Information-processing apparatus, information-processing methods, recording mediums, and programs

• US 7,975,230 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Saito, Naoki, Kamada, Mikio, Sakai, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Vital; Pierre M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahman; Sabana
• Application Number:
  US11/179,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20060026207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,183 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104, 709/217
• US Class Current: 715/753
• 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: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN

Abstract

The present invention provides an information-processing apparatus including reproduction means for synchronously reproducing content data common to an other information-processing apparatus, user information input means for inputting first user condition information including a voice and image of a user, user information receiver means for receiving second user condition information including a voice and image of an other user from the other information-processing apparatus, synthesis means for synthesizing a voice and image of the content data synchronously reproduced by the reproduction means with the voice and image of the second user condition information received by the user-information receiver means; information analysis means for analyzing at least either the first user condition information input by the user-information input means or the second user condition information received by the user-information receiver means, and parameter-setting means for setting a control parameter used for controlling a process, which is carried out by the synthesis means to synthesize voices and images, on the basis of an analysis result produced by the information analysis means.

Claims

1. An information-processing apparatus for communicating with an other information-processing apparatus, which is connected to said information-processing apparatus by a network, said information-processing apparatus comprising:

reproduction means for reproducing content data common to said information-processing apparatus and said other information-processing apparatus synchronously with said other information-processing apparatus;

user information input means for inputting first user condition information including a voice and image of a user operating said information-processing apparatus;

user information receiver means for receiving second user condition information including a voice and image of an other user from said other information-processing apparatus operated by said other user;

synthesis means for synthesizing a voice and image of said content data synchronously reproduced by said reproduction means with said voice and image of said other user received by said user-information receiver means to create a single image including both the voice and image of the content data and the voice and image of the other user such that the image of the content data extends within an area and at least part of the image of the other user is included within the area of the image of the content data, said synthesis means increasing a size of said image of said other user when a sound volume of said voice of said other user exceeds a threshold;

display means for simultaneously displaying said voice and image of said content data synthesized with said voice and image of said other user;

information analysis means for analyzing at least either said first user condition information input by said user-information input means or said second user condition information received by said user-information receiver means; and

parameter-setting means for setting a control parameter used for controlling a process, which is carried out by said synthesis means to synthesize voices and images, on the basis of an analysis result produced by said information analysis means.

2. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first user condition information also includes information on the environment of said user whereas said second user condition information also includes information on the environment of said other user.

3. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, said information-processing apparatus further comprising analysis-object determination means for generating a determination result as to whether or not said second user condition information received by said user-information receiver means is to be analyzed by said information analysis means and, if said determination result produced by said analysis-object determination means indicates that said second user condition information is not to be analyzed by said information analysis means, said information analysis means analyzes only said first user condition information.

4. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, said information-processing apparatus further comprising output means for outputting a voice and an image, which are obtained as a synthesis result carried out by said synthesis means, wherein said parameter-setting means sets a control parameter of said output means on the basis of an analysis result carried out by said information analysis means.

5. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said parameter-setting means sets a control parameter of an electronic apparatus, which is connected to said information-processing apparatus, on the basis of an analysis result carried out by said information analysis means.

6. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said parameter-setting means sets a control parameter of said other information-processing apparatus on the basis of an analysis result carried out by said information analysis means, and said information-processing apparatus further comprises sender means for transmitting said control parameter set by said parameter-setting means to said other information-processing apparatus.

7. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 1, said information-processing apparatus further comprising acceptance determination means for generating a determination result as to whether or not a control parameter transmitted by said other information-processing apparatus is to be accepted.

8. An information-processing method adopted by an information-processing apparatus as a method for communicating with an other information-processing apparatus, which is connected to said information-processing apparatus by a network, said information-processing method comprising:

reproducing content data common to said information-processing apparatus and said other information-processing apparatus synchronously with said other information-processing apparatus;

inputting first user condition information including a voice and image of a user operating said information-processing apparatus;

receiving second user condition information including a voice and image of an other user from said other information-processing apparatus operated by said other user;

synthesizing a voice and image of said content data synchronously reproduced at said reproducing with said voice and image of said other user received at said receiving to create a single image including both the voice and image of the content data and the voice and image of the other user such that the image of the content data extends within an area and at least part of the image of the other user is included within the area of the image of the content data, said synthesizing including increasing a size of said image of said other user when a sound volume of said voice of said other user exceeds a threshold;

simultaneously displaying said voice and image of said content data synthesized with said voice and image of said other user;

analyzing at least either said first user condition information input at said inputting or said second user condition information received at said receiving; and

setting a control parameter used for controlling said synthesizing on the basis of an analysis result produced at said analyzing.

9. A recording medium for recording a program to be executed by a computer to perform a method for communicating with an information-processing apparatus, which is connected to said computer by a network, said method comprising:

reproducing content data common to said information-processing apparatus and said other information-processing apparatus synchronously with said other information-processing apparatus;

inputting first user condition information including a voice and image of a user operating said information-processing apparatus;

receiving second user condition information including a voice and image of an other user from said other information-processing apparatus operated by said other user;

synthesizing a voice and image of said content data synchronously reproduced at said reproducing with said voice and image of said other user received at said receiving to create a single image including both the voice and image of the content data and the voice and image of the other user such that the image of the content data extends within an area and at least part of the image of the other user is included within the area of the image of the content data, said synthesizing including increasing a size of said image of said other user when a sound volume of said voice of said other user exceeds a threshold;

simultaneously displaying said voice and image of said content data synthesized with said voice and image of said other user;

analyzing at least either said first user condition information input at said inputting or said second user condition information received at said receiving; and

setting a control parameter used for controlling said synthesizing on the basis of an analysis result produced at said analyzing.

10. An information-processing apparatus for communicating with an other information-processing apparatus, which is connected to said information-processing apparatus by a network, said information-processing apparatus comprising:

a reproduction section configured to reproduce content data common to said information-processing apparatus and said other information-processing apparatus synchronously with said other information-processing apparatus;

a user information input section configured to input first user condition information including a voice and image of a user operating said information-processing apparatus;

a user information receiver section configured to receive second user condition information including a voice and image of an other user from said other information-processing apparatus operated by said other user;

a synthesis section configured to synthesize a voice and image of said content data synchronously reproduced by said reproduction section with said voice and image of said second user condition information received by said user-information receiver section to create a single image including both the voice and image of the content data and the voice and image of the other user such that the image of the content data extends within an area and at least part of the image of the other user is included within the area of the image of the content data, said synthesis section configured to increase a size of said image of said other user when a sound volume of said voice of said other user exceeds a threshold;

a display configured to simultaneously display said voice and image of said content data synthesized with said voice and image of said other user;

an information analysis section configured to analyze at least either said first user condition information input by said user-information input section or said second user condition information received by said user-information receiver section; and

a parameter-setting section configured to set a control parameter used for controlling a process, which is carried out by said synthesis section to synthesize voices and images, on the basis of an analysis result produced by said information analysis section.

11. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said second user condition information includes information describing movement of the other user.

12. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said synthesis section increases a size of said image of said other user when said other user leans forward.

13. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said synthesis section increases a concentration of said image of said other user when said other user leans forward.

14. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said synthesis section increases a volume of said voice of said other user when said other user leans forward.

15. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said second user condition information includes information describing movement of the other user generated from real-time video of the other user.

16. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said second user condition information includes information describing sound volume of said voice of the other user.

17. The information-processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said second user condition information includes information describing sound volume of said voice of the other user generated from real-time video of the other user.