Information processing system, service providing apparatus and method, information processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program

• US 7,594,179 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wakita, Yoshihiro, Tokashiki, Mamoru, Takemura, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDUL-ALI, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US10/498,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20050154574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,176 Days
• Field of Search: 715/757, 715/748, 715/751, 715/727, 715/706, 715/753
• US Class Current: 715/757
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

The present invention is related to an information processing system, a service providing apparatus and method, an information processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program that are intended to control electrical household appliances connected to a home network by use of a GUI having an entertainment-oriented virtual space capability. The virtual space has a mascot 121. Also, the virtual space is arranged with a PC icon 125, which is clicked to control a PC 12 really existing in the home of user A, and a TV set icon 126, which is clicked to control a TV set 13 also really existing in the home of user A. The present invention is applicable to a system controlling electrical household appliances in one'"'"'s home from the outside in remote control manner, for example.

Claims

1. An information processing system, comprising:

a plurality of information processing apparatuses; and

a service providing apparatus connected with said plurality of information processing apparatuses over a network;

said service providing apparatus comprising;

providing means for providing, to a given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses, a service of a private virtual space in which a first mascot is arranged, the private virtual space and the first mascot being associated with a particular user of said plurality of information processing apparatuses,

storage means for storing group information for a group to which the particular user belongs,

sharing means for sharing the service of the private virtual space being provided to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses with another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses being used by another user belonging to said group whereby the private virtual space associated with the particular user contains a second mascot associated with the another user,

relay means for relaying data in real-time between said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses and said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses, and

audio stream means for receiving from said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses a request for delivery of audio stream data provided by an audio server, for providing the audio stream data provided by the audio server to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses in response to the request by said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses, for receiving from said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses a request for synchronous delivery to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses and to said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses of the audio stream data provided by the audio server, and in response to the request from said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses, for concurrently providing substantially same audio stream data provided by the audio server to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses and to said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses while said sharing means shares the service of the private virtual space provided to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses with the another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses;

said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses comprising;

reproduction means for reproducing the audio stream data received over said network from said audio stream means of said service providing apparatus, and

notification means for notifying said another information processing apparatus that said audio stream means has started the providing of the audio stream data to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses;

said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses comprising;

request means for sending, to said sharing means of said service providing apparatus, a request for participation of the second mascot in the private virtual space being provided to the given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses,

display control means for controlling the displaying of the private virtual space, the private virtual space being provided by said sharing means of said service providing apparatus in response to said request,

communication means for communicating data in real-time with said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses via said service providing apparatus,

receiving means for receiving the notification from said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses that said audio stream means has started the providing of the audio stream data to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses, and

requesting means for sending, in response to receiving the notification from said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses, the request to said service providing apparatus for the synchronous delivery of the audio stream data provided by the audio server, and

reproduction means for reproducing the substantially same audio stream data provided to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses that is received over said network from said audio stream means of said service providing apparatus.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said storage means of said service providing apparatus stores the group information for the group to which said user belongs by use of identification information of said particular user or identification information of said given information processing apparatus.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said storage means of said service providing apparatus stores the group information for the group to which said particular user belongs for each of said private virtual spaces provided for said particular user and said another user.

4. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said data are text data.

5. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said data are image data.

6. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said information processing apparatus further comprises:

control means for controlling a real electronic device via said network by operating an icon corresponding to an electronic device arranged in said virtual space.

7. A service providing apparatus connected to a plurality of information processing apparatuses over a network, said service providing apparatus comprising:

providing means for providing a service of a private virtual space in which a first mascot is arranged to a given one said plurality of information processing apparatuses, the private virtual space and the first mascot being associated with a particular user of said plurality of information processing apparatuses;

storage means for storing group information for a group to which the particular user belongs;

sharing means for sharing the service of the private virtual space being provided to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses with another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses being used by another user belonging to said group whereby the private virtual space associated with the particular user contains a second mascot associated with the another user;

relay means for relaying data in real-time between said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses and said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses; and

audio stream means for receiving from the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses a request for delivery of audio stream data provided by an audio server, for providing the audio stream data provided by the audio server to the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses in response to the request by the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, for receiving a request from the another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses that was sent in response to the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses receiving notification from the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses that said audio stream means has started the providing of the audio stream data to the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, the request for synchronous delivery to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses and to said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses of audio stream data provided by an audio server, and in response to the request from said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses, for concurrently providing substantially same audio stream data provided by the audio server to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses and to said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses while said sharing means shares the service of the private virtual space provided to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses with the another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses.

8. The service providing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said storage means stores the group information for the group to which said particular user belongs by use of identification information of said particular user or identification information of said given information processing apparatus.

9. The service providing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said storage means stores the group information for the group to which said particular user belongs for each of said private virtual spaces provided for said particular user and said another user.

10. The service providing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said data are text data.

11. The service providing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said data are image data.

16. The service providing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

transferring means for transferring ownership of an item located in the private virtual space from the first mascot associated with the particular user to the second mascot associated with the another user and for certifying the transfer using an icon transfer certificate.

12. A service providing method for providing service to a plurality of information processing apparatuses over a network, said method comprising:

providing, by a service providing apparatus, a service of a private virtual space in which a first mascot is arranged to a given one said plurality of information processing apparatuses, the private virtual space and the first mascot being associated with a particular user of said plurality of information processing apparatuses;

storing, at the service providing apparatus, group information for a group to which the particular user belongs;

sharing, by the service providing apparatus, the service of the private virtual space being provided to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses with another one of said plurality of information processing apparatus apparatuses being used by another user belonging to said group whereby the private virtual space associated with the particular user contains a second mascot associated with the another user;

relaying, at the service providing apparatus, data in real-time between said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses and said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses;

receiving, at the service providing apparatus from the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, a request for delivery of audio stream data provided by an audio server;

providing, by the service providing apparatus in response to the request by the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, the audio stream data provided by the audio server to the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses;

sending, from the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses to the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, notification that said providing of the audio stream data to the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses has started;

sending, from said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses to the service providing apparatus in response to the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses receiving the notification from the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, a request for synchronous delivery to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses and to said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses of the audio stream data provided by the audio server; and

concurrently providing substantially same audio stream data provided by the audio server to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses and to said another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses in response to the request from the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses while the service of the private virtual space provided to said given one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses is shared with the another one of said plurality of information processing apparatuses.

17. The service providing method according to claim 12, further comprising:

transferring ownership of an item located in the private virtual space from the first mascot associated with the particular user to the second mascot associated with the another user and for certifying the transfer using an icon transfer certificate.

13. An information processing apparatus for accessing a service providing apparatus over a network, the service providing apparatus providing another information processing apparatus with a service of a private virtual space in which a first mascot is arranged, the private virtual space and the first mascot being associated with a particular user, said information processing apparatus comprising:

request means for sending, to the service providing apparatus, a request for participation of a second mascot associated with another user into the private virtual space being provided to the another information processing apparatus;

display control means for controlling the displaying of the private virtual space associated with the particular user, the private virtual space being provided by said service providing apparatus in response to said request;

communication means for communicating data in real-time with the another information processing apparatus via the service providing apparatus;

receiving means for receiving notification from the another information processing apparatus that providing of audio stream data provided by an audio server to the another information processing apparatus has started;

requesting means for sending, over said network in response to receiving the notification from the another information processing apparatus, a request for the synchronous delivery to said information processing apparatus and to the another information processing apparatus of the audio stream data provided by the audio server; and

reproduction means for receiving over the network the audio stream data provided by the audio server concurrent with the another information processing apparatus receiving substantially same audio stream data provided by the audio server, and for reproducing the received audio stream data.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

control means for controlling a real electronic device via said network by operating an icon corresponding to an electronic device arranged in said virtual space.

15. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus which accesses a service providing apparatus over a network, the service providing apparatus providing a service of a private virtual space in which a first mascot is arranged, the private virtual space and the first mascot being associated with a particular user, said method comprising:

requesting, of the service providing apparatus, participation of a second mascot associated with another user into the private virtual space being provided to the another information processing apparatus;

controlling the displaying of the private virtual space associated with the particular user, the private virtual space being provided by said service providing apparatus in response to said request;

communicating data in real-time with the another information processing apparatus via the service providing apparatus communicating data in real time with said other information processing apparatus via said service providing apparatus;

receiving notification from the another information processing apparatus that providing of audio stream data provided by an audio server to the another information processing apparatus has started;

sending, over the network in response to said receiving of the notification from the another information processing apparatus, a request for synchronous delivery to said information processing apparatus and to the another information processing apparatus of the audio stream data provided by the audio server;

receiving the audio stream data provided by the audio server concurrent with the another information processing apparatus receiving substantially same audio stream data provided by the audio server; and

reproducing the received audio stream data.