Thomas L Klein

US Patent:

6078928, Jun 20, 2000

Filed:

Dec 12, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/989973

Inventors:

John L. Schnase - St. Louis MO
Edward L. Cunnius - St. Louis MO
Andrea P. McFadden - Wayne PA
Thomas J. Klein - University City MO
Thomas E. Hedrick - St. Louis MO
Robert Brookings Smith - St. Louis MO

Assignee:

Missouri Botanical Garden - St. Louis MO

International Classification:

G06F 1900

US Classification:

707104

Abstract:

A system for capturing, developing and profiling an individual's interests in various sites, exhibits or items on display at an institution or facility and providing site- and/or theme-specific information based on these interests. The system preferably includes a collection of information associated with the sites, exhibits or items on display at an institution or facility, which is organized and is capable of being indexed by each particular site, exhibit or item location or item on display. The preferred system further includes a plurality of portable information storage devices, such as, for example, smart cards having non-volatile memory cable of being organized into a specialized data structure, uniquely assigned to visitors to such institutions or facilities. The data structure on the portable information storage device contains various fields including those designed to store biographical information about the visitor and an interest profile comprised of indexes relating to the sites, exhibits or items on display at such institutions or facilities identified and selected by the visitor. The system further includes means for allowing the visitor to select a particular site, exhibit or item of interest and for recording an index relating to the selection in the interest profile on the portable information storage device assigned to that particular visitor.