IP Library Granted Patent US 10,165,192
Granted Patent B2
US 10,165,192 · App. 15/652,831 · Granted Dec 25, 2018

Information communication method

Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima (Kyoto, JP); Koji Nakanishi (Kanagawa, JP); Hideki Aoyama (Osaka, JP); Ikuo Fuchigami (Fukuoka, JP); Tsutomu Mukai (Osaka, JP); Hidehiko Shin (Osaka, JP); Yosuke Matsushita (Osaka, JP); Shigehiro Iida (Tokyo, JP); Kazunori Yamada (Aichi, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
H04N5/2352G06Q30/0246G06Q30/0267H04B10/116H04B10/1143H04L67/146H04N5/232H04N5/2353H04N5/2356H04N5/23206H04N5/23293H04N5/243H04N5/3532H04N5/3535H04W4/80
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,165,192
App. No.
15/652,831
Granted
Dec 25, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method is provided that includes setting an exposure time of an image sensor of a customer terminal so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject, a bright line corresponding to each of a plurality of exposure lines appears according to a change in luminance of the subject. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject and obtaining identification information of the subject, by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image. The method further includes sending the identification information to a server, obtaining a menu listing a product of the store from the server, displaying the menu on a display of the terminal, and sending product information of the product that is selected by the customer and payment information of the customer to the server.

Claims (44)

1. A method, comprising:

setting an exposure time of an image sensor of a terminal of a customer so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject that is installed in a store by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to each of a plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject;

obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time;

obtaining identification information of the subject, by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image;

sending the identification information to a server;

obtaining a menu listing a product of the store from the server;

displaying the menu on a display of the terminal; and

sending product information of the product that is selected by the customer and payment information of the customer to the server, when the product is selected by the customer.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the menu is sent from the server when the server acknowledges the identification information.

3. A terminal, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing thereon a computer program, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations including

setting an exposure time of an image sensor of the terminal of a customer so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject that is installed in a store by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to each of a plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject;

obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time;

obtaining identification information of the subject, by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image;

sending the identification information to a server;

obtaining a menu listing a product of the store from the server;

displaying the menu on a display of the terminal; and

sending product information of the product that is selected by the customer and payment information of the customer to the server, when the product is selected by the customer.

4. A non-transitory recoding medium storing thereon a computer program, which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations including:

setting an exposure time of an image sensor of a terminal of a customer so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject that is installed in a store by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to each of a plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject;

obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time;

obtaining identification information of the subject, by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image;

sending the identification information to a server;

obtaining a menu listing a product of the store from the server;

displaying the menu on a display of the terminal; and

sending product information of the product that is selected by the customer and payment information of the customer to the server, when the product is selected by the customer.

5. A server, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing thereon a computer program, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations including

receiving identification information that is sent from a first terminal of a customer, the identification information of a subject installed in a store being received by the first terminal via visible light communication with the subject;

sending a notification indicating that the customer comes to the store to a second terminal of a clerk of the store when the identification information is received;

sending a menu listing a product of the store to the first terminal when the identification information is received, the menu being to be displayed on a display of the first terminal;

receiving a product information of the product and payment information of the customer when the product is selected by the customer, the product information and the payment information being sent from the first terminal to the server; and

sending the product information and the payment information to a Point of Sale (POS) system of the store, when the product information and the payment information is received.

6. The server according to claim 5 ,

wherein the first terminal includes an image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines, and

wherein the visible light communication includes

setting an exposure time of the image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing the subject by the image sensor, a bright line corresponding to each of the plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appears according to a change in luminance of the subject;

obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time; and

obtaining the identification information of the subject, by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained bright line image.

7. The server according to claim 5 ,

wherein the notification is displayed on a display of the second terminal.

Priority Claims (10)
JP 2012-286339 · Dec 27, 2012 · national
JP 2013-070740 · Mar 28, 2013 · national
JP 2013-082546 · Apr 10, 2013 · national
JP 2013-110445 · May 24, 2013 · national
WO PCT/JP2013/003318 · May 24, 2013 · international
WO PCT/JP2013/003319 · May 24, 2013 · international
JP 2013-158359 · Jul 30, 2013 · national
JP 2013-180729 · Aug 30, 2013 · national
JP 2013-222827 · Oct 25, 2013 · national
JP 2013-224805 · Oct 29, 2013 · national
Continuity (15)
Continuation 15464424 · Mar 21, 2017
Continuation 15227362 · Aug 3, 2016
Continuation 14699200 · Apr 29, 2015
Continuation 14087665 · Nov 22, 2013
Continuation In Part 13902393 · May 24, 2013
Continuation In Part 13902215 · May 24, 2013
Continuation In Part 13902436 · May 24, 2013
Provisional Application 61896879 · Oct 29, 2013
Provisional Application 61895615 · Oct 25, 2013
Provisional Application 61872028 · Aug 30, 2013
Provisional Application 61859902 · Jul 30, 2013
Provisional Application 61810291 · Apr 10, 2013
Provisional Application 61805978 · Mar 28, 2013
Provisional Application 61746315 · Dec 27, 2012
Related Publication 20170318212A1 · Nov 2, 2017