Drinking dramatization glass, storage medium and remote toast counter system

A drinking dramatization glass includes: a glass body being a bottomed cylinder body having a curved part that curves in the horizontal direction as well as a top opening; a fixing mechanism for fixing a video display device on the glass body; and an image aspect ratio control part for changing the aspect ratio of an image on the video display device. The drinking dramatization glass is configured to compensate for a horizontal distortion of images viewed through the drink in the glass.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Phase under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application PCT/JP2020/045696, filed Dec. 8, 2020, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. JP2020-070070, filed Mar. 23, 2020. The International Application was published under PCT Article 21(2) in a language other than English.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a drinking dramatization glass for displaying images free of the distortion that would otherwise be caused by the lens effect of water or other drink inside its drinking container.

BACKGROUND ART

Glasses have been developed that offer various functions in addition to containing drinks.

For example, Patent Literatures 1 to 3 disclose drinking dramatization glasses invented by the inventor of the invention under the present application for patent. These drinking dramatization glasses each comprise: a glass body; a storage part extending from the bottom part, toward the interior side, of the glass body for storing a mobile communication device; and a waveguide part extending from the side face, toward the interior side, of the glass body for letting the radio waves from the mobile communication device pass through. These drinking dramatization glasses can communicate wirelessly by outputting the radio waves from the mobile communication device to the exterior via the waveguide part, even when a drink is filled in the glass body.

Patent Literature 4 discloses a drinking dramatization glass invented by the inventor of the invention under the present application for patent. This drinking dramatization glass comprises a video display device fixed on the side face of the glass, as well as a reflective mirror placed inside the glass body, so that the glass can achieve a dramatization effect of projecting a pseudo-image inside the glass based on the image on the video display device.

BACKGROUND ART LITERATURE

Patent Literature

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

However, regular cups and beer mugs, including the aforementioned drinking dramatization glasses according to Patent Literatures 1 to 4, have a cylindrical or near-cylindrical shape whose side face is always curved in the horizontal direction, which means that when the user views an image projected from the interior or side face of the drinking container through the drink inside the drinking container, the image is inevitably distorted into one magnified in the horizontal direction.

In light of the aforementioned problems, one object of the present invention is to provide a drinking dramatization glass with a built-in mechanism for compensating for the horizontal distortion of images viewed through the drink in the glass, so that the images will not become magnified only in the horizontal direction or lateral direction and consequently distorted.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a remote toast counter system using such drinking dramatization glass, and a storage medium in which a program used with such drinking dramatization glass is recorded.

Means for Solving the Problems

The drinking dramatization glass proposed by the present invention comprises: a glass body being a bottomed cylinder body having a curved part that curves in the horizontal direction, as well as a top opening; a fixing mechanism for fixing a video display device on the glass body; and an image aspect ratio control part for changing the aspect ratio of an image on the video display device; wherein such drinking dramatization glass is characterized in that the image aspect ratio control part compensates for the horizontal magnification of the image caused by the drink inside the glass body.

Additionally, it is characterized in that it has a lens as the image aspect ratio control part and the radius of curvature of the lens in the horizontal direction is greater than its radius of curvature in the vertical direction.

Additionally, it is characterized in that it has a lens-distance adjustment mechanism for adjusting the distance between the lens and the video display device.

Additionally, it is characterized in that the lens has an infinitely large radius of curvature in the horizontal direction.

Additionally, it is characterized in that the lens is a minus lens that reduces an image on the video display device in the horizontal direction.

Additionally, it is characterized in that it has, as the image aspect ratio control part, a squeezed-image generator for generating a squeezed image which is an image that has been compressed in the horizontal direction.

Additionally, it is characterized in that the video display device constitutes a part of a mobile communication device and the squeezed-image generator represents computer software built into the mobile communication device.

Additionally, it is characterized in that it has, as the fixing mechanism, and inside the glass body, a storage part in which the video display device is stored.

Additionally, it is characterized in that it has a lid for closing off the top opening.

The remote toast counter system proposed by the present invention comprises: the aforementioned drinking dramatization glass; the aforementioned mobile communication device; an external server computer; and a user operation detection part; wherein such remote toast counter system is characterized in that the user operation detection part detects, based on data output from an acceleration sensor or camera sensor in the mobile communication device, that the user has moved or tilted the glass body or clinked it against other object (hereinafter referred to as “user operation”) and then transmits an output signal to the external server computer, while the external server computer receives the output signal, counts the number of times such signal has been received, and records the result as a cumulative number of toasting operations, so that the user can view the cumulative number of toasting operations.

The storage medium proposed by the present invention is a storage medium in which a computer program used with the aforementioned drinking dramatization glass is saved, wherein such storage medium is characterized in that the computer program generates a squeezed image which is an image output to the aforementioned video display device that has been compressed in the horizontal direction.

Effects of the Invention

The drinking dramatization glass proposed by the present invention can function with every glass, cup, beer mug, or other drinking container having a cylindrical or near-cylindrical shape, by canceling the lens effect in the horizontal direction of any cylindrically shaped drink (liquid) inside the drinking container. Accordingly, use of the drinking dramatization glass proposed by the present invention allows for viewing, through the drink inside the drinking container, an image on the video display device fixed on the side face of or inside the drinking container, in the original aspect ratio of the image. This effect is particularly notable with images that contain text.

Because of the fixing mechanism for fixing the video display device, the video display device on the side face of the glass will not drop off when the glass is moved or clinked for a toast, or the glass is tilted.

The drinking dramatization glass proposed by the present invention has, as the image aspect ratio control part, the squeezed-image generator for generating a squeezed image which is an image that has been compressed in the horizontal direction, where any image that has been compressed in the horizontal direction produces blank spaces. This allows other squeezed image or images to be inserted in the blank space(s) so that two or more images can be projected in the horizontal direction through the drinking container. It should be noted that, if the squeezed-image generator is implemented as computer software built into the mobile communication device, an image on this mobile communication device can be viewed through the drink inside the drinking container in its original aspect ratio.

Use of the drinking dramatization glass proposed by the present invention allows for building of a remote toast counter system that counts and displays a number of toasts made at remote locations by drinking containers of various shapes.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The first embodiment of the drinking dramatization glass proposed by the present invention is presented below using the drawings.

As shown inFIG.1, the drinking dramatization glass1roughly comprises: a glass body10being a bottomed cylinder having a curved part13that curves in the horizontal direction, as well as a top opening11; a fixing mechanism14for fixing a video display device80on the glass body10; and an image aspect ratio control part20for changing the aspect ratio of an image82on the video display device80.

The fixing mechanism14is a fixing mechanism for fixing the video display device80on the glass body10, where, inFIG.1, one that combines a clamp mechanism15for clamping the end part of the top opening11and a fixing frame17on which U-shaped metal fittings18are provided is used. The fixing mechanism14used may be a fixing mechanism of any type so long as it can fix the video display device80on the glass body10, and the fixing mechanism14may also be one that combines a screw mechanism, suction cup, etc. The material of the fixing mechanism14is not limited in any way, but a transparent material is desired in that it will not block the video display surface81of the video display device80.

The image aspect ratio control part20is provided to prevent the image82on the video display device80from becoming magnified only in the horizontal direction and consequently distorted as it passes through the cylindrically shaped drink L inside the drinking dramatization glass1. It should be noted that one possible method for the image aspect ratio control part20is to use a sheet-shaped (or film-shaped) lens comprising a sheet (or film) embossed with a Fresnel lens pattern. In the example ofFIG.1, an optical lens21is used as the image aspect ratio control part20. The lens21has been processed to magnify the image only in the vertical direction (or longitudinal direction), so the image82is magnified only in the vertical direction, just like the image83inFIG.1, as it passes through the lens21. As it passes through the drink L via the lens21, the image82is prevented from becoming magnified only in the horizontal direction (or lateral direction) and consequently distorted (that is, the image83that has been magnified in the vertical direction is generated using the lens21in order to make the aspect ratio of the image82identical to that of the image84that has passed through the drinking dramatization glass1). The material of the lens21is possibly transparent glass, acrylic, etc. In the example ofFIG.1, the lens21is placed at a position between the video display device80and the drinking dramatization glass1; however, the placement position of the lens21is not limited in any way so long as the image82on the video display device80can be projected on it at its position. It should be noted that, regarding the method for implementing the image aspect ratio control part20, a digital technique that applies image squeeze compression software is also a possibility, in addition to an analog technique that uses an optical lens like the lens21inFIG.1. Details will be explained in the other embodiment mentioned below.

It should be noted that the drinking dramatization glass1proposed by the present invention is assumed to be a bottomed cylinder body, just like any regular beer mug. The drinking dramatization glass1may also be shaped like a cup without the handle12inFIG.1.

It should be noted that, in the example ofFIG.1, the drinking dramatization glass1(or glass body10) is assumed to be entirely made of transparent glass or transparent resin, just like any regular glass; under the present invention, however, the glass body10need not be entirely transparent, and so long as the glass body10has on its side face at least one transparent area that lets images pass through, the remaining parts may not be transparent.

To explain the details of the lens21, the lens effect in the horizontal direction caused by the liquid or drink in the drinking container is explained first.

Just like in any regular beer mug or cup, the drink L inside the drinking dramatization glass1(or glass body10) being a bottomed cylinder body having the curved part13that curves in the horizontal direction, inevitably has a cylindrical or near-cylindrical shape as shown inFIG.1andFIG.2. Since the cylindrical shape does not curve in the vertical direction, the drink L is deemed to have an infinitely large radius of curvature in vertical direction RV, as shown inFIG.2. On the other hand, the drink L is circularly curved in the horizontal direction, which means that its radius of curvature in horizontal direction RH is always a finite value (in the case of a regular size glass, the radius of curvature RH of the drink L is anywhere from several centimeters to 10 centimeters or so). In other words, the drink L has a radius of curvature in vertical direction RV that is significantly greater than its radius of curvature in horizontal direction RH. It is known that the magnification factor of an optical lens becomes greater as the radius of curvature of the lens becomes smaller (for details, refer to technical books on lens formulas and optical science), and also because the optical refraction index of water is greater than that of air, the image85that passes only through the drink L inside the drinking dramatization glass1is magnified only in the horizontal direction and consequently distorted significantly, as shown inFIG.2(to put it differently, the image is distorted as the drink L acts as a lens that magnifies it only in the horizontal direction).

The lens21used as the image aspect ratio control part20is a lens whose image magnification factor in the vertical direction is greater than its image magnification factor in the horizontal direction, or specifically a double-convex lens (or plano-convex lens) whose radius of curvature in horizontal direction RH is greater than its radius of curvature in vertical direction RV, as shown inFIG.3. As a result, the lens effect in the horizontal direction caused by the drink L can be cancelled out by placing the lens21between the video display device80and the drinking dramatization glass1. This means that, by using the lens21having an appropriate image magnification factor in the vertical direction, the user U can view through the drink the distortion-free image84that has been magnified equally in the horizontal direction and vertical direction, as shown inFIG.1.

There is one very important point regarding the lens21that requires caution, which is that a standard lens whose radius of curvature in horizontal direction RH is equal to its radius of curvature in vertical direction RV must not be used as the lens21. This is because a standard lens having equal magnification factors in the horizontal direction and vertical direction cannot change the aspect ratio of the image82and thus theoretically is unable to cancel any horizontal distortion therein caused by the drink L. Accordingly, for the lens21, a lens whose radius of curvature in horizontal direction RH is greater than its radius of curvature in vertical direction RV (that is, a special lens whose image magnification factor in the vertical direction is greater than its image magnification factor in the horizontal direction) must be used. In an extreme example, a lens that magnifies only in the vertical direction, or specifically a lens whose radius of curvature in horizontal direction RH is infinitely large, may also be used as the lens21.

It should be noted that the form of the lens21does not matter so long as the magnification factor of the lens is greater in the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction. A sheet-shaped Fresnel lens comprising a sheet pressed with a pattern of a lens (whose magnification factor is greater in the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction) may be used as the lens21. A sheet embossed with a Fresnel lens pattern may be attached to the side face of the glass body10. A Fresnel lens pattern may be embossed directly on the side face of the glass body10.

As can be understood from the principle of magnifying glass, generally the greater the distance between the optical lens and the object, the greater the factor by which the object is magnified (for details, refer to technical books on lens formulas and optical science). Accordingly, the factor by which the image84is magnified in the vertical direction can be controlled by providing on the drinking dramatization glass1a lens distance adjustment mechanism23for adjusting the distance d between the video display device80and the lens21, as shown inFIG.4. By using the lens distance adjustment mechanism23, the user U can find an optimal distance d (or magnification factor in the vertical direction) that cancels out the distortion caused by the lens effect of the drink L. Additionally, by using the lens distance adjustment mechanism23, the user U can adjust the magnification factor of the lens21according to the diameter of the drinking dramatization glass1and type of the drink L.

It should be noted that, as shown inFIG.5, a minus lens22that reduces or compresses images in the horizontal direction may be placed between the video display device80and the drink L instead of the lens21. The minus lens22, which is a plano-concave lens (or double-concave lens) with concave-shaped horizontal cross-section whose image magnification factor in the horizontal direction is smaller than 1, is used to compensate for the horizontal magnification of images caused by the drink L.

It should be noted that, in addition to using only one lens21or minus lens22, multiple lenses may be placed next to each other, in which case focus adjustment becomes of greater concern and thus one separate lens for adjusting the focus may be inserted.

FIG.6presents perspective views showing examples of drinking dramatization glasses of different shapes.

As shown inFIG.6(a), a storage part19may be provided inside the glass body10as the fixing mechanism14for fixing the video display device80. The advantage of this method is that, since the video display device80is not on the exterior side, no damage occurs to the video display device80during toasting operations as the drinking dramatization glass1comes in contact with other glasses.

It should be noted that, as for its shape, the drinking dramatization glass1may not only have a regular beer mug shape, but it may also have a bottle shape having a lid30for closing off the top opening11, as shown inFIG.6(b).

The second embodiment of the drinking dramatization glass proposed by the present invention is presented below using the drawings, where locations that are constitutionally identical to the corresponding locations in the drinking dramatization glass1in the aforementioned first embodiment are denoted using the same symbols, and not explained.

In this embodiment, a squeezed-image generator200is used, instead of the lens21, as the image aspect ratio control part20, as shown inFIG.7. The squeezed-image generator200generates, from the data of the image82on the video display device80, and by computer image processing, a squeezed image201that has been compressed or reduced in the horizontal direction, as shown inFIG.8(in other words, the squeezed-image generator inFIG.7acts in the exact same manner as the minus lens22inFIG.5explained in the aforementioned first embodiment).

Since the squeezed image201is an image that corresponds to the original image82but is already reduced in the horizontal direction, the horizontal magnification of the image caused by the drink L can be compensated for, as shown inFIG.7.

The squeezed-image generator200may be implemented in a dedicated IC chip installed in the drinking dramatization glass1, or it may be implemented as software on an external server computer. Additionally, if the video display device80is a part of a mobile communication device300, as shown inFIG.7, then the squeezed-image generator200may be implemented as computer software built into the mobile communication device300.

It should be noted that, for the algorithm for generating the squeezed image201compressed in the horizontal direction, any known algorithm built into an LD player, DVD player or photo retouching software may be used.

FIG.9shows a flowchart of a computer program for generating or outputting the squeezed image201by compressing the image82in the horizontal direction (lateral direction).

In STEP1, data of the original image82that has not been compressed in the horizontal direction is loaded from the memory of the computer in the video display device80or mobile communication device300. In STEP2, the image82is compressed in the horizontal direction (lateral direction) to create the squeezed image201. Then, in STEP3, this squeezed image201is output to the video display device80or mobile communication device300.

It should be noted that the computer program represented by the flowchart shown inFIG.9may be saved in a flash memory, DRAM, magnetic storage medium, optical storage medium or other known storage medium. It may also be installed (saved) in the memory of the mobile communication device300in the form of application software.

It should be noted that generating the squeezed image201being the image82compressed or reduced in the horizontal direction inevitably creates blank spaces (English: pillarbox)202on the left and right of the image, corresponding to how much of it was compressed, as shown inFIG.8. Other squeezed images may be embedded in these blank spaces202, and by applying this principle, an image comprising two or three screens-worth of images can be projected through the drinking dramatization glass1.

It should be noted that the image82and squeezed image201may be an image in an individual frame constituting a video.

[Embodiment of Remote Toast Counter System]

An embodiment of the remote toast counter system proposed by the present invention is explained below. Locations that are constitutionally identical to the corresponding locations in the drinking dramatization glass in each of the aforementioned embodiments are denoted using the same symbols, and not explained.

A majority of models of mobile phones, smartphones, and other mobile communication devices have a built-in acceleration sensor or camera sensor. An acceleration sensor allows for acquisition of the amount of movement or tilting of the object into which the acceleration sensor is built, and whether or not the object has hit another object, based on the acceleration of the object. A camera sensor, too, can acquire the amount of movement or tilting of the object, and whether or not it has hit another object, by means of image analysis. (In other words, operations performed on the glass body10by the user can be detected by analyzing the signals or data from these sensors.) Accordingly, the remote toast counter system in this embodiment comprises a drinking dramatization glass1conforming to the present invention, a mobile communication device300, an external server computer400, and a user operation detection part302, as shown inFIG.10.

Based on the signal from a sensor301in the mobile communication device300, the user operation detection part302detects a user operation performed on the glass body10(an operation of tilting or clinking it against other drinking glass500, etc.) and transmits a signal to the server computer400at a remote location, etc. As shown inFIG.10, the server computer400at a remote location counts the number of times such signal has been received and records the result as a cumulative number of toasting operations for viewing or publication, and thus a remote toast counter system is obtained.

It should be noted that the user operation detection part302may be implemented in a dedicated IC chip installed in the drinking dramatization glass1, or it may be implemented on the external server computer or in the mobile communication device300.

INDUSTRIAL FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present invention is a drinking dramatization glass for fixing a video display device thereon, and as it can prevent images from becoming magnified only in the horizontal direction and consequently distorted due to the lens effect of the drink inside the drinking container, the user can view distortion-free images even through the drink. Based on the above, the present invention has industrial applicability.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS