MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20120244889A1
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: NOMACHI, Nayu
• Granted Patent: US 9,215,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

According to an aspect, a mobile electronic device includes a communication unit, and a control unit. The communication unit communicates with a server that causes a terminal to display a virtual object associated with position information in such a way that the virtual object is superimposed on an image captured by the terminal. When a position of the mobile electronic device changes, the control unit generates mark information based on the changed position. The control unit causes the communication unit to transmit the generated mark information, as the position information, to the server.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a communication unit for communicating with a server that causes a terminal to display a virtual object associated with position information in such a way that the virtual object is superimposed on an image captured by the terminal; and

a control unit for generating mark information, when a position of the mobile electronic device changes, based on the changed position, and for causing the communication unit to transmit the generated mark information, as the position information, to the server.

2. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to select a plurality of pieces of mark information that satisfy a condition, among the generated mark information, as position information.

3. The mobile electronic device according to claim 2, wherein

the condition includes whether a generation time period of the generated mark information or a position associated with the mark information is within a predetermined range.

4. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an photographing unit for capturing an image; and

a display unit, wherein

the control unit is configured to cause the display unit to display the virtual object associated with the generated mark information in such a way that the virtual object is superimposed on the image captured by the imaging unit.

5. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to transmit specification information for specifying a user who can receive the virtual object associated with the generated mark information, in association with the mark information, to the server.

6. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to add information indicating a change in a moving direction to the generated mark information.

7. The mobile electronic device according to claim 6, wherein,

the control unit is configured to add, when the moving direction changes, the information indicating the change in the moving direction to the generated mark information.

8. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to detect a change in a moving direction based on a direction of a line connecting positions of the mobile electronic device, and to add information indicating the change in the moving direction to the generated mark information.

9. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to generate the mark information in such a way that virtual objects associated with a start position and an end position is displayed in different shapes from those of virtual objects associated with the other positions.

10. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to start generation of the mark information when the distance to a previously associated device becomes longer than a threshold.

11. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to stop the generation of the mark information when the position of the mobile electronic device does not change for a predetermined period of time.

12. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to cause the communication unit to transmit information for using the mark information transmitted to the server to another device by mail.

13. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to generate the mark information at each predetermined position or at each time interval.

14. A method executed by a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

generating mark information, when a position of the mobile electronic device changes, based on the changed position; and

transmitting the generated mark information as position information to a server that causes a terminal to display a virtual object associated with the position information in such a way that the virtual object is superimposed on an image captured by the terminal.