Abstract:
A system for exchanging data includes at least two memory units, each unit functioning as both a transmitter and a receiver of data. The exchange of data occurs whenever at least two memory units are within a certain distance of each other. The user is thus capable of simultaneously being both a transmitter and a receiver of data, such that the transmitter can send data continuously but can receive data transmitted from other memory units only when the receiver is within a certain distance from a transmitter. As a result, data are received only by those memory units that are located in the immediate environment of the transmitter. Since the data transmitted can be selected personally by the user, the data thus reflects the preferences of the user acting as the transmitter.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a system for exchanging data, and in particular to such a system with various features that facilitate the exchange of data according to specific parameters. 
   A radio system is generally known in which selected radio stations have the ability to broadcast information to a large number of people. An individual person can, as desired, avail himself of what the radio station offers, but has only a limited ability to send information himself, or even to comment on or modify the information. The same applies to the broadcasting of television programs, which is reserved for a few selected television broadcasters. In these situations, the listener or viewer is acting strictly as a receiver of information. 
   In regard to written text as well, there exists a limited number of publishers that publish newspapers and distribute them to a large number of people. Here again, the individual can only consume what is offered and has only limited possibilities of influencing the information distributed. For example, in the case of newspapers there is the possibility of submitting letters from readers which are then, however, often shifted in time and often not printed in combination with the original information. 
   What is needed is a system in which an individual person is not only a receiver but also a transmitter of information and, as such, can have a direct influence on the information received by others. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A system for exchanging data includes at least two memory units each functioning as both a transmitter and a receiver of data. The exchange of data occurs whenever two memory units are within a certain distance of each other. The user of such a memory unit is thus capable of simultaneously being both a transmitter and a receiver of data, such that the transmitter can send data continuously but can receive data transmitted from other memory units only when the receiver is within a certain distance from a transmitter. As a result, data are received only by those memory units that are located in the immediate environment of the transmitter. Since the data transmitted can be selected personally by the user of the memory unit—the data being able to be transmitted in any form, for example, as music pieces, text, television broadcasts, or other forms—the data thus reflect the social environment in which the transmitter happens to be situated. To this end, each person preferably has such a memory unit which participates in the exchange of data so that information is exchanged through the memory units with every person encountered. 
   The exchange of data can be implemented using electrical or optical cables, laser light, or infrared interfaces or wireless interfaces. One possibility is a manually forced exchange of data, for example, through a link of two memory units by a cable and appropriate manual commands on one of the memory units. A desired approach is to use wireless transmission of data so personal contact need not be established with every user. 
   The distance between two memory units can be measured by a calibration signal. It is also possible to vary the distance between which an exchange of data occurs to be able to select a smaller receiving radius in a constrained space, for example, a shopping center, as opposed to more wide open spaces. 
   The memory units preferably have unique identifiers, which enable assignment of the received data to a specific memory unit. In particular, it enables control of data sent and received such that, for example, no data would be exchanged over a certain period of time with a memory unit with which data have already been exchanged. This ensures that when two memory units meet, certain data are exchanged only once. 
   The memory unit preferably has a memory capacity that can record large quantities of data. Only this way can the large quantity of data broadcast by all memory units in the immediate environment be stored in a receiving memory unit. In the event the capacity of the memory unit is exceeded, the newly received data should preferably not be rejected; instead, unimportant data or the oldest data are deleted based on certain rules to provide memory capacity for the new incoming data. 
   The exchange of data occurs in an automated fashion, thereby enabling large quantities of data to be transmitted and received. It would be difficult for an individual user to employ manual control of the data exchange to successfully exchange data with everyone in, for example, a shopping center. 
   Some portion or all of the data of a memory unit is automatically transmitted upon an encounter with another memory unit. The data involved here are primarily data upon which the transmitter places high value. The transmitted data are preferably stored on the receiving memory unit without the approval thereof. As a result, the user of the memory unit understands what people in his immediate environment consider to be important. 
   In addition, the exchange of data is controlled by a system of rules; for example, one memory unit is searched based on what another user is seeking. The system of rules can thus contain specific requests from the user, for example, for a certain musical piece. In addition, preferences defined by the user are contained in the system of rules regarding requested data to be received and recorded from other memory units. These preferences do not contain specific requests but instead indicate, for example, that all available data on a certain topic, for example, sports, should be transmitted to the user&#39;s memory unit. 
   The preferences contained in the rules system may be adapted to the user&#39;s behavior by monitoring the user. If certain data are not requested immediately or not at all within a certain period of time by the user, the relevant preference is given a lower priority. Data that can be linked to this preference will not be stored at all, or to a lesser extent, in the future. In addition, such data can be automatically deleted in order to release memory space for other more relevant data. 
   The data are provided with certain supplementary information, for example, an index which indicates the number of memory units to which data have been sent. As a result, the user knows the extent to which his data have been received by other memory units. In addition, the data with supplementary information have an index which indicates how often the user has received these data from various memory units. As a result, it is possible to estimate how many users consider this message to be important. In addition, these data with supplementary information have an index which indicates the number of different memory units the data from the original sender have passed through unmodified before being received. If this index is especially large, then many users consider this message in its original form to be important. In addition, the data with supplementary information have an index which indicates in how many different memory units these data have been modified. As a result, the user can retrace how often these data have been commented on by various users. 
   The data with supplementary information have meta-data which identify the relationship between different data. The above-described indexes supply information exclusively on the data itself. However, it is advantageous also to receive information on the relationship between the different data. 
   Among other things, the meta-data contain information on additional data that have been linked with the original data, preferably, either transmitted or received in combination. If, for example, two different data sets have been sent together, but a given user has received only one data set, the meta-data of this data set enable the user to receive information on the second data set, or to perform a targeted search of the second data set. In addition, from the meta-data a determination can be made as to how often certain data have been interlinked with other data by a user. 
   The meta-data preferably contain information on the identifier of the memory unit in which certain data have been linked to other data. This provides information as to whether a certain type of data has been linked to another type of data only in a certain memory unit. 
   Memory units can be associated with certain interest groups based on the meta-data. For example, if a user of a memory unit is interested primarily in specific topics, such as archaeology and pottery, the meta-data enable the user to seek out those memory units in which these topics preferentially occur in combination. 
   This feature provides another advantage in which those relationships between the data are preferentially considered which the members of a certain interest group have created. 
   The received data are preferably stored in the memory unit based on an organizing system of rules. The user profile is advantageously contained in the organizing system of rules. As a result, the user first encounters the data requested by him and the data that most closely meet his preferences. 
   Sorting can be performed in the organizing system of rules based on the indexes. As a result, the user is presented with data received or sent frequently, as the most important data. 
   Preferably, the meta-data of the data can be used in the organizing system of rules to organize the data. This enables, for example, data sent by members of a certain interest group to be listed first. 
   These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The sole FIGURE is a schematic view of a system for exchanging data. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The FIGURE illustrates a system  5  having a multiplicity of persons  10  acting as users who have direct access to a quantity of data or information represented as dots  20 . These data  20  are stored on memory units  30  that mutually communicate without direct access by the user  10 . Certain data  20  are always linked, as illustrated by a connection line  40  between the data dots  20 . These data are typically transmitted in combination, or correspond to similar preferences. 
   The FIGURE also illustrates an additional provider, referred to as a system provider  50 , which is not necessarily an individual person. As with radio and television, in the system  5  a public or private establishment can also exist that participates in the exchange of data  20 . On one hand, such an establishment can also transmit its own data  20 . On the other hand, such an establishment can assume the task of observing developments and trends of the data  20  transmitted, immediately commenting on and, as necessary, moderating the news and messages. This way, a user  10  of the memory unit  30  can have a direct influence on the information  20  received by others. 
   For an individual person, the motivation for using such a memory unit  30  lies primarily in the ability to communicate with others and to be up-to-date with respect to the most current news and messages, while on the other hand transmitting his own messages and news. 
   Each memory unit  30  has a relative memory capacity. It is already feasible to fabricate hard discs with a memory capacity of 100 GB, and within the foreseeable future it will be possible to increase this memory capacity by several orders of magnitude. Such a large memory capacity is necessary in order to save the data transmitted by all persons  10  in the immediate environment, specifically in order to be able to transmit memory-intensive data such as videos. 
   The memory unit  30  can be connected by a cable link or an infrared interface to a computer through which the user  10  is able to transfer his own data  20  to the memory unit  30 . In addition, the memory unit  30  can be connected to a television set or a video recorder in order to record television programs and videos. In addition, the memory unit  30  is equipped with a speech recognition program which converts texts or music pieces received through a microphone into written text or digital data. 
   The user is thus able to use different means to transfer his own data  20  to the memory unit  30 . In addition, he can assign a weighting factor to the data  20  to determine which data  20  should be sent preferentially. In addition, he can indicate in his own system of rules regulating the exchange of data  20  between any two memory units  30  what type of data  20  he is seeking. On the one hand, specific requests, such as music pieces or a certain video may be indicated that are being sought on the memory units  30  of other users  10 . In addition, preferences may be indicated, according to which the system of rules searches in an automated fashion for relevant data  20  on the other memory units  30 . For example, a news text which the user  10  considers especially important can be given a high importance rating. However, it is also possible to provide a high importance rating to images, short videos, or rumors, so that these data  20  specifically will be transmitted to all memory units  30  with which data  20  are being exchanged. 
   The memory unit  30  is equipped with an interface which enables a wireless exchange of data with other memory units  30 . It is also possible, however, to exchange data  20  with other memory units  30  through a cable. However, direct contact with a user  10  of another memory unit  30  is required for this purpose. It is a desirable feature that the user&#39;s  10  own data  20  are transmitted preferentially through a wireless interface to as many units  30  as possible, without knowing exactly who is requesting these data  20 . 
   In addition, the memory unit  30  sends out a calibration signal, based on which the distance to the other memory units  30  can be estimated. The user  10  can select a specific receiving radius indicating the distance within which data  20  are exchanged with other memory units  30 . 
   The user  10  now moves with his memory unit  30  in areas in which he encounters other users  10  of memory units  30 . Whenever another memory unit  30  is located within the receiving radius of this own memory unit  30 , data  20  are exchanged between the two memory units  30 . Each memory unit  30  functions simultaneously as a transmitter and a receiver. 
   Initially, each memory unit  30  transmits what the user  10  considers to be especially important information or data  20 . The user  10  has the choice as to whether he wants as a rule to store on his memory unit  30  all of the data  20  sent by other memory units  30 , or to interpose a filter which accepts for storage only data  20  having certain characteristics. For example, only data  20  that matches the preferences of the user  10  can be selected. It is also possible to accept only data  20  having high indexes, as described below. As a result, only part of the data  20  being sent by another memory unit  30  is initially received. 
   In addition, the other memory unit  30  is searched by the memory unit  30  in an automated fashion for that which corresponds to the user profile. The search here can, on the one hand, be for specific data  20  such as music pieces or, on the other hand, the memory unit  30  can be searched for the data  20  that most closely match the preferences of the user  10 . Data  20  that are received frequently can be relayed on, preferably in an automated fashion. 
   The data  20  continue to be exchanged between the two memory units  30  as long as the other memory unit  30  is located within the receiving radius of the user&#39;s memory unit  30 . In the event data  20  are exchanged for which the transmission time is longer than the exchange time between the two memory units  30 —for example, because a certain video was sought by the user  10 —it is possible for his own memory unit  30  to register which segment of the video has already been transmitted, then to transfer the next segment of the video during a subsequent encounter with a third memory unit  30  on which this video is also located. As a result, larger data sets  20  may be transferred piecewise to the users own memory unit  30  from different memory units  30 . 
   The transmitted data  20  can be linked with different indexes and meta-data. A first index to the user&#39;s own data  20  indicates the number of memory units  30  to which the corresponding data  20  have been transmitted. In addition, the user  10  can determine how many memory units  30  have not accepted the data  20  since they did not match the profile of the user  10  of the other memory unit  30 . The user  10  thus gains an overview as to how interesting his own data  20  were for other users. 
   A second index to the data  20  contained by the other memory units  30  indicates how often the user  10  has received these data  20  from various memory units  30 . This provides the user  10  with an overview of which messages are currently considered important by many people. 
   A third index indicates the number of different memory units  30  through which the data  20  from the original transmitter have passed unmodified before they were received on the user&#39;s memory device  30 . Each time these data  20  are transmitted from one memory unit  30  to the next unit  30  this index is incremented by 1. This index also indicates how important the general public considers these data  20  to be. 
   Another index indicates the number of different memory units  30  on which these data  20  have been modified. The user of a memory unit  30  is provided with the ability to pass on the received data  20 , such as text together with his own commentaries. 
   The indexes relate exclusively to the data set  20  to which they have been assigned. In addition, meta-data are sent together with the data  20 , the meta-data identifying the relationship between different data  20 . Using the meta-data, the user  10  can determine which additional data  20  have been sent or received in combination with the original data  20 . For example, if in the “Sports” category one of the top messages has a report about a new world record, and if in 90% of the messages sent this message is sent simultaneously together with the interview of the relevant athlete, yet the user  10  of the memory unit  30  has received only the first message, the meta-data enable him to learn about the second item and then perform a targeted search for it. The meta-data additionally provide information about how often certain data  20  are linked with other data  20  by a user  10 . In the above example of a world record, the rumor about suspected doping on the part of the athlete may, for example, be significantly more interesting than the interview with the athlete. 
   Each memory unit  30  contains a unique identifier which is simultaneously transmitted together with the meta-data. Specifically, the meta-data contain the identifier of the memory unit  30  in which certain data  20  have been linked with other data  20 . This is especially interesting for a user  10  of a memory unit  30  in cases when certain memory  30  are associated with certain interest groups, and this information is transmitted by the meta-data. When data  20  are exchanged, the relationship of data  20  can be taken into account that has been created by members of a certain interest group. A user  10  primarily interested in information about “Science and Technology” thus has the ability both to filter out corresponding data  20  based on his user profile, and to request data  20  in a targeted fashion from those memory units  30  whose users  10  are also interested in this subject. 
   If the user  10  does restrict reception of incoming data  20  by means of a system of rules, but allows all incoming data  20  to be stored in the memory unit  30 , he thus obtains information about all the people he has encountered. Depending on the environments in which he is located, the received data  20  will reflect the social environment. If he is located in school, for example, the top messages could include mathematics homework or the latest information on the new Latin teacher. In a shopping center, the most important messages may involve which products are on sale. The type of music pieces exchanged will also vary significantly in different environments. Furthermore, one and the same message may be subject to completely different commentary and modified accordingly in one environment than in another environment. 
   The incoming data  20  are filed in the memory unit  30  according to an organizing system of rules. This system of rules takes into account both the user profile and the indexes and the meta-data. If the memory capacity is too small for all incoming data  20 , the system of rules can decide automatically which data  20  are either interesting or unimportant to the user  10 . Any data  20  that do not match the user profile can be automatically deleted to leave space for additional incoming data  20 . 
   At any given point in time, the user  10  obtains an overview of the data  20  received. For example, he can have the top messages listed, or messages which have been newly received on that day. He can check whether his transmitted data  20  have been accepted by the overwhelming majority of memory units  30  contacted. In addition, he can modify data  20  received and display the data  20  that most closely match his user profile. Specifically, he obtains a snapshot of the social structure with which he has had contact on that day. 
   Although the present invention has been shown and described with respect to several preferred embodiments thereof, various changes, omissions and additions to the form and detail thereof, may be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.