Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025172991-A1
Application number	US-202318841656-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 15, 2023
Priority date	Mar 1, 2022
Publication date	May 29, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present technique relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program capable of predicting a future state of a user and supporting the user. A supporting unit is configured to support a user based on an estimation result of at least one of a present affect and a present context of the user and a prediction result of at least one of a future affect and a future context of the user. For example, the present technique can be applied to an audio agent apparatus of an audio support system which supports the user by transmitting by audio, in response to a request from the user by an utterance or the like, a message that is most readily receivable by the user as a response.

First claim

1 . An information processing apparatus, comprising:
a supporting unit configured to support a user based on an estimation result of at least one of a present affect and a present context of the user and a prediction result of at least one of a future affect and a future context of the user.

2 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an affect processing unit configured to obtain the prediction result of the affect based on the estimation result of the affect and at least one of the estimation result and the prediction result of the context.

3 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the affect processing unit is further configured to obtain a reliability of the prediction result of the affect based on the estimation result of the affect and at least one of the estimation result and the prediction result of the context.

4 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an affect processing unit configured to obtain the estimation result of the affect using a biosignal of the user.

5 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a context processing unit configured to obtain the prediction result of the context based on estimation results of the context in a time series.

6 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a context processing unit configured to obtain the estimation result of the context based on at least one of environmental information indicating an environment surrounding the user and input information that is information input from the user.

7 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a setting unit configured to set a support content that is a content of support by the supporting unit based on the estimation result of at least one of the affect and the context and the prediction result of at least one of the affect and the context, wherein the supporting unit is configured to perform support of the support content set by the setting unit.

8 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a determining unit configured to determine a support method that is a method of support by the supporting unit based on the estimation result of at least one of the affect and the context, wherein the supporting unit is configured to perform support of the support content by the support method determined by the determining unit.

9 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a result processing unit configured to cause a storage unit to store a support result with respect to the user in association with the support method based on an estimation result of at least one of the affect and the context before and after the support by the supporting unit.

10 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the determining unit is configured to determine the support method also based on the support result stored in the storage unit.

11 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
the determining unit is configured to also determine support means that is means of support by the supporting unit based on an estimation result of at least one of the affect and the context, and the supporting unit is configured to perform support of the support content by the support method and the support means determined by the determining unit.

12 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising
a result processing unit configured to cause a storage unit to store a support result with respect to the user in association with the support method and the support means based on an estimation result of at least one of the affect and the context before and after the support by the supporting unit.

13 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein
the determining unit is configured to determine the support method and the support means also based on the support result stored in the storage unit.

14 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the support content is to transmit a message to the user, the support method is a method of transmitting the message to the user by audio, and the support means is a tone of voice or a volume of the audio.

15 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein
the message is navigation information.

16 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein
the message is task support information that supports a task by the user.

17 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the support content is to make a suggestion to the user, the support method is a method of making a suggestion to the user via a motion of a robot, and the support means is a predetermined motion of the robot.

18 . An information processing method, comprising an information processing apparatus performing
a supporting step of supporting a user based on an estimation result of at least one of a present affect and a present context of the user and a prediction result of at least one of a future affect and a future context of the user.

19 . A program causing a computer to function as:
a supporting unit configured to support a user based on an estimation result of at least one of a present affect and a present context of the user and a prediction result of at least one of a future affect and a future context of the user.

Assignees

• Sony Group Corp

Inventors

• Yoshikawa Kiyoshi

Classifications

• G06F3/015

  Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection · CPC title

• G06F3/011 Primary

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title

• G06F3/165

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title

• B25J11/0005 Primary

  Manipulators having means for high-level communication with users, e.g. speech generator, face recognition means · CPC title

• A61B5/16

  Devices for psychotechnics (using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00); Testing reaction times {; Devices for evaluating the psychological state} · CPC title