Mobile apparatus

• US 7,388,516 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yamada, Hiroshi, Kawai, Jun, Motoyama, Hideyuki, Yokota, Koichi, Kazama, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US11/221,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20060261978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 340/933, 340/988, 340/995.1, 340/995.17, 340/995.25, 340/435, 340/436, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/403, 455/556.2
• US Class Current: 340/933
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A mobile apparatus senses without failing an object which exists in a traveling direction of itself even when a pedestrian is moving while looking at a screen on which information is displayed. The mobile apparatus having the screen comprises an object detector part 17 which exits within a predetermined range centered around the traveling direction of itself, an acceleration detector part 16 and the detection range changing means for changing a range in which the object detector part 17 detects the existence of an object, the traveling direction of itself is calculated based on acceleration of itself, and based on thus calculated traveling direction of itself, the detection range changing means changes the range in which the object detector part 17 detects the existence of an object.

Claims

1. A mobile apparatus which includes a screen on which information is displayed, comprising:

an object detector part for detecting an object which exists within a predetermined range centered around a traveling direction of itself;

an acceleration detector part for detecting acceleration of itself; and

a detection range changing part for changing a range in which said object detector part detects the existence of an object, wherein

the traveling direction of itself is calculated based on acceleration of itself detected by said acceleration detector part, and

said detection range changing part changes the range in which said object detector part detects the existence of an object based on thus calculated traveling direction of itself.

2. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein said object detector part is disposed to the back side of a surface which mounts the screen on which information is displayed.

3. The mobile apparatus of claim 2, wherein said object detector part comprises:

a generator device for emitting a wave;

means for acquiring a reflected wave of the wave emitted by said device; and

means for determining whether an object exists or not based on a period of time since emission of the wave until acquisition of the reflected wave, and

said detection range changing part changes the direction in which the wave is emitted.

4. The mobile apparatus of claim 3, comprising means which calculates a horizontal direction component based on the acceleration of itself detected by said acceleration detector part.

5. The mobile apparatus of claim 2, wherein said object detector part comprises:

an imaging device for capturing an image;

means for analyzing a captured image; and

means for determining whether an object exists or not based on the result of analysis of the image, and

said detection range changing part changes the direction in which said imaging device captures images.

6. The mobile apparatus of claim 2, comprising means which calculates a horizontal direction component based on the acceleration of itself detected by said acceleration detector part.

7. The mobile apparatus of claim 2, wherein said object detector part comprises a generator device for emitting a wave;

and comprises a processor capable of performing the operations of;

acquiring a reflected wave of the wave emitted by said device; and

determining whether an object exists or not based on a period of time since emission of the wave until acquisition of the reflected wave, and

the direction in which the wave is emitted is changed.

8. The mobile apparatus of claim 2, wherein said object detector part comprises an imaging device for capturing an image;

and comprises a processor capable of performing the operations of;

analyzing a captured image; and

determining whether an object exists or not based on the result of analysis of the image, and

the direction in which said imaging means captures images is changed.

9. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein said object detector part comprises:

a generator device for emitting a wave;

means for acquiring a reflected wave of the wave emitted by said device; and

means for determining whether an object exists or not based on a period of time since emission of the wave until acquisition of the reflected wave, and

said detection range changing part changes the direction in which the wave is emitted.

10. The mobile apparatus of claim 9, comprising means which calculates a horizontal direction component based on the acceleration of itself detected by said acceleration detector part.

11. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein said object detector part comprises:

an imaging device for capturing an image;

means for analyzing a captured image; and

means for determining whether an object exists or not based on the result of analysis of the image, and

said detection range changing part changes the direction in which said imaging device captures images.

12. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, comprising means which calculates a horizontal direction component based on the acceleration of itself detected by said acceleration detector part.

13. The mobile apparatus of claim 12, comprising a gyro sensor which measures the rotating speed of an object, wherein

the horizontal direction is calculated.

14. The mobile apparatus of claim 13, comprising:

means for determining whether the acceleration of itself detected by said acceleration detector part is larger than a predetermined value; and

means for activating said object detector part and said detection range changing part in case that said means above determines that the acceleration is larger than said predetermined value but stops operations of said object detector part and said detection range changing part in case that said means above determines that the acceleration is equal to or smaller than said predetermined value.

15. The mobile apparatus of claim 13, comprising means for outputting an output indicative of the existence of an object in case that said object detector part has detected the existence of the object.

16. The mobile apparatus of claim 12, comprising:

means for determining whether the acceleration of itself detected by said acceleration detector part is larger than a predetermined value; and

means for activating said object detector part and said detection range changing part when said means above determines that the acceleration is larger than said predetermined value but stops operations of said object detector part and said detection range changing part in case that said means above determines that the acceleration is equal to or smaller than said predetermined value.

17. The mobile apparatus of claim 16, comprising means for outputting an output indicative of the existence of an object in case that said object detector part has detected the existence of the object.

18. The mobile apparatus of claim 12, comprising means for outputting an output indicative of the existence of an object in case that said object detector part has detected the existence of the object.

19. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein said object detector part comprises a generator device for emitting a wave;

and comprises a processor capable of performing the operations of;

acquiring a reflected wave of the wave emitted by said device; and

determining whether an object exists or not based on a period of time since emission of the wave until acquisition of the reflected wave, and

the direction in which the wave is emitted is changed.

20. The mobile apparatus of claim 1, wherein said object detector part comprises an imaging device for capturing an image;

and comprises a processor capable of performing the operations of;

analyzing a captured image; and

determining whether an object exists or not based on the result of analysis of the image, and

the direction in which said imaging means captures images is changed.