Patent ID: 7535481

Claim:
A method for determining an orientation of information presented on a generally horizontal display surface, wherein the information can be selectively oriented to face toward different sides of the display surface, comprising the steps of: receiving light that is reflected from a totem that is disposed on the display surface of a horizontal display table, the received light indicating the location on the display surface of the totem, and wherein the totem is associated with a particular user; detecting identifying information from the received light, wherein the identifying information identifies the particular user of the horizontal display table; determining a location relative to the display surface of the particular user based on the location of the totem; based on the identifying information that identifies the particular user, selecting information that corresponds to the particular user and that is to be displayed to the particular user; and displaying the selected information such that the selected information is oriented on the display surface as to face toward the location of the particular user.