Patents by Inventor Takeo Inagaki

Takeo Inagaki has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20120156996
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, and a program in which information can be reliably exchanged when performing wireless communication by allowing a user to know a communication distance at which devices can be connected. For example, a communication unit 28 performs Bluetooth communication with a communication unit, which serves as a Bluetooth module, provided for a cellular telephone; a CPU 21 displays an image corresponding to the cellular telephone based on the input level of Bluetooth radio waves transmitted from the cellular telephone; the CPU 21 calculates the display position of the image to be displayed based on the data indicating the input level of the radio waves. The present invention can be applied to an information processing apparatus, for example, a personal computer, PDA, or a cellular telephone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Takeo Inagaki, Junichi Rekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka
  • Patent number: 8108005
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, and a program in which information can be reliably exchanged when performing wireless communication by allowing a user to know a communication distance at which devices can be connected. A communication unit 28 performs Bluetooth communication with a communication unit, which serves as a Bluetooth module, provided for a cellular telephone. A CPU 21 displays an image corresponding to the cellular telephone based on the input level of Bluetooth radio waves transmitted from the cellular telephone. For example, when the input level of the radio waves transmitted from the cellular telephone is equal to the maximum input, the CPU 21 sets the level of transparency to be 0, and displays the image corresponding to the cellular telephone on an LCD 32 so that a background image is not transmitted at all.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Takeo Inagaki, Junichi Rekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka
  • Publication number: 20110117849
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication system and a communication method for simply and quickly starting communication. A cellular phone is loaded with a non-contact IC card that communicates with a reader/writer of a personal computer using an electromagnetic wave. When the non-contact IC card receives the electromagnetic wave emitted from the reader/writer with the cellular phone placed close to the personal computer, the cellular phone notifies the personal computer of a card ID set in the non-contact IC card. When the personal computer acquires Bluetooth device names of the cellular phone and PDA with intra-piconet synchronization established between the cellular phone and the PDA, the personal computer identifies the cellular phone as a communication partner based on the Bluetooth device names already notified of as the card ID. The present invention is applicable to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer and a cellular phone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventors: Takeo INAGAKI, Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Junichi Rekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka
  • Patent number: 7885249
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication system and a communication method for simply and quickly starting communication. A cellular phone 52 is loaded with a non-contact IC card that communicates with a reader/writer of a personal computer 51 using an electromagnetic wave. When the non-contact IC card receives the electromagnetic wave emitted from the reader/writer with the cellular phone 52 placed close to the personal computer 51, the cellular phone 52 notifies the personal computer 51 of a card ID set in the non-contact IC card. When the personal computer 51 acquires Bluetooth device names of the cellular phone 52 and PDA 53 with intra-piconet synchronization established between the cellular phone 52 and the PDA 53, the personal computer 51 identifies the cellular phone 52 as a communication partner based on the Bluetooth device names already notified of as the card ID. The present invention is applicable to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer and a cellular phone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Inagaki, Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Junichi Rekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka
  • Publication number: 20100092155
    Abstract: A display control apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives a television broadcast signal containing at least remote broadcast image information, a display unit that displays image information, a recording and reproducing unit that records and reproduces the image information, a player information acquiring unit that acquires, from the remote broadcast image information, player information regarding players in a sports game included in a broadcast image signal, and a recording and reproducing control function unit that receives an audio signal contained in the broadcast signal, generates an excitation graph representing the level of excitation of the sports game along a time line, and records the excitation graph, the image of the game, time information, and the player information in the recording and reproducing unit. Upon receiving information indicating a break in the sports game, the recording and reproducing control function unit displays the excitation graph together with the recorded image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Inagaki, Gen Fujiki, Miwako Fujiki
  • Publication number: 20100083317
    Abstract: A display control device includes: a reception section configured to receive a television broadcast signal; a display section configured to display video information and a thumbnail image contained in the television broadcast signal; and a control section configured to control display on the display section of the video information and the thumbnail image contained in the television broadcast signal received by the reception section. The control section causes the thumbnail image to be displayed in accordance with an order of priority.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Inagaki, Gen Fujiki, Miwako Fujiki, Yoshihiro Nakanishi, Tsukasa Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20100073484
    Abstract: A display control apparatus includes a receiving unit that receives a television broadcast signal containing at least remote broadcast image information, a display unit that displays image information contained in the television broadcast signal, a player information acquiring unit that acquires, from the remote broadcast image information, information regarding players in a sports game included in a broadcast image signal, a field information acquiring unit that acquires field information from the remote broadcast image information, a player position information acquiring unit that acquires player position information from the image signal using the player information and the field information, a player information providing unit that provides the acquired player information by displaying the player information on the display unit, and a cursor control function unit that sets, using the player position information, a cursor on one of the players selected using the provided player information and displayed on
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Inagaki, Gen Fujiki, Miwako Fujiki
  • Patent number: 7409231
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program which allow a user to immediately and easily know whether or not transmission of desired data is completed and the direction of transmission of the data. Readers/writers 23-1 through 23-4 and RF tags 24-1 through 24-4 detect an electronic device which is placed adjacent thereto and the direction in which the electronic device is placed. The readers/writers 23-1 through 23-4 and the RF tags 24-1 through 24-4 obtain identification information of the electronic device when the electronic device placed adjacent thereto is detected. A communication unit 22 communicates with the electronic device over a network based on the identification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Takeo Inagaki, Junichi Rekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka
  • Publication number: 20080010613
    Abstract: A hierarchical hysteresis menu area is such an area in which the hysteresis information from the hysteresis of past operations up to the current hierarchical layer is displayed responsive to an operation on an operating unit and in which selection by a user is made using the operating unit. As the hierarchy progresses, new rows such as “Top Menu”, “ . . . Menu A”, “ . . . Menu A-1” are created progressively, until the current layer [ . . . menu A-1 “ . . . menu A-1”] is demonstrated as the lowermost layer. Indents and marks are used to denote a hierarchical structure. If a cursor is moved by an operating unit to decide on a certain selected layer, reversion may be made directly to the layer. The current menu area indicates the item of the current layer. A folder mark is displayed for a menu having a further lower item. The current hierarchical layer is indicated in this manner in the operating menu system of a hierarchical structure employing a user interface device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventors: Hiroto Narioka, Takashi Kuwayama, Takeo Inagaki
  • Patent number: 7280851
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program which allow for correct recognition of a connected electronic device. A reader/writer 33-1 is placed near a left vertical side 2-1 of four sides of an input display unit 2. A mobile phone 11 includes an RF tag. When the mobile phone 11 is placed adjacent to the reader/writer 33-1, the reader/writer 33-1 detects the RF tag to detect that the mobile phone 11 is adjacent thereto. An icon 111 of the mobile phone 11 is displayed on the input display unit 2 in a moving manner so that portions of the icon 111 appear step-by-step from the side 2-1 and finally the entirety appears. The present invention is applicable to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, a PDA, or a mobile phone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Takeo Inagaki, Junichi Rekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka
  • Patent number: 7050945
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information providing system, an information providing method, an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a communication terminal, for providing requested information in an easy manner. In an information board 1, guides about information which can be provided are displayed on display units 2A to 2D. A PDA 11 includes a non-contact IC card, and a reader/writer is disposed in each of information requesting units 3A to 3D. The information board 1 acquires information to be provided to the PDA 11, depending on which one of readers/writers the PDA 11 is brought close to, and establishes Bluetooth communication with the PDA 11 in accordance with a Bluetooth address, acquired from the non-contact IC card, of the PDA 11. After establishing the Bluetooth communication, the information board 1 provides the acquired information to the PDA 11 by means of the Bluetooth communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Takeo Inagaki, Junichi Rekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka
  • Patent number: 7046232
    Abstract: The information processing apparatus allows, based on an image obtained by photographing a user by the CCD camera 8, to recognize the movement direction of the user and when generating a command corresponding to the recognized movement direction, to create the gesture recognition screen 100 in a search state indicating that the apparatus is searching for the user's movement and display it on a liquid crystal display 10 so as to certainly notify the user that the user's movement is recognizable and it is in a standby state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Inagaki, Junko Saito, Keigo Ihara, Takahiko Sueyoshi, Yoshihiro Yamaguchi, Shinichiro Gomi
  • Patent number: 7007246
    Abstract: As a rotating member of an operating unit is operated, a graphical user interface works so that a band-shaped display area wound on a roll-shaped object looks like being extended upward in visually the same direction as the direction of rotation of the rotating member, from the roll-shaped object. In this case, left and right ends of the roll-shaped object move to look like rotating. When the band-shaped display area is fully extended, the left and right ends stop rotating. Thus, a graphical user interface is provided which does not require a user to repeat troublesome operations until an information processing device executes processing desired by the user, and which enables improvement in user-friendliness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Yamaguchi, Shinsuke Noguchi, Kazuaki Takahashi, Takeo Inagaki
  • Publication number: 20050025117
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a communication system and a communication method for simply and quickly starting communication. A cellular phone 52 is loaded with a non-contact IC card that communicates with a reader/writer of a personal computer 51 using an electromagnetic wave. When the non-contact IC card receives the electromagnetic wave emitted from the reader/writer with the cellular phone 52 placed close to the personal computer 51, the cellular phone 52 notifies the personal computer 51 of a card ID set in the non-contact IC card. When the personal computer 51 acquires Bluetooth device names of the cellular phone 52 and PDA 53 with intra-piconet synchronization established between the cellular phone 52 and the PDA 53, the personal computer 51 identifies the cellular phone 52 as a communication partner based on the Bluetooth device names already notified of as the card ID. The present invention is applicable to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer and a cellular phone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Takeo Inagaki, Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Junichi Pekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka
  • Publication number: 20040259499
    Abstract: A communication system and method capable of easily identifying a communication mate. A cellular telephone (52) has a non-contact IC card communicating with a reader/writer of a personal computer (51) by an electromagnetic wave. When an electromagnetic wave radiated from the reader-writer is received by the non-contact IC card, the cellular telephone (52) reports the card ID set in the non-contact IC card to the personal computer (51). This card ID includes a Bluetooth address of the cellular telephone (52). When the personal computer (51) fetches the Bluetooth address of the cellular telephone (52) and a PDA (53) upon query, the personal computer (51) identifies the cellular telephone (52) as a Bluetooth device to establish synchronization according to the Bluetooth address reported in advance. The present invention can be applied to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer and a cellular telephone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Takeo Inagaki, Junichi Rekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka, Toru Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20040248617
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program which allow for correct recognition of a connected electronic device. A reader/writer 33-1 is placed near a left vertical side 2-1 of four sides of an input display unit 2. A mobile phone 11 includes an RF tag. When the mobile phone 11 is placed adjacent to the reader/writer 33-1, the reader/writer 33-1 detects the RF tag to detect that the mobile phone 11 is adjacent thereto. An icon 111 of the mobile phone 11 is displayed on the input display unit 2 in a moving manner so that portions of the icon 111 appear step-by-step from the side 2-1 and finally the entirety appears. The present invention is applicable to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, a PDA, or a mobile phone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Takeo Inagaki, Junichi Rekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka
  • Publication number: 20040198459
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, and a program in which information can be reliably exchanged when performing wireless communication by allowing a user to know a communication distance at which devices can be connected. A communication unit 28 performs Bluetooth communication with a communication unit, which serves as a Bluetooth module, provided for a cellular telephone. A CPU 21 displays an image corresponding to the cellular telephone based on the input level of Bluetooth radio waves transmitted from the cellular telephone. For example, when the input level of the radio waves transmitted from the cellular telephone is equal to the maximum input, the CPU 21 sets the level of transparency to be 0, and displays the image corresponding to the cellular telephone on an LCD 32 so that a background image is not transmitted at all.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Takeo Inagaki, Junichi Rekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka
  • Publication number: 20040078169
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information providing system, an information providing method, an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a communication terminal, for providing requested information in an easy manner. In an information board 1, guides about information which can be provided are displayed on display units 2A to 2D. A PDA 11 includes a non-contact IC card, and a reader/writer is disposed in each of information requesting units 3A to 3D. The information board 1 acquires information to be provided to the PDA 11, depending on which one of readers/writers the PDA 11 is brought close to, and establishes Bluetooth communication with the PDA 11 in accordance with a Bluetooth address, acquired from the non-contact IC card, of the PDA 11. After establishing the Bluetooth communication, the information board 1 provides the acquired information to the PDA 11 by means of the Bluetooth communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Takeo Inagaki, Junichi Rekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka
  • Publication number: 20040077313
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method that allow wireless communications to be readily and quickly started. When a cellular phone 1 is placed in proximity to a personal computer 11, a strap ID is transmitted from a contactless IC tag 3 of a cellular phone strap 2 to a reader/writer 12 of the personal computer 11. The personal computer 11 has a table of association between the strap ID and a Bluetooth device name of the cellular phone 1. The personal computer 11, upon obtaining the strap ID, refers to the association table and thereby identifies the cellular phone 1 as a party for carrying out Bluetooth communications therewith. The personal computer 11, by referring to the Bluetooth device name, identifies the cellular phone 1 from among a plurality of Bluetooth devices including the cellular phone 1, and carries out Bluetooth communications with the cellular phone 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Takeo Inagaki, Junichi Rekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka
  • Publication number: 20040048570
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program which allow a user to immediately and easily know whether or not transmission of desired data is completed and the direction of transmission of the data. Readers/writers 23-1 through 23-4 and RF tags 24-1 through 24-4 detect an electronic device which is placed adjacent thereto and the direction in which the electronic device is placed. The readers/writers 23-1 through 23-4 and the RF tags 24-1 through 24-4 obtain identification information of the electronic device when the electronic device placed adjacent thereto is detected. A communication unit 22 communicates with the electronic device over a network based on the identification information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Haruo Oba, Taku Sugawara, Takeo Inagaki, Junichi Rekimoto, Nobuyuki Matsushita, Yuji Ayatsuka