Abstract: An information communication method obtains information from a subject using a terminal device that includes an image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines. The method 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. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image by capturing the subject that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time, and obtaining identification information of the subject. An exposure time of each of the plurality of exposure lines partially overlaps with an exposure time of an adjacent one of the plurality of exposure lines, and the subject includes a first area and a second area.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a light source, a memory storing a visible light signal, a control circuit configured to control change in luminance of the light source in accordance with the visible light signal, and a receiver configured to receive another visible light signal, which rewrites over the visible light signal, by a communication method that is different from a visible light communication. The control circuit determines whether the visible light signal is rewritten by the another visible light signal or not when the receiver receives the another visible light signal, and the visible light signal is rewritten by the another visible light signal when the control circuit determines the visible light signal is rewritten by the another visible light signal. The control circuit controls the change in luminance of the light source to transmit the another visible light signal.

Abstract: A transmitting method includes: receiving a dimming ratio which is specified for a light source as a specified dimming ratio (S551); transmitting a signal encoded in a first mode by changing luminance while causing the light source to emit light at the specified dimming ratio when the specified dimming ratio is less than or equal to a first value; and transmitting the signal encoded in a second mode by changing the luminance while causing the light source to emit light at the specified dimming ratio when the specified dimming ratio is greater than the first value (S552). Here, a peak current value of the light source when the specified dimming ratio is greater than the first value and less than or equal to a second value is less than the peak current value of the light source when the specified dimming ratio is the first value.

Abstract: A method includes capturing images with an image sensor while switching the shutter speed of the image sensor between a first speed and a second, higher speed. When a captured subject is a barcode, a barcode image is obtained when the shutter speed is the first speed, and barcode information is obtained by decoding the barcode in the image. When a captured subject is a light source, a bright line image including bright lines corresponding to a plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor is obtained when the shutter speed is the second speed, and a visible light signal is obtained as visible light information by decoding a pattern of the bright lines in the obtained bright line image. The method also includes displaying an image obtained through capturing performed when the shutter speed is the first speed.

Abstract: An information communication method obtains information from a subject using a terminal device that includes an image sensor. The method includes setting an exposure time of the image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines so that 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. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, and obtaining identification information of the subject. In the obtaining of the bright line image, an exposure time of each of the plurality of exposure lines partially overlaps with an exposure time of an adjacent one of the plurality of exposure lines. During asynchronous communication, a minimum width of the stripe pattern corresponds to at least two bright lines in the obtained bright line image.

Abstract: A method includes setting an exposure time of an image sensor included in a terminal device so that 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 each of the plurality of subjects. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines corresponding to each of the plurality of subjects, and obtaining a plurality of identification information from the plurality of subjects. The method further includes specifying locations of the plurality of subjects, determining directions of arrival of lights from the plurality of subjects, calculating distances between the terminal device and each of the plurality of subjects using each of the directions of the arrival of lights, and calculating a location of the terminal device using the locations of the plurality of the subjects and the distances.

Abstract: An information communication method obtains information from a subject using a terminal device that includes an image sensor. The method includes setting an exposure time of the image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines so that a bright line corresponding to each of the 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 that changes in luminance by the image sensor, and obtaining identification information of the subject. The subject has a rectangular shape, is captured with an around view of the subject. Each of the plurality of bright lines appears within the rectangular shape of the subject in the bright line image, and follows a direction between long sides of the rectangular shape of the subject in the bright line image.

Abstract: An information communication method selectively obtains a location of a terminal device. Determining the location of the terminal device by wireless communication with a wireless access point includes receiving a radio signal including a first identification information to identify a location of the wireless access point, and calculating the location of the terminal device using the identified location of the wireless access point, which is identified by the first identification information. Determining the location of the terminal device by visible light communication with a subject provides higher accuracy and includes setting an exposure time of an image sensor having a plurality to exposure lines so that 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 by capturing the subject, and demodulating data from the bright line image.

Abstract: A signal generating method for generating a visible light signal is provided. The method includes determining, as a method for transmitting a visible light signal from a transmitter, one of a single-frame transmitting method for transmitting data as one frame and a multiple-frame transmitting method for transmitting the data while dividing the data into a plurality of frames. The method further includes, when the multiple-frame transmitting method is determined, generating partition type information indicating a type of data to be transmitted, and generating combination data by adding the partition type information to the data to be transmitted. Further, the method includes generating the plurality of frames each of which includes each of a plurality of data parts by dividing the combination data into the plurality of data parts, and generating the visible light signal by adding a preamble to a head of each of the plurality of frames.

Abstract: An information communication method obtains information from a subject using a terminal device that includes an image sensor having a plurality of exposure lines. The method includes setting an exposure time of the image sensor so that 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. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image including a plurality of bright lines, and obtaining identification information of the subject. In obtaining of the bright line image, an exposure time of each of the plurality of exposure lines partially overlaps with an exposure time of an adjacent one of the plurality of exposure lines. A pattern of a change in luminance of the subject is the same as a pattern of a change in luminance of another adjacent subject.

Abstract: A display method is for a display apparatus to display an image, and includes: obtaining a captured display image by an image sensor included in a terminal device; obtaining a light ID by visible light communication with a subject; obtaining an AR image and recognition information which are associated with the light ID from a memory included in the terminal device; recognizing a target region within the captured display image using the recognition information; and displaying the captured display image in which the AR image is superimposed on the target region.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a destination of a user of a terminal device, and setting an exposure time of an image sensor included in the terminal device so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject by the image sensor, 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 that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time, and obtaining identification information of the subject, by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines. The method includes obtaining a position of the terminal device, and displaying an arrow that indicates a direction from the position of the terminal device toward the destination on a map on the terminal device.

Abstract: A method includes setting an exposure time of an image sensor included in a terminal device so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject 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. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image, including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject, obtaining identification information of the subject, and obtaining an angle of light of the subject. The method further includes calculating a distance between the terminal device and the subject using the angle, obtaining a position of the subject that is specified by the identification information, and calculating a position of the terminal device using the distance and the position of the subject.

Abstract: A receiving method includes: setting a first exposure time for at least one exposure line of exposure lines in an image sensor, setting a second exposure time for a remainder of the exposure lines in the image sensor, and causing the image sensor to capture an image of a light transmitter, to obtain a normal image from the at least one exposure line with the first exposure time, and to obtain a bright line image from the remainder of the exposure lines with the second exposure time. The second exposure time is shorter than the first exposure time. The bright line image includes a plurality of bright lines, each of which corresponds to a different one of the remainder of the exposure lines in the image sensor. Information is obtained by decoding a pattern of the plurality of the bright lines included in the obtained bright line image.

Abstract: A display method is provided that includes displaying an image included in a video signal on a per frame basis, and representing a tone level of luminance of the image by controlling a light emission period in a frame. The method also includes specifying a light emission period in which light emission is performed for greater than or equal to a time required for transmitting a visible light communication signal, and transmitting the visible light communication signal by superimposing the visible light communication signal onto a portion of the video signal corresponding to the specified light emission period. The method further includes in a case where the specified light emission period is greater than or equal to a time required for transmitting the visible light communication signal, the visible light communication signal is transmitted by luminance changing of the light source in the specified light emission period.

Abstract: A display method includes capturing, by an imaging sensor, a still image lit up by a transmitter that transmits a signal by luminance change of light as a subject to obtain a first captured image with a first exposure time. The still image is captured to obtain a second captured image with a second exposure time which is longer than the first exposure time. The display method further includes decoding the signal form the first captured image, and determining whether identification information included in each of a plurality of sets is identical to the decoded signal. Further, the method also includes reading the video included in each of the sets with the identification information identical to the decoded signal, and superimposing the video on a target region corresponding to the subject in the second captured image for display on a display.

Abstract: A method is provided that includes obtaining a first image by image capture with a first exposure time, and obtaining a second image, including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing a subject changing in luminance with a second exposure. The method also includes obtaining information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines included in the obtained second image, and sending the information to a server. The method further includes obtaining augmented reality information related to the information from the server, and displaying the first image of the display a second time, instead of displaying the second image, when the image sensor receives the first image followed by the second image, wherein the augmented reality information is superposed in both (i) the first image that is displayed at a first time, and (ii) the first image that is displayed at a second time.

Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a signal generating method for generating a visible light signal. A signal generating method includes: a step SD11 of determining, as a method for transmitting a visible light signal from a transmitter, one of a single-frame transmitting method for transmitting data as one frame and a multiple-frame transmitting method for transmitting the data while dividing the data into a plurality of frames; a step SD12 of, when the multiple-frame transmitting method is determined, generating partition type information indicating a type of data to be transmitted, and generating combination data by adding the partition type information to the data to be transmitted; a step SD13 of generating the plurality of frames each of which includes each of a plurality of data parts by dividing the combination data into the plurality of data parts; and a step SD14 of generating the visible light signal by adding a preamble to a head of each of the plurality of frames.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a destination of a user of a terminal device, and setting an exposure time of an image sensor included in the terminal device so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject by the image sensor, 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 that changes in luminance by the image sensor with the set exposure time, and obtaining identification information of the subject, by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines. The method includes obtaining a position of the terminal device, and displaying an arrow that indicates a direction from the position of the terminal device toward the destination on a map on the terminal device.

Abstract: A method includes setting an exposure time of an image sensor included in a terminal device so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject 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. The method also includes obtaining a bright line image, including a plurality of bright lines, by capturing the subject, obtaining identification information of the subject, and obtaining an angle of light of the subject. The method further includes calculating a distance between the terminal device and the subject using the angle, obtaining a position of the subject that is specified by the identification information, and calculating a position of the terminal device using the distance and the position of the subject.