TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing system each of which executes information processing by utilizing a photographed image, and an information processing method carried out in those.

BACKGROUND ART

There is known a game in which a user is photographed with a video camera, and the resulting image is replaced with another image to be displayed on a display (for example, refer to PTL 1). In addition, there is also known a user interface system in which a motion of a mouth or a hand photographed with a video camera is received as a manipulation instruction of an application. In such a way, the technique with which a real world is photographed and a virtual world responding to a motion of the real world is displayed, or some sort of information processing is executed is utilized in a wide range of fields from a small portable terminal up to a leisure facility irrespective of the scale thereof.

A system with which a panorama image is displayed on a head mounted display, and when a user wearing the head mounted display rotates his/her head, the panorama image responding to a gaze direction is displayed is also developed as an example thereof. The head mounted display is utilized, resulting in that a sense of immersion in the image can be increased, or the operationability of an application such as a game can be enhanced. In addition, a walk through system with which the user wearing the head mounted display physically moves, resulting in that the user can virtually walk around within the space displayed as the image is also developed.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

[PTL 1]

EP 0399513 A1

SUMMARY

Technical Problems

For realizing the picture expression having the presence, or executing the information processing with high accuracy, it is desirable to increase the resolution or the frame rate of the photographed image. On the other hand, if the number of data sizes which should be handled in such a manner is increased, then, a load applied to data transmission or image analysis is increased, and a period of time required until the image display is increased. As a result, there is caused the shift between the actual motion and the display, and so forth, and thus the user may be given a sense of discomfort in some cases. In addition, the transmission band is oppressed, resulting in that a lack of the data becomes easy to occur, and the accuracy of the image analysis may become rather worse in some cases.

The present invention has been made in the light of such problems, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a technique with which a satisfactory processing result can be acquired without injuring currency in information processing followed by transmission and an analysis of data associated with a photographed image.

Solution to Problems

In order to solve the problems described above, a certain aspect of the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus is characterized by including a communication portion, a retransmission request producing portion, an image analyzing portion, an output data producing portion, and a processing condition adjusting portion. In this case, the communication portion serves to establish a communication with an image pickup device and acquire data associated with a photographed image. The retransmission request producing portion serves to issue a retransmission request to the image pickup device within a set allowable time for a portion which is not acquired of the data associated with the photographed image. The image analyzing portion serves to analyze the photographed image by using the acquired data. The output data producing portion serves to produce output data based on a result of the analysis, and output the output data. The processing condition adjusting portion serves to adjust a set value of the allowable time based on the result of the analysis.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus is characterized by including a communication portion, a retransmission request producing portion, a processing condition adjusting portion, an image analyzing portion, and an output data producing portion. In this case, the communication portion serves to establish a communication with an image pickup device and acquire data associated with a photographed image. The retransmission request producing portion serves to issue a retransmission request to the image pickup device within a set allowable time for a portion which is not acquired of the data associated with the photographed image. The processing condition adjusting portion serves to switch an algorithm for analysis of the photographed image in response to a set value of the allowable time. The image analyzing portion serves to carry out the analysis of the photographed image in accordance with the algorithm by using the acquired data. The output data producing portion serves to produce output data based on a result of the analysis, and output the output data.

Still another aspect of the present invention relates to an information processing system. The information processing system is characterized by including an image pickup device and an information processing apparatus configured to establish a communication with the image pickup device, and execute information processing using a photographed image. The information processing apparatus is provided with a communication portion, a retransmission request producing portion, an image analyzing portion, an output data producing portion, and a processing condition adjusting portion. In this case, the communication portion serves to acquire data associated with the photographed image, and transmit the acquired data to the information processing apparatus. The retransmission request producing portion serves to issue a retransmission request to the image pickup device within a set allowable time for a portion which is not acquired of the data associated with the photographed image. The image analyzing portion serves to analyze the photographed image by using the acquired data. The output data producing portion serves to produce output data based on a result of the analysis, and output the output data. The processing condition adjusting portion serves to adjust a set value of the allowable time based on the result of the analysis. The image pickup device is provided with a communication portion, a retransmission control portion, and a processing condition adjusting portion. In this case, the communication portion serves to acquire data associated with a photographed image, and transmit the acquired data to the information processing apparatus. The retransmission control portion serves to control retransmission of the data in response to the retransmission request issued from the information processing apparatus. The processing condition adjusting portion serves to acquire the set value of the allowable time adjusted in the information processing apparatus, and change a form of data processing of the photographed image based on the set value.

Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to an image pickup device. The image pickup device is characterized by including a data acquiring portion, a communication portion, a retransmission control portion, and a processing condition adjusting portion. In this case, the data acquiring portion serves to acquire data associated with a photographed image. The communication portion serves to establish a communication with an information processing apparatus, and transmit the data associated with the photographed image. The retransmission control portion serves to control retransmission of data in response to a retransmission request, for a portion which is not acquired of the data associated with the photographed image, issued within a set allowable time by the information processing apparatus. The processing condition adjusting portion serves to acquire a set value of the allowable time adjusted in the information processing apparatus, and change a form of data processing of the photographed image based on the set value.

Further aspect, of the present invention relates to a head mounted display. The head mounted display is characterized by including the image pickup device described above and a display for acquiring data associated with a display image produced based on a photographed image from an information processing apparatus, and displaying the data associated with the display image.

Still further aspect of the present invention relates to an information processing method. The information processing method is characterized by including, by an information processing apparatus, a step of establishing a communication with an image pickup device, and acquiring data associated with a photographed image, a step of issuing a retransmission request to the image pickup device within a set allowable time for a portion which is not acquired of the data associated with the photographed image, a step of carrying out analysis of the photographed image by using the acquired data, a step of producing output data based on a result of the analysis, and outputting the output data, and a step of adjusting a set value of the allowable time based on the result of the analysis.

Yet further aspect of the present invention relates to an information processing method. The information processing method is characterized by including, by an information processing apparatus, a step of establishing a communication with an image pickup device, and acquiring data associated with a photographed image, a step of issuing a retransmission request to the image pickup device within a set allowable time for a portion which is not acquired of the data associated with the photographed image, a step of carrying out analysis of the photographed image by using the acquired data, and a step of producing output data based on a result of the analysis, and outputting the output data. In the step of carrying out the analysis, an algorithm to be used is switched in response to a set value of the allowable time.

It should be noted that an arbitrary combination of constituent elements described above, and results obtained by converting an expression of the present invention among a method, an apparatus, a system, a computer program, a data structure, a recording medium, and the like are valid in terms of aspects of the present invention.

Advantageous Effect of Invention

According to the present invention, in the information processing followed by the transmission and the analysis of the data associated with the photographed image, the satisfactory processing results can be acquired without injuring the currency.

