JP3987172B2 - Interactive communication terminal device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an interactive communication terminal device, and more particularly, to an interactive communication terminal device that performs communication with another terminal device connected via a network using an image interface.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a communication system has been constructed in which terminal devices such as personal computers are connected to each other via a communication line and a dialogue is performed by sending messages to each other. In such a system, for example, each user controls the behavior, operation, and the like of a CG (computer graphics) object that is an avatar called an avatar in a virtual shared space developed in each terminal device. Talk with other users. Depending on the system, this virtual shared space may be composed of a two-dimensional world without depth, or may be composed of a three-dimensional world with depth.
[0003]
In such a system, the behavior intended by the user is expressed as an avatar animation. The user understands the intention of the other user by observing the behavior of the other user's avatar in the virtual shared space.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the interactive communication terminal device using the image (CG) interface as described above, further diversification of expression formats in communication is desired.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an interactive communication terminal device that can communicate in various expression formats.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention is configured to exchange information with another system and perform communication with the other system based on the information as described in claim 1. In the interactive communication terminal device used in the interactive communication system, an information input means for receiving an input operation for generating information to be sent to another system, and an operation content received by the information input means The document structure identification information is identified by referring to the action expression definition table in which the operation target operable by the communication system and the document structure identification information for identifying the document structure are stored in association with each other. Based on the protocol structure table in which the document structure identification information and the document structure are stored in association with each other. An information generating unit that specifies a structure and generates information based on the specified document structure from an operation content received by the information input unit; an information transmitting unit that transmits the generated information to another system; Refers to the document structure table in which the document structure identification information and the document structure are stored in association with each other based on the receiving means for receiving information from other systems and the document structure identification information included in the information received by the receiving means. The document structure is identified, and the structure of each element is identified and identified by referring to the rule base in which the element number for identifying the element of the document structure and the structure content of the element are stored in association with each other. The information conversion means for converting the received information and the information output means for outputting the converted information based on the document structure and the structure contents of each element .
[0006]
In such an interactive communication terminal device, when information in a predetermined expression format is received from another system, the information is converted into the expression format. Then, either the received information or the converted information of the expression format is selected, and the selected information is output based on the expression format.
The representation format of information supplied from other systems and the representation format after conversion are arbitrarily determined according to the system. For example, any of characters, images, sounds and the like may be used.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a basic hardware configuration of a computer system in which an interactive communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is realized.
1, this system includes a CPU (central processing unit) 10 that controls the entire system, a memory unit 11, a communication unit 12, an input unit 13, a display unit 14, a speech synthesis unit 15, a disk unit 16, and a CD-ROM. A drive unit 17 is provided. Each unit is connected to each other by a bus.
[0009]
The memory unit 11 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), such as a program executed by the CPU 10, data necessary for processing by the CPU 10, a virtual space to be displayed, a CG object, and the like. Stores image data and the like. The communication unit 12 performs data communication with other systems via a predetermined communication line. Information related to the dialog generated by the processing in the CPU 10 is transmitted to another system via the communication unit 12, while information related to the dialog transmitted from the other system is received by the communication unit 12.
[0010]
The input unit 13 includes a keyboard and a mouse, and is used for a user to input information for interacting with a user of another system. The display unit 14 displays an image such as a virtual space or a CG object, a message composed of characters, and the like based on image data stored in the memory unit 11 (image memory). The voice synthesis unit 15 generates a voice signal of a message generated by the processing in the CPU 10 according to a predetermined algorithm. The voice signal generated by the voice synthesis unit 15 is provided to the speaker 18, and the voice of the message is output from the speaker 18.
[0011]
The disk unit 16 stores programs that can be executed by the CPU 10, various files, tables, and the like. Further, information about the virtual space is stored in the disk unit 16 as a file.
A program related to interactive communication is provided to the system by the CD-ROM 100. That is, when the CD-ROM 100 in which a program related to interactive communication is recorded is set in the CD-ROM drive unit 17, the program is read from the CD-ROM by the CD-ROM drive unit 17 and installed in the disk unit 16. Is done. When the installed program is further read from the disk unit 16 and stored in the memory unit 11, the CPU 10 executes processing related to interactive communication according to the program in the memory unit 11.
[0012]
In each computer system (interactive communication apparatus) connected by a communication line, a file relating to the virtual space is opened, and an image showing the common virtual space is displayed on the screen of the display unit 14. In the virtual space on the screen, a CG object (avatar) corresponding to the user of each computer system (person who performs dialogue) is displayed. Various objects that can be operated in various ways are displayed in the virtual space.
[0013]
In this state, when the user operates an object on the screen using the input unit 13 (mouse, keyboard), CG expression data specifying the movement of the object is generated according to the same algorithm as before. Then, data representing the movement by another expression method is generated. The data represented by the other expression method is, for example, a message using characters representing the movement of the object, and the CPU 10 communicates with the message generation process and the CG expression data according to the procedure shown in FIG. The process of transmitting the message to another system via the line is executed.
[0014]
In FIG. 2, the process is started by operating the mouse (input unit 13), positioning the mouse cursor on the corresponding object, and clicking (S1). For example, each object on the screen and its position (coordinates) are managed in association with each other, and the object ID is acquired from the coordinates of the mouse cursor when the mouse is clicked (S2). Note that IDs are uniquely assigned in the system to objects existing on the screen.
[0015]
When the ID of the target object is acquired in this way, the object name corresponding to the acquired ID is obtained with reference to the ID / object name correspondence table as shown in FIG. Then, for example, with reference to an action definition table representing an action defined for each object as shown in FIG. 6, an ID (action ID) representing an action registered for the identified object is acquired. (S3). The target object name and the action specified by the acquired action ID are displayed as an action menu on the display screen as shown in FIG. 3, for example (S3).
[0016]
In the case of the example shown in FIG. 3, the actions defined for the object “ball” mean “turn”, “hold”, and “push”.
In the system, “Japanese” is set as the default value of the language. When another language (English or the like) is used, the designated language is input using the input unit 13. This input language is set in the system instead of “Japanese”.
[0017]
When the operation menu is displayed on the display screen as described above, when the user selects any operation in the operation menu using the mouse (input unit 13), the selected operation is stored in the acquisition system. Acquired by (CPU 10) (S4). The structure number (1, 2,...) Corresponding to the language expression of the selected action is acquired with reference to the action expression definition table as shown in FIG. (S5). Then, the acquired structure number is output to the buffer (in the memory unit 11) (S6). This structure number specifies the structure of a sentence (message) using the language expression of the action.
[0018]
The relationship between the structure number and the sentence structure (protocol structure) is described in, for example, a protocol structure table as shown in FIG. In this case, the document number “1” specifies a document structure composed of structural elements arranged like an action subject (I), an action (throwing), and an action target (ball). Further, the document number “2” identifies the document structure composed of the structural elements arranged as the subject of action (I) and the action (laugh).
[0019]
When the structure number is acquired as described above, the protocol structure corresponding to the structure number is specified with reference to the protocol structure table (S7). Then, the value of each structural element of the specified protocol structure is sequentially read from the top (S8, S9, S10, S11). When the structure number is “1”, the value of the first structure element is the “user ID of the operation subject”, the value of the next structure element is “the ID indicating the action”, and the value of the third structure element. “Action object ID ” is output to the buffer. The “user ID of the operation subject” is obtained from, for example, the user ID registered in the login process, and for the “ID representing the operation”, the ID corresponding to the selected operation is the operation definition table (FIG. 7). Further, for “action object ID”, an ID corresponding to the object acquired at the time of the mouse click operation (S2) is obtained from the object name / ID correspondence table (see FIG. 5). .
[0020]
When it is determined that the value of the structure element is complete (S9, YES), as a result of the above processing, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, “document structure (structure number)”, “acting user” Message data composed of “ID”, “ID representing motion”, and “motion target object ID” is newly stored in the buffer as motion representation data (S12). As described above, when the motion expression data representing the motion of the object designated by the user is generated in the buffer, the motion expression data is read from the buffer and the same virtual data is transmitted from the communication unit 12 via the line. The motion expression data is transmitted to all other systems sharing the space (S13).
[0021]
When the operation expression data sent from the computer system (interactive communication apparatus) as described above is transmitted via the communication line, the processing is performed according to the procedure shown in FIG. 9, for example.
In FIG. 9, when motion expression data including a message that expresses the motion linguistically is received (S100), this data is stored in the buffer. Thereafter, whether the expression desired by the user is a CG expression (image), a message composed of a character string, or both of them is determined based on a designation input by the user from the input unit 13. (S101, S102). If the user's desire is a message composed of a character string, a character string output process P1 is executed. Further, if the user's desire is CG expression, CG output processing P2 is executed, and if the user desires both, character string output processing and CG output processing both processing P3 is executed.
[0022]
In the CG output processing part in the CG output processing P2 and the both-side processing P3, for example, using the expression format conversion table as shown in FIG. The image is converted into operation table data (CG expression data) in an expression format. This representation format conversion table uses “structure number”, “user ID of operation subject”, “ID representing motion”, “object ID of motion” as an index for specifying message data in the character string representation format, The relationship with the expression data by CG expressing the content of the message data is shown.
[0023]
Then, image processing according to a conventional method is performed using the CG expression data obtained as described above. As a result, the operation of the object specified by the transmission source is reproduced on the display screen in the receiving system.
On the other hand, the character string output process P1 is executed, for example, according to the procedure shown in FIG.
[0024]
10, the operation expression data stored in the buffer (message data) is acquired in the system (CPU 10) (S22). Further, the message data includes information related to the language set in the transmitting computer system, and the receiving system acquires information related to the set language from the message data (S23). When the information about the set language is acquired in this way, the rule base and document structure table corresponding to the language are selected (S24). For example, in the case of Japanese, a document structure table as shown in FIG. 11 and a rule base as shown in FIG. 12 are selected. In this document structure table, a number specifying the content of the document structure specified by the structure number (subject insertion, particle insertion, verb insertion, etc.) is described, and the rule base specifies the number. The structure content is specified.
[0025]
When the document structure table and rule base corresponding to the language set as described above are selected, the first parameter (structure number) of the message data (see FIG. 8) is extracted, and this first parameter is used as a key. Then, the protocol structure table (see FIG. 4) is retrieved (S25). As a result, the protocol structure is determined. Thereafter, the determined values of the respective structural elements of the protocol structure are sequentially output from the head to the buffer (S26, S27, S28, S29). When the structure number is “1”, as in the system on the transmission side, “the user ID of the operation subject” that is the value of the first structure element, “the ID that represents the operation” that is the value of the next structure element, and three more The value of the second structural element “action object ID ” is output to the buffer.
[0026]
When a structural element indicating the end is detected (S27, YES), the document structure table (see FIG. 11) is further stored using the first parameter (structure number) extracted from the message data as described above as a key. Search is performed (S30). Then, the elements (numbers) of the document structure corresponding to the structure number are sequentially read out, the rule base (see FIG. 12) is searched using each element number as a key, and the character string according to the rule base is selected. (S31, S32, S33, S34, S35). The selected character string is sequentially stored in the buffer. Such a process is repeated until it is detected that the element of the document structure to be read is an end code (S32, YES).
[0027]
In the example of the document structure table shown in FIG. 11, element numbers “100”, “200”, “300”, “201”, “400”, and “500” are assigned to the designated structure number “1”. Read out. In the example of the rule base shown in FIG. 12, the element number “100” represents that the user ID representing the operation subject is changed and substituted into the user name with reference to the user information table (see FIG. 15). The element number “200” indicates that the particle “ha” is inserted, and the element number “201” indicates that the particle “ha” is inserted. The element number “300” indicates that the action target object ID is converted into the action target object name and inserted by referring to the object ID correspondence table (see FIG. 5). The element number “400” This indicates that an ID representing an action is converted and inserted into a verb representing an action with reference to a language expression definition table (see FIG. 7). The element number “500” represents the end of the message.
[0028]
Here, the processing (S33, S34) for generating the character string (message) according to the rule base from the element number read from the document structure table (see FIG. 11) is executed according to the procedure shown in FIG. 13, for example. .
That is, based on the rule base, the document element number read from the document structure table is a number indicating verb change (S301), or the verb type is determined after determining the verb type from the user information. The number to be inserted (S302), the number for instructing to insert the user name as it is (S303), or the number for instructing to insert the object name as it is (S304). It is determined whether it is a number (S305). For example, in the case of a document specified by the structure number “1” shown in the document structure table shown in FIG. 11, first, it is determined that the read element number “100” represents that the user name is to be inserted. (S303, YES), for example, the “operation subject user ID” extracted from the message data with reference to the user information table shown in FIG. 15 is converted into a corresponding user name (S309). The username (eg, “I”) is stored in the buffer. Next, when it is determined that the read element number “200” represents that the particle “ha” is inserted (S305, YES), the character “ha” is stored in the buffer and the read element number is read. If it is determined that “300” represents that an object name is to be inserted (S304, YES), the object to which the “action target object ID” extracted from the message refers to the correspondence table (see FIG. 5). It is converted into a name (S310). The object name (eg, “ball”) is stored in the buffer.
[0029]
Further, when it is determined that the read element number “201” indicates that the particle “O” is to be inserted (S305, YES), the character “O” is stored in the buffer. If it is determined that the read element number “400” indicates that a verb is to be inserted (S301, YES), the action content extracted from the message with reference to the language expression definition table (FIG. 7) is displayed. The ID is converted into a character string representing the operation. A character string representing the operation is stored in the buffer. Although not shown, a sub-element number is linked to an element number representing the insertion of a verb, and the sub-element number specifies a change of each verb (present tense, past tense, future tense, etc.). . The relationship between the sub element number and the change of each verb is summarized in a verb conversion table as shown in FIG. 14, for example. As described above, when a verb is inserted, an inflected verb corresponding to the sub-element number is selected with reference to this verb conversion table.
[0030]
When the above-described processing is completed for all the element numbers described in the document structure table (see FIG. 11), the character information stored in the buffer at that time is sequentially read (“I”, “ha”, “ Ball ”“ to ”“ throw ”), for example, provided to the display unit 14. As a result, a new window is opened in the virtual space displayed on the screen of the display unit 13, and a message (I representing the movement of the object operated at the transmission source based on the character information provided in the window) Throw the ball) is displayed.
[0031]
Note that the processing shown in FIG. 13 assumes a grammar language (English, German, etc.) in which the verb changes according to the subject of action. That is, when it is determined that the read element number represents changing the verb according to the user information (S302, YES), the type of verb to be transformed from the user information (see FIG. 15) is determined according to the rule base. (S306). The determined verb type is converted into an element number (S307), and a character string representing a verb to be displayed is determined from the element number and the verb ID (S308).
[0032]
When the language to be set is English, for example, the sentence structure table is configured as shown in FIG. 16, and a rule base as shown in FIG. 17 is used.
Furthermore, the character information (“I”, “ha”, “ball”, “throw”) and “throw” accumulated in the buffer as information to be output as described above can be provided to the speech synthesis unit 15. In this case, the speech synthesis unit 15 generates a corresponding speech signal based on the provided character information. Then, the speaker 18 is driven based on the sound signal, and sound corresponding to the character information is output from the speaker 18.
[0033]
When voice output is performed in this way, the gender of the user ID representing the subject of the operation is acquired from the user information table (see FIG. 15), and the output frequency characteristics can be switched according to the gender (male or female). Is possible.
According to the system as described above, communication using CG images, text information, and voice can be freely performed between computer systems connected to each other via a communication line according to the user's wishes. Also it generates a set documented structure table and rule base corresponding to the language selection, documents directly set language using the selected structure table and rule base (sentence). Therefore, for example, when outputting an English document, the process becomes easier than a general translation process that requires a process such as changing the Japanese document structure to an English document structure.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention described in each claim, even if the received information is in a predetermined expression format, communication information in an expression format other than the expression format can be output. Therefore, an interactive communication terminal device that can communicate in various expression formats is realized.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic hardware configuration of a computer system in which an interactive communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is realized.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure at the time of transmission in the interactive communication apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen display for designating an operation of a CG object.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a protocol structure table.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a correspondence table between object IDs and object names.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an object action definition table;
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a language expression definition table representing operations.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the contents of a message to be generated.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure of processing at the time of reception in the interactive communication apparatus.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a detailed procedure of character string output processing.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a document structure table corresponding to Japanese.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a rule base corresponding to Japanese.
FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing details of a process for generating a character string based on a rule base.
FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a verb conversion table.
FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a user information table.
FIG. 16 is a document structure table corresponding to English.
FIG. 17 is a rule base corresponding to English.
FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an expression format conversion table.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 CPU (Central Processing Unit)
11 Memory unit 12 Communication unit 13 Input unit 14 Display unit 15 Speech synthesis unit 16 Disc unit 17 CD-ROM unit 18 Speaker 100 CD-ROM

Claims (1)

In an interactive communication terminal device used in an interactive communication system in which information is exchanged with another system and communication is performed with the other system based on the information.
  Information input means for receiving an input operation for generating information to be sent to another system;
  The document structure with reference to the action expression definition table in which the operation target operable by the communication system and the document structure identification information for specifying the document structure are stored in association with each other according to the operation content received by the information input unit The identification information is specified, the document structure is specified by referring to the protocol structure table in which the document structure identification information and the document structure are stored in association with each other based on the specified document structure identification information, and the information input means Information generating means for generating information from the received operation content based on the specified document structure;
  Information sending means for sending the generated information to another system;
  Receiving means for receiving information from other systems;
  Based on the document structure identification information included in the information received by the receiving means, the document structure is specified by referring to a document structure table in which the document structure identification information and the document structure are stored in association with each other, and the document structure The structure of each element is identified with reference to the rule base stored by associating the element number identifying the element with the structure content of the element, and based on the identified document structure and the structure content of each element, Information conversion means for converting the received information;
  Information output means for outputting the converted information;
An interactive communication terminal device.

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