Service providing apparatus and method, and information processing apparatus and method

• US 7,823,074 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2008
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• 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: Takemura, Kenichi, Wakita, Yoshihiro, Tokashiki, Mamoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDUL-ALI, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US12/315,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20090100355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 715/757, 715/848, 715/758, 715/706
• 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

Systems and methods are provided which can be used to control electrical household appliances connected to a home network by use of a GUI having an entertainment-oriented virtual space capability. A virtual space is arranged with a mascot dedicated to the user of an information processing apparatus. An icon can be clicked to control a real world device existing in the home of a user. A user can participate in a virtual space belonging to another user through sharing.

Claims

1. An information processing system, comprising:

a plurality of information processing apparatuses; and

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

the service providing apparatus including;

providing means for providing, to a given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, a service of a private virtual space in which a first mascot and an icon are arranged, wherein the private virtual space, the first mascot and the icon are associated with a particular user of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, the icon representing an actual electrical device that is located in a real space associated with the particular user and that is connected over a local network to a particular one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses,

storage means for storing layout information defining a layout of the private virtual space and for storing a selected location of the icon within the layout of the private virtual space, the location of the icon being selected by the particular user, and

sharing means for sharing the service of the private virtual space being provided to the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses with another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses being used by another user;

the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses and the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses each including;

display control means for controlling display of the private virtual space in which the icon is arranged, and in response to the icon being selected by the particular user or the another user, for controlling display of the state of the electrical device and display of controls by which an operation is performed by the particular user or by the another user,

wherein the actual electrical device is a television set, the icon arranged in the private virtual space is a television icon, and said controlling display of the state of the electrical device by said display control means includes modifying the television icon to display the channel currently being received by the television set when the television set is in a power-on state;

the particular one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses including;

control means for controlling the electrical device over the local network in response to a the operation performed by the particular user or by the another user.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the service providing apparatus is connected with the plurality of information processing apparatuses over the Internet.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the local network is a home network, and the electrical device is located in the home of the particular user.

4. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the local network is a home network, and the particular one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses is located in the home of the particular user.

5. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the operation is performed by the particular user using the given one of plurality of information processing apparatuses, and the sharing means shares the operation performed by the particular user with the particular one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses.

6. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the operation is performed by the another user using the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, and the sharing means shares the operation performed by the another user with the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses.

7. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses and the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses each include:

request means for sending, to the service providing apparatus, the operation performed by the particular user or by the another user.

8. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses and the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses each include:

display control means for controlling the displaying of the private virtual space, the private virtual space being provided by the sharing means of the service providing apparatus.

17. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said display control means, in response to the operation performed by the particular user or by the another user, changes the display of the state of the electrical device based on the operation performed.

18. The information processing system according to claim 17, wherein the operation performed by the particular user or by the another user includes changing the channel currently being received by the television set from a first channel to a second channel, and the change of the display of the state of the television set by the display control means includes modifying the television icon from displaying the first channel to displaying the second channel.

9. A service providing apparatus connected with a plurality of information processing apparatuses over a network, the service providing apparatus comprising:

providing means for providing, to a given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, a service of a private virtual space in which a first mascot and an icon are arranged, wherein the private virtual space, the first mascot and the icon are associated with a particular user of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, the icon representing an actual electrical device that is located in a real space associated with the particular user and that is connected over a local network to a particular one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses;

the providing means for providing, to the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses in response to the icon being selected by the particular user, the state of the electrical device and controls by which an operation is performed by the particular user or by the another user;

storage means for storing layout information defining a layout of the private virtual space and for storing a selected location of the icon within the layout of the private virtual space, the location of the icon being selected by the particular user; and

sharing means for sharing the service of the private virtual space being provided to the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses with another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses being used by another user, and in response to the icon being selected by the another user, for sharing the state of the electrical device and controls by which the operation is performed by the another user,

wherein the actual electrical device is a television set, the icon arranged in the private virtual space is a television icon, and said sharing the state of the electrical device by said sharing means includes sharing within the television icon display of the channel currently being received by the television set when the television set is in a power-on state;

the sharing means for sharing, with the particular one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, the operation performed by the particular user or by the another user which, in response thereto, the particular one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses controls the electrical device.

10. The service providing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the service providing apparatus is connected with the plurality of information processing apparatuses over the Internet.

11. The service providing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the local network is a home network, and the electrical device is located in the home of the particular user.

12. The service providing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the local network is a home network, and the particular one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses is located in the home of the particular user.

13. The service providing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the selection of the icon is performed by the particular user using the given one of plurality of information processing apparatuses or by the another user using the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses.

14. The service providing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the operation is performed by the particular user using the given one of plurality of information processing apparatuses or by the another user using the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses.

19. The service providing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said sharing means, in response to the operation performed by the particular user or by the another user, changes the shared display of the state of the electrical device based on the operation performed.

20. The service providing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the operation performed by the particular user or by the another user includes changing the channel currently being received by the television set from a first channel to a second channel, said sharing means modifying the shared television icon from displaying the first channel to displaying the second channel.

15. An information processing method, comprising:

providing, to a given one of a plurality of information processing apparatuses using a service providing apparatus connected with the plurality of information processing apparatuses over a network, a service of a private virtual space in which a first mascot and an icon are arranged, wherein the private virtual space, the first mascot and the icon are associated with a particular user of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, the icon representing an actual electrical device that is located in a real space associated with the particular user and that is connected over a local network to a particular one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses;

storing, at the service providing apparatus, layout information defining a layout of the private virtual space and storing a selected location of the icon within the layout of the private virtual space, the location of the icon being selected by the particular user;

controlling, at the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, display of the private virtual space in which the icon is arranged;

in response to the icon being selected by the particular user at the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, controlling display of the state of the electrical device and display of controls by which an operation is performed by the particular user,

wherein the electrical device is a television set, the icon arranged in the private virtual space is a television icon, and said controlling display of the state of the electrical device includes modifying the television icon to display the channel currently being received by the television set when the television set is in a power-on state;

sharing, at the service providing apparatus, the service of the private virtual space being provided to the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses with another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses being used by another user;

controlling, at the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses or the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, display of the private virtual space in which the icon is arranged;

in response to the icon being selected by the another user at the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, controlling display of the state of the electrical device and display of the controls by which the operation is performed by the another user; and

controlling, using the particular one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, the electrical device in response to the operation performed by the particular user or by the another user.

21. The information processing method according to claim 15, further comprising:

changing, in response to the operation performed by the particular user or by the another user, the display of the state of the electrical device based on the operation performed.

22. The information processing method according to claim 21, wherein the operation performed by the particular user or by the another user includes changing the channel currently being received by the television set from a first channel to a second channel, and said changing the display of the state of the electrical device includes modifying the television icon from displaying the first channel to displaying the second channel.

16. A service providing method, comprising:

providing, over a network to a given one of a plurality of information processing apparatuses, a service of a private virtual space in which a first mascot and an icon are arranged, wherein the private virtual space, the first mascot and the icon are associated with a particular user of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, the icon representing an actual electrical device that is located in a real space associated with the particular user and that is connected over a local network to a particular one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses;

providing, to the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses in response to the icon being selected by the particular user, the state of the electrical device and controls by which an operation is performed by the particular user or by the another user;

storing layout information defining a layout of the private virtual space and storing a selected location of the icon within the layout of the private virtual space, the location of the icon being selected by the particular user;

sharing, over the network with another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses used by another user, the service of the private virtual space being provided to the given one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses;

sharing, over the network with the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses in response to the icon being selected by the another user, the state of the electrical device and the controls by which the operation is performed by the another user,

wherein the actual electrical device is a television set, the icon arranged in the private virtual space is a television icon, and said sharing the state of the electrical device includes sharing within the television icon display of the channel currently being received by the television set when the television set is in a power-on state; and

sharing, over the network with the particular one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses, the operation performed by the particular user using the given one of plurality of information processing apparatuses or by the another user using the another one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses which, in response thereto, the particular one of the plurality of information processing apparatuses controls the electrical device.

23. The service providing method according to claim 16, further comprising:

changing, in response to the operation performed by the particular user or by the another user, the shared display of the state of the electrical device based on the operation performed.

24. The service providing method according to claim 23, wherein the operation performed by the particular user or by the another user includes changing the channel currently being received by the television set from a first channel to a second channel, and said changing the shared display of the state of the electrical device includes modifying the television icon from displaying the first channel to displaying the second channel.