APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COUNTING MUTUAL EVENTS THROUGH INTERACTION BETWEEN DEVICES OF THE SAME KIND

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method and portable device capable of counting mutual events of several types occurring between persons carrying devices of the same kind and storing date and time information associated with each event, when the devices are contacted with each other. The portable device according to the present invention comprises a plurality of contact points, each corresponding to each event type; a plurality of switches connected to the contact points; a clock unit for counting the present date and time; an input key pad; a flash memory for storing an ID code of the owner; a memory; an I/O unit for detecting signal change when one of the switches is pressed; a MICOM which counts the corresponding event on the basis of the signal change from the I/O unit and stores the updated number of the event, together associated date and time information; an LDC controller and LDC for displaying data in the memory. According to the present invention, it is possible for persons carrying the device of the present invention to automatically record information related to mutual personal events, thereby building up a history of the events and offering reminders for the upcoming days of special events.

Description: APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COUNTING MUTUAL EVENTS THROUGH INTERACTION BETWEEN DEVICES OF THE SAME KIND 1. Technical Field The present invention relates to apparatus and method for counting mutual events of several types occurring between persons carrying devices of the same kind through interaction between the devices. 2. Background Art Each time when some events between man and woman who are in love with each other like date, kiss, travel, and quarrel occur, they often want to mark the date of event occurrence on a calendar or record details information of the events , for example, the type of event and how many events of the same type there are until now, on diary or the like. When needed, a history of the events is used to remind themselves of the day of a special event, for example, 50 days or 100 days since the day of first dating. In addition to inconveniences of manual recording and counting, however, the prior art of recording and counting mutual personal events of several types is vulnerable to omission of recording or miscount of the events occurred so far to determine the dates of special events. Forgetting or wrong prediction of the date of the special event often results in misunderstanding or quarrel between lovers or friends. 3. Disclosure of Invention It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for automatically counting mutual events by interaction between portable devices of the same kind, and thus for enabling persons carrying the device to automatically recording a history of the events and calculating the day of the special event based on the history of the events . To achieve the objects, the present invention provides an apparatus for counting mutual personal events between persons carrying devices of the same kind, comprising a means for contacting to another device and checking whether or not the contacting device is a device of the same kind; and a means for counting the number of contacts with another device of the same kind through the contacting means. The apparatus for counting mutual personal events between persons carrying devices of the same kind according to the present invention can be comprised of a means for checking whether or not another device is the device of the same kind on the basis of a signal from the other device; and a means for counting the number of reception of the signal, when the other device is identified as a device of the same kind . The method of counting mutual personal events between persons carrying devices of the same kind according to the present invention comprises the steps of choosing an event type among predetermined event types; detecting an interaction between the two devices of the same kind; and counting the event occurrence of the chosen type and storing the counted value, when the interaction between them is detected. In the apparatus as configured as above, the contacting means determines whether or not another device is a device of the same kind when two devices are contacted to each other, and the checking means checks whether the other device is the device of the same kind based on a signal received from the other device. The counting means counts the number of the contact or the number of reception of the signal when the two devices are contacted to each other through the contacting means or they exchange their own signals. In the method according to the present invention, one event type is chosen among several predetermined event types, and then it is checked whether or not there is an electrical or mechanical interaction like mechanical contact and the flow of electrical current between two devices. If any interaction between them is detected, the event of the chosen type is counted and stored. The apparatus and method according to the present invention make it possible for persons who carry devices of the same kind to share personal events like friends and lovers to automatically record information concerning mutual personal events and count the event when the two devices are contacted or come close to each other, thereby offering a convenient way of building up a history of the personal classified events between them and reminders for the upcoming days of special events. 4. Brief Description of Drawings The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, illustrate a preferred embodiment of this invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the present invention. In the drawings : FIG. 1 shows an appearance of a wrist watch embodying the mutual event counting apparatus according to the present invention; FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams respectively showing circuit configurations of embodiments of the mutual event counting apparatus according of the present invention; FIG. 3 shows an appearance of another wrist watch embodying an embodiment of the mutual event counting apparatus according to the present invention; FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic diagrams respectively showing circuit configurations of embodiments of the mutual event counting apparatus according of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a flow chart depicting the method of mutual counting events through interaction between devices of the same kind according to the present invention; FIGS. 7A and 7B show examples of a display of a history of classified events on liquid crystal display (LCD) ; and FIG. 8 shows examples of input/output configuration of contact members in the embodiment of FIG. 2B. 5. Modes for Carrying out the Invention The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail referring to the accompanying drawings . FIG. 1 depicts an appearance of a wrist watch embodying the apparatus of the present invention, and FIGS. 2A and 2B show contact units and internal configuration of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus embodied in the watch of FIG. 1, respectively. The preferred embodiment of FIG. 2A comprises several cylindrical-shaped contact members (C1,C2, ..., Cn) , each corresponding to each event type; several push switches (SI, S2, ..., Sn) , each of which is situated in each contact member and generates a change of signal level when its corresponding contact member is contacted to the corresponding contact member of the counterpart device (Cl' , C2' , ... , Cn' ) ; a clock unit 20 for counting the present date and time; input means 30 for entering a user's input; a flash memory 11 for storing an identification (ID) code of the device embodying the present invention; a memory 12 for storing data; an I/O unit 45 for receiving signal change when one of the push switches is pressed; a MICOM (micro computer) 10 which, on the basis of a signal from the I/O unit 45, counts the event associated with to the signal and stores the counted number of the event to the corresponding section of the memory 12, together with date and time information; an LCD controller 41 for converting the data in the memory 12 to signal fitted to an LCD; and an LCD 40 for displaying the data in the memory. In this embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, in the case where man and woman date each other, first, they contact the contact member corresponding to "DATING" event C3 with the corresponding contact member C3' of each other's device. If the two devices are devices of the same kind and they are designated as the counterpart device to each other, because contact members of the two devices are formed in a manner that the two corresponding contact members interlock with each other, as shown in FIG. 2A, both of the contact members (C3, C3' ) are interlocked. As a result, push switches (S3, S3' ) , which are situated within the contact members (C3, C3' ) , and height of which is lower than that of the contact members, as shown in FIG. 2A, are pressed simultaneously, and thus signal level of a bit at the input port of the I/O unit 45 becomes low state. The MICOM 10 detects change of the bit from the output data of the I/O unit 45, increases the number of the event associated with the bit, or "DATE" event by 1, and stores the 5 number of the event occurred so far in the "DATE"-related section in the memory, together with the encoded present date and time, which are obtained from the clock unit 20. In this way, events of several types between man and woman such as date, kiss, travel are recorded in a classified 10 section of the memory 12, along with date and time information only through contact between the portable devices, and thus events of several types are counted based on the history of the events . On the other hand, a mode in which start day of an event 15 type is entered can be set by using "MODE" button on the input means 30. For example, in the case where the day when they met first each other, e.g., 25th December, 1996 is entered by using the "MODE" button, the MICOM 10 counts continuously how many days there are since the designated day until the 20 present day, which are counted by the clock unit 20, and stores the counted number of days in the memory 12. As a result, it is possible for the wrist embodying the apparatus to count how many days there are since the first dating day and inform persons carrying the device of the day of special events like 25 100th day since the first dating day through the LCD. The request of displaying the day of special events on the LCD is set, in advance, by using the input means 30. In order for a user to request a display of history of personal events recorded so far, it is asked that event display mode is set and then code of the owner is entered through the input means 30. Upon receiving the ID code, the MICOM 10 verifies the identity of the owner by determining whether or not the ID code is matched with that stored in the flash memory 11. If they are matched, all of the event data stored in the memory 12 are read out and displayed, one after another, on the LCD 40 in an order of date recorded (as shown in FIG. 7A) or classified by event category to which each event belongs (as shown in FIG. 7B) . Title icon representing each event category which is on the upper part of the LCD 40 is highlighted when corresponding event is displayed. In the embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2B, which differs from the foregoing embodiment of FIG .2A, several contact members (Cx) are identical in shape (prominence- and-depression shape) irrespective of the event type. Whether two devices are in one-to-one correspondence with each other or not is checked by an electrical match through the contact members (Cx) . In order that two devices are matched, it is required that contact members of one device through which current flows out (hereinafter referred to as "OUT contact member") correspond to the contact members of the other device through which current flows in (hereinafter referred to as "IN contact member") . For example, if several contact members of one device are formed as OIOOIO...' (I and 0 denote IN and OUT contact member, respectively) , the corresponding contact members of the counterpart device are formed as Λ OIIIOI...'. Hence, events of any event type are counted by contacting through the corresponding contact members only if two devices are in one-to-one correspondence with each other. Other devices than the counterpart device are made such that their contact members have different IN/OUT configurations, as shown in FIG. 8. For example, if two corresponding contact members associated with "QUARREL" event (Cl, Cl' ) are interlocked, current is supplied through a transistor Tr connected to the OUT contact member Cl and an coil LI at the Cl' contact member. As a result, a diode D is conducted by the current which is induced in another coil L2, and thereby a flip-flop 1 at the Cl' contact member of the counterpart device is triggered by a falling edge of the current flowing through the diode D. Thus, the inverting output terminal (-Q) of the flip-flop 1 goes low level. On the other hand, at the Cl contact member, emitter voltage of the transistor (marked as Λ a' in FIG. 2B) goes from high level to low level when the two devices are contacted. Through the I/O unit 45, the level change allows the MICOM 10 to detect the contact through the Cl contact member. Then, the "QUARREL" event is counted by the same subsequent operation as explained in the foregoing embodiment. Meanwhile, at the counterpart device, the inverted output (-Q) of the flip-flop 1 at the Cl' contact member is inputted to the MICOM 10 through the I/O unit 45. As a result, the counterpart device detects the contact through the "QUARREL" contact member. FIG. 3 shows an appearance of another wrist watch embodying the apparatus of the present invention. This embodiment differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1 in that only one contact member Cc is provided together with different key pad 30 through which event type can be selected. The internal circuit configurations are the same as those of the foregoing embodiment . The embodiment of FIG. 3 will be described below in detail with reference to a flow chart of FIG. 6 and a circuit configuration of FIG. 2A. In the method and apparatus according to the present invention shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, before contacting to each other's device through contact member (Cc, Cc' ) , which are formed together with either mechanical switch or electrical switch, a user requests a menu for selecting an event type by using MODE button on the key pad 30, and selects a particular event type by using arrow and MODE keys (SI) . If two contact members (Cc, Cc' ) are contacted to each other (Sll), the MICOM 10 at either device detects the contact between the two contact members (Cc, Cc' ) on the basis of level change at the I/O unit 45. Upon the contact is detected, the MICOM 10 checks whether or not the contacted device is the counterpart device which is in one-to-one correspondence with each other (S21) . If it is not the counterpart, control step goes back to the step of selection of event type. If it is determined that they are one-to-one correspondent, the MICOM 10 reads out the number of the chosen event occurred so far from the memory 12 and increases it by 1 (S22) . Then, the present date and time are read out from the clock unit 20 (S23) and are then stored in a pre-assigned section of the memory 12, together with the increased count of the event (S24) . For example, if "TRAVEL" event type is chosen and the previous occurrence number of the event is 9, 10 is stored in a section of the memory assigned to the TRAVEL event, together with encoded data of date and time information. In response to user's request, a history of events recorded so far is displayed on the LCD 40 in the same way as the foregoing embodiment . FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the mutual event counting apparatus of the present invention. This embodiment differs from the embodiment of FIG. 2A in that, instead of the contact member Cx and the I/O unit 45, a connector 51 and an RS232C 50 for serial communication with the counterpart device are used and an ID code of the counterpart device is stored in the flash memory 11. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, first, a user chooses an event type by using MODE button on the key pad 30. If the connector 51 is connected to that of another device of the same kind, a level change (from floated high to low) of a particular pin due to the connection to the other device occurs in the RS232C 60 and then is used to inform the MICOM 50 of an establishment of the connection. Then, while reading out its own ID code from the flash memory 11 and sending the ID code to the connected device, the MICOM 10 receives data from the connected device through the RS232C 50. A comparison is made as to whether or not the ID code in the received data is matched with that of the counterpart device stored in the flash memory 11. If both of the ID codes are matched, the MICOM 10 identifies the connected device as the counterpart device of its own and thereby increases the number of the chosen event by 1 and stores it in the pre-assigned section of the memory 12 together with date and time information. Displaying a history of events recorded so far in response to the user's request is performed in the same way as the foregoing embodiments . FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the mutual event counting apparatus of the present invention. This embodiment differs from the foregoing embodiment of FIG. 4 in that an RF communication unit 60 (RF receiver 61 and RF transmitter 62) for wireless communication through an antenna and an interface (I/F) unit 70 for data communication between the MICOM 10 and the RF communication unit 60 are used instead of the connector 51 and the RS232C 50. Unlike the foregoing embodiment of FIG. 4, in the embodiment of FIG. 5, the MICOM 10 reads out the ID code from the flash memory 11 and then sends it to the I/F unit 70, in which the ID code is converted to serial data. Then, the serial data is modulated by the RF transmitter 62, and then the RF transmitter 62 transmits the modulated RF signal containing its own ID code at a predetermined transmission power, so that devices of the same kind, which are equipped with the apparatus of the present invention and located within a predetermined distance, can detect the RF signal. While broadcasting the RF signal containing the ID code, if another device of the same kind comes within the predetermined distance, the RF receiver 61 receives an RF signal broadcast from the other device and demodulates the RF signal. The demodulated signal is sent to the MICOM 10 through the I/F unit 70. A comparison is made by the MICOM 50 as to whether or not the ID code of the counterpart device kept in the flash memory 11 is matched with the ID code contained in the received RF signal. If they are matched, the subsequent operations such as event count and display thereof are performed in the same way as that of foregoing embodiments . Meanwhile, the comparison of ID codes and counting and storing occurrence of the event are performed in the counterpart device, as well. In this way, when two corresponding devices come close to each other, events of the current chosen type, for example DATING event, are updated automatically without any physical contact . Rather than exchanging their own ID codes and comparing them, it is possible to equip two devices which is one-to-one correspondence with each other with a pair of RF communication units 60 which are made to tune only each other's RF signal. In the case, only detection of the signal broadcast from the counterpart device within a predetermined distance can lead to counting events of particular types and storing the related information . The foregoing is provided only for the purpose of illustration and explanation of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, so changes, variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. An apparatus for counting mutual events through interaction between devices of the same kind, comprising: a means for contacting with a device and checking whether or not the device is of the same kind; and a means for counting the number of contact which occurs through said contacting means. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said contacting means is formed such that the device can be contacted only with another device which is designated as the counterpart device . 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said contacting means are provided, each corresponding to each event type, and wherein, when one of said contacting means is contacted with the corresponding contacting means of the counterpart device, said counting means counts the number of the contact associated with event type of the contacting means . 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a means for providing the present date and time; and a means for storing information on date and time when one of said contacting means is contacted with the corresponding contacting means of the counterpart device, said information on date and time being classified by the event type associated with the contacting means. 5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a means for providing the present date and time; and a means for storing information on date and time, when said contacting means is contacted with the corresponding contacting means of another device of the same kind. 6. An apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a means for counting how many days there are until the present day from the day preset by a user, and storing the counted days in said storing means. 7. An apparatus according to claim 4, claim 5, or claim 6, further comprising a means for displaying data stored in said storing means in response to user's request. 8. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: a means for checking whether or not an identification code to be entered by a user is matched with the preset identification code of the owner; and a means for controlling said displaying means to display data in said storing means based on the check result. 9. An apparatus for counting mutual events through interaction between devices of the same kind, comprising: a means for checking whether or not another device is of the same kind; a means for contacting with the device of the same kind; and a means for counting the number of contact which occurs through said contacting means. 10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said contacting means is formed such that the device can be contacted only with another device which is designated as the counterpart device . 11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of said contacting means are provided, each corresponding to each event type, and wherein, when one of said contacting means is contacted with the corresponding contacting means of the counterpart device, said counting means counts the number of the contact associated with event type of the contacting means . 12. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: a means for providing the present date and time; and a mean for storing information on date and time when one of said contacting means is contacted with the corresponding contacting means of the counterpart device, said information on date and time being classified by the event type associated with the contacting means. 13. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: a means for providing the present date and time; and a means for storing information on date and time, when said contacting means is contacted with the corresponding contacting means of another device of the same kind. 14. An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a means for counting how many days there are until the present day from the day preset by a user, and storing counted days in said storing means. 15. An apparatus according to claim 12, claim 13, or claim 14, further comprising a means for displaying data stored in said storing means in response to user's request. 16. An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising : a means for checking whether or not an identification code to be entered by a user is matched with the preset identification code of the owner, ; and a means for controlling said displaying means to display data in said storing means based on the check result. 17. An apparatus for counting mutual events through interaction between devices of the same kind, comprising: a means for checking whether or not an outer device is a device of the same kind on the basis of a signal from the outer device; and a means for counting the number of reception of the signal when it is determined that the outer device is the device of the same kind. 18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said checking means checks the outer device based on the identification code contained in the received signal. 19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said counting means counts the number of reception of the signal when it is determined that identification code of the counterpart device is detected in the received signal. 20. An apparatus according to claim 17, claim 18, or claim 19, wherein the signal is received through wire connection with other device of the same kind. 21. An apparatus according to claim 17, claim 18, or claim 19, wherein the signal which is received from another device of the same kind is a radio-frequency signal. 22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said counting means counts when another device of the same kind comes within a predetermined distance. 23. A method for counting mutual events through interaction between devices of the same kind, comprising the steps of: choosing an event type among several predetermined event types; detecting an interaction occurred between devices of the same kind; and updating the number of occurrence of events of the chosen type when the interaction is detected. 24. A method according to claim 23, said detecting step further comprising the step of checking whether or not another device of the same kind is the device which is designated as the counterpart device.

Inventors: CHO CHANG KYU, KIM JUNG KI, LEE MYUN WOO, LEE WON ICK, CHO, CHANG, KYU, KIM, JUNG, KI, LEE, MYUN, WOO, LEE, WON, ICK
Applicants: CHO CHANG KYU, KIM JUNG KI, LEE MYUN WOO, LEE WON ICK, CHO, CHANG, KYU, KIM, JUNG, KI, LEE, MYUN, WOO, LEE, WON, ICK
Application year: 1999
Main classification: G06K
IPC codes: G06F15, G06K7, G06K19, H04B1