Information communication device

• US 10,177,847 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2017
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Oshima, Mitsuaki, Nakanishi, Koji, Aoyama, Hideki, Yoshida, Chikara, Iida, Shigehiro, Ogata, Shinsuke, Miyoshi, Kengo
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Li
• Application Number:
  US15/588,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20170244483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 398103, 398118-131, 398172
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/72 Combination of two or more compensation controls

Abstract

An information communication method is provided that includes continuously capturing an image of a subject that transmits a signal by changing luminance, with an image sensor, and displaying a captured image that includes a box. The method also includes determining whether the subject is in the box, and receiving the signal transmitted by the subject when it is determined that the subject is in the box. In in the receiving, image data is obtained by capturing the subject with an exposure time, the signal is obtained by demodulating a bright line pattern, and the bright line pattern is caused to appear in the image data by setting the exposure time to be less than or equal to 1/480 second.

Claims

1. An information communication method, comprising:

continuously capturing an image of a subject that transmits a signal by changing luminance, with an image sensor;

displaying a captured image that includes a box;

determining whether the subject is in the box; and

receiving the signal transmitted by the subject when it is determined that the subject is in the box,

wherein in the receiving,

image data is obtained by capturing the subject with an exposure time so that (i) exposure starts sequentially for a plurality of exposure lines each at a different time, (ii) each of the plurality of exposure lines partially overlaps in exposure time an adjacent one of the plurality of exposure lines, and (iii) a bright line pattern appears in the image data according to the changing luminance, the bright line pattern corresponding to the plurality of exposure lines,

the signal is obtained by demodulating the bright line pattern, and

the bright line pattern is caused to appear in the image data by setting the exposure time to be less than or equal to 1/480 second.

2. The information communication method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a terminal device that includes the image sensor has been shaken laterally,

wherein in the capturing, images of plural subjects, each of which transmits a signal by changing luminance, are captured with the image sensor,

in the displaying, a captured image is displayed, the captured image including the images of the plural subjects obtained in the capturing,

in the receiving, the signals transmitted by the plural subjects are received, and

in the displaying,

an information notification image is generated according to a signal from one of the plural subjects among the signals transmitted by the plural subjects and received, and showing information regarding the subject is superimposed on the captured image in a state where the information notification image is associated with the image of the subject, and

when it is determined that the terminal device has been shaken laterally, another information notification image is generated according to a signal from another one of the plural subjects that is in a direction in which the terminal device has been shaken, and showing information regarding the another one of the plural subjects is superimposed on the captured image in a state where the other information notification image is associated with the image of the another one of the plural subjects.

3. The information communication method according to claim 2,

wherein in the displaying, for an image of each of one or more remaining subjects, other than the image of the one or the another one of the plural subjects that is associated with the information notification image or the another information notification image, an information-presentable notification image for notifying that information regarding a remaining subject is further presentable is superimposed on the captured image.

4. An information communication apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having thereon a computer program, the computer program causing the processor to execute operations including

continuously capturing an image of a subject that transmits a signal by changing luminance, with an image sensor;

displaying a captured image that includes a box;

determining whether the subject is in the box; and

receiving the signal transmitted by the subject when it is determined that the subject is in the box,

wherein in the receiving,

image data is obtained by capturing the subject with an exposure time so that (i) exposure starts sequentially for a plurality of exposure lines each at a different time, (ii) each of the plurality of exposure lines partially overlaps in exposure time an adjacent one of the plurality of exposure lines, and (iii) a bright line pattern appears in the image data according to the changing luminance, the bright line pattern corresponding to the plurality of exposure lines,

the signal is obtained by demodulating the bright line pattern, and

the bright line pattern is caused to appear in the image data by setting the exposure time to be less than or equal to 1/480 second.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing an information communication program for performing information communication, the information communication program causing a computer to execute:

displaying a captured image that includes a box;

determining whether the subject is in the box; and

receiving the signal transmitted by the subject when it is determined that the subject is in the box,

wherein in the receiving,

image data is obtained by capturing the subject with an exposure time so that (i) exposure starts sequentially for a plurality of exposure lines each at a different time, (ii) each of the plurality of exposure lines partially overlaps in exposure time an adjacent one of the plurality of exposure lines, and (iii) a bright line pattern appears in the image data according to the changing luminance, the bright line pattern corresponding to the plurality of exposure lines,

the signal is obtained by demodulating the bright line pattern, and

the bright line pattern is caused to appear in the image data by setting the exposure time to be less than or equal to 1/480 second.