Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and information providing medium

• US 6,609,147 B1
• Filed: 01/08/1999
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LINE Corporation (A Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Koichi, Ueno, Hiroshi, Naito, Taketo
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US09/227,689
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/205, 709/206, 709/207, 345/329, 345/330, 345/355
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• 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: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

Communication between users not accessing a shared virtual reality space at the same time is realized. A client terminal sends a calling card and a mail. A hard disk drive of a mail server holds the calling card and the mail. When a user to whom the calling card and the mail are to be sent accesses the shared virtual reality space, the mail server transfers the calling card and the mail to the client terminal.

Claims

1. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus to be provided with a shared virtual reality space from a server through a network along with another information processing apparatus, comprising:

instructing a first object related to a user in said shared virtual reality space to obtain predetermined information arranged in said shared virtual reality space; and

receiving, by a second object related to the user in said shared virtual reality space, said predetermined information from said first object.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined information contains a mail address of said user.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein said first object represents a virtual reality life.

4. The information processing method according to claim 1 further comprising a step of giving an instruction for arranging said predetermined information in said shared virtual reality space.

5. The information processing method of claim 1, wherein said first object represents a virtual reality pet and said second object represents a virtual reality avatar.

6. An information processing apparatus connected to a server through a network to be provided with a shared virtual reality space along with another information processing apparatus, comprising:

instructing means for instructing a first object related to a user in said shared virtual reality space to obtain predetermined information arranged in said shared virtual reality space;

and

receiving means for receiving, by a second object related to the user in said shared virtual reality space, said predetermined information from said first object.

7. The information processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first object represents a virtual reality pet and said second object represents a virtual reality avatar.

8. An information providing medium for providing control information allowing an information processing apparatus connected to a server through a network along with another information processing apparatus to be provided with a shared virtual reality space from said server, said control information comprising steps of:

instructing a first object related to a user in said shared virtual reality space to obtain predetermined information arranged in said shared virtual reality space; and

receiving, by a second object related to the user in said shared virtual reality space, said predetermined information from said first object.

9. The information providing medium of claim 8, wherein said first object represents a virtual reality pet and said second object represents a virtual reality avatar.

10. An information processing method for providing a shared virtual reality space to a plurality of client apparatuses through a network, comprising:

initiating an autonomous behavior of a first object existing in said shared virtual reality space to obtain information on behalf of a user; and

transferring the information obtained by said first object in said shared virtual reality space to a second object related to the user in said shared virtual reality space.

11. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein said information contains a mail address of said user.

12. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein said first object represents a virtual reality life.

13. The information processing method according to claim 10 further comprising a step of arranging said information in said shared virtual reality space.

14. The information processing method of claim 10, wherein said first object represents a virtual reality pet and said second object represents a virtual reality avatar.

15. An information processing apparatus for providing a shared virtual reality space to a plurality of clients interconnected through a network, comprising:

control means for initiating an autonomous behavior of a first object existing in said shared virtual reality space to obtain information on behalf of a user; and

transfer means for transferring information obtained by said first object in said shared virtual reality space to a second object related to the user in said shared virtual reality space.

16. The information processing apparatus of claim 15, wherein said first object represents a virtual reality pet and said second object represents a virtual reality avatar.

17. An information providing medium for providing control information for providing a shared virtual reality space to a plurality of client apparatuses through a network, comprising:

initiating an autonomous behavior of a first object existing in said shared virtual reality space to obtain information on behalf of a user; and

transferring the information obtained by said first object in said shared virtual reality space a second object related to the user in said shared virtual reality space.

18. The information providing medium of claim 17, wherein said first object represents a virtual reality pet and said second object represents a virtual reality avatar.