Communication system

• US 6,608,644 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohtsuki, Tomoyuki, Ishibashi, Junichi, Kondo, Tetsujiro
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAN, WING F
• Application Number:
  US09/889,760
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.03, 348/14-7-, 379/93.17, 379/93.21, 709/204, 709/205, 345/753
• US Class Current: 348/14.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A teleconferencing system has a group determination information generating section for detecting the attention degree of a participant HM with respect to a monitor device corresponding to each of the other teleconferencing devices TCD and then generating information for grouping the other teleconferencing devices TCD corresponding to the individual monitor devices on the basis of the result of detection, and an information processing section for carrying out grouping based on the information, then generating group information indicating to which group each participant HM belongs, and processing image data and/or audio data from each of the grouped teleconferencing devices TCD on the basis of the group information.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

at least three communication devices, each having attention degree prediction information acquisition means for acquiring attention degree prediction information for detecting an attention degree for communication data communicated from each of the other communication devices, and communication data output means for outputting the communication data processed on the basis of group information to a corresponding presentation device;

an attention degree detection device having attention degree detection means for detecting the attention degree on the basis of the attention degree prediction information, and attention degree output means for outputting the attention degree;

a grouping device having grouping means for carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree, and group information output means for outputting the group information indicating the result of grouping; and

a processing device having processing means for processing the communication data transmitted to each of the communication devices from the other communication devices on the basis of the group information, and processed data output means for outputting the communication data processed by the processing means.

2. The communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grouping means carries out the grouping on the basis of changes of the attention degree.

3. The communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication data output means outputs communication data processed on the basis of the group information to the presentation device.

4. The communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication device has the attention degree detection device.

5. The communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication device has the attention degree detection and the processing device.

6. The communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of at least three said communication devices has the attention degree detection device, the grouping device, and the processing device.

7. The communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein one communication device of at least three said communication devices has the attention degree detection device, the grouping device, and the processing device.

8. The communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication device has the processing device.

9. The communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attention degree detection device has the grouping device and the processing device.

10. A communication system comprising:

at least three communication devices, each having attention degree prediction information acquisition means for acquiring attention degree prediction information for detecting an attention degree for communication data communicated from each of the other communication devices, and communication data output means for outputting the communication data processed on the basis of group information to a corresponding presentation device;

an attention degree detection device having attention degree detection means for detecting the attention degree on the basis of the attention degree prediction information, and attention degree output means for outputting the attention degree;

a grouping device having grouping means for carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree, and group information output means for outputting the group information indicating the result of the grouping; and

a processing device having processing means for processing the communication data transmitted to each of the communication devices from the other communication devices on the basis of the group information, and processed data output means for outputting the communication data processed by the processing means.

11. A grouping device used in a communication system including at least three communication devices and adapted for grouping communication data communicated to each of the communication devices from the other communication devices, the grouping device comprising:

grouping means for carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of an attention degree for each of the communication data from the other communication devices, of a user corresponding to each of the communication devices; and

group information output means for outputting group information indicating the result of the grouping by the grouping means.

12. The grouping device as claimed in claim 11, wherein if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value, the grouping means puts the first communication data and second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices into the same group.

13. The grouping device as claimed in claim 11, wherein if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value and the attention degree of the one communication device with respect to second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices is higher than a predetermined value, the grouping means put the first communication data and the second communication data into the same group.

14. The grouping device as claimed in claim 11, wherein if the attention degree of a user corresponding to second communication data grouped in a second group, with respect to first communication data grouped in a first group, is higher than a predetermined value, the grouping means unifies the first group and the second group into one group.

15. A grouping method used in a communication system including at least three communication devices and adapted for grouping communication data communicated to each of the communication devices from the other communication devices, the grouping method comprising:

a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of an attention degree for each of the communication data from the other communication devices, of a user corresponding to each of the communication devices; and

a group information output step of outputting group information indicating the result of the grouping at the grouping step.

16. The grouping method as claimed in claim 15, wherein at the grouping step, if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value, the first communication data and second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices are put into the same group.

17. The grouping method as claimed in claim 15, wherein at the grouping step, if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value and the attention degree of the one communication device with respect to second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices is higher than a predetermined value, the first communication data and the second communication data are put into the same group.

18. The grouping method as claimed in claim 15, wherein at the grouping step, if the attention degree of a user corresponding to second communication data grouped in a second group, with respect to first communication data grouped in a first group, is higher than a predetermined value, the first group and the second group are unified into one group.

19. A recording medium used in a communication system including at least three communication devices and having recorded thereon a computer-controllable grouping program for grouping communication data communicated to each of the communication devices from the other communication devices,

the grouping program comprising:

a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of an attention degree for each of the communication data from the other communication devices, of a user corresponding to each of the communication devices; and

a group information output step of outputting group information indicating the result of the grouping at the grouping step.

20. An information processing device in a communication system including the information processing device and at least three communication devices, the information processing device comprising:

receiving means for receiving communication data from each of the communication devices and receiving an attention degree which is transmitted from each of the communication devices and which is related to the communication data transmitted from the other communication devices except for the communication device itself;

grouping means for carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree;

processing means for processing the communication data transmitted from the other communication devices except for the communication device itself, with respect to each of the communication devices, on the basis of a group to which the communication data belong; and

processed data output means for transmitting the communication data processed by the processing means to each of the communication devices.

21. The information processing device as claimed in claim 20, wherein if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value, the grouping means puts the first communication data and second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices into the same group.

22. The information processing device as claimed in claim 20, wherein if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value and the attention degree of the one communication device with respect to second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices is higher than a predetermined value, the grouping means put the first communication data and the second communication data into the same group.

23. The information processing device as claimed in claim 20, wherein if the attention degree of a user corresponding to second communication data grouped in a second group, with respect to first communication data grouped in a first group, is higher than a predetermined value, the grouping means unifies the first group and the second group into one group.

24. The information processing device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the processing means processes communication data belonging to a predetermined group in a relatively emphasized state in comparison with communication data which do not belong to the predetermined group.

25. The information processing device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the communication data includes audio data, and

the processing means processes the audio data.

26. The information processing device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the processing means processes the audio data by adjusting the sound volume of the audio data.

27. The information processing device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the processing means processes the audio data by adjusting the audio quality of the audio data.

28. The information processing device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the communication data includes image data, and the processing mean s processes the image data.

29. The information processing device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the processing means processes the image data by adjusting the image quality of the image data.

30. The information processing device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the receiving means receives user reaction information which is transmitted from each of the communication devices and which corresponds to each of the communication devices, in place of the attention degree, and

the information processing device further comprises attention degree detection means for detecting the attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information.

31. The information processing device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the attention degree detection means detects the presence or absence of attention by the user.

32. The information processing device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the attention degree detection means detects the behavior of the user and detects the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices on the basis of the behavior of the user.

33. The information processing device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the attention degree detection means detects the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices on the basis of an instruction from the user.

34. An information processing method in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices, the method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving communication data from each of the communication devices and receiving an attention degree which is transmitted from each of the communication devices and which is related to the communication data transmitted from the other communication devices except for the communication device itself;

a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree;

a processing step of processing the communication data transmitted from the other communication devices except for the communication device itself, with respect to each of the communication devices, on the basis of a group to which the communication data belong; and

a processed data output step of transmitting the communication data processed at the processing step to each of the communication devices.

35. The information processing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein at the grouping step, if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value, the first communication data and second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices are put into the same group.

36. The information processing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein at the grouping step, if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value and the attention degree of the one communication device with respect to second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices is higher than a predetermined value, the first communication data and the second communication data are put into the same group.

37. The information processing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein at the grouping step, if the attention degree of a user corresponding to second communication data grouped in a second group, with respect to first communication data grouped in a first group, is higher than a predetermined value, the first group and the second group are unified into one group.

38. The information processing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein at the processing step, communication data belonging to a predetermined group is processed in a relatively emphasized state in comparison with communication data which do not belong to the predetermined group.

39. The information processing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the communication data includes audio data, and

at the processing step, the audio data is processed.

40. The information processing method as claimed in claim 39, wherein at the processing step, the audio data is processed by adjusting the sound volume of the audio data.

41. The information processing method as claimed in claim 39, wherein at the processing step, the audio data is processed by adjusting the audio quality of the audio data.

42. The information processing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the communication data includes image data, and

at the processing step, the image data is processed.

43. The information processing method as claimed in claim 42, wherein at the processing step, the image data is processed by adjusting the image quality of the image data.

44. The information processing method as claimed in claim 34, wherein at the receiving step, user reaction information which is transmitted from each of the communication devices and which corresponds to each of the communication devices is received in place of the attention degree, and

the information processing method further comprises an attention degree detection step of detecting the attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information.

45. The information processing method as claimed in claim 44, wherein at the attention degree detection step, the presence or absence of attention by the user is detected.

46. The information processing method as claimed in claim 44, wherein at the attention degree detection step, the behavior of the user is detected and the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices is detected on the basis of the behavior of the user.

47. The information processing method as claimed in claim 44, wherein at the attention degree detection step, the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices is detected on the basis of an instruction from the user.

48. A recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-controllable information processing program in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices,

the information processing program comprising:

a receiving step of receiving communication data from each of the communication devices and receiving an attention degree which is transmitted from each of the communication devices and which is related to the communication data transmitted from the other communication devices except for the communication device itself;

a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree;

a processing step of processing the communication data transmitted from the other communication devices except for the communication device itself, with respect to each of the communication devices, on the basis of a group to which the communication data belong; and

a processed data output step of transmitting the communication data processed at the processing step to each of the communication devices.

49. The recording medium having the information processing program recorded thereon as claimed in claim 48, wherein at the receiving step, user reaction information which is transmitted from each of the communication devices and which corresponds to each of the communication devices is received in place of the attention degree, and

the information processing program further comprises an attention degree detection step of detecting the attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information.

50. A communication device in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices, the communication device comprising:

receiving means for receiving communication data from the other communication devices and receiving group information indicating a group to which communication data transmitted from the information processing device belong;

information acquisition means for acquiring user reaction information for each of the communication data from the communication devices;

attention degree detection means for detecting an attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information;

attention degree output means for outputting the attention degree to the information processing device;

processing means for processing the communication data on the basis of the group information; and

processed data output means for outputting the communication data processed by the processing means to a presentation device.

51. The communication device as claimed in claim 50, wherein the attention degree detection means detects the presence or absence of attention by the user.

52. The communication device as claimed in claim 50, wherein the attention degree detection means detects the behavior of the user and detects the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices on the basis of the behavior of the user.

53. The communication device as claimed in claim 50, wherein the attention degree detection means detects the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices on the basis of an instruction from the user.

54. The communication device as claimed in claim 50, wherein the processing means processes communication data belonging to a predetermined group in a relatively emphasized state in comparison with communication data which do not belong to the predetermined group.

55. The communication device as claimed in claim 50, wherein the communication data includes audio data, and

the processing means processes the audio data.

56. The communication device as claimed in claim 55, wherein the processing means processes the audio data by adjusting the sound volume of the audio data.

57. The communication device as claimed in claim 55, wherein the processing means processes the audio data by adjusting the audio quality of the audio data.

58. The communication device as claimed in claim 50, wherein the communication data includes image data, and

the processing means processes the image data.

59. The communication device as claimed in claim 58, wherein the processing means processes the image data by adjusting the image quality of the image data.

60. The communication device as claimed in claim 50, wherein the presentation device has input means for inputting the communication data transmitted from each of the other communication devices, and presentation means for presenting the communication data correspondingly to each of the other communication devices.

61. A communication method in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices, the method comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving communication data from the other communication devices;

an information acquisition step of acquiring user reaction information for each of the communication data from the communication devices;

an attention degree detection step of detecting an attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information;

an attention degree output step of outputting the attention degree to the information processing device;

a second receiving step of receiving group information indicating a group to which communication data transmitted from the information processing device belong;

a processing step of processing the communication data on the basis of the group information; and

a processed data output step of outputting the communication data processed at the processing step to a presentation device.

62. The communication method as claimed in claim 61, wherein at the attention degree detection step, the presence or absence of attention by the user is detected.

63. The communication method as claimed in claim 61, wherein at the attention degree detection step, the behavior of the user is detected and the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices is detected on the basis of the behavior of the user.

64. The communication method as claimed in claim 61, wherein at the attention degree detection step, the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices is detected on the basis of an instruction from the user.

65. The communication method as claimed in claim 61, wherein at the processing step, communication data belonging to a predetermined group is processed in a relatively emphasized state in comparison with communication data which do not belong to the predetermined group.

66. The communication method as claimed in claim 61, wherein the communication data includes audio data, and

at the processing step, the audio data is processed.

67. The communication method as claimed in claim 66, wherein at the processing step, the audio data is processed by adjusting the sound volume of the audio data.

68. The communication method as claimed in claim 66, wherein at the processing step, the audio data is processed by adjusting the audio quality of the audio data.

69. The communication method as claimed in claim 61, wherein the communication data includes image data, and

at the processing step, the image data is processed.

70. The communication method as claimed in claim 69, wherein at the processing step, the image data is processed by adjusting the image quality of the image data.

71. A recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-controllable communication program in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices,

the communication program comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving communication data from the other communication devices;

an information acquisition step of acquiring user reaction information for each of the communication data from the communication devices;

an attention degree detection step of detecting an attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information;

an attention degree output step of outputting the attention degree to the information processing device;

a second receiving step of receiving group information indicating a group to which communication data transmitted from the information processing device belong;

a processing step of processing the communication data on the basis of the group information; and

a processed data output step of outputting the communication data processed at the processing step to a presentation device.

72. An information processing device in a communication system including the information processing device and at least three communication devices, the information processing device comprising:

receiving means for receiving an attention degree for communication data transmitted from each of the communication devices;

grouping means for carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree; and

group information output means for outputting group information indicating the result of the grouping by the grouping means.

73. The information processing device as claimed in claim 72, wherein if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value, the grouping means puts the first communication data and second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices into the same group.

74. The information processing device as claimed in claim 72, wherein if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value and the attention degree of the one communication device with respect to second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices is higher than a predetermined value, the grouping means put the first communication data and the second communication data into the same group.

75. The information processing device as claimed in claim 72, wherein if the attention degree of a user corresponding to second communication data grouped in a second group, with respect to first communication data grouped in a first group, is higher than a predetermined value, the grouping means unifies the first group and the second group into one group.

76. The information processing device as claimed in claim 72, wherein the receiving means receives the communication data transmitted from each of the communication devices in place of the attention degree, and

the information processing device further comprises attention degree detection means for detecting an attention degree of a user for each of the communication data.

77. The information processing device as claimed in claim 76, wherein the attention degree detection means detects the presence or absence of attention by the user.

78. The information processing device as claimed in claim 76, wherein the attention degree detection means detects the behavior of the user and detects the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices on the basis of the behavior of the user.

79. The information processing device as claimed in claim 76, wherein the attention degree detection means detects the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices on the basis of an instruction from the user.

80. An information processing method in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices, the method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving an attention degree for communication data transmitted from each of the communication devices;

a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree; and

a group information output step of outputting group information indicating the result of the grouping at the grouping step.

81. The information processing method as claimed in claim 80, wherein at the grouping step, if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value, the first communication data and second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices are put into the same group.

82. The information processing method as claimed in claim 80, wherein at the grouping step, if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value and the attention degree of the one communication device with respect to second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices is higher than a predetermined value, the first communication data and the second communication data are put into the same group.

83. The information processing method as claimed in claim 80, wherein at the grouping step, if the attention degree of a user corresponding to second communication data grouped in a second group, with respect to first communication data grouped in a first group, is higher than a predetermined value, the first group and the second group are unified into one group.

84. The information processing method as claimed in claim 80, wherein at the receiving step, the communication data transmitted from each of the communication devices is received in place of the attention degree, and

the information processing method further comprises an attention degree detection step of detecting an attention degree of a user for each of the communication data.

85. The information processing method as claimed in claim 84, wherein at the attention degree detection step, the presence or absence of attention by the user is detected.

86. The information processing method as claimed in claim 84, wherein at the attention degree detection step, the behavior of the user is detected and the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices is detected on the basis of the behavior of the user.

87. The information processing method as claimed in claim 84, wherein at the attention degree detection step, the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices is detected on the basis of an instruction from the user.

88. A recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-controllable information processing program in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices,

the information processing program comprising:

a receiving step of receiving an attention degree for communication data transmitted from each of the communication devices;

a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree; and

a group information output step of outputting group information indicating the result of the grouping at the grouping step.

89. The recording medium having the information processing program recorded thereon as claimed in claim 88, wherein at the receiving step, the communication data transmitted from each of the communication devices is received in place of the attention degree, and

the information processing program further comprises an attention degree detection step of detecting an attention degree of a user for each of the communication data.

90. A communication device in a communication system for carrying out communication among at least three communication, the communication device comprising:

a receiving section for receiving communication data from the other communication devices;

information acquisition means for acquiring user reaction information for each of the communication data from the communication devices;

attention degree detection means for detecting an attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information;

grouping means for carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree;

processing means for processing each of the communication data on the basis of a group to which each of the communication data belongs; and

processed data output means for outputting the communication data processed by the processing means to a presentation device.

91. The communication device as claimed in claim 90, wherein the attention degree detection means detects the presence or absence of attention by the user.

92. The communication device as claimed in claim 90, wherein the attention degree detection means detects the behavior of the user and detects the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices on the basis of the behavior of the user.

93. The communication device as claimed in claim 90, wherein the attention degree detection means detects the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices on the basis of an instruction from the user.

94. The communication device as claimed in claim 90, wherein if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value, the grouping means puts the first communication data and second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices into the same group.

95. The communication device as claimed in claim 90, wherein if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value and the attention degree of the one communication device with respect to second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices is higher than a predetermined value, the grouping means put the first communication data and the second communication data into the same group.

96. The information processing device as claimed in claim 90, wherein if the attention degree of a user corresponding to second communication data grouped in a second group, with respect to first communication data grouped in a first group, is higher than a predetermined value, the grouping means unifies the first group and the second group into one group.

97. The communication device as claimed in claim 90, wherein the processing means processes communication data belonging to a predetermined group in a relatively emphasized state in comparison with communication data which do not belong to the predetermined group.

98. The communication device as claimed in claim 90, wherein the communication data includes audio data, and

the processing means processes the audio data.

99. The communication device as claimed in claim 98, wherein the processing means processes the audio data by adjusting the sound volume of the audio data.

100. The communication device as claimed in claim 98, wherein the processing means processes the audio data by adjusting the audio quality of the audio data.

101. The communication device as claimed in claim 90, wherein the communication data includes image data, and

the processing means processes the image data.

102. The communication device as claimed in claim 101, wherein the processing means processes the image data by adjusting the image quality of the image data.

103. The communication device as claimed in claim 90, wherein the presentation device has input means for inputting the communication data transmitted from each of the other communication devices, and presentation means for presenting the communication data correspondingly to each of the other communication devices.

104. A communication method in a communication system for carrying out communication among at least three communication devices, the method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving communication data from the other communication devices;

an information acquisition step of acquiring user reaction information for each of the communication data from the communication devices;

an attention degree detection step of detecting an attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information;

a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree;

a processing step of processing each of the communication data on the basis of a group to which each of the communication data belongs; and

a processed data output step of outputting the communication data processed at the processing means to a presentation device.

105. The communication method as claimed in claim 104, wherein at the attention degree detection step, the presence or absence of attention by the user is detected.

106. The communication method as claimed in claim 104, wherein at the attention degree detection step, the behavior of the user is detected and the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices is detected on the basis of the behavior of the user.

107. The communication method as claimed in claim 104, wherein at the attention degree detection step, the attention degree of the user with respect to the communication data from the other communication devices is detected on the basis of an instruction from the user.

108. The communication method as claimed in claim 104, wherein at the grouping step, if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value, the first communication data and second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices are put into the same group.

109. The communication method as claimed in claim 104, wherein at the grouping step, if the attention degree of the other communication devices with respect to first communication data transmitted by one communication device corresponding to an arbitrary user is higher than a predetermined value and the attention degree of the one communication device with respect to second communication data transmitted by the other communication devices is higher than a predetermined value, the first communication data and the second communication data are put into the same group.

110. The communication method as claimed in claim 104, wherein at the grouping step, if the attention degree of a user corresponding to second communication data grouped in a second group, with respect to first communication data grouped in a first group, is higher than a predetermined value, the first group and the second group are unified into one group.

111. The communication method as claimed in claim 104, wherein at the processing step, communication data belonging to a predetermined group is processed in a relatively emphasized state in comparison with communication data which do not belong to the predetermined group.

112. The communication method as claimed in claim 104, wherein the communication data includes audio data, and

at the processing step, the audio data is processed.

113. The communication method as claimed in claim 112, wherein at the processing step, the audio data is processed by adjusting the sound volume of the audio data.

114. The communication method as claimed in claim 112, wherein at the processing step, the audio data is processed by adjusting the audio quality of the audio data.

115. The communication method as claimed in claim 104, wherein the communication data includes image data, and

at the processing step, the image data is processed.

116. The communication method as claimed in claim 115, wherein at the processing step, the image data is processed by adjusting the image quality of the image data.

117. A recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-controllable communication program in a communication system for carrying out communication among at least three communication devices,

the communication program comprising:

a receiving step of receiving communication data from the other communication devices;

an information acquisition step of acquiring user reaction information for each of the communication data from the communication devices;

an attention degree detection step of detecting an attention degree for each of the communication data on the basis of the user reaction information;

a grouping step of carrying out grouping of the communication data on the basis of the attention degree;

a processing step of processing each of the communication data on the basis of a group to which each of the communication data belongs; and

a processed data output step of outputting the communication data processed at the processing means to a presentation device.

118. A communication device in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices, the communication device comprising:

information acquisition means for acquiring user reaction information for each of communication data from the communication devices;

communication means for receiving communication data from the information processing device and group information indicating a group to which the communication data transmitted from the information processing device belong, and for transmitting the user reaction information to the information processing device;

processing means for processing the communication data on the basis of the group information; and

processed data output means for outputting the communication data processed by the processing means to a presentation device.

119. The communication device as claimed in claim 118, wherein the processing means processes communication data belonging to a predetermined group in a relatively emphasized state in comparison with communication data which do not belong to the predetermined group.

120. The communication device as claimed in claim 118, wherein the communication data includes audio data, and

the processing means processes the audio data.

121. The communication device as claimed in claim 120, wherein the processing means processes the audio data by adjusting the sound volume of the audio data.

122. The communication device as claimed in claim 120, wherein the processing means processes the audio data by adjusting the audio quality of the audio data.

123. The communication device as claimed in claim 118, wherein the communication data includes image data, and

the processing means processes the image data.

124. The communication device as claimed in claim 123, wherein the processing means processes the image data by adjusting the image quality of the image data.

125. The communication device as claimed in claim 118, wherein the presentation device has input means for inputting the communication data transmitted from each of the other communication devices, and presentation means for presenting the communication data correspondingly to each of the other communication devices.

126. A communication method in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices, the method comprising:

an information acquisition step of acquiring user reaction information for each of communication data from the communication devices;

a transmission step of transmitting the user reaction information to the information processing device;

a receiving step of receiving communication data from the information processing device and group information indicating a group to which the communication data transmitted from the information processing device belong;

a processing step of processing the communication data on the basis of the group information; and

a processed data output step outputting the communication data processed at the processing step to a presentation device.

127. The communication method as claimed in claim 126, wherein at the processing step, communication data belonging to a predetermined group is processed in a relatively emphasized state in comparison with communication data which do not belong to the predetermined group.

128. The communication method as claimed in claim 126, wherein the communication data includes audio data, and

at the processing step, the audio data is processed.

129. The communication method as claimed in claim 128, wherein at the processing step, the audio data is processed by adjusting the sound volume of the audio data.

130. The communication method as claimed in claim 128, wherein at the processing step, the audio data is processed by adjusting the audio quality of the audio data.

131. The communication method as claimed in claim 126, wherein the communication data includes image data, and

at the processing step, the image data is processed.

132. The communication method as claimed in claim 131, wherein at the processing step, the image data is processed by adjusting the image quality of the image data.

133. A recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-controllable communication program in a communication system including an information processing device and at least three communication devices,

the communication program comprising:

an information acquisition step of acquiring user reaction information for each of communication data from the communication devices;

a transmission step of transmitting the user reaction information to the information processing device;

a receiving step of receiving communication data from the information processing device and group information indicating a group to which the communication data transmitted from the information processing device belong;

a processing step of processing the communication data on the basis of the group information; and

a processed data output step outputting the communication data processed at the processing step to a presentation device.