Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing system, and storage medium

• US 20020063795A1
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kokubo, Tetsushi, Marukawa, Kazuyuki, Yukawa, Yasuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,113,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/473
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

An image and motion corresponding to the image are presented in response to a request issued by an user. The user transmits image data from a terminal to a motion data generating apparatus. The motion data generating apparatus generates motion data from the received image data. The motion data generating apparatus transmits the generated motion data together with the image data, in a mutually related fashion, to an image/motion control apparatus. The motion data generating apparatus also transmits ID data assigned to the image data and the motion data to the terminal. The image/motion control apparatus stores the received data. When the image/motion control apparatus receives ID data input by a user via an image/motion presenting apparatus, the image/motion control apparatus reads image data and motion data corresponding to the received ID data and transmits the image data and the motion data to the image/motion presenting apparatus. The image/motion presenting apparatus presents an image in accordance with the received image data and also presents motion in accordance with the motion data.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

inputting means for inputting image data;

motion data generating means for generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to the input image data;

ID data generating means for generating ID data corresponding to at least one of the image data and the motion data;

first storing means for storing the image data and the motion data;

second storing means for storing the ID data corresponding to said at least one of the image data and the motion data and also storing address data indicating an address in said first storing means at which said at least one of the image data and the motion data is stored, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other;

output means for reading, in response to receiving ID data from said presenting means, address data related to said ID data from said second storing means, and then reading image data and motion data from said first storing means in accordance with said address data, and finally transmitting a set of said image data and said motion data to presenting means; and

presenting means for presenting an image corresponding to the image data and also presenting motion corresponding to the motion data.

2. An information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting image data via a network;

motion data generating means for generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data input via said input means;

ID generating means for generating an ID corresponding to a set of the image data input via said input means and the motion data generated by said motion data generating means; and

transmitting means for transmitting the image data, the motion data, and the ID data, in a mutually related fashion, to another apparatus via said network.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

charging means for charging a total fee including a fee for use of said information processing apparatus and a fee for use of said another apparatus; and

data generating means for generating data indicating the amount of fee for use of said another apparatus, included in said total fee charged by said charging means.

4. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

inputting image data via a network;

generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data input in said inputting step;

generating an ID corresponding to a set of the image data input in said inputting step and the motion data generated in said motion data generating step; and

transmitting the image data, the motion data, and the ID data, in a mutually related fashion, to another apparatus via said network.

5. An information processing method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

charging a total fee including a fee for use of said information processing apparatus and a fee for use of said another apparatus; and

generating data indicating the amount of fee for use of said another apparatus, included in said total fee charged in said charging step.

6. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, said program comprising the steps of:

generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data input in said inputting step;

generating an ID corresponding to a set of the image data input in said inputting step and the motion data generated in said motion data generating step; and

transmitting the image data, the motion data, and the ID data, in a mutually related fashion, to another apparatus via said network.

7. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, according to claim 6, said program further comprising the steps of:

charging a total fee including a fee for use of said information processing apparatus and a fee for use of said another apparatus; and

generating data indicating the amount of fee for use of said another apparatus, included in said total fee charged in said charging step.

8. An information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting image data, motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data, an ID assigned to a set of said image data and said motion data, and charge data used for charging;

first storing means for storing the image data and the motion data input via said input means;

second storing means for storing the ID data input via said input means and also storing address data indicating addresses in said first storing means at which said image data and said motion data are stored, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other;

read operation commanding means for reading, when the ID is input from another apparatus, the address data related to said ID data from said second storing means and commanding said first storing means to read said image data and said motion data in accordance with the address data read from said second storing means; and

charging means for charging in accordance with the charge data input via said input means.

9. An information processing method, comprising the steps of:

inputting image data, motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data, an ID assigned to a set of said image data and said motion data, and charge data used for charging;

storing the image data and the motion data input in said inputting step;

storing the ID data input in said inputting step and also storing address data indicating addresses at which said image data and said motion data have been stored in said step of storing the image data and the motion data, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other;

reading, when the ID is input from another apparatus, the address data related to said ID data stored in said ID data storing step and issuing a read command to read said image data and said motion data in accordance with said address data; and

charging in accordance with the charge data input in said inputting step.

10. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, said program comprising the steps of:

inputting image data, motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data, an ID assigned to a set of said image data and said motion data, and charge data used for charging;

storing the image data and the motion data input in said inputting step;

storing the ID data input in said inputting step and also storing address data indicating addresses at which said image data and said motion data have been stored in said step of storing the image data and the motion data, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other;

reading, when the ID is input from another apparatus, the address data related to said ID data stored in said ID data storing step and issuing a read command to read said image data and said motion data in accordance with said address data; and

charging in accordance with the charge data input in said inputting step.

11. A system comprising a terminal, a first information processing apparatus, a second information apparatus and a presenting apparatus, which are connected to each other via a network, said system wherein:

said terminal comprises first transmitting means for transmitting image data;

said first information processing apparatus comprises;

first receiving means for receiving image data transmitted from said first transmitting means;

motion data generating means for generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with the image data received via said first receiving means;

ID data generating means for generating ID data corresponding to a set of the image data received via said first receiving means and the motion data generated by said motion data generating means; and

second transmitting means for transmitting the image data, the motion data, and the ID data, in a mutually related fashion, to said second information processing means,

said second information processing apparatus comprises;

second receiving means for receiving the image data, the motion data, and the ID data transmitted from said second transmitting means;

first storing means for storing the image data and the motion data received via said second receiving means;

second storing means for storing the ID data received via said second receiving means and also storing address data indicating addresses in said first storing means at which said image data and said motion data are stored, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other; and

third transmitting means for reading, when ID data is received from said presenting apparatus, address data related to said ID data from said second storing means, and then reading image data and motion data from said first storing means in accordance with said address data, and finally transmitting a set of said image data and said motion data to said presenting apparatus; and

said presenting apparatus comprises;

third receiving means for receiving the image data and the motion data transmitted from said third transmitting means; and

presenting means for presenting an image in accordance with the image data received via said third receiving means and also presenting motion in accordance with said motion data received via said third receiving means.

13. An information processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising charging means for charging in accordance with charge data from said another apparatus.

15. An information processing method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of charging in accordance with charge data from said another apparatus.

17. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, according to claim 16, said program further comprising the step of charging in accordance with charge data from said another apparatus.

19. An information processing system according to claim 18, wherein said presenting apparatus further comprises:

first charging means for charging a total fee including a fee for use of said presenting apparatus and a fee for use of said information processing apparatus; and

third transmitting means for generating and then transmitting, to said information processing apparatus, charge data to be used by said information processing apparatus to receive the fee for use of said information processing apparatus, included in the total fee charged by said first charging means;

and wherein said information processing apparatus further comprises second charging means for receiving said charge data and charging in accordance with said charge data.

12. An information processing apparatus comprising:

first storing means for storing image data input via a network;

ID data generating means for generating ID data corresponding to the image data;

second storing means for storing the ID data generated by said ID generating means and also storing address data indicating an address in said first storing means at which said image data is stored, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other;

reading means for reading, when ID data is input from another apparatus, address data related to said ID data stored in said second storing means and reading image data from said first storing means in accordance with the address data read from said second storing means;

motion data generating means for generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to the image data read by said reading means; and

transmitting means for transmitting the image data read by said reading means and the motion data generated by said motion data generating means to said another apparatus, such that said image data and said motion data are related to each other.

14. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

storing image data input via a network;

generating ID data corresponding to said image data;

storing the ID data generated in said ID data generating step and also storing address data indicating an address at which said image data has been stored in said image data storing step, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other;

reading, when the ID is input from another apparatus, the address data related to said ID data stored in said ID data storing step, and further reading said image data stored in said image data storing step, in accordance with said address data;

generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with the image data read in said image data reading step; and

transmitting the image data read in said image data reading step and the motion data generated in said motion data generating step to said another apparatus, such that said image data and said motion data are related to each other.

16. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, said program comprising the steps of:

storing image data input via a network;

generating ID data corresponding to said image data;

storing the ID data generated in said ID data generating step and also storing address data indicating an address at which said image data has been stored in said image data storing step, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other;

reading, when the ID is input from another apparatus, the address data related to said ID data stored in said ID data storing step, and further reading said image data stored in said image data storing step, in accordance with said address data;

generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with the image data read in said image data reading step; and

transmitting the image data read in said image data reading step and the motion data generated in said motion data generating step to said another apparatus, such that said image data and said motion data are related to each other.

18. A system comprising a terminal, an information processing apparatus, and a presenting apparatus, which are connected to each other via a network,

said terminal comprising first transmitting means for transmitting image data,

said information processing apparatus comprising:

first receiving means for receiving the image data transmitted from said first transmitting means;

ID data generating means for generating ID data corresponding to the image data;

second storing means for storing the ID data generated by said ID generating means and also storing address data indicating an address in said first storing means at which said image data is stored, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other;

reading means for reading, when ID data is received from said presenting apparatus, address data related to said ID data stored in said second storing means and reading image data from said first storing means in accordance with said address data;

motion data generating means for generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to the image data read by said reading means; and

second transmitting means for transmitting the image data read by said reading means and the motion data generated by said motion data generating means to said presenting means in a mutually related fashion;

said presenting apparatus comprising;

receiving means for receiving the image data and the motion data from said second transmitting means; and

presenting means for presenting an image corresponding to the image data received via said receiving means and also presenting motion corresponding to the motion data received via said receiving means.

20. A system comprising a terminal, a first information processing apparatus, a second information apparatus and a presenting apparatus, which are connected to each other via a network, said system wherein:

said terminal comprises first transmitting means for transmitting image data;

said first information processing apparatus comprises;

motion data generating means for generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with the image data which is transmitted from said first transmitting means and which includes an ID added thereto by said second information processing apparatus; and

second transmitting means for transmitting the image data, the motion data generated by said motion data generating means, and the ID data, in a mutually related fashion, to said second information processing apparatus;

said second information processing apparatus comprises;

ID data generating means for, when the image data transmitted from said first transmitting means is received, generating an ID corresponding to said image data;

third transmitting means for transmitting the image data and the ID data, in a mutually related fashion, to said second information processing apparatus;

receiving means for receiving the image data, the motion data, and the ID, transmitted from said second transmitting means;

first storing means for storing the image data and the motion data received via said receiving means;

second storing means for storing the ID data received via said receiving means and also storing address data indicating an address in said first storing means at which said image data is stored, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other;

reading means for reading, when ID data is received from said presenting apparatus, address data related to said ID data stored in said second storing means and reading image data from said first storing means in accordance with said address data;

motion data generating means for generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to the image data read by said reading means; and

second transmitting means for transmitting the image data read by said reading means and the motion data generated by said motion data generating means to said presenting means in a mutually related fashion; and

said presenting apparatus comprises;

receiving means for receiving the image data and the motion data from said second transmitting means; and

presenting means for presenting an image corresponding to the image data received via said receiving means and also presenting motion corresponding to the motion data received via said receiving means.

21. An information processing system according to claim 20, wherein said second information processing apparatus further comprises:

first charging means for charging a total fee including a fee for use of said second information processing apparatus and a fee for use of said first information apparatus; and

third transmitting means for generating and then transmitting, to said first information processing apparatus, charge data indicating the amount of fee for use of said first information processing apparatus, said fee being included the total fee charged by said first charging means;

and wherein said first information processing apparatus further comprises second charging means for receiving said charge data transmitted from said third transmitting means and charging in accordance with said charge data.

22. An information processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting image data via a network;

motion data generating means for generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data input via said input means;

ID generating means for generating an ID corresponding to a set of the image data input via said input means and the motion data generated by said motion data generating means;

charging means for charging;

discounting means for discounting the fee charged by said charging means in the case where said motion data generated by said motion data generating means is permitted to be shared with a large number of users; and

transmitting means for transmitting the image data, the motion data, and the ID data, in a mutually related fashion, to another apparatus via said network.

26. An image processing apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising repaying means for, when the image data and the motion data input via said input means are permitted to be shared with a large number of users, repaying a fee to a user who has supplied said image data.

28. An information processing method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of, when the image data and the motion data input via said input means are permitted to be shared with a large number of users, repaying a fee to a user who has supplied said image data.

30. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, according to claim 29, said program further comprising the step of, when the image data and the motion data input via said input means are permitted to be shared with a large number of users, repaying a fee to a user who has supplied said image data.

23. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

inputting image data via a network;

generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data input in said inputting step;

generating an ID corresponding to a set of the image data input in said inputting step and the motion data generated in said motion data generating step;

performing charging;

discounting the fee charged by said charging means in the case where said motion data generated by said motion data generating means is permitted to be shared with a large number of users; and

transmitting the image data, the motion data, and the ID data, in a mutually related fashion, to another apparatus via said network.

24. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, said program comprising the steps of:

inputting image data via a network;

generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data input in said inputting step;

generating an ID corresponding to a set of the image data input in said inputting step and the motion data generated in said motion data generating step;

performing charging;

discounting the fee charged by said charging means in the case where said motion data generated by said motion data generating means is permitted to be shared with a large number of users; and

transmitting the image data, the motion data, and the ID data, in a mutually related fashion, to another apparatus via said network.

25. An image processing apparatus comprising:

input means for inputting image data, motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data, and an ID assigned to a set of said image data and said motion data;

first storing means for storing the image data and the motion data input via said input means;

second storing means for storing the ID data input via said input means and also storing address data indicating addresses in said first storing means at which said image data and said motion data are stored, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other; and

read operation commanding means for reading, when the ID is input from another apparatus, the address data related to said ID data from said second storing means and commanding said first storing means to read said image data and said motion data in accordance with the address data read from said second storing means.

27. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

inputting image data, motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data, and an ID assigned to a set of said image data and said motion data;

storing the image data and the motion data input in said inputting step;

storing the ID data input in said inputting step and also storing address data indicating addresses at which said image data and said motion data have been stored in said step of storing the image data and the motion data, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other; and

reading, when the ID is input from another apparatus, the address data related to said ID data stored in said ID data storing step and issuing a read command to read said image data and said motion data in accordance with said address data.

29. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, said program comprising the steps of:

inputting image data, motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data, and an ID assigned to a set of said image data and said motion data;

storing the image data and the motion data input in said inputting step;

storing the ID data input in said inputting step and also storing address data indicating addresses at which said image data and said motion data have been stored in said step of storing the image data and the motion data, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other; and

reading, when the ID is input from another apparatus, the address data related to said ID data stored in said ID data storing step and issuing a read command to read said image data and said motion data in accordance with said address data.

31. A system comprising a terminal, a first information processing apparatus, a second information apparatus and a presenting apparatus, which are connected to each other via a network, said system wherein:

said terminal comprises first transmitting means for transmitting image data;

said first information processing apparatus comprises;

motion data generating means for generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with the image data received from said first transmitting means;

ID generating means for generating an ID corresponding to a set of said image data and said motion data generated by said motion data generating means; and

second transmitting means for transmitting the image data, the motion data, and the ID data, in a mutually related fashion, to said second information processing means;

said second information processing apparatus comprises;

receiving means for receiving the image data, the motion data, and the ID, transmitted from said second transmitting means;

first storing means for storing the image data and the motion data received via said receiving means;

second storing means for storing the ID data received via said receiving means and also storing address data indicating addresses in said first storing means at which said image data and said motion data are stored, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other; and

third transmitting means for reading, when ID data is received from said presenting apparatus, address data related to said ID data from said second storing means, and then reading image data and motion data from said first storing means in accordance with said address data, and finally transmitting a set of said image data and said motion data to said presenting apparatus; and

said presenting apparatus comprises;

second receiving means for receiving the image data and the motion data transmitted from said third transmitting means; and

presenting means for presenting an image in accordance with the image data received via said second receiving means and also presenting motion in accordance with said motion data received via said second receiving means.

32. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

input means for inputting image data and an ID assigned to said image data, via a network;

motion data generating means for generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data input via said input means; and

transmitting means for transmitting the image data and the ID input via said input means and also transmitting the motion data generated by said motion data generating means to another apparatus, such that said image data, the ID, and said motion data are related to each other.

33. An information processing apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising charging means for charging in accordance with the charge data input via said input means.

35. An information processing method according to claim 34, further comprising the step of charging in accordance with the charge data input in said inputting step.

37. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, according to claim 36, said program further comprising the step of charging in accordance with the charge data input in said inputting step.

39. An information processing apparatus according to claim 38, further comprising:

charging means for charging; and

transmitting means for generating and then transmitting, to said another apparatus, data to be used by said another apparatus to perform charging.

40. An information processing apparatus according to claim 38, further comprising repaying means for, when the image data and the motion data input via said input means are permitted to be shared with a large number of users, repaying a fee to a user who has supplied said image data.

41. An information processing apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said repaying means performs the repayment by issuing a command to said charging means to discount the amount of charge or by issuing a command to said transmitting means to generate and transmit data indicating that the amount of fee discounted by said another apparatus should be charged.

42. An information processing apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said repaying means determines the repayment amount in proportion to the number of times reading is performed in response to a command issued by said read operation commanding means.

34. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

inputting image data and an ID assigned to said image data, via a network;

generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data input in said inputting step; and

transmitting the image data and the ID input in said inputting step and also transmitting the motion data generated in said motion data generating step, to another apparatus such that said image data, the ID, and said motion data are related to each other.

36. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, said program comprising the steps of:

inputting image data and an ID assigned to said image data, via a network;

generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data input in said inputting step; and

transmitting the image data and the ID input in said inputting step and also transmitting the motion data generated in said motion data generating step, to another apparatus such that said image data, the ID, and said motion data are related to each other.

38. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

input means for inputting, from another apparatus via a network, image data and motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data;

first storing means for storing the image data and the motion data input via said input means;

ID generating means for generating an ID corresponding to a set of the image data and the motion data stored in said first storing means;

second storing means for storing the ID data generated by said ID generating means and also storing address data indicating addresses in said first storing means at which said image data and said motion data are stored, such that said ID and said address data are related to each other; and

read operation commanding means for reading, when the ID is input from another apparatus, the address data related to said ID data from said second storing means and commanding said first storing means to read said image data and said motion data in accordance with the address data read from said second storing means.

43. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

inputting, from another apparatus via a network, image data and motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data;

storing the image data and the motion data input in said inputting step;

generating an ID corresponding to a set of the image data and the motion data stored in said step of storing the image data and the motion data;

storing the ID data generated in said ID data generating step and also storing address data indicating addresses at which the image data and the motion data have been stored in said step of storing the image data and the motion data, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other; and

reading, when the ID is input from another apparatus, the address data related to said ID data stored in said ID data storing step and issuing a read command to read said image data and said motion data in accordance with said address data.

44. An information processing method according to claim 43, further comprising the steps of:

performing charging; and

generating data to be used by said another apparatus to perform charging, and transmitting said generated data to said another apparatus.

45. An information processing method according to claim 43, further comprising the step of, when the image data and the motion data input via said input means are permitted to be shared with a large number of users, repaying a fee to a user who has supplied said image data.

46. An information processing method according to claim 45, wherein said repaying step performs the repayment by issuing a command to discount the amount of charge in said charging step or by issuing a command to generate and transmit, in said transmitting step, data indicating that the amount of fee discounted by said another apparatus should be charged.

47. An information processing method according to claim 45, wherein said repaying step determines the repayment amount in proportion to the number of times reading is performed in response to a command issued in said read operation commanding step.

49. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, according to claim 48, said program further comprising the steps of:

performing charging; and

generating data to be used by said another apparatus to perform charging, and transmitting said generated data to said another apparatus.

50. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, according to claim 48, said program further comprising the step of, when the image data and the motion data input via said input means are permitted to be shared with a large number of users, repaying a fee to a user who has supplied said image data.

51. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, according to claim 50, wherein said repaying step performs the repayment by issuing a command to discount the amount of charge in said charging step or by issuing a command to generate and transmit, in said transmitting step, data indicating that the amount of fee discounted by said another apparatus should be charged.

52. A storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, according to claim 50, wherein said repaying step determines the repayment amount in proportion to the number of times reading is performed in response to a command issued in said read operation commanding step.

48. nA storage medium including a computer-readable program stored thereon, said program comprising the steps of:

inputting, from another apparatus via a network, image data and motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with said image data;

storing the image data and the motion data input in said inputting step;

generating an ID corresponding to a set of the image data and the motion data stored in said step of storing the image data and the motion data;

storing the ID data generated in said ID data generating step and also storing address data indicating addresses at which the image data and the motion data have been stored in said step of storing the image data and the motion data, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other; and

reading, when the ID is input from another apparatus, the address data related to said ID data stored in said ID data storing step and issuing a read command to read said image data and said motion data in accordance with said address data.

53. A system comprising a terminal, a first information processing apparatus, a second information apparatus and a presenting apparatus, which are connected to each other via a network, said system wherein:

said terminal comprises first transmitting means for transmitting image data;

said first information processing apparatus comprises;

first receiving means for receiving the image data and an ID assigned to said image data, from said second information processing apparatus;

motion data generating means for generating motion data for controlling motion corresponding to an image in accordance with the image data received via said receiving means; and

second transmitting means for transmitting the motion data generated by said motion data generating means together with the image data and the ID received via said reading means in a mutually related fashion to said second information processing apparatus,

said second information processing apparatus comprises;

third transmitting means for receiving the image data transmitted from said first transmitting means and transmitting said image data together with an ID assigned to said image data in a mutually related fashion to said first information processing apparatus;

second receiving means for receiving the image data, the motion data, and the ID data transmitted from said second transmitting means;

first storing means for storing the image data and the motion data received via said second receiving means;

second storing means for storing the ID data received via said second receiving means and also storing address data indicating addresses in said first storing means at which said image data and said motion data are stored, such that said ID data and said address data are related to each other; and

fourth transmitting means for reading, when ID data is received from said presenting apparatus, address data related to said ID from said second storing means, and then reading image data and motion data from said first storing means in accordance with said address data, and finally transmitting a set of said image data and said motion data to said presenting apparatus; and

said presenting apparatus comprises;

third receiving means for receiving the image data and the motion data transmitted from said fourth transmitting means; and

presenting means for presenting an image in accordance with the image data received via said third receiving means and also presenting motion in accordance with said motion data received via said third receiving means.