IP Library Granted Patent US 11,438,650
Granted Patent B2
US 11,438,650 · App. 16/976,995 · Granted Sep 6, 2022

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, transmission apparatus, and transmission method

Inventor: Takumi Tsuru (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: SATURN LICENSING LLC
H04N21/44218G10L13/00G10L15/22G10L15/30H04N21/235H04N21/42203H04N21/458G10L2015/223
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,438,650
App. No.
16/976,995
Granted
Sep 6, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present technology relates to an information processing apparatus, information processing method, transmission apparatus, and transmission method, capable of improving the convenience of a voice AI assistance service used in cooperation with content. The convenience of the voice AI assistance service used in cooperation with the content can be improved by providing an information processing apparatus including a control unit configured to control a timing of a voice response upon using a voice AI assistance service in cooperation with content on the basis of voice response time information indicating time suitable for the voice response to an utterance of a viewer watching the content. The present technology can be applied to a system in cooperation with a voice AI assistance service, for example.

Claims (62)

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

processing circuitry configured to control a timing of a voice response upon using a voice AT assistance service in cooperation with content on a basis of an utterance of a viewer,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

upon waiting until the timing of the voice response is reached, cause information indicating a waiting state to be presented; and

upon receiving an instruction to start the voice response from the viewer, cause the voice response in the waiting state to be started.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the timing of the voice response on a basis of voice response time information is indicating time suitable for the voice response on a playback time axis of the content.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the voice response time information is acquired via communication.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the content is played back by a first device,

the voice response time information is delivered by a second device via communication,

the second device extracts the voice response time information indicating the time suitable for the voice response to the content being played in the first device from metadata including the voice response time information intended for an entirety or a part of time on the playback time axis of the content, and

processing circuitry is configured to control the timing of the voice response on a basis of the voice response time information delivered via communication.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 ,

wherein the voice response time information is delivered via communication together with voice data of the voice response using an HTTP response.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the voice response time information is acquired via broadcasting.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the content is played back by a first device,

the voice response time information is delivered by a second device via broadcasting,

the second device delivers metadata including the voice response time information intended for an entirety or a part of time on the playback time axis of the content,

the first device extracts the voice response time information indicating the time suitable for the voice response to the content being played from the metadata delivered via broadcasting, and

the processing circuitry is configured to control the timing of the voice response on a basis of the voice response time information extracted by the first device.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7 ,

wherein the content is delivered via broadcasting as a stream compliant with MPEG-DASH, and

the voice response time information is delivered via broadcasting using an MPD.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the voice response time information includes, as at least part of the time suitable for the voice response, a time period during which an uttered voice of the content being played is not output.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processing circuitry is configured to, upon waiting until the timing of the voice response is reached, notify a first device playing back the content of a first message indicating the waiting state,

the first device is configured to cause an icon indicating the waiting state to be displayed on a basis of the notified first message,

the processing circuitry is configured to, upon receiving the instruction to start the voice response from the viewer, notify the first device of a second message indicating that the waiting state of the voice response is released, and

the first device is configured to cause the displayed icon indicating the waiting state to be erased on a basis of the notified second message.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the content is broadcast content delivered via broadcasting, and

the voice response is a response to the utterance of the viewer viewing the broadcast content.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the information processing apparatus is configured as a voice processing device configured to function as a user interface for the voice AI assistance service.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the information processing apparatus is configured as a reception apparatus configured to receive and playback the content delivered via broadcasting.

14. An information processing method executed by an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

controlling, by the information processing apparatus, a timing of a voice response upon using a voice AI assistance service in cooperation with content on a basis of an utterance of a viewer,

wherein the controlling the timing comprises:

upon waiting until the timing of the voice response is reached, causing information indicating a waiting state to be presented; and

upon receiving an instruction to start the voice response from the viewer, causing the voice response in the waiting state to be started.

15. A transmission apparatus, comprising:

processing circuitry configured to:

generate, upon using a voice AI assistance service in cooperation with content, metadata including voice response time information indicating time suitable for a voice response to an utterance of a viewer; and

transmit the generated metadata,

wherein

upon waiting until timing of the voice response is reached, information indicating a waiting state to be presented is generated, and

upon receiving an instruction to start the voice response from the viewer, the voice response in the waiting state starts.

16. The transmission apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

generate an MPD in which the voice response time information intended for an entirety or a part of time on a playback time axis of the content is expressed to be identifiable by identification information being used to identify as being used for the voice AI assistance service; and

deliver, together with the MPD, the content as a stream compliant with MPEG-DASH via broadcasting.

17. A transmission method executed by a transmission apparatus, the method comprising:

generating, by the transmission apparatus, upon using a voice AI assistance service in cooperation with content, metadata including voice response time information indicating time suitable for the voice response to an utterance of a viewer watching the content; and

transmitting, by the transmission apparatus, the generated metadata,

wherein

upon waiting until timing of the voice response is reached, information indicating a waiting state to be presented is generated, and

upon receiving an instruction to start the voice response from the viewer, the voice response in the waiting state starts.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2021
From: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
To: SATURN LICENSING LLC
Reel/Frame 058442/0365 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 21, 2021
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058552/0391 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 31, 2020
From: TSURU, TAKUMI
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053649/0990 →