Function control method using boundary definition, function control system using boundary definition, function control server using boundary definition and program

• US 8,766,763 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2010
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Yuichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US12/683,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20100171585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,637 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.4, 340/539.11, 340/426.11, 340/426.12, 340/825.69, 340/311.2, 340/7.21, 455/404.1, 455/435
• US Class Current: 340/3.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A function control method using boundary definition of present invention includes the steps of, setting a boundary line to virtually partition a given physical space, and controlling a predetermined function of an electronic appliance based on at least one or all of a position of the boundary line, and a shape and a size of a closed loop formed by the boundary line.

Claims

1. A function control method using boundary definition, comprising the steps of:

setting a boundary line to virtually partition a given physical space using a respective position and direction of a plurality of position recognition devices; and

controlling a predetermined function of an electronic appliance within the given physical space based on a position of the electronic appliance and at least one of a position of the boundary line, and a shape and a size of a closed loop formed by the boundary line.

2. The function control method using boundary definition according to claim 1, wherein

the step of setting the boundary line includes the steps of

acquiring the positions of the plurality of position recognition devices arranged in the given physical space, and

calculating, based on the position of the plurality of position recognition devices, the boundary line linking the position recognition devices.

3. The function control method using boundary definition according to claim 2, wherein

the directions of the plurality of position recognition devices are acquired along with the positions of the plurality of position recognition devices, in the step of acquiring the position of the position recognition devices, and

a three dimensional Bezier curve is calculated based on the position and the direction of the position recognition devices, in the step of calculating the boundary line.

4. The function control method using boundary definition according to claim 1, wherein

a function that is realized by the electronic appliance is controlled in accordance with a positional relationship between the position of the boundary line and the electronic appliance that is operated by a user, in the step of controlling the predetermined function.

5. The function control method using boundary definition according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying the boundary line in the given physical space.

6. The function control method using boundary definition according to claim 5, wherein

the step of displaying includes the step of displaying the boundary line forming a closed loop along with displaying a function by a predetermined application within the closed loop, and

based on one of the shape and the size of the closed loop, the function of the application displayed within the closed loop is controlled, in the step of controlling the predetermined function.

11. The function control method using boundary definition according to claim 1, wherein

the position recognition devices are provided in physical objects that are arranged within the given physical space.

7. A function control method using boundary definition, comprising the steps of:

setting a boundary line to virtually partition a given physical space; and

controlling a predetermined function of an electronic appliance within the given physical space based on a position of the electronic appliance and at least one of a position of the boundary line, and a shape and a size of a closed loop formed by the boundary line;

acquiring sound information emitted within the given physical space;

determining a position from which the sound information is obtained;

acquiring a position of the electronic appliance within the given physical space; and

transmitting the sound information to the electronic appliance when position of the electronic appliance is on a same side of a boundary formed by the boundary line as the position at which the sound information is obtained;

wherein the electronic appliance is a mobile information terminal.

8. The function control method using boundary definition according to claim 7, wherein

the mobile information terminal is worn by a user who is present in the given physical space, and the mobile information terminal plays back and provides sound formed by the sound information to the user.

9. The function control method using boundary definition according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

performing 3D mixing on the sound information before the step of transmitting the sound information, the 3D mixing being performed based on a position at which the sound information is acquired and a position of the mobile information terminal to which the sound information is transmitted;

wherein

the step of transmitting the sound information includes the step of transmitting the sound information on which 3D mixing has been performed.

10. The function control method using boundary definition according to claim 7, wherein

the sound information is acquired by a microphone provided in the mobile information terminal.

12. A function control system using a boundary definition, comprising:

an electronic appliance within a given physical space with a controllable predetermined function; and

a function control server that includes

a boundary line setting portion that sets a boundary line to virtually partition the given physical space using a respective position and direction of a plurality of position recognition devices, and

a function control portion that controls the predetermined function of the electronic appliance based on a position of the electronic appliance and at least one of a position of the boundary line, and a shape or a size of a closed loop formed by the boundary line.

13. A function control server using a boundary definition, comprising:

a boundary line setting portion that sets a boundary line to virtually partition a given physical space using a respective position and direction of a plurality of position recognition devices; and

a function control portion that controls a predetermined function of an electronic appliance within the given physical space based on a position of the electronic appliance and at least one of a position of the boundary line, and a shape or a size of a closed loop formed by the boundary line.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing a program comprising instructions that command a computer to function as:

a boundary line setting device that sets a boundary line to virtually partition a given physical space using a respective position and direction of a plurality of position recognition devices; and

a device to control a predetermined function of an electronic appliance within the given physical space, based on a position of the electronic appliance and at least one of a position of the boundary line and a shape or a size of a closed loop that is formed by the boundary line.

15. A function control system using boundary definition, comprising:

a first mobile information terminal that is present in a given physical space and that transmits and receives sound information by wireless communication; and

a sound field boundary definition server that includes

a database that stores boundary information used to virtually partition the given physical space,

a sound receiver that acquires sound information transmitted from the first mobile information terminal,

a position recognition portion that acquires a position of the first mobile information terminal, and

a sound transmitter that transmits the acquired sound information to a second mobile information terminal that is present on a same side of a boundary formed by the boundary information as the first mobile information terminal that acquires the sound information.

16. A function control server using boundary definition, comprising:

a database that stores boundary information to virtually partition a given physical space;

a sound receiver that acquires sound information emitted within the given physical space;

a position recognition portion that acquires a position of a mobile information terminal present within the given physical space; and

a sound transmitter that transmits the sound information to the mobile information terminal that is present on a same side of a boundary formed by the boundary information as a position at which the sound information is acquired.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing a program comprising instructions that command a computer to function as:

a device that stores boundary information to virtually partition a given physical space;

a device that acquires sound information emitted within the given physical space;

a device that acquires a position of a mobile information terminal that is present within the given physical space; and

a device that transmits the sound information to the mobile information terminal when the mobile terminal is present on a same side of a boundary formed by the boundary information as a position at which the sound information is obtained.