FR2853100A1 - Interlocutor emotional state transmission device for e.g. telemedicine, has sensors obtaining sensory information e.g. heart beat, of interlocutor, and coding circuit transforming information to emotional state code - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has sensors (25) disposed in relation with an interlocutor to obtain sensory information e.g. heart beat of the interlocutor. The sensory information from the sensors is coupled to a coding circuit that transforms the information to an emotional state code. The emotional code is transmitted to an access circuit e.g. mobile telephone that accesses a transmission channel and decoded by a decoding circuit. Independent claims are also included for the following: (a) a process of communication of emotional states (b) an application of the device to online games and the process (c) an application of the device and the procedure to the amusement applications (d) an application of the device ad the process to an application of telemedicine or to the psychiatric surveillance and control.

Description

i

  "Device and method for communicating emotional states" The present invention relates to a device and method for communicating emotional states. The invention finds its application in the field of telephony and Internet telecommunications.

  In the prior art, communication systems make it possible to transfer information in the form of text, sound, images, sequences of images, over transmission channels such as telephone lines or wireless networks. or satellite. However, the information transmitted is information which is most often used as such, the text information used for reading purposes, the image information used for viewing purposes. However, in the case in particular of communication between humans on the basis of networks such as the Internet and telephone networks, the emotional state must be imagined by each of the interlocutors on the basis of information transmitted as described above. who have no physical link with the emotional state of the interlocutors.

  In the state of the art, in fields related to health, sensors have already been developed capable of producing physiological information from a living being, such as a human being. However, this information is different from information likely to indicate a person's emotional state. Among these sensors, heart rate sensors and others are known.

  However, the techniques developed, in particular in the field of medicine and telemedicine, for the exploitation of this information do not make it possible to envisage their exploitation in the field of telephone communication or the Internet.

  The present invention allows the communication and the taking into account of emotional states of an interlocutor within the framework of a communication of the telephone or teleinformatic type.

  Indeed, the present invention relates to a device for transmitting emotional states.

  The device of the invention comprises - at least one sensor for sensory information in relation to a living being; a circuit for coding said sensory information to produce an emotional state code; - a circuit for transmitting emotional state codes - at least one circuit for decoding at least one emotional state code, connected to the transmission circuit; - a means of exploiting the decoding of the emotional state code.

  The present invention also relates to a method for communicating emotional states, characterized in that it consists in: - producing sensory information in relation to a living being; - coding said sensory information to produce an emotional state code; - transmitting at least one emotional state code on a communication channel to at least one receiver; - decoding the transmitted emotional state code to divert an emotional state information from an interlocutor; - use said emotional state information.

  Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will be better understood with the aid of the description of the appended figures among which: - Figure 1 is a flow diagram of the method of the invention; - Figures 2 and 3 are block diagrams of parts of the device of the invention; - Figure 4 is a diagram of an embodiment of the device according to the invention.

  In Figure 1, there is shown a flow diagram of the method of the invention.

  After a start step, the method of the invention comprises a step 1 for detecting sensory information 5 produced in relation to a living being, such as an interlocutor in a telephone or Internet communication.

  In this detection step, at least one sensory information is used which can come either from sensors of physiological phenomena, or else from sensors of indirect phenomena from which adapted processing makes it possible to deduce sensory information.

  Sensors of physiological phenomena make it possible to directly derive an emotional state, for example, by detecting the rise in heart rate during conversation. In this case, the method of the invention, during detection step 1, makes it possible to determine a period T of analysis, then to execute a calculation of the speed of variation of the heart rate and finally to derive a emotional state information of the rate of change of heart rate value. This emotional state information itself evolves over time.

  The sensors of indirect phenomena use emotional situation analyzers which make it possible to deduce the emotional state of the monitored interlocutor. This is the case of a sensor based on the analysis of oral conversation. In such an analyzer, one can detect the rhythm of the conversation, the duration of the silences, the frequency of incomplete words, etc., in order to deduce an emotional state therefrom according to predetermined criteria loaded into the analyzer.

  When detecting sensory information, it is possible to take into account the history of past communications, and / or previous moments of the communication in order to deduce more complete sensory information therefrom.

  During a step 2, the sensory information obtained during step 1 is processed by a particular coding circuit which derives a code of emotional state of the interlocutor monitored from the sensory information coming from the information sensor sensory.

  The coding of step 2 is intended to produce information capable of being transmitted during a step 3 over a communication channel such as a telephone network or an Internet computer network.

  In particular, the coding circuit which implements this step of the method of the invention is designed as a function of the user interface so as to: - use the same channel as that of sustained oral communication over the telephone network, or alphanumeric on the computer network; - to use another communication channel such as a separate telephone line or a voice data transmission channel; - to directly use the emotional state code produced in step 2 as a transmission unit in the envisaged communication.

  In the first two cases cited, the transmission of the emotional state constitutes additional information, for example to a traditional type of telephone communication.

  In the last case cited, the transmission of the emotional state directly constitutes the information in the envisaged communication.

  In a particular embodiment of the invention, the emotional state code can be used to directly establish communication with a predetermined receiver as a function of the emotional state code itself. This is the case for example when the person who monitors his emotional state with a sensor of sensory information during step 1, has programmed a telephone number on his own telephone terminal when his emotional state code takes on a particular value.

  In a particular embodiment of the invention, the emotional state code is transmitted for example in digital form on the transmission channel during step 3.

  During a step 4, and particularly at the level of the receiver receiving the emotional code, the transmitted code is decoded.

  The decoding of the transmitted code makes it possible to produce a value directly usable on the receiver during a step 5 of decoding operation.

  The decoding step 4 therefore depends on the operating step 5 executed on the receiver contained in the device for implementing the method of the invention.

  In a particular embodiment of the invention, the operating step 5 consists in signaling the emotional state of the interlocutor on the receiver connected to the transmission channel when step 3 of the method has been executed.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the signaling is carried out in the form of the display of an icon on a display screen on the telephony receiver, or on the screen of the Internet terminal.

  Particularly in this case, the emotional state code produced during stage 2, suitably transmitted during stage 3, decoded according to stage 4, makes it possible, during stage 5 of exploitation to address a icon table. The icon table is stored on the communications receiver, or on a host. The address field of the icon table corresponds to the numerical scale from which the code of the emotional state is chosen during coding step 2.

  In another embodiment, the signaling is carried out in the form of the production of an emotion reconstituted as close as possible to the original emotion detected during step 1 by the sensor (s) d sensory information.

  In particular, in an exemplary embodiment, the detection during step 1 of an emotional state, determined on the interlocutor disposed in relation to the emitter of the device for implementing the method of the invention, produces a sensation correspondent on the interlocutor disposed in relation to the receiver of the device for implementing the method of the invention by means of an emotional state effector.

  For example, when the interlocutor monitored in step 1 is in an emotional state of sadness, an effector in relation to the receiver on the other side of the transmission channel produces a sad atmosphere, for example by means of 10 d '' sad music adapted. This action can be applied to one or more correspondents in communication with the monitored interlocutor or returned as a moderator or amplifier of emotional states to the monitored person.

  The device for implementing the method of the invention has not been shown in the drawings because it takes up in the form of processing circuits each of the steps of said method.

  More particularly, it comprises: - at least one sensor for sensory information in relation to a living being; a circuit for coding said sensory information to produce an emotional state code; - a circuit for transmitting emotional state codes - at least one circuit for decoding at least one transmitted emotional state code, connected to the transmission circuit; - a means of exploiting the decoding of the emotional state code.

  The device can therefore be distributed between two terminals and a transmission channel, each telephone or Internet communication terminal comprising: - at least one sensor for sensory information in relation to a living being; a circuit for coding said sensory information to produce an emotional state code; - an access circuit to the emotional state code transmission circuit; - at least one decoding circuit of at least one emotional state code, connected to the transmission circuit; - a means of exploiting the decoding of the emotional state code.

  Each telephone or data processing terminal can therefore be both transmitter and receiver of emotional states.

  In FIG. 2, a part of the device of the invention is shown. A plurality 11 of sensors 11-1 to 11-6 is arranged in relation to a contact person 10.

  The signals from each of the sensors 11-1 to 11-6 are connected to circuits for shaping the coding circuit 12 which makes it possible to transform the sensory information delivered by the sensors 11 into an emotional state code of the interlocutor 10, said emotional state code evolving over time.

  The emotional state code from the coding circuit 12 is transmitted to the circuit 13 for accessing the transmission channel to which it is connected.

  This access circuit can be formed on a mobile telephone terminal by the numbering circuit and the connection circuit (modulation / demodulation) with a recipient 25 determined by the numbering circuit.

  It is understood that, in the case where the device of the invention is constituted around a traditional communications network, it is possible to enrich the communication by communicating the emotional state of the various interlocutors. It is also conceivable that, on the basis of this same device, it is possible to constitute the communication of emotional states, coded and then decoded according to the method of the invention, as a real channel of communication between living beings, without having example to use speech, in a telephone conversation, or in a semantic type language like those associated with writing, in an exchange on an Internet forum. It is then a new way of communication between living beings, particularly with those who are not endowed or who cannot, temporarily or locally, use semantic communication like that of conversation or communication between humans. 'writings or images.

  In FIG. 3, a particular embodiment of the invention of a coding circuit has been detailed like the circuit lo 12 of FIG. 12.

  Each sensor 11-i produces sensory information which is transmitted to the input of a quantization circuit 14-i. This is particularly the case when the sensory information sensor delivers an analog type signal.

  The quantization circuit 14-i makes it possible to produce a binary word for example on eight bits, representative of a degree of the sensory information detected by the sensor 11-i.

  The set of quantification circuits produces a set of digital values Qi which represent the degrees 20 associated with each of the sensory information monitored on the interlocutor 10 (FIG. 2).

  These Qi values are transmitted to the input of a circuit 15 which performs the fusion of the Qi values so as to produce, according to a law f0, prerecorded or executed by the circuit 15, 25 a dependent emotional state code input Qi values.

  The operation of merging the Qi values to execute the coding step can therefore be formally expressed by a relation of the form: CEM = f (Ql, ... Qi, ...).

  As a result, the decoding step 4 can be expressed by a go function, preferably of the reciprocal form go = f (o1, such as DEM = g (CEM).

  In a particular embodiment, the decoding function is the identical function, the transmitted CEM code allowing direct access to the operating step.

  In a particular embodiment, the fusion f () of the values Qi is carried out over a predetermined period of time, defined as a function of the interlocutor and of the degree of precision according to which one wants to follow the emotional state of the interlocutor 10 .

  In a particular embodiment, each variable Qi is tested with respect to ranges of predetermined values. The circuit 15 then performs tests on a plurality of conditions combined by logical And or ORs on the various variables Qi. To explain the conditions tested, we consider the j-th range of values of the i-th quantization and the associated condition is written: (Ai, jO <Qi <Ai, jl), in which AijO is a lower bound and Aijl is an upper bound of the jth range of values associated with the i-th quantization value Qi. According to a battery of tests programmed on the coding circuit 15, a combination of tests is tested in the circuit 15 to produce a particular value of emotional state code. The field of possible values of the emotional state code is formed so that an emotional state code value is associated with a particular combination of states of verified conditions.

  In another embodiment, the quantization variables Qi are merged by executing prerecorded fuzzy logic rules, the merging circuit 15 being a fuzzy logic calculator.

  In Figure 4, there is shown a particular embodiment of a part of a device according to the invention.

  This part of the device shown comprises - a conventional mobile telephone terminal 21 provided with its resources for accessing the mobile telephone network; - a module for producing and / or detecting emotional states 20.

  The module for producing and / or detecting emotional states 20 is connected to the mobile terminal 21 by means of a suitable connection 22.

  In a particular embodiment, the link 22 is of the wired type constituted by a cable 22 proper connected by a connector 23 on the module 20, on the one hand, and by a connector 24 on the mobile terminal 21, on the other hand go.

  The module for producing and / or detecting emotional states 20 mainly comprises sensors for sensory information which are intended to be applied to the body or placed in relation to the body of the holder of the mobile 21.

  The module for producing and / or detecting emotional states 20 may include a display 27 to indicate different states in which it is, and in particular a configuration state which makes it possible to adapt a sensor of sensory information using a dial 28 for selecting 15 adjustment values.

  In another embodiment, the configuration of the module is carried out directly from a server center connected to the module for producing and / or detecting emotional states 20 by means of the telephone network and the mobile terminal 20.

  The mobile terminal 21 conventionally comprises an earpiece 29, a screen 30 for displaying characters, images and / or icons, and a keypad 31.

  The screen 30 and the earpiece 29 can be used for signaling the emotional states of another interlocutor equipped with the same system as that described in FIG. 4.

  When the carrier of the system represented in FIG. 4 is connected to the sensors 25, his emotional state can be processed by the module for producing and / or detecting emotional states 20 30 and / or the terminal 21, transmitted over the telephone network, and this emotional state can be signaled, or exploited, in particular by a system identical to that of FIG. 4.

  In a particular embodiment, the system according to FIG. 4 comprises a means for selecting the call number of a caller as a function of a determined emotional state, represented by a value of emotional call state code and notably determined by its degree as it is coded by a circuit for coding emotional states.

  When the wearer of the system thus programmed experiences an emotional state corresponding to the emotional call state code value recorded in a suitable memory, the emotional state coding circuit automatically cooperates with the numbering circuit of the means of access to the mobile terminal network. He is then put in direct contact with another correspondent whose call number has been previously registered in relation to the value of the emotional call state code recorded. Transmission can then be initiated directly according to conventional modes or else the emotional states and / or the identification of the caller can be signaled to the correspondent.

  In a particular embodiment, the system according to FIG. 4 includes means for accepting calls from other similar systems and having an emotional state determined by the callable interlocutor. In this case, the call to the system according to FIG. 4 which has a determined emotional state corresponding to that recorded in relation to the callable system is relayed by a central server so that the call to the system according to FIG. 4 which detects its emotional state is then related to the callable system.

  In a particular embodiment, the emotional state is no longer determined according to a unique numerical code as described above, but in the vector form of component emotional state codes, each component emotional state being independent of the other component emotional states. The emotional state code CEM characterizing the emotional state of the interlocutor will then be characterized by a list of digital codes in the form CEM = (CEM_1, CEM_2, ...) list in which the CEMi are in determined number and their particular B 1202 values each determined by independent coding circuits analogous to those described with the aid of FIGS. 2 and 3.

  It is understood that the decoding circuit and the decoding step are modified accordingly. Likewise, the operating circuit and the operating step of this decoding of emotional states are modified to work according to a vector mode according to each component of the vector "emotional state code" CEM.

  In a particular embodiment, the coding circuit and the decoding circuit of the emotional state codes are configured in a similar manner, on the same ranges of values during an initial loading step on standard values, and a procedure adaptation to each interlocutor allows each user to adjust his device according to the responses of the correspondents he receives.

  In a particular embodiment, instead of being implemented on each of the telephone terminals or computer terminals for Internet connection, the coding and decoding circuits are implemented on a server center to which each holder of a terminal combined with a module producing and / or detecting emotional states such as module 20 (Figure 4) can access. In this case, the sensory information detected by the transmitting sensors, and the signaling or control information of the effectors in response are exchanged on the telephone or computer communication network with the server center.

  In a particular embodiment, the module for producing and / or detecting emotional states consists of a portable device with its own source of electrical energy. The link 22 between the module for producing and / or detecting emotional states and the mobile telephone terminal is then carried out on the headset and microphone link of the mobile telephone terminal while retaining the audio capacities of the latter using a over-modulation to exchange data between the two parties.

  The mobile terminal with which the device of the invention cooperates can also be a personal data assistant (PDA). In a particular embodiment, it is provided with resources for connection to one or more mobile telephone networks and to computer data networks of the GPRS, WARP, Internet, WiFi type, and / or to local communication networks such as BlueTooth or IrdA.

  The device and method of the invention apply in particular to online gaming applications, to interactive art applications, to entertainment applications. The device and method of the invention can cooperate with a telemedicine or psychiatric control and monitoring application.

Claims (4)

  1. Device for transmitting emotional states, characterized in that it comprises: - at least one sensor for sensory information in relation to a living being; a circuit for coding said sensory information to produce an emotional state code; - a circuit for transmitting emotional state codes - at least one circuit for decoding at least one emotional state code, connected to the transmission circuit; - a means of exploiting the decoding of the emotional state code.   2 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one system comprising: - at least one sensor of sensory information in relation to a living being; a circuit for coding said sensory information to produce an emotional state code; an access circuit to the emotional state code transmission circuit; - at least one decoding circuit of at least one emotional state code, connected to the transmission circuit; - a means of exploiting the decoding of the emotional state code.   3 - Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the signals from the sensors (11-1 to 11-6) are connected to circuits for shaping a coding circuit (12) which transforms the sensory information delivered by the sensors (11) into an emotional state code of the interlocutor (10), said emotional state code evolving over time.   4 - Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the emotional state code from the coding circuit (12) is transmitted to the circuit (13) for access to the transmission channel to which it is connected.   - Device according to claims 2 and 4, characterized in that the access circuit (13) is constituted on a mobile telephone terminal by the numbering circuit and the connection circuit (modulation / demodulation) with a recipient determined by the numbering circuit.   6 - Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the coding circuit (12) comprises at least one quantization circuit (14-i) which produces a binary word representative of a degree of sensory information detected by the associated sensor (11-i) of sensory information.   7 - Device according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a circuit (15) which achieves the fusion of the values (Qi) 15 from the quantization circuits (14-i) so as to produce, according to a law fo, prerecorded or executed by the circuit (15), an emotional state code dependent on the input Qi values.   8 - Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the decoding circuit performs a function g (), preferably of the reciprocal form go = fo01, such that DEM = g (CEM).   9 - Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the decoding function is the identical function, the transmitted CEM code 25 allowing direct access to the operating step.   - Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the fusion fo of the Qi values is carried out over a predetermined period of time, defined as a function of the interlocutor and of the degree of precision according to which one wishes to follow the emotional state of the 'contact person (10).   11 - Device according to claim 1 0, characterized in that the circuit (15) comprises means for testing on a plurality of conditions combined by And or or logical OR on the various variables (Qi) for, according to a battery of tests programmed on the coding circuit (15), producing a particular value of emotional state code, the field of possible values of the emotional state code being associated with each combination of states of verified conditions.   12 - Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the merging of the quantization variables (Qi) is carried out by executing prerecorded fuzzy logic rules, the merging circuit (15) being a fuzzy logic calculator.   13 - Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises at least one system which comprises: - a communication terminal such as a conventional mobile telephone terminal (21) provided with its resources for accessing the mobile telephone network; - a module for producing and / or detecting emotional states (20) connected to the mobile terminal (21) by means of a suitable connection (22), the module for producing and / or detecting emotional states (20 ) comprising sensory information sensors which are intended for the body or in relation to the body of the holder of the mobile (21).   14 - Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the module for producing and / or detecting emotional states (20) comprises a display (27) to indicate different states in which it is located, and in particular a state of configuration which makes it possible to adapt a sensory information sensor using a dial (28) for selecting adjustment values.   - Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the configuration of the module (20) is carried out directly from a server center connected to the production module and / or detection of emotional states (20) by means of the network telephone and mobile terminal (21).   16 - Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the mobile terminal (21) comprises an earpiece (29), a display screen (30) of characters, images and / or icons, and a keyboard of keys (31), so that the screen (30) and the earpiece (29) are used by the operating means for signaling the emotional states of another interlocutor.   17 - Method for communicating emotional states, characterized in that it consists of: - producing (1) sensory information in relation to a living being; - encoding (2) said sensory information to produce an emotional state code; - transmitting (3) at least one emotional state code on a communication channel to at least one receiver; - decoding (4) the emotional state code transmitted in order to deflect emotional state information from an interlocutor - using (5) said emotional state information.   18 - Method according to claim 17, characterized in that the detection step (1) comprises a step of exploitation of at least one sensory information which can come either from sensors of physiological phenomena, or from sensors indirect phenomena of which an adapted treatment makes it possible to deduce sensory information.   19 - Method according to claim 18, characterized in that during the detection of sensory information, it is possible to take into account the history of past communications, and / or previous moments of the communication in order to deduce therefrom more complete sensory information.   - Method according to claim 17, characterized in that the coding (2) is intended to produce information 30 capable of being transmitted during a step (3) on a communication channel such as a telephone network or an Internet computer network .   21 - Method according to claim 20, characterized in that the coding step is designed as a function of the user interface so as to: use the same channel as that of the oral communication supported over the telephone network, or alphanumeric on the computer network; - to use another communication channel such as a separate telephone line or a voice data transmission channel; to directly use the emotional state code produced during step (2) as a transmission unit in the envisaged communication.   22 - Method according to one of claims 17 to 21, characterized in that the emotional state code is used to directly establish communication with a predetermined receiver according to the emotional state code itself.   23 - Method according to claim 17, characterized in that the step (4) of decoding the transmitted code makes it possible to produce a value directly usable on the receiver during a step (5) of decoding operation.   24 - Method according to claim 23, characterized in that the operating step (5) consists in signaling the emotional state of the interlocutor on the receiver connected to the transmission channel.   25 - Method according to claim 24, characterized in that the signaling is carried out in the form of the display of an icon on a display screen on the telephone receiver, or on the screen of the Internet terminal.   26 - Method according to claim 25, characterized in that the emotional state code produced during step (2), suitably transmitted during step (3), decoded according to step (4), allows , during step (5) of operation, to send an icon table, stored on the communications receiver or on a server center and whose address field corresponds to the digital scale from which the emotional state code during the coding step (2).   27 - Method according to claim 23, characterized in that the operating step (5) consists in the production of an emotion 5 reconstituted as close as possible to the original emotion detected during step (1) by the sensor (s) of sensory information, by means of an effector of emotional states.   28 - Method according to claim 27, characterized in that the operating step (5) is applied to one or more 1o correspondents in communication with the monitored interlocutor or returned as a moderator or amplifier of emotional states to the monitored person .   29 - Method according to claim 23, characterized in that the operating step (5) comprises a step for selecting the call number of a contact according to a determined emotional state, represented by a value of emotional state code, so that when the bearer of the system so programmed experiences an emotional state corresponding to the emotional call state code value stored in a suitable memory, the emotional state coding circuit automatically cooperates with the numbering circuit of the means of access to the network of the communications terminal.   - Method according to claim 23, in which there is a callable interlocutor and at least one calling interlocutor, characterized in that the operating step (5) comprises a step for accepting calls from other similar systems and having an emotional state determined by the callable interlocutor, then a step of calling the system of the calling interlocutor which has a determined emotional state corresponding to that recorded in relation to the interlocutor callable by a relay step by a central server so that the call of the calling interlocutor who detects his emotional state is then put in contact with the callable interlocutor.   31 - Method according to claim 17, characterized in that it comprises a step of initial loading of all the coding and decoding means which apply the coding (2) and decoding (3) steps to standard values, then a procedure for adapting to each interlocutor allows each user to adjust his device according to the responses of the correspondents he receives.   32 - Device according to one of claims 1 to 16, and making it possible to implement the method according to one of claims 10 to 31, characterized in that the coding and decoding circuits are implemented on a server center to which each contact can access.   33 - Device according to claim 32, making it possible to implement the method according to one of claims 17 to 15 31, characterized in that the module for producing and / or detecting emotional states (20) is constituted in the form a portable device with its own source of electrical energy.   34 - Device according to claim 33, characterized in that the connection (22) between the production module and / or 20 detection of emotional states (20) and the communication terminal (21) is performed on the headset connection and microphone of the communication terminal (21) while retaining the audio capabilities of the latter by using over-modulation to exchange data between the two parties.   35 - Device according to claim 33, characterized in that the communication terminal comprises a means of connection to one or more mobile telephone networks and to computer networks of GPRS, WARP, Internet, WiFi type, and / or to networks local communications such as 30 BlueTooth or IrdA.   36 - Applications of the device and method according to one of the preceding claims to online games.   37 - Applications of the device and method according to one of the preceding claims to Interactive Art applications.   38 - Applications of the device and method according to one of the preceding claims to entertainment applications.   39 - Applications of the device and method according to one of the preceding claims in cooperation with an application of telemedicine or psychiatric control and monitoring.