Information processing system and method, information processing apparatus, image-capturing device and method, recording medium, and program

• US 10,356,370 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Tetsujiro, Kobayashi, Naoki, Fujimori, Yasuhiro, Takahashi, Yasuaki, Ohta, Koji, Takeda, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gami, Tejal
• Application Number:
  US15/619,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20170280110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/002 specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19647 Systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19652 Systems using zones in a single scene defined for different treatment, e.g. outer zone gives pre-alarm, inner zone gives alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19663 Surveillance related processing done local to the camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1968 Interfaces for setting up or customising the system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A feature extracting unit obtains sensor data from a plurality of sensors to calculate each feature. When an event determining unit determines the occurrence of an event based on each feature, a display data constructor generates remote-controller display data for displaying the event, and controls a remote-controller display device to display the remote-controller display data. When a user decision is input from a user input IF based on this display, a control unit controls the sensors to be turned ON or OFF. When an infrared sensor detects an abnormality, a microwave sensor whose power consumption is small after the infrared sensor is turned ON. When the microwave sensor detects an abnormality, a video camera and a microphone are turned ON, and the microwave sensor is turned OFF. A communication unit wirelessly transmits an image signal captured by the video camera and an audio signal processed by the microphone. Then, if the infrared sensor does not detect an abnormality, the video camera and the microphone are turned OFF. With this arrangement, power consumption can be suppressed. The present invention is applied to, for example, a security system, for example, for monitoring outside a vehicle by a video camera disposed in the vehicle when the vehicle is parked.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

circuitry of a vehicle configured to

supply battery remaining-amount information regarding a remaining amount of a battery of the vehicle in a non-charging state of the battery on condition that the remaining amount of the battery of the vehicle in the non-charging state of the battery is less than the predetermined reference value, the predetermined reference value being less than a battery full amount value,

switch communication receiving parties from a first communication terminal inside the vehicle to a second communication terminal external to the vehicle at a first location, and

cause wireless transmission of the battery remaining-amount information regarding the vehicle in the non-charging state of the battery to the second communication terminal external to the vehicle at the first location, the second communication terminal being configured to wirelessly transmit the battery remaining-amount information regarding the vehicle in the non-charging state of the battery to a portable mobile communication terminal at a second location different from the first location.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising wireless communication circuitry that wirelessly transmits the battery remaining-amount information to the portable mobile communication terminal.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a steering wheel to control the vehicle.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

drive circuitry that drives a rotatable apparatus attached to the vehicle.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the battery remaining-amount information is battery run-out information.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the battery remaining-amount information is part of a wirelessly transmitted signal that includes a video signal, which is obtained by a video camera attached to the vehicle.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the wirelessly transmitted signal includes the video signal combined with the battery remaining-amount information and distance information regarding a distance of the vehicle from an object as detected from an image captured by the video camera.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to abstain from causing transmission of the battery remaining-amount information regarding the vehicle in the non-charging state of the battery when the battery remaining-amount is greater than or equal to the predetermined reference value.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the portable mobile communication terminal is a wireless remote control apparatus.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to cause wireless transmission of the battery remaining-amount information as part of a signal to the portable mobile communication terminal, and to also cause wireless transmission of the signal including the battery remaining-amount information of the vehicle to the first communication terminal inside the vehicle configured to display the battery remaining-amount information.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to wirelessly transmit the battery remaining-amount information of the vehicle to the first communication terminal inside the vehicle, which is configured to cause display of the battery remaining-amount information.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to switch communication receiving parties from the second communication terminal external to the vehicle at the first location to the first communication terminal inside the vehicle.

13. A method comprising:

detecting a remaining amount of a battery of a vehicle as an amount of the battery is decreasing;

determining whether the detected remaining amount of the battery of the vehicle as the amount of the battery is decreasing is less than a predetermined reference value, the predetermined reference value being less than a battery full amount value;

outputting, using a processor, battery remaining-amount information regarding the detected remaining amount of the battery of the vehicle responsive to the detected remaining amount of the battery of the vehicle being less than the predetermined reference value;

switching communication receiving parties from a first communication terminal inside the vehicle to a second communication terminal external to the vehicle at a first location; and

wirelessly transmitting the battery remaining-amount information to the first communication terminal external to the vehicle at the first location, the first communication terminal being configured to wirelessly transmit the battery remaining-amount information to a portable mobile communication terminal at a second location different from the first location.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the battery remaining-amount information is battery run-out information.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the battery remaining-amount information is part of a signal that includes a video component obtained by a video camera attached to the vehicle, the video component being combined with the battery remaining-amount information.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising abstaining from performing said outputting the battery remaining-amount information regarding the battery of the vehicle as the amount of the battery is decreasing responsive to said comparing indicating that the detected remaining amount of the battery of the vehicle as the amount of the battery is decreasing is greater than or equal to the predetermined reference value.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the battery remaining-amount information is wirelessly transmitted to the portable mobile communication terminal, which is comprised of circuitry configured to receive wirelessly the battery remaining-amount information regarding the battery of the vehicle as the amount of the battery is decreasing, and to display the battery remaining-amount information on a display.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the portable mobile communication terminal is a wireless remote controller.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the switching communication receiving parties from the first communication terminal inside the vehicle to the second communication terminal external to the vehicle at the first location is responsive to detection of an engine key of the vehicle having been removed.