system of claim 51, comprising a device check station configured to be coupled to the at least one portable device and to provide a service to the user of the at least one portable device, wherein providing a service to the user of the at least one portable device comprises: providing user instructions to the user; setting a language of the audio information; and/or selecting a predefined tour.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the device check station is configured to obtain an electronic bookmark from the at least one portable device when the device check station is coupled to the at least one portable device; to evaluate the electronic bookmark and to generate a data set with respect to the evaluated electronic bookmark; and/or to evaluate the electronic bookmark and to generate a profile for the user with respect to the evaluated electronic bookmark.

55. The system of claim 54, comprising a device management arrangement configured to be coupled to the at least one portable device and to transfer the information about the spatially distributed objects to which the plurality of identifiers being associated to the at least one portable device, wherein the device management arrangement: is configured to charge the at least one portable device; comprises an operator interface by which the audio information about the spatially distributed objects to be transferred are definable; is configured to obtain the electronic bookmark from the at least one portable device when the device management arrangement is coupled to the at least one portable device; and/or is configured to evaluate a bookmark signal and to generate a data set with respect to the evaluated bookmark signal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] The portable device and the system according to the invention are described in more detail hereinbelow by way of exemplary embodiments and with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the portable device according to the present invention;

[0059] FIG. 2 shows a front view of the portable device of FIG. 1, wherein some component arranged inside the portable device are schematically depicted;

[0060] FIG. 3 shows a front view of the portable device of FIG. 1, wherein a housing of the portable device is open such that some components arranged inside the portable device are visible;

[0061] FIG. 4 shows the portable device of FIG. 1 when placed at a skull behind an ear of a user;

[0062] FIG. 5 shows a schematic functioning of the bone conduction generator of the portable device of FIG. 1;

[0063] FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention used in a room of a museum; and

[0064] FIG. 7 shows a block diagram illustrating components of the system of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0065] In the following description certain terms are used for reasons of convenience and are not intended to limit the invention. The terms right, left, up, down, under and above refer to directions in the figures. The terminology comprises the explicitly mentioned terms as well as their derivations and terms with a similar meaning. Also, spatially relative terms, such as beneath, below, lower, above, upper, proximal, distal, and the like, may be used to describe one element's or feature's relationship to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. These spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different positions and orientations of the devices in use or operation in addition to the position and orientation shown in the figures. For example, if a device in the figures is turned over, elements described as below or beneath other elements or features would then be above or over the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term below can encompass both positions and orientations of above and below. The devices may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Likewise, descriptions of movement along and around various axes include various special device positions and orientations.

[0066] To avoid repetition in the figures and the descriptions of the various aspects and illustrative embodiments, it should be understood that many features are common to many aspects and embodiments. Omission of an aspect from a description or figure does not imply that the aspect is missing from embodiments that incorporate that aspect. Instead, the aspect may have been omitted for clarity and to avoid prolix description. In this context, the following applies to the rest of this description: If, in order to clarify the drawings, a figure contains reference signs which are not explained in the directly associated part of the description, then it is referred to previous or following description sections. Further, for reason of lucidity, if in a drawing not all features of a part are provided with reference signs it is referred to other drawings showing the same part. Like numbers in two or more figures represent the same or similar elements.

[0067] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a portable device 1 according to the present invention. The portable device 1 has an essentially cylindric form with a lowered portion having a surface 11 near a top end. The surface 11 is configured to be placed, e.g., at the neck behind the ear or in front of the ear of a user to contact their skull bone. The portable device 1 has further a play button 13 for activation of play back of the information related to an object identified. The play button 13 is also provided with a pause function to stop the play back. Volume up and down buttons 12 are placed above and below to the play button 13. The portable device 1 further comprises a visual indicator 14 showing the user when information about the identified object is ready for play back, a power button 15 to switch on and off the portable device 1, a bookmark button 16 to bookmark an identified object, and a function button 17. According to the need, the function button 17 can be configured to connect the device portable device 1 with a communication network, to function as the bookmark button, to update the information about the objects with a host, and/or managing services of the portable device 1. The visual indicator 14 may be a light field or point using LED.

[0068] FIGS. 2 and 3 show components inside the portable device 1. Thereby, it can be seen that the portable device 1 is equipped with a power supply including a battery 25 and a charging interface 26. The portable device 1 further comprises an identification receiver 24 acting as a sensor for receiving the identification of an object. The identification receiver 24 comprises an ultra-wideband receiver or sensor for receiving ultra-wideband signals. The portable device 1 further comprises a network interface 23 integrated in the identification receiver 24 for establishing a data communication using wireless LAN and/or Bluetooth technology. The controller 25 has a microcontroller connected to the identification receiver 24. The controller 25 controls the operation of the portable device 1. An operating software and other software applications can be installed in or by the controller 25. A bone conduction generator 22 is arranged in the portable device 1 and completely covered by a housing. It has an electromechanical transducer including a mechanical vibrator 21. The bone conduction generator 22 converts electric signals representing digital audio information and sends these signals to a mechanical vibrator 21 to generate mechanical vibrations.

[0069] FIG. 4 shows the portable device 1 being placed at the skull behind an ear of the user upon the user decided to listen to the audio information about the identified object. The portable device 1 generates mechanical vibrations 30 which are transmitted to the skull bone of the user and generate sound. In an advantageous application, the portable device 1 is correspondingly placed at the skull and/or cartilage in front of the ear, i.e., between ear and cheek of the user.

[0070] FIG. 5 shows the principle of converting the mechanical vibrations 30 into sound waves. The portable device 1 is placed at the skull, e.g., behind or in front of the ear. The vibration can be transmitted via the skull bones to the auditory canal 41. The latter stimulates the auditory nerve 42, thereby perceiving the sound wave by the cochlea 43.

[0071] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment of a system according to the present invention including a plurality of portable devices 1 as described above. The system is used in a room of a museum, where three objects 50 are illustrated. Each object 50 is provided with at least one electronic identifier 51 that is arranged adjacent to the object 50, nearby the object 50 or in the object 50. The electronic identifier 51 has an ultra-wideband sender having a certain signal reach 52. In case of need, two or more identifiers 51 can be provided to one object 50 in order to increase the reach 52 of the identifier, e.g. the object 50 is formed so that one identifier cannot cover the entire area in which the user can view the object 50.

[0072] When a user carrying the portable device enters the signal reach 52, i.e. a reachable region 52 of the identifier 51, the identification receiver receives the identification signal from the identifier 51 and notifies the user that a description or story about this object can be played back. When the user moves to another object, the process repeats itself. Within the region 52 that the signal of the identifier 51 can reach, the user can also decide to bookmark the information for the particular object 50 so that he can access to the information later on. The bookmark may also be the identification of an object such as the name or position of the object. Moreover, the system can create a user profile based on the evaluation of his bookmarks. The user profile can include for instance information about what kind of objects are interest by the user, thereby increasing the user experience for the user's next visit. The system improves the overall user experience in easy play back of the information about the object and at the same time in managing the information by bookmarking the information about the objects 50.

[0073] FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram illustrating the system according to the present invention. For example, when a user of the portable device 1 arrives at a reception of a museum, he can pick up a portable device 1 at a docking station, where a plurality of the portable devices 1 is located. At the same time, the user can also register himself at the docking station so that the portable device is associated with him. The docking station charges the portable devices with electric power such that they are ready for use. The user walks into the museum and stops at an object 50 of interested. Upon receiving the identification signal associated to the object 50, the portable device 1 notifies the user that there is audio information available. The user puts the device at the skull behind or in front of the ear and pushes the play back button 13 such that the audio starts to play back. If he is particularly interested in the specific object 50, the user may press the bookmark button 16 to bookmark the auto information. At the kiosk, e.g. the device check station, the user can charge the portable device 1 or upload the bookmark information using a content management software in the cloud. Alternatively, the upload of the bookmarks can be also done by the provider such as the museum staff or the trade fair staff when the user returns the portable device. In the entire visit the user decides what and when he listens to audio information, without entering any information for preparing the play back. Further, there is no need to write down or scan the identification of an object 50 when he wants to access the information about that object after the visit.

[0074] This description and the accompanying drawings that illustrate aspects and embodiments of the present invention should not be taken as limiting the claims defining the protected invention. In other words, while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. Various mechanical, compositional, structural, electrical, and operational changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this description and the claims. In some instances, well-known circuits, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the invention. Thus, it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill within the scope and spirit of the following claims. In particular, the present invention covers further embodiments with any combination of features from different embodiments described above and below.

[0075] The disclosure also covers all further features shown in the Figs. individually although they may not have been described in the afore or following description. Also, single alternatives of the embodiments described in the figures and the description and single alternatives of features thereof can be disclaimed from the subject matter of the invention or from disclosed subject matter. The disclosure comprises subject matter consisting of the features defined in the claims or the exemplary embodiments as well as subject matter comprising said features.

[0076] Furthermore, in the claims the word comprising does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality. A single unit or step may fulfil the functions of several features recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. The terms essentially, about, approximately and the like in connection with an attribute or a value particularly also define exactly the attribute or exactly the value, respectively. The term about in the context of a given numerate value or range refers to a value or range that is, e.g., within 20%, within 10%, within 5%, or within 2% of the given value or range. Components described as coupled or connected may be electrically or mechanically directly coupled, or they may be indirectly coupled via one or more intermediate components. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.