Abstract: A behavior control apparatus collects information of a mobile object in relation to an action space of the mobile object, and acquires a position and an orientation of a human. The behavior control apparatus sets an exclusive area for the human based on the position and the orientation, and judges whether any information is to be notified to the human by the mobile object. If judging negatively, the behavior control apparatus determines a target position, a target orientation and a travel route of the mobile object such that the mobile object moves out of the exclusive area.

Abstract: Provided is a user interface apparatus with improved operability thereby allowing a desired alternative to be selected from a plurality of alternatives more smoothly than by conventional techniques. When an instruction is received from a user to display a contents selection reception screen, eight contents corresponding to eight ordinal ranks are selected from among managed contents at intervals of n/8, and are set as selectable alternatives, and a table is created in which the ordinal ranks of the eight selectable alternatives are corresponded with key codes respectively, where each key code represents a press directed to a corresponding one eight press sensors. Based on the created table, a GUI screen is displayed for receiving selection of one of the ordinal ranks.

Abstract: A behavior control apparatus collects information of a mobile object in relation to an action space of the mobile object, and acquire a position and an orientation of a human. The behavior control apparatus sets an exclusive area for the human based on the position and the orientation, and judges whether any information is to be notified to the human by the mobile object. If judging negatively, the behavior control apparatus determines a target position, a target orientation and a travel route of the mobile object such that the mobile object moves out of the exclusive area.

Abstract: There is provided a user interface with which a greater number of processes are executable in response to user operations made to a directional input device. When the directional input device receives a first direction followed by a second direction within a predetermined time period, the amount of change from the first direction to the second direction is calculated. If the calculated change amount exceeds a predetermined range, a first processes associated with each of the first and second directions is performed. If the calculated change amount falls within the predetermined range, a second process associated with the change amount is performed.

Abstract: Provided is a user interface apparatus with improved operability thereby allowing a desired alternative to be selected from a plurality of alternatives more smoothly than by conventional techniques. When an instruction is received from a user to display a contents selection reception screen, eight contents corresponding to eight ordinal ranks are selected from among managed contents at intervals of n/8, and are set as selectable alternatives, and a table is created in which the ordinal ranks of the eight selectable alternatives are corresponded with key codes respectively, where each key code represents a press directed to a corresponding one eight press sensors. Based on the created table, a GUI screen is displayed for receiving selection of one of the ordinal ranks.

Abstract: A virtual space control data receiving apparatus comprises stream data receiving means for receiving a plurality of stream data for controlling a dynamic virtual space, according to the type of each stream data; manual data input means for inputting control data for an object to be controlled in the virtual space; and control data output means for outputting the control data input by the manual data input means, for the object controlled by the manual data input means, and outputting the stream data received by the stream data receiving means, for the other objects. Therefore, in a dynamic virtual space represented by 3-dimensional CG, static image, dynamic image, audio, and text which are based on a network such as the Internet, the virtual space can be reproduced in real time, and the viewer can selectively control an object.

Abstract: A communication unit 1 carries out voice communication, and a character background selection input unit 2 selects a CG character corresponding to a communication partner. A voice/music processing unit 5 performs voice/music processing required for the communication, a voice/music converting unit 6 converts voice and music, and a voice/music output unit outputs the voice and music. A voice input unit 8 acquires voice. A voice analyzing unit 9 analyzes the voice, and an emotion presuming unit 10 presumes an emotion based on the result of the voice analysis. A lips motion control unit 11, a body motion control unit 12 and an expression control unit 13 send control information to a 3-D image drawing unit 14 to generate an image, and a display unit 15 displays the image.

Abstract: A communication system is provided, which includes: a transmitter for transmitting multi-dimensional stream data capable of representing a CG scene; and a receiver for receiving the multi-dimensional stream data.

Abstract: An animation data compression apparatus comprises an animation data classification unit for classifying animation data into plural kinds of data, an animation priority determination unit for determining priorities on the respective data classified, and an animation data compression unit for compressing the respective data while changing the compression ratio on the basis of the priorities. Therefore, even on a narrow-band network such as a telephone line, animation data of complicated CG contents can be transmitted in real-time without degrading smoothness of animation scene.

Abstract: A communication unit 1 carries out voice communication, and a character background selection input unit 2 selects a CG character corresponding to a communication partner. A voice/music processing unit 5 performs voice/music processing required for the communication, a voice/music converting unit 6 converts voice and music, and a voice/music output unit outputs the voice and music. A voice input unit 8 acquires voice. A voice analyzing unit 9 analyzes the voice, and an emotion presuming unit 10 presumes an emotion based on the result of the voice analysis. A lips motion control unit 11, a body motion control unit 12 and an expression control unit 13 send control information to a 3-D image drawing unit 14 to generate an image, and a display unit 15 displays the image.

Abstract: A communication system is provided, which includes: a transmitter for transmitting multi-dimensional stream data capable of representing a CG scene; and a receiver for receiving the multi-dimensional stream data.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of transmitting and receiving data streams representing 3-dimensional virtual space, the apparatus comprising: a transmitting member; a receiving member; and a transfer member for connecting the transmitting member and the receiving member in bidirectional manner; wherein a shape data stream, a motion data stream and an audio data stream representing a shape and a motion of a skeletal structure in 3-DCG and a sound synchronous with the motion, respectively are transmitted to the receiving member from the transmitting member such that the receiving member generates the 3-DCG through synchronization of the motion data stream and the audio data stream.

Abstract: An apparatus generating a closed-loop periodic motion data from open time-series motion data given for moving a multi-joint rigid body object, and comprising an open periodic motion generating unit for making local movements of a multi-joint rigid body object periodic and generating an open periodic time-series motion data, a closed-loop motion generating unit for reading out the position data of the whole object among the open periodic time-series motion data, generating the position data of the whole object made its motion closed-loop, replacing the position data of the whole object among open periodic time-series motion data stored in a storage unit with the generated data, and storing the generated data in the storage unit.

Abstract: A method for communicating and generating computer graphics animation data relates to transmission and reception of computer graphics animation data in a system comprising a server computer, a client computer, and a communication mediating means between the server computer and the client computer and performing generation of a computer graphics animation image in the client computer, and this method comprises the following stages: first stage of performing, in the server computer, formation and edition of animation data comprising configuration data of an object, configuration data of an environment where the object exists, attribute data, light source data, camera parameters, shading method, environment setting, environment managing and controlling method, and time series motion data for generating a motion of the object corresponding to the behavior of the object in a time series, and storing the animation data in a storage unit; second stage of transmitting the animation data stored in the storage unit of

Abstract: A transmitter of three-dimensional skeleton structure motions in which motion data of a skeleton structure in three-dimensional computer graphics (CG) is transmitted from a transmitting end to a receiving end to create at the receiving end animation data based on the transmitted skeleton structure motion data. The transmitter can transmit element motion data as time series data in which the element data is accompanied by connection methods, transmit initial information as CG animation data, and transfer CG animation data from a transmitting end computer to a receiving end computer.

Abstract: An apparatus generating a closed-loop periodic motion data from open time-series motion data given for moving a multi-joint rigid body object, and comprising an open periodic motion generating unit for making local movements of a multi-joint rigid body object periodic and generating an open periodic time-series motion data, a closed-loop motion generating unit for reading out the position data of the whole object among the open periodic time-series motion data, generating the position data of the whole object made its motion closednb n-loop, replacing the position data of the whole object among open periodic time-series motion data stored in a storage unit with the generated data, and storing the generated data in the storage unit.

Abstract: An apparatus generating a closed-loop periodic motion data from open time-series motion data given for moving a multi-joint rigid body object, and comprising an open periodic motion generating unit for making local movements of a multi-joint rigid body object periodic and generating an open periodic time-series motion data, a closed-loop motion generating Unit for reading out the position data of the whole object among the open periodic time-series motion data, generating the position data of the whole object made its motion closed-loop, replacing the position data of the whole object among open periodic time-series motion data stored in a storage unit with the generated data, and storing the generated data in the storage unit.

Abstract: An animation data compression apparatus comprises an animation data classification unit for classifying animation data into plural kinds of data, an animation priority determination unit for determining priorities on the respective data classified, and an animation data compression unit for compressing the respective data while changing the compression ratio on the basis of the priorities. Therefore, even on a narrow-band network such as a telephone line, animation data of complicated CG contents can be transmitted in real-time without degrading smoothness of animation scene.

Abstract: A transmitter-receiver of three-dimensional skeleton structure motions in which motion data of a skeleton structure in three-dimensional computer graphics (CG) is transmitted from a transmitting end to a receiving end and, based on the transmitted skeleton structure motion data, to create animation at the receiving end, the transmitter-receiver comprises (1) transmitting means for deciding either of transmitting formats: (a) the motion data of the skeleton structure is added to an initial information and then transmitted as time series data; and (b) the motion data of the skeleton structure is disassembled into element data characterizing the motions in three-dimensional virtual space and then transmitted as data in which the disassembled element data is accompanied by connection methods thereto, and then transmitting the initial information to which the motion data of the skeleton structure is added based on the decided transmission format, as CG animation data, the initial information including hierarchy da

Abstract: An apparatus generating a closed-loop periodic motion data from open time-series motion data given for moving a multi-joint rigid body object, and comprising an open periodic motion generating unit for making local movements of a multi-joint rigid body object periodic and generating an open periodic time-series motion data, a closed-loop motion generating unit for reading out the position data of the whole object among the open periodic time-series motion data, generating the position data of the whole object made its motion closed-loop, replacing the position data of the whole object among open periodic time-series motion data stored in a storage unit with the generated data, and storing the generated data in the storage unit.