Information processing system, service providing apparatus and method, information processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program

• US 20050154574A1
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wakita, Yoshihiro, Tokashiki, Mamoru, Takemura, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,594,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

The present invention is related to an information processing system, a service providing apparatus and method, an information processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program that are intended to control electrical household appliances connected to a home network by use of a GUI having an entertainment-oriented virtual space capability. The virtual space has a mascot 121. Also, the virtual space is arranged with a PC icon 125, which is clicked to control a PC 12 really existing in the home of user A, and a TV set icon 126, which is clicked to control a TV set 13 also really existing in the home of user A. The present invention is applicable to a system controlling electrical household appliances in one'"'"'s home from the outside in remote control manner, for example.

Claims

1. An information processing system having a service providing apparatus connected with a plurality of information processing apparatuses via a network, said service providing apparatus comprising:

providing means for providing, to each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses, a service of a private virtual space in which a mascot is arranged;

storage means for storing a group to which a user of each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses belongs;

sharing means for sharing a service of a private virtual space provided for said information processing apparatus used by said user, said virtual space containing a mascot dedicated to an other user belonging to said group, with said information processing apparatus used by said other user belonging to said group; and

relay means for relaying data realtime between said plurality of information processing apparatuses used by said users belonging to said group;

each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses comprising;

request means for requesting the participation of a mascot of said information processing apparatus into a private space provided for an other information processing apparatus;

display control means for controlling the displaying of said virtual space provided by said service providing apparatus in response to said request; and

communication means for communicating data realtime with said other information processing apparatus via said service providing apparatus.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said storage means of said service providing apparatus stores said group to which said user belongs, by use of identification information of said user or identification information of said information processing apparatus.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said storage means of said service providing apparatus stores said group to which said user belongs for each of said private virtual spaces provided for said user and said other user.

4. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said data are text data.

5. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said data are image data.

6. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said information processing apparatus further comprising:

reproduction means for reproducing stream data received via said network; and

notification means for notifying said other information processing apparatus that said reproduction means has started the reproduction of said stream data.

7. The information processing system according to claim 6, wherein if notified by said other information processing apparatus that the reproduction of said stream has started, said reproduction means receives said stream data distributed via said network and reproduces said stream data.

8. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said information processing apparatus further comprising:

control means for controlling a really existing electronic device via said network by operating an icon corresponding to an electronic device arranged in said virtual space.

9. A service providing apparatus for providing, to each of a plurality of information processing apparatuses on a network, a service of a private virtual space in which a mascot is arranged, comprising:

providing means for providing a service of a private virtual space in which a mascot is arranged to each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses;

storage means for storing a group to which a user of each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses belongs;

sharing means for sharing a service of a private virtual space provided for said information processing apparatus used by said user, said virtual space containing a mascot dedicated to an other user belonging to said group, with said information processing apparatus used by said other user belonging to said group; and

relay means for relaying data realtime between said plurality of information processing apparatuses used by said users belonging to said group.

10. The service providing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said storage means stores said group to which said user belongs, by use of identification information of said user or identification information of said information processing apparatus.

11. The service providing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said storage means stores said group to which said user belongs for each of said private virtual spaces provided for said user and said other user.

12. The service providing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said data are text data.

13. The service providing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said data are image data.

14. A service providing method for providing, to each of a plurality of information processing apparatuses on a network, a service of a private virtual space in which a mascot is arranged, comprising the steps of:

providing a service of a private virtual space in which a mascot is arranged to each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses;

storing a group to which a user of each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses belongs;

sharing a service of a private virtual space provided for said information processing apparatus used by said user, said virtual space containing a mascot dedicated to an other user belonging to said group, with said information processing apparatus used by said other user belonging to said group; and

relaying data realtime between said plurality of information processing apparatuses used by said users belonging to said group.

15. A recording medium recording a computer-readable program for providing, to each of a plurality of information processing apparatuses on a network, a service of a private virtual space in which a mascot is arranged, said computer-readable program comprising the steps of:

providing a service of a private virtual space in which a mascot is arranged to each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses;

storing a group to which a user of each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses belongs;

sharing a service of a private virtual space provided for said information processing apparatus used by said user, said virtual space containing a mascot dedicated to an other user belonging to said group, with said information processing apparatus used by said other user belonging to said group; and

relaying data realtime between said plurality of information processing apparatuses used by said users belonging to said group.

16. A program for making a computer for providing, to each of a plurality of information processing apparatuses, a service of a private virtual space in which a mascot is arranged execute the steps of:

providing a service of a private virtual space in which a mascot is arranged to each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses;

storing a group to which a user of each of said plurality of information processing apparatuses belongs;

sharing a service of a private virtual space provided for said information processing apparatus used by said user, said virtual space containing a mascot dedicated to an other user belonging to said group, with said information processing apparatus used by said other user belonging to said group; and

relaying data realtime between said plurality of information processing apparatuses used by said users belonging to said group.

17. The program according to claim 16, wherein said storage step stores said group to which said user belongs, by use of identification information of said user or identification information of said information processing apparatus.

18. The program according to claim 16, wherein said storage step stores said group to which said user belongs for each of said private virtual spaces provided for said user and said other user.

19. The program according to claim 16, wherein said data are text data.

20. The program according to claim 16, wherein said data are image data.

21. An information processing apparatus, which accesses a service providing apparatus on a network for providing a service of a private virtual space in which a mascot is arranged, and which receives the provision of said service, comprising:

request means for requesting the participation of a mascot of said information processing apparatus into a private virtual space provided for an other information processing apparatus;

display control means for controlling the displaying of said virtual space provided from said service providing apparatus upon said request; and

communication means for communicating data realtime with said other information processing apparatus via said service providing apparatus.

22. The information processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said information processing apparatus further comprising:

reproduction means for reproducing stream data received via said network; and

notification means for notifying said other information processing apparatus that said reproduction means has started the reproduction of said stream data.

23. The information processing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said reproduction means, if notified by said other information processing apparatus that the reproduction of said stream has started, receives said stream data distributed via said network and reproduces said stream data.

24. The information processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said information processing apparatus further comprising:

control means for controlling a really existing electronic device via said network by operating an icon corresponding to an electronic device arranged in said virtual space.

25. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus, which accesses a service providing apparatus on a network for providing a service of a private virtual space in which a mascot is arranged, and which receives the provision of said service, comprising the steps of:

requesting the participation of a mascot of said information processing apparatus into a private virtual space provided for an other information processing apparatus;

controlling the displaying of said virtual space provided from said service providing apparatus upon said request; and

communicating data realtime with said other information processing apparatus via said service providing apparatus.

26. A recording medium recording a computer-readable program, which accesses a service providing apparatus on a network for providing a service of a private virtual space in which a mascot is arranged, and which receives the provision of said service, comprising the steps of:

requesting the participation of a mascot of said information processing apparatus into a private virtual space provided for an other information processing apparatus;

controlling the displaying of said virtual space provided from said service providing apparatus upon said request; and

communicating data realtime with said other information processing apparatus via said service providing apparatus.

27. A program for making a computer, which accesses a service providing apparatus on a network for providing a service of a private virtual space in which a mascot is arranged, and which receives the provision of said service execute the steps of:

requesting the participation of a mascot of said information processing apparatus into a private virtual space provided for an other information processing apparatus;

controlling the displaying of said virtual space provided from said service providing apparatus upon said request; and

communicating data realtime with said other information processing apparatus via said service providing apparatus.

28. The program according to claim 27, wherein said data are text data.

29. The program according to claim 27, wherein said data are image data.

30. The program according to claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

receiving stream data distributed via said network and reproducing said stream data; and

notifying said other information processing apparatus that the reproduction of said stream data has started.

31. The program according to claim 30, wherein said reproduction step, if notified by said other information processing apparatus that the reproduction of said stream has started, receives said stream data via said network and reproduces said stream data.

32. The program according to claim 27, further comprising the step of:

controlling a really existing electronic device via said network by operating an icon corresponding to an electronic device arranged in said virtual space.