BE1024993B1 - ELECTRONIC NAMEBOARD - Google Patents

Abstract

According to an embodiment, the invention comprises a substantially electronic-shaped nameplate (100) designed for distinguishing a person during a meeting, the nameplate further suitable for placing the person on a table (104), the nameplate (100) comprising a front electronic screen (101) configured to display an identity of the person; and a communication port (103) configured to receive instructions indicative of an intention and / or activity of the person; and an indicator lamp (102) configured to display the person's intention and / or activity during the meeting.

Description

(30) Priority data:

(73) Holder (s):

TELEVIC CONFERENCE NV

8870, IZEGEM

Belgium (72) Inventor (s):

COTTIGNIE Matthijs 8510 MARKE Belgium

WACKENIER Bram 8820 TORHOUT Belgium

DEPARCQ Pieter 8800 ROESELARE Belgium

COPPENS Jonas 9840 DE PINTE Belgium

VANHEULE Karel 8500 COURTRAI Belgium

MAERTEN Klaas 8970 POPERINGE Belgium (54) ELECTRONIC NAMEPLATE (57) According to an embodiment, the invention mainly comprises a bar-shaped electronic nameplate (100) suitable for distinguishing a person during a meeting, the nameplate further suitable for the person on a table (104), the nameplate (100) comprising a front electronic screen (101) configured to display an identity of the person; and a communication port (103) configured to receive instructions indicative of an intention and / or activity from the person; and an indicator lamp (102) configured to indicate the person's intention and / or activity during the meeting.

Fig. 1

BELGIAN INVENTION PATENT

FPS Economy, K.M.O., Self-employed & Energy

Publication number: 1024993 Filing number: BE2017 / 5481

Intellectual Property Office

International Classification: G09F 9/37 G09F 13/22 Date of Grant: 13/09/2018

The Minister of Economy,

Having regard to the Paris Convention of 20 March 1883 for the Protection of Industrial Property;

Having regard to the Law of March 28, 1984 on inventive patents, Article 22, for patent applications filed before September 22, 2014;

Having regard to Title 1 Invention Patents of Book XI of the Economic Law Code, Article XI.24, for patent applications filed from September 22, 2014;

Having regard to the Royal Decree of 2 December 1986 on the filing, granting and maintenance of inventive patents, Article 28;

Having regard to the application for an invention patent received by the Intellectual Property Office on 07/07/2017.

Whereas for patent applications that fall within the scope of Title 1, Book XI, of the Code of Economic Law (hereinafter WER), in accordance with Article XI.19, § 4, second paragraph, of the WER, the granted patent will be limited. to the patent claims for which the novelty search report was prepared, when the patent application is the subject of a novelty search report which discloses a lack of unity of invention as mentioned in paragraph 1, and when the applicant does not limit his filing and does not file a divisional filing in accordance with the search report.

Decision:

Article 1

TELEVIC CONFERENCE NV, Leo Bekaertlaan 1, 8870 IZEGEM Belgium;

represented by

DUMAREY Robrecht, Hubert Frère-Orbanlaan 329, 9000, GHENT;

a Belgian invention patent with a term of 20 years, subject to payment of the annual fees as referred to in Article XI.48, § 1 of the Economic Law Code, for:

ELECTRONIC NAMEPLATE.

INVENTOR (S):

COTTIGNIE Matthijs, Rekkemsestraat 80, 8510, MARKE;

WACKENIER Bram, Ernest Claeslaan 29, 8820, TORHOUT;

DEPARCQ Pieter, Stationsdreef 70 bus 4, 8800, ROESELARE;

COPPENS Jonas, J. Anthierenslaan 5, 9840, DE PINTE;

VANHEULE Karel, Sint-Rochuslaan 12, 8500, COURTRAI;

MAERTEN Klaas, Komstraat 72, 8970, POPERINGE;

PRIORITY:

BREAKDOWN:

Split from basic application: Filing date of the basic application:

Article 2. - This patent is granted without prior investigation into the patentability of the invention, without warranty of the Merit of the invention, nor of the accuracy of its description and at the risk of the applicant (s).

Brussels, 13/09/2018,

With special authorization:

. j ..

BE2017 / 5481

ELECTRONIC NAME BQRD

Technical Field The present invention relates to a digital nameplate suitable for use in meeting rooms and conference rooms.

State of the art [02] During meetings it is customary to provide beer with a nameplate for each participant. This nameplate serves to identify the participant with his or her name, and can also be used to indicate his or her position, which reorganizes the participation in the meeting. A position is, for example, a position within the hierarchy of a company, an academic title or a capacity as a representative of a nafie. Examples of such meetings are general meetings of shareholders, academic congresses and national or supranational meetings of representatives of the people.

[03] In particular, these may be shareholders' meetings of multinationals, scientific international colloquia or even assemblies of people's representatives concerning prominent organizations, such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, or the United Nations, UN.

[04] These meetings or meetings just listed are characterized, on the one hand, by the large number of participants. On the other hand, such meetings are characterized by the interactivity of the participants. Repeatedly they will want to express their opinion, intervene in discussions and / or possibly vote. Next to a nameplate

-2BE2017 / 5481 is a discussion post attached an essential part that should be made available to a participant.

[05] To avoid fe confusion, for example, a chairman will usually be appointed. This chairman leads the meeting smoothly by, among other things, deciding when which participant may speak. A participant will then address a request to the chairman to get the floor or not. This can be done, for example, by a simple show of hands, via a direct request to the discussion post or possibly by putting the nameplate upright 90 degrees.

[06] When a participant has received such permission from the chairman, it is also important that other participants can perceive in a quick and clear manner which participant may and will speak. The other participants can then immediately observe the speaker. An advantage of this is, for example, that his or her intentions can be derived from the speaker's body language.

[07] To show the chairman, the participants and any other attendees in the meeting room who is speaking at what time, a light fixture is integrated into each microphone. The light point then lights up when the participant addresses the meeting via the respective microphone.

[08] However, the integration of the light source into the microphone has some drawbacks. First, speakers often have a habit of picking up the microphone before or during a speech. Before the start of reason this happens to put him in the right position. Furthermore, experienced speakers often use their arms during a speech to come to the audience more powerfully and / or convincingly. The arms are located

-3BE2017 / 5481 in this situation in front of the body, whereby the microphone can again be picked up, this covers the light source and often in an alternating manner. This not only ensures that it is unclear who is speaking, but also causes a disturbing light source in the conference room as it seems to a bystander as if the light source is muted in turn and lit up again.

[09] In addition, the light source must be sufficiently diffuse so that everyone in the meeting room can perceive it. On the other hand, the Lüchtbunde! be sufficiently directed towards the chairman so that he can quickly and clearly perceive who is speaking and which microphone is active. However, due to the miniaturization of microphones, the space to integrate such a light source is limited.

[10] In addition, the aforementioned nameplate is located near the microphone, largely occupying the table space available to a meeting participant. Depending on the placement of the nameplate, this can again lead to the light source being shielded.

[11] It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above drawbacks.

[12] This object is achieved, according to a first aspect of the invention, by providing a substantially bar-shaped electronic nameplate suitable for distinguishing a person at a meeting, the nameplate is further suitable for the person on a table the nameplate includes:

BE2017 / 5481

- a front electronic screen comprising electronic paper configured to display an identity of the person; and

a communication port configured to receive instructions indicative of an intention and / or activity of the person; and

- an indicator lamp configured to show the person's intention and / or activity during the meeting.

[13] So the nameplate is placed on the table in front of the person to identify them. For example, the electronic nameplate shows the person's name along with their job title, particularly the electronic paper. Furthermore, the nameplate has a communication port where instructions are received, An instruction is, for example, the intention to replicate on the speech of another person during the meeting, An activity in turn is, for example, making a speech, These instructions are transposed in light signals emitted by the indicator lamp. According to an embodiment, this can be done on the basis of an effect and / or intensity. A light signal can then be, inter alia, having the lamp burning according to a certain frequency, if desired combined with a change in intensity or a color change.

[14] By integrating the indicator lamp in the nameplate, this lamp will always be in front of the person because, as a rule, a nameplate is always placed in front of the person. Furthermore, it is also an advantage that in this way wireless discussion posts can also be used, in other words those in which the discussion post is pinned on clothing. In addition, microphones themselves can be completely omitted if the meeting room and / or arrangement of the participants in relation to allow each other this. This gives the operator more space on the writing table for himself.

[15] Since the front electronic screen includes electronic paper or e-paper for short, it is an advantage that the front screen itself does not illuminate

-5BE2017 / 5481 emits and does not consume any electric power In steady state. The identity of the person is then not only displayed in an energy-efficient manner, but also ensures that the total heat development within the meeting room is limited. This heat development can be significant when a large number of participants have oak nameplates and can therefore create an unpleasant climate within the room.

[16] According to an embodiment of the invention, the indicator lamp comprises one or more light-emitting diodes.

[17] These light-emitting diodes, or LEDs for short, have low energy consumption and a long service life. Furthermore, an anti-inflammatory effect and its intensity can be controlled in a simple manner.

[18] In addition, several LEDs can also be integrated, where each different LED or group of LEDs emits a certain color. For example, a certain color corresponds to a certain intention or activity. In this way it is easy to make known to other participants what the intentions and / or activity of the person is.

[19] The LEDs can also be integrated into a light bar. This light bar is then, for example, integrated at the top of the nameplate.

[20] The nameplate may further include a second electronic screen. This screen is then located on the back of the board, in other words directed at the person himself. This rear screen can also be performed using e-paper.

[21] According to an embodiment, agenda items, voting requests and / or eventual identities of other participants are shown on this rear screen. The latter is, for example, the identity of the

-6BE2017 / 5481 person who has the floor at that time. The advantage is that the person always has a good overview of who has the floor at what time during the meeting. Furthermore, displaying the agenda items ensures that the meeting runs smoothly and if a vote is required on a specific agenda item, this can also be displayed on the back screen.

[22] Furthermore, the nameplate further comprises an embodiment of one or more push buttons. These push buttons can be integrated in the nameplate or as a separate keyboard connected to the communication port. The push buttons then serve, for example, to request a request for intervention. This request is then an instruction which is converted into, for example, a predetermined color of the indicator lamp. Different colors can then correspond to different intentions and / or activities of the partiner. There may also be push buttons configured for voice expansion. The number of push buttons provided for this is, for example, three, one for a vote for, a vote against or a abstention. By integrating such voting buttons into the nameplate, the identity of the person casting the vote is immediately linked to the vote.

[23] Furthermore, the nameplate according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a network connection. This network connection can, for example, be integrated in the communication port. The network connection can be an Ethernet connection or, for example, a wireless connection.

[24] The nameplate can then work autonomously when only the communication port is used and / or on the other hand in a network when several nameplates are each connected to a network via their network connection.

-7 BE2017 / 5481 [25] Via the network connection, the instructions can be received remotely or the indicator lamp can be further muted remotely when a request has been granted. To achieve this, for example, the different nameplates in the room can be connected to a central control unit. Then, a chairman of the meeting can change the status of the indicator lamps of the different nameplates via this central control unit.

[26] Furthermore, this central control unit can be used to process voices received via the push buttons. This allows votes to be cast anonymously.

[27] Another advantage is that the central control unit also displays the different elements on the front and / or rear screen of each nameplate. [28] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a conference room comprising multiple places suitable for part to participate in a meeting, the multiple places each comprising a nameplate according to any one of the preceding claims.

[29] The invention will now be further described with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 schematically shows an embodiment of a nameplate; and

Fig. 2 schematically shows an embodiment of a nameplate comprising a light beam; and

-8BE2017 / 5481

Fig. 3A schematically shows an embodiment of a nameplate comprising push buttons; and

Fig. 3B schematically shows an embodiment of a nameplate coupled to a keyboard; and

Fig. 4 schematically shows an arrangement of tableware on which nameplates are placed; and

Fig. 5 schematically shows a network configuration in which several nameplates are connected to each other.

of [30] FIG. 1 schematically shows an implementation board of a nameplate. The nameplate 100 includes a front electronic screen 101, an indicator lamp 102 and a communication port 103. The nameplate 100 is placed on a table 104.

[31] According to one embodiment, the front screen 101 displays an identity of a person sitting at the table 104 during a meeting or meeting. The identity is, for example, next to the person's name, a title and / or a position. This can be displayed on the front screen 101 via an electronic paper using, for example, electronic ink.

[32] The communication port 103 of the nameplate 100 is configured to receive instructions from the person. Instructions from the person are an intention and / or activity of this person during the meeting. Intention can include: a question to intervene in a discussion, a question to get it

-9BE2017 / 5481 word, casting a vote and the like. Activity may include: keeping a beionist, temporarily not participating in a discussion or, for example, taking notifications.

[33] Each of these instructions corresponds to a specific light signal. An light signal is then modulated by adjusting the intensity, color, and / or alternatively lighting the lamp at a similar or changing frequency. Thus, through these different combinations, the indicator lamp can display a whole set of instructions. Other participants in the meeting can easily observe what the intentions and / or activities of other participants are during the meeting.

[34] In order to be able to modulate the light signal, according to an embodiment of the invention, light-emitting diodes, or LEDs for short, are used. Fig. 2 schematically shows such an embodiment. Different LEDs, such as for example LED 200, can be combined in a light bar 201. This light bar is integrated at the top of the nameplate 100.

[35] The instructions are received via communication port 103. Furthermore, these can also be received via push buttons. Fig. 3A and FIG. 3B schematically represent such an embodiment.

[36] in FIG. 3A, the push buttons are integrated in the nameplate. For example, there are three push buttons 300, 301, 302, each of which has its own function. A possible function is, for example, a yes vote 300, a no vote 301 or an abstention 302. The function of these push buttons can be further adapted, whereby for instance in another configuration push button 300 corresponds to the request of the word, push button 301 corresponds with an urgent request to intervene during a discussion and push button 302 a request not to be interrupted further during the meeting.

- 10 BE2017 / 5481 [37] The function of the push buttons can also be provided via an external keyboard, via a computer and / or via conference equipment, such as a discussion post. This keyboard is then connected to the nameplate via the communication port. In the embodiment schematically represented by FIG. 3B, the communication port is located on the back of the nameplate 312. The keypad 311 is then placed on the table 104 next to the nameplate 312. The connection between the keyboard 311 and the nameplate 312 via the rear communication port is via a cable 310, but according to one embodiment it can also be done wirelessly.

[38] To implement a wireless connection, the communication port according to an embodiment of the invention further comprises a network connection. This network connection then ensures the communication of the nameplate 312 with external devices such as, for example, the keyboard 311. Furthermore, this network connection can also serve for setting up a network between different nameplates. Fig. 5 schematically represents such a network. In this network, for example, four nameplates 400, 401, 402 and 403 are linked together. For example, these four nameplates are each on a table in a conference room as schematically shown in Fig. 4.

[39] The arrangement shown in Fig. 4 comprises four tables 410, 411, 412 and 413. On each of the table a nameplate is placed 400, 401, 402 and 403. A network 520 is then built up via the communication port with each nameplate. This network 520 then further comprises a central control unit 500. The central control unit is further connected to a computer system 510. The computer system 510 is then, for example, located on the table of a chairman of the meeting or meeting. As a result, the nameplates 400, 401, 402 and 403 can be accessed via the computer system 510 and the central control unit 500 in the network 520

- 11 BE2017 / 5481 can be controlled individually. Each nameplate then has a unique identification number within the network 520.

[40] Furthermore, the identification per nameplate is entered via the computer system 510. In addition, individualized messages can also be displayed on a second screen integrated on the back of a nameplate. These messages are, for example, agenda items or names of participants who are currently speaking. [41] The computer system 510 can also be operated by a chairman. The chairman can then grant requests from participants, change indicator lamps on one or more nameplates in the meeting room and / or enter individualized messages.

[42] Although the present invention has been illustrated by specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments, and that the present invention may be practiced with various modifications and adaptations without thereby leaving the scope of the invention. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being described by the appended claims and not by the foregoing description, and any changes falling within the meaning and scope of the claims, are therefore included here. In other words, it is understood to include any changes, variations or equivalents that fall within the scope of the underlying basic principles and whose essential attributes are claimed in this patent application. In addition, the reader of this patent application will understand that the words comprising or including other elements or steps do not exclude that the word a no

- 12 BE2017 / 5481 excludes plural, and that a single element, such as a computer system, a processor or other integrated unit, can perform the functions of various auxiliaries mentioned in the claims. Any references in the claims should not be construed as limiting the claims in question. The terms first, second ", third", a, b ", c and the like, when used in the description or in the conclusions, are used to distinguish between similar elements or steps and do not necessarily describe a sequential or chronological order . Likewise, the terms top, bottom, over, bottom, and the like are used for description and do not necessarily refer to relative positions. It is to be understood that those terms are interchangeable under the appropriate conditions and that embodiments of the invention are capable of functioning according to the present invention in sequences or orientations other than those described or illustrated above.

- 13 BE2017 / 5481

Claims (13)

CONCLUSIONS A substantially baik-shaped electronic nameplate (100) suitable for distinguishing a person at a meeting, the nameplate further suitable for placing the person on a table (104), the nameplate (100) comprising: - a front electronic screen (101) comprising electronic paper configured to display an identity of the person; and - a communication port (103) configured to receive instructions indicative of an intention and / or activity of the person; and - an indicator lamp (102) configured to show the person's intention and / or activity during the meeting. Nameplate (100) according to claim 1, wherein the indicator lamp (102) is further configured to display the intention and / or activity of the persoosi during the meeting based on an operation and / or intensity. Nameplate (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the indicator lamp (102) comprises one or more ischt-emitting diodes (200). Nameplate (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the indicator lamp comprises a light bar (201). Nameplate (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the nameplate further comprises a rear electronic screen. Nameplate (100) according to claim 5, wherein the rear electronic screen comprises electronic paper. Nameplate (100) according to claim 5 or 6, further configured to display one or more agenda items and / or a voting request and / or a participant's identity on the rear electronic screen. - 14 BE2017 / 5481 Nameplate (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the nameplate further comprises one or more push buttons (300, 301, 302) configured to receive the instructions. The nameplate (100) of claim 8, wherein the one or more push buttons (300, 301, 302) are further configured to cast a vote. 10. Nameplate (100) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the nameplate further comprises an external keypad (311) comprising one or more push buttons (300, 301, 302). Nameplate (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the Communication port (109) further comprises a network connection. Nameplate (100) according to claim 11, wherein the network terminal is configured to connect the nameplate to a central control unit (500). Conference seed comprising multiple locations (410, 411, 412, 413) suitable for taking part in a meeting, the multiple locations each comprising a nameplate according to one of the preceding claims. - 15 BE2017 / 5481 Ra 1 - 16 BE2017 / 5481 - 17 BE2017 / 5481 rig, 4 - 18 BE2017 / 5481