# US 8,542,389 B2 · Location-based information > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,542,389 B2 - Document ID: US8542389B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/101,471 - Filed: 2011-05-05 - Published: 2011-08-25 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2005-03-11 - Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Yuji Sato; Masatoshi Kokubo; Kazuma Aoki; Yukihiko Sato; Satoru Yanagi; Masanori Oda - Inventors: Yuji Sato; Masatoshi Kokubo; Kazuma Aoki; Yukihiko Sato; Satoru Yanagi; Masanori Oda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8542389B2 ## CPC - G09F 27/005: {Signs associated with a sensor} - G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)} - G09G 2320/0261: in the context of movement of objects on the screen or movement of the observer relative to the screen - G09G 2320/068: for control of viewing angle adjustment - G09G 2340/04: Changes in size, position or resolution of an image - G09F: DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) ## Abstract In response to a positional relationship (distance, or a combination of distance and angle) between an information output unit and a user who uses information displayed in the display unit, a control unit changes the amount of information to be displayed in the display unit based on an information level, the number of pieces of information, a scrolling speed or a cycle. In some aspects, the control unit controls the information output unit to increase the amount of information to be output when the user is close to the display unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information output apparatus, comprising: an output device configured to output information; a memory configured to store a map representing a relationship between a plurality of areas and two or more classes, each of the plurality of areas corresponding to a class of the two or more classes; and a controller configured to perform: determining an area in which a user is located from among the plurality of areas; specifying, with reference to the map, a class corresponding to the determined area and controlling the output device to output information that varies depending on the specified class; wherein the information varies in terms of at least one of (i) a degree of detail of information, (ii) a number of pieces of information, (iii) a scrolling speed of information, and (iv) a switching cycle of information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two or more classes are designated in response to an environment surrounding the output device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The information output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information varies in terms of a degree of detail of information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The information output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information varies in terms of a number of pieces of information. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The information output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information varies in terms of a scrolling speed of information. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The information output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information varies in terms of a switching cycle of information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The information output apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the information varies in terms of a degree of detail of information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The information output apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the information varies in terms of a number of pieces of information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The information output apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the information varies in terms of a scrolling speed of information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The information output apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the information varies in terms of a switching cycle of information. ### Claim 11 An information control system, comprising: a controller configured to perform: determining whether a user has remained in a first area for a predetermined period; and controlling an output device to modify an amount of information outputted by the output device based on whether said user has remained in said first area for said predetermined period. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) An information control system according to claim 11, further comprising: memory configured to store a map representing a relationship between a plurality of areas, including the first area, and two or more classes, wherein the two or more classes are designated in response to an environment surrounding the output device, and wherein the amount of information outputted by the output device is further based on a particular class, from among the two or more classes, corresponding to the first area. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The information control system according to claim 12, wherein no amount of information is outputted when the first area is an area from which a user cannot view information on the output device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The information control system according to claim 11, wherein the controller comprises: at least one processor; and memory configured to store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the controller to perform the controlling and the determining. ### Claim 15 An information output apparatus, comprising: an output device configured to output information; at least one processor; and memory configured to: store a map representing a relationship between a plurality of areas and two or more classes, which are designated in response to an environment surrounding the output device, each of the plurality of areas corresponding to a class of the two or more classes; and store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the information output apparatus to perform: determining an area in which a user is located from among the plurality of areas; specifying, with reference to the map, a class corresponding to the determined area; and controlling the output device to output information that varies depending on the specified class.