Optical output device, relay device, and program controlling optical output device

• US 20050200452A1
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Tatsuo, Yamamoto, Naoaki, Koshiba, Keiichi, Watanabe, Kazuhisa, Ikeda, Takumi, Takase, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,307,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/3.700
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions

Abstract

An information processing system formed with a relay and light output devices. In the system, an external information receiver receives first external information transmitted from an outside. An external information acquisition unit acquires second external information. A light output controller controls, based on the first and second external information, the light output to be in one or more number of output states, among three or more number of output states. At the relay, an external information receiver receives a sender identifier for identifying sender of the external information, and the external information. A transmission control information memory stores one or more sets of a transmission destination identifier and transmission control information. A transmission destination identifier acquisition unit acquires transmission destination identifier from the transmission control information memory. An external information transmitter transmits external information to a destination identified by the transmission destination identifier.

Claims

1. A light output device comprising

an external information receiver for receiving first external information, which is information transmitted from an outside, among external information;

an external information acquisition unit for acquiring second external information, which is other information, among the external information;

a light output unit for outputting light; and

a light output controller for controlling, based on the first external information and the second external information, a light output of the light output unit to be in one or more number of output states selected from among three or more number of output states.

2. The light output device of claim 1, wherein

the light output unit comprises a light output tool for outputting light;

the external information includes type information, which is information indicating an information type, and a information value, which is a value exhibited in the type information; and

the light output controller controls the light output of the light output tool, based on a type information and a information value contained in the first external information, and a type information and a information value contained in the second external information.

3. The light output device of claim 2, further comprising a type information memory for storing type information of the external information;

wherein

the light output controller instructs the light output unit to output the light only when the type information contained in the first external information is relevant to the type information stored in the type information memory.

4. The light output device of claim 3, wherein

the light output controller is capable of controlling a plurality of light output methods, and the type information memory stores a light output method identifier for identifying the light output method and a type information under a counterpart relationship;

and

the light output controller instructs the light output unit to output the light in accordance with the light output method identified by the light output method identifier only when the type information contained in the first external information is relevant to the type information stored in the type information memory.

5. The light output device recited in claim 1, said device further comprising:

an external information memory for storing a plurality of pieces of pieces of the external information containing the first external information and the second external information, wherein

the light output controller controls the light output of the light output unit based on the plurality of pieces the external information stored in the external information memory.

6. The light output device recited in claim 1, further comprising an external information transmitter for transmitting the second external information.

12. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the light output controller controls the light output to be one light intensity level among three or more number of light intensity levels.

13. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the light output controller instructs a color of the light output to be one color among three or more number of colors.

14. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the light output controller controls the light output method to be one blinking method among three or more number of blinking methods.

15. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the light output controller controls the light output method to be one light source revolving method among three or more number of light source revolving methods.

16. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the light output controller controls the light output size to be one light source size among three or more number of light source sizes.

17. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the external information includes information indicating speed of data input at an input apparatus through which the data is input.

18. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the external information contains information indicating the CPU loading rate.

19. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the external information contains location information which is information related to the location.

20. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the external information contains place information which is information related to the place.

21. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the external information contains pressure information which is information related to the pressure.

22. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the external information contains heartbeat pulse information which is information indicating the heartbeat pulse counts.

23. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the external information contains body temperature information which is information indicating the body temperature.

24. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the external information contains blood sugar level information which is information indicating the blood sugar level.

25. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the external information contains health condition information which is an information on the health condition.

26. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the external information contains PH value information which is information related to the PH value.

27. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the external information contains angle information which is information related to the angle.

28. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the external information contains revolution information which is information related to the revolution.

29. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

the external information contains brain wave information which is information related to the wave.

30. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein

a shape of said light output device is one of cubic, rectangular or spherical.

7. A light output device comprising:

an external information acquisition unit for acquiring external information;

an external information transmitter for transmitting the external information acquired at the external information acquisition unit;

a light output unit for outputting light;

a parameter receiver for receiving a light control parameter, which is information related to a method of light outputting at the light output unit; and

a light output controller for controlling, based on the light control parameter, an output of the light at the light output unit to be one or more number of output states selected from among three or more number of output states.

8. The light output device of claim 7, wherein

the light output unit comprises a light output tool for outputting light;

the external information includes type information, which is information indicating an information type, and a information value, which is a value exhibited in the type information; and

the light output controller controls the output of light at a plurality of the light output tools based on type information and information value contained in the light control parameter.

9. The light output device of claim 8, further comprising a type information memory, which stores at least one of the type information contained in the external information and the type information contained in the light control parameter;

wherein

the light output controller instructs the light output unit to output light only when the type information contained in the light control parameter is relevant to the type information stored in the type information memory.

10. The light output device of claim 9, wherein

the light output controller is capable of controlling a plurality of light output methods;

the type information memory stores a light output method identifier for identifying the plurality of light output methods and type information under a counterpart relationship; and

the light output controller instructs the light output unit to output a light in accordance with the light output method identified by the light output method identifier, only when the type information contained in the light control parameter is relevant to the type information stored in the type information memory.

11. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information transmitter transmits a plurality of the external information, and

the light output controller controls the light output at light output unit based on the plurality of light control parameters in the parameter receiver.

46. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the light output controller controls the light output to be one light intensity level among three or more number of light intensity levels.

47. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the light output controller instructs a color of the light output to be one color among three or more number of colors.

48. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the light output controller controls the light output method to be one blinking method among three or more number of blinking methods.

49. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the light output controller controls the light output method to be one light source revolving method among three or more number of light source revolving methods.

50. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the light output controller controls the light output size to be one light source size among three or more number of light source sizes.

51. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information includes information indicating speed of data input at an input apparatus through which the data is input.

52. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information contains information indicating the CPU loading rate.

53. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information contains location information which is information related to the location.

54. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information contains place information which is information related to the place.

55. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information contains pressure information which is information related to the pressure.

56. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information contains heartbeat pulse information which is information indicating the heartbeat pulse counts.

57. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information contains body temperature information which is information indicating the body temperature.

58. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information contains blood sugar level information which is information indicating the blood sugar level.

59. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information contains health condition information which is an information on the health condition.

60. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information contains PH value information which is information related to the PH value.

61. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information contains angle information which is information related to the angle.

62. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information contains revolution information which is information related to the revolution.

63. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

the external information contains brain wave information which is information related to the wave.

64. The light output device recited in claim 7, wherein

a shape of said light output device is one of cubic, rectangular or spherical.

31. A relay for receiving an external information of an outside and transmitting the external information to a light output device recited in an external information receiver for receiving first external information, which is information transmitted from an outside, among external information;

an external information acquisition unit for acquiring second external information, which is other information, among the external information;

a light output unit for outputting light; and

a light output controller for controlling, based on the first external information and the second external information, a light output of the light output unit to be in one or more number of output states selected from among three or more number of output states, which relay comprising;

an external information receiver for receiving a sender identifier, which identifies a sender of the external information, and the external information; and

an external information transmitter for transmitting external information received at the external information receiver to a transmission destination identified by a transmission destination identifier acquired at the transmission destination identifier acquisition unit.

32. The relay of claim 31, further comprising

a transmission control information memory which is storing the transmission destination identifier for identifying the external information'"'"'s transmission destination, and a transmission control information which is a counterpart of the transmission destination identifier, for one set or more number of sets;

and

a transmission destination identifier acquisition unit for acquiring, from the transmission control information memory, a transmission destination identifier which is a counterpart of the sender identifier contained in the external information received at the external information receiver.

33. A relay comprising

an external information receiver for receiving a plurality of external information from a plurality of external apparatuses;

a light control parameter determination unit for determining a light control parameter based on the plurality of external information; and

a parameter transmitter for transmitting a light control parameter determined at the light control parameter determination unit to a light output device comprising;

an external information acquisition unit for acquiring external information;

an external information transmitter for transmitting the external information acquired at the external information acquisition unit;

a light output unit for outputting light;

a parameter receiver for receiving a light control parameter, which is information related to a method of light outputting at the light output unit; and

a light output controller for controlling, based on the light control parameter, an output of the light at the light output unit to be one or more number of output states selected from among three or more number of output states.

34. A relay comprising

an external information receiver for receiving history information, which is a plurality of external information about an external apparatus, from a plurality of external apparatus;

a light control parameter determination unit for determining a light control parameter based on the plurality of history information; and

a parameter transmitter for transmitting a light control parameter determined at the light control parameter determination unit to a light output device comprising;

an external information acquisition unit for acquiring external information;

an external information transmitter for transmitting the external information acquired at the external information acquisition unit;

a light output unit for outputting light;

a parameter receiver for receiving a light control parameter, which is information related to a method of light outputting at the light output unit; and

a light output controller for controlling, based on the light control parameter, an output of the light at the light output unit to be one or more number of output states selected from among three or more number of output states the external information transmitter transmits a plurality of the external information, and

the light output controller controls the light output at light output unit based on the plurality of light control parameters in the parameter receiver.

35. A computer-readable program for making a computer execute a light output device control method, said method comprising the steps of

(a) receiving, among external information, first external information which being information transmitted from an outside origin;

(b) acquiring a second external information, which is other information, among the external information; and

(c) controlling the light output based on the first external information and the second external information.

36. The program of claim 35, wherein

the external information includes type information which is information indicating a type of information, and information value which is a value exhibited in the type information;

and

light output is controlled at step (c) based on type information and value information contained in the first external information, and type information and information value contained in the second external information.

37. The program of claim 36, which method further comprising the step of

(d) storing type information of the external information;

wherein

at step (c), it is instructed to output the light only when the type information contained in the first external information is relevant to the stored type information.

38. The program of claim 37, wherein

at step (c), it controls a plurality of light output methods;

at step (d), a light output method identifier for identifying the plurality of light output methods and type information are stored under a counterpart relationship; and

at step (d), it is instructed to output the light in accordance with a light output method identified by the light output method identifier only when the type information contained in the first external information is relevant to the stored type information.

39. The program recited in claim 35, which method further comprising the step of

(e) recording a plurality of the external information containing the first external information and the second external information;

wherein

at step (c), the light output is controlled based on the plurality of pieces of the external information.

40. The program recited in claim 35, which method further comprising the step of

(f) transmitting the external information.

41. A computer-readable program for making a computer execute a method of controlling a light output device, said method comprising the steps of

(a) acquiring an external information;

(b) transmitting the external information;

(c) receiving a light control parameter, which is information related to the light output method; and

(d) controlling, based on the light control parameter, the output of light to be in one or more number of output states selected from among three or more number of output states.

42. The program of claim 41, wherein

the external information includes type information which is information indicating an information type, and information value which represents a value exhibited in the type information;

and

at step (d), the light output is controlled based on type information and information value contained in the light control parameter.

43. The program of claim 42, which method further comprising the step of

(e) storing at least one of type information contained in the external information and type information of the light control parameter, wherein

at step (d), light output is controlled only when type information contained in the light control parameter is relevant to the stored type information.

44. The program of claim 43, wherein

at step (c), a plurality of light output methods is controlled;

at step (e), a light output method identifier for identifying the plurality of light output methods and the stored type information are stored under a counterpart relationship; and

at step (d), the light output is controlled in accordance with a light output method identified by the light output method identifier, only when type information contained in the light control parameter is relevant to the stored type information.

45. The program recited in claim 41, wherein

at step (b), it transmits a plurality of the external information;

and

at step (d), the light output is controlled in accordance with a plurality of the light control parameters.