EP0923040A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Digital information system and portable device therefor
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1998-12-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2018-12-08
Abstract
Abstract An electronic business card (10) is disclosed which is comprised of a digital information transmitter (DIT) for transmitting a digital pointer in the form of a pointer (12). This pointer defines a location remote from the receiving device, which location contains information regarding the cardholder. The receiving node comprises an application processor with an associated memory for storing the digital pointer, which application processor is operable to access the remote location through a wireless link to retrieve the information associated with the digital pointer. Therefore, the cardholder need only update the remote database without having to actually update the card, since the digital pointer is a personal pointer that is associated with the individual at all times, even though information about the individual may change.
Inventors
- 👤 John L. Linn
- 👤 Michael L. Mcmahan
- 👤 Thomas K. Wrappe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 05:39
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/342; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/02; G07F7/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A digital information system comprising: a portable device for being carried by an individual associated with said
portable device, said portable device having a digital pointer representing location
information relating to unique information about the associated individual; receiving apparatus for interfacing with said portable device for receiving said
digital pointer therefrom, said receiving apparatus comprising: an application processor for utilizing said digital pointer in accordance with a
predetermined application; and remote access means for accessing a remote location defined by said location
information in said received digital pointer and for retrieving said unique information
from said remote location corresponding to said digital pointer for use by said
application processor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
36 words
A digital information system according to Claim 1, wherein said location
information relates to the location of a remote database, which remote database has
information stored therein as to said unique information about the associated
individual.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A digital information system according to any one of the previous claims,
wherein said location information comprises routing information over an alternate
communication link to said remote database.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A digital information system according to any preceding claim, wherein said
communication link comprises a global communication network and said database has
an address on said global communication network.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
A digital information system according to any preceding claim, wherein said
digital pointer has associated therewith ancillary data which corresponds to a portion of
said unique information stored in said remote database, and said interface device is
operable to transmit both said digital pointer and said ancillary data when interfaced
with said communication link.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A digital information system according to any preceding claim, wherein said
portable device comprises interface means for interfacing with said receiving apparatus
via a communications link.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A digital information system according to Claim 6, wherein said interface
means is operable to transmit said digital pointer to said communication link upon
receiving a request from said receiving apparatus for said digital pointer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A portable device for a digital information system according to any one of
Claims 1 to 6, the portable device comprising a digital pointer representing location
information relating to unique information about a user associated with said portable
device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A portable device according to Claim 8, comprising interface means for
interfacing with receiving apparatus via a communications link.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A portable device according to Claim 9, wherein said interface means is
operable to transmit said digital pointer to said communication link upon receiving a
request from said receiving apparatus for said digital pointer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A portable device according to any one of Claims 8 to 10 in the form of an
electronic business card.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for providing information about an individual, comprising the steps
of: providing a portable device that is able to be carried by the individual, which
individual is associated with said portable device; disposing a digital pointer on said portable device representing location
information relating to unique information about said associated individual; interfacing said portable device with a communication link and transmitting
said digital pointer thereto; receiving said digital pointer from said communication link by receiving
apparatus; utilizing said digital pointer at receiving apparatus in an application processor
operating in accordance with a predetermined application; and accessing a remote location from said receiving apparatus, which remote
location is defined by said location information in said received digital pointer, and
retrieving said unique information from said remote location corresponding to said
digital pointer for use by said application processor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to Claim 12, wherein said location information relates to a
location of a remote database, which remote database has information stored therein as
to said unique information about said associated individual.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to Claim 12 or Claim 13, wherein said location
information comprises routing information over an alternate communication link to
said remote database.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
54 words
A method according to any one of Claims 12 to 14, wherein said digital pointer
has associated therewith ancillary data which corresponds to a portion of said unique
information stored in said remote database, and in the step of interfacing with the
communication link, both said digital pointer and said ancillary data are transmitted.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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