# US 10,375,353 B2 · Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,375,353 B2 - Document ID: US10375353B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/779,181 - Filed: 2016-09-28 - Published: 2018-11-15 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-11 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Yusuke Sakai; Atsushi Izumihara; Daisuke Miki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375353B2 ## CPC - H04N 7/147: {Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals (selecting H04Q)} - G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)} - G06F 3/0481: based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance - G06F 3/04815: Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional [3D], e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object - H04M 1/00: Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers (subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08) - H04M 3/42348: {Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target} - H04M 11/00: Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems - H04N 7/15: Conference systems - H04N 7/157: {defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents (computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827)} - H04M 3/567: {Multimedia conference systems} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract To provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program capable of producing the distance to a communication partner by using a three-dimensional expression to connect spaces, and realizing more comfortable communication. An information processing apparatus including: a reception unit configured to receive data from a communication destination; a generation unit configured to generate space image information in which an image corresponding to a space of the communication destination is disposed at a predetermined position in a three-dimensional space; and a display control unit configured to perform control such that the generated space image information is displayed on a display unit in a communication source. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing apparatus comprising: a reception unit configured to receive data from a communication destination; a generation unit configured to generate space image information in which an image corresponding to a space of the communication destination is disposed at a predetermined position in a three-dimensional space; a distance control unit configured to control a virtual separation distance between the communication source and the communication destination in the three-dimensional space, wherein the generation unit is configured to dispose the image corresponding to the space of the communication destination at a position corresponding to the separation distance; and a display control unit configured to perform control such that the generated space image information is displayed on a display unit in a communication source. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distance control unit controls the separation distance on a basis of a connection request level from the communication source and a connection request level from the communication destination. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distance control unit controls the separation distance on a basis of a context of a communication source user determined on a basis of space information of the communication source, and a context of a communication destination user determined on a basis of space information of the communication destination. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the context includes at least any of a state of a user, a state of a real space in which a user is present, time, a season, weather, a place, and a relationship with a partner user. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image corresponding to the space of the communication destination disposed in the three-dimensional space is generated on a basis of a captured image showing an inside of the space of the communication destination, the captured image being received from the communication destination. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the generation unit further uses relevant information relevant to the space of the communication destination to generate the space image information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the relevant information includes at least weather information of the communication destination, illuminance of the space of the communication destination, a state of cookware, schedule information of a user of the communication destination, or an action history. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the generation unit generates the space image information in which the image corresponding to the space of the communication destination is disposed in a window area or a door area of a virtual building or a virtual mobile object disposed in the three-dimensional space. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the generation unit generates the space image information on a basis of real-time information of the space of the communication destination. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit controls the space image information to be displayed on the display unit such that movement of a viewpoint of a user is followed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation unit generates a three-dimensional space in which a set predetermined scene is reflected. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit causes information acquired from the communication source or the communication destination to be reflected in an object displayed in a space in front of a position at which the image corresponding to the space of the communication destination is disposed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation unit generates the space image information in which an object generated on a basis of the image corresponding to the space of the communication destination is disposed in a space in front of a position at which the image corresponding to the space of the communication destination is disposed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a data generation unit configured to generate data to be transmitted to the communication destination in accordance with the virtual separation distance on a basis of data acquired from a space of the communication source. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus performs control such that display of the image corresponding to the space of the communication destination is synchronized with display of an image corresponding to a space of the communication source in the space of the communication destination. ### Claim 16 An information processing method comprising, by a processor: receiving data from a communication destination; generating space image information in which an image corresponding to a space of the communication destination is disposed at a predetermined position in a three-dimensional space; controlling a virtual separation distance between the communication source and the communication destination in the three-dimensional space; disposing the image corresponding to the space of the communication destination at a position corresponding to the separation distance and performing control such that the generated space image information is displayed on a display unit in a communication source. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a program for causing a computer to function as: a reception unit configured to receive data from a communication destination; a generation unit configured to generate space image information in which an image corresponding to a space of the communication destination is disposed at a predetermined position in a three-dimensional space; a distance control unit configured to control a virtual separation distance between the communication source and the communication destination in the three-dimensional space, wherein the generation unit is configured to dispose the image corresponding to the space of the communication destination at a position corresponding to the separation distance; and a display control unit configured to perform control such that the generated space image information is displayed on a display unit in a communication source.