Image output apparatus, measurement assistance system, image output controller, and image outputting method

• US 9,124,939 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2013
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tojo, Tomoaki, Hirose, Koji, Okamoto, Nobuhiko, Shimizu, Haruyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): HANCE, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US14/079,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20140143805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4406 Restricting access, e.g. according to user identity mechanisms actuated y cards, PIN or the like in apparatus for dispensing G07F7/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4433 to an apparatus, part of an apparatus or an apparatus function
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The image output apparatus includes an output unit that outputs content data indicating video content, and a control unit that controls the output unit to cause the output unit to output image data instead of or together with the content data when the output unit is outputting the content data. The image data is for prompting a user to measure to obtain the body information indicating a body condition of the user using an external apparatus.

Claims

1. An image output apparatus comprising:

an output unit configured to output content data indicating video content; and

a control unit configured to control the output unit to cause the output unit to output image data instead of or together with the content data when the output unit is outputting the content data, the image data being for prompting a user to measure to obtain body information indicating a body condition of the user using an external apparatus;

a receiving unit configured to receive the body information measured using the external apparatus; and

an acceptance unit configured to accept an instruction from the user,

wherein the control unit is further configured to maintain a state where processing based on an instruction accepted by the acceptance unit is not performed, after the output unit outputs the image data until the receiving unit receives the body information, and, after the receiving unit receives the body information, shift to a state where processing based on an instruction accepted by the acceptance unit is allowed to be performed.

2. The image output apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a timer that indicates time,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the output unit to cause the output unit to output the image data instead of or together with the content data when the output unit is outputting the content data and the time indicated by the timer matches a predetermined time.

3. The image output apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein when the time indicated by the timer matches the predetermined time, the control unit is configured to control the output unit to cause the output unit (i) not to output the image data when the receiving unit has already received the body information, and (ii) to output the image data when the receiving unit has not received the body information yet.

4. The image output apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the predetermined time includes a plurality of times set in advance, which are included in a time period during which the user should measure to obtain the body information, and

when the time indicated by the timer matches one of the plurality of times, the control unit is configured to control the output unit to cause the output unit (i) not to output the image data when the receiving unit has already received the body information at the time included in the time period, and (ii) to output the image data when the receiving unit has not received the body information at the time included in the time period.

5. The image output apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising

a communication unit configured to transmit notification data indicating that the body information is not received,

wherein the control unit is further configured to control the communication unit to cause the communication unit to transmit the notification data when a predetermined period has passed since the time indicated by the timer matched the latest time of the plurality of times and the receiving unit has not received the body information yet.

6. The image output apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising

a storage unit configured to store the body information received by the receiving unit,

wherein the control unit is configured to store time information in the storage unit in correspondence with the body information, the time information indicating a time at which the receiving unit receives the body information, and

when the time indicated by the timer matches one of the plurality of times, the control unit is configured to control the output unit to cause the output unit (i) not to output the image data when the body information corresponding to the time information indicating the time included in the time period is stored in the storage unit, and (ii) to output the image data when the body information corresponding to the time included in the time period information is not stored in the storage unit.

7. The image output apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein in the state where processing based on an instruction accepted by the acceptance unit is not performed, the control unit is configured to:

perform processing based on a first instruction concerned with measuring the body information accepted by the acceptance unit if the acceptance unit accepts the first instruction; and

not perform processing based on a second instruction concerned with outputting the content data accepted by the acceptance unit if the acceptance unit accepts the second instruction.

8. The image output apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the output unit to cause the output unit to continuously output the image data until the receiving unit receives the body information, when the time indicated by the timer matches the predetermined time and the receiving unit has not received the body information yet.

9. A measurement assistance system, comprising:

the image output apparatus according to claim 1;

the external apparatus; and

an image display apparatus,

wherein the external apparatus includes;

a measuring unit configured to measure to obtain body information indicating a body condition of the user; and

a transmitting unit configured to transmit the body information obtained by the measuring unit,

the control unit is further configured to control the output unit to cause the output unit to output the body information received by the receiving unit, and

the image display apparatus includes a display unit configured to display the content data, image data, and body information that are output from the output unit.

10. The measurement assistance system according to claim 9, further comprising a server apparatus,

wherein the image output apparatus further includes a first communication unit configured to transmit the body information received by the receiving unit to the server apparatus,

the server apparatus includes:

a second communication unit configured to receive the body information transmitted by the first communication unit;

a memory that stores the body information received by the second communication unit; and

a generation unit configured to generate diagnosis data indicating a health condition of the user based on the body information stored in the memory,

the second communication unit is further configured to transmit the diagnosis data generated by the generation unit,

the first communication unit is further configured to receive the diagnosis data transmitted by the second communication unit,

the control unit is further configured to control the output unit to cause the output unit to output the diagnosis data received by the first communication unit, and

the display unit is further configured to display the diagnosis data output from the output unit.

11. An image output controller comprising

a control unit configured to control an output unit that outputs content data indicating video content to cause the output unit to output image data instead of or together with the content data when the output unit is outputting the content data, the image data being for prompting a user to measure to obtain body information indicating a body condition of the user using an external apparatus;

a receiving unit configured to receive the body information measured using the external apparatus; and

an acceptance unit configured to accept an instruction from the user,

wherein the control unit is further configured to maintain a state where processing based on an instruction accepted by the acceptance unit is not performed, after the output unit outputs the image data until the receiving unit receives the body information, and, after the receiving unit receives the body information, shift to a state where processing based on an instruction accepted by the acceptance unit is allowed to be performed.

12. An image outputting method comprising:

outputting, by an output unit, content data indicating video content;

causing, by a control unit, the output unit to output image data instead of or together with the content data when the content data is output, the image data being for prompting a user to measure to obtain body information indicating a body condition of the user using an external apparatus;

receiving, by a receiving unit, the body information measured using the external apparatus; and

accepting, by an acceptance unit, an instruction from the user,

wherein a state, where processing based on an instruction accepted by the acceptance unit is not performed, is maintained by the control unit after the image data is output by the output unit until the body information is received by the receiving unit, and, after the body information is received by the receiving unit, the state is shifted, by the control unit, to a state where processing based on an instruction accepted by the acceptance unit is allowed to be performed.