Light output device, relay and program for controlling the light output device

• US 7,307,541 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Takumi, Yamamoto, Naoaki, Watanabe, Kazuhisa, Takase, Hiroshi, Koshiba, Keiichi, Yamamoto, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/506,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20050200452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 340/815.45, 340/815.65, 340/573.1, 340/691.6, 340/521, 340/531, 340/540, 340/693.5, 340/665, 34053911-53913, 34053916-53917, 340/539.2, 340/539.22, 340/321, 340/326, 340/331, 340/332, 600/587, 600/300, 128/903, 455/67.7
• US Class Current: 340/815.4
• 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 for communicating with another light output device, the light output device comprising:

an external information receiver for receiving first external information, wherein the first external information is a first portion of external information transmitted from a source outside of the light output device;

an external information acquisition unit for acquiring second external information, wherein the second external information is a second portion of the external information and the second external information is different than the first external information;

a light output unit for outputting light; and

a light output controller for controlling, based on a relation between information related to a condition of a user of the other light output device included into the first external information and information related to a condition of a user of the light output device included into the second external information, a light output of the light output unit to be in one or more output states selected from among three or more 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 an 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 an information value contained in the first external information, and a type information and an 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 corresponds to the type information stored in the type information memory.

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

an external information memory for storing a plurality 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 of the external information stored in the external information memory.

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

6. 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 light intensity levels.

7. 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 colors.

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

the light output controller controls the intensity of light displayed across a surface of a display to be one intensity of light selected from three or more different intensities of light.

9. 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.

10. The light output device recited in claim 1, wherein the external information contains information indicating a CPU loading rate, wherein the CPU is included in the source outside of the light output device.

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

the external information contains location information which is information related to the location of at least one of the light output device and a second light output device.

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

the external information contains pressure information which is information related to a pressure of how strongly a second light output device is grasped by a user of the second light output device.

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

the external information contains heartbeat pulse information which is information indicating pulse counts of a heartbeat of a user of a second light output device.

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

the external information contains body temperature information which is information indicating a body temperature of a user of a second light output device.

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

the external information contains blood sugar level information which is information indicating a blood sugar level of a user of a second light output device.

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

the external information contains health condition information which is information on a health condition of a user of a second light output device.

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

the external information contains PH value information which is information related to a PH value of a user of a second light output device.

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

the external information contains revolution information which is information related to at least one of a revolution speed and a number of revolutions of a revolving device coupled to a second light output device.

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

the external information contains brain wave information which is information related to a brain wave of a user of a second light output device.

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

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

21. A light output device for communicating with another light output device or a relay, the light output device comprising:

an external information acquisition unit for acquiring first external information, wherein the first external information is a first portion of external information transmitted from a source outside of the light output device;

an external information transmitter for transmitting the first external information acquired at the external information acquisition unit to the other light output device or the relay for relaying the first external information between the light output device and the other light output device;

a light output unit for outputting light;

a parameter receiver for receiving a light control parameter indicating a relation between information related to a condition of a user of the light output device included into the first external information and information related to a condition of a user of the other light output device included into a second external information, wherein the second external information is a second portion of the external information and the second external information is different than the first external information; 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 output states selected from among three or more output states.

22. The light output device of claim 21, 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 an 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 an information value contained in the light control parameter.

23. The light output device of claim 22, 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 corresponds to the type information stored in the type information memory.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the light output controller controls the intensity of light displayed across a surface of a display to be one intensity of light selected from three or more different intensities of light.

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

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

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

the external information contains information indicating a CPU loading rate, wherein the CPU is included into the source outside of the light output device.

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

the external information contains location information which is information related to the location of a second light output device.

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

the external information contains pressure information which is information related to a pressure of how strongly a second light output device is grasped by a user of the second light output device.

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

the external information contains heartbeat pulse information which is information indicating heartbeat pulse counts of a user of a second light output device.

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

the external information contains body temperature information which is information indicating a body temperature of a user of a second light output device.

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

the external information contains blood sugar level information which is information indicating a blood sugar level of a user of a second light output device.

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

the external information contains health condition information which is information on a health condition of a user of a second light output device.

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

the external information contains PH value information which is information related to a PH value of a user of a second light output device.

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

the external information contains revolution information which is information related to at least one of a revolution speed and a number of revolutions of a revolving device coupled to a second light output device.

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

the external information contains brain wave information which is information related to a brain wave of a user of a second light output device.

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

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

40. A relay for receiving external information from a source outside of the relay and transmitting the external information to a light output device via an external information receiver for receiving first external information, the first external information being a first portion of the external information, the light output device comprising:

an external information acquisition unit for acquiring second external information, wherein the second external information is a second portion of the external information and the second portion is different than the first portion;

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 output states selected from among three or more output states, the relay comprising;

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

a transmission control information memory which stores a transmission destination identifier for identifying an external information transmission destination and transmission control information which is a counterpart of the transmission destination identifier for one or more sets;

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

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

41. A relay comprising

an external information receiver for receiving a plurality of pieces 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 pieces 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; 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 output states selected from among three or more output states.

42. A relay comprising

an external information receiver for receiving history information, which is a plurality of pieces 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 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; 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 output states selected from among three or more output states, wherein the external information transmitter transmits 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.

43. A computer-readable medium, including a program for making a computer execute a light output device control method the light output device communicating with another light output device, said method comprising the steps of

(a) receiving first external information, wherein the first external information is a first portion of external information transmitted from a source outside of the light output device;

(b) acquiring a second external information, wherein the second external information is a second portion of the external information and the second external information is different than the first external information; and

(c) controlling a light output of the light output device based on a relation between information related to a condition of a user of the other light output device included into the first external information and information related to a condition of a user of the light output device included into the second external information.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein

the external information includes type information which is information indicating a type of information, and an 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.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, which method further comprising the step of

(d) storing type information of the external information;

wherein

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

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 45, wherein

at step (c), the light output controller controls the light to be outputted based on a plurality of light output parameters;

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

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

47. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 43, which method further comprising the step of

(e) recording a plurality of pieces 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.

48. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 43, which method further comprising the step of

(f) transmitting the external information.

49. A computer-readable medium, including a program for making a computer execute a method of controlling a light output device, the light output device communicating with another light output device or relay, said method comprising the steps of

(a) acquiring first external information, wherein the first external information is a first portion of external information transmitted from a source outside of the light output device;

(b) transmitting the first external information to the other light output device or relay for relaying the first external information between the light output device and the other light output device;

(c) receiving a light control parameter indicating a relation between information related to a condition of a user of the light output device included into the first external information and information related to a condition of a user of the other light output device included into a second external information, wherein the second external information is a second portion of the external information and the second external information is different than the first external information; and

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

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein

the external information includes type information which is information indicating an information type, and an 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.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, 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 corresponds to the stored type information.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein

at step (c), a plurality of light output methods are 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 corresponds to the stored type information.

53. The computer-readable medium recited in claim 49, wherein

step (b), further includes transmitting a plurality of pieces of the external information;

and

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