Information processing device, program, and information processing method

• US 9,465,971 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2013
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Asukai, Masamichi, Mitsuya, Koshiro, Shionozaki, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US14/433,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20150278572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/462.01, 235/162.09, 235/462.2, 235/462.21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1443 locating of the code in an image
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1456 determining the orientation of the optical code with respect to the reader and correcting therefore
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus including an imaging unit configured to capture a current image including an information code, the information code being arranged at an arrangement position corresponding to a location within the captured current image, and a control unit configured to determine a difference between a predetermined position and the arrangement position, wherein, when the determined difference is greater than a predetermined threshold, a notification is output to a user, based on the determined difference, to notify of the difference as a guide for adjusting a capturing position of the current image to thereby move the information code to a new arrangement position corresponding to a location of the predetermined position.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit configured to capture a current image including an information code, the information code being arranged at an arrangement position corresponding to a location within the captured current image; and

a control unit configured to determine a difference between a predetermined position and the arrangement position, wherein the information code is arranged within an area associated with the predetermined position or not within the area associated with the predetermined position,

wherein, when the determined difference is greater than a predetermined threshold, a notification is output to a user, based on the determined difference, to notify of the difference as a guide for adjusting a capturing position of the current image to thereby move the information code to a new arrangement position corresponding to a location of the predetermined position, and

wherein the imaging unit and the control unit are each implemented via at least one processor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the captured current image is displayed on a display.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the difference between the predetermined position and the arrangement position is represented by a numerical value, and

wherein the predetermined threshold is substantially equal to 0.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the determined difference is not greater than the predetermined threshold, a content associated with the information code is provided to be displayed.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit configured to display the captured current image,

wherein the display unit is implemented via at least one processor.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the display unit displays a live display of images captured by the imaging unit, and the current image is updated continuously based on the captured images.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the predetermined position corresponds to a location of display upon the display unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein

a content associated with the information code is provided, by a server, to be displayed by the display unit, the content being provided based on a data contained in the information code.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

a content associated with the information code is provided by a server to be displayed, the content being provided based on a data contained in the information code.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to detect a data contained in the information code.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, when the determined difference is not greater than the predetermined threshold, the content is displayed in accordance with executing a program associated with the detected data.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the predetermined position is determined based on the detected data.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determined difference comprises a positional difference between respective locations of the predetermined position and the arrangement position.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determined difference comprises a rotational difference between an orientation of the information code at the arrangement position and an orientation of the predetermined position.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determined difference comprises a size difference between a size of the information code captured within the current image and a size of the arrangement position.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises at least one of a visual notification, an audio notification, and a tactile notification.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the notification comprises the visual notification and the visual notification is output by displaying, by a display unit, an image object indicating to the user a direction of movement from the information code to the predetermined position, and

wherein the display unit is implemented via at least one processor.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the image object is an arrow.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the notification comprises the visual notification and the visual notification is output by displaying, by a display unit, a textual instruction indicating to the user an adjustment direction of the capturing position of the current image to thereby move the information code to the new arrangement position corresponding to the location of the predetermined position, and

wherein the display unit is implemented via at least one processor.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the notification comprises the audio notification and the audio notification is output by playing an audible sound indicating to the user a relative distance between the arrangement position and the predetermined position based on a volume of the audible sound.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the volume of the audible sound is adjusted over a period of time of capturing a plurality of images by the imaging unit, such that a louder volume indicates a smaller relative distance between the arrangement position and the predetermined position.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the notification comprises the tactile notification and the tactile notification is output by outputting a vibration indicating to the user a relative distance between the arrangement position and the predetermined position based on a magnitude of the vibration.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the magnitude of the vibration is adjusted over a period of time of capturing a plurality of images by the imaging unit, such that a larger vibration indicates a smaller relative distance between the arrangement position and the predetermined position.

24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the notification comprises the visual notification and the visual notification is output by flickering a display of the captured image to indicate to the user a relative distance between the arrangement position and the predetermined position based on a frequency of the flickering.

25. A method comprising:

capturing a current image including an information code, the information code being arranged at an arrangement position corresponding to a location within the captured current image;

determining a difference between a predetermined position and the arrangement position, wherein the information code is arranged within an area associated with the predetermined position or not within the area associated with the predetermined position; and

outputting, when the determined difference is greater than a predetermined threshold, a notification to a user, based on the determined difference, to notify of the difference as a guide for adjusting a capturing position of the current image to thereby move the information code to a new arrangement position corresponding to a location of the predetermined position.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodied with a program, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

capturing a current image including an information code, the information code being arranged at an arrangement position corresponding to a location within the captured current image;

determining a difference between a predetermined position and the arrangement position, wherein the information code is arranged within an area associated with the predetermined position or not within the area associated with the predetermined position; and

outputting, when the determined difference is greater than a predetermined threshold, a notification to a user, based on the determined difference, to notify of the difference as a guide for adjusting a capturing position of the current image to thereby move the information code to a new arrangement position corresponding to a location of the predetermined position.