Information processing system, information processing apparatus and method, program, and recording medium

• US 7,869,337 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kusakabe, Susumu, Kubono, Fumio, Ishibashi, Yoshihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Thong H
• Application Number:
  US11/390,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20060256700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,750 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 340/870.16, 369/126, 370/455
• US Class Current: 369/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like

Abstract

A user operates a selection panel installed in a shop to select contents which the user wants to review. A reception unit identifies the contents based on the user'"'"'s operation on the selection panel, acquires an ID of a portable device incorporated in headphones worn by the user, and transmits the ID to a management server. The management server transmits data of the contents to a transmission device, which searches for a signal electrode capable of communicating with the portable device of the user among signal electrodes that are embedded in the floor of the shop. The transmission device transmits a signal representative of the contents from the signal electrode that has been searched for, and the portable device receives the signal transmitted from the transmission device. An audio signal of the contents is output from the headphones.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

a terminal carried by a user; and

an information processing device for communicating with said terminal;

said information processing device comprising;

a first signal electrode for transmitting or receiving a signal through a communication medium in communications with said terminal;

a first reference electrode for obtaining a reference point for determining an output value of said signal;

an identifying section for identifying data to be transmitted to said terminal;

an acquiring section for acquiring information for identifying said terminal;

a searching section for searching for said first signal electrode which is capable of communicating with said terminal corresponding to the information acquired by said acquiring section; and

a transmitting section for transmitting a signal corresponding to the data identified by said identifying section from said first signal electrode searched for by said searching section to said terminal;

said terminal comprising;

a second signal electrode for transmitting or receiving a signal through a communication medium in communications with said information processing device;

a second reference electrode for obtaining a reference point for determining an output value of said signal;

a stored information transmitting section for transmitting information stored therein as a signal to said information processing device; and

a receiving section for receiving the signal transmitted from said information processing device.

2. An information processing device for communicating with a terminal carried by a user, comprising:

a signal electrode for transmitting or receiving a signal through a communication medium in communications with said terminal;

a reference electrode for obtaining a reference point for determining an output value of said signal;

an identifying section for identifying data to be transmitted to said terminal;

an acquiring section for acquiring information for identifying said terminal;

a searching section for searching for said signal electrode which is capable of communicating with said terminal corresponding to the information acquired by said acquiring section; and

a transmitting section for transmitting a signal corresponding to the data identified by said identifying section from said signal electrode searched for by said searching section to said terminal.

3. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein said signal electrode is electrostatically coupled to said communication medium more intensively than said reference electrode, and transmits or receives a signal corresponding to a potential difference developed between said signal electrode and said reference electrode.

4. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein said identifying section searches for a signal electrode capable of communicating with said terminal among a plurality of signal electrodes corresponding to a plurality of data, and identifies said data based on the signal electrode which has been searched for.

5. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein said identifying section identifies said data based on a signal transmitted from said terminal.

6. The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein the signal electrode for communicating with said terminal is mounted on an object corresponding to said data, and said data is identified based on the signal transmitted from said terminal to said identifying section based on the signal transmitted from the signal electrode mounted on said object when said user touches the object corresponding to said data.

7. The information processing device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a generating section for generating a table associating the data identified by said identifying section with the information acquired by said acquiring section for identifying said terminal and the signal electrode searched for by said searing section and capable of communicating with said terminal;

wherein said transmitting section transmit the signal corresponding to said data based on said table generated by said generating section.

8. The information processing device according to claim 7, wherein said searching section searches for a signal electrode capable of communicating with said terminal each time a preset time elapses, and said table is updated based on information with respect to the signal electrode which has been searched for.

9. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein said data comprises audio data as contents, and said terminal is incorporated in headphones worn by said user.

10. The information processing device according to claim 9, wherein the signal electrode from which the signal corresponding to said data is transmitted to said terminal by said transmitting section is embedded in a floor of a shop for selling said contents, said communication medium comprises a human body, and said searching section searches the signal electrode embedded in a position where said user stands, as the signal capable of communicating with said terminal.

11. The information processing device according to claim 9, wherein said data is encrypted and transmitted to said terminal.

12. A method of processing information in an information processing device having a signal electrode for transmitting or receiving a signal through a communication medium, and a reference electrode for obtaining a reference point for determining an output value of said signal, wherein said information processing device communicates with a terminal carried by a user based on the signal transmitted or received by said signal electrode, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying data to be transmitted to said terminal;

acquiring information for identifying said terminal;

searching for said signal electrode which is capable of communicating with said terminal corresponding to the information acquired in said step of acquiring; and

transmitting a signal corresponding to the data identified in said step of identifying from the signal electrode searched for in said step of searching for to said terminal.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a program for controlling an information processing device to process information, said information processing device having a signal electrode for transmitting or receiving a signal through a communication medium, and a reference electrode for obtaining a reference point for determining an output value of said signal, wherein said information processing device communicates with a terminal carried by a user based on the signal transmitted or received by said signal electrode, said program enabling a computer to perform a process comprising the steps of:

controlling identification of data to be transmitted to said terminal;

controlling acquisition of information for identifying said terminal;

controlling searching for of said signal electrode which is capable of communicating with said terminal corresponding to the information acquired in said step of controlling acquisition; and

controlling transmission of a signal corresponding to the data identified in said step of controlling identification from the signal electrode searched for in said step of controlling searching for to said terminal.

14. A recording medium recording therein a program for controlling an information processing device to process information, said information processing device having a signal electrode for transmitting or receiving a signal through a communication medium, and a reference electrode for obtaining a reference point for determining an output value of said signal, wherein said information processing device communicates with a terminal carried by a user based on the signal transmitted or received by said signal electrode, said program enabling a computer to perform a process comprising the steps of:

controlling identification of data to be transmitted to said terminal;

controlling acquisition of information for identifying said terminal;

controlling searching for of said signal electrode which is capable of communicating with said terminal corresponding to the information acquired in said step of controlling acquisition; and

controlling transmission of a signal corresponding to the data identified in said step of controlling identification from the signal electrode searched for in said step of controlling searching for to said terminal.

15. An information processing device for being carried by a user for communicating with another information processing device, comprising:

a signal electrode for transmitting or receiving a signal through a communication medium in communications with said other information processing device;

a reference electrode for obtaining a reference point for determining an output value of said signal;

a stored information transmitting section for transmitting information stored therein as a signal to said other information processing device; and

a receiving section for receiving a signal transmitted from said other information processing device.

16. The information processing device according to claim 15, wherein said signal electrode is electrostatically coupled to said communication medium more intensively than said reference electrode, and transmits or receives a signal corresponding to a potential difference developed between said signal electrode and said reference electrode.

17. The information processing device according to claim 16, wherein said communication medium comprises a human body, and said information processing device is incorporated in a unit worn by said user.

18. The information processing device according to claim 17, said receiving section receives a signal corresponding to data of contents transmitted from said other information processing device, and the signal received by said receiving section is output to said unit.

19. A method of processing information in an information processing device carried by a user and having a signal electrode for transmitting or receiving a signal through a communication medium to or from another information device, and a reference electrode for obtaining a reference point for determining an output value of said signal, wherein said information processing device communicates with said other information processing device based on the signal transmitted or received by said signal electrode, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting stored information as a signal to said other information processing device; and

receiving a signal transmitted from said other information processing device.