Interactive personal interpretive device and system for retrieving

Abstract

A system for providing interpretive information about objects or exhibits located in a facility employs a plurality of object identification devices, each disposed at an object or exhibit of interest, and each transmitting a signal identifying the object there located, and any number of personal interpretive devices that receive the signal and retrieve information from a storage device about the object identified by the received signal. The retrieved information includes text data, graphic data, and audio data, which is a recording of the text data. The text data is output on a display and the audio data is output by an audio output circuit in synchronism with the text display. The data is stored in a compressed format to increase the overall amount of information available. Information comparing an object with previous objects is retrieved when the object is one of predetermined set of objects, and others in the set having already been viewed. The information about the objects includes both general and detailed information, and the level of information retrieved is selectable by the visitor. When the visitor has retrieved detailed information for a predetermined number of exhibits, detailed information is retrieved directly for further exhibits. A timing function limits the amount of time the personal interpretive device can be used. The personal interpretive devices may be interconnected via signal transmission to allows interconnected devices to commonly view object information. The system regulates traffic in the facility by monitoring the positions of the personal interpretive device and redirecting them to less congested locations.