Information Processing Device and Method, Recording Medium, and Program

• US 20080133640A1
• Filed: 07/20/2005
• Published: 06/05/2008
• 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 8,099,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

This invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a recording medium, and a program for allowing communicating parties at remote locations to view the same displayed content and to point to desired positions on the displayed image of the content. A user A and a user B viewing themselves and the content on a cross-faded mode may point to desired positions on the content image with their fingertips. Motion vectors of the fingertips are then detected in particular areas extracted from the image in a manner containing the detected positions. The detected motion vectors are translated into a pointer 94 for the user A and a pointer 95 for the user B, the pointers being alpha-blended with the content image. The two pointers extracted from a single image 91 are associated with the users A and B by use of different Cyber Codes (2D code) 101 attached to the fingertips of each user, for example. This invention applies illustratively to communication apparatuses for permitting communication between remote locations.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for communicating with another information processing apparatus through a network, said information processing apparatus comprising:

reproduction means configured to reproduce synchronously the same content data as that reproduced by said another information processing apparatus;

input means configured to input a first user image obtained by imaging a user of said information processing apparatus;

reception means configured to receive a second user image which is obtained by imaging a user of said another information processing apparatus and which is sent from said another information processing apparatus through said network;

extraction means configured to extract from at least one of said first and said second user images a pointer representing the user pointing to a desired position on the image; and

composite means configured to composite the pointer extracted by said extraction means onto an image of the content data reproduced synchronously by said reproduction means.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said composite means composites said pointer extracted by said extraction means together with information for identifying the user represented by said pointer, onto said image of said content data reproduced synchronously by said reproduction means.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said composite means composites through alpha-blending said pointer extracted by said extraction means onto said image of said content data reproduced synchronously by said reproduction means.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

motion vector detection means configured to detect a motion vector from at least one of said first and said second user images;

wherein said extraction means extracts said pointer based on said motion vector.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if at least one of said first and said second user images includes a plurality of users, said extraction means extracts a plurality of pointers representing said plurality of users pointing to desired positions on the image.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said extraction means associates the extracted plurality of pointers with one of said plurality of users.

7. An information processing method for use with an information processing apparatus communicating with another information processing apparatus through a network, said information processing method comprising the steps of:

reproducing synchronously the same content data as that reproduced by said another information processing apparatus;

inputting a first user image obtained by imaging a user of said information processing apparatus;

receiving a second user image which is obtained by imaging a user of said another information processing apparatus and which is sent from said another information processing apparatus through said network;

extracting from at least one of said first and said second user images a pointer representing the user pointing to a desired position on the image; and

compositing the pointer extracted in said extracting step onto an image of the content data reproduced synchronously in said reproducing step.

8. A recording medium which records a program in a manner readable by a computer for execution on an information processing apparatus communicating with another information processing apparatus through a network, said program comprising the steps of:

reproducing synchronously the same content data as that reproduced by said another information processing apparatus;

inputting a first user image obtained by imaging a user of said information processing apparatus;

receiving a second user image which is obtained by imaging a user of said another information processing apparatus and which is sent from said another information processing apparatus through said network;

extracting from at least one of said first and said second user images a pointer representing the user pointing to a desired position on the image; and

compositing the pointer extracted in said extracting step onto an image of the content data reproduced synchronously in said reproducing step.

9. A program for use by a computer working with an information processing apparatus communicating with another information processing apparatus through a network, said program causing said computer to execute a procedure comprising the steps of:

reproducing synchronously the same content data as that reproduced by said another information processing apparatus;

inputting a first user image obtained by imaging a user of said information processing apparatus;

receiving a second user image which is obtained by imaging a user of said another information processing apparatus and which is sent from said another information processing apparatus through said network;

extracting from at least one of said first and said second user images a pointer representing the user pointing to a desired position on the image; and

compositing the pointer extracted in said extracting step onto an image of the content data reproduced synchronously in said reproducing step.