Abstract: A guidance information providing apparatus comprises a first memory to store network data including line segment data representing a passage in a target area of route guidance in an information map and point data representing a connecting point of a passage, a second memory store three-dimensional shape data representing a three-dimensional shape of the target area, a route search unit which searches for a guiding route connecting an input departure place and destination, a setting unit which sets viewpoint position candidates, an evaluation unit which obtains an evaluation value, from each viewpoint position candidate, an generating unit which determines a viewpoint position, on the basis of the evaluation value of visibility from each viewpoint position candidate, and generates the information map by projecting the three-dimensional shape data, and a presentation unit which presents the generated information map to a user.

Abstract: There is disclosed an information exchange apparatus in which apparatus name information and address information of a display/headphone are transferred to a DVD reproduction apparatus from the display/headphone via a path of an infrared ray or the like different from a radio path for exchanging information. The information are registered in the DVD reproduction apparatus. The DVD reproduction apparatus on a transmission side transmits video and audio information based on information concerning the display/headphone as a reception side registered in the reproduction apparatus, and the display/headphone on the reception side receives the video and audio information transmitted to the display/headphone.

Abstract: An image recognition apparatus has an image capture section for capturing a range image, an image deformation section for deforming the range image captured by the image capture section, and a recognition section for recognizing the presence/absence of three-dimensional motion of an object by comparing the deformed image obtained by the image deformation section, and a new range image captured by the image capture section.

Abstract: A wearable life support apparatus worn by a user is disclosed. A physiological information acquirement unit acquires the user's physiological information. An action information acquirement unit acquires the user's action information. A status recognition unit recognizes the user's status in accordance with the action information. A physiological information decision unit decides whether the physiological information is normal in accordance with the user's status. A presentation unit presents the decision result of the physiological information decision unit to the user.

Abstract: In an information extraction apparatus of the present invention, a distance image input section inputs a distance image including a plurality of objects to be respectively recognized. An area division section divides the distance image into a plurality of areas according to position information of a plurality of blocks to respectively execute an active event. An image processing section recognizes the plurality of objects in the areas corresponding to the blocks actually executed the active event, and supplies the recognition result to a system of the active event.

Abstract: A life support apparatus comprising a vital information sensor attached to a body to acquire vital information of a user, a behavior information sensor attached to the body to acquire behavior information of the user, a situation recognition device which recognizes a user's situation based on the behavior information acquired by the behavior information sensor and the vital information acquired by the vital information sensor to generate user's situation information, a data base which stores stress management information are prepared in advance, an information search device which searches the data base for stress management information corresponding to the user's situation information, and an information presentation device which presents the stress management information obtained by the information search device to the user.

Abstract: A custom navigation system is composed of a customer navigation terminal to be carried by a customer entering a facility having a memory function of information relating to the customer and a communication function with outside, a customer guide server installed at a particular point in the facility and, when the customer navigation terminal has come near, communicates with the terminal to perform a navigation of the customer. The customer navigation terminal has a nickname memory for storing a nickname of the customer, and the customer guide server has a caller for calling the nickname stored in the nickname memory and a voice synthesizer for synthesizing the called nickname as a voice.

Abstract: A communication apparatus includes a sensor input portion, a distributed sensor storage portion which stores sensor information from the sensor input portion in association with sensor type information or an attribute, a distributed ambient behavior processing portion which performs processing of recognition based on the sensor information stored in the distributed sensor storage portion, a certainty factor grant portion which grants a certainty factor in accordance with a result of recognition of the distributed ambient behavior processing portion, and a distributed ambient behavior storage portion which stores the result of recognition of the distributed ambient behavior processing portion as recognition information and the certainty factor granted by the certainty factor grant portion in association with the sensor information of the distributed sensor storage portion.

Abstract: The operation characteristics of an image capture unit are changed on the basis of the captured image. If an object does not move, i.e., if the user:does not input, the capture timing and the like are decreased to reduce the consumption power. The capturing condition is changed by, e.g., increasing a distance for capturing an image until an image can be captured, and even a plurality of users with different ways of use can use the apparatus without setting again the capturing conditions for the different ways of use.

Abstract: A predictive robot includes a prediction-related item storage to store terms related to prediction performance, a first communicator which transmits stored prediction-related terms and receives a search result of information search with regard to the prediction-related terms, a search controller to control information search of the prediction-related terms stored in the prediction-related item storage via the first communicator, a media converter to convert the search result into a notification medium, and a notification section to provide the search result by the notification medium. Preferably, predictive information is provided spontaneously.

Abstract: The operation characteristics of an image capture unit are changed on the basis of the captured image. If an object does not move, i.e., if the user does not input, the capture timing and the like are decreased to reduce the consumption power. The capturing condition is changed by, e.g., increasing a distance for capturing an image until an image can be captured, and even a plurality of users with different ways of use can use the apparatus without setting again the capturing conditions for the different ways of use.

Abstract: A cooperative robot system includes a takeover determining section which determines whether or not another robot takes over an executed task, a communication section which transmits a takeover information to the another robot when the takeover determining section determines to take over the executed task, a media converting section which converts the takeover information into at least one of linguistic expression and non-linguistic expression, a media generating section which generates control information which represents a converted result of the media converting section in the linguistic or non-linguistic expression, and a media setting section which exhibits a takeover content of the takeover information represented in at least one the linguistic expression and the non-linguistic expression.

Abstract: A custom navigation system is composed of a customer navigation terminal to be carried by a customer entering a facility having a memory function of information relating to the customer and a communication function with outside, a customer guide server installed at a particular point in the facility and, when the customer navigation terminal has come near, communicates with the terminal to perform a navigation of the customer. The customer navigation terminal has a nickname memory for storing a nickname of the customer, and the customer guide server has a caller for calling the nickname stored in the nickname memory and a voice synthesizer for synthesizing the called nickname as a voice.

Abstract: A communication system is formed by a location information providing unit configured to provide a location information indicating a location of each road related facility arranged along a road, and a communication unit installed on each road related facility, configured to transmit the location information of each road related facility to a terminal device of a user on the road by using weak radio signals, such that the terminal device that can receive the weak radio signals can detect a location of the terminal device according to the location information.

Abstract: A data transmitting and receiving method applied to a portable communication terminal apparatus which communicates with at least one destination and a ticket gate, the method comprising receiving a ticket information item via a public network to obtain a plurality of received ticket information items, storing the received ticket information items in a memory device, designating one of the ticket information items in the memory device to obtain a designated ticket information item, displaying the designated ticket information item on a display, establishing a first radio channel for the portable communication terminal apparatus to perform communications with the ticket gate, in preference to other communications with the destination, releasing a second radio channel which is used for communicating with the destination, before establishing the first radio channel, communicating with the ticket gate via the first radio channel on the basis of the ticket information item displayed on the display.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a destination guidance system for providing presentation information that contains guidance pertaining to movement from a place of departure to a destination on the basis of structure information and guidance information on the premises of a building or construction. The presentation information contains both information of the entire three-dimensional structure, and detailed information, and a three-dimensional movement and normal two-dimensional movement in the presentation information are presented by different methods. Also, this invention is directed to a destination guidance data acquisition system for acquiring structure information and guidance information on the premises of a building, which are used by the destination guidance system. The destination guidance data acquisition system inputs and compiles information of a three-dimensional structure on the basis of a plan view of the building to support acquisition of the detailed information.

Abstract: A guidance information providing apparatus comprises a first memory to store network data including line segment data representing a passage in a target area of route guidance in an information map and point data representing a connecting point of a passage, a second memory store three-dimensional shape data representing a three-dimensional shape of the target area, a route search unit which searches for a guiding route connecting, an input departure, place and destination, a setting unit which sets viewpoint position candidates, an evaluation unit which obtains an evaluation value, from each viewpoint position candidate, an generating unit which determines a viewpoint position, on the basis of the evaluation value of visibility from each viewpoint position candidate, and generates the information map by projecting the three-dimensional shape data, and a presentation unit which presents the generated information map to a user.

Abstract: A communication system is formed by a location information providing unit configured to provide a location information indicating a location of each road related facility arranged along a road, and a communication unit installed on each road related facility, configured to transmit the location information of each road related facility to a terminal device of a user on the road by using weak radio signals, such that the terminal device that can receive the weak radio signals can detect a location of the terminal device according to the location information.

Abstract: An audiovisual apparatus for presenting televisual programs includes a reception section for receiving an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) in which televisual programs to be provided are classified into categories according to tastes of users to allow selection of the televisual program in accordance with the categories together with contents information of a televisual program or independently of the contents information, a generation section for generating a program selection window for selecting a desired program in accordance with the categories on the basis of the EPG received by the reception section, and a selection section for selecting a televisual program to be reproduced or recorded from the program selection window.

Abstract: An information sharing apparatus comprises extracting unit extracting personal information item from acquired information item which includes personal information item, generating unit generating anonymous information item by deleting personal information item from acquired information item, storing unit storing personal information item and anonymous information item, storing unit storing first access level assigned to group of users who can access only anonymous information item, and to store second access level assigned to group of users who can access both of anonymous information item and personal information item, receiving unit receiving request message for accessing acquired information item, transmitting unit transmitting only anonymous information item when access level predetermined to user is equal to first access level, synthesizing unit synthesizing personal information item with anonymous information item, transmitting unit transmitting regenerated second information item, when access level of