Information processing apparatus and method, and storage medium

• US 20020095463A1
• Filed: 04/25/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Kouichi
• Granted Patent: US 6,981,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

Disclosed is an information processing apparatus for controlling an application object moving autonomously in a shared virtual space in which avatars representing users of other information processing apparatuses are active. The apparatus comprises a distribution examining element for examining distribution of the active avatars in the shared virtual space, a coordinate controlling element for controlling coordinates of the application object in accordance with results of the examination by the distribution examining element and a display controlling element for controlling display of information by the application object controlled in coordinates by the coordinate controlling element.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for controlling an application object moving autonomously in a shared virtual space in which avatars representing users of other information processing apparatuses are active, said information processing apparatus comprising:

distribution examining means for examining distribution of said active avatars in said shared virtual space;

coordinate controlling means for controlling coordinates of said application object in accordance with results of the examination by said distribution examining means; and

display controlling means for controlling display of information by said application object controlled in coordinates by said coordinate controlling means.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display controlling means causes said application object to display advertisements.

3. An information processing method for use with an information processing apparatus for controlling an application object moving autonomously in a shared virtual space in which avatars representing users of other information processing apparatuses are active, said information processing method comprising the steps of:

examining distribution of said active avatars in said shared virtual space;

controlling coordinates of said application object in accordance with results of the examination in said distribution examining step; and

controlling display of information by said application object controlled in coordinates in said coordinate controlling step.

4. A program storage medium which stores a computer-readable program for use by an information processing apparatus for controlling an application object moving autonomously in a shared virtual space in which avatars representing users of other information processing apparatuses are active, the program comprising the steps of:

examining distribution of said active avatars in said shared virtual space;

controlling coordinates of said application object in accordance with results of the examination in said distribution examining step; and

controlling display of information by said application object controlled in coordinates in said coordinate controlling step.

5. An information processing apparatus for controlling an application object moving autonomously in a shared virtual space in which avatars representing users of other information processing apparatuses are active, said information processing apparatus comprising:

attribute examining means for examining attributes of said active avatars in said shared virtual space; and

display controlling means for controlling display of information by said application object in accordance with results of the examination by said attribute examining means.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising coordinate controlling means for controlling coordinates of said application object in accordance with results of the examination by said attribute examining means.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said display controlling means causes said application object to display advertisements.

8. An information processing method for use with an information processing apparatus for controlling an application object moving autonomously in a shared virtual space in which avatars representing users of other information processing apparatuses are active, said information processing method comprising the steps of:

examining attributes of said active avatars in said shared virtual space; and

controlling display of information by said application object in accordance with results of the examination in said attribute examining step.

9. A program storage medium which stores a computer-readable program for use by an information processing apparatus for controlling an application object moving autonomously in a shared virtual space in which avatars representing users of other information processing apparatuses are active, the program comprising the steps of:

examining attributes of said active avatars in said shared virtual space; and

controlling display of information by said application object in accordance with results of the examination in said attribute examining step.

10. An information processing apparatus for controlling an application object moving autonomously in a shared virtual space in which avatars representing users of other information processing apparatuses are active, said information processing apparatus comprising:

examining means for examining at least either distribution or attributes of said active avatars in said shared virtual space;

coordinate controlling means for controlling coordinates of said application object in accordance with results of the examination by said examining means;

display controlling means for controlling display of information by said application object;

counting means for counting the number of avatars positioned within a predetermined range around said application object; and

charging means for processing charges for the information controlled in terms of display by said display controlling means in accordance with results of the counting by said counting means.

11. An information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said counting means weights said number of the avatars in keeping with the attributes thereof.

12. An information processing method for use with an information processing apparatus for controlling an application object moving autonomously in a shared virtual space in which avatars representing users of other information processing apparatuses are active, said information processing method comprising the steps of:

examining at least either distribution or attributes of said active avatars in said shared virtual space;

controlling coordinates of said application object in accordance with results of the examination in said examining step;

controlling display of information by said application object;

counting the number of avatars positioned within a predetermined range around said application object; and

processing charges for the information controlled in terms of display in said display controlling step in accordance with results of the counting in said counting step.

13. A program storage medium which stores a computer-readable program for use by an information processing apparatus for controlling an application object moving autonomously in a shared virtual space in which avatars representing users of other information processing apparatuses are active, the program comprising the steps of:

examining at least either distribution or attributes of said active avatars in said shared virtual space;

controlling coordinates of said application object in accordance with results of the examination in said examining step;

controlling display of information by said application object;

counting the number of avatars positioned within a predetermined range around said application object; and

processing charges for the information controlled in terms of display in said display controlling step in accordance with results of the counting in said counting step.