Mobile electronic device and method

• US 9,215,311 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Nomachi, Nayu
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Marisol
• Application Number:
  US13/428,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20120244889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

According to an aspect, a mobile electronic device includes a communication unit, and a control unit. The communication unit communicates with a server that causes a terminal to display a virtual object associated with position information in such a way that the virtual object is superimposed on an image captured by the terminal. When a position of the mobile electronic device changes, the control unit generates mark information based on the changed position. The control unit causes the communication unit to transmit the generated mark information, as the position information, to the server.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device, comprising:

a detector unit configured to detect a position and an orientation of the mobile electronic device; and

a control unit configured to generate mark information, which indicates a moving route of the mobile electronic device, based on the position of the mobile electronic device detected at each predetermined distance interval or at each predetermined time interval,

wherein the control unit is configured to,

upon detecting a corner in the moving route based on a change in the detected orientation of the mobile electronic device,

shorten, for a first predetermined period, the interval at which the position and/or the orientation of the mobile electronic device is detected,

wherein the control unit is further configured to add information of the orientation of the mobile electronic device to the generated mark information, and

wherein, when the detector unit detects a change of the orientation of the mobile electronic device from a former orientation,

the detector unit is configured to monitor the orientation of the mobile electronic device for a second predetermined period, and

the control unit is configured to

determine that the corner is detected, when the mobile electronic device does not return to the former orientation within the second predetermined period, and

determine that the corner is not detected, when the mobile electronic device returns to the former orientation within the second predetermined period.

2. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to select a plurality of pieces of the mark information that satisfy a condition.

3. The mobile electronic device according to claim 2,

wherein the condition includes whether a generation time period of the generated mark information or a position associated with the mark information is within a predetermined range.

4. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a photographing unit configured to capture an image; and

a display unit,

wherein the control unit is configured to cause the display unit to display a virtual object associated with the generated mark information in such a way that the virtual object is superimposed on the image captured by the imaging unit.

5. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication unit configured to communicate with a server that causes a terminal to display a virtual object associated with the generated mark information in such a way that the virtual object is superimposed on an image captured by the terminal,

wherein the communication unit is configured to transmit the generated mark information to the server.

6. The mobile electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to add information indicating the change in the orientation to the generated mark information.

7. The mobile electronic device according to claim 5,

wherein the control unit is configured to generate the mark information in such a way that virtual objects associated with a start position and an end position are displayed in a same shape as those of virtual objects associated with the other positions.

8. The mobile electronic device according to claim 5,

wherein the control unit is configured to cause the communication unit to transmit information for using the mark information transmitted to the server to the terminal by mail.

15. The mobile electronic device according to claim 4, wherein

the control unit is configured to add information indicating the change in the orientation to the generated mark information, and

the virtual object has a shape corresponding the change in the orientation.

9. A method executed by a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting a position and an orientation of the mobile electronic device;

generating mark information, which indicates a moving route of the mobile electronic device, based on the position of the mobile electronic device detected at each predetermined distance interval or at each predetermined time interval;

upon detecting a corner in the moving route based on a change in the detected orientation of the mobile electronic device,

shortening, for a first predetermined period, the interval at which at least one of the position or the orientation of the mobile electronic device is detected;

adding information of the orientation of the mobile electronic device to the generated mark information; and

upon detecting a change of the orientation of the mobile electronic device from a former orientation,

monitoring the orientation of the mobile electronic device for a second predetermined period,

determining that the corner is detected, when the mobile electronic device does not return to the former orientation within the second predetermined period, and

determining that the corner is not detected, when the mobile electronic device returns to the former orientation within the second predetermined period.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

selecting a plurality of pieces of the mark information that satisfy a condition.

11. The method according to claim 10,

wherein the condition includes whether a generation time period of the generated mark information or a position associated with the mark information is within a predetermined range.

12. The method according to claim 9,

wherein the mobile electronic device further comprises:

a photographing unit configured to capture an image; and

a display unit,

the method further comprising;

transmitting the generated mark information to a server, and

displaying, in the display unit, a virtual object associated with the generated mark information in such a way that the virtual object is superimposed on an image captured by a terminal corresponding to the mobile electronic device.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting specification information for specifying a user who can receive the virtual object associated with the generated mark information, in association with the mark information, to the server.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

adding information indicating the change in the orientation to the generated mark information.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

displaying, in the display unit, the virtual object associated with the change in the orientation of the of the mobile electronic device, in such a way that the virtual object is superimposed on the image captured by the terminal corresponding to the mobile electronic device.

17. A mobile electronic device, comprising:

a detector unit configured to detect a position and an orientation of the mobile electronic device; and

a control unit configured to generate mark information, which indicates a moving route of the mobile electronic device, based on the position of the mobile electronic device detected at each predetermined distance interval or at each predetermined time interval,

wherein the control unit is configured to,

upon detecting a corner in the moving route based on a change in the detected orientation of the mobile electronic device,

shorten, for a first predetermined period, the interval at which the position and/or the orientation of the mobile electronic device is detected,

wherein the mobile electronic device further comprises;

a distance detector unit configured to detect a distance from the mobile electronic device to a terminal associated with the mobile electronic device, and

wherein the control unit is configured to

start generation of the mark information when the detected distance becomes longer than a first threshold, and

stop the generation of the mark information when the detected distance becomes shorter than a second threshold.