Service providing system and service providing device that provides a specific service in response to user authority determination based on positional relationships of virtual objects

• US 20070089056A1
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Taniguchi, Shinya, Kitada, Naruhide, Fukui, Yoshiki
• Granted Patent: US 7,568,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor

Abstract

The invention provides a service providing system in which it is determined whether users have use authority to utilize a service providing apparatus, such as a projector, so that only users having the use authority can utilize the service providing apparatus. The invention also provides a service providing system and a service providing apparatus. In accordance with the invention, users are allowed to have use authority to utilize the service providing apparatus through entrance into an arbitrary place, or the like so that the service providing apparatus can be conveniently utilized. A service providing system includes an instruction apparatus to give operation instructions to a projector, a virtual object management apparatus to control operations related to virtual objects, such as the setting of the virtual objects, a use authority management unit to manage determination of the presence of use authority which a system user needs in order to utilize a service, the projector to display an image on a display unit in response to the contents of the instructions issued from the system user, and a network to perform data communication among the respective apparatuses.

Claims

1. A service providing apparatus to provide a specific service in a service providing system that provides the specific service in response to the contents of instructions issued from a system user having use authority, comprising:

a use authority information input unit to input use authority information regarding the use authority of the system user; and

a service providing system, the service providing system comprising;

an instruction apparatus to give the instructions to the service providing apparatus;

a use authority determination device to determine whether the system user has the use authority; and

a virtual object management terminal to manage a virtual object, the virtual object management terminal including;

a virtual object setting device which causes the service providing apparatus to be matched with a first virtual object and the instruction apparatus to be matched with a second virtual object and a predetermined device other than the service providing apparatus to be matched with a third virtual object, and places the first virtual object in a virtual space matched with an actual space and the second virtual object at or around the position of the instruction apparatus in the virtual space and the third virtual object at or around the position of the predetermined device in the virtual space,

a position information acquisition device to acquire position information used to specify the position of the instruction apparatus, and

a positional relationship calculation device to calculate the positional relationship between the first and second and third virtual objects based on the acquired position information, and

the use authority determination device being configured to determine that the system user has the use authority if the calculated positional relationship is a relationship in which the second and third virtual objects and the first virtual object exist in an identical position in an overlapped state.

2. A service providing apparatus to provide a specific service in a service providing system that provides the specific service in response to the contents of instructions issued from a system user having use authority, comprising:

a use authority information reading unit to read use authority information from an authentication card on which the use authority information is recorded; and

a service providing system, the service providing system comprising;

an instruction apparatus to give the instructions to the service providing apparatus;

a use authority determination device to determine whether the system user has the use authority; and

a virtual object management terminal to manage a virtual object, the virtual object management terminal including;

a virtual object setting device which causes the service providing apparatus to be matched with a first virtual object and the instruction apparatus to be matched with a second virtual object and a predetermined device other than the service providing apparatus to be matched with a third virtual object, and places the first virtual object in a virtual space matched with an actual space and the second virtual object at or around the position of the instruction apparatus in the virtual space and the third virtual object at or around the position of the predetermined device in the virtual space,

a position information acquisition device to acquire position information used to specify the position of the instruction apparatus, and

a positional relationship calculation device to calculate the positional relationship between the first and second and third virtual objects based on the acquired position information, and

the use authority determination device being configured to determine that the system user has the use authority if the calculated positional relationship is a relationship in which the second and third virtual objects and the first virtual object exist in an identical position in an overlapped state.