Information processing apparatus, information processing method, outputting apparatus, outputting method, and notification system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12556629-B2
Application number	US-202117996595-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2021
Priority date	Apr 27, 2020
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

Provided is an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, an outputting apparatus, an outputting method, a program, and a notification system that make it possible to output a notification by sound of the appropriate contents at an appropriate timing. An information processing apparatus controls, according to a state of a user, the state being decided on the basis of multiple types of detection results relating to a situation of the user, and an importance level set to each of notifications to the user, outputting of the notifications by sound.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An information processing apparatus, comprising:
a state decision section configured to:
determine a first state of a plurality of states of a user, wherein
the first state is determined based on multiple types of detection results, and
the multiple types of detection results correspond to a situation of the user; and

a control section configured to:
determine a plurality of importance levels of a plurality of notifications,
wherein a first importance level of the plurality of importance levels corresponds to a first notification of the plurality of notifications;

control, based on the determined first state of the user and the first importance level, an output device to output the first notification by sound;
determine a second notification of the plurality of notifications corresponding to a second importance level of the plurality of importance levels,
wherein the second notification has a priority, based on the second importance level, over the first notification;

determine that an output of the second notification is permissible based on the priority of the second notification over the first notification;
suspend the output of the first notification based on the determination that the output of the second notification is permissible; and
control the output device to output, based on the suspended output of the first notification, the second notification by the sound.

2 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of states corresponds to multiple notification states, and the multiple notification states correspond to a plurality of levels of ease of reception of the plurality of notifications.

3 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the control section is further configured to output the plurality of notifications based on first permissibility information, and the first permissibility information indicates a relation between the plurality of states and the plurality of importance levels.

4 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a notification management section configured to store information associated with a third notification of the plurality of notifications,
wherein an output of the third notification is stopped based on registration of the plurality of notifications.

5 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the control section is further configured to control the output device to output the third notification at a time of change of the first state of the user to a second state of the user.

6 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the control section is further configured to control the output of the third notification based on second permissibility information, and the second permissibility information indicates a relation between types of the change of the first state and the plurality of importance levels of the notifications.

7 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control section is further configured to control, based on individual states of a plurality of users, the output device to output the plurality of notifications, and the plurality of users includes the user.

8 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control section is further configured to control a headphone to output of at least one notification of the plurality of notifications, and the headphone is associated with the user.

9 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a detection result acquisition section configured to acquire the multiple types of detection results based on sensor data measured by a plurality of sensors,
wherein the plurality of sensors is on a device associated with the user.

10 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the detection result acquisition section is further configured to acquire the sensor data based on specific information from a server, and the server controls an execution of an application associated with the user.

11 . An information processing method, comprising:
in an information processing apparatus:
determining a state of a plurality of states of a user, wherein
the state is determined based on multiple types of detection results, and
the multiple types of detection results correspond to a situation of the user;

determining a plurality of importance levels of a plurality of notifications,
wherein a first importance level of the plurality of importance levels corresponds to a first notification of the plurality of notifications;

controlling, based on the determined state of the user and the first importance level, an output device to output the first notification by sound;
determining a second notification of the plurality of notifications corresponding to a second importance level of the plurality of importance levels,
wherein the second notification has a priority, based on the second importance level, over the first notification:

determining that an output of the second notification is permissible based on the priority of the second notification over the first notification;
suspending the output of the first notification based on the determination that the output of the second notification is permissible; and
controlling the output device to output, based on the suspended output of the first notification, the second notification by the sound.

12 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute operations, the operations comprising:
determining a state of a plurality of states of a user, wherein
the state is determined based on multiple types of detection results, and
the multiple types of detection results correspond to a situation of the user;
determining a plurality of importance levels of a plurality of notifications,
wherein a first importance level of the plurality of importance levels corresponds to a first notification of the plurality of notifications;
controlling, based on the determined state of the user and the first importance level, an output device to output the first notification by sound; determining a second notification of the plurality of notifications corresponding to a second importance level of the plurality of importance levels,
wherein the second notification has a priority, based on the second importance level, over the first notification;
determining that an output of the second notification is permissible based on the priority of the second notification over the first notification; suspending the output of the first notification based on the determination that the output of the second notification is permissible; and controlling the output device to output, based on the suspended output of the first notification, the second notification by the sound.

13 . An outputting apparatus, comprising:
an output controlling section configured to output a plurality of notifications by sound, under control of an information processing apparatus, wherein the information processing apparatus: determines a state of a plurality of states of a user, wherein the state is determined based on multiple types of detection results, and the multiple types of detection results correspond to a situation of the user; determines a plurality of importance levels of the plurality of notifications, wherein a first importance level of the plurality of importance levels cor

Assignees

• Sony Group Corp

Inventors

• Nagasaka Hideo

Classifications

• H04M11/02

  with bell or annunciator systems · CPC title

• H04M1/72409

  by interfacing with external accessories (hands-free H04M1/60) · CPC title

• G06F3/167

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• G08B3/10

  using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission · CPC title

• G10L25/78

  Detection of presence or absence of voice signals (switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10) · CPC title