Personnel transport device with computerized information and display apparatus

Abstract

A transport device which includes computerized apparatus useful for obtaining and displaying information. In one embodiment, the computerized apparatus includes a display to device and speech recognition apparatus configured to receive user speech and/or other input and enable performance of various tasks, such as obtaining desired information. In one variant, the computerized apparatus is configured to establish a plurality of ad hoc data links with portable user devices present within the transport device, thereby enabling passengers to, among other things, wirelessly and simultaneously obtain data from a remote server or network such as the Internet. In another variant, the transport device includes a plurality of display devices within its passenger compartment so as to permit substantially simultaneous individual user viewing and interaction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A personnel transport device configured to transport multiple persons and provide information thereto during said transportation, the transport device comprising:
 a passenger compartment; and   computerized information apparatus disposed at least partly within the passenger compartment, the computerized information apparatus comprising:
 a wireless network interface; 
 data processing apparatus in data communication with the network interface; 
 at least one display device in communication with the data processing apparatus; 
 computerized logic in data communication with the data processing apparatus and comprising at least one computer program operative to run on at least a portion of the data processing apparatus; and 
 speech processing apparatus in data communication with the data processing apparatus and the computerized logic, the speech processing apparatus configured to at least receive a person's voice input relating to information which that person desires to find, and produce a digital representation of the voice input, the digital representation being useful to computerized logic for conducting a search of at least one of a local or remote database; 
 wherein said computerized information apparatus is configured to enable, substantially simultaneously, ad hoc communication links with each of a plurality of portable electronic devices of respective persons within the passenger compartment, the ad hoc communications links each being configured to exchange data between the computerized information apparatus and the respective portable electronic device, at least a portion of the exchanged data obtained from a remote server via at least the wireless network interface. 
   
     
     
         42 . The transport device of  claim 41 , wherein the at least one display device comprises a plurality of display devices, at least some of the plurality of display devices mounted within the passenger compartment of said personnel transport device substantially at eye level so that respective ones of the persons can view respective ones of the at least some display devices. 
     
     
         43 . The transport device of  claim 41 , wherein the plurality of display devices mounted within the passenger compartment each comprise a touch screen input and display device configured to receive a person's input via a screen thereof. 
     
     
         44 . The transport device of  claim 43 , wherein the computerized information system is configured so that the received person's input from the screen causes access of a remote networked server, the access via at least the wireless network interface. 
     
     
         45 . The transport device of  claim 41 , wherein the data obtained from the remote server is personalized for a person using the personal electronic device in at least one respect. 
     
     
         46 . The transport device of  claim 45 , wherein the personalization of the transferred data is conducted based at least in part on a plurality of user-supplied preferences stored on a remote server. 
     
     
         47 . The transport device of  claim 41 , further comprising data bus apparatus in data communication with the data processing apparatus and configured to transfer data between the computerized information apparatus and a portable electronic device of the person when the portable device is placed in data communication with the data bus apparatus; and
 wherein at least one of the plurality of ad hoc links is established via the data bus apparatus.   
     
     
         48 . The transport device of  claim 47 , wherein the data bus apparatus is configured to be compliant with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, and the data bus apparatus comprises a USB compliant multi-pin connector disposed within the passenger compartment. 
     
     
         49 . The transport device of  claim 41 , wherein the plurality of ad hoc links comprise links compliant with a standardized data transfer protocol. 
     
     
         50 . The transport device of  claim 41 , wherein at least a portion of the data obtained from the remote server comprises digital video data. 
     
     
         51 . The transport device of  claim 50 , wherein the digital video data comprises digital video data that has been compressed using a digital compression algorithm, the compression enabling the compressed video data to be communicated via at least the wireless network interface and with reduced transmission bandwidth. 
     
     
         52 . The transport device of  claim 41 , wherein the computerized information apparatus is configured to communicate with application software resident on each of the portable electronic devices so as to at least facilitate transfer of at least a portion of the respective obtained data to the respective portable electronic device for storage and subsequent rendering thereon. 
     
     
         53 . The transport device of  claim 52 , wherein the at least a portion of the respective obtained data transferred to each of the respective portable electronic devices for storage and subsequent rendering thereon comprises data relating to a different topical area than the data provided to others of the portable electronic devices. 
     
     
         54 . A personnel transport device configured to transport multiple persons and provide information thereto during said transportation, the transport device comprising:
 a passenger compartment; and   computerized information apparatus disposed at least partly within the passenger compartment, the computerized information apparatus comprising:
 a wireless network interface; 
 data processing apparatus in data communication with the network interface; 
 a storage device in data communication with the data processing apparatus; 
 computerized logic in data communication with the data processing apparatus and comprising at least one computer program operative to run on at least a portion of the data processing apparatus; and 
 speech processing apparatus in data communication with the data processing apparatus and the computerized logic, the speech processing apparatus configured to at least receive a person's voice input relating to information which that person desires to find, and produce a digital representation of the voice input, the digital representation being useful to computerized logic for conducting a search of at least one of a local or remote database; and 
 a plurality of display devices, at least one of the plurality being in data communication with the data processing apparatus, the plurality of display devices being disposed within and substantially physically integrated with the passenger compartment so as to enable individual ones of the multiple persons to visually perceive respective ones of the display devices during said transportation. 
   
     
     
         55 . The transport device of  claim 54 , further comprising video data apparatus in data communication with the computerized information apparatus and configured to output digital video data, the digital video data which may be viewed on at least one of the plurality of display devices. 
     
     
         56 . The transport device of  claim 55 , wherein the digital video data comprises digital video data that: (i) has been compressed using a digital compression algorithm, the compression enabling the compressed video data to be communicated via at least the wireless network interface and with reduced transmission bandwidth as compared to uncompressed video data; and (ii) sourced from a remote server in data communication with the computerized information system via at least the wireless network interface. 
     
     
         57 . The transport device of  claim 54 , further comprising video data apparatus in data communication with the computerized information apparatus and configured to access digital video data that has been stored on the storage device, and output digital video data, the output digital video data which may be viewed on at least one of the plurality of display devices. 
     
     
         58 . The transport device of  claim 57 , wherein the output digital video data comprises data that has been compressed using a digital compression algorithm, the compression enabling the compressed video data to be communicated with reduced bandwidth as compared to uncompressed video data. 
     
     
         59 . The transport device of  claim 54 , further comprising digital video apparatus in data communication with the data processing apparatus and configured to receive digital video data from a plurality of sources, the digital video apparatus including multiplexing apparatus enabling the digital video data from the multiple sources to be displayed on one of the plurality of display devices substantially simultaneously. 
     
     
         60 . The transport device of  claim 54 , wherein:
 the plurality of display devices within the passenger compartment each comprise a touch screen input and display device configured to receive a person's input via a screen thereof, and   the computerized information system is configured so that the received user's input from the screen causes implementation of a desired function of the computerized information system on at least the display device receiving the person's input via the screen thereof.   
     
     
         61 . The transport device of  claim 60 , wherein the implementation of the desired function comprises rendering digital video data stored on a storage apparatus in data communication with the data processing apparatus on the display device receiving the person's input via the screen thereof. 
     
     
         62 . The transport device of  claim 60 , wherein the implementation of a desired function comprises access of a remote networked server, the access via at least the wireless network interface; and
 wherein the computerized information system further comprises video data apparatus in data communication with the data processing apparatus and configured to output digital video data, the digital video data which may be viewed on at least one of the plurality of display devices, the digital video data comprising digital video data that: (i) has been compressed using a digital compression algorithm, the compression enabling the compressed video data to be communicated via at least the wireless network interface and with reduced transmission bandwidth as compared to uncompressed video data; and (ii) sourced from the remote networked server in response to the person's input via the screen.   
     
     
         63 . The transport device of  claim 54 , wherein the computerized information system further comprises video rendering apparatus configured to (i) obtain a plurality of digital video data from at least one storage apparatus, the plurality of digital video data comprising a plurality of different previously generated video content; and (ii) cause simultaneous display of individual ones of the plurality of different video content on respective ones of the display devices. 
     
     
         64 . The transport device of  claim 63 , wherein each of the different video content comprises digital video data that has been compressed using at least a digital video compression algorithm. 
     
     
         65 . The transport device of  claim 54 , further comprising:
 video data apparatus in data communication with the computerized information apparatus and configured to access digital video data that has been stored on the storage device, and output digital video data, the output digital video data which may be viewed on at least one of the plurality of display devices; and   at least one key- or button-based input device in data communication with the video data apparatus and configured to enable a person within the passenger compartment to provide an input via the input device, the input relating to a desired function of the video data apparatus.   
     
     
         66 . The transport device of  claim 65 , wherein:
 the digital video data comprises a plurality of different video data; and   the desired function of the video data apparatus comprises invocation of a mode whereby the display of the digital video data on at least one of the plurality of display devices is changed from one of the plurality of different video data to another of the plurality of different video data.   
     
     
         67 . The transport device of  claim 66 , wherein each of the plurality of display devices comprise color-enabled capacitive touch screen input and display devices, each having a substantially flat touch-sensitive screen, the screen which is substantially rectangular in shape and wider than it is tall. 
     
     
         68 . The transport device of  claim 66 , wherein each of the plurality of display devices comprise color-enabled thin film transistor (TFT)-based flat screen, the screen which is substantially rectangular in shape and wider than it is tall. 
     
     
         69 . The transport device of  claim 54 , further comprising data bus apparatus in data communication with the data processing apparatus and configured to transfer data between the computerized information apparatus and a portable electronic device of a person when the portable device is placed in data communication with the data bus apparatus, the computerized information apparatus further being configured receive data from the portable device, the received data causing the computerized information apparatus to invoke a desired function. 
     
     
         70 . The transport device of  claim 69 , wherein the data bus apparatus is configured to be compliant with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, and the data bus apparatus comprises a USB compliant multi-pin connector disposed within the passenger compartment. 
     
     
         71 . Personnel transport apparatus, comprising:
 a passenger compartment; and   a computerized information apparatus disposed at least partly within the passenger compartment and comprising:
 a wireless network interface; 
 data processing apparatus, the data processing apparatus comprising at least a central processor and a digital signal processor (DSP) and a graphics processor, at least a portion of the data processing apparatus being in data communication with the wireless interface; 
 a first substantially flat-screen display device in data communication with at least a portion of the data processing apparatus; 
 a speech processing apparatus in data communication with at least a portion of the data processing apparatus, the speech processing apparatus configured to receive a representation of a user's voice input, the voice input received via at least one microphone disposed within a passenger compartment of the transport device, the voice input comprising at least part of a name of a business entity for which the user desires information, and to generate a digital domain output based thereon; 
 a speech synthesis apparatus in data communication with at least a portion of the data processing apparatus and configured to synthesize human-intelligible speech output comprising one or more words; 
 input apparatus in communication with at least a portion of the data processing apparatus and configured to enable the user to cause the computerized information apparatus to enter a functional mode whereby the user can provide the voice input to the speech processing apparatus; 
 camera apparatus in data communication with at least a portion of the data processing apparatus and configured to generate digital data relating to at least one area proximate the transport device for display on the first display device; 
 data bus apparatus in data communication with at least a part of the data processing apparatus and configured to transfer data between the computerized information apparatus and a portable electronic device of the user when the portable device is placed in data communication with the data bus apparatus; 
 data storage apparatus in data communication with at least a portion of the data processing apparatus, the data storage apparatus comprising both volatile and non-volatile storage devices; 
 a database of information stored on at least a portion of the data storage apparatus and relating to at least a plurality of business entities, the database further comprising information relating to a location of each of the plurality of business entities; and 
 computerized logic cooperative with at least a portion of the data processing apparatus and configured to receive the digital domain output of the speech processing apparatus, and utilize the at least part of the name rendered in the digital domain output to conduct a search of the database for one or more business entities having the at least part of the name associated therewith; and 
 a plurality of second display devices, at least one of the plurality of second display devices being in data communication with a digital video apparatus, the plurality of second display devices being disposed within and substantially physically integrated with the passenger compartment so as to enable individual ones of multiple persons within the compartment to visually perceive respective ones of the second display devices during operation of the personnel transport apparatus. 
   
     
     
         72 . The transport apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein the computerized logic is further configured to receive a user input relating to current topical information which the user desires, and cause access of at least a remote server via the wireless network interface to obtain the desired current topical information. 
     
     
         73 . The transport apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein the digital video apparatus is configured to access digital video data that has been stored on a storage device of the computerized information apparatus, and output digital video data, the output digital video data which may be viewed on at least one of the plurality of second display devices; and
 further comprising at least one key- or button-based input device in data communication with the video data apparatus and configured to enable a user to provide an input via the input device, the input relating to a desired function of the video data apparatus.   
     
     
         74 . The transport apparatus of  claim 73 , wherein:
 the digital video data comprises a plurality of different video data; and   the desired function of the video data apparatus comprises invocation of a mode whereby the display of the digital video data on at least one of the plurality of second display devices is changed from one of the plurality of different video data to another of the plurality of different video data.   
     
     
         75 . The transport apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein the computerized apparatus is configured to render images on at least one of the plurality of second display devices using at least the graphics processor.