Method and apparatus for displaying an image of a device based on radio waves

• US 8,977,322 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2014
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Oba, Haruo, Sugawara, Taku, Inagaki, Takeo, Rekimoto, Junichi, Matsushita, Nobuyuki, Ayatsuka, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Kiet
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, DUNG LE
• Application Number:
  US14/254,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20140225911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 4554561-4566, 455/457
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/3911 Fading models or fading generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, and a program in which information can be reliably exchanged when performing wireless communication by allowing a user to know a communication distance at which devices can be connected. A communication unit 28 performs Bluetooth communication with a communication unit, which serves as a Bluetooth module, provided for a cellular telephone. A CPU 21 displays an image corresponding to the cellular telephone based on the input level of Bluetooth radio waves transmitted from the cellular telephone. For example, when the input level of the radio waves transmitted from the cellular telephone is equal to the maximum input, the CPU 21 sets the level of transparency to be 0, and displays the image corresponding to the cellular telephone on an LCD 32 so that a background image is not transmitted at all. When the input level of the radio waves is almost equal to the reception sensitivity, the CPU 21 displays the image corresponding to the cellular telephone on the LCD 32 by setting the level of transparency to be 90% so as to transmit the background image. The present invention can be applied to an information processing apparatus, for example, a personal computer, a PDA, or a cellular telephone.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a processing circuitry to;

communicate with an electronic device via radio wave;

obtain identification information concerning the electronic device via the radio wave;

specify an image based on the obtained identification information; and

calculate a display position of the image to be displayed based on a status of the radio wave,

wherein the image is obtained by changing at least two of a level of transparency, a size, a color, a resolution, a level of saturation, or mosaic processing in a mixed manner in accordance with the status of the radio wave.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image corresponds to the configuration of the electronic device.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry controls the image to be displayed with a level of transparency corresponding to the status of the radio wave.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry controls the image to be displayed with a size corresponding to the status of the radio wave.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry controls the image to be displayed with a color corresponding to the status of the radio wave.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry controls the image to be displayed with a level of resolution corresponding to the status of the radio wave.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry controls the image to be displayed with a level of saturation corresponding to the status of the radio wave.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry controls the image to be displayed by performing mosaic processing on the image in accordance with the status of the radio wave.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit to display the image on a position corresponding to the display position.

10. An information processing method, comprising:

communicating with an electronic device via radio wave;

obtaining identification information concerning the electronic device via the radio wave;

specifying an image based on the obtained identification information; and

calculating a display position of the image to be displayed based on a status of the radio wave,

wherein the image is obtained by changing at least two of a level of transparency, a size, a color, a resolution, a level of saturation, or mosaic processing in a mixed manner in accordance with the status of the radio wave.

11. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the image corresponds to the configuration of the electronic device.

12. The information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising:

displaying the image with a level of transparency corresponding to the status of the radio wave.

13. The information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising:

displaying the image with a size corresponding to the status of the radio wave.

14. The information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising:

displaying the image with a color corresponding to the status of the radio wave.

15. The information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising:

displaying the image with a level of resolution corresponding to the status of the radio wave.

16. The information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising:

displaying the image with a level of saturation corresponding to the status of the radio wave.

17. The information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising:

performing mosaic processing on the image in accordance with the status of the radio wave.

18. The information processing method according to claim 10, further comprising:

displaying the image on a position corresponding to the display position.