Information terminal

Abstract

If it is detected that it is not possible to connect to a first data communication line via a data communication interface, this information terminal determines which of low-speed inter-device communication and high-speed inter-device communication is to be used for connection to another information terminal. When the low-speed inter-device communication is used for the connection, this information terminal is connected to the other information terminal via a low-speed inter-device communication interface, and shares a second data communication line to which the other information terminal is to be connected for the communication. When the high-speed inter-device communication is used for the connection, this information terminal is connected to the other information terminal via a high-speed inter-device communication interface, and shares the second data communication line to which the other information terminal is to be connected for the communication.

Description

Information terminal

[0001] The present invention relates to an information terminal.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an information processing device that "includes a control unit that automatically starts a detection process for an external device via a wireless communication method in response to detection that a user has performed an operation to turn on the power of the information processing device, performs a determination process to determine whether the detected external device is an authenticated external device based on device identification information received from the external device detected by the detection process, and controls the transmission of power-on request data to the external device in response to the result of the determination process (abstract excerpt)."

[0003] JP 2017-118233 A

[0004] The above document describes that an information processing device automatically controls the power-on of an external device, thereby assisting the use of other devices. However, there is no disclosure about devices assisting each other in the combined use of the devices, and there is room for improvement in terms of assisting the combined use of the devices.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to restore the communication environment by using another information terminal that is being used in combination when the communication environment to which an information terminal is connected deteriorates.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the configuration described in the claims. As an example, the present invention is an information terminal comprising a processor, a low-speed device-to-device communication interface for performing low-speed device-to-device communication with another information terminal, a high-speed device-to-device communication interface for performing high-speed device-to-device communication with the other information terminal, and a data communication interface, wherein when the processor detects that the information terminal cannot connect to a first data communication line via the data communication interface, the processor determines whether to connect to the other information terminal via the low-speed device-to-device communication or the high-speed device-to-device communication, and when connecting via the low-speed device-to-device communication, connects to the other information terminal via the low-speed device-to-device communication interface and shares a second data communication line through which the other information terminal is connected for communication, and when connecting via the high-speed device-to-device communication, connects to the other information terminal via the high-speed device-to-device communication interface and shares the second data communication line through which the other information terminal is connected for communication.

[0007] According to the present invention, when the communication environment to which an information terminal is connected deteriorates, the communication environment can be restored by using another information terminal that is also being used. Objects, configurations, and effects other than those described above will be made clear in the embodiments described below.

[0008] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing prerequisites for applying a communication control method for an information terminal according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing prerequisites for applying a communication control method for an information terminal according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of an information terminal (smartphone). FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of an information terminal (smartglasses). FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of a communication control program according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of BLE pairing processing. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a communication switching situation using the communication control method according to the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a use case of multiple information terminals according to a second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a use case of multiple information terminals according to a third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a use case of multiple information terminals according to the third embodiment. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the third embodiment (when the temples of the smart glasses are closed). FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the third embodiment (when the temples of the smart glasses are opened). FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display displayed on smartglasses according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display displayed on smartglasses according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of processing in which BLE tethering and Wi-Fi tethering are used selectively depending on the set resolution of mirroring data. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to a fourth embodiment (determined by the set resolution of mirroring data). FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of processing in which BLE tethering and Wi-Fi tethering are used selectively depending on the screen size of mirroring data. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to a fourth embodiment (determined by the screen size of mirroring data). FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of processing in which BLE tethering and Wi-Fi tethering are used selectively depending on the type of display screen of smart glasses. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to a fourth embodiment (determined by the type of display screen of smart glasses). FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of processing in which BLE tethering and Wi-Fi tethering are used selectively depending on the type of display screen of smart glasses.FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing example of the sixth embodiment. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the sixth embodiment. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing example of the seventh embodiment. FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing example of the seventh embodiment. FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the seventh embodiment.

[0009] According to the present invention, when the communication conditions of a communication network to which an information terminal is connected deteriorate, the user can improve the communication environment by using another information terminal that is also being used. Therefore, the present invention can increase the commercial value of information terminals and information processing systems to which the present invention is applied, and is expected to contribute to Goal 8.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the United Nations (increasing economic productivity through diversification, technological improvement, and innovation, particularly in industries that increase the value of goods and services and in labor-intensive industries).

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same components are designated by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0011] In the first embodiment, when a user uses multiple information terminals and each information terminal is connected to a different data communication line, if there is a problem with the communication environment of the data communication line connected to one of the information terminals, the data communication line connected to the other information terminal is shared. Furthermore, the communication between devices sharing the data communication line is characterized in that the communication between devices switches between a low-speed communication method and a high-speed communication method depending on the amount of data received by one of the information terminals.

[0012] 1 and 2 are explanatory diagrams showing prerequisites for applying the communication control method for an information terminal according to the first embodiment.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1 , a user 5 uses a smartphone 10 as an example of a first information terminal and smart glasses 20 as an example of a second information terminal. The smartphone 10 is equipped with a first SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) and is communicatively connected to a data communication line 1 (corresponding to a first data communication line). The smart glasses 20 are equipped with a second SIM and are communicatively connected to a data communication line 2 (corresponding to a second data communication line). The data communication line 1 and the data communication line 2 are also referred to as Internet lines. As an example, the data communication line 1 and the data communication line 2 are provided by different communication carriers, and the communication environment of the data communication line 1 is different from the communication environment of the data communication line 2. As another example, the data communication line 1 and the data communication line 2 are provided by different communication systems such as 4G ("fourth generation mobile communication system") and 5G ("fifth generation mobile communication system"), and the communication environment of the data communication line 1 is different from the communication environment of the data communication line 2. The communication environment here refers to ease of connection, communication speed, communication stability, etc. The smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 are examples of the first information terminal and the second information terminal, respectively, and both the first information terminal and the second information terminal may be smartphones. Furthermore, they may also be tablets, laptops, AR glasses, or HMDs. The type of information terminal does not matter as long as the first information terminal and the second information terminal are connected to different data communication lines.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 2 , the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 can also be connected for device-to-device communication. In this embodiment, at least two communication methods with different communication capacities, a low-speed communication method and a high-speed communication method, are used as the device-to-device communication method. BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy: Bluetooth is a registered trademark) communication may be used as an example of the low-speed communication method. BLE is a communication method that is low-speed at approximately 0.1 to 1.5 Mbps but consumes little battery power. Wi-Fi (registered trademark) communication may be used as an example of the high-speed communication method. Wi-Fi communication is a communication method that allows high-speed communication at approximately 20 to 30 Mbps but consumes a lot of battery power.

[0015] The low-speed communication method and the high-speed communication method are switched depending on the type and purpose of the application that transmits and receives data via device-to-device communication. For example, when the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 are connected via device-to-device communication, Bluetooth is used with a target communication speed of 128 kbps to 1 Mbps when playing email, messaging applications, radio, or music. For example, for calls, Wi-Fi is basically used with a target communication speed of 128 kbps, preferably at least 200 kbps.

[0016] On the other hand, for browsing websites or social networking sites, Wi-Fi is used with a communication speed of 1 Mbps to 10 Mbps as a guideline. For online games, for example, even faster communication speeds are desirable, and device-to-device communication connections are made via Wi-Fi with a guideline of 30 Mbps to 100 Mbps.

[0017] When watching videos, the device switches between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi depending on the playback image quality. For example, Wi-Fi is preferable, aiming for 20 Mbps for 4K, 5 Mbps for HD 080p, and 2.5 Mbps for HD 720p. On the other hand, Bluetooth may be used, aiming for 1.1 Mbps for SD 480p and 0.7 Mbps for SD 360p.

[0018] FIG. 3A is a hardware configuration diagram of an information terminal (smartphone 10).

[0019] The smartphone 10 includes an outer camera 111, an inner camera 112, a ranging sensor 113, a positioning sensor 114, an acceleration sensor 115, a gyro sensor 116, a geomagnetic sensor 117, a thermosensor 118, a display 119, a microphone 121, a speaker 122, an operation I / F 123, a timer 124, a processor 125, a memory 128, and a communication I / F 130, which are connected to each other via a bus 140 that connects each component.

[0020] The outer camera 111 is a camera that captures images of the surroundings of the smartphone 10. For example, while the user is using the smartphone 10, the outer camera 111 captures an image ranging from diagonally forward left to diagonally forward right of the user. The inner camera 112 is a camera that captures an image of the user. For example, the smartphone 10 may detect the user's line of sight using an image acquired by the inner camera 112.

[0021] The ranging sensor 113 is a sensor used to measure the distance and angle to objects around the smartphone 10 and acquire distance data and object shape data. One example of the positioning sensor 114 is a GPS (Global Positioning System). The smartphone 10 receives radio waves transmitted from GPS satellites and acquires location information (e.g., latitude and longitude) indicating the current location of the smartphone 10 based on the received radio waves. The outer camera 111 or the ranging sensor 113 may also be used as the positioning sensor 114. The acceleration sensor 115 is a sensor that detects the acceleration of the smartphone 10. The smartphone 10 can detect, for example, tilt, movement, vibration, and impact relative to the direction of gravity based on data acquired by the acceleration sensor 115. The gyro sensor 116 is a sensor that detects the angular velocity of the smartphone 10. The smartphone 10 can use the gyro sensor 116 to detect, for example, its posture. The geomagnetic sensor 117 is a sensor that detects the magnetic force of the Earth and detects the orientation (direction) of the smartphone 10. The thermosensor 118 is a sensor that measures the internal temperature of the smartphone 10 and the outside temperature.

[0022] The distance measurement sensor 113, the positioning sensor 114, the acceleration sensor 115, the gyro sensor 116, the geomagnetic sensor 117, and the thermo sensor 118 are examples of the sensor configuration of the smartphone 10, and other sensors such as a gaze sensor that detects the user's gaze may be added. Also, some of these sensors may be omitted.

[0023] The microphone 121 is a device that collects and inputs sound, and for example, the user's voice and surrounding sounds are input to the microphone 121. The speaker 122 is a device that outputs sound, and for example, outputs sound processed by the smartphone 10.

[0024] The communication I / F 130 includes a low-speed inter-device communication I / F 131, a high-speed inter-device communication I / F 132, and a data communication line I / F 133, and is connected to an antenna 134 that transmits and receives communication signals. In this embodiment, the low-speed inter-device communication I / F 131 is a communication I / F that complies with the Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication standard, for example. The high-speed inter-device communication I / F 132 is a communication I / F that complies with the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) communication standard, for example. The data communication line I / F 133 is a communication I / F that complies with the 4G, 5G, or LTE standard, for example.

[0025] The smartphone 10 switches between the low-speed inter-device communication I / F 131 and the high-speed inter-device communication I / F 132 depending on the communication speed required for inter-device communication with the smart glasses 20 .

[0026] The smartphone 10 also reads information from a first SIM card 135 (SIM: Subscriber Identify Module) inserted in the smartphone 10, and uses the authentication information of the first SIM card to establish a communication connection to the data communication line 1 via the data communication line I / F 133. This enables the smartphone 10 to connect to a server 6 (corresponding to an external server) via the data communication line 1, and receive content such as web pages and videos from the server 6, or use services provided by the server 6.

[0027] In addition, the smartphone 10 can also be tethered to the smart glasses 20 via the low-speed inter-device communication I / F 131 or the high-speed inter-device communication I / F 132 and connected to the data communication line 2 for communication.

[0028] As an example of the operation I / F 123, a touch panel may be laminated on the display 119 and used as an input device for accepting operations from the user. The operation I / F 123 may also be a non-contact input interface using gesture operations, or may be configured using hardware switches including a power button, a volume button, etc. The timer 124 is used, for example, to collect data at regular intervals while the smartphone 10 is in use.

[0029] The memory 128 is configured by a flash memory and a nonvolatile memory, and may include an operating system (OS) and a communication control program that implements the communication control method according to this embodiment.

[0030] The processor 125 may be configured using a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU loads programs 126 into memory 128, executes them, and reads data 127 as needed, thereby realizing the functions of each program.

[0031] FIG. 3B is a hardware configuration diagram of the information terminal (smart glasses 20).

[0032] The smart glasses 20 include an outer camera 211, an inner camera 212, a distance measurement sensor 213, a positioning sensor 214, an acceleration sensor 215, a gyro sensor 216, a geomagnetic sensor 217, a thermosensor 218, a display 219, a microphone 221, a speaker 222, an operation I / F 223, a timer 224, a processor 225, a memory 228, an opening / closing sensor 229, and a communication I / F 230, which are connected to each other via a bus 240 that connects the various components. The smart glasses 20 may further include a gaze sensor that detects the user's gaze, or the inner camera 212 may detect the user's gaze. The acceleration sensor 215, the gyro sensor 216, or the geomagnetic sensor 217 may detect the open / closed state of the temples of the smart glasses 20. The smartphone 10 may also include an opening / closing sensor that detects whether the screen of the smartphone 10 is open or closed.

[0033] The communication I / F 230 includes a low-speed inter-device communication I / F 231, a high-speed inter-device communication I / F 232, and a data communication line I / F 233, and is connected to an antenna 234 that transmits and receives communication signals. The smart glasses 20 read information from a second SIM card 235 inserted in the smart glasses 20, and use authentication information from the second SIM card to establish a communication connection to the data communication line 2 via the data communication line I / F 233. This allows the smart glasses 20 to connect to the server 6 via the data communication line 2 and receive content such as web pages and videos from the server 6 or use services provided by the server 6.

[0034] In addition, the smart glasses 20 can also be tethered to the smartphone 10 via the low-speed inter-device communication I / F 231 or the high-speed inter-device communication I / F 132 and can be connected to the data communication line 1 for communication.

[0035] The memory 228 is composed of a flash memory and a non-volatile memory. The processor 225 loads a program 226 into the memory 228, executes it, and reads data 227 as needed, thereby realizing the functions of each program. Other than that, duplicated descriptions of components with the same names in the smart glasses 20 and the smartphone 10 will be omitted.

[0036] FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the communication control program according to this embodiment.

[0037] The communication control program 300 installed in the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 includes a communication connection status identification processing unit 301, a communication connection method switching processing unit 302, a communication data analysis processing unit 303, a device status identification processing unit 304, an image analysis processing unit 305, a line of sight analysis processing unit 306, an outside temperature analysis processing unit 307, and an internal temperature analysis processing unit 308.

[0038] Furthermore, the data 127 and 227 each contain information that the communication control program 300 refers to during program execution, such as communication connection status information 311, communication connection method information 312, communication data information 313, device status information 314, image information 315, outside air temperature information 316, and internal temperature information 317. Details of how the functions of each unit use each piece of information to achieve their functions will be described later with reference to flowcharts.

[0039] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the BLE pairing process.

[0040] The smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 are each powered on (S101, S102). The smartphone 10 checks its communication status and searches for devices around the smartphone 10 that are capable of device-to-device communication. The smartphone 10 then requests BLE pairing from the smart glasses 20 (S103), and the smart glasses 20 permits BLE pairing with the smartphone 10 (S104). After that, the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 each execute a BLE pairing process (S105, S106). This completes the BLE pairing process between the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20, and once a BLE connection is established, a BLE connection (low-speed device-to-device communication connection) between the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 becomes possible.

[0041] Furthermore, although not shown in the drawings, password authentication is completed in advance so that a Wi-Fi communication connection can be established between the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20, or Wi-Fi authentication is also completed by exchanging a Wi-Fi authentication password via BLE. The above two processes of BLE pairing and Wi-Fi authentication in Fig. 5 correspond to advance preparations for executing the communication control method according to this embodiment.

[0042] Furthermore, although an example in which the smartphone 10 issues a BLE pairing request to the smart glasses 20 has been described in FIG. 5 , the smart glasses 20 may issue a BLE pairing request to the smartphone 10 .

[0043] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a communication switching situation using the communication control method according to this embodiment.

[0044] Using the communication control method of this embodiment, BLE tethering is utilized when the communication environment (telephone line conditions) of either the smartphone 10 or the smart glasses 20 is poor. Also, when communication speed is required, Wi-Fi tethering is turned ON (a request is made via BLE communication and communication is switched (BLE communication is turned OFF)). For example, the following four communication forms are possible for communication between the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20.

[0045] Communication form A in Figure 6 shows a state in which the smartphone 10 is communicatively connected to the data communication line 1, and in the inter-device communication between the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20, the smartphone 10 is the parent of the BLE communication and Wi-Fi communication, and the smart glasses 20 is the child of the BLE communication and Wi-Fi communication.

[0046] Communication form B in Figure 6 shows a state in which the smart glasses 20 are communicatively connected to the data communication line 2, and in the inter-device communication between the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20, the smart glasses 20 are the parent of the BLE communication and Wi-Fi communication, and the smartphone 10 is the child of the BLE communication and Wi-Fi communication.

[0047] The BLE communication form is broadly made up of a combination of three layers: a controller, a host, and a profile. Therefore, by creating a new profile, it is possible to connect the smartphone 10 to the data communication line 1 with the smartphone 10 as the child for BLE communication and Wi-Fi communication and the smart glasses 20 as the parent for BLE communication and Wi-Fi communication, as shown in communication form C, or to connect the smartphone 10 to the data communication line 2 with the smartphone 10 as the parent for BLE communication and Wi-Fi communication and the smart glasses 20 as the child for BLE communication and Wi-Fi communication, as shown in communication form D.

[0048] This allows a user to use multiple information terminals at the same time, with each information terminal supporting the other. Even if the communication environment of one information terminal deteriorates, both terminals, including the other, can still access the Internet. By using different communication lines on each information terminal, even if the communication ranges of the communication lines differ, the Internet can be accessed in each range, making it possible to access the Internet over a wider area. Furthermore, by requesting or executing tethering to the other information terminal at the appropriate time, both information terminals can access the Internet while reducing battery consumption. This also reduces the need to have a separate, unused communication line as a backup.

[0049] Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the first embodiment. The flowchart shown in Fig. 7 corresponds to a flow continuing from the flow chart of the pairing processing described in Fig. 5. Note that in the flowchart of Fig. 7, the flow contents of the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 may be reversed.

[0050] First, the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 are each powered on (S201, S202). Then, the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 each perform BLE communication (corresponding to a low-speed device-to-device communication method) (S203, S204), and the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 establish a BLE connection. The communication connection status identification processing unit 301 of each of the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 stores communication connection status information 311 indicating that BLE communication (low-speed communication method) is being performed in the memories 128, 228.

[0051] When the user 5 uses the smart glasses 20 to receive a service provided by the server 6, for example, when the user 5 performs an operation to connect to the Internet, the communication connection status identification processing unit 301 of the smart glasses 20 determines whether the smart glasses 20 can communicate via a telephone line (data communication line 2) (S205). If possible (S205: Y), the smart glasses 20 connect to the data communication line 2 and the processing of FIG. 7 ends.

[0052] On the other hand, if the communication connection status identification processing unit 301 of the smart glasses 20 determines that the communication environment of the telephone line (data communication line 2) is poor and communication is impossible for the smart glasses 20 (S205: N), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 of the smart glasses 20 requests BLE tethering from the smartphone 10 (S205), and the smartphone 10 executes BLE tethering (S207). The smartphone 10 connects to the data communication line 1, and the smart glasses 20 share the data communication line 1 by performing BLE tethering with the smartphone 10 (S208). This allows the user 5 to access the server 6 from the smart glasses 20 even when the communication environment of the data communication line 2 deteriorates. Note that in this embodiment, whether communication via the data communication line is possible or impossible may be considered as whether there is no problem (good) or there is a problem (bad) in the communication status. Furthermore, the smartphone 10 may detect whether communication via the data communication line of the smart glasses 20 is possible or impossible through communication with the smart glasses 20. Furthermore, the smartphone 10 may detect that communication via the data communication line of the smart glasses 20 is not possible by receiving a tethering request from the smart glasses 20. Furthermore, the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 may be reversed.

[0053] The communication data analysis processing unit 303 of the smart glasses 20 sequentially stores the communication volume of data received from the smartphone 10 as communication data information 313 in the memory 228. The communication volume of the received data changes every moment. Therefore, when attempting to determine the communication method to be used when the smart glasses 20 tether to the smartphone 10 based on the communication volume of the received data, the communication volume for determination of the received data is used, such as the average or peak value of the communication volume of the received data from the start of tethering to the present, or the moving average of the communication volume of the received data within a certain period of time from the present to the present, rather than the communication volume of the sequential received data. Therefore, the communication data analysis processing unit 303 calculates the communication volume for determination based on the communication data information 313 and compares it with a communication volume threshold (S209). The communication volume threshold is the communication volume per unit time used to determine whether BLE communication should be low-speed communication or high-speed communication.

[0054] When the communication data analysis processing unit 303 of the smart glasses 20 determines that the communication volume is less than the communication volume threshold (S209: N), the communication data analysis processing unit 303 maintains BLE tethering and ends the processing.

[0055] On the other hand, when the communication data analysis processing unit 303 of the smart glasses 20 determines that the communication volume is equal to or greater than the communication volume threshold (S209: Y), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 requests Wi-Fi tethering from the smartphone 10 (S210). When the smartphone 10 executes Wi-Fi tethering (S211), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 switches the smart glasses 20 from BLE tethering to Wi-Fi tethering, executes Wi-Fi tethering, and shares the data communication line 1 (S212). The communication connection status identification processing unit 301 of each of the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 updates the communication connection status information 311 indicating the current communication connection status from BLE communication to Wi-Fi communication, and ends the processing.

[0056] According to this embodiment, when a user is using multiple information terminals in combination, if one information terminal (smart glasses 20) determines that the communication environment of the wide area communication network (data communication line 2) to which the one information terminal (smart glasses 20) can connect is poor, the one information terminal (smart glasses 20) sends a tethering request to another information terminal (smartphone 10) that has been paired with the one information terminal (smart glasses 20) in advance, and the other information terminal connects to another wide area communication network (data communication line 1) different from the data communication line 2. As a result, even if one information terminal (smart glasses 20) does not have multiple SIM cards for connecting to multiple wide area communication networks, it is possible to connect to the wide area communication network via the other information terminal (smartphone 10) that the user is using in combination.

[0057] In addition, when one information terminal (smart glasses 20) is tethering to another information terminal (smartphone 10), the communication method switches between a low-speed communication method (BLE communication) and a high-speed communication method (Wi-Fi communication) depending on the amount of communication, which also helps reduce power consumption of the one information terminal (smart glasses 20) and the other information terminal (smartphone 10).

[0058] Second Embodiment The second embodiment is an embodiment in which switching is performed between a low-speed communication method and a high-speed communication method during local data communication between a plurality of information terminals used in combination.

[0059] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a use case of a plurality of information terminals in the second embodiment.

[0060] 8, when a user 5 uses both a smartphone 10 and smart glasses 20, local data communication between the smartphone and glasses, such as when transmitting a camera image of the smartphone 10 to the smart glasses 20, may be switched to device-to-device communication instead of tethering. In this case, the communication method may be switched to BLE communication (low-speed communication method) or Wi-Fi communication (high-speed communication method) depending on the amount of received data transmitted and received in the local data communication.

[0061] Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the second embodiment. The flowchart shown in Fig. 9 corresponds to a flow continuing from the flowchart of the pairing processing described in Fig. 5. Note that in the flowchart of Fig. 9, the flow contents of the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 may be reversed.

[0062] First, the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 are each powered on (S301, S302). Then, the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 each perform BLE communication (corresponding to a low-speed device-to-device communication method) (S303, S304), and the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 establish a BLE connection. The communication connection status identification processing unit 301 of each of the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 stores communication connection status information 311 indicating that BLE communication (low-speed communication method) is being performed in the memory 128, 228.

[0063] The user 5 captures an image using the smartphone 10 (S305) and acquires the image (S306). Meanwhile, the communication connection status identification processing unit 301 of the smart glasses 20 determines whether the smart glasses 20 can communicate via the telephone line (data communication line 2) (S307). If communication is possible (S307: Y), the smart glasses 20 connect to the telephone line (data communication line 2) and the process of FIG. 9 ends.

[0064] When the communication connection status identification processing unit 301 of the smart glasses 20 determines that the communication environment of the telephone line (data communication line 2) is poor and communication is impossible for the smart glasses 20 (S307: N), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 of the smart glasses 20 requests BLE tethering from the smartphone 10 (S308), and the smartphone 10 executes BLE tethering (S309). The smartphone 10 establishes a communication connection with the data communication line 1, and the smart glasses 20 share the data communication line 1 by performing BLE tethering with the smartphone 10 (S310). This allows the user 5 to access the server 6 from the smart glasses 20 even if the communication environment of the data communication line 2 is poor.

[0065] The communication data analysis processing unit 303 of the smart glasses 20 analyzes the received data from the smartphone 10 and determines whether to receive only the built-in data of the smartphone 10, for example, the image data acquired in step S306 (S311). That is, due to a poor communication environment of the data communication line 2, the smart glasses 20 are tethered to the smartphone 10 and share the data communication line 1. However, as a result of analyzing the user operation received by the smart glasses 20 or the received data received by the smartphone 10, if the smart glasses 20 determines that they will receive only the built-in data of the smartphone 10 (S311: Y), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 cancels the BLE tethering to cancel the sharing of the data communication line 1 (S312) and switches to only BLE communication (low-speed communication method) with the smartphone 10. The communication connection status identification processing unit 301 updates the communication connection status information 311 from BLE tethering to BLE communication (low-speed communication method).

[0066] When the communication data analysis processing unit 303 of the smart glasses 20 determines that the communication volume of the received data is less than the communication volume threshold (S313: N), it maintains the BLE communication (low-speed communication method) and ends the processing.

[0067] On the other hand, when the communication data analysis processing unit 303 of the smart glasses 20 determines that the amount of received data communication is equal to or greater than the communication amount threshold (S313: Y), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 requests Wi-Fi communication (high-speed communication method) from the smartphone 10 (S314). When the smartphone 10 executes the request from the smart glasses 20 (S315), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 switches the smart glasses 20 from BLE communication to Wi-Fi communication and executes Wi-Fi communication (S316). Then, the processing ends.

[0068] In step S311, if the communication data analysis processing unit 303 of the smart glasses 20 determines that the smart glasses 20 will receive data other than the internal data of the smartphone 10 (for example, data from the server 6) (N in S311), the communication data analysis processing unit 303 checks the communication volume of the received data. Here, if the communication data analysis processing unit 303 determines that the communication volume of the received data is less than the communication volume threshold (N in S317), the BLE tethering is maintained and the process ends.

[0069] On the other hand, if the communication data analysis processing unit 303 determines that the communication volume of the received data is equal to or greater than the communication volume threshold (S317: Y), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 requests Wi-Fi tethering from the smartphone 10 (S318). When the smartphone 10 executes the request from the smart glasses 20 (S315), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 switches the smart glasses 20 from BLE tethering to Wi-Fi tethering, and shares the telephone line network (data communication line 1) (S319). Then, the processing ends.

[0070] According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, if the received data sent and received between multiple information terminals used in combination is only the built-in data of one of the information terminals, the built-in data can be received after tethering is terminated, thereby increasing security depending on the data sent and received between the devices, and allowing users to communicate data between devices with peace of mind.

[0071] Third Embodiment In the third embodiment, when one of a plurality of information terminals is a head-mounted information terminal, the communication connection state with the other information terminals is switched depending on the wearing state of the head-mounted information terminal. The head-mounted information terminal may be smart glasses 20 or a head-mounted display (HMD). In the following, the smart glasses 20 will be described as an example.

[0072] 10 and 11 are diagrams showing use cases of a plurality of information terminals in the third embodiment.

[0073] 10 , when a user 5 uses both a smartphone 10 and smart glasses 20, the smartphone 10 is connected to a data communication line 1, and the smart glasses 20 share the data communication line 1 by BLE tethering to the smartphone 10. In this state, if the user 5 removes the smart glasses 20 but keeps the temples open, the BLE tethering is maintained in this embodiment. The smart glasses 20 have a spectacle-type frame, and include openable temples and an open / close sensor 229 (see FIG. 3B ) that detects the open / closed state of the temples.

[0074] This allows the user 5 to maintain functions that can be used or enjoyed even when not wearing the smart glasses 20, such as receiving emails in real time and continuously playing radio or music.

[0075] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11 , when the user 5 removes the smart glasses 20 and further closes the temples, the BLE tethering is released.

[0076] This allows the user 5 to choose between maintaining BLE tethering and canceling BLE tethering, thereby improving usability.

[0077] 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of the communication control process (when the temples of the smart glasses 20 are closed) according to the third embodiment. The flowchart shown in FIG. 12 corresponds to a flow subsequent to the flowchart of the pairing process described in FIG. 5.

[0078] Prior to the description of the processing in Fig. 12, the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 are each powered on, BLE communication is executed, and communication between the devices using a low-speed communication method is established (it is assumed that steps S201 to S204 in Fig. 7 have been completed). In this state, the flow in Fig. 12 starts.

[0079] The device status identification processing unit 304 of the smart glasses 20 detects whether the user 5 is wearing the smart glasses 20 and records the detection result as device status information 314 in the memory 228 (S401). The smart glasses 20 may be equipped with a wearing sensor that detects the wearing status in advance, and the device status identification processing unit 304 may determine whether the smart glasses 20 are being worn based on sensor information from the wearing sensor. Alternatively, the smart glasses 20 may be equipped with a gaze sensor, and the device status identification processing unit 304 may determine that the smart glasses 20 are being worn if the gaze sensor can detect the gaze of the user 5, and determine that the smart glasses 20 are not being worn if the gaze sensor cannot detect the gaze of the user 5. When the device status identification processing unit 304 determines that the smart glasses 20 are being worn (S401: Y), the processing of FIG. 12 ends while maintaining the BLE communication connection.

[0080] On the other hand, if the device state identification processing unit 304 identifies that the smart glasses 20 are not being worn (S401: N), the communication connection state identification processing unit 301 determines whether the smart glasses 20 are capable of communication via the telephone line (data communication line 2) (S402). If possible (S402: Y), the smart glasses 20 connect to the telephone line (data communication line 2) and the processing of FIG. 12 ends.

[0081] When the communication connection status identification processing unit 301 of the smart glasses 20 determines that the communication environment of the telephone line (data communication line 2) is poor and communication is impossible for the smart glasses 20 (S402: N), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 of the smart glasses 20 requests BLE tethering from the smartphone 10 (S403), and the smartphone 10 executes BLE tethering (S404). The smartphone 10 establishes a communication connection with the data communication line 1, and the smart glasses 20 share the data communication line 1 by performing BLE tethering with the smartphone 10 (S405). This allows the user 5 to access the server 6 from the smart glasses 20 even if the communication environment of the data communication line 2 is poor.

[0082] When the device state identification processing unit 304 of the smart glasses 20 identifies that the temples of the smart glasses 20 are open (S406: N), the processing in Fig. 12 ends with the BLE tethering maintained. As a result, as shown in Fig. 10 , it becomes possible to play music via a BLE communication connection while the smart glasses 20 are detached and placed on a table or the like with the temples open.

[0083] On the other hand, when the device state identification processing unit 304 of the smart glasses 20 identifies that the temples of the smart glasses 20 are closed (S406: Y), the sharing of the data communication line is released (S407), and a request is made to the smartphone 10 to release the BLE tethering (S408), and the smartphone 10 releases the BLE tethering (S409). As a result, as shown in FIG. 11 , when the smart glasses 20 are removed, the temples are closed, and the smart glasses 20 are placed on a table, the BLE tethering is released and only the smartphone 10 is connected to the data communication line 1.

[0084] 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of the communication control process (when the temples of the smart glasses 20 are opened) according to the third embodiment. The flowchart shown in FIG. 13 corresponds to a flow subsequent to the flowchart of the pairing process described in FIG. 5.

[0085] The smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 are each powered on (S501, S502). When the device state identification processing unit 304 of the smart glasses 20 identifies that the temples of the smart glasses 20 are closed (S503: N), the process ends without performing inter-device communication and tethering with the smartphone 10.

[0086] On the other hand, when the device state identification processing unit 304 of the smart glasses 20 identifies that the temples of the smart glasses 20 have opened (S503: Y), the smart glasses 20 and the smartphone 10 perform BLE communication (S604, S505).

[0087] In addition, the communication connection status identification processing unit 301 of the smart glasses 20 determines whether the smart glasses 20 can communicate via the telephone line (data communication line 2) (S506). If it is possible (S506: Y), the smart glasses 20 connect to the telephone line (data communication line 2) and the processing of FIG. 13 ends.

[0088] When the communication connection status identification processing unit 301 of the smart glasses 20 determines that the communication environment of the telephone line (data communication line 2) is poor and communication is not possible for the smart glasses 20 (506: N), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 sends a BLE tethering request to the smartphone 10 (S507), and the smartphone 10 executes BLE tethering (S508). The smartphone 10 establishes a communication connection with the data communication line 1, and the smart glasses 20 share the data communication line 1 by performing BLE tethering with the smartphone 10 (S509). This allows the user 5 to access the server 6 from the smart glasses 20 even if the communication environment of the data communication line 2 is poor.

[0089] When the device state identification processing unit 304 of the smart glasses 20 determines that the smart glasses 20 are not being worn (S510: N), the process in Fig. 13 is terminated while maintaining BLE tethering. As a result, as shown in Fig. 10 , even if the smart glasses 20 are removed with the temples open and placed on a table or the like, the smart glasses 20 share the data communication line 1 through BLE tethering, and therefore, it is possible to enjoy Internet services with relatively small communication volumes, such as streaming music from the server 6 and receiving emails.

[0090] On the other hand, when the device state identification processing unit 304 of the smart glasses 20 identifies that the smart glasses 20 are worn (S510: Y), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 sends a Wi-Fi tethering request to the smartphone 10 (S511), and the smartphone 10 executes Wi-Fi tethering (S512). The smartphone 10 connects to the data communication line 1, and the smart glasses 20 share the data communication line 1 by Wi-Fi tethering to the smartphone 10 (S513). This allows the user 5 to access the server 6 relatively quickly from the smart glasses 20 even if the communication environment of the data communication line 2 is poor. Therefore, even if the communication environment of the data communication line 2 is poor, the user 5 can wear the smart glasses 20 and perform processing that involves a relatively large amount of communication, such as streaming video from the server 6 or browsing web pages.

[0091] According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment and the like, for example, it is possible to switch between maintaining or canceling BLE tethering with the smartphone 10 depending on whether the temples of the smart glasses 20 are open or closed, and to switch the tethering mode between BLE tethering and Wi-Fi tethering depending on whether the smart glasses 20 are being worn, thereby improving the usability of the smart glasses 20.

[0092] Fourth Embodiment In a fourth embodiment, when mirroring is performed between the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20, the smart glasses 20 are selectively used depending on the amount of communication of received data.

[0093] (Condition for selecting communication connection method: communication volume of mirroring data) FIGS. 14A and 14B are diagrams showing examples of screen displays displayed on the smart glasses 20 in the fourth embodiment.

[0094] When the amount of communication traffic sent and received in mirroring is small, for example, when transmitting the server URL 401 in Fig. 14A, BLE communication, which is a low-speed communication method, is used, and when the amount of communication traffic is large, for example, when mirroring the map navigation screen 402 in Fig. 14B, Wi-Fi communication, which is a high-speed communication method, is used. In this way, by switching the communication method for device-to-device communication depending on the amount of received data, it is possible to reduce power consumption even when the communication environment of the data communication line 2 used by the smart glasses 20 deteriorates, while also allowing the smart glasses 20 to share the data communication line of other information terminals.

[0095] 15 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the fourth embodiment. The flowchart shown in Fig. 15 corresponds to a flow continuing from the flowchart of the pairing processing described in Fig. 5.

[0096] Prior to the description of the processing in Fig. 15 , the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 are each powered on, BLE communication is executed, and inter-device communication using a low-speed communication method is established (it is assumed that S201 to S204 in Fig. 7 have been completed). In this state, the flow in Fig. 15 starts.

[0097] The image analysis processing unit 305 of the smart glasses 20 analyzes whether to mirror the smartphone screen (S601). For example, if the operation received by the smart glasses 20 from the user 5 is a music playback operation, the smart glasses 20 determines not to perform mirroring because screen display is unnecessary (S601: N), and ends the processing of Fig. 15 while maintaining the BLE communication connection.

[0098] On the other hand, if the operation received by the smart glasses 20 from the user 5 involves a screen display, such as a search operation or a map navigation startup operation, the image analysis processing unit 305 determines that the smartphone screen should be mirrored (S601: Y), and requests mirroring data from the image analysis processing unit 305 to the smartphone 10 (S602), and the smartphone 10 transmits the mirroring data to the smart glasses 20 (S603).

[0099] Here, when the communication connection status identification processing unit 301 of the smart glasses 20 detects a poor communication state of the data communication line 2 (S604), and the communication data analysis processing unit 303 of the smart glasses 20 determines that the communication volume of the received data including the mirroring data is less than the communication volume threshold (S605: N), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 requests BLE tethering from the smartphone 10 (S606). The smartphone 10 executes the requested tethering (BLE tethering) (S608), and the smart glasses 20 share the data communication line 1 by BLE tethering (S609) and receives the mirroring data from the smartphone 10 (S610). Then, the processing of FIG. 15 ends.

[0100] On the other hand, if the communication data analysis processing unit 303 of the smart glasses 20 determines that the communication volume of the received data including the mirroring data is equal to or greater than the communication volume threshold (S605: Y), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 requests Wi-Fi tethering from the smartphone 10 (S607). The smartphone 10 executes the requested tethering (Wi-Fi tethering) (S608), and the smart glasses 20 share the data communication line 1 by Wi-Fi tethering (S611) and receives the mirroring data from the smartphone 10 (S612). Then, the processing of FIG. 15 ends. Note that if the communication status of the data communication line 2 of the smart glasses 20 is good, the smart glasses 20 receive the mirroring data from the smartphone 10 by BLE communication or Wi-Fi communication, depending on the communication volume of the received data including the mirroring data. In addition, if the communication connection status identification processing unit of the smartphone 10 detects poor communication conditions on the data communication line 1, the communication data analysis processing unit of the smartphone 10 analyzes the communication volume including the mirroring data sent by the smartphone 10 to the smart glasses 20, and the communication connection method switching processing unit of the smartphone 10 requests BLE tethering or Wi-Fi tethering from the smart glasses 20, so that the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 can share the data communication line 2.

[0101] (Condition for selecting communication connection method: set resolution of mirroring data) Figures 16 and 17 are explanatory diagrams showing an example of a process in which BLE tethering and Wi-Fi tethering are used selectively depending on the set resolution of mirroring data. Figure 18 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing (determined based on the set resolution of mirroring data) according to the fourth embodiment. Figure 18 is the same as the processing in Figure 15 except that step S620 is executed instead of S605 in Figure 15, so duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0102] As another example of the fourth embodiment, as shown in Fig. 18 , instead of step S605 in Fig. 15 , a determination is made as to whether the resolution of the mirroring data (received data) is equal to or greater than a resolution threshold (S620). For example, in Fig. 16 , the mirroring screen 410 is displayed with a low mirroring resolution setting (e.g., less than 480p). In this case, the communication data analysis processing unit 303 confirms in step S620 that the resolution setting of the mirroring data (received data) is less than the resolution threshold (e.g., 480p) and requests BLE tethering (S606).

[0103] 17, it is assumed that the mirroring screen 410 is displayed with the mirroring resolution set to a large value (for example, 480p or higher). In this case, the communication data analysis processing unit 303 confirms in step S620 that the resolution of the mirroring (received data) is equal to or higher than the resolution threshold value (S620: Y), proceeds to step S607, and requests Wi-Fi tethering.

[0104] According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, etc., it is possible to use a communication method that is suitable for the communication volume of received data including data for mirroring one display screen, particularly the resolution of the data for mirroring. Furthermore, the communication method can be controlled by the mobile terminal that sets the resolution of the data for mirroring, improving usability for the user.

[0105] (Condition for selecting communication connection method: screen size of mirrored data) Fig. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a process for selectively using BLE tethering and Wi-Fi tethering depending on the screen size of mirrored data. Fig. 20 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing (determined based on the screen size of mirrored data) according to the fourth embodiment. Fig. 20 is the same as the processing in Fig. 15 except that step S630 is executed instead of S605 in Fig. 15, and therefore a duplicated description will be omitted.

[0106] As another example of the fourth embodiment, as shown in Fig. 20 , instead of step S605 in Fig. 15 , it is determined whether the screen size of the mirroring data (received data) is equal to or larger than a screen size threshold (S630). For example, if the set resolutions of the mirroring screen 410 in Fig. 16 and the screen 421 in Fig. 19 are both less than the resolution threshold, and the size of the mirroring screen 410 in Fig. 16 is less than the screen size threshold (SD) (N in S630), a BLE tethering request is made (S606).

[0107] 19, a screen 421 in which the screen size of the mirroring is equal to or larger than SD is displayed. In this case, the communication data analysis processing unit 303 confirms in step S630 that the screen size of the mirroring (received data) is equal to or larger than the screen size threshold (S630: Y), proceeds to step S607, and requests Wi-Fi tethering.

[0108] According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, etc., it is possible to use a communication method that is suitable for the amount of communication of received data including data for mirroring one display screen, particularly the screen size for displaying the mirroring data. Furthermore, the communication method can be controlled by the mobile terminal that receives the mirroring data and displays it on its screen, improving usability for the user.

[0109] (Condition for selecting communication connection method: type of display screen of smart glasses 20) Fig. 21 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a process for selectively using BLE tethering and Wi-Fi tethering depending on the type of display screen of the smart glasses 20. Fig. 22 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing (determined based on the type of display screen of the smart glasses 20) according to the fourth embodiment. Fig. 22 is a flow following the processing of Figs. 15, 18, and 20, and starts in a state where a mirroring screen is displayed on the smart glasses 20.

[0110] In this example, as shown in Fig. 20 , when a mirroring screen 410 and a screen 431 of a built-in application of the smart glasses 20 are displayed, BLE tethering and Wi-Fi tethering are used depending on the amount of communication required for the display. Fig. 20 shows a case where one display screen (the display screen of the smartphone 10) is mirrored on the smart glasses 20, and when only the mirroring screen is displayed on the smart glasses 20, the processes of Fig. 15 , Fig. 18 , and Fig. 20 are executed.

[0111] Furthermore, when the mirroring screen 410 and the screen 431 of a built-in application of the smart glasses 20 are displayed on the smart glasses 20, Wi-Fi tethering may be used in principle, or BLE tethering and Wi-Fi tethering may be switched depending on the type of the built-in application. As an example of processing "depending on the type," whether to use BLE tethering or Wi-Fi tethering depending on the type of the built-in application may be registered in advance.

[0112] Alternatively, as shown in Figures 21 and 22, the communication data analysis processing unit 303 of the smart glasses 20 determines whether to use the built-in apps of the smart glasses 20 while displaying the mirroring screen 410 (figure) on the smart glasses 20 (S701). If only the mirroring screen 410 is displayed (corresponding to Figure 16) (S701: N), and if it is determined that the current communication connection method will not be changed and the built-in apps of the smart glasses 20 will be used while displaying the mirroring screen 410 (figure) (S701: Y), the communication data analysis processing unit 303 may compare the communication volume (corresponding to the total communication volume) for mirroring and using the built-in applications with a communication volume threshold (S702).

[0113] If the required communication volume is less than the communication volume threshold (N in S702), a BLE tethering request is made (S606), and if the required communication volume is equal to or greater than the communication volume threshold (Y in S702), the process proceeds to determining whether a data communication line is being shared by Wi-Fi tethering (S703). After that, the process from step S607 onwards is executed.

[0114] According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, etc., it is possible to use a communication connection method that is appropriate when taking into account both the communication volume for mirroring and the communication volume for using the application of the smart glasses 20.

[0115] Fifth Embodiment The fifth embodiment is an embodiment in which Wi-Fi tethering is used when performing an internet search based on an image acquired by glasses. This embodiment corresponds to an embodiment in which search processing is performed using an external server based on an image captured by a camera mounted on an information terminal. FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing example of the fifth embodiment. FIGS. 24, 25, and 26 are flowcharts showing the flow of communication control processing according to the fifth embodiment. The processes in FIGS. 24, 25, and 26 are flows that continue from the flowchart in FIG. 7. In addition, in FIGS. 24, 25, and 26, the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20 may be reversed.

[0116] 23 , when performing an internet search based on an image 441 acquired by the smart glasses 20, if the communication environment of the data communication line 2 to which the smart glasses 20 are connected is poor, the data communication line 1 is shared by Wi-Fi tethering to the smartphone 10. Also, assuming that the above will be done, Wi-Fi tethering may be performed when performing gaze detection or image acquisition with the smart glasses 20.

[0117] Therefore, as shown in Fig. 24 , an image is captured by the smart glasses 20 (S801). If an Internet search is not performed based on the image captured by the smart glasses 20 (S802: N), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 maintains the current communication connection state and ends the processing in Fig. 24 .

[0118] Furthermore, when the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 performs an Internet search based on an image captured by the smart glasses 20 (S802: Y), if it determines that the smart glasses 20 are already sharing the data communication line 1 with the smartphone 10 via Wi-Fi tethering (S803: Y), it performs an Internet search based on the image 411 using the data communication line 1 (S807), and terminates the processing of Figure 24.

[0119] Furthermore, if the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 determines that the smart glasses 20 are not sharing the data communication line 1 of the smartphone 10 through Wi-Fi tethering (S803: N), it requests Wi-Fi tethering from the smartphone 10 (S804). When the smartphone 10 performs Wi-Fi tethering (S805), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 shares the data communication line 1 through Wi-Fi tethering (S806). Thereafter, the smart glasses 20 execute a search based on the image 441 ( FIG. 23 ) (S807).

[0120] 25, as a modification of Fig. 24, if the gaze analysis processing unit 306 in the smart glasses 20 performs gaze detection (S901: Y), the processing of steps S803 to S806 is performed, and the data communication line 1 is shared by Wi-Fi tethering, and gaze detection is executed (S902). If the gaze analysis processing unit 306 does not perform gaze detection (S901: N), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 maintains the current communication connection state and ends the processing of Fig. 25.

[0121] Furthermore, when the gaze analysis processing unit 306 performs gaze detection (S901: Y), if the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 determines that the smart glasses 20 are already sharing the data communication line 1 with the smartphone 10 via Wi-Fi tethering (S803: Y), it executes gaze detection processing using the data communication line 1 (S902) and terminates the processing of Figure 25.

[0122] 26, as a modification of Fig. 24, an image is captured by the smart glasses 20 (S801), and if the image analysis processing unit 305 analyzes the captured image 411 (S1001: Y), the process goes through steps S803 to S806, shares the data communication line 1 by Wi-Fi tethering, and executes image analysis (S1002). If the image analysis processing unit 305 does not analyze the captured image 411 (S1001: N), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 maintains the current communication connection state and ends the process of Fig. 26.

[0123] Furthermore, when the image analysis processing unit 305 analyzes the image 411 (S1001: Y), if the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 determines that the smart glasses 20 are already sharing the data communication line 1 with the smartphone 10 via Wi-Fi tethering (S803: Y), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 performs image analysis of the image 411 using the data communication line 1 (S1002) and terminates the processing of Figure 26.

[0124] According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, etc., it is possible to appropriately use a communication method suitable for performing a search using the Internet. Furthermore, by controlling the communication method in advance in anticipation of performing a search using the Internet, it is possible to prevent delays and the like that would occur when switching communication methods when performing a search using the Internet.

[0125] Sixth Embodiment The sixth embodiment is an embodiment in which Wi-Fi tethering is turned on when making an emergency call. Fig. 27 is an explanatory diagram showing a processing example of the sixth embodiment. Fig. 28 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the sixth embodiment. Each process in Fig. 28 is a flow that continues from the flowchart in Fig. 7.

[0126] In this embodiment, when an emergency call is about to be made from the smart glasses 20, Wi-Fi tethering of the smart glasses 20 is turned on. Normally, a call can be made from the smartphone 10, but in an emergency, it is expected that a call will need to be made immediately, so the emergency call is made from the smart glasses 20.

[0127] 28 , when the device state identification processing unit 304 of the smart glasses 20 detects an emergency call preparation operation (S1101: Y), the process goes through steps S803 to S806, shares the data communication line 1 via Wi-Fi tethering, and executes an emergency call in the smart glasses 20 (S1102). Here, the "emergency call preparation operation" may be, for example, as shown in FIG. 27 , displaying an emergency call button 451 on the display 219 of the smart glasses 20, inputting a voice command such as "emergency call," "110," or "119" from the microphone 221 of the smart glasses 20, or detecting a gesture requesting an emergency call. Furthermore, when the outer camera 211 of the smart glasses 20 detects an image of the user 5 performing an emergency call preparation operation using the smartphone 10, the device state identification processing unit 304 may forcibly switch the smart glasses 20 to Wi-Fi tethering.

[0128] According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment and the like, when an emergency call needs to be made quickly, it is possible to make an emergency call from both the smart glasses 20 and the smartphone 10.

[0129] Seventh Embodiment The seventh embodiment is an embodiment in which BLE tethering is performed when the outside temperature or the internal temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. FIGS. 29 and 30 are explanatory diagrams showing a processing example of the seventh embodiment. FIG. 31 is a flowchart showing the flow of communication control processing according to the seventh embodiment. The flow of FIG. 31 is a flow continuing from the flow of FIG. 7.

[0130] 29 , when an information terminal (smartphone 10 and smart glasses 20) is used outdoors on a cloudy day, direct sunlight is not very strong and the outside temperature is not likely to be very high. Therefore, the internal temperature of each information terminal is not likely to be high, and there is not much concern about the load on the battery installed in the information terminal being overloaded due to the temperature environment. Therefore, the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 executes the first to sixth communication connection method processes.

[0131] 30 , when using information terminals (smartphone 10 and smart glasses 20) outdoors, such as on a clear summer day with strong direct sunlight, the outside temperature becomes high, and the internal temperature of each information terminal also becomes high. Therefore, it is expected that the battery installed in the information terminal will be exposed to a high-temperature environment and will be subjected to a heavy load. Therefore, in high-temperature environments, the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 forcibly adopts BLE tethering to reduce the load on the battery, regardless of the first to sixth communication connection method processes.

[0132] Therefore, before starting the processing of Fig. 31 , the thermosensor 218 of the smart glasses 20 measures the outside air temperature and the internal temperature of the device, and stores them in the memory 228 as outside air temperature information 316 and internal temperature information 317. The outside air temperature analysis processing unit 307 of the smart glasses 20 reads the outside air temperature information 316 and determines whether the current outside air temperature is below a predetermined outside air temperature threshold. Furthermore, the internal temperature analysis processing unit 308 of the smart glasses 20 reads the internal temperature information 317 and determines whether the current internal temperature of the smart glasses 20 is below a predetermined internal temperature threshold (corresponding to a first internal temperature threshold) (S1201). If the outside air temperature is below the outside air temperature threshold and the internal temperature is below the internal temperature threshold (S1201: N), the processing of Fig. 31 ends without forcibly switching to BLE tethering due to the temperature environment.

[0133] If the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the outside air temperature threshold or the internal temperature is equal to or higher than the internal temperature threshold (S1201: Y), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 refers to the communication connection status information 311 and checks whether the smart glasses 20 are sharing the data communication line 1 to which the smartphone 10 is connected via BLE tethering (S1202). If the smart glasses 20 are already sharing the data communication line 1 (S1202: Y), the processing of FIG. 31 ends without forcibly switching to BLE tethering due to the temperature environment. If the smart glasses 20 are not yet sharing the data communication line 1 (S1202: N), the communication connection method switching processing unit 302 requests BLE tethering from the smartphone 10 (S1203), and the smartphone 10 executes BLE tethering (S1204). As a result, the smart glasses 20 perform BLE tethering with the smartphone 10 and share the data communication line 1.

[0134] In the above description, the smart glasses 20 performed the determination process of step S1201 using the outside temperature information 316 and the internal temperature information 317 measured using the thermosensor 218 mounted on the smart glasses 20. However, the smart glasses 20 may receive the outside temperature information and the internal temperature information of the smartphone 10 measured by the thermosensor 118 mounted on the smartphone 10 via BLE communication or Wi-Fi communication, compare these with the outside temperature threshold and the internal temperature threshold, and perform the process of step S1201. In this case, the internal temperature threshold to be compared with the internal temperature of the smartphone 10 may be different from the internal temperature threshold to be compared with the internal temperature of the smart glasses 20. Furthermore, when the internal temperature of the smartphone 10 is equal to or higher than a predetermined internal temperature threshold (corresponding to a second internal temperature threshold), the smart glasses 20 may also switch to low-speed device-to-device communication. As a result, since the heat dissipation efficiency and the like differ between the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20, a comparison with an internal temperature threshold appropriate for each information terminal can be performed.

[0135] According to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment and the like, it is possible to take into consideration the temperature environment and reduce the load on the batteries of both the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20. Furthermore, if the temperature measurement result of one mobile terminal is reflected in the control of both the smartphone 10 and the smart glasses 20, it is also possible to deal with the case where one mobile terminal is unable to measure the temperature.

[0136] In the above embodiment, an example in which a user uses two mobile terminals, a first information terminal and a second information terminal, has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and may also be applied to a case in which a user uses three or more information terminals. It is also desirable to store in advance in a memory a priority table that defines the order in which multiple information terminals should be connected. In this case, for example, in S206 of FIG. 7 , BLE tethering is requested based on the priorities defined in the priority table. The priority table may not be limited to one combination of priorities, and multiple combinations may be set. For example, the monthly communication usage volume of each information terminal may be compared with a usage threshold that reaches a predetermined communication usage fee, and the priority of the information terminal that has reached the threshold may be lowered or changed to the lowest priority. Communication control may then be performed, such as requesting BLE tethering based on the combination corresponding to the changed priority. This control can reduce increases in communication usage fees.

[0137] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with another embodiment. It is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. These all fall within the scope of the present invention, and the numerical values, messages, etc. appearing in the text and figures are merely examples, and the use of different ones does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0138] Furthermore, some or all of the functions of the invention may be implemented in hardware, for example, by designing them using an integrated circuit, a general-purpose processor, or an application-specific processor. A processor includes transistors and other circuits and is considered circuitry or processing circuitry. A microprocessor unit, processor, or the like may also be implemented in software by interpreting and executing an operating program. The scope of software implementation is not limited, and hardware and software may be used together. Information such as programs, tables, and files that realize each function may be stored in memory, a recording device such as a hard disk or SSD (Solid State Drive), or a recording medium such as an IC card, SD card, or DVD, or may be stored in a device on a communication network. Furthermore, control lines and information lines are shown as necessary for explanation, and do not necessarily represent all control lines and information lines in the product. In reality, it can be assumed that almost all components are interconnected.

[0139] The above-described embodiments include the following inventions: (Supplementary Note 1) An information terminal comprising: a processor, a low-speed inter-device communication interface for performing low-speed inter-device communication with another information terminal, a high-speed inter-device communication interface for performing low-speed inter-device communication with the other information terminal, and a data communication interface, wherein when the processor detects that the information terminal cannot connect to a first data communication line via the data communication interface, the processor determines whether to connect to the other information terminal via the low-speed inter-device communication or the high-speed inter-device communication, and when connecting via the low-speed inter-device communication, connects to the other information terminal via the low-speed inter-device communication interface and shares a second data communication line via which the other information terminal is connected for communication, and when connecting via the high-speed inter-device communication, connects to the other information terminal via the high-speed inter-device communication interface and shares the second data communication line via which the other information terminal is connected for communication. (Supplementary Note 2) A communication control method for an information terminal, wherein, when a processor detects that it is unable to connect to a first data communication line via a data communication interface provided in the information terminal, it determines whether to connect to another information terminal via low-speed device-to-device communication or high-speed device-to-device communication, and if connecting via the low-speed device-to-device communication, it connects to the other information terminal via the low-speed device-to-device communication interface provided in the information terminal and shares the second data communication line through which the other information terminal is connected for communication, and if connecting via the high-speed device-to-device communication, it connects to the other information terminal via the high-speed device-to-device communication interface provided in the information terminal and shares the second data communication line through which the other information terminal is connected for communication.

[0140] 1: Data communication line 2: Data communication line 5: User 6: Server 10: Smartphone 20: Smart glasses 111: Outer camera 112: Inner camera 113: Distance measurement sensor 114: Positioning sensor 115: Acceleration sensor 116: Gyro sensor 117: Geomagnetic sensor 118: Thermosensor 119: Display 121: Microphone 122: Speaker 123: Operation I / F 124: Timer 125: Processor 126: Program 127: Data 128: Memory 130: Communication I / F 131: Low-speed inter-device communication I / F 132: High-speed inter-device communication I / F 133: Data communication line I / F 134: Antenna 135: First SIM card 140 : Bus 211 : Outer camera 212 : Inner camera 213 : Distance measurement sensor 214 : Positioning sensor 215 : Acceleration sensor 216 : Gyro sensor 217 : Geomagnetic sensor 218 : Thermosensor 219 : Display 221 : Microphone 222 : Speaker 223 : Operation I / F 224 : Timer 225 : Processor 226 : Program 227 : Data 228 : Memory 229 : Open / close sensor 230 : Communication I / F 231 : Low-speed inter-device communication I / F 232 : High-speed inter-device communication I / F 233 : Data communication line I / F 234 : Antenna 235 : Second SIM card 300 : Communication control program 301 : Communication connection status identification processing unit 302 : Communication connection method switching processing unit 303 : Communication data analysis processing unit 304 : Device state identification processing unit 305 : Image analysis processing unit 306 : Line of sight analysis processing unit 307 : Outside temperature analysis processing unit 308 : Internal temperature analysis processing unit 311 : Communication connection state information 312 : Communication connection method information 313 : Communication data information 314 : Device state information 315 : Image information 316 : Outside temperature information 317 : Internal temperature information 401 : URL402: Map navigation screen 410: Mirroring screen 411: Image 421: Screen 431: Screen 441: Image 451: Emergency call button

Claims

1. An information terminal comprising: a processor; a low-speed inter-device communication interface for performing low-speed inter-device communication with another information terminal; a high-speed inter-device communication interface for performing high-speed inter-device communication with said other information terminal; and a data communication interface, wherein when said processor detects that said information terminal cannot connect to a first data communication line via said data communication interface, said processor determines whether to connect to said other information terminal via said low-speed inter-device communication or said high-speed inter-device communication, and when connecting via said low-speed inter-device communication, said processor connects to said other information terminal via said low-speed inter-device communication interface and shares a second data communication line through which said other information terminal is connected for communication, and when connecting via said high-speed inter-device communication, said processor connects to said other information terminal via said high-speed inter-device communication interface and shares the second data communication line through which said other information terminal is connected for communication.

2. An information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first data communication line to which said information terminal is connected and the second data communication line to which said other information terminal is connected are data communication lines provided by a different communication carrier.

3. An information terminal as described in claim 2, wherein, when the processor detects that the other information terminal cannot connect to the second data communication line, it determines whether to connect to the other information terminal via the low-speed inter-device communication or the high-speed inter-device communication, and when connecting via the low-speed inter-device communication, it connects to the other information terminal via the low-speed inter-device communication interface and shares the first data communication line with the other information terminal, and when connecting via the high-speed inter-device communication, it connects to the other information terminal via the high-speed inter-device communication interface and shares the first data communication line with the other information terminal.

4. An information terminal as described in claim 1, wherein the processor, when sharing the second data communication line with the other information terminal, determines to connect to the other information terminal via the low-speed device-to-device communication if the communication volume of the received data from the other information terminal is less than a predetermined communication volume threshold, and determines to connect to the other information terminal via the high-speed device-to-device communication if the communication volume of the received data is equal to or greater than the communication volume threshold.

5. An information terminal as described in claim 1, wherein, when the processor is sharing the second data communication line with the other information terminal and only internal data recorded in the other information terminal is to be received from the other information terminal, the processor cancels the sharing of the second data communication line and connects to the other information terminal via the low-speed inter-device communication or the high-speed inter-device communication to receive the internal data.

6. An information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the information terminal is smart glasses equipped with a spectacle-type frame, the smart glasses further comprising: openable and closable temples equipped on the spectacle-type frame; an open / close sensor that detects the open / closed state of the temples; and a wearing sensor that detects whether the smart glasses are being worn by a user, wherein the processor maintains sharing of the second data communication line when it determines that the smart glasses are not being worn based on sensor information from the wearing sensor and that the temples are open based on sensor information from the open / close sensor, and releases sharing of the second data communication line when it determines that the smart glasses are not being worn and that the temples are closed based on sensor information from the open / close sensor.

7. An information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the information terminal is smart glasses with a spectacle-type frame, the smart glasses further comprising: openable temples provided on the spectacle-type frame; an open / close sensor that detects the open / closed state of the temples; and a wearing sensor that detects whether the smart glasses are being worn by a user; wherein the processor, when determining that the temples are open based on sensor information from the open / close sensor, establishes a communication connection to the other information terminal via the low-speed inter-device communication and shares the second data communication line; when determining that the smart glasses are not being worn based on sensor information from the wearing sensor, establishes a communication connection to the other information terminal via the low-speed inter-device communication and maintains the state of sharing the second data communication line; and when determining that the smart glasses are being worn, decides to switch from the low-speed inter-device communication to the high-speed inter-device communication.

8. An information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the processor acquires mirroring data of a screen displayed on the other information terminal, and if the set resolution of the mirroring data is less than a predetermined resolution threshold, determines to connect via the low-speed inter-device communication, and if the set resolution of the mirroring data is equal to or greater than the resolution threshold, determines to connect via the high-speed inter-device communication.

9. An information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the processor acquires mirroring data of a screen displayed on the other information terminal, and if the screen size of the mirroring data is less than a predetermined screen size threshold, determines to connect via the low-speed device-to-device communication, and if the screen size of the mirroring data is equal to or greater than the screen size threshold, determines to connect via the high-speed device-to-device communication.

10. An information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the processor acquires data including mirroring data of a screen displayed on the other information terminal, and if the total communication volume of the communication volume for executing an application built into the information terminal and the communication volume of data including the mirroring data is less than a predetermined communication volume threshold, determines to connect using the low-speed device-to-device communication, and if the total communication volume is equal to or greater than the communication volume threshold, determines to connect using the high-speed device-to-device communication.

11. An information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a camera, wherein the processor, upon receiving an operation to execute a search process using an external server based on an image captured by the camera, determines to connect to the other information terminal via the high-speed device-to-device communication.

12. An information terminal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information terminal is a head-mounted information terminal and further comprises an eye gaze sensor that detects the gaze of a user of the head-mounted information terminal, and the processor determines to connect to the other information terminal via the high-speed device-to-device communication when performing eye gaze detection processing of the user based on sensor information from the eye gaze sensor.

13. An information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a camera, wherein the processor determines to connect to the other information terminal via the high-speed device-to-device communication when performing analysis processing of an image captured by the camera.

14. An information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the processor, when determining that the user of the information terminal is preparing to make an emergency call, decides to connect to the other information terminal via the high-speed device-to-device communication.

15. An information terminal as described in claim 1, further comprising a thermosensor that measures the outside air temperature or the internal temperature of the information terminal, wherein the processor, when determining based on sensor information from the thermosensor that the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined outside air temperature threshold, the internal temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined first internal temperature threshold, or, upon obtaining internal temperature information of the other information terminal from the other information terminal, the internal temperature of the other information terminal is equal to or higher than a predetermined second internal temperature threshold, decides to connect with the other information terminal via the low-speed device-to-device communication.

Images