Design of a scalable interactive table system with power line communication

This paper describes the design of a Scalable Interactive Table System (SITS) which consists of a Scalable Interactive Table (SIT) and a remote server. The SIT is equipped with a touch screen, a RFID reader and a PLC module. The PLC module provides the SIT a no-new-wire environment to connect to Internet. After the user contact his RFID card with the reader, he will see his personal information be displayed on the touch screen and get an appropriate alarm or suggestions by text and voice according to his personal record in the server. Moreover, the server can provide customized systems and applications for the SIT (e.g. e-menus system for the SIT in the restaurant). The SITS offers a scalable infrastructure without having powerful computing ability or installing expensive software in the SIT that improves usability and reduces hardware and software cost for clients.