INFORMATION-PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION-PROCESSING METHODS, RECORDING MEDIUMS, AND PROGRAMS

• US 20100118109A1
• Filed: 01/20/2010
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• 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 8,314,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

An information-processing apparatus operated by a user to carry out communications through a network transmits user-disclosure information to an other information-processing apparatus and receives other user-disclosure information from the other apparatus. The other user-disclosure information includes information about content being displayed by the other apparatus. The apparatus produces a determination result indicating whether a requested connection to the other information-processing apparatus is authorized by the other information-processing apparatus based on a response received from the other information-processing apparatus. The apparatus transmits/receives image and voice data to/from the other apparatus when authorized. The apparatus synthesizes content being displayed by the other apparatus.

Claims

1. An information-processing apparatus operated by a user to carry out communications through a network, the information-processing apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting user-disclosure information to an other information-processing apparatus,

means for receiving an other user-disclosure information from the other information-processing apparatus, the other user-disclosure information including information about content being displayed by the other information-processing apparatus;

means for controlling a process to display the other user-disclosure information received by the means for receiving;

means for requesting a connection to the other information-processing apparatus in accordance with a received user operation;

means for producing a determination result indicating that the connection requested by the means for requesting to the other information-processing apparatus is authorized or not authorized by the other information-processing apparatus based on a response received from the other information-processing apparatus;

means for transmitting image and voice data of the user to the other information-processing apparatus and receiving image and voice data of an other user from the other information-processing apparatus when the determination result produced by the means for producing indicates that the requested connection with the other information-processing apparatus is authorized by the other information-processing apparatus; and

means for displaying content, including synthesizing content being displayed by the other information-processing apparatus.

2. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for displaying content synthesizes content based on at least one of the user-disclosure information and the other user-disclosure information.

3. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the user-disclosure information includes information corresponding to a posture and a voice of the user, and

the other user-disclosure information includes information corresponding to a posture and a voice of the other user.

4. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user-disclosure information includes information on content being displayed by the information-processing apparatus, a voice or an image of the user, information on an environment surrounding the user, and a status of a connection through the network.

5. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user-disclosure information includes information on an environment surrounding the user, including an image of a location of the user, a brightness of the location of the user, and a temperature of the location of the user.

6. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user-disclosure information includes status information indicating an activity being performed by the user.

7. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for transmitting user-disclosure information transmits the user-disclosure information to the other information-processing apparatus at least one of periodically and when the means for receiving receives the other user-disclosure information from the other information-processing apparatus.

8. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for displaying:

reproduces content data having a same substance as content data being reproduced by the other information-processing apparatus, the reproduction of content data being synchronized with the reproduction of content data by the other information-processing apparatus; and

synthesizes a sound and image of content data synchronously reproduced with the voice and image data received of the other user from the other information-processing apparatus.

9. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user-disclosure information includes a preferred type of user communication indicating the user prefers one of voice and image communication, voice only communication, and image only communication.

10. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user-disclosure information includes information on a state of a remote communication including a picture of a different user presently communicating with the user.

11. A method performed by an information-processing apparatus operated by a user to carry out communications through a network, the method comprising:

transmitting user-disclosure information to an other information-processing apparatus,

receiving an other user-disclosure information from the other information-processing apparatus, the other user-disclosure information including information about content being displayed by the other information-processing apparatus;

controlling a process to display the other user-disclosure information received from the other information-processing apparatus;

requesting a connection to the other information-processing apparatus in accordance with a received user operation;

producing a determination result indicating that the connection requested in the requesting to the other information-processing apparatus is authorized or not authorized by the other information-processing apparatus based on a response received from the other information-processing apparatus;

transmitting image and voice data of the user to the other information-processing apparatus and receiving image and voice data of an other user from the other information-processing apparatus when the determination result produced by the producing indicates that the requested connection with the other information-processing apparatus is authorized by the other information-processing apparatus; and

displaying content, including synthesizing content being displayed by the other information-processing apparatus.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the displaying content includes synthesizing content based on at least one of the user-disclosure information and the other user-disclosure information.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein

the user-disclosure information includes information corresponding to a posture and a voice of the user, and

the other user-disclosure information includes information corresponding to a posture and a voice of the other user.

14. A computer readable storage medium encoded with a computer readable instructions configured to cause an information-processing apparatus to execute a method, the method comprising:

transmitting user-disclosure information to an other information-processing apparatus,

receiving an other user-disclosure information from the other information-processing apparatus, the other user-disclosure information including information about content being displayed by the other information-processing apparatus;

controlling a process to display the other user-disclosure information received from the other information-processing apparatus;

requesting a connection to the other information-processing apparatus in accordance with a received user operation;

producing a determination result indicating that the connection requested in the requesting to the other information-processing apparatus is authorized or not authorized by the other information-processing apparatus based on a response received from the other information-processing apparatus;

transmitting image and voice data of the user to the other information-processing apparatus and receiving image and voice data of an other user from the other information-processing apparatus when the determination result produced by the producing indicates that the requested connection with the other information-processing apparatus is authorized by the other information-processing apparatus; and

displaying content, including synthesizing content being displayed by the other information-processing apparatus.

15. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the displaying content includes synthesizing content based on at least one of the user-disclosure information and the other user-disclosure information.

16. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein

the user-disclosure information includes information corresponding to a posture and a voice of the user, and

the other user-disclosure information includes information corresponding to a posture and a voice of the other user.

17. An information-processing apparatus operated by a user to carry out communications through a network, the information-processing apparatus comprising:

a communication section configured to transmit user-disclosure information to an other information-processing apparatus, to receive an other user-disclosure information from the other information-processing apparatus, the other user-disclosure information including information about content being displayed by the other information-processing apparatus, and to request a connection to the other information-processing apparatus in accordance with a received user operation;

a processing unit configured to control a process to display the other user-disclosure information received by the communication section, and to produce a determination result indicating that the connection requested by the communication section to the other information-processing apparatus is authorized or not authorized by the other information-processing apparatus based on a response received from the other information-processing apparatus, the communication section transmitting image and voice data of the user to the other information-processing apparatus and receiving image and voice data of an other user from the other information-processing apparatus when the determination result produced by the processing unit indicates that the requested connection with the other information-processing apparatus is authorized by the other information-processing apparatus; and

an output section configured to display content, the output section synthesizing content being displayed by the other information-processing apparatus.

18. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the output section synthesizes content based on at least one of the user-disclosure information and the other user-disclosure information.

19. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the user-disclosure information includes information corresponding to a posture and a voice of the user, and

the other user-disclosure information includes information corresponding to a posture and a voice of the other user.