WO1995034864A1

WO1995034864A1 - Method for the remote generation and retrieval of a horoscope, an information exchange system for application of the method and user device for such system

Info

Publication number: WO1995034864A1
Application number: PCT/NL1995/000187
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jacobus Cornelis Bijl; Jacobus Johannes Hubertus Hendrikus Jongen; Hendrik Willem Keijzer; Johannes Cornelis Josephus Smeets
Original assignee: Grid Telecom Systems B.V.
Priority date: 1994-06-13
Filing date: 1995-06-06
Publication date: 1995-12-21
Also published as: AU2578395A; NL9400953A

Abstract

Method and information exchange system for the remote generation and retrieval of a horoscope, comprising the supply of a date of birth by a user to a user device, the transmission of date of birth related input information by the user device via telecommunication means to an information source, generation by the information source of output information of a horoscope belonging to the date of birth based on the input information, delivery of the output information by the information source via the telecommunication means to the user device and making the output information observable by the user by the user device, whereby the information source generates the output information dependent on the states of biorhythm cycles belonging to the date of birth. The user device can, dependent on the date of birth and the current date, generate and monitor the states of the biorhythm cycles and can, in case of a change in the states of the biorhythm cycles, autonomously set up a telecommunication connection with the information source, whereupon the information source, in response to the input information received from the user device, generates the output information belonging to that input information and delivers this to the user device.

Description

Method for the remote generation and retrieval of a horos¬ cope, an information exchange system for application of the method and user device for such system.

The invention relates to a method for the remote generation and retrieval of a horoscope, comprising the supply of a date of birth by a user to a user device, the transmission of date of birth related input information by the user device via telecommunication means to an informa¬ tion source, generation by the information source of output information of a horoscope belonging to the date of birth based on the input information, delivery of the output information by the information source via the tele- communication means to the user device and making the output information observable by the user by the user device.

A method of this kind is known from practice. With the known method the user device is a telephone and the telecommunication means is a telephone connection. The information source is a central computer, in which for each day and for each sign of the zodiac a horoscope is generated. When someone wants to know the horoscope belonging to a certain sign of the zodiac, for example belonging to his own date of biirth, he can set up a con¬ nection to the central computer using his telephone, enter a number corresponding to the sign of the zodiac via the keyboard or the rotary dial of the telephone, after which the central computer generates the information of the horoscope belonging to the sign of the zodiac for the actual date, or looks up this information in a memory, and subsequently supplies this information in the form of a voice signal over the telephone connection to the tele¬ phone, so that the person can hear the spoken horoscope message for that sign of the zodiac for the actual date. The object of the invention is to further detail the horoscope information, dependent on the date of birth, i.e. including the year of birth. With the known method only the day and month of birth, both belonging to a specific sign of the zodiac of the date of birth, are used. More detail can be obtained by using the states of the biorhythm cycles of the person, given the full date of birth.

The biorhythm is represented by four sine-wave cycles with different frequencies that represent different physi¬ cal and mental states of a human being. The sine-wave cycles can be represented more simple by trapezoid cycles, where each cycle has an inclining part, a positive part, a declining part, a negative part, again an inclining part, etc. These parts of the cycles are called the biorhythm states. During the positive part of a physical cycle, with a cycle period of 23 days, a human being is supposed to have a good physical condition, whereas during the negative part of the cycle the physical condition is less favourable. The days with transitions between positive and negative parts, the inclining and declining parts, are called critical days, during which the physical condition is unstable. The similar deliberations exist for an emo¬ tional cycle of 28 days, an intelligence cycle of 33 days and an intuition cycle of 38 days. All four cycles start running with the same value on the date of birth with a critical day, followed by the positive part of the cycle, and so on. As there are four cycles, each of which can be in four states, there are 4⁴ possible state combinations of the biorhythm on a certain day. As there are twelve signs in the zodiac, 12 x 4⁴ = 3,072 different horoscopes instead of only 12, as with the known method, can be generated for each day, so that a much more personal horoscope can be generated for the person requesting it. Another object of the invention is to provide a method with which the more detailed and more personal horoscope can be retrieved more easily and more cheaply from the information source.

Therefore, according to the invention, there is provided a method as mentioned in the introduction, char¬ acterized in that the information source generates the output information dependent on the states of biorhythm cycles belonging to the date of birth. By this, the user of the user device can request a more personal horoscope, dependent on the states of his biorhythm cycles.

Preferrably the method is characterized in that the user device calculates and monitors the states of the biorhythm cycles, the user device autonomously sets up a connection via the telecommunication means to the informa¬ tion source whenever a change in the states of the biorhythm cycles occurs, and output information is gener¬ ated by the information source in response to that and the output information is delivered to the user device.

As a consequence, the user does not have to spend much effort in retrieving his horoscope, especially when the date of birth is remembered by the user device, which is useful when always the same user wants to retrieve his own horoscope.

Preferrably the method is characterized in that the user device autonomously sets up the connection only during a predetermined period of the day. The predetermined period of the day can be a period with lower costs for use of the telecommunication means.

Preferrably the method is characterized in that the the user device stores the output information and the user can retrieve the output information and can have it obser¬ vable at an arbitrarily moment of time. As a consequence the user device can autonomously retrieve the horoscope from the information source, store it and make it available to the user at any moment in time, which is very convenient for the user and is very cost effective.

The invention also relates to an information exchange system as described in claim 10. By means of this system the user of the user device can, whenever he wishes, observe the status of his biorhythm through the output means of the user device, and, if so wanted, his personal horoscope, which depends on the status of the biorhythm, can be called from the information source.

Preferrably the system is characterized in that the computer of the user device is programmed to monitor the states of the biorhythm cycles and to autonomously set up a connection between the user device and the information source when a change in the states of the biorhythm cycles occurs, for the transmission of the input information and for receiving in return and handling in response thereof the output information. This increases the ease of oper¬ ation and use for the user.

Preferrably the system is characterized in that for different user devices of a group of user devices the moments of autonomously setting up the connections within the predetermined period of the day are different. The possibility of congestion of the traffic via the tele¬ communication means is reduced.

The invention will hereafter be explained with refe¬ rence to the drawings. The drawings show: fig. 1 a block diagram of an information exchange system, in which a first embodiment of a user device for application of a first method is shown; fig. 2 a block diagram of an information exchange system, in which a second embodiment of a user device for application of a second method is shown; fig. 3 a block diagram of an information exchange system, in which a third embodiment of a user device for application of a third method is shown; and fig. 4 a block diagram of an information exchange system, in which a fourth embodiment of a user device for use of a fourth method is shown.

Figures 1 to 4 each show an information exchange system having a user device 1, 22, 23 and 31 respectively, connected via telecommunication means 2 to an information source 3. The telecommunication means 2 can be a telephone connection. The information source 3 can be a computer with interface means fit for connection to the telecommunication means 2.

The user device according to fig. 1 comprises a micro- computer 11, a keyboard 12, an output unit 13 for showing the states of the biorhythm cycles or indications corresponding therewith, like "positive", "critical" and "negative", a memory 14, an output unit 15 for outputing the received information, a switching unit 16 for seizing the telephone line 2, a separation transformer 17, a tone dialler 18, an adaptor unit 19 and a tone detector 20.

Via keyboard 12 the user can enter his date of birth and the current date into the user device. Given the date of birth the microcomputer 11 can determine the sign of the zodiac of the user. This information is stored in the internal memory of the microcomputer 11. Possibly an audio or visible feedback for the entered data is given to the user via output unit 15 or via output unit 13, dependent on the possible implementations thereof. When the current date and the date of birth are known by the microcomputer 11, the states of the biorhythm cycles of the user are calculated and the result is made visible to the user via output unit 13. Possible implementations of output unit 13 are a three-coloured LED for each of the biorhythm cycles or an LCD screen on which the sine waves of the biorhyhtm cycles, possibly in a graphical form, are displayed as a function of time. The microcomputer 11 calculates the new states of the biorhythm cycles preferrably at least once per 24 hours. When there is a change in the results with respect to the previous calculation, the microcomputer 11 seizes the telephone line 2 through a control signal to switching unit 16. By means of control signals to the tone dialler 18, the fixedly in microcomputer 11 stored telephone number of the information source 3 is dialled. After dialling, the micro¬ controller 11 waits for a ready-to-receive tone which is transmitted by the information source 3 and which is detected by the tone detector 20 and the appearance of which is informed to the microcontroller 11. After the detection of the ready-to-receive tone the microcomputer 11 signals the tone dialler 18 again to send the information about the sign of the zodiac and the states of the biorhythm cycles of the user in a tone coded form to the information source.

In response to the reception of the sign of the zodiac and the states of the biorhythm cycles, the information source 3 generates the information of the corresponding horoscope, or looks it up in a memory, and sends this information to the user device 1, where this information is demodulated and adapted by adaptor unit 19 and stored in memory 14 under control of microcomputer 11. After reception of the information the connection with the telephone line 2 is closed down by means of a control signal from microcomputer 11 to switch unit 16.

By means of pressing a certain key of keyboard 12 the user can order microcomputer 11 to output the information in memory 14 via output unit 15. Possible implementations of output unit 15 are an LCD screen (possibly used in combination with the function of output unit 13) in case the output information from the information source 3 is in digital form as text, or a loudspeaker in case the infor¬ mation source 3 sent the output information as a spoken message and the memory 14 is implemented as an audio memory. In this case the adaptor unit 19 is an electronic circuit which adapts and conditions the received audio signal for storage in audio memory 14. ^•

The second user device according to fig. 2 comprises a microcomputer 11, a keyboard 12, an output unit 13 for showing the states of the biorhythm cycles, an output unit 15 for reproduction of the information received, a switch unit for seizing the telephone line 2, a separator trans¬ former 17, a tone dialler 18, an adaptor unit 19 and a tone detector 20.

After entering the date of birth and the current date via keyboard 12 in user device 22, the microcomputer 11 calculates the states of the biorhythm cycles and shows them to the user via output unit 13. Preferrably at least once per 24 hours the microcomputer 11 calculates the states of the biorhythm cycles again and shows the new states to the user via output unit 13. By pressing a certain key on keyboard 12 the user can order microcomputer 11 to set up a connection to informa¬ tion source 3 to request and retrieve information. The subsequent flow of the method is identical to the one described before with user device 1, except that the information received is immediately output to the user via output unit 15.

The third user device 23 according to fig. 3 comprises a microcomputer 11, a keyboard 12, an output unit 13 for showing the states of the biorhythm cycles, a memory 14 for storage of the information received from information source 3, a switching unit 25 for seizing the telephone line 2, a separator transformator 17, an adaptor unit 28, a tone detector 20 and a DC power supply 27. Also connected to switching unit 25 is a telephone set 26.

Entering the date of birth and the current date, the calculation of the states of the biorhythm cycles and the display thereof to the user via output unit 13 is identical to the first and second user devices described before. The method for requesting and receiving the infor¬ mation from the information source 3 when a change in the states of the biorhythm cycles occurs is identical to the method with user device 1 as described before, except that the information received is a spoken message, memory 14 is implemented as an audio memory, and the adaptor unit 28 is an electronic circuit which adapts and conditions the audio signal for storage in audio memory 14.

In the idle situation switching unit 25 is set in such a way that telephone set 26 is directly connected to the wires of telephone line 2. To listen to the audio information stored in user device 23, the user lifts the receiver of telephone set 26 and presses a specific key on keyboard 12. The switching unit 25 is now set by microcom- puter 11 in such a way that the telephone set 26 is dis¬ connected from the telephone line 2 and connected to the separator transformer 17. At the same time the DC power supply 27 is connected into the loop as then established. After this, the microcomputer 11 orders memory 14 to reproduce the audio signal stored therein. This signal is sent to the telephone set 26 of the user via the adaptor unit 28, separator unit 17 and switching unit 25.

The fourth user device 31 according to fig. 4 compri- ses a microcomputer 11, a keyboard 12, an output unit 13, a separator transformer 17, a tone dialler 18 and a tone detector 20. Schematically a decoupling capacitor 32 is shown, connected in series with one of the wires of the telephone line 2. Without the decoupling capacitor 32, the public telephone exchange (not shown) of the telephone line

2 would recognise the user device 31 as a telephone set or similar device of which the receiver is lifted, and the user device would, as a result, continuously occupy the telephone line 2.

The user device 31 is connected in parallel to telep¬ hone set 26 to the telephone network. When the user wants to retrieve information from the information source 3, he lifts the receiver of telephone set 26 and presses a certain key of keyboard 12. The microcomputer 11 then orders the tone dialler 18 to send the telephone number of the information source, which is fixedly stored in the microcomputer 11, via the separator transformer 17 to the telephone line 2. After this, the microcomputer 11 waits for the ready-to-receive signal from the information source

3 and sends after detection thereof by tone detector 20 via tone dialler 18 the tone coded input information containing the sign of the zodiac of the user and the current states of the biorhythm cycles. The information source 3 will now generate the output information and send it as a spoken message to the user device 31 and the telephone set 26 which is connected in parallel to the user device.

Summarizing, for all explained user devices 1, 22, 23 and 31 and the information source 3 connected therewith through the telecommunication means 2 and for the applied methods used therewith, a much more personal horoscope can be retrieved remotely by the used device (2, 22, 23, 31) from information source 3 than before, namely not only based on the month and day of birth, but also based on the year of birth, so based on the whole date of birth, and based on the states of the personal biorhythm cycles, which are calculated on the basis of the date of birth and the current date. The user device can supply such input data to the information source 3 so that the information source does not have to make any calculations. As the information source 3 may also know the current date itself, it is also possible that the user device transmits less information, or in another form, to the information source 3, after which the information source 3 performs the appropriate calculations for the subsequent determination of the more personal horoscope.

The user device 1 of fig. 1 and the user device 22 of fig. 2 are both equipped to autonomously set up a connec¬ tion with information source 3. With user device 1 this occurs automatically when there is a change in the states of the biorhythm cycles. With user device 22 this occurs after a command given by the user via keyboard 12. The user device 22 does not have a memory for storage of the received horoscope information, but can of course, when required, be equipped with such a memory, after which a user device is obtained which is similar to user device 1, but with which the user can also make a connection with the information source 3 on his command.

The user device 23 of fig. 3 is identical to the user device 1 of fig. 1, except that the horoscope information, possibly after storage in memory 14, can be heard in the form of a spoken message via a normal telephone set 26. The user device 31 of fig. 4 is identical to user device 22 of fig. 2, except that the horoscope information can be heard in the form of a spoken message via a normal telephone set 26.

Within the scope of the invention many modifications are possible. Horoscope information can not only have the form of a spoken message, but can also have the form of a written or graphical message or a combination thereof. The output unit 15 and the telephone set 26 can then be adapted to the form of the output information. For user device 1 of fig. 1 and user device 23 of fig. 3 it can be usefull to limit the automatic dialling of the information source to certain periods of the day, so that a period can be selected during which the costs of use of the telecommunication means 2 and/or the information source 3 are lower. In order to prevent traffic congestion it may be useful that each user device of such a group of user devices makes a connection with the information source 3 at a different moment within such a predetermined period. For that reason a random number generator can be used in the user device, or different fixed numbers, selected from many different numbers, can be used in different user devices, on the basis of which the user device calculates the moment for setting up the autonomous connection.

Claims

C L A I S

1. Method for the remote generation and retrieval of a horoscope, comprising the supply of a date of birth by a user to a user device (1, 22, 23, 31) , the transmission of date of birth related input information by the user device via telecommunication means (2) to an information source (3) , generation by the information source (3) of output information of a horoscope belonging to the date of birth based on the input information, delivery of the output information by the information source (3) via the tele- communication means (2) to the user device (1, 22, 23, 31), and making the output information observable by the user by the user device, charcterized in that the information source (3) generates the output information dependent on the states of biorhythm cycles belonging to the date of birth.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the input information comprises the date of- birth of the user and the information source (3) calculates the states of the biorhythm cycles dependent on the date of birth and the current date.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the user device (1, 22, 23, 31) calculates the states of the biorhythm cycles dependent on the date of birth and the current date and the input information comprises the states of the biorhythm cycles.

4. Method according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the user device (1, 22, 23, 31) cal¬ culates and monitors the states of the biorhythm cycles dependent on the date of birth and the current date and the user is informed by the user device of a change in the states of the biorhythm cycles.

5. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 3 , charac- terized in that the user device (1, 23) calculates and monitors the states of the biorhythm cycles, the user device autonomously sets up a connection via the telecom¬ munication means (2) to the information source (3) when- ever a change in the states of the biorhythm cycles occurs, and output information is generated by the information source (3) in response to that and the output information is delivered to the user device.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the user device (1, 22) autonomously sets up the connection only during a predetermined period of the day.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the user device (1, 22) autonomously sets up the connection within the predetermined period of the day at a moment that differs from such moments of other user devices that can connect to the information source (3) .

8. Method according to claims 1 to 4 , characterized in that the user device (22, 31) calculates and monitors the states of the biorhythm dependent on the date of birth and the current date, the user device indicates to the user an occurrence of change in the states of the biorhythm and the communication means (2) and the user device are autonomously capable of setting up a connection to the information source (3) via the telecommunication means (2) after a command from the user via input means (12) .

9. Method according to one of the previous claims, cha¬ racterized in that the user device (1, 22) stores the output information and the user can retrieve the output information and can have it observable at an arbitrarily moment of time.

10. Information exchange system, comprising a user device (1, 22, 23, 31) , telecommunication means (2) connected to the user device and an information source (3) connected to the telecommunication means (2), whereby the user device is equipped with coupling means (16, 17; 17, 25; 17, 32) coupled to the telecommunication means (2) , input means (12) and dial means (18) , the input means (12) being capable for entering a date of birth by a user, the user device send input information dependent on the date of birth to the information source, the information source generates, in response to the input information, output information of a horoscope belonging to the date of birth and send this to the user device, and the user device is equipped with output means (13, 15; 26) for making the output information observable to the user, characterized in that the user device has a microcomputer (11) and the computer (11) is connected to the input means (12) and the dial means (18) , whereby the computer is programmed for calculating the states of the biorhythm cycles belonging to the date of birth in response to the reception of the date of birth and the actual date from the input means, the output means (13, 15; 26) are connected to the computer and being capable of outputting indications- belonging to the states of the biorhythm cycles, and the information source is programmed to generate output information that is dependent on the states of the biorhythm cycles.

11. Information exchange system according to claim 10, characterized in that the input information comprises the date of birth and the information source (3) is programmed to calculate, autonomously and dependent on the date of birth received from the user device (1, 22, 23, 31) and on the actual date the states of the biorhythm cycles and to generate the output information.

12. Information exchange system according to claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the input information comprises the states of the biorhythm cycles and the information source (3) is programmed to generate, dependent on the states of the biorhythm and the date of birth received, the output information of the horoscope.

13. Information exchange system according to one of the claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the computer (11) of the user device (1, 22, 23, 31) is programmed to autono¬ mously set up a connection between the user device and the information source in response to an appropriate command entered via the input means (12) , for transmission of the input information and for receiving in return and handling in response thereof the output information.

14. Information exchange system according to one of the claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the computer (11) of the user device (1, 23) is programmed to monitor the states of the biorhythm cycles and to autonomously set up a connection between the user device and the information source when a change in the states of the biorhythm cycles occurs, for the transmission of the input information and for receiving in return and handling in response thereof the output information.

15. Information exchange system according to claim 14, characterized in that the computer (11) of the user device (1, 23) is programmed to autonomously set up the connection within a predetermined period of the day.

16. Information exchange system according to claim 15, characterized in that for different user devices (1, 23) of a group of user devices the moments of autonomously setting up the connections within the predetermined period of the day are different.

17. Information exchange system according to one of the claims 10 to 16, characterized in that the user device (1,23) has a memory for storage of the output information and that the computer (11) is programmed for controlling the memory, after a command from the input means (12) , to deliver the output information to the output means (15, 26) .

18. Information exchange system according to one of the claims 10 to 16, characterized in that the output means consist of a telephone set (26) connected via a switching unit (25) to the user device (23) .

19. Information exchange system according to one of the claims 10 to 16, characterized in that the output means consist of a telephone set (26) connected in parallel to the user device (31) and the telecommunication means (2) .

20. User device according to one of the claims 10 to 19.