# US 9,753,116 B2 · Information processing apparatus, method and information processing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,753,116 B2 - Document ID: US9753116B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/462,913 - Filed: 2014-08-19 - Published: 2015-02-26 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2013-08-22 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Takeshi Ejima - Inventors: Takeshi Ejima - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9753116B2 ## CPC - G01S 19/17: Emergency applications - H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information - G01S 19/13: Receivers - G01S 19/48: by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system - H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services - H04W 4/90: Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] - H04W 4/06: Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract An information processing apparatus capable of detecting an emergency signal includes a first obtainment unit configured to obtain positional information representing a current position of the information processing apparatus; a selection unit configured to select one of a plurality of broadcast stations using the positional information obtained by the first obtainment unit; a reception unit configured to receive a radio wave signal at a frequency of the broadcast station selected by the selection unit; and a first output unit configured to output an audio signal obtained by demodulating the radio wave signal received by the reception unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing apparatus configured to detect an emergency signal, the apparatus comprising: processing circuitry configured to obtain positional information representing a current position of the information processing apparatus, and select one of a plurality of broadcast stations using the obtained positional information; and a receiver configured to receive a radio wave signal at a frequency of the selected broadcast station, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to output an audio signal obtained by demodulating the radio wave signal received by the receiver. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to adjust an output volume of the output audio signal, and detect the emergency signal included in the audio signal, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to output the audio signal with the output volume being greater when the emergency signal is detected than when the emergency signal is not detected. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to calculate distances between the current position indicated by the positional information and positions of the broadcast stations, respectively, and select the broadcast station having the minimum distance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to obtain a signal-to-noise ratio of a radio wave broadcast being received, wherein, when the obtained signal-to-noise ratio is less than a threshold, the processing circuitry is configured to select another of the broadcast stations having the signal-to-noise ratio greater than or equal to the threshold, and having the minimum distance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to output at least one of a name and a frequency of the selected broadcast station. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to output a message when any of the broadcast stations does not have the signal-to-noise ratio greater than or equal to the threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to output a message when the signal-to-noise ratio of the radio wave broadcast being received by the receiver becomes less than the threshold. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to make the output volume greater for a certain period after the broadcast station is selected than the output volume set before the broadcast station is selected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to obtain the positional information using a positioning signal transmitted from a GPS satellite or an IMES transmitter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to transmit the positional information representing the current position of the information processing apparatus to an information providing device to receive information about candidates of the broadcast stations, depending on the position indicated by the positional information. ### Claim 11 A method executed by an information processing apparatus configured to detect an emergency signal, the method comprising: obtaining positional information representing a current position of the information processing apparatus; selecting one of a plurality of broadcast stations using the obtained positional information; and receiving a radio wave signal at a frequency of the selected broadcast station. ### Claim 12 An information processing system comprising: an information processing apparatus configured to detect an emergency signal; and an information providing device configured to communicate with the information processing apparatus, wherein the information processing apparatus includes processing circuitry configured to obtain positional information representing a current position of the information processing apparatus, a first transmitter configured to transmit the positional information obtained by the processing circuitry to the information providing device, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select one of a plurality of broadcast stations using the obtained positional information, and a receiver configured to receive a radio wave signal at a frequency of the selected broadcast station, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to output an audio signal obtained by demodulating the received radio wave signal, and the information providing device includes a second transmitter configured to transmit information indicating candidates of the broadcast stations generated based on the positional information received from the first transmitter, back to the information processing apparatus. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory storing broadcast station positional information of each of the plurality of broadcast stations, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select the one of the plurality of broadcast stations using the obtained positional information and the stored broadcast station positional information.