Card, information processing unit, and recording medium having information processing program

• US 9,355,347 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2013
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ishida, Takehisa, Nagai, Nobuyuki, Kato, Yusaku, Kawabe, Hideo, Ito, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US14/649,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20150317552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/487, 235/380, 235/439, 235/440, 235/488
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/02 Cards; Special shapes of cards card-printing methods B41K, B41M
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2442 Sensors or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2489 by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/1005 for angles
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor

Abstract

A card is provided comprising an information setting unit configured to output a first signal including unique information of the card, and a bending sensor configured to output a second signal corresponding to a curvature of the card. An information processing apparatus is also provided comprising a card reading unit configured to acquire information from a card a processor, and a memory device. The memory device stores instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to acquire unique information from the card, and acquire curvature information from the card corresponding to a curvature of the card.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a card comprising;

an information setting unit configured to output a first signal including unique information of the card; and

a bending sensor configured to output a second signal corresponding to a curvature of the card;

a server; and

an information processing apparatus comprising;

a card reading unit configured lo acquire information from the card;

a processor; and

a memory device storing instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to;

acquire unique information from the card; and

acquire curvature information from the card corresponding to a curvature of the card; and

a communication unit configured to communicate with the server,

wherein the instructions further cause the processor to acquire relevant information from the server corresponding to the unique information acquired from the card,

wherein the relevant information includes at least one bending mode associated with at least one parameter, and

wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine a bending mode based on the relevant information acquired from the server and the curvature information acquired from the card, and read a parameter associated with the determined bending mode.

2. A card according to claim 1, wherein the curvature corresponds to at least one of a bending, a twisting, and a flipping of the card.

3. A card according to claim 1, wherein the second signal corresponds to at least one of a curvature direction and a curvature level.

4. A card according to claim 1, wherein the information setting unit is a circuit having a plurality of interconnections having respective resistance values.

5. A card according to claim 1, wherein the bending sensor is configured to generate a potential difference between a top of the bending sensor and a bottom of the bending sensor.

6. A card according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of electrodes configured to be in contact with a detachably connected connection section,

wherein the first signal and the second signal are output to the connection section via the electrodes.

7. A card according to claim 1, further comprising:

a bendable substrate,

wherein the bending sensor curves along the bendable substrate.

8. A card according to claim 1, wherein the bending sensor includes at least two bending sensor units.

9. A card according to claim 8, wherein the at least two bending sensor units are disposed on respective lateral edges of the card.

10. A card according to claim 8, wherein the at least two bending sensor units overlap each other.

11. A card according to claim 1, wherein the bending sensor includes at least three bending sensor units.

12. A card according to claim 11, wherein the at least three bending sensor units are provided on separate edges of the card.

13. A card according to claim 1, wherein the bending sensor has an X shape.

14. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a card reading unit configured to acquire information from a card;

a processor;

a memory device storing instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to;

acquire unique information from the card; and

acquire curvature information from the card corresponding to a curvature of the card; and

a communication unit configured to communicate with a server,

wherein the instructions further cause the processor to acquire relevant information from the server corresponding to the unique information acquired from the card,

wherein the relevant information includes at least one bending mode associated with at least one parameter, and

wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine a bending mode based on the relevant information acquired from the server and the curvature information acquired from the card, and read a parameter associated with the determined bending mode.

15. An information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one parameter includes at least one of a skill, a strength, and a sound for use in a game.

16. An information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein at least one parameter is associated with an intensity of a bending mode.

17. An information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the curvature corresponds to at least one of a bending, a twisting, and a flipping of the card.

18. An information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the curvature information includes at least one of a curvature direction and a curvature level.

19. An information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the card reader includes a plurality of electrodes provided to detachably connect to the card.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing an information processing apparatus including a card reading unit to:

acquire unique information from a card;

acquire curvature information from the card corresponding to a curvature of the card; and

communicate with a server,

wherein the computer program further causes the information processing apparatus to acquire relevant information from the server corresponding to the unique information acquired from the card,

wherein the relevant information includes at least one bending mode associated with at least one parameter, and

wherein the computer program further causes the information processing apparatus to determine a bending mode based on the relevant information acquired from the server and the curvature information acquired from the card, and read a parameter associated with the determined bending mode.