Virtual television phone apparatus

A virtual television phone system for communicating between at least a communication device of a user and a communication device of a communication partner, the system comprising at least the communication device of the user and the communication device of the communication partner,

• wherein the communication device includes:
• a communication unit operable to carry out voice communication;
• a character selecting unit operable to select CG character shape data for at least one of a user and a communication partner;
• a voice input unit operable to acquire voice of the user;
• a voice output unit operable to output voice of the communication partner;
• a voice analyzing unit operable to analyze voice data of the communication partner received by the communication unit or both of the voice data of the communication partner and voice data of the user;
• an emotion presuming unit operable to presume an emotion state of the communication partner or emotion states of both of the communication partner and the user using a result of the voice analysis by the voice analyzing unit;
• a motion control unit operable to control a motion of the CG character based on the presumption by the emotion presuming unit;
• an image generating unit operable to generate an image using the CG character shape data and motion data generated based on control information generated by the motion control unit;
• and
• a displaying unit operable to display the image generated by the image generating unit.

A program for virtual television phone communication between at least a communication device of a user and a communication device of a communication partner by communication between the user and the communication partner, the program comprising:

• a communication step for carrying out voice communication;
• a character selecting step for selecting CG character shape data for at least one of the user and the communication partner;
• a voice input step for acquiring voice of the user;
• a voice output step for outputting voice of the communication partner;
• a voice analyzing step for analyzing voice data of the communication partner received in the communication step or both of the voice data of the communication partner and voice data of the user;
• an emotion presuming step for presuming an emotion state of the communication partner or emotion states of both of the communication partner and the user using a result of the voice analysis in the voice analyzing step;
• a motion control step for controlling a motion of the CG character based on the presumption in the emotion presuming step;
• an image generating step for generating an image using the CG character shape data and motion data generated based on control information generated in the motion control step;
• and
• a displaying step for displaying the image generated in the image generating step.