APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING AUDIO AND/OR IMAGE INFORMATION

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing audio and/or image information, comprising a rectangular recess which is adapted for the placement of ID cards, a sensor which detects the identifier stored on an ID card and transmits it in the form of identifier-specific signals to a processing unit, in particular fewer than four and preferably two controls (16a,b) which are adapted for controlling digital content, and an output section which reproduces digital content or transmits it to an external reproduction device, the output section comprising a loudspeaker, a docking apparatus, and a mounting support which reduces the pressure on the docking apparatus when a multimedia device is docked onto it.

Claims

1. Apparatus for processing audio and/or image information, comprising: a substantially rectangular recess adapted for placement of an ID card; a sensor for detecting an identifier stored on the ID card; two controls for controlling the processing of the audio or image information; and an output section which is adapted to reproduce the audio or image information or to transmit the audio or image information to an external reproduction device.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rectangular recess forms a placement area, a size of the recess being adapted to allow substantially horizontal placement of an ID card.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a receiver and/or transmitter for an RFID identifier.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, where the apparatus is adapted to trigger a specific action upon the placement of an ID card, which action is output in the form of a specific response of the output section or the external reproduction device.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, which is adapted to output the triggered specific response without further operator action by a user.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the triggered specific response of the output section or of the external reproduction device includes the output or display of digital correspondence or digital media stored in libraries, or the output or display of phone calls or video calls.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a triggered specific response in the form of an audio or video communication is established without any further user action.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein only one RFID identifier is present per ID card at any one time.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two controls are disposed adjacent to the rectangular recess.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output section includes a docking station for a multimedia device.

11. System comprising one apparatus and at least two ID cards according to claim 1, wherein a first ID card of the at least two ID cards has an RFID identifier which triggers a first specific response, and a second ID card of the at least two ID cards has a second RFID identifier which triggers a second specific response.

12. System according to claim 11, wherein the specific response of the output section or of the external reproduction device is triggered exclusively by the identifier of an ID card of the at least two ID cards.

13. System according to claim 12, wherein the triggered specific response can be reprogrammed any number of times.

14. System according to claim 13, wherein programming of the triggered specific response can be changed without any physical connection to the apparatus, for example via the Internet.

15. System according to claim 14, wherein the two controls are configured for browsing elements of digital correspondence or digital media, such as emails, photos, videos, or musical works.

16. System according to claim 15, wherein removal of an ID card of the at least two ID cards from the rectangular recess terminates the reproduction or transmission of the audio or image information within one second.

17. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the RFID identifier is an NFC identifier.

18. System according to claim 11, wherein the first and second RFID identifiers are NFC identifiers.

Description

[0028] The present invention is described in greater detail below on the basis of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show the following:

[0029] FIG. 1A top view of a system comprising an apparatus according to the invention for processing audio and/or image information and two ID cards.

[0030] FIG. 2A rear view of a section of an apparatus according to the invention.

[0031] FIG. 3A side cross-sectional view of an apparatus from FIG. 1, running along line II-II of FIG. 1.

[0032] FIG. 4A side view of an apparatus according to the invention.

[0033] FIG. 5A side view of an apparatus according to the invention which has a tablet docked onto it.

[0034] FIG. 1 illustrates a system 8 comprising, for example, two ID cards 9a,b with a stored RFID identifier, preferably an NFC identifier, and an apparatus according to the invention for processing audio and/or image information, the apparatus generally being indicated by the reference sign 10. The ID cards 9a,b can be labeled and/or color coded according to their identifier and consequently their triggered specific action. The ID cards 9a,b are preferably designed in the common credit card format according to ISO/IEC standard 7810. The apparatus 10, which is a tabletop device with its own power supply, includes a rectangular recess 12 disposed centrally on the front portion of the apparatus 10 and forming, for example, a horizontal placement area. The size of the recess 12 can be based on the credit card format according to ISO/IEC standard 7810 and preferably have a depth of 0.9 to 0.6 mm. On the bottom of the rectangular recess 12 there is a sensor 14 which has a receiver and/or transmitter for an RFID identifier, preferably an NFC identifier, said sensor 14 being shown only schematically in the top view.

[0035] In the embodiment shown here, the apparatus 10 comprises two controls 16a,b, these preferably being disposed to the left and right of the rectangular recess 12. The rear section of the apparatus 10 includes an output section 18, which includes an integral loudspeaker 20 and a docking apparatus 22 for a multimedia device, such as a tablet. Moreover, a mounting support 24 for the multimedia device may be disposed on the rear portion of the apparatus 10.

[0036] A plug-in connection module 26, which may include a plurality of plug-in connectors, such as a connector for a power supply, an external loudspeaker, an external multimedia device, an Ethernet, USB or HDMI port or a SIM card module, is provided in a rear panel of the apparatus 10, as shown for example in FIG. 2. In this case, the plug-in connectors may be connected to corresponding electronic components inside the apparatus.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a side cross-sectional view of an apparatus of FIG. 1, running along line II-II of FIG. 1, revealing an exemplary arrangement of the rectangular recess 12, the sensor 14, and the controls 16a,b. The sensor 14 can thus be centrally located on the bottom of the rectangular depression 12.

[0038] The apparatus 10 according to the invention is shown in a side view in FIG. 4, this view showing the exemplary configuration of the output section 18 including loudspeaker 20 and docking apparatus 22 for a multimedia device. Moreover, the mounting support 24 may be positioned in the immediate vicinity of the docking apparatus 22 so as to support a multimedia device, thereby reducing pressure on the docking apparatus 22.

[0039] Following on from FIG. 4, FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the apparatus 10 according to the invention such that the presence of electronic components, for example a processing unit 28, a WLAN wireless network adapter 30 and/or an internal memory 32 can be seen, these electronic components being interconnected and the processing unit 28 being adapted to process identifier-specific signals provided by the sensor. It also shows the exemplary use of a tablet 34 docked onto the apparatus 10 via the docking apparatus 22.

[0040] There follows a selection of possible specific actions which may be triggered by the placement of an ID card 9a or 9b with a stored RFID identifier, preferably an NFC identifier, in the rectangular recess 12 and provided in the form of audio and/or image information by the output section 18:

1 [0041] Phone call to a specific person or institution [0042] Video call to a specific person or institution [0043] Accessing a specific TV channel [0044] Accessing a specific radio channel [0045] Requesting the weather forecast [0046] Playing a specific video from a media library [0047] Playing a specific musical work or spoken work from a media library [0048] Accessing specific images, which are stored in a digital library [0049] Accessing specific written works, which are stored in a digital library [0050] Accessing digital correspondence, for example e-mails or messaging services [0051] Accessing a specific web site [0052] Accessing a specific file stored in the internal memory of the apparatus 10 or a connected external memory [0053] Accessing a specific application stored in the internal memory of the apparatus 10. [0054] Accessing a digital calendar

[0055] The following is a description of an exemplary implementation of the system 8 comprising two ID cards 9a,b with stored RFID identifier and the apparatus 10 according to the invention:

[0056] From a collection of color-coded and labeled ID cards 9a,b with stored RFID identifiers, a user selects the specific ID card Video Call Person 1 and places it in the rectangular recess 12 of the apparatus 10 according to the invention, which is continuously supplied with power and is in sleep mode until the ID card is put in place. At the same time, a tablet 34 is connected to the apparatus 10 via a docking apparatus 22 and is thus supplied with power. The tablet 34 is in sleep mode. The sensor 14, which comprises a receiver and/or transmitter for an RFID identifier and is mounted on the bottom of the rectangular recess 12, registers the specific identifier of the ID card Video Call Person 1 and, in a specific action, sends a signal to the processing unit 28 and/or an app installed on the tablet 34, which will recognize the identifier-specific signal and consequently initiate a specific data request. The apparatus 10 according to the invention is thus adapted to wake the docked tablet 34 from sleep mode. The data request is made by communicating with a server on which a wide range of identifier-specific actions are stored, and is established, for example, via a WLAN wireless network provided by the apparatus 10 or the tablet 34. The data resulting from the data request is then transmitted to the output section 18 in a specific response, thereby making it available for output via the tablet 34. Consequently, in the case of the specific identifier Video Call Person 1, a video call with Person 1 is started immediately, where Person 1 is, for example, a previously defined person trusted by the user. If Person 1 accepts the video call, the user can, for example, control the volume of the audio output by means of the two controls 16a,b. When the user wishes to end the video call, this is done by removing the ID card from the rectangular recess 12, whereupon both the apparatus 10 and the tablet 34 enter sleep mode.