Patent Application
20240401981
The contents of the following patent application(s) are incorporated herein by reference:
The present invention relates to an estimation apparatus, an estimation method, and a computer readable medium.
Patent Document 1 describes that a bend angle is identified based on at least one of a first angle or a second angle based on the first angle and a first indicator associated with a state of the first angle based on a motion sensor and the second angle and a second index associated with a state of the second angle based on a magnetic sensor. Patent Document 2 describes a method to determine an angle by using a motion sensor and a magnetic sensor, wherein when the angle is in a predetermined dead band, the angle is determined by using the motion sensor.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. However, the following embodiments are not for limiting the invention according to the claims. In addition, not all combinations of features described in the embodiment are essential to the solution of the invention.
The folding terminal 10 includes a first portion 11, a second portion 12 and a hinge mechanism 16. The hinge mechanism 16 foldably couples the first portion 11 to the second portion 12. The hinge mechanism 16 rotatably couples the first portion 11 to the second portion 12 around a rotation axis 18 along an X axis. The first portion 11 and the second portion 12 are parts of a casing of the folding terminal 10. The first portion 11 and the second portion 12 may be integrally configured. By the first portion 11 being transitioned from a folded state to an unfolded state relative to the second portion 12, an angle θ formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 varies from 0 degrees to 180 degrees.
The magnetic sensor 30 detects the strength of the magnetic fields (magnetic flux density) in three axis directions (X axis, Y axis, and Z axis). The magnetic sensor 30 outputs voltage or current according to the strength of the magnetic field. The magnetic sensor 30 may be a Hall element. When the first portion 11 is being folded relative to the second portion 12, a positional relationship between the magnetic sensor 30 and the magnet unit 20 varies, and thus the strength of the magnetic field of the magnet unit 20 to be detected by the magnetic sensor 30 varies. That is, depending on the angle formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12, the strength of the magnetic field to be detected by the magnetic sensor 30 varies. The gyro sensor 40 detects an angular velocity of the folding terminal 10 around the axes along the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis. The folding terminal 10 may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that functions as the gyro sensor 40. The IMU detects the angular velocity of the folding terminal 10 around the axes along the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis as well as acceleration of the folding terminal 10 in the directions of the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis of the folding terminal 10.
The estimation apparatus 100 estimates the positional relationship between the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 based on at least one of the strength of the magnetic field (magnetic flux density) detected by the magnetic sensor 30 or the angular velocity detected by the gyro sensor 40. The estimation apparatus 100 estimates the angle formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 based on at least one of the strength of the magnetic field (magnetic flux density) detected by the magnetic sensor 30 or the angular velocity detected by the gyro sensor 40.
The folding terminal 10 may perform a predetermined operation based on the angle estimated by the estimation apparatus 100. The folding terminal 10 may display different images on a display section of the first portion 11 and a display section of the second portion 12 based on the angle estimated by the estimation apparatus 100. For example, if the angle estimated by the estimation apparatus 100 is included in a predetermined angular range such as from 90 degrees to 120 degrees, the folding terminal 10 may display, on the display section of the second portion 12, the operational functionality such as a keyboard or the like and may display, on the display section of the first portion 11, the display functionality to display images according to contents of the operations performed by the operational functionality, for example, documents, videos, or the like.
The control unit 110 includes a derivation unit 112 and an estimation unit 114. Here, it is considered that the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 based on relationship information indicating the relationship between the angle θ formed by the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 and the strength of the magnetic field as well as the output result of the magnetic sensor 30.
As shown in
However, actual measured values measured by the magnetic sensor 30 may, as shown by the solid line L1, exhibit different relationships of the strength of the magnetic field and the angle θ formed by the first portion 11 and second portion 12 between a case in which the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 transition from the folded state to the unfolded state and a case in which the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 transition from the unfolded state to the folded state. That is, the relationship between the strength of the magnetic field and the angle θ formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 may include hysteresis. The hysteresis may be caused by the influence of a magnetic hysteresis. In addition, the positional relationship between the magnet unit 20 and the magnetic sensor 30 may change subtly depending on how much force is applied on the hinge when the folding terminal 10 is opened and/or closed. This influence may also appear as hysteresis in the strength of the magnetic field measured by the magnetic sensor 30. Accordingly, the estimation unit 114 may not be able to estimate the angle θ formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 accurately based only on the reference table (discrete) F1 or the reference table (continuous) F2 as shown in
In addition, it is considered that the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle θ formed by the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 based on the measured value measured by the gyro sensor 40. A measured value measured by the gyro sensor 40 is an angular velocity. When the measured value measured by the gyro sensor 40 is used, it is considered that the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 by integrating the angular velocity to derive a relative angle variation amount and adding the angle variation amount to the last estimated angle. However, errors are accumulated by integrating the angular velocity. Accordingly, as shown in
Moreover, when the folding terminal 10 includes two acceleration sensors 50a and 50b, it is considered that the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 by deriving an absolute angle based on an angle formed by acceleration vectors measured by each of the two acceleration sensors. In this approach, if the acceleration vectors measured by the two acceleration sensors have components in different gravitational directions with each other as shown in
As described above, the angle formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 may not be accurately estimated with each of the magnetic sensor 30, gyro sensor 40, and acceleration sensor 50a, 50b.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, the estimation unit 114 estimates more accurately the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11, or in other words, the angle formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12, based on at least one of the measured value m (μT) measured by the magnetic sensor 30 or the measured value ωg (rad/s) measured by the gyro sensor 40.
Here, as described above, the relationship between the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30 and the angle θ formed by the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 may include hysteresis. However, the angles that include hysteresis is often a part of an angular range. In an angular range which does not include the hysteresis, the estimation unit 114 is likely to be able to accurately estimate the angle θ formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 based on the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30.
In addition, when the measured value ωg of the gyro sensor 40 is used, the estimation unit 114 will be estimating the angle θ formed by the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 by adding the angle variation amount Δθg based on the current measured value ωg to the last angle θt−1 which is the estimation result obtained last time. That is, if the angle is estimated using the measured value ωg measured by the gyro sensor 40 before a long time elapses after the estimation unit 114 estimated the angle relatively accurately, the error in the integration becomes less. Accordingly, if a long time has not elapsed, the estimation unit 114 is likely to be able to accurately estimate the angle θ formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12.
Therefore, the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle θ formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 by preferentially using the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30 in the angular range which does not include the hysteresis. Meanwhile, the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle θ formed by the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 by preferentially using the measured value ωg of the gyro sensor 40 in the angular range which includes the hysteresis.
In order to determine whether the opened/closed state of the folding terminal 10 is in the angular range including the hysteresis, the derivation unit 112 derives the difference diff between the measured value m according to the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 measured by the magnetic sensor 30 and the measured value ωg according to the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 measured by the gyro sensor 40.
The derivation unit 112 converts a unit of the measured value m and a unit of the measured value ωg into a common unit, and then derives the difference diff between the measured value m and the measured value ωg. Values in the common unit after conversion of the measured value m and the measured value ωg are examples of the first value based on the measured value m and the second value based on the measured value ωg. The unit is the angle (degree), the magnetic flux density (strength of the magnetic field) (μT), the angle variation amount (degree), the magnetic flux density variation amount (μT/s), the angular velocity (rag/s), or the angular velocity (degree/s). Here, the angle (degree) refers to the angle formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12, that is, the absolute angle. The angle variation amount (degree) refers to the angle indicating the difference between the last angle formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 and the current angle formed by the first portion 11 and the second portion 12, that is, the relative angle.
The estimation unit 114 estimates the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11, or in other words, the angle θ formed by the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11, based on at least one of the measured value m or the measured value ωg, and the difference diff. The estimation unit 114 selects at least one of the measured value m or the measured value ωg based on the difference diff, and estimates the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 based on the selected at least one of the measured value m or the measured value ωg.
If the measured value ωg used for estimation by the estimation unit 114 is the one measured by the gyro sensor 40 before a long time elapses, the estimation unit 114 can accurately estimate the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 based on the measured value ωg. In an angular range not including the hysteresis, the estimation unit 114 can accurately estimate the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 based on the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30. Accordingly, the magnitude of the difference diff decreases. On the other hand, in an angular range including the hysteresis, the estimation unit 114 cannot accurately estimate the posture based on the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30. Accordingly, the magnitude of the difference diff increases. Given the above description, the difference diff corresponds to the magnitude of the magnetic field hysteresis. Thus, the larger the difference diff is, the more likely the opened/closed state of the folding terminal 10 is in the angular range including the hysteresis. Therefore, if the difference diff is smaller than a threshold th, the estimation unit 114 may estimate the posture of the second portion relative to the first portion 11 based on the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30. If the difference diff is smaller than the threshold th, the estimation unit 114 may estimate the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 based on the measured value m at the estimation time point and the relationship information (reference table), as shown in
If the difference diff is equal to or more than the threshold th, the estimation unit 114 may estimate the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 based on the measured value ωg of the gyro sensor 40. If the difference diff is equal to or more than the threshold th, the estimation unit 114 may estimate the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 based on the last estimation result and the measured value ωg.
The estimation unit 114 may estimate the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 based on the measured value m having the first weight based on the difference diff and the measured value ωg having the second weight based on the difference diff. As the difference diff becomes larger, the first weight decreases and the second weight increases correspondingly. The estimation unit 114 may derive the weight according to a predetermined function f (diff) having the difference diff as a parameter. The estimation unit 114 may be implemented by Kalman filter. In this case, the Kalman gain corresponds to the weight.
The difference diff remains smaller than the threshold th until time t1 is reached after the folding terminal 10 in the closed state started opening. That is, the influence of hysteresis is small. Thus, the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 by referring to the reference table to determine the angle θm that corresponds to the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30. After time t1 is passed, the difference diff becomes equal to or more than the threshold th. Thus, the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 by adding the current angle variation amount Δθt measured by the gyro sensor 40 to the last angle θt−1, which is the last estimation result, to derive the current angle θg. Subsequently, when time t2 is reached, the difference diff becomes smaller than threshold th again. Thus, the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 by referring to the reference table again to determine the angle θm that corresponds to the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30. In this manner, when the estimation unit 114 switches the sensors to be used for the estimation depending on the difference diff, the angle of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 can be more accurately estimated as compared to when only the magnetic sensor 30 is used or when only the gyro sensor 40 is used.
As can be seen by comparing
Here, if the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 for a long time in the angular range including the hysteresis based only on the measured value ωg of the gyro sensor 40, the error of the integral value may be accumulated and the angular error may increase, again resulting in a decrease in accuracy of the estimation by the estimation unit 114.
Therefore, if the difference diff is equal to or more than the threshold th, the estimation unit 114 continues estimation of the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 based on the measured value ωg until a predetermined period elapses from an estimation start time point at which the estimation unit 114 started estimation of the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 based on the measured value ωg of the gyro sensor 40 when the difference diff became equal to or larger than the threshold th from a state of being smaller than the threshold th. If the difference diff remains to be equal to or more than the threshold th after the predetermined period has elapsed from the estimation start time point, the estimation unit 114 switches the estimation to the estimation of the posture of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 based on the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent increase in the angular error which is caused by estimating the angle of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 based only on the measured value ωg of the gyro sensor 40 for a long time in the angular range including the hysteresis.
Then, the derivation unit 112 derives a difference diff between the angle θm and the angle θg (S104). The estimation unit 114 determines whether the difference diff is equal to or more than the threshold th (S106).
The estimation unit 114 estimates the angle θt of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 according to θt=ID×θm+(1−ID)×θg. ID is a real number. ID×θm is an example of the measured value m having the first weight based on the difference diff. (1−ID)×θg is an example of the measured value ωg having the second weight based on the difference diff. If the difference diff is equal to or more than the threshold th, the estimation unit 114 determines that the angle of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 is within the hysteresis region, and sets ID=0 (S108). Accordingly, the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle θg based on the measured value ωg of the gyro sensor 40 to be the current angle θt (degree) of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 (S110).
If the difference diff is smaller than the threshold th, the estimation unit 114 determines that the angle of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 is out of the hysteresis region, and set ID=1 (S112). Accordingly, the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle θm based on the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30 to be the current angle θt of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 (S114).
As described above, according to the above procedure, if the angle is within the hysteresis region, the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle θt of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 using the angle θg based on the measured value ωg of the gyro sensor 40. On the other hand, if the angle is out of the hysteresis region, the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle θt of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 using the angle θm based on the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30. Accordingly, the estimation unit 114 avoids the influences of the hysteresis and the integration error by reducing, by the gyro sensor, the influence caused by the hysteresis of the magnetic field, and reducing, by the magnetic sensor, the influence of the integration error of the gyro sensor, allowing accurate estimation of the angle θt of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11.
The derivation unit 112 derives an angle variation amount Δθg (degree) by integrating the measured value ωg (rad/s) measured by the gyro sensor 40 (S101a). The derivation unit 112 derives the angle θg (degree) based on the measured value ωg (rad/s) of the gyro sensor 40 by adding the last angle θt−1 (degree) estimated by the estimation unit 114 to an angle variation amount Δθg (degree) obtained by integrating the measured value ωg (rad/s) of the gyro sensor 40 (S102a). Moreover, the derivation unit 112 converts the angle θg (degree) into the strength of the magnetic field mg (μT), referring to the reference table (S103a). The strength of the magnetic field mg is an example of the second value based on the measured value ωg. In addition, the strength of the magnetic field mg is an example of the second value based on a value obtained by integrating the measured value ωg. In addition, the strength of the magnetic field mg is an example of the second value based on a value based on the estimation result of the estimation unit 114. In addition, the strength of the magnetic field mg is an example of the second value based on a value obtained by converting the measured value ωg. into the magnetic field. Then the derivation unit 112 derives, as the difference diff, the difference between the strength of the magnetic field m (μT) corresponding to the measured value m (μT) measured by the magnetic sensor 30 and the strength of the magnetic field mg (μT) based on the measured value ωg (rad/s) of the gyro sensor 40 (S104a). The strength of the magnetic field m is an example of the first value based on the measured value m. The procedure after this may be the same as the steps after S106 shown in
The derivation unit 112 converts the measured value m (μT) of the magnetic sensor 30 into the angle θm (degree) according to the reference table (S100b). Moreover, the derivation unit 112 derives Δθm (degree) by subtracting, from the angle θm (degree), the last angle θt−1 (degree) estimated by the estimation unit 114 (S101b). The derivation unit 112 derives the angular velocity ωm (rad/s) based on the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30 by deriving (Δθm/Δt)×(π/180) (S102b). The angular velocity ωm is an example of the first value based on the measured value m.
In addition, the angular velocity ωm is an example of the first value based on a value based on an estimation result of the estimation unit 114. In addition, the angular velocity ωm is an example of the first value based on a value obtained by converting the measured value m into the angular velocity. In addition, the angular velocity ωm is an example of the first value based on a value obtained by converting the measured value m into an angle. Subsequently, the derivation unit 112 derives, as the difference diff, the difference between the angular velocity ωm (rad/s) based on the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30 and the measured value (angular velocity) ωg (rad/s) of the magnetic sensor 30 (S104b). The angular velocity ωm is an example of the second value based on the measured value ωg. The procedure after this may be the same as the steps after S106 shown in
The derivation unit 112 derives an angle variation amount Δθg (degree) by integrating the measured value ωg (rad/s) measured by the gyro sensor 40 (S200). The derivation unit 112 derives the predicted angle θpred (degree) based on the measured value ωg of the gyro sensor 40 by adding the last angle θt−1 (degree) estimated by the estimation unit 114 to an angle variation amount Δθg (degree) obtained by integrating the measured value ωg (rad/s) of the gyro sensor 40 (S201). Moreover, the derivation unit 112 converts the predicted angle θpred (degree) into the predicted strength of the magnetic field mpred (μT) according to the reference table (S202). The strength of the magnetic field mpred is an example of the second value based on the measured value ωg. In addition, the strength of the magnetic field mpred is an example of the second value based on a value obtained by integrating the measured value ωg. In addition, the strength of the magnetic field mpred is an example of the second value based on a value based on the estimation result by the estimation unit 114. In addition, the strength of the magnetic field mpred is an example of the second value based on a value obtained by converting the measured value ωg into the magnetic field. Then the derivation unit 112 derives, as the difference diff, the difference between the measured value m (μT) of the magnetic sensor 30 and the predicted strength of the magnetic field mpred (μT) based on the measured value ωg (rad/s) of the gyro sensor 40 (S204). The measured value m is an example of the first value based on the measured value m.
The derivation unit 112 derives, according to a predetermined function f(diff)=ID, a weight ID (degree/μT) for deriving a correction amount to correct the predicted angle θpred based on the difference diff (μT) (S206). ID is a real number. The derivation unit 112 derives the correction amount θcorr (degree) by multiplying the difference diff (μT) by ID (degree/μT) (S208). The estimation unit 114 estimates the current angle θt (degree) of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 by adding the correction amount θcorr (degree) to the predicted angle θpred (degree) (S210) for correction. The predetermined function f(diff) is such a function that makes ID (degree/μT) smaller correspondingly as the difference diff becomes larger.
According to the above procedure, the estimation unit 114 corrects the predicted angle θpred based on the measured value ωg of the magnetic sensor 30 with the correction amount θcorr based on the magnitude of the difference diff to estimate the angle θt. Accordingly, the estimation unit 114 suppresses the influences of the hysteresis or the integration error by reducing, by the gyro sensor 40, the influence caused by the hysteresis of the magnetic field, and reducing, by the magnetic sensor 30, the influence of the integration error of the gyro sensor 40, allowing accurate estimation of the angle θt of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11.
The derivation unit 112 converts the measured value m (μT) of the magnetic sensor 30 into the angle θm (degree) according to the reference table (S300). In addition, the derivation unit 112 derives an angle variation amount Δθg (degree) by integrating the measured value ωg (rad/s) measured by the gyro sensor 40 (S301). The angle variation amount Δθg is an example of the second value based on the measured value ωg. In addition, the angle variation amount ωg is an example of the second value based on a value obtained by integrating the measured value ωg. The derivation unit 112 derives angle variation amount Δθm (degree) based on the measured value m (degree) of the magnetic sensor 30 by subtracting, from the angle θm (degree), the last angle θt−1 (degree) estimated by the estimation unit 114 (S302). The variation amount Δθm is an example of the first value based on the measured value m. In addition, the variation amount Δθm is an example of the first value based on a value based on the estimation result by the estimation unit 114. In addition, the variation amount Δθm is an example of the first value based on a value obtained by converting the measured value m into an angular velocity. In addition, the variation amount Δθm is an example of the first value based on a value obtained by converting the measured value m into an angle. The derivation unit 112 calculates, as the difference diff, the difference between the angle variation amount Δθm (degree) based on the measured value m (μT) of the magnetic sensor 30 and angle variation amount Δθg (degree) obtained by integrating the measured value ωg (rad/s) of the gyro sensor 40.
The derivation unit 112 derives the weight to derive the angle variation amount Δθ (degree) according to the predetermined function f (diff)=ID (S306). The estimation unit 114 derives the angle variation amount Δθ (degree) according to Δθ=ID×Δθm+(1−ID)×Δθg (S308). The predetermined function f (diff) is such a function that makes ID smaller correspondingly as the difference diff becomes larger. ID is a real number.
The estimation unit 114 estimates the current angle θt (degree) of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 by adding the angle variation amount Δθ (degree) to the last angle θt−1 (degree) estimated from the angle θm (degree) by the estimation unit 114 (S310).
According to the above procedure, the estimation unit 114 estimates the angle θt by weighting, with a weight based on the difference diff, each of the angle variation amount Δθm based on the measured value m of the magnetic sensor 30 and the angle variation amount Δθg based on the measured value ωg of the gyro sensor 40. Accordingly, the estimation unit 114 suppresses the influences of the hysteresis or the integration error by reducing, by the gyro sensor 40, the influence caused by the hysteresis of the magnetic field, and reducing, by the magnetic sensor 30, the influence of the integration error of the gyro sensor 40, allowing accurate estimation of the angle θt of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11.
Note that, the present embodiment describes the example in which the estimation unit 114 estimates the posture (angle) of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11. However, the estimation unit 114 may estimate a position of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11.
In the case of such an apparatus 10A, the gyro sensor 40 may be provided on the rotation axis and rotated around the axis along the Y axis direction together with the rotation axis according to movement of the second portion 12 relative to the first portion 11 in the X axis direction.
The computer 1200 according to the present embodiment includes the CPU 1212 and an RAM 1214, which are mutually connected by a host controller 1210. The computer 1200 also includes a communication interface 1222 and an input/output unit, which are connected to the host controller 1210 via an input/output controller 1220. The computer 1200 also includes an ROM 1230. The CPU 1212 operates according to the programs stored in the ROM 1230 and the RAM 1214, thereby controlling each unit.
The communication interface 1222 communicates with other electronic devices via a network. A hard disk drive may store the programs and data used by the CPU 1212 in the computer 1200. The ROM 1230 stores therein boot programs or the like executed by the computer 1200 at the time of activation, and/or programs depending on hardware of the computer 1200. The program is provided via a computer readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a USB memory or an IC card or the network. The programs are installed on the RAM 1214, which also is an example of the computer readable storage medium, or the ROM 1230 and performed by the CPU 1212. Information processing written in these programs is read by the computer 1200, and provides cooperation between the programs and the various types of hardware resources described above. The apparatus or method may be configured by implementing operations or processings of information according to use of the computer 1200.
For example, in a case where a communication is performed between the computer 1200 and an external apparatus, the CPU 1212 may execute a communication program loaded in the RAM 1214 and instruct the communication interface 1222 to perform communication processing based on a process written in the communication program. Under the control of the CPU 1212, the communication interface 1222 reads transmission data which is stored in the RAM 1214 or a transmission buffer region which is provided in a storage media such as a USB memory, to transmit the read transmission data to the network or write the reception data received from the network into a reception buffer region or the like provided on the storage media.
Also, the CPU 1212 may cause the whole or required part of files which are stored in the external storage media (such as USB memory) or the database to be read by the RAM 1214, to perform a various type of processes for the data on the RAM 1214. Then, the CPU 1212 may write back the processed data to the external storage media.
A various type of information such as a various type of programs, data, tables and databases may be stored in a storage media to undergo an information processing. The CPU 1212 may execute, on the data read from the RAM 1214, various types of processing including various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgement, conditional branching, unconditional branching, information retrieval/replacement, or the like described throughout the present disclosure and specified by instruction sequences of the programs, to write the results back to the RAM 1214. Also, the CPU 1212 may retrieve information in the file, database or the like in the storage media. For example, when a plurality of entries each having an attribute value of the first attribute associated with an attribute value of the second attribute are stored in a storage media, the CPU 1212 may retrieve, among the plurality of entries, an entry whose attribute value of the first attribute is specified and matches the conditions and read the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry, thereby acquiring the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute which satisfies a predetermined condition.
The programs or software modules described above may be stored in a computer readable storage medium on or near the computer 1200. Also, a storage media such as a hard disk or a RAM provided in a server system which is connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet is allowed to be used as a computer readable storage medium, thereby a program is provided in a computer 1200 via the network.
Computer readable medium may include any tangible apparatus that can store instructions for execution by a suitable apparatus. As a result, the computer readable medium having instructions stored therein includes an article of manufacture including instructions which can be executed to create means for performing operations specified in the flowcharts or block diagrams. Examples of the computer readable medium may include an electronic storage medium, a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, an electromagnetic storage medium, a semiconductor storage medium, and the like. More specific examples of the computer readable medium may include a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a Blu-ray (registered trademark) disk, a memory stick, an integrated circuit card, and the like.
Computer-readable instructions may include either a source code or an object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages. The source code or the object code includes a conventional procedural programming language. The conventional procedural programming language may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or an object-oriented programming language such as Smalltalk (registered trademark), JAVA (registered trademark), C++, etc., and programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. Computer-readable instructions may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, or to programmable circuitry, locally or via a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, etc. The processor or the programmable circuitry may execute the computer readable instructions to create means for performing operations specified in the flowcharts or block diagrams. Examples of the processor include a computer processor, a processing unit, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, a controller, a microcontroller, and the like.
While the present invention has been described with the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. It is apparent to persons skilled in the art that various alterations and improvements can be added to the above-described embodiments. It is also apparent from description of the claims that the embodiments to which such alterations or improvements are made can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.
It should be noted that the operations, procedures, steps, stages, and the like of each process performed by an apparatus, system, program, and method shown in the claims, embodiments, or diagrams can be realized in any order as long as the order is not indicated by “prior to,” “before,” or the like and as long as the output from a previous process is not used in a later process. Even if the operation flow is described using phrases such as “first” or “next” for the sake of convenience in the claims, specification, or drawings, it does not necessarily mean that the process must be performed in this order.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-088107 | May 2023 | JP | national |
| 2024-005749 | Jan 2024 | JP | national |
