Sony Corporation

Other

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Hiroaki Okajima

Akira Shinada

Katsuhiko Nunokawa

Makoto Sasaki

Ippei Tambata

Masayuki Yurimoto

Masafumi Kizu

Kenji Mori

Hiroyuki Arai

Toshiaki Sato

Goro Asai

Mikio Kamada

Seiichi Tsunoda

Kazuya Sasaki

Hiroyuki Chigasaki

Masahiro Okuno

Simon D Humphries

Kikuko Yamawa

Kota Nezu

Masakazu Komori

Akinori Kurima

Hajime Kitazato

Kazuyuki Shiga

Masashige Fukamachi

Shoiti Nojima

Yoshiharu Tanaka

Method and apparatus to determine a preference of a user based on a content of a broadcast selected by the user and a content of a recording medium, so that the content of the broadcast can be selectively recorded and provided.

Content providing apparatus, content providing method, and program of content providing method

In an information transmitter () which is a portable personal information device, a system control circuit () analyzes information on vibration obtained from an acceleration sensor (), information on temperature obtained from a temperature sensor (), or external information such as user's personal information obtained from a communication section () and selects a light-emission pattern of LEDs (and), a vibration pattern of vibrators (and), and a sound generated by a sound-reproducing section ().

Information transmission apparatus, information transmission method, and monitoring apparatus

A portable electronic information device with superb portability and/or amusement value is provided. This device A is a portable electronic information device A having an external housingthat can be equipped in a car, and the device A is provided with expression meansandfor performing actions that can be sensed by the user of the vehicle, in accordance with vehicle status information of the vehicle or output signals from sensorsorequipped inside external housing, and thus delivers superb amusement value. This device also functions as a vehicle key, providing high portability, and enabling information to be shared with a home computer, thus providing a high level of convenience.

Portable electronic information device

A menu display apparatus includes a first display screen on which a plurality of first icons, each representing a selectable item, are sequentially disposed on a main circular arc; and a second display screen on which, of the plurality of first icons, the first icon selected by a user is moved and displayed and a plurality of second icons, each representing a selectable item belonging to the selected first icon, are displayed on the main circular arc. The first display screen and the second display screen are selectively displayed.

Menu display apparatus and menu display method

An in-vehicle device, a vehicle, and a vehicle information processing method, which are used, for example, to assist in driving an automobile and can properly communicate a vehicle situation to a driver. Methods and mechanisms express user's handling of the vehicle by virtual feelings on the assumption that the vehicle has a personality, and displays the virtual feelings by facial expressions of a predetermined character.

Vehicle information processing device, vehicle, and vehicle information processing method

An information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program executed in the information processing apparatus. The invention is applied to the calculation of a premium and includes judging of driving of a driver on the basis of a detection result of an emotional state of the driver to enable a more objective judgment of the driving and the acquirement of a suitable judgment result. Another aspect relates to supplying the driver with various pieces of information obtained by a navigation system or the like. The driver is supplied with a prescribed piece of information while changing a transmission method according to an emotional state of the driver for enabling a suitable transmission of the various pieces of information to the driver.

Information processing apparatus, information processing method and program executed in information processing apparatus

A vehicle driver inputs an alarm signal from an operating unit. A control unit adds a current position of the vehicle detected by a navigation unit to the alarm signal and transmits the alarm signal with the current position from a transmitting and receiving unit to another vehicle. The transmitting and receiving unit receives a signal from another vehicle and supplies the signal to the control unit. The control unit calculates an intervehicular distance from current position data of the other vehicle included in the received signal and current position data of its own vehicle and outputs the alarm signal from speakers only when the intervehicular distance is within a predetermined value.

Vehicular alarm system and apparatus

When a vehicle, for example, a passenger vehicle stops, electric power is supplied to a passenger compartment mechanism and/or an entertainment device from a power supply isolated from the device relating to a vehicle travel system. Electric power consumption is managed to secure the electric power necessary to create a travel start possible state. Further, a key position is provided to supply electric power only to the passenger compartment mechanism and/or the entertainment device. With this arrangement, music and the like can be comfortably enjoyed by stopping the vehicle.

Vehicle

A car positioning system that permits a user to easily position a car with security. Information necessary for locating the car is sent from the car by authentication of the user at a terminal unit, and received by a terminal unit which sends positional information about the car to the user. Also, in response to an access made by the terminal unit having a unique identification code via a public telephone network, positional information about the car is sent from a main unit installed in the car to the terminal unit.

Vehicle positioning apparatus, device, and method

Spent activated-carbon is fluidized and directly heated at a temperature of 100.degree. to 700.degree. C in the first zone with an off gas from the second zone to remove volatiles from the spent carbon. The carbon so treated is then indirectly heated in the second zone at a temperature of 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C in the substantial absence of oxygen with a combustion gas while being fluidized with steam or a steam-containing inert gas to activate the carbon. The process ensures effective utilization of heat energy and substantially reduces the loss of carbon.

Growing community of inventors

Chiba, Japan

Hiroaki Okajima