Terminal and method for exchanging messages by means of tokens brought in proximity to said terminal, communication system, and token

摘要

The invention pertains to a terminal for exchanging messages by placing tokens near it. The terminal comprises communication means to exchange information with a database, detection means for identifying local tokens placed near the terminal, display means for displaying remote tokens, and proximity logic configured to assert a proximity relationship between tokens or between a token and a reference point. The terminal exchanges information about the topology of its tokens and that of tokens present at other terminals via the database. The terminal displays tokens present near remote copies of the local tokens, based on information obtained from the database.

主权项

1. A terminal for exchanging messages via tokens brought in proximity to the terminal, the terminal comprising:
at least one communication processor to exchange token relationship information with storage media; at least one detection processor for substantially localizing and identifying local semantic tokens brought in proximity to the terminal; a display for displaying a visual representation of remote semantic tokens; proximity logic configured to assert a local proximity relationship between a first one of the local semantic tokens and a reference location if the first one of the local semantic tokens and the reference location are localized at a distance below a predetermined first proximity radius, the reference location being a second one of the local semantic tokens or a fixed point on the terminal; a database update agent, operatively coupled to the proximity logic, for storing asserted local proximity relationships in the storage media; and a database querying agent for obtaining cross-site proximity relationship information pertaining to the local semantic tokens from the storage media, the cross-site proximity relationship information comprising an identification of remote semantic tokens present at another terminal in a proximity relationship with semantic tokens equivalent to respective ones of the local semantic tokens,
wherein the display is configured to display visual representations of the remote semantic tokens in proximity to respective ones of the local semantic tokens in accordance with the cross-site proximity relationship information.