Device with multiple cue modules

A device includes a primary cue module, a secondary cue module, a processing module, and a wireless transceiver. The primary cue module obtains primary data regarding an object of interest and the secondary cue module obtains secondary data regarding the object of interest. The processing module is operably coupled to: convert the primary data and the secondary data into an outbound message; convert the outbound message into an outbound symbol stream; and convert an inbound symbol stream into an inbound message, wherein the inbound message includes information regarding the object of interest. The wireless transceiver is operably coupled to: convert the outbound symbol stream into an outbound wireless signal; and convert an inbound wireless signal into the inbound symbol stream.

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to wireless communication systems and more particularly to data processing within such systems.

2. Description of Related Art

Communication systems are known to support wireless and wire lined communications between wireless and/or wire lined communication devices. Such communication systems range from national and/or international cellular telephone systems to the Internet to point-to-point in-home wireless networks. Each type of communication system is constructed, and hence operates, in accordance with one or more communication standards. For instance, wireless communication systems may operate in accordance with one or more standards including, but not limited to, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, advanced mobile phone services (AMPS), digital AMPS, global system for mobile communications (GSM), code division multiple access (CDMA), local multi-point distribution systems (LMDS), multi-channel-multi-point distribution systems (MMDS), radio frequency identification (RFID), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), WCDMA, LTE (Long Term Evolution), WiMAX (worldwide interoperability for microwave access), and/or variations thereof.

For each wireless communication device to participate in wireless communications, it includes a built-in radio transceiver (i.e., receiver and transmitter) or is coupled to an associated radio transceiver (e.g., a station for in-home and/or in-building wireless communication networks, RF modem, etc.). As is known, the receiver is coupled to an antenna and includes a low noise amplifier, one or more intermediate frequency stages, a filtering stage, and a data recovery stage. The low noise amplifier receives inbound RF signals via the antenna and amplifies then. The one or more intermediate frequency stages mix the amplified RF signals with one or more local oscillations to convert the amplified RF signal into baseband signals or intermediate frequency (IF) signals. The filtering stage filters the baseband signals or the IF signals to attenuate unwanted out of band signals to produce filtered signals. The data recovery stage recovers data from the filtered signals in accordance with the particular wireless communication standard.

As is also known, the transmitter includes a data modulation stage, one or more intermediate frequency stages, and a power amplifier. The data modulation stage converts data into baseband signals in accordance with a particular wireless communication standard. The one or more intermediate frequency stages mix the baseband signals with one or more local oscillations to produce RF signals. The power amplifier amplifies the RF signals prior to transmission via an antenna.

Such wireless communication devices are offering more and more services. For example, current cell phones offer a suite of downloadable applications that range from flashlights, to compasses, to navigation systems, to games, to social networking, to music, to utilities, to references, etc. Most, if not all, of these applications contained predetermined information. That is, if a user knows what he or she is looking for and enters the appropriate input commands, the user can obtain a desired answer. In situations where the user encounters a person, place, or thing of interest and wants to obtain information regarding the person, place, or thing, portable device accessible databases and/or other applications, if they exist, are cumbersome to use.

Therefore, a needs exists for obtaining information regarding an object of interest via a portable device.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a system in which a device10may obtain information regarding an object of interest14from another device12and/or from a server20. The device10may communicate with the other device12and/or the server20via a direct wireless connection, via a wireless router24, via a cellular telephone base station22, via a general cellular network26, and/or via the internet28. Note that the server20may alternatively be coupled to the wireless router to provide a local area network server or coupled to the general cellular network26to enable a cell phone carrier to provide information services regarding objects of interest. Further note that the system may include a plurality of servers for responding to requests for information regarding an object of interest. For example, one or more servers may support requests for information regarding persons; one or more servers may support requests for information regarding building; one or more servers may support requests for information regarding landmarks; one or more servers may support requests for information regarding things; one or more servers may support requests for information regarding mammals (e.g., birds, domestic animals, wild animals, etc.); one or more servers may support requests for information regarding insects; one or more servers may support requests for information regarding plants; one or more servers may support requests for information regarding reptiles; one or more servers may support requests for information regarding fish; one or more servers may support requests for information regarding songs; one or more servers may support requests for information regarding voices; and/or one or more servers may support requests for information regarding sound sources (e.g., machine, human, animal, etc.).

The device10may be a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a portable video game unit, a two-way radio, a portable video and/or audio player, a portable medical monitoring and/or treatment device, and/or any other handheld electronic device that receives inputs from a user and provides corresponding outputs of audio data, video data, tactile data, text data, graphics data, and/or a combination thereof. In an embodiment, the device10includes a processing module40, a wireless transceiver44, a primary cue module34, and a secondary cue module36. The processing module40may be a single processing device or a plurality of processing devices. Such a processing device may be a microprocessor, micro-controller, digital signal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, field programmable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logic circuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device that manipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of the circuitry and/or operational instructions. The processing module may have an associated memory and/or memory element, which may be a single memory device, a plurality of memory devices, and/or embedded circuitry of the processing module. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, random access memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory, dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or any device that stores digital information. Note that if the processing module includes more than one processing device, the processing devices may be centrally located (e.g., directly coupled together via a wired and/or wireless bus structure) or may be distributedly located (e.g., cloud computing via indirect coupling via a local area network and/or a wide area network). Further note that when the processing module implements one or more of its functions via a state machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry, the memory and/or memory element storing the corresponding operational instructions may be embedded within, or external to, the circuitry comprising the state machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry. Still further note that, the memory element stores, and the processing module executes, hard coded and/or operational instructions corresponding to at least some of the steps and/or functions illustrated inFIGS. 1-8.

The other device12, which may be a device similar to that of device10or similar to server20, includes a wireless interface59, a processing module56, and memory58. The wireless interface59may be a wireless transceiver for communicating directly with the device10or communicating indirectly with device10via the wireless router24, an access point, or some other local network service hub. The processing module56may be of a similar construct to that of processing module40and, in an embodiment, functions to implement the method ofFIG. 8. The memory58stores information regarding objects of interest.

The server20includes a network and/or wireless interface55, a processing module52, and memory54. The processing module56may be of a similar construct to that of processing module40and, in an embodiment, functions to implement the method ofFIG. 8. The memory58stores information regarding objects of interest.

In an example of operation, the user of device10would like to obtain information regarding the object of interest14(e.g., a person, a building, a landmark, a thing, a mammal, an insect, a reptile, a fish, a song, a plant, a sound source (e.g., a radio broadcast signal, human vocal cords, a speaker, etc.), etc.). In this example, the user causes the primary cue module34to obtain primary data48(e.g., a digital image, an audio sample, geographic information, a text message, etc.) regarding the object of interest14and/or the secondary cue module36(e.g., a digital image of the surrounding area, an audio sample, weather information, further location information, a text message, altitude information, frequency spectrum information, acceleration information, compass heading information, date, time of day, etc.) to obtain secondary data50regarding the object of interest14.

The processing module40converts the primary data and/or the secondary data into an outbound message (e.g., a request for information regarding the object of interest, the primary data, and/or the secondary data). The processing module40then converts the outbound message into an outbound symbol stream in accordance with a wireless communication protocol (e.g., GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, HSUPA, HSDPA, WiMAX, EDGE, GPRS, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, ZigBee, universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), long term evolution (LTE), IEEE 802.16, evolution data optimized (EV-DO), etc.). Such a conversion includes one or more of: scrambling, puncturing, encoding, interleaving, constellation mapping, modulation, frequency spreading, frequency hopping, beamforming, space-time-block encoding, space-frequency-block encoding, frequency to time domain conversion, and/or digital baseband to intermediate frequency conversion. The processing module40provides the outbound symbol stream to the wireless transceiver44.

The wireless transceiver44includes a receiver section and a transmitter section. The transmitter section converts the outbound symbol stream into an outbound wireless signal that has a carrier frequency within a given frequency band (e.g., 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5.5 GHz, 57-66 GHz, etc.), which is transmitted to the other device12, to the base station22, and/or to the wireless router24. In an embodiment, the conversion begins with mixing the outbound symbol stream with a local oscillation to produce an up-converted signal. One or more power amplifiers and/or power amplifier drivers amplifies the up-converted signal, which may be RF bandpass filtered, to produce the outbound wireless signal. In another embodiment, the transmitter section includes an oscillator that produces an oscillation. The outbound symbol stream provides phase information (e.g., +/−Δθ [phase shift] and/or θ(t) [phase modulation]) that adjusts the phase of the oscillation to produce a phase adjusted RF signal, which is transmitted as the outbound wireless signal. In another embodiment, the outbound symbol stream includes amplitude information (e.g., A(t) [amplitude modulation]), which is used to adjust the amplitude of the phase adjusted RF signal to produce the outbound wireless signal.

In yet another embodiment, the transmitter section includes an oscillator that produces an oscillation. The outbound symbol provides frequency information (e.g., +/−Δf [frequency shift] and/or f(t) [frequency modulation]) that adjusts the frequency of the oscillation to produce a frequency adjusted RF signal, which is transmitted as the outbound wireless signal. In another embodiment, the outbound symbol stream includes amplitude information, which is used to adjust the amplitude of the frequency adjusted RF signal to produce the outbound wireless signal. In a further embodiment, the transmitter section includes an oscillator that produces an oscillation. The outbound symbol provides amplitude information (e.g., +/−ΔA [amplitude shift] and/or A(t) [amplitude modulation]) that adjusts the amplitude of the oscillation to produce the outbound wireless signal.

The other device12and/or server20receives an inbound symbol stream that represents the outbound message regarding the object of interest via its corresponding interface59,55. The processing module52and/or59converts the inbound symbol stream into primary data and/or secondary data, and a request for desired information regarding an object of interest in accordance with a wireless protocol (e.g., GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, HSUPA, HSDPA, WiMAX, EDGE, GPRS, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, ZigBee, UMTS, LTE, IEEE 802.16, EV-DO, etc.) and/or a wired protocol (e.g., Ethernet, TCP/IP, etc.).

The processing module52and/or56determines whether a local memory (e.g., memory54and/or58) stores the desired information regarding the object of interest based on the request for the desired information, the primary data, and/or the secondary data. For example, the primary data may be a digital image of a bird, the secondary data may be an audio sample of the bird, and the request is “what is the name of this bird”. In this example, the processing module52and/or56performs a look up table function, or the like, to determine whether its memory54and/or58includes the requested information. If so, the processing module52and/or56converts the desired information regarding the object of interest into an outbound symbol stream that is subsequently converted into an inbound wireless signal. Note that the primary and secondary data provide cues as to the object of interest that assist the other device12and/or the server20in narrowing its search to find the desired information.

The wireless transceiver44of the device10converts the inbound wireless signal into the inbound symbol stream. This may be done via the receiver section by amplifying the inbound wireless signal to produce an amplified inbound wireless signal. The receiver section then mixes in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components of the amplified inbound wireless signal with in-phase and quadrature components of a local oscillation to produce a mixed I signal and a mixed Q signal. The mixed I and Q signals are combined to produce the inbound symbol stream. In this embodiment, the inbound symbol may include phase information (e.g., +/−Δθ [phase shift] and/or θ(t) [phase modulation]) and/or frequency information (e.g., +/−Δf [frequency shift] and/or f(t) [frequency modulation]). In another embodiment and/or in furtherance of the preceding embodiment, the inbound wireless signal includes amplitude information (e.g., +/−ΔA [amplitude shift] and/or A(t) [amplitude modulation]). To recover the amplitude information, the receiver section includes an amplitude detector such as an envelope detector, a low pass filter, etc.

The processing module40converts the inbound symbol stream into an inbound message, which includes the information regarding the object of interest. The conversion may be done in accordance with one or more wireless communication standards (e.g., GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, HSUPA, HSDPA, WiMAX, EDGE, GPRS, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, ZigBee, universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), long term evolution (LTE), IEEE 802.16, evolution data optimized (EV-DO), etc.). Such a conversion may include one or more of: digital intermediate frequency to baseband conversion, time to frequency domain conversion, space-time-block decoding, space-frequency-block decoding, demodulation, frequency spread decoding, frequency hopping decoding, beamforming decoding, constellation demapping, deinterleaving, decoding, depuncturing, and/or descrambling.

FIG. 2is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the device10that includes the processing module40, the wireless transceiver44, the primary cue module34, and the secondary cue module36. As shown, the primary cue module34includes one or more of a plurality of primary cue modules (e.g., an image cue module62, an audio cue module64, a location cue module66, a text input module68, and/or a radio receiver70). The secondary cue module36includes one or more of a plurality of secondary cue modules (e.g., an image cue module72, an audio cue module74, a location cue module76, a text input module78, a weather cue module80, an altitude module82, a frequency spectrum scanning module86, a compass application88, and/or a calendar application90).

In this example, a building is the object of interest14. The primary cue module34obtains a digital image92of the object of interest14and provides it to the processing module40. For example, the digital image cue module62may capture the digital image92of the building. In addition, the secondary cue module36provides the secondary data50(e.g., a text or voice message of “on corner of State and 1stStreet”, a text message, a voice message, or a location message indicating “in My City”, and a text message, a voice message, or a heading message output that indicates “facing northwest”) to the processing module40. Note that the text input module78may generate the text messages; the audio cue module74may generate the voice messages; the location cue module76, which may be a GPS receiver, may generate the location messages; and the compass application may generate the heading messages.

The processing module40processes the primary data48(e.g., the digital image92) and the secondary data50(e.g., the messages), and a request for further information to produce an outbound message43. The processing module40then converts the outbound message43into an outbound symbol stream45as previously described. The wireless transceiver44converts the outbound symbol stream45into the outbound wireless signal47as previously described.

With these cues, the other device12and/or the server20can narrow its search to buildings in My City near State and 1stStreets, which are northwest from this intersection. This simplifies the search as well as improves the accuracy of search. For example, many buildings within a city and/or from city to city may look alike, the additional cues enable the search engine of the device12and/or server20to correctly identify the building and retrieve the corresponding information.

In another example, a bird is the object of interest14. The primary cue module34obtains a digital image of the bird and provides it to the processing module40. In addition, the secondary cue module36provides the secondary data50(e.g., another digital image of the tree in which the bird is sitting; an audio recording of the bird signing; a text message, a voice message, or a weather message indicating “in National Park”; a text message, a voice message, or a location message indicating “weather conditions”; a text message, a voice message, or an altitude message indicating “altitude at 9,000 feet”; and/or a text message, a voice message, or a calendar message indicating “January”) to the processing module40. Note that the image cue module72may generate the digital image of the tree; the audio cue module74may generate the audio recording; the weather cue module80may generate the weather condition message (e.g., temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, etc.); the calendar application may generate the message, etc.

In another example, a recently played song on a radio station is an object of interest14. In this example, the primary cue module34may provide an audio sample of the song and/or provide a message (text or voice) indicating the radio station. The secondary cue module36may provide the time the song of interest was played, another known song that was played prior, or subsequent, to the song of interest, etc.

The processing module40may further process the primary data and/or secondary data to determine which other device12and/or server20to send the outbound message. For example, if the processing module40determines that the primary data is regarding a building, it may determine that a particular server primarily supports information regarding buildings. As another example, the processing module40may determine that the primary data is concerning a bird and may direct the outbound message to a server that primarily provides information regarding birds.

FIG. 3is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a device10that includes the processing module40, the wireless transceiver44, the primary cue module34, the secondary cue module36, and a display100. The display100may be a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, a touch screen display, a capacitive touch screen display, etc.

In this illustration, the other device12and/or the server20has responded to the devices request for information regarding the object of interest via an wireless signal102. The wireless transceiver44converts the inbound wireless signal102into an inbound symbol stream104. The processing module40converts the inbound symbol stream104into an inbound message106, which contains the information108regarding the object of interest14. For example, the information108may include the name of the building (e.g., The City Building”), the address of the building (e.g., 10 1stStreet, My City, USA), the number of stories (e.g., 75 stories), the year the building was built (e.g., built in 1992), the name of the architect (e.g., Ms. Architect), and notable occupants of the building (e.g., Business #1, etc.).

If the information108includes what the user was looking for, then the process is complete for this request for the particular object of interest. If, however, the user of the device10desires further information, he or she may cause the device10to send another request for further information. The device10would process the subsequent request in a similar manner as it did the initial request.

FIG. 4is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a device10that includes the processing module40, the wireless transceiver44, the primary cue module34, the secondary cue module36, and a display100. In this embodiment, the other device12and/or the server20has a transmitted a request for additional information from the device10via a wireless signal102. The wireless transceiver44converts the inbound wireless signal102into an inbound symbol stream104. The processing module40converts the inbound system stream104into the request for additional information110.

The processing module40also interprets the request110to determine whether additional primary data is being request and/or whether additional secondary data is being requested. The processing module40may also determine the type of data to collected (e.g., additional digital images, a response to a text message, etc.). In this example, both primary and secondary data are being requested. Accordingly, the processing module40provides the request to the primary cue module34and to the secondary cue module36.

The primary cue module34, utilizing one or more of its modules62-70, generates additional primary data112. In this example, the additional primary data112includes the building's street address. Similarly, the secondary cue module36, using one or more of its modules72-90, generates additional secondary data114. In this example, the additional secondary data is an image of a neighboring object116(e.g., an adjacent building).

The processing module40converts the additional primary and secondary data into an outbound message, which further includes an indication that the data is in response to a request for further information. The processing module40converts the outbound message into an outbound symbol stream, which the wireless transceiver44converts into an outbound wireless signal.

FIG. 5is a logic diagram of an embodiment of a method for obtaining information regarding an object of interest (e.g., a person, a building, a landmark, a thing, a mammal, an insect, a reptile, a fish, a song, a plant, and a sound source) that begins at step100where the processing module40receives primary data (e.g., one or more of: a digital image, a digital audio file, a radio broadcast signal, location information, a text message, etc.) from the primary cue module. The method continues at step102where the processing module receives secondary data (e.g., one or more of: a digital image, a digital audio file, location information, a text message, weather information, altitude, acceleration, frequency spectrum information, compass heading, date, time, etc.) from the secondary cue module. Note that steps100and102may be performed concurrently or in a reverse order. Further note that step100may be skipped such that the processing module receives the secondary data.

The method continues at step104where the processing module40creates an outbound message based on the primary and/or secondary data. For example, the outbound message may include a request for information regarding the object of interest and the secondary data (e.g., a text and/or voice message “what is the name of the building on the corner of State and 1stStreet in My City”). As another example, the outbound message may include the request for information, the primary data (e.g., a digital image of the building), and the secondary data (e.g., State and 1stStreet, etc.).

The method continues at step106where the processing module converts the outbound message into an outbound symbol stream, which may be done in accordance with one or more wireless communication standards. The method continues at step108where the processing module determines whether it has received an inbound symbol stream in response to the request for information. If not, the method continues at step110where the processing module evokes a retry mechanism.

If, however, the processing module receives the inbound symbol stream, the method continues at step114where the processing module converts the inbound symbol stream into an inbound message. The method continues at step116where the processing module determines whether the inbound message includes the information or a request for additional information. If the message includes the information, the method continues at step118where the processing module provides the information for display.

If, however, the message is a request for additional information, the method continues at step118where the processing module provides the request to the primary and/or secondary cue modules. The method continues at step120where the processing module receives the additional primary and/or secondary data. The method continues at step122where the processing module creates another outbound message that contains the additional primary and/or secondary data and an indication that the message is in response to a request for additional information. The method then repeats at step106.

In this method, the collection of primary data, secondary data, additional primary data, and/or additional secondary data may be from one or more of the primary cue modules and/or from one or more of the secondary cue modules (examples of each are shown inFIG. 2). The selection of which primary cue module(s) and/or secondary cue module(s) to use may be user driven or automated. For example, when a particular primary cue module is used, the device10determines that one or more specific secondary cue modules are to be used. For example, the primary cue module may be a digital image sensor and the secondary cue module may be a GPS receiver and a text message.

FIG. 6is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a system in which a device10may obtain information regarding an object of interest14from another device12and/or from a server20. The device10may communicate with the other device12and/or the server20via a direct wireless connection, via a wireless router24, via a cellular telephone base station22, via a general cellular network26, and/or via the internet28as previously discussed with reference toFIG. 1. The device10includes the processing module40, the wireless transceiver44, the primary cue module34, the secondary cue module36, and memory130(e.g., RAM, ROM, flash, hard disk, etc.).

In an example of operation, the user of device10would like to obtain information regarding the object of interest14(e.g., a person, a building, a landmark, a thing, a mammal, an insect, a reptile, a fish, a song, a plant, a sound source (e.g., a radio broadcast signal, human vocal cords, a speaker, etc.), etc.). In this example, the user causes the primary cue module34to obtain primary data48(e.g., a digital image, an audio sample, geographic information, a text message, etc.) regarding the object of interest14and/or the secondary cue module36(e.g., a digital image of the surrounding area, an audio sample, weather information, further location information, a text message, altitude information, frequency spectrum information, acceleration information, compass heading information, date, time of day, etc.) to obtain secondary data50regarding the object of interest14.

The processing module40determines whether the memory130stores the desired information regarding the object of interest14based on the primary data and/or the secondary data. In an embodiment, the processing module40interprets the primary and/or secondary data to determine database search information (e.g., building information regarding a building in a particular city, etc). The processing module40searches one or more databases stored in memory130to determine whether the memory130stores the desired information. If so, the processing module40retrieves the information and provides it to the display for presentation to the user.

If, however, the memory130stores only a portion of the desired information, the processing module40generates an outbound message requesting the additional information based on the information it has retrieved, the primary data, and/or the secondary data. The processing module and the wireless transceiver44generate an outbound wireless signal from the outbound message as previously discussed. When the processing module receives a response to its request, it interprets the message to determine whether it includes the requested information or a request for additional data.

If the response includes the requested information, the processing module augments the information from memory130with the requested information and provides the aggregated information to the display for presentation to the user. If the response includes a request for additional information, the processing module processes the request as previously discussed.

If the memory130does not store the desired information or a portion thereof, the processing module generates the outbound message to include the primary data and/or the secondary data and a request for the desired information into an outbound message. The remaining processing to obtain the desired information is as previously discussed.

FIG. 7is a logic diagram of another embodiment of a method for obtaining information regarding an object of interest (e.g., a person, a building, a landmark, a thing, a mammal, an insect, a reptile, a fish, a song, a plant, and a sound source) that begins at steps100and/or103where the processing module40receives primary data (e.g., one or more of: a digital image, a digital audio file, a radio broadcast signal, location information, a text message, etc.) from the primary cue module and/or receives secondary data (e.g., one or more of: a digital image, a digital audio file, location information, a text message, weather information, altitude, acceleration, frequency spectrum information, compass heading, date, time, etc.) from the secondary cue module. Note that step100may be skipped such that the processing module receives the secondary data.

The method continues at step132where the processing module determines whether the memory stores the desired information. If yes, the method continues at step118where the processing provides the information for display. If, however, the processing determines that the memory does not store the desired information or stores only a portion thereof, the method continues at step104where the processing module40creates an outbound message based on the primary data, the secondary data, and/or a request for additional information to augment the information stored in the memory.

The method continues at step106where the processing module converts the outbound message into an outbound symbol stream, which may be done in accordance with one or more wireless communication standards. The method continues at step108where the processing module determines whether it has received an inbound symbol stream in response to the request for information. If not, the method continues at step110where the processing module evokes a retry mechanism.

If, however, the processing module receives the inbound symbol stream, the method continues at step114where the processing module converts the inbound symbol stream into an inbound message. The method continues at step116where the processing module determines whether the inbound message includes the information or a request for additional information. If the message includes the information, the method continues at step118where the processing module provides the information for display.

If, however, the message is a request for additional information, the method continues at step118where the processing module provides the request to the primary and/or secondary cue modules. The method continues at step120where the processing module receives the additional primary and/or secondary data. The method continues at step122where the processing module creates another outbound message that contains the additional primary and/or secondary data and an indication that the message is in response to a request for additional information. The method then repeats at step106.

FIG. 8is a logic diagram of an embodiment of a method for providing information regarding an object of interest that begins at step140where the processing module52and/or56converts an inbound symbol stream into at least one of primary data, secondary data, and a request for desired information regarding an object of interest in accordance with one or more wireless communication protocols and/or internet protocols.

The method continues at step142where the processing module52and/or56determines whether its memory54and/or58stores the desired information regarding the object of interest based on the at least one of the request for the desired information, the primary data, and the secondary data. If yes, the method continues at step144where the processing module54and/or58retrieves the desired information from the memory. In an embodiment, the processing module accesses the memory based on the request for the desired information, the primary data, and/or the secondary data to retrieve a plurality of probable information records. The processing module then ranks the plurality of probable information records based on the primary data and/or the secondary data to produce a plurality of ranked probable information records. The processing module then converts the plurality of ranked probable information records into the outbound symbol stream, which is subsequently converted into an outbound wireless signal that is transmitted to the device10.

If, however, the memory does not store the desired information, the method continues at step148where the processing module54and/or58determines whether the memory stores at least some of the desired information. If yes, the method continues at step154where the processing module54and/or58generates a message requesting additional primary data and/or additional secondary data. The method continues at step156where the processing module54and/or58converts the message into a second outbound symbol stream and then waits for a response at step140.

If, at step148, the memory does not store any of the desired information, the method continues at step150where the processing module54and/or58generates a forward message that includes at least one of the primary data, the secondary data, the request for the desired information, an identity of a requestor, and an indication of the desired information. The method continues at step152where the processing module54and/or58converts the forward message into a second outbound symbol stream.