1. A status communication device comprising:
a housing;
at least one measuring unit that measures biological data of a user and an ambient state of the housing;
at least one state displaying unit that displays a state of the user or the ambient state of the housing;
a transmitting unit that transmits first measurement-related data to at least one external device, the first measurement-related data being measurement data measured by the measuring unit or data based on the measurement data;
a receiving unit that receives second measurement-related data from at least one external device;
a data selecting unit that selects one state corresponding to the second measurement-related data to display with the state displaying unit if the receiving unit receives a plurality of the second measurement-related data within a prescribed interval; and
a state display controlling unit that controls the state displaying unit based on the second measurement-related data selected by the data selecting unit.
2. The status communication device according to claim 1, wherein the data selecting unit comprises a counting unit that counts each type of the second measurement-related data received by the receiving unit within the prescribed interval; and selects the second measurement-related data having the greatest number counted by the counting unit.
3. The status communication device according to claim 1, wherein the data selecting unit comprises:
a counting unit that counts each type of the second measurement-related data received by the receiving unit within the prescribed interval;
a level storing unit that stores weighted levels applied to each second measurement-related data in association with the second measurement-related data;
a level product calculating unit that calculates level products by multiplying a counted value counted by the counting unit with the level stored in the level storing unit for each of the second measurement-related data;
an average calculating unit that calculates an average of the level products calculated by the level product calculating unit; and
a nearest value determining unit that determines the level having a nearest value to the average value calculated by the average calculating unit;
wherein the data selecting unit selects the second measurement-related data having the level determined to be the nearest value by the nearest value determining unit.
4. The status communication device according to claim 1, wherein the data selecting unit comprises:
a counting unit that counts each type of the second measurement-related data received by the receiving unit within the prescribed interval;
a level storing unit that stores weighted levels assigned to each of the second measurement-related data in association with the second measurement-related data; and
a level determining unit that determines data having a largest level or data having a smallest level among the second measurement-related data received by the receiving unit;
wherein the data selecting unit selects the second measurement-related data determined to have the largest level or the smallest level by the level determining unit.
5. The status communication device according to claim 1, wherein the data selecting unit comprises:
a counting unit that counts each type of the second measurement-related data received by the receiving unit within the prescribed interval;
a weighted coefficient storing unit that stores weighted coefficients assigned to each of the second measurement-related data in association with the second measurement-related data; and
a weighted coefficient product calculating unit that calculates products of a counted value counted by the counting unit and the weighted coefficient for each of the second measurement-related data;
wherein the data selecting unit selects the second measurement-related data corresponding to a largest product among products calculated by the weighted coefficient product calculating unit.
6. The status communication device according to claim 1, wherein the data selecting unit selects the second measurement-related data received first by the receiving unit within the prescribed interval.
7. The status communication device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit transmits first ID data together with the first measurement-related data, the first ID data distinguishing the status communication device from other status communication devices;
wherein the receiving unit receives second ID data together with the second measurement-related data;
wherein the data selecting unit comprises an ID counting unit that counts the number of second measurement-related data received by the receiving unit within the prescribed interval for each second ID data; and
wherein the data selecting unit selects the second measurement-related data received last among ID data having a highest number counted by the ID counting unit.
8. The status communication device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit transmits first ID data together with the first measurement-related data, the first ID data distinguishing the status communication device from other status communication devices;
the receiving unit receives second ID data together with the second measurement-related data;
the data selecting unit comprises a reception interval time measuring unit that calculates a time, as the reception interval time, between a preceding reception and a current reception of the second measurement-related data having same second ID data if second measurement-related data having the same second ID data is received within the prescribed interval; and
the data selecting unit selects the second measurement-related data having the second ID data with a shortest reception interval time between receptions calculated by the reception interval time measuring unit.
9. The status communication device according to claim 1, further comprising index data creating unit that creates first index data functioning as data related to the state of a user or the ambient state of the housing based on the measurement data;
wherein the transmitting unit transmits the first index data as the first measurement-related data to at least one external device;
wherein the receiving unit receives second index data as the second measurement-related data from at least one external device; and
wherein the state display controlling unit controls the state displaying unit based on the first index data.
10. The status communication device according to claim 9, wherein the index data creating unit comprises:
an index data determining procedure storing unit that stores an index data determining procedure used to determine the first index data; and
an index data determining unit that determines the first index data from the measurement data based on the index data determining procedure, and
wherein the state display controlling unit comprises:
a control data determining procedure storing unit that stores control data determining procedures used to determine control data for controlling the state displaying unit based on the first index data; and
a control data determining unit that determines the control data from the first index data according to the control data determining procedure stored in the control data determining procedure storing unit.
11. The status communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a detecting unit that detects the state displaying unit that is operating;
a first index data determining procedure storing unit that stores a first index data determining procedure used to determine index data, the index data being data related to the state of a user or the ambient state of the housing, based on the measurement data measured by the measuring unit if the detecting unit does not detect operations of the state displaying unit;
a second index data determining procedure storing unit that stores a second index data determining procedure used to determine the index data without using the measurement data measured by the measuring unit if the detecting unit detects operations of the state displaying unit;
an index data creating unit that creates the index data according to the first index data determining procedure or the second index data determining procedure; and
a state display controlling unit that controls the state displaying unit according to the index data created by the index data creating unit.
12. The status communication device according to claim 11, wherein the second index data determining procedure storing unit comprises a measurement controlling unit that controls the measurement data measured by the measuring unit based on detection results by the detecting unit.
13. The status communication device according to claim 12, further comprising a correlation storing unit that stores correlations between the state displaying unit and the measuring unit whose measurement data are affected by operations of the state displaying unit;
wherein the measurement controlling unit reads from the correlation storing unit the measuring unit corresponding to the state displaying unit that is currently operating if the detecting unit detects that one of the state displaying units is operating, and discards measurement data measured by the read measuring unit.
14. The status communication device according to claim 12, further comprising a correlation storing unit that stores correlations between the state displaying unit and the measuring unit whose measurement data are affected by operations of the state displaying unit;
wherein the measurement controlling unit reads from the correlation storing unit the measuring unit corresponding to the state displaying unit that are currently operating if the detecting unit detects that one of the state displaying units is operating, and prevents the read measuring unit from performing measurements.
15. The status communication device according to claim 11, wherein the second index data determining procedure storing unit stores a third index data determining procedure that determines the index data using measurement data measured by the measuring unit prior to operations of the state displaying unit rather than during operations of the state displaying unit.
16. The status communication device according to claim 1, further comprising an index data determining procedure storing unit that stores the index data determining procedures used to determine index data, the index data being data related to the state of a user or the ambient state of the housing, based on the measurement data measured by the measuring unit;
an index data creating unit that creates the index data from the measurement data based on the index data determining procedures;
a state display controlling unit that controls the state displaying unit based on the index data created by the index data creating unit;
a detecting unit that detects the state displaying unit that are currently operating;
a measurement controlling unit that controls the measurement data measured by the measuring unit based on detection results by the detecting unit; and
an index data creation controlling unit that controls the index data creating unit if the measurement controlling unit controls the measurement data.
17. The status communication device according to claim 16, further comprising a correlation storing unit that stores correlations between the state displaying unit and the measuring unit whose measurement results are affected by operations of the state displaying unit;
wherein the measurement controlling unit reads from the correlation storing unit the measuring unit corresponding to the state displaying unit that is currently operating if the detecting unit detects that one of the state displaying units is operating, and discards measurement data measured by the read measuring unit.
18. The status communication device according to claim 17, wherein the index data creation controlling unit controls the index data creating unit to use valid measurement data in place of the discarded measurement data if the measurement data measured by the read measuring unit is discarded.
19. The status communication device according to claim 17, wherein the index data creation controlling unit controls the index data creating unit to create the index data from the measurement data other than the discarded measurement data based on the index data determining procedures if the measurement data measured by the read measuring unit is discarded.
20. The status communication device according to claim 17, further comprising special index data determining procedure storing unit that stores special index data determining procedures corresponding to types of the measurement data and used if the measurement data measured by the read measuring unit is discarded;
wherein the index data creation controlling unit controls the index data creating unit to create index data based on the special index data determining procedures corresponding to the measurement data if the measurement data measured by the read measuring unit is discarded.
21. The status communication device according to claim 16, further comprising a correlation storing unit that storing correlations between the state displaying unit and the measuring unit whose measurement results are affected by operations of the state displaying unit;
wherein the measurement controlling unit reads from the correlation storing unit the measuring unit corresponding to the state displaying unit that is currently operating if the detecting unit detects that one of the state displaying units is operating, and prevents the read measuring unit from performing measurements.
22. The status communication device according to claim 21, wherein the index data creation controlling unit controls the index data creating unit to use valid measurement data in place of the unmeasured measurement data if the measurement data measured by the read measuring unit is not measured.
23. The status communication device according to claim 21, wherein the index data creation controlling unit controls the index data creating unit to create the index data from measurement data other than the unmeasured measurement data based on the index data determining procedures if the measurement data measured by the read measuring unit is not measured.
24. The status communication device according to claim 21, further comprising special index data determining procedure storing unit that stores special index data determining procedures corresponding to types of the measurement data and used if the measurement data measured by the read measuring unit is not measured;
wherein the index data creation controlling unit controls the index data creating unit to create index data based on the special index data determining procedures corresponding to the measurement data if the measurement data measured by the read measuring unit is not measured.
25. The status communication device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring unit has a pressure sensor comprising:
a membrane sheet comprising a pair of insulating sheets having opposing surfaces with each other, electrode pairs disposed on the opposing surfaces, and insulating spacers interposed between the insulating sheets, thereby constituting a plurality of membrane switches that conduct electricity if pressure causes the electrode pairs to come near or contact each other; and
a counting unit that counts the number of the membrane switches in the membrane sheet that conducts electricity.
26. The status communication device according to claim 25, further comprising a plurality of display units provided corresponding to the plurality of membrane switches respectively and disposed adjacent to the plurality of membrane switches that indicates the membrane switches conducting electricity.
27. The status communication device according to claim 25, further comprising a pressure determining unit that determines that pressure on the pressure sensor is stronger if the number of membrane switches counted by the counting unit is greater.
28. The status communication device according to claim 25, wherein the counting unit counts the number of membrane switches in the membrane sheet conducting electricity at prescribed intervals;
the status communication device further comprising movement determining unit that determines that a position of pressure on the membrane sheet is moving if a conducting state of any of the membrane switches of the membrane sheets in one prescribed interval is different from that of another prescribed interval prior to the one prescribed interval.
29. The status communication device according to claim 25, further comprising:
a movement amount calculating unit that calculates a movement amount from the current positions of the membrane switches in the membrane sheet conducting electricity to the positions of the membrane switches conducting electricity a prescribed time earlier if the movement determining unit determines that the position of pressure on the membrane sheet is moving; and
a movement speed determining unit that determines a speed in which the pressure position is moving over the membrane sheet based on the movement amount calculated by the movement amount calculating unit.
30. A storage medium storing a status communication program readable by a computer, the status communication program comprising:
instructions for measuring biological data of a user and an ambient state of the computer;
instructions for displaying the state of the user or the ambient state of the computer on a state displaying unit;
instructions for transmitting first measurement-related data, which is measurement data measured by the measuring instructions or data based on the measurement data, to at least one external device;
instructions for receiving second measurement-related data from at least one external device in a receiving unit;
instructions for controlling the state displaying unit based on the second measurement-related data; and
instructions for selecting one state corresponding to the second measurement-related data to display with the state displaying unit if the receiving unit receives the plurality of the second measurement-related data within a prescribed interval;
wherein the controlling instructions include controlling the state displaying unit based on the second measurement-related data selected by the data selecting unit.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A portable device, comprising:
a display unit configured to display digital information comprising a first display area situated at a front of the portable device and a second display area situated at a side of the portable device;
a sensor unit configured to sense a state of the portable device; and
a controller configured to control the display unit and the sensor unit,
wherein, when a notification is generated, the controller senses the state of the portable device through the sensor unit such that,
if the portable device is in a first state, the controller displays content of the notification in the first display area or the second display area of the display unit, and
if the portable device is in a second state, the controller displays the content of the notification in the second display area in a manner of reversing a left and right of the content of the notification.
2. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the first display area and the second display area are connected to each other.
3. The portable device of claim 1, wherein an internal angle formed by the first display area and the second display area forms a first angle and wherein the first angle has a value greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees.
4. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the second display area is connected to the first display area in a form of a curved surface.
5. The portable device of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to display the content in the second display area in a manner of compensating a distortion due to curvature of the curved surface.
6. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the first display area of the portable device is facing upwards in the first state.
7. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the first display area of the portable device is facing downwards or contacted with an object in the second state.
8. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is configured to sense the state of the portable device using at least one of a proximity sensor, a light sensor, a camera, a gravity sensor, and a gyro sensor.
9. The portable device of claim 1, wherein, when the portable device is in the second state, the controller is further configured to generate a reflection image by reflecting the content displayed in the second display area in an object on which the portable device is laid.
10. The portable device of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to sense a control input of a user controlling the reflection image.
11. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to sense the control input using at least one of a microphone, a light sensor, a proximity sensor, and a camera.
12. The portable device of claim 10, wherein the control input comprises at least one of a touch input, a voice input, and a gesture input.
13. The portable device of claim 1, wherein if the portable device is in the second state, the controller is further configured to enhance visibility of a reflection image, which is resulted from reflecting the content, in a manner of controlling the content.
14. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to detect reflexibility of an object on which the portable device is laid and wherein the controller is further configured to display the content in a manner of reversing the left and right of the content if the reflexibility is greater than a first threshold.
15. The portable device of claim 1, wherein if the first display area is within a viewable range of a user, the controller is further configured to judge the portable device as the first state and wherein if the first display area is not within a viewable range of a user due to the first display area blocked by an object, the controller is further configured to judge the portable device as the second state.
16. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to sense a texture of a region at which the portable display is positioned and wherein the controller is further configured to control a size of the content displayed in response to the sensed texture.
17. The portable device of claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to increase the size of the content as the sensed texture is rougher.
18. The portable device of claim 1, wherein if the portable device is in the first state, the controller is further configured to scroll the content of the notification displayed in the second display area in a first scroll direction and wherein if the portable device is in the second state, the controller is further configured to scroll the content of the notification displayed in the second display area in a second scroll direction.
19. The portable device of claim 18, wherein the second scroll direction corresponds to an opposite direction of the first scroll direction.
20. A method of controlling a portable device, comprising the steps of:
detecting a notification;
sensing a state of the portable device;
if the portable device is in a first state, displaying content of the notification in a first display area or a second display area of a display unit; and
if the portable device is in a second state, displaying the content of the notification in the second display area of the display unit in a manner of reversing a left and right of the content of the notification.