Information processing device and method, recording medium, and program

• US 8,856,231 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2011
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• 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, Sakai, Yusuke, Kamada, Mikio
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAW, ROBERT A
• Application Number:
  US13/338,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20120110081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

An information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a recording medium, and a program for allowing communicating parties at remote locations to view the same displayed content and to point to desired positions on the displayed image of the content. A user A and a user B viewing themselves and the content on a cross-faded mode may point to desired positions on the content image with their fingertips. Motion vectors of the fingertips are then detected in particular areas extracted from the image in a manner containing the detected positions. The detected motion vectors are translated into a pointer for the user A and a pointer for the user B, the pointers being alpha-blended with the content image. The two pointers extracted from a single image are associated with the users A and B by use of different Cyber Codes attached to the fingertips of each user, for example.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for reproducing content data which is viewed by a plurality of users simultaneously, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a single imaging circuit configured to pick up an image of a plurality of users of the information processing apparatus simultaneously; and

circuitry configured to

reproduce the content data, generate a mirror image of the image of the plurality of users picked up by the imaging circuit,

detect a position of a pointer of at least one of the plurality of users in the mirror image,

measure a distance from the information processing apparatus to the plurality of users

extract an area containing the detected position of the pointer of the at least one of the plurality of users from the mirror image, based on the measured distance to the plurality of users, and

composite the extracted area from the mirror image onto an image of the content data reproduced so that the pointer appears partially transparent on the image of the content data.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to composite by alpha-blending the extracted area in the mirror image onto the image of the content data reproduced.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pointer is at least a part of a hand or a finger of one of the plurality of users.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to detect a motion vector from the mirror image to detect the position of the pointer.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive through a network the content data to be reproduced.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured to composite user-identifying information together with the extracted area.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to send real-time data to another information processing apparatus through a network.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the real-time data is generated based on the image picked up by the imaging circuit, a user'"'"'s voice picked up by a microphone, or ambient condition information detected by a sensor.

9. An information processing method for an image processing apparatus to reproduce content data which is viewed by a plurality of users simultaneously, the method comprising:

picking up an image of a plurality of users of an information processing apparatus simultaneously using a single imaging circuit;

generating a mirror image of the image of the plurality of users;

detecting a position of a pointer of at least one of the plurality of users in the mirror image, the detecting including measuring a distance from the information processing apparatus to the plurality of users;

extracting an area containing the detected pointer of the at least one of the plurality of users from the mirror image based on the measured distance to the plurality of users; and

compositing the extracted area in the mirror image onto an image of the content data reproduced so that the pointer appears partially transparent on the image of the content data; and

reproducing the content data with the extracted area composited thereover.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

compositing by alpha-blending the extracted area in the mirror image onto the image of the content data reproduced.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the pointer is at least a part of a hand or a finger of one of the plurality of users.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a motion vector from the mirror image to detect the position of the pointer.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

receiving through a network the content data to be reproduced.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

compositing user-identifying information together with the extracted area.

15. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

sending real-time data to another information processing apparatus through a network.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

generating the real-time data based on the image picked up, a user'"'"'s voice picked up by a microphone, or ambient condition information detected by a sensor.