Abstract: A system includes a first acquisition unit adapted to acquire a first position/orientation of a first viewpoint of a first observer, a first manipulation unit used by the first observer to manipulate a virtual object, and a second manipulation unit used by a second observer to manipulate the virtual object. A generation unit generates an image of the virtual object viewed from the first viewpoint based on the first position/orientation, and generates an image of the second manipulation unit based on a relative position of the second manipulation unit from a second viewpoint position of the second observer, a second acquisition unit acquires an image of a physical space viewed from the first viewpoint, and a combining unit combines the images generated by the generation unit and the image acquired by the second acquisition unit.

Abstract: An information processing method and apparatus enables one or more further users to share a mixed reality space image including a virtual object superimposed in a space where a first user exists. A first stereo image is acquired based on a stereo video captured by a first stereo capturing section mounted on the first user and a virtual object image created based on the position and orientation of the first stereo capturing section. A second stereo image is acquired based on a stereo video captured by a second stereo capturing section provided in the space where the first user exists and a virtual object image created based on the position and orientation of the second stereo capturing section. An image is selected from the first stereo image and the second stereo image according to an instruction of the further user. The selected image is presented to the further user.

Abstract: In a perfume information processing system, a WEB server that provides contents containing perfume information, a perfume inquiry server that generates a perfume conversion table, and multiple clients that each includes a perfume emitting device are connected to a network. Each client sends information showing a perfume that should be emitted and information showing each stored perfume of its corresponding perfume emitting device to the perfume inquiry server and retrieves a perfume conversion table for converting the perfume that should be emitted into information showing a stored perfume. The client converts the perfume information contained in the contents retrieved from the WEB server into perfume information by referring to the perfume conversion table and controls perfume emission by the corresponding perfume emitting device based on the perfume information, thereby performing perfume emission.

Abstract: Herein provided is a control system capable of efficiently and assuredly performing a remote-control of a plurality of instruments. When the plurality of instruments, which are connected to a network 600 and controllable by a computer, namely a first camera 300 and a second camera 400 as shown in FIG. 1, are remotely and simultaneously controlled, the present system is constituted so that a control right of the second camera 400 acquired by a certain client enables the client to control even the first camera while disenables other clients except for the client which acquires the control right to control both the first camera 300 and second camera 400. Accordingly, it turns unnecessary to individually acquire all of the control rights to control the related instruments, first camera 300 and the second camera 400.

Abstract: An information processing method and apparatus enables one or more further users to share a mixed reality space image including a virtual object superimposed in a space where a first user exists. A first stereo image is acquired based on a stereo video captured by a first stereo capturing section mounted on the first user and a virtual object image created based on the position and orientation of the first stereo capturing section. A second stereo image is acquired based on a stereo video captured by a second stereo capturing section provided in the space where the first user exists and a virtual object image created based on the position and orientation of the second stereo capturing section. An image is selected from the first stereo image and the second stereo image according to an instruction of the further user. The selected image is presented to the further user.

Abstract: In a compact information terminal apparatus including display means having a displaying function equivalent to that of a personal computer, a browser for browsing a hyper text can easily be manipulated without altering the hyper text formed for the personal computer. When a position other than a hot spot of the hyper text on a browsing view is designated by using a position designating input device which can be manipulated by one hand, a group of operation buttons of the browser for the hyper text is displayed in the vicinity of a designated position.

Abstract: An image (200) displayed on a display device (23a, 23b) includes a mixed reality space viewed from an operator, i.e., a physical object (42), virtual object (43), stylus (41a), and pointer (41d).

Abstract: There is provided a communication apparatus which makes it possible to properly process data acquired by an external device even if the data is difficult to process by the external device that acquired the data. Information is acquired from an external apparatus by communication. It is determined whether the acquired information is suitable for processing by the communication apparatus. Processing of information determined to be unsuitable for processing by the communication apparatus is delegated to an information apparatus.

Abstract: An information terminal comprises display means for performing a large-screen display via a sculptured surface prism. The information terminal connects to a cellular telephone using Bluetooth technology, obtains information held by a WWW server on the Internet through cooperation with the cellular telephone, and displays a screen for viewing the obtained information on the display means. Also, button operations made at the cellular telephone can be taken as input of the information terminal for performing operations on the screen of the display means. Thus, a portable information terminal which enables viewing of information on a network with a large screen can be provided, without compromising portability or operability.

Abstract: In a perfume information processing system, a WEB server that provides contents containing perfume information, a perfume inquiry server that generates a perfume conversion table, and multiple clients that each includes a perfume emitting device are connected to a network. Each client sends information showing a perfume that should be emitted and information showing each stored perfume of its corresponding perfume emitting device to the perfume inquiry server and retrieves a perfume conversion table for converting the perfume that should be emitted into information showing a stored perfume. The client converts the perfume information contained in the contents retrieved from the WEB server into perfume information by referring to the perfume conversion table and controls perfume emission by the corresponding perfume emitting device based on the perfume information, thereby performing perfume emission.

Abstract: Herein provided is a control system capable of efficiently and assuredly performing a remote-control of a plurality of instruments. When the plurality of instruments, which are connected to a network 600 and controllable by a computer, namely a first camera 300 and a second camera 400 as shown in FIG. 1, are remotely and simultaneously controlled, the present system is constituted so that a control right of the second camera 400 acquired by a certain client enables the client to control even the first camera while disenables other clients except for the client which acquires the control right to control both the first camera 300 and second camera 400. Accordingly, it turns unnecessary to individually acquire all of the control rights to control the related instruments, first camera 300 and the second camera 400.

Abstract: Herein provided is a control system capable of efficiently and assuredly performing a remote-control of a plurality of instruments. When the plurality of instruments, which are connected to a network 600 and controllable by a computer, namely a first camera 300 and a second camera 400 as shown in FIG. 1, are remotely and simultaneously controlled, the present system is constituted so that a control right of the second camera 400 acquired by a certain client enables the client to control even the first camera while disenables other clients except for the client which acquires the control right to control both the first camera 300 and second camera 400. Accordingly, it turns unnecessary to individually acquire all of the control rights to control the related instruments, first camera 300 and the second camera 400.

Abstract: There is provided a communication apparatus which makes it possible to properly process data acquired by an external device even if the data is difficult to process by the external device that acquired the data. Information is acquired from an external apparatus by communication. It is determined whether the acquired information is suitable for processing by the communication apparatus. Processing of information determined to be unsuitable for processing by the communication apparatus is delegated to an information apparatus.

Abstract: An information terminal comprises display means for performing a large-screen display via a sculptured surface prism. The information terminal connects to a cellular telephone using Bluetooth technology, obtains information held by a WWW server on the Internet through cooperation with the cellular telephone, and displays a screen for viewing the obtained information on the display means. Also, button operations made at the cellular telephone can be taken as input of the information terminal for performing operations on the screen of the display means. Thus, a portable information terminal which enables viewing of information on a network with a large screen can be provided, without compromising portability or operability.

Abstract: In a compact information terminal apparatus including display means having a displaying function equivalent to that of a personal computer, a browser for browsing a hyper text can easily be manipulated without altering the hyper text formed for the personal computer. When a position other than a hot spot of the hyper text on a browsing view is designated by using a position designating input device which can be manipulated by one hand, a group of operation buttons of the browser for the hyper text is displayed in the vicinity of a designated position.

Abstract: There is provided a personal information terminal being compact in size but capable of large-screen display of information, and being made so that the terminal's energy consumption is reduced and the terminal is capable of being carried around. The terminal has a data display device equipped with an enlarging optical system, an input device for receiving instructions from a user, a radio communications device for connecting to a network, and a control device for obtaining information from the network through the radio device and making the information be displayed on the data display device based on instructions from the input device, and additionally, while the control device is obtaining the information from the network through the radio device the control device turns off an electrical power supply to a backlight which comprises the data display device.

Abstract: An image retrieval method and apparatus for searching a plurality of images stored in an image file for a desired image are disclosed. When a designated image for designating an image to be retrieved for is input, and its color is designated, the sizes and colors are compared between description information which stores the feature of each of regions obtained by dividing each of images to be searched stored in the image file, and feature data of the designated image. In this manner, the regions, which are determined to be included in the designated image, of image data are obtained, and the similarities between the obtained regions of image data and the designated image are calculated. Image data having higher similarities are read out from the image file, and are displayed while being sorted in the descending order from the highest similarity.

Abstract: An image retrieval method and apparatus for searching a plurality of images stored in an image file for a desired image are disclosed. When a designated image for designating an image to be retrieved is input, and its color is designated, the sizes and colors are compared between description information which stores the feature of each of regions obtained by dividing each of images to be searched stored in the image file, and feature data of the designated image. In this manner, the regions, which are determined to be included in the designated image, of image data are obtained, and the similarities between the obtained regions of image data and the designated image are calculated. Image data having higher similarities are read out from the image file, and are displayed while being sorted in the descending order from the highest similarity.

Abstract: There are provided image processing apparatus and method, in which an image signal expressed by a plurality of bits is continuously inputted every pixel, the input image signal is compared with a reference image signal, a change in image is detected, and when the change in image is not detected as a detection result, a quality improving process of the image signal is executed by using a plurality of image signals which are obtained for a period of time when the image change is not detected, and when the image change is detected as a detection result, the input image signal is outputted without performing the quality improving process, and when the image change is not detected as a detection result, the image signal which was subjected to the quality improving process is outputted.

Abstract: In an flash memory which is an IC memory, a playback time proportional to a period of time when a rewind key is continuously pressed down, or a playback time proportional to a period of time when the rewind key is continuously pressed down while time-stamp information is played back, and a message is read out and played back from a message address at a destination for playback corresponding to the playback time. With this feature, a message address at a destination for playback can be changed according to a period of playback time corresponding to a period of time when the rewind key is continuously pressed down.