Information communication method

• US 10,616,496 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2019
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2012
• 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, Fuchigami, Ikuo, Shin, Hidehiko, Mukai, Tsutomu, Matsushita, Yosuke, Iida, Shigehiro, Yamada, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Dobson, Daniel G
• Application Number:
  US16/394,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20190253599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/516 Details of coding or modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

An information communication method obtains information from a subject using a terminal device that includes an image sensor. The method includes setting an exposure time of the image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines so that a bright line corresponding to each of the plurality of exposure lines appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor, and obtaining identification information of the subject. The subject has a rectangular shape, is captured with an around view of the subject. Each of the plurality of bright lines appears within the rectangular shape of the subject in the bright line image, and follows a direction between long sides of the rectangular shape of the subject in the bright line image.

Claims

1. An information communication method for obtaining information from a subject using a terminal device that includes an image sensor, the information communication method comprising:

setting an exposure time of the image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to each of the plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject;

obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time;

obtaining identification information of the subject, by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image;

wherein the subject comprises a light source and has a rectangular shape, and

wherein each of the plurality of bright lines appears within the rectangular shape of the subject in the bright line image, and follows a direction between long sides of the rectangular shape of the subject in the bright line image.

2. The information communication method according to claim 1,

wherein the obtaining of the identification information includes specifying the pattern of the plurality of bright lines using a central area of each of the plurality of bright lines.

3. The information communication method according to claim 2,

wherein the obtaining of the identification information includes specifying the pattern of the plurality of bright lines without using an edge area of each of the plurality of bright lines.

4. The information communication method according to claim 1,

wherein the obtaining of the bright line image includes capturing the subject in a condition that one of the plurality exposure lines follows a direction between the long sides of the rectangular shape of the subject.

5. The information communication method according to claim 2,

wherein the obtaining of the identification information includes specifying a center in each of the plurality of bright lines and specifying the pattern of the plurality of bright lines using the center of the each of the plurality of bright lines.

6. The information communication method according to claim 1,

wherein, in obtaining of the bright line image, an exposure time of each of the plurality of exposure lines partially overlaps with an exposure time of an adjacent one of the plurality of exposure lines, and

wherein the set exposure time is smaller than or equal to 20 times of a luminance change period of the subject.

7. The information communication method according to claim 1,

wherein the subject is lighting equipment.

8. The information communication method according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of exposure lines appears according to the change in luminance of the light source.

9. The information communication method according to claim 1,

wherein the subject is captured with a view surrounding the subject.

10. An information communication device for obtaining information from a subject, the information communication device including a processor and an image sensor, the processor executes operations comprising:

setting an exposure time of the image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to each of the plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject;

obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time;

obtaining identification information of the subject, by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image;

wherein the subject comprises a light source and has a rectangular shape, and

wherein each of the plurality of bright lines appears within the rectangular shape of the subject in the bright line image, and follows a direction between long sides of the rectangular shape of the subject in the bright line image.

11. A non-transitory recording medium that stores a program for controlling an information communication device for obtaining information from a subject, the information communication device including a processor and an image sensor, the program executed by the processor causing the information communication device to execute:

setting an exposure time of the image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to each of the plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject;

obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time;

obtaining identification information of the subject, by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image;

wherein the subject comprises a light source and has a rectangular shape, and

wherein each of the plurality of bright lines appears within the rectangular shape of the subject in the bright line image and follows a direction between long sides of the rectangular shape of the subject in the bright line image.