Information processing device and method, and program

• US 7,191,220 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohwa, Tsunayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US10/347,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20030149731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 709205-206, 709/231, 709/238, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• 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 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A user operates a digital camera so as to attach a photographed image to an e-mail describing a user ID and space ID, and transmit the e-mail to a mail server. The mail server reads out the user ID, space ID, and attached image data from the received e-mail. After setting a frame ID for a frame to exhibit the image data in a shared virtual space, the mail server transmits the image data, space ID, and frame ID to an AO server. The AO server stores the received data and also transmits the data to a CP server. The CP server transmits the received data to multiple client computers. The client computers display the received image at a predetermined location in the shared virtual space, specified by the frame ID. This allows the user to easily upload information.

Claims

1. An information processing device which receives presentation information provided from a portable terminal of a user via electronic mail and presents said presentation information on a virtual space shared by a plurality of users, said information processing device comprising:

reception means for receiving said electronic mail with said presentation information attached thereto from said portable terminal;

first storage means for storing said presentation information attached to said electronic mail received by said reception means;

reading means for reading location identification information incorporated in said electronic mail for specifying a presenting region on said shared virtual space for said presentation information; and

presenting means for presenting said presentation information stored in said first storage means at said presenting region on said virtual space specified by said location identification information read by said reading means;

second storage means for storing information relating to a two-dimensional or three-dimensional space of said virtual space;

wherein said presenting means presents said presentation information on said two-dimensional or said three-dimensional space based on information relating to said two-dimensional or said three-dimensional space stored in said second storage means.

2. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein said information includes at least one of text, still images, moving images, and audio.

3. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein said reading means reads user identification information for identifying said user described in said electronic mail with a predetermined format.

4. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein said presenting region specified by said location identification information is a region selected from a predetermined region set on said virtual space.

5. An information processing device according to claim 4, further comprising:

usage fee recording means for recording a usage fee set on a region of said virtual space;

obtaining means for obtaining a billing information from the usage fee recording means based on the presenting region of said virtual space identified by said location identification information; and

a billing information transmission means for transmitting the billing information to said portable terminal.

6. An information processing device according to claim 5, wherein said usage fee is determined according to a size of the region set on said virtual space or a position on said virtual space.

7. An information processing method for an information processing device which received presentation information provided from a portable terminal of a user via electronic mail and presents said presentation information on a virtual space shared by a plurality of users, said method comprising:

a reception step for receiving said electronic mail with said presentation information attached thereto from said portable terminal;

a storage step for storing said presentation information attached to said electronic mail received by said reception step;

a reading step for reading location identification information incorporated in said electronic mail for specifying a presenting region on said shared virtual space for said presentation information; and

a presenting step for presenting said presentation information stored by said storage step at said presenting region on said virtual space specified by said location identification information read by said reading step;

a second storage step for storing information relating to a two-dimensional or three-dimensional space of said virtual space;

wherein said presenting step presents said presentation information on said two-dimensional or said three-dimensional space based on information relating to said two-dimensional or said three-dimensional space stored in said second storage step.

8. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for causing a computer to control an information processing device which receives presentation information provided from a portable terminal of a user via electronic mail and presents said presentation information on a virtual space shared by a plurality of users, said program when executed by said computer readable medium causes said information processing device to perform the steps of;

a reception step for receiving said electronic mail with said presentation information attached thereto from said portable terminal;

a storage step for storing of said presentation information attached to said electronic mail received by said reception step;

a reading step for reading location identification information incorporated in said electronic mail for specifying a presenting region on said shared virtual space for said presentation information; and

a presenting step for presenting said presentation information stored by said storage step at said presenting region on said virtual space specified by said location identification information read by said reading step;

a second storage step for storing information relating to a two-dimensional or three-dimensional space of said virtual space;

wherein said presenting step presents said presentation information on said two-dimensional or said three-dimensional space based on information relating to said two-dimensional or said three-dimensional space stored in said second storage step.

9. An information processing device which receives presentation information provided from a portable terminal of a user via a predetermined Web page and presents said presentation information on a virtual space shared by a plurality of users, said information processing device comprising:

first storage means for storing an information transmission Web page used by said portable terminal transmitting said presentation information;

transmission means for transmitting to said portable terminal said information transmission Web page stored in said first storage means following a request for said portable terminal;

reception means for receiving said presentation information supplied from said portable terminal via electronic mail with said presentation information attached thereto;

second storage means for storing said presentation information received by said reception means;

reading means for reading location identification information incorporated in said electronic mail provided from said portable terminal for specifying a presenting region on said shared virtual space for said presentation information; and

presenting means for presenting said presentation information stored in said second storage means at said presenting region on said shared virtual space specified by said location identification information read by said reading step;

third storage means for storing information relating to a two-dimensional or three-dimensional space of said virtual space;

wherein said presenting means presents said presentation information on said two-dimensional or said three-dimensional space based on information relating to said two-dimensional or said three-dimensional space stored in said third storage means.

10. An information processing device according to claim 9, wherein said information includes at least one of text, still images, moving images, and audio.

11. An information processing device according to claim 9, wherein said information transmission Web page contains a space for filling out said location identification information;

wherein said reception means receive said location identification information along with said presentation information;

and wherein said second storage means store said location identification information along with said presentation information.

12. An information processing device according to claim 9, wherein said information transmission Web page contains a space for filling out user identification information for identifying said user;

and wherein said reception means receive said user identification information along with said presentation information;

and wherein said second storage means store said user identification information along with said presentation information.

13. An information processing device according to claim 9, wherein said presenting region specified by said location identification information is a region selected from a predetermined region set on said virtual space.

14. An information processing device according to claim 13, further comprising:

usage fee recording means for recording a usage fee set on a region of said virtual space;

obtaining means for obtaining a billing information from the usage fee recording means based on the presenting region of said virtual space identified by said location identification information; and

a billing information transmission means for transmitting the billing information to said portable terminal.

15. An information processing device according to claim 14, wherein said usage fee is determined according to a size of the region set on said virtual space or a position on said virtual space.

16. An information processing method for an information processing device which receives presentation information provided from a portable terminal of a user via a predetermined Web page and presents said presentation information on a virtual space shared by a plurality of users, said method comprising:

a first storage step for storing an information transmission Web page used by said portable terminal transmitting said presentation information;

a transmission step for transmitting to said portable terminal said information transmission Web page stored in said first storage step following a request for said portable terminal;

a reception step for receiving said presentation information supplied from said portable terminal via electronic mail with said presentation information attached thereto;

a second storage step for storing said presentation information received by said reception step;

a reading step for reading location identification information incorporated in said electronic mail provided from said portable terminal for specifying a presenting region on said shared virtual space for said presentation information; and

a presenting step for presenting said presentation information stored in said second storage step at said presenting region on said shared virtual space specified by said location identification information read by said reading step;

a third storage step for storing information relating to a two-dimensional or three-dimensional space of said virtual space;

wherein said presenting step presents said presentation information on said two-dimensional or said three-dimensional space based on information relating to said two-dimensional or said three-dimensional space stored in said third storage step.

17. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for causing a computer to control an information processing device which receives presentation information provided from a portable terminal of a user via a predetermined Web page and presents said presentation information on a virtual space shared by a plurality of users, said program when executed by said computer readable medium causes said information processing device to perform the steps of:

a first storage step for storing an information transmission Web page used by said portable terminal transmitting said presentation information;

a transmission step for transmitting to said portable terminal said information transmission Web page stored in said first storage step following a request for said portable terminal;

a reception step for receiving said presentation information supplied from said portable terminal via electronic mail with said presentation information attached thereto;

a second storage step for storing said presentation information received by said reception step;

a reading step for reading location identification information incorporated in said electronic mail provided from said portable terminal for specifying a presenting region on said shared virtual space for said presentation information; and

a presenting step for presenting said presentation information stored in said second storage step at said presenting region on said shared virtual space specified by said location identification information read by said reading step;

a third storage step for storing information relating to a two-dimensional or three-dimensional space of said virtual space;

wherein said presenting step presents said presentation information on said two-dimensional or said three-dimensional space based on information relating to said two-dimensional or said three-dimensional space stored in said third storage step.