Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and method

• US 7,716,697 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Morikawa, Koji, Adachi, Shinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton; Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alcon; Fernando
• Application Number:
  US11/577,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20090147148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 725/10, 600544-545
• US Class Current: 725/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/168 Evaluating attention deficit, hyperactivity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/375 using biofeedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883

Abstract

There is provided a technique which, in the case where the operation has not occurred in a manner as expected by the user, determines from which standpoint the operation was not as expected, and makes a response that is closer to the expectation.

An information processing system according to the present invention includes: a reaction section for executing a first process based on a request from a user; an output section for outputting a result of a process; a signal detection section for measuring a signal concerning an event-related potential of electroencephalograms of the user; an analysis section for identifying a positive peak in the event-related potential and determining whether an elapsed time since the result is output and until the peak appears is closer to a first reference time or a second reference time; and a reaction modifying section for determining a second process in accordance with the determination result. This determination result indicates a degree of disappointment of the user, and the second process is to be determined in accordance with the degree. By the reaction section executing the second process, an operation is realized which conforms to the user'"'"'s expectation even if the operation has not occurred in a manner as expected by the user.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

a reaction section for executing a first process based on a request from a user;

an output section for outputting a result of a process;

a signal detection section for measuring a signal concerning an event-related potential of electroencephalograms of the user;

an analysis section for determining whether an elapsed time since the result is output and until a positive peak appears in the event-related potential is closer to a first reference time range or a second reference time range, the analysis section making the determination by defining the first reference time range to be 600±

50 milliseconds and the second reference time range to be 750±

50 milliseconds; and

a reaction modifying section for determining a second process in accordance with the determination result,

wherein the reaction section executes a second process.

2. The information processing system of claim 1, further comprising a storage section for retaining a plurality of parameters to be used for executing a process,

wherein the plurality of parameters are each categorizable into a plurality of categories, and

wherein the reaction modifying section is operable to:

select a parameter belonging to a different category from that of the parameter used for the first process, when receiving a determination result indicating that the elapsed time is close to the first reference time range of 600±

50 milliseconds;

select a parameter belonging to the same category as that of the parameter used for the first process, when receiving a determination result indicating that the elapsed time is close to the second reference time range of 750±

50 milliseconds; and

determine a process using the selected parameter as the second process.

3. The information processing system of claim 2, wherein, the storage section retains history information indicating a frequency of use of each parameter;

and

the reaction section selects a parameter based on the history information, and executes the first process by using the selected parameter.

4. The information processing system of claim 3, wherein the reaction modifying section determines the second process by selecting, among the parameters which are yet to be selected, a parameter having a highest frequency of use.

5. The information processing system of claim 3, wherein, in response to execution of the second process, the storage section updates the history information of the parameter used for the second process.

6. The information processing system of claim 1, wherein, regarding a first content and a second content including at least one of video and audio,

the reaction section executes an outputting process of the first content as the first process, and executes an outputting process of the second content which is different from the first content as the second process.

7. An information processing apparatus for being connected to an input device, an output device, and a signal detection device,

the input device including means for receiving a request from a user,

the output device including means for outputting a received signal,

the signal detection device including means for measuring a signal concerning an event-related potential of electroencephalograms of the user, and

the information processing apparatus comprising:

a reaction section for executing a first process based on the request of the user from the input device and outputting a signal;

an analysis section for, based on the signal concerning the event-related potential, identifying a positive peak in the event-related potential, and determining whether an elapsed time since the result is output and until the peak appears is closer to a first reference time range or a second reference time range, the analysis section making the determination by defining the first reference time range to be 600±

50 milliseconds and the second reference time range to be 750±

50 milliseconds; and

a reaction modifying section for determining a second process in accordance with the determination result,

wherein the reaction section outputs a signal by executing the second process.

8. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

executing a first process based on a request from a user;

outputting a result of a process;

measuring a signal concerning an event-related potential of electroencephalograms of the user;

identifying a positive peak in the event-related potential;

determining whether an elapsed time since the result is output and until the peak appears is closer to a first reference time range or a second reference time range, the determination being made by defining the first reference time range to be 600±

50 milliseconds and the second reference time range to be 750±

50 milliseconds;

determining a second process in accordance with the determination result; and

executing a second process.