PORTABLE DEVICE, OBSERVATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM

• US 20120206598A1
• Filed: 02/15/2012
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Ido, Yukinori, HANAFUSA, Norihito
• Granted Patent: US 9,128,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/167 Control by humidity of the soil itself or of devices simulating soil or of the atmosphere; Soil humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/246 for water content
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/06 giving a combined indication of weather conditions catathermometers for measuring "cooling value" related either to weather conditions or to comfort of other human environment G01W1/17; computers per se G06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

In one embodiment, there is provided a portable device. The portable device includes: an image pick-up means for taking an image of an observation object or a vicinity of the observation object so as to obtain a taken image; a display means for displaying the taken image; a first acquiring means for acquiring an observation result obtained by observing the observation object in the taken image, when the image pick-up means takes the image of the observation object or the vicinity of the observation object; a second acquiring means for acquiring state representation information that represents a present state of the observation object in accordance with the observation result; and a display control means for displaying the state representation information and the observation object in the display means.

Claims

1. A portable device comprising:

an image pick-up means for taking an image of an observation object or a vicinity of the observation object so as to obtain a taken image;

a display means for displaying the taken image;

a first acquiring means for acquiring an observation result obtained by observing the observation object in the taken image, when the image pick-up means takes the image of the observation object or the vicinity of the observation object;

a second acquiring means for acquiring state representation information that represents a present state of the observation object in accordance with the observation result; and

a display control means for displaying the state representation information and the observation object in the display means.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a state storage means for that stores a particular state of the observation object for each type of the observation object therein,

wherein the first acquiring means acquires a type of the observation object together with the observation result of the observation object, and

wherein the second acquiring means;

refers to the particular state stored in the state storage section;

compares the observation result with the particular state corresponding to the type of observation object; and

acquires the state representation information that represents the present state of the observation object in accordance with the comparison result.

3. The device according to claim 1,

wherein the observation object is a living thing, and

wherein the first acquiring means receives and acquires an observation result of growth, which is obtained by observing the living thing using an environment sensor provided on the living thing.

4. The device according to claim 1,

wherein, the first acquiring means:

transmits a search signal for searching for the observation object by short distance communication; and

receives and acquires an observation result transmitted from the observation object in response to the search signal.

5. The device according to claim 1,

wherein the first acquiring means:

analyzes the taken image to observe the observation object in the taken image; and

acquires the observation result by image recognition.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a state storage means for storing a particular state of the observation object for each type of the observation object therein,

wherein the first acquiring means;

analyzes the taken image to observe the observation object in the taken image; and

acquires the type of the observation object and the observation result by image recognition, and

wherein the second acquiring means;

refers to the particular state stored in the state storing section;

compares the observation result with the particular state corresponding to the type of observation object; and

acquires the state representation information that represents the present state of the observation object in accordance with the comparison result.

7. The device according to claim 1,

wherein the state representation information is a pictorial diagram.

8. The device according to claim 1,

wherein the second acquiring means:

acquires state representation information that represents the present state of the observation object in accordance with the state of change from the past observation result to the present observation result of the observation object.

9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a determining means for determining whether the present state of the observation object corresponding to the observation result of the observation object is a particular state,

wherein when the determining means determines that the present state of the observation object is the particular state, the processor indicates the particular state in the display means.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays the state representation information and the observation object in the display section such that the state representation information is at least partially overlapped with the observation object.

11. A portable device comprising:

an image pick-up means for taking an image of an observation object;

a display means for displaying the taken image;

a state storage means for storing a particular state of the observation object therein;

a first acquiring means for analyzing the taken image to observe the observation object in the taken image and acquiring observation result by image recognition, when the image pick-up means takes the image of the observation object;

a determining means for comparing the observation result with the particular state so as to determine whether the observation object is in a particular state in accordance with the comparison result;

a second acquiring means for acquiring state representation information that represents the particular state of the observation object, when the determining means determines that the observation object is in the particular state; and

a display control means for displaying the state representation information and the observation object in the display means.

12. An observation management system comprising:

a portable device; and

an observation device that communicates with the portable device, the observation device comprising;

an observation section that observes an observation object; and

a transmitting means for transmitting an observation result of the observation object observed by the observation section, to the portable device, by short distance communication,

wherein the portable device comprises;

an image pick-up means for taking an image of the observation object so as to obtain a taken image; and

a display means for displaying the taken image;

a receiving means for;

when the image pick-up means takes the image of the observation object,

transmitting a search signal for searching for the observation object; and

receiving and acquiring the observation result of the observation object from the observation device by short distance communication;

a first acquiring means for acquiring state representation information that represents a present state of the observation object in accordance with the observation result of the observation object; and

a display control means for displaying the state representation information and the observation object in the display means.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the observation device further comprises:

a casing formed in a tapered rod shape; and

a handle that protrudes from an upper part of the casing, wherein the handle is formed at a position that allows the casing to be stuck or extracted in a state that an index finger is applied on the handle from the downside and that a finger pad of a thumb presses against an upper end surface of the casing.

14. A computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform predetermined operations, the operations comprising:

(a) taking an image of an observation object or a vicinity of the observation object so as to obtain a taken image;

(b) displaying the taken image;

(c) acquiring an observation result obtained by observing the observation object in the taken image, when taking the image of the observation object or the vicinity of the observation object;

(d) acquiring state representation information that represents a present state of the observation object in accordance with the observation result; and

(e) displaying the state representation information and the observation object.

15. A computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer comprising an image pick-up section and a display section to perform predetermined operations, the operations comprising:

(a) taking an image of an observation object;

(b) displaying the taken image;

(c) storing a particular state of the observation object therein;

(d) analyzing the taken image to observe the observation object in the taken image and acquiring observation result by image recognition, when taking the image of the observation object;

(e) comparing the observation result with the particular state so as to determine whether the observation object is in a particular state in accordance with the comparison result;

(f) acquiring state representation information that represents the particular state of the observation object, when determining that the observation object is in the particular state; and

(g) displaying the state representation information and the observation object.