IP Library Granted Patent US 9,252,878
Granted Patent B2
US 9,252,878 · App. 14/087,620 · Granted Feb 2, 2016

Information communication method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,252,878
App. No.
14/087,620
Granted
Feb 2, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information communication method that enables communication between various devices includes: determining a pattern of the change in luminance by modulating the signal to be transmitted; and transmitting the signal by a light emitter changing in luminance according to the determined pattern, wherein the pattern of the change in luminance is a pattern in which one of two different luminance values occurs in each arbitrary position in a predetermined duration, and in the determining, the pattern of the change in luminance is determined so that a luminance change position in the duration is different for each of different signals to be transmitted, the luminance change position being a position at which the luminance rises or a position at which the luminance falls.

Claims (22)

1. An information communication method of transmitting a signal using a change in luminance, the information communication method comprising:

determining a pattern of the change in luminance by modulating the signal to be transmitted; and

transmitting the signal by a light emitter changing in luminance according to the determined pattern,

wherein the pattern of the change in luminance is a pattern in which one of two different luminance values occurs in each arbitrary position in a predetermined duration, and

in the determining, the pattern of the change in luminance is determined so that a luminance change position in the duration is different for each of different signals to be transmitted, the luminance change position being a position at which the luminance rises or a position at which the luminance falls.

2. The information communication method according to claim 1 ,

wherein in the determining, the pattern of the change in luminance is determined so that a cumulative time for which one of the two different luminance values occurs in the duration is different depending on brightness set for the light emitter.

3. The information communication method according to claim 2 ,

wherein in the transmitting, the light emitter changes in luminance according to a header pattern which is a predetermined luminance change pattern, and then changes in luminance according to the determined pattern, and

the header pattern is a pattern different from the pattern determined for each of the different signals to be transmitted.

4. The information communication method according to claim 1 ,

wherein in the determining, the pattern of the change in luminance is determined so that, for each of the different signals to be transmitted, an integral of the luminance of the light emitter in the duration is a same value corresponding to preset brightness.

5. The information communication method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the light emitter has a plurality of areas each of which emits light, and

in the transmitting, in the case where light from adjacent areas of the plurality of areas interferes with each other and only one of the plurality of areas changes in luminance according to the determined pattern of the change in luminance, only an area located at an edge from among the plurality of areas changes in luminance according to the determined pattern of the change in luminance.

6. The information communication method according to claim 5 ,

wherein in the transmitting, in the case where only two of the plurality of areas change in luminance according to the determined pattern of the change in luminance, the area located at the edge and an area adjacent to the area located at the edge from among the plurality of areas change in luminance according to the determined pattern of the change in luminance.

7. An information communication device that transmits a signal using a change in luminance, the information communication device comprising:

a determination unit configured to determine a pattern of the change in luminance by modulating the signal to be transmitted; and

a transmitting unit including a light emitter, and configured to transmit the signal by changing in luminance according to the determined pattern,

wherein the pattern of the change in luminance is a pattern in which one of two different luminance values occurs in each arbitrary position in a predetermined duration, and

the determination unit is configured to determine the pattern of the change in luminance so that a luminance change position in the duration is different for each of different signals to be transmitted, the luminance change position being a position at which the luminance rises or a position at which the luminance falls.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 17, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
Reel/Frame 033182/0895 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 16, 2014
From: OSHIMA, MITSUAKI; NAKANISHI, KOJI; AOYAMA, HIDEKI; FUCHIGAMI, IKUO; SHIN, HIDEHIKO; MUKAI, TSUTOMU; MATSUSHITA, YOSUKE; IIDA, SHIGEHIRO; YAMADA, KAZUNORI
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032681/0346 →