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

• US 8,113,839 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kokubo, Tetsushi, Marukawa, Kazuyuki, Yukawa, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Kang
• Application Number:
  US09/910,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20020063795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,861 Days
• Field of Search: 434 55- 62, 434/69, 434/70, 375/240.16, 375/240.01, 375/240.15, 463/30
• US Class Current: 434/58
• 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:

a first receiving unit for receiving a request from a user;

an information processing apparatus; and

a motion control apparatus,

wherein the information processing apparatus comprising;

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

input means for inputting image data via a network;

motion vector detecting means for detecting a plurality of motion vectors in the image data;

motion data generating means for generating motion data as a function of the plurality of motion vectors detected in the image data;

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 the motion control apparatus via said network; and

wherein the motion control apparatus comprising;

a second receiving unit for receiving the image data, the motion data, and the ID data; and

a motion presenting unit for outputting an image and motion as a function of the received image data, ID data, and motion data,

wherein, when the image data is output, a horizontal component, a vertical component, a rotational component and zoom component motion data generated from the motion vectors detected from the image data being output are weighted, synchronized and output,

wherein the image data and motion data are output in response to the request from the user;

charging means for charging a total fee including a fee for use of said information processing apparatus and a fee for use of the motion control apparatus; and

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

2. An information processing system comprising at least one processor;

and

at least one memory, coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory storing a method comprising the steps of;

receiving a request from a user;

inputting image data via a network;

detecting a plurality of motion vectors in the image data;

generating motion data for controlling motion as a function of the plurality of motion vectors detected in the image data;

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 a motion control apparatus via said network; and

outputting image and motion as a function of image data, ID data, and the motion data,

wherein, when the image data is output, a horizontal component, a vertical component, a rotational component and zoom component motion data generated from the motion vectors detected from the image data being output are weighted, synchronized and output,

wherein the image data and motion data are output in response to the request from the user;

charging a total fee including a fee for use of said information processing apparatus and a fee for use of the motion control apparatus; and

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

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

receiving a request from a user;

detecting a plurality of motion vectors in image data;

generating motion data for controlling motion as a function of the plurality of motion vectors detected in the image data;

generating an ID corresponding to a set of the image data 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 a second apparatus via said network; and

outputting an image and motion as a function of image data, ID data, and the motion data,

wherein, when the image data is output, a horizontal component, a vertical component, a rotational component and zoom component motion data generated from the motion vectors detected from the image data being output are weighted, synchronized and output,

wherein the image data and motion data are output in response to the request from the user;

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

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

4. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

an information processing apparatus;

a first receiving unit for receiving a request from a user; and

a motion control apparatus,

wherein the information processing apparatus comprises;

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

motion vector detecting means for detecting a plurality of motion vectors in the image data;

motion data generating means for generating motion data for controlling motion as a function of the plurality of motion vectors detected in the image data;

transmitting means for transmitting the image data, the ID and the motion data to a motion control apparatus,

wherein the motion control apparatus comprises;

a second receiving unit for receiving the image data, the motion data, and the ID data; and

a motion presenting unit for outputting an image and motion as a function of the received image data, ID data, and motion data,

wherein, when the image data is output, a horizontal component, a vertical component, a rotational component and zoom component motion data generated from the motion vectors detected from the image data being output are weighted, synchronized and output,

wherein the image data and motion data are output in response to the request from the user; and

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

5. An information processing system comprising at least one processor;

and

at least one memory, coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory storing a method comprising the steps of;

receiving a request from a user;

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

detecting a plurality of motion vectors in the image data;

generating motion data for controlling motion as a function of the plurality of motion vectors detected in the image data;

transmitting the image data, the ID, and the motion data to a motion control apparatus such that said image data, the ID, and said motion data are related to each other; and

outputting an image and motion as a function of the image data, ID data, and the motion data,

wherein, when the image data is output, a horizontal component, a vertical component, a rotational component and zoom component motion data generated from the motion vectors detected from the image data being output are weighted, synchronized and output,

wherein the image data and motion data are output in response to the request from the user;

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

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

receiving a request from a user;

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

detecting a plurality of motion vectors in the image data;

generating motion data for controlling motion as a function of the plurality of motion vectors detected in the image data;

transmitting the image data, the ID, and the motion data; and

outputting an image and motion as a function of image data, ID data, and the motion data,

wherein, when the image data is output, a horizontal component, a vertical component, a rotational component and zoom component motion data generated from the motion vectors detected from the image data being output are weighted, synchronized and output,

wherein the image data and motion data are output in response to the request from the user; and

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