INFORMATION EXCHANGE DEVICE

• US 20110175879A1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tanaka, Masahide
• Granted Patent: US 8,421,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/211
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

An information exchange device includes a human body communication unit which applies information flowing via a human body to a human body and detects information flowing via the human body, an information transmission unit which transmits information via the human body communication unit, an identification unit which identifies other device which can transmit information from the information transmission unit, a detection unit which detects a contact state with other human body, and a transmission control unit which starts transmission of information according to identification by the identification unit and a detection by the detection unit.

Claims

1. An information exchange device comprising:

a human body communication unit which applies information flowing via a human body to a human body and detects information flowing via the human body;

an information transmission unit which transmits information via the human body communication unit;

an identification unit which identifies another device which can transmit information from the information transmission unit;

a detection unit which detects a contact state with another human body; and

a transmission control unit which starts transmission of information according to identification by the identification unit and a detection by the detection unit.

2. An information exchange device according to claim 1, wherein the identification unit includes a sensing unit which senses that the other device is capable of supporting function of the human body communication unit.

3. An information exchange device according to claim 2, wherein the sensing unit includes a wireless communication function unit, so as to perform the sensing based on a radio wave received by the wireless communication function unit.

4. An information exchange device according to claim 2, wherein the sensing unit performs the sensing based on information transmitted from the human body communication unit.

5. An information exchange device according to claim 2, further comprising an operation unit which determines whether to enable or disable communication by the human body communication unit, wherein the sensing unit can perform the sensing regardless of whether communication by the human body communication unit is enabled or disabled.

6. An information exchange device according to claim 1, wherein the identification unit includes an enrollment unit which enrolls another device for information transmission by the information transmission unit, and a sensing unit which senses another device, and identifies that the other device sensed by the sensing unit is capable of information exchange by the transmission unit if the other device matches the enrollment of the enrollment unit.

7. An information exchange device according to claim 6, wherein the transmission control unit does not start the information transmission to the other device even if the other device is enrolled in the enrollment unit, if the sensing unit has not sensed for a predetermined time and even if a next contact state with another human body is detected.

8. An information exchange device according to claim 6, further comprising an operation unit which sets an enable or disable state of communication by the human body communication unit, wherein the transmission control unit automatically starts the information transmission based on the detection by the detection unit regardless of the setting by the operation unit if the other device sensed by the sensing unit matches the enrollment of the enrollment unit.

9. An information exchange device according to claim 6, wherein the information transmission unit includes a modulation unit which modulates the information to a narrow-band transmission signal, an adjustment unit which adjusts a band of the transmission signal modulated by the modulation unit in relationship with an opponent enrolled in the enrollment unit, and a storage unit which stores the band of the transmission signal adjusted by the adjustment unit.

10. An information exchange device according to claim 1, wherein the information exchange device comprises a mobile phone.

11. An information exchange device according to claim 1, wherein the information transmitted by the information transmission unit is e-mail information, and the human body communication unit detects the information flowing via human bodies with hands in contact with one another.

12. An information exchange device according to claim 1, wherein the information transmitted by the information transmission unit is contents information, and the human body communication unit detects the information flowing via human bodies with hands in contact with one another.

13. An information exchange device according to claim 1, wherein the information transmitted by the information transmission unit is business card information, and the human body communication unit detects the information flowing via human bodies with hands in contact with one another.

14. An information exchange device according to claim 13, further comprising an information reception unit which receives business card information via the human body communication unit, a storage unit for the business card information, and a comparing unit which compares the business card information received by the information reception unit with the business card information stored in the storage unit.

15. An information exchange device comprising:

a communication unit;

an information reception unit which receives business card information via the communication unit;

a storage unit for the business card information; and

a comparing unit for comparing the business card information received by the information reception unit with the business card information stored in the storage unit.

16. An information exchange device according to claim 15, further comprising a storage control unit which adds information after a change to information before the change so as to control the storage unit to accumulate history information of the same person, if the comparing unit finds that the business card information stored in the storage unit includes information of the same person of the business card information that has been received by the information reception unit before, and if there is the change in content thereof.

17. An information exchange device according to claim 15, further comprising a control unit which controls the storage unit to store reception date and time of the business card information received by the information reception unit so that a log of meeting with the same person is accumulated.

18. An information exchange device according to claim 15, further comprising a storage unit which automatically stores a reception order of business card information of a plurality of persons based on the information reception unit.

19. An information exchange device according to claim 15, further comprising a display unit that is capable of displaying a layout of the received business card information of the plurality of persons, a function operation unit which controls the display unit to perform a display concerning a function other than the business card information display, an automatic off control unit which automatically turns off a display on the display unit if the function operation unit is not operated for a predetermined time, and a display control unit which disables a function of the automatic off control unit if the display unit starts the layout display of the business card information, so that the layout display of the business card information is continued even if an operation of the function operation unit is not performed for a predetermined time.

20. An information exchange device comprising:

a display unit which can display received business card information;

a function operation unit for controlling the display unit to perform a display concerning a function other than the business card information display;

an automatic off control unit which automatically turns off a display on the display unit if the function operation unit is not operated for a predetermined time; and

a display control unit which disables a function of the automatic off control unit if the display unit starts the layout display of the business card information, so that the layout display of the business card information is continued even if an operation of the function operation unit is not performed for a predetermined time.