Abstract: A recording unit records an event list in which time information and physical solid image information are associated with an event. An image processing portion determines whether an image corresponding to physical solid image information recorded in the recording unit is included in a picked up image picked up within a time zone specified by the time information recorded in the recording unit. A condition determination portion determines that an event starting condition is satisfied if it is determined that the image corresponding to the physical solid image information is included in the picked up image. A starting instruction portion instructs an application execution section to execute processing of the application. The application execution section starts processing of the application associated with the event whose starting condition is satisfied.

Abstract: Audio fingerprinting and other media matching technologies can be used to identify broadcast media, such as television shows and radio broadcasts. A user device can record image, audio, and/or video information and upload information to a matching service that is able to use matching technology to identify the media and provide supplemental content or information to the user. The user might receive information identifying a product in an advertisement, identifying an actor on screen in a movie at a particular time, or other such information. In some embodiments, the user can receive access to a digital copy of the captured media, such as the ability to download a copy of a program in which a user expressed interest. Since a user might capture media information after the point of interest, a device can buffer a window of recently captured media in order to attempt to identify the intended media.

Abstract: A reception unit receives an image file from other electronic device. A display processing unit displays an image related to acquisition of content together with a content image if content identification information is included in an acquired image file. The display processing unit displays, as an image relating to acquisition of content, a link button which permits access to a content server.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method are described for performing video compression. For example, a method according to one embodiment comprises: encoding a plurality of video frames or portions thereof according to a first encoding format; transmitting the plurality of encoded video frames or portions to a client device; receiving feedback information from the client device, the feedback information usable to determine whether data contained in the video frames or portions has not been successfully received and/or decoded; in response to detecting that a video frame or portion thereof has not been successfully received and/or decoded, encoding a video frame or portion thereof according to a second encoding format; and transmitting the video frames or portions thereof to the client device.

Abstract: A method of augmenting a first stereoscopic image, comprising a pair of images, is provided. The method includes generating a disparity map from the pair of images of the first stereoscopic image. The disparity map is indicative of distances in the first stereoscopic image. The method further includes generating a virtual three-dimensional model responsive to the distances indicated by the disparity map, modeling an interaction of a virtual object with that three dimensional model, and outputting, for display, an image corresponding to the first stereoscopic image that comprises a visible effect of the interaction of the virtual object with the three dimensional model.

Abstract: A system and method are described for managing the state of an online video game. A method includes initiating a new online video game in response to user input from a client device, the online video game being in a first state on a first server when initiated; executing the online video game on the server, thereby causing the online video game to enter a second state; pausing or terminating the online video game; determining differences between the first state and the second state and generating difference data containing the differences; transmitting the difference data over a network to a second server; and recreating the second state from the difference data and the first state in response to user input indicating that the user wishes to resume the online video game and in response to the second server being selected as the server on which to execute the video game.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer programs for controlling a view of a virtual scene with a handheld device are presented. In one method, images of a real world scene are captured using a device. The method further includes operations for creating an augmented view for presentation on a display of the device by augmenting the images with virtual reality objects, and for detecting a hand in the images as extending into the real world scene. In addition, the method includes operations for showing the hand in the screen as detected in the images, and for generating interaction data, based on an interaction of the hand with a virtual reality object, when the hand makes virtual contact in the augmented view with the virtual reality object. The augmented view is updated based on the interaction data, which simulates on the screen that the hand is interacting with the virtual reality object.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical disc apparatus including: an optical pickup radiating light having a first wavelength provided for an optical disc medium of a first type and light having a second wavelength which is smaller than the first wavelength and provided for another optical disc medium of a second type; a signal outputting section outputting a signal according to light reflected by the optical disc medium to reflect light radiated by the optical pickup; and a type determination section requesting the optical pickup to radiate light having the first wavelength to an object optical disc medium to acquire the signal output by the signal outputting section and determining the type of the object optical disc medium in accordance with the number of peaks appearing in the acquired output signal output by the signal outputting section while moving the optical pickup in a direction to the object optical disc medium.

Abstract: A method for interfacing with an interactive program is provided. The method includes: capturing images of first and second pages of a book object, the first and second pages being joined along a fold axis defined along a spine of the book; analyzing the captured images to identify a first tag on the first page and a second tag on the second page; tracking movement of the first and second pages by tracking the first and second tags, respectively; generating augmented images by replacing, in the captured images, the book object with a virtual book, the virtual book having a first virtual page corresponding to the first page of the book object, the virtual book having a second virtual page corresponding to the second page of the book object; rendering first and second scenes on the first and second virtual pages, respectively; and presenting the augmented images on a display.

Abstract: A head-mountable display system comprises a head mountable display having a frame to be mounted onto an observer's head, the frame defining one or two eye display positions which, in use, are positioned for viewing by the observer. The frame comprises one or more shutters for obscuring the observer's view of the surrounding real environment and a display element mounted with respect to each of the eye display positions. The display element provides a virtual image of a video display of a video signal from a video signal source to the observer. An object detector detects the presence of an object within a detection range of the observer's head. And a controller controls operation of the head mountable display so as to allow the observer to view at least a portion of the surrounding real environment in response to detection of the presence of an object within the detection range.

Abstract: A method of augmented reality includes associating tint information with a predetermined graphical object, and receiving a video image of a real scene comprising a feature for detection. The method further includes detecting the feature in the video image of the real scene and selecting a graphical object responsive to the detected feature, and augmenting the video image with the selected graphical object. If the selected graphical object is the predetermined graphical object, the method further includes retrieving the tint information associated with the predetermined graphical object, and modifying the color balance of the video image responsive to the tint information.

Abstract: In an electronic device provided with a resume function, a timer outputs a predetermined signal if a measured time value becomes a set time. Upon receiving the predetermined signal from the timer, a state control unit executes a resume process. A time information receiving unit receives time information that specifies a time interval, at which an application executes a predetermined process. A time interval retaining unit retains a time interval T for restoring the application to an executable state. A defining unit registers a set time with the timer on the basis of the received time information and the time interval T.

Abstract: Provided is a program capable of facilitating an operation input made by a user. A computer-readable information storage medium has stored thereon a program for controlling a computer connected to an operation input device to function so as to obtain, for each time unit, an input value indicating specifics of the operation input of the user received by the operation input device, and to calculate, as an output value of a parameter to be operated, a value obtained by changing a reference value by a change amount, the reference value being determined by one of a plurality of obtained input values, the change amount being determined by each of the plurality of obtained input values.

Abstract: A book for use in an augmented reality system comprises a plurality of leaves, each side forming a page of the book, with each page comprising a fiduciary marker. The book also includes a cover having larger dimensions than the book's leaves. Thus, the cover's extremhities extend beyond the outer edges of the pages. The inside of the cover comprises a first high contrast pattern along at least a first such extremity. An entertainment device for use in the augmented reality system comprises input means to receive a video image of the book, and image processing means to estimate a position and orientation of the book from a fiduciary marker of the book captured in the video image, to estimate a position and orientation of the first high contrast pattern, and to distinguish between one or more leaves of the book being turned independently of the cover of the book.

Abstract: A method of book leaf tracking comprises receiving a video image comprising a book, estimating the current position and orientation of the book within the video image in response to a fiduciary marker of the book visible in the image, estimating the visibility of one or more predetermined features of the book, calculating a range of leaf turning angles that is consistent with the detected visibility of the or each predetermined feature of the book for the estimated current position and orientation of the book, and estimating the angle of a turning leaf of the book responsive to the calculated range.

Abstract: An information processing device includes: an application recording portion in which application software is recorded; a patch obtaining portion obtaining patch data from a server; a patch recording portion in which the obtained patch data is recorded; and an application executing portion executing an application using the application software and the patch data. The patch obtaining portion includes a difference information obtaining unit obtaining data block difference information between a latest patch file retained by the server and a patch file recorded in the patch recording portion, and a download executing unit downloading an updated data block from the latest patch file according to the difference information.