Information-processing apparatus, information-processing methods, recording mediums, and programs

• US 20060026207A1
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Saito, Naoki, Sakai, Yusuke, Kamada, Mikio
• Granted Patent: US 7,975,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN

Abstract

The present invention provides an information-processing apparatus including reproduction means for synchronously reproducing content data common to an other information-processing apparatus, user information input means for inputting first user condition information including a voice and image of a user, user information receiver means for receiving second user condition information including a voice and image of an other user from the other information-processing apparatus, synthesis means for synthesizing a voice and image of the content data synchronously reproduced by the reproduction means with the voice and image of the second user condition information received by the user-information receiver means; information analysis means for analyzing at least either the first user condition information input by the user-information input means or the second user condition information received by the user-information receiver means, and parameter-setting means for setting a control parameter used for controlling a process, which is carried out by the synthesis means to synthesize voices and images, on the basis of an analysis result produced by the information analysis means.

Claims

1. An information-processing apparatus for communicating with an other information-processing apparatus, which is connected to said information-processing apparatus by a network, said information-processing apparatus comprising:

reproduction means for reproducing content data common to said information-processing apparatus and said other information-processing apparatus synchronously with said other information-processing apparatus;

user information input means for inputting first user condition information including a voice and image of a user operating said information-processing apparatus;

user information receiver means for receiving second user condition information including a voice and image of an other user from said other information-processing apparatus operated by said other user;

synthesis means for synthesizing a voice and image of said content data synchronously reproduced by said reproduction means with said voice and image of said second user condition information received by said user-information receiver means;

information analysis means for analyzing at least either said first user condition information input by said user-information input means or said second user condition information received by said user-information receiver means; and

parameter-setting means for setting a control parameter used for controlling a process, which is carried out by said synthesis means to synthesize voices and images, on the basis of an analysis result produced by said information analysis means.

2. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first user condition information also includes information on the environment of said user whereas said second user condition information also includes information on the environment of said other user.

3. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, said information-processing apparatus further comprising analysis-object determination means for generating a determination result as to whether or not said second user condition information received by said user-information receiver means is to be analyzed by said information analysis means and, if said determination result produced by said analysis-object determination means indicates that said second user condition information is not to be analyzed by said information analysis means, said information analysis means analyzes only said first user condition information.

4. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, said information-processing apparatus further comprising output means for outputting a voice and an image, which are obtained as a synthesis result carried out by said synthesis means, wherein said parameter-setting means sets a control parameter of said output means on the basis of an analysis result carried out by said information analysis means.

5. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said parameter-setting means sets a control parameter of an electronic apparatus, which is connected to said information-processing apparatus, on the basis of an analysis result carried out by said information analysis means.

6. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said parameter-setting means sets a control parameter of said other information-processing apparatus on the basis of an analysis result carried out by said information analysis means, and

said information-processing apparatus further comprises sender means for transmitting said control parameter set by said parameter-setting means to said other information-processing apparatus.

7. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, said information-processing apparatus further comprising acceptance determination means for generating a determination result as to whether or not a control parameter transmitted by said other information-processing apparatus is to be accepted.

8. An information-processing method adopted by an information-processing apparatus as a method for communicating with an other information-processing apparatus, which is connected to said information-processing apparatus by a network, said information-processing method comprising the steps of:

reproducing content data common to said information-processing apparatus and said other information-processing apparatus synchronously with said other information-processing apparatus;

inputting first user condition information including a voice and image of a user operating said information-processing apparatus;

receiving second user condition information including a voice and image of an other user from said other information-processing apparatus operated by said other user;

synthesizing a voice and image of said content data synchronously reproduced in a process carried out at said reproduction step with said voice and image of said second user condition information received in a process carried out at said user-information receiver step;

analyzing at least either said first user condition information input in a process carried out at said user-information input step or said second user condition information received in a process carried out at said user-information receiver step; and

setting a control parameter used for controlling a process, which is carried out at said information synthesis step of synthesizing voices and images, on the basis of an analysis result produced in a process carried out at said information analysis step.

9. A recording medium for recording a program to be executed by a computer to communicate with an information-processing apparatus, which is connected to said computer by a network, said program comprises the steps of:

reproducing content data common to said computer and said information-processing apparatus synchronously with said information-processing apparatus;

inputting first user condition information including a voice and image of a user operating said computer;

receiving second user condition information including a voice and image of an other user from said information-processing apparatus operated by said other user;

synthesizing a voice and image of said content data synchronously reproduced in a process carried out at said reproduction step with said voice and image of said second user condition information received in a process carried out at said user-information receiver step;

analyzing at least either said first user condition information input in a process carried out at said user-information input step or said second user condition information received in a process carried out at said user-information receiver step; and

setting a control parameter used for controlling a process, which is carried out at said information synthesis step of synthesizing voices and images, on the basis of an analysis result produced in a process carried out at said information analysis step.

10. A program to be executed by a computer to communicate with an information-processing apparatus, which is connected to said computer by a network, said program comprising the steps of:

reproducing content data common to said computer and said information-processing apparatus synchronously with said information-processing apparatus;

inputting first user condition information including a voice and image of a user operating said computer;

receiving second user condition information including a voice and image of an other user from said information-processing apparatus operated by said other user;

synthesizing a voice and image of said content synchronously reproduced in a process carried out at said reproduction step with said voice and image of said second user condition information received in a process carried out at said user-information receiver step;

analyzing at least either said first user condition information input in a process carried out at said user-information input step or said second user condition information received in a process carried out at said user-information receiver step; and

setting a control parameter used for controlling a process, which is carried out at said information synthesis step of synthesizing voices and images, on the basis of an analysis result produced in a process carried out at said information analysis step.

11. An information-processing apparatus for communicating with an other information-processing apparatus, which is connected to said information-processing apparatus by a network, said information-processing apparatus comprising:

a reproduction section for reproducing content data common to said information-processing apparatus and said other information-processing apparatus synchronously with said other information-processing apparatus;

a user information input section for inputting first user condition information including a voice and image of a user operating said information-processing apparatus;

a user information receiver section for receiving second user condition information including a voice and image of an other user from said other information-processing apparatus operated by said other user;

a synthesis section for synthesizing a voice and image of said content data synchronously reproduced by said reproduction section with said voice and image of said second user condition information received by said user-information receiver section;

an information analysis section for analyzing at least either said first user condition information input by said user-information input section or said second user condition information received by said user-information receiver section; and

a parameter-setting section for setting a control parameter used for controlling a process, which is carried out by said synthesis section to synthesize voices and images, on the basis of an analysis result produced by said information analysis section.