Patent Publication Number: US-2013241821-A1

Title: Image processing system, image processing method, and storage medium storing image processing program

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a technique of giving information to general public. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     As a display system for giving information to general public, a system using digital signage is known. For example, patent literature 1 discloses a technique of judging the attention level to a display screen based on the attention time and the distance from the screen obtained from an image sensed by a camera and giving information suitable for a person who is paying attention. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     Patent literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-176254 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     However, although the digital signage described in patent literature 1 implements a mechanism for displaying an image for plural persons, the operation is done by causing one user to touch the screen. That is, the operationality is not high for the user. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique of solving the above-described problem. 
     Solution to Problem 
     In order to achieve the above-described object, a system according to the present invention comprises:
         an image display unit that displays an image;   a sensing unit that senses an image of plural persons gathered in front of the image display unit;   a gesture recognition unit that recognizes, from the image sensed by the sensing unit, a gesture performed by each of the plural persons for the image displayed on the image display unit; and   a display control unit that makes the display screen transit based on a recognized result by the gesture recognition unit.       

     In order to achieve the above-described object, an apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
         a gesture recognition unit that recognizes, from an image sensed by a sensing unit, a gesture performed by each of plural persons gathered in front of an image display unit for an image displayed on an image display unit; and   a display control unit that makes a display screen transit based on a recognized result by the gesture recognition unit.       

     In order to achieve the above-described object, a method according to the present invention comprises:
         an image display step of displaying an image on an image display unit;   a sensing step of sensing an image of plural persons gathered in front of the image display unit;   a gesture recognition step of recognizing, from the image sensed in the sensing step, a gesture performed by each of the plural persons for an image displayed on the image display unit; and   a display control step of making a display screen transit based on a recognized result in the gesture recognition step.       

     In order to achieve the above-described object, a storage medium according to the present invention stores a program that causes a computer to execute:
         an image display step of displaying an image on an image display unit;   a gesture recognition step of recognizing, from an image of plural persons gathered in front of the image display unit, a gesture performed by each of the plural persons; and   a display control step of making a display screen transit based on a recognized result in the gesture recognition step.       

     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the present invention, it is possible to implement an apparatus that displays an image for plural persons and has a higher operationality for a person who is viewing the image. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image processing system including an information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing the hardware structure of the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a view showing the structure of data of sensed hands according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a view showing the structure of a gesture DB according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6A  is a view showing the structure of a table according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6B  is a view showing the structure of a table according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6C  is a view showing the structure of a table according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6D  is a view showing the structure of a table according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing the processing sequence of the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an information processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a view showing the structure of an attribute judgment table according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a block diagram showing the structure of an informing program DB according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a view showing the structure of an informing program selection table according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  is a flowchart showing the processing sequence of the information processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 13  is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image processing system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the constituent elements described in the following embodiments are merely examples, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited by them. 
     First Embodiment  
     An image processing system  100  according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIG. 1 . The image processing system  100  includes an image display unit  101  that displays an image, and a sensing unit  102  that senses an image of plural persons  106  gathered in front of the image display unit  101 . The image processing system  100  also includes a gesture recognition unit  103  that recognizes, from the image sensed by the sensing unit  102 , a gesture performed by each of the plural persons  106  for the image displayed on the image display unit  101 . The image processing system  100  also includes a display control unit  105  that makes the display screen of the image display unit  101  transit based on the recognized result by the gesture recognition unit  103 . 
     According to this embodiment, it is possible to implement an apparatus that displays an image for plural persons and has a higher operationality for a person who is viewing the image. 
     Second Embodiment  
     An image processing system  200  according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 7 . The image processing system  200  includes a display apparatus that simultaneously displays an image for plural persons. The image processing system recognizes the staying time, face direction, and hand gesture of each of the plural persons in front of the image display unit, parameterizes them, totally judges the parameters, and calculates the attention level of the whole passersby to the display apparatus (digital signage). 
     &lt;System Arrangement&gt; 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the image processing system  200  including an information processing apparatus  210  according to the second embodiment. Note that although  FIG. 2  illustrates the stand-alone information processing apparatus  210 , the arrangement can also be extended to a system that connects plural information processing apparatuses  210  via a network. A database will be abbreviated as a DB hereinafter. 
     The image processing system  200  shown in  FIG. 2  includes the information processing apparatus  210 , a stereo camera  230 , a display apparatus  240 , and a speaker  250 . The stereo camera  230  can sense plural persons  204  of general public and send the sensed image to the information processing apparatus  210 , and also focus on a target person under the control of the information processing apparatus  210 . The display apparatus  240  informs a publicity or advertising message in accordance with an informing program from the information processing apparatus  210 . In this embodiment, a screen including an image to induce a response using gestures is displayed for the plural persons  204  in or prior to the publicity or advertising message. Upon confirming a person who has responded in the image from the stereo camera  230 , an interactive screen with the person who has responded using gestures is output. The speaker  250  outputs auxiliary sound to prompt interaction using gestures with the screen of the display apparatus  240  or the person  204  who has responded. 
     &lt;Functional Arrangement of Information Processing Apparatus&gt; 
     The information processing apparatus  210  includes an input/output interface  211 , an image recording unit  212 , a hand detection unit  213 , a gesture recognition unit  214 , a gesture DB  215 , an informing program DB  216 , an informing program execution unit  217 , and an output control unit  221 . The information processing apparatus  210  also includes a tendency judgment unit  219 . 
     Note that the information processing apparatus  210  need not always be a single apparatus, and plural apparatuses may implement the functions shown in  FIG. 2  as a whole. Each functional component will be explained in accordance with a processing sequence according to this embodiment. 
     The input/output interface  211  implements the interface between the information processing apparatus  210  and the stereo camera  230 , the display apparatus  240 , and the speaker  250 . 
     First, the informing program execution unit  217  executes a predetermined informing program or an initial program. A message is informed from the display apparatus  240  and the speaker  250  to the plural persons  204  via the output control unit  221  and the input/output interface  211 . This message may include contents that induce the plural persons  204  to perform gestures (for example, hand-waving motions, motions of game of rock, paper and scissors, or sign language). The informing program is selected from the informing program DB  216  by the informing program execution unit  217 . The informing program DB  216  stores plural informing programs to be selected based on the environment or the attribute of a target person. 
     Next, the image of the plural persons  204  sensed by the stereo camera  230  is sent to the image recording unit  212  via the input/output interface  211 , and an image history for a time in which gesture judgment is possible is recorded. The hand detection unit  213  detects a hand image from the image of the plural persons  204  sensed by the stereo camera  230 . The hand image is detected based on, for example, the color, shape, and position. A hand of a person may be detected after the person is detected. Alternatively, only the hand may directly be detected. 
     Based on the features (see  FIG. 4 ) of the hand images in the image of the plural persons  204  detected by the hand detection unit  213 , the gesture recognition unit  214  refers to the gesture DB  215  and judges the gesture of each hand. The gesture DB  215  stores the hand positions, finger positions, and time-series hand motions detected by the hand detection unit  213  in association with gestures (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     The recognized result by the gesture recognition unit  214  is sent to the tendency judgment unit  219  to judge what tendency gestures have as a whole, performed by the plural persons  204 . The tendency judgment unit  219  transmits the tendency as the judged result to the informing program execution unit  217 . In accordance with the gesture performed by the plural persons  204  as a whole, the informing program execution unit  217  reads out an optimum informing program from the informing program DB  216  and executes it. The execution result is output from the display apparatus  240  and the speaker  250  via the output control unit  221  and the input/output interface  211 . 
     &lt;Hardware Structure in Information Processing Apparatus&gt; 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram showing the hardware structure of the information processing apparatus  210  according to this embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 3 , a CPU  310  is a processor for arithmetic control and implements each functional component shown in  FIG. 2  by executing a program. A ROM  320  stores initial data, permanent data of programs and the like, and the programs. A communication control unit  330  communicates with an external apparatus via a network. The communication control unit  330  downloads informing programs from various kinds of servers and the like. The communication control unit  330  can receive a signal output from the stereo camera  230  or the display apparatus  240  via the network. Communication can be either wireless or wired. The input/output interface  211  functions as the interface to the stereo camera  230 , the display apparatus  240 , and the like, as in  FIG. 2 . 
     A RAM  340  is a random access memory used by the CPU  310  as a work area for temporary storage. An area to store data necessary for implementing the embodiment and an area to store an informing program are allocated in the RAM  340 . 
     The RAM  340  temporarily stores display screen data  341  to be displayed on the display apparatus  240 , image data  342  sensed by the stereo camera  230 , and data  343  of a hand detected from the image data sensed by the stereo camera  230 . The RAM  340  also stores a gesture  344  judged from the data of each sensed hand. 
     The RAM  340  also includes a point table  345 , and calculates and temporarily saves the whole tendency of gestures obtained by sensing the plural persons  204  and a point used as the reference to select a specific person of interest. 
     The RAM  340  also includes the execution area of an informing program  349  to be executed by the information processing apparatus  210 . Note that other programs stored in a storage  350  are also loaded to the RAM  340  and executed by the CPU  310  to implement the functions of the respective functional components shown in  FIG. 2 . The storage  350  is a mass storage device that nonvolatilely stores databases, various kinds of parameters, and programs to be executed by the CPU  310 . The storage  350  stores the gesture DB  215  and the informing program DB  216  described with reference to  FIG. 2  as well. 
     The storage  350  includes a main information processing program  354  to be executed by the information processing apparatus  210 . The information processing program  354  includes a point accumulation module  355  that accumulates the points of gestures performed by the sensed plural persons, and an informing program execution module  356  that controls execution of an informing program. 
     Note that  FIG. 3  illustrates only the data and programs indispensable in this embodiment but not general-purpose data and programs such as the OS. 
     &lt;Data Structures&gt; 
     The structures of characteristic data used in the information processing apparatus  210  will be described below. 
     &lt;Structure of Data of Sensed Hands&gt; 
       FIG. 4  is a view showing the structure of the data  343  of sensed hands. 
       FIG. 4  shows an example of hand data necessary for judging “hand-waving” or “game of rock, paper and scissors” as a gesture. Note that “sign language” and the like can also be judged by extracting hand data necessary for the judgment. 
     An upper stage  410  of  FIG. 4  shows an example of data necessary for judging the “hand-waving” gesture. A hand ID  411  is added to each hand of sensed general public to identify the hand. As a hand position  412 , a height is extracted here. As a movement history  413 , “one direction motion”, “reciprocating motion”, and “motionlessness (intermittent motion)” are extracted in  FIG. 4 . Reference numeral  414  denotes a movement distance; and  415 , a movement speed. The movement distance and the movement speed are used to judge whether a gesture is, for example, a “hand-waving” gesture or a “beckoning” gesture. A face direction  416  is used to judge whether a person is paying attention. A person ID  417  is used to identify the person who has the hand. As a location  418  of person, the location where the person with the person ID exists is extracted. The focus position of the stereo camera  230  is determined by the location of person. In three-dimensional display, the direction of the display screen toward the location of person may be determined. The sound contents or directivity of the speaker  250  may be adjusted. Note that although the data used to judge the “hand-waving” gesture does not include finger position data and the like, the finger positions may be added. 
     A lower stage  420  of  FIG. 4  shows an example of data necessary for judging the “game of rock, paper and scissors” gesture. A hand ID  421  is added to the sensed hand of each person of general public to identify the hand. As a hand position  422 , a height is extracted here. Reference numeral  423  indicates a three-dimensional thumb position;  424 , a three-dimensional index finger position;  425 , a three-dimensional middle finger position; and  426 , a three-dimensional little finger position. A person ID  427  is used to identify the person who has the hand. As a location  428  of person, the location of the person with the person ID is extracted. Note that a ring finger position is not included in the example shown in  FIG. 4  but may be included. When not only the data of fingers but also the data of a palm or back and, more specifically, finger joint positions are used in the judgment, the judgment can be done more accurately. Each data shown in  FIG. 4  is matched with the contents of the gesture DB  215 , thereby judging a gesture. 
     &lt;Structure of Gesture DB&gt; 
       FIG. 5  is a view showing the structure of the gesture DB  215  according to the second embodiment.  FIG. 5  shows DB contents used to judge a “direction indication” gesture on an upper stage  510  and DB contents used to judge the “game of rock, paper and scissors” gesture on a lower stage  520  in correspondence with  FIG. 4 . Data for “sign language” are also separately provided. 
     The range of “hand height” used to judge each gesture is stored in  511  on the upper stage  510 . A movement history is stored in  512 . A movement distance range is stored in  513 . A movement speed range is stored in  514 . A finger or hand moving direction is stored in  515 . A “gesture” that is a result obtained by judgment based on the elements  511  to  515  is stored in  516 . For example, a gesture satisfying the conditions of the first row is judged as a “rightward indication” gesture. A gesture satisfying the conditions of the second row is judged as an “upward indication” gesture. A gesture satisfying the conditions of the third row is judged as an “unjudgeable” gesture. To judge the “direction indication” gesture as accurately as possible, both the type of hand data to be extracted and the structure of the gesture DB  215  are added or changed depending on what kind of data is effective. 
     The range of “hand height” used to judge each gesture is stored in  521  of the lower stage  520 . Since the lower stage  520  stores data used to judge the “game of rock, paper and scissors” gesture, the “hand height” ranges are identical. A gesture outside the height range is not regarded as the “game of rock, paper and scissors”. A thumb position is stored in  522 , an index finger position is stored in  523 , a middle finger position is stored in  524 , and a little finger position is stored in  525 . Note that the finger positions  522  to  525  are not the absolute positions of the fingers but the relative positions of the fingers. The finger position data shown in  FIG. 4  are also used to judge the “game of rock, paper and scissors” gesture based on the relative position relationship by comparison. Although  FIG. 5  shows no detailed numerical values, the finger position relationship of the first row is judged as “rock”. The finger position relationship of the second row is judged as “scissors”. The finger position relationship of the third row is judged as “paper”. As for the “sign language”, a time-series history is included, like the judgment of the “game of rock, paper and scissors”. 
     &lt;Structure of Recognized Result Table&gt; 
       FIG. 6A  is a view showing the structure of a recognized result table  601  representing the recognized result by the gesture recognition unit  214 . As shown in  FIG. 6A , the table  601  shows gestures (in this case, rightward indication and upward indication) as recognized results in correspondence with person IDs. 
       FIG. 6B  is a view showing an attention level coefficient table  602  that manages the coefficients of attention level predetermined in accordance with the environment and the motion and location of a person other than gestures. A staying time table  621  and a face direction table  622  are shown here as coefficient tables used to judge, for each person, the attention level representing to what extent he/she is paying attention to the display apparatus  240 . The staying time table  621  stores coefficients  1  used to evaluate, for each person, the time he/she stays in front of the display apparatus  240 . The face direction table  622  stores coefficients  2  used to evaluate, for each person, the face direction viewed from the display apparatus  240 . Other parameters such as the distance from the person to the display apparatus and the foot motion may also be used to judge the attention level. 
       FIG. 6C  is a view showing a point accumulation table  603  for each gesture. The point accumulation table  603  represents how the points are accumulated for each gesture (in this case, rightward indication, upward indication, and the like) that is the result recognized by the gesture recognition unit  214 . 
     The point accumulation table  603  stores the ID of each person judged to have performed the rightward indication gesture, the coefficients 1 and 2 representing the attention level of the person, the point of the person, and the point accumulation result. Since the basic point of the gesture itself is defined as 10, the coefficients 1 and 2 are added to 10 to obtain the point of each person. The accumulation result is a value obtained by adding all points of persons having IDs smaller than that of each person to points of each person. 
       FIG. 6D  is a view showing a table  604  representing only accumulation results calculated using  FIG. 6C . Performing such accumulation enables to judge what tendency gestures have as a whole, performed by the plural persons in front of the display apparatus  240 . In the example of the table  604 , the point of the group that has performed the upward indication gesture is high. It is therefore judged that the persons have the strong tendency to perform the upward indication gesture as a whole. The apparatus is controlled in accordance with the tendency by, for example, sliding the screen upward. 
     As described above, the consensus of group is judged not only by simple majority decision but also by weighting the attention level. This allows to implement a more impartial operation or digital signage never before possible. 
     &lt;Processing Sequence&gt; 
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing the processing sequence of the image processing system  200 . The CPU  310  shown in  FIG. 3  executes the processing described in this flowchart using the RAM  340 , thereby implementing the functions of the respective functional components shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     In step S 701 , the display apparatus  240  displays an image. The display apparatus  240  displays, for example, an image that induces general public to perform gestures. In step S 703 , the stereo camera  230  performs sensing to acquire an image. In step S 705 , persons are detected from the sensed image. In step S 707 , a gesture is detected for each person. In step S 709 , the “attention level” is judged, for each detected person, based on the staying time and the face direction. 
     The process advances to step S 711  to calculate the point for each person. In step S 713 , the points are added for each gesture. In step S 715 , it is judged whether gesture detection and point addition have ended for all persons. The processing in steps S 705  to S 713  is repeated until point accumulation ends for all gestures. 
     When point accumulation has ended for all “gestures”, the process advances to step S 717  to determine the gesture of the highest accumulated point. In step S 719 , an informing program is executed, judging that it is the consensus of group in front of the digital signage. Since the point of each individual remains in the point accumulation table  603 , it is possible to focus on the person of the highest point. After such a person is identified, an informing program directed to only the person may be selected from the informing program DB  216  and executed. 
     &lt;Effects&gt; 
     According to the above-described arrangement, communication with large audience can be done by one digital signage. For example, it is possible to display an image on a huge screen provided at an intersection or the like, sense the audience in front of the screen, and grasp their consensus or communicate with the whole audience. 
     Alternatively, the gestures and attention levels of audience may be judged in a campaign speech or a lecture at a university, and the image displayed on the monitor or the contents of the speech may be changed. Based on the accumulated point of public that have reacted, the display or sound can be switched to increase the number of persons who express interest. 
     Third Embodiment  
     The third embodiment of the present invention will be described next with reference to  FIGS. 8 to 12 .  FIG. 8  is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an information processing apparatus  810  according to this embodiment. The third embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that a RAM  340  includes an attribute judgment table  801  and an informing program selection table  802 . The third embodiment is also different in that a storage  350  stores a person recognition DB  817 , an attribute judgment module  857 , and an informing program selection module  858 . 
     In the third embodiment, the attribute (for example, gender or age) of a person judged to be a “target person” in accordance with on a gesture is judged based on an image from a stereo camera  230 , and an informing program corresponding to the attribute is selected and executed, in addition to the second embodiment. Note that not only the attribute of the “target person” but also the clothing or behavior tendency, or whether he/she belongs to a group may be judged, and an informing program may be selected in accordance with the result. According to this embodiment, it is possible to cause the informing program to continuously attract the “target person”. The arrangements of the image processing system and the information processing apparatus according to the third embodiment are the same as in the second embodiment, and a description thereof will not be repeated. Added portions will be explained below. 
     The attribute judgment table  801  is a table used to judge, based on a face feature  901 , a clothing feature  902 , a height  903 , and the like, what kind of attribute (in this case, a gender  904  or an age  905 ) each person has, as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     The informing program selection table  802  is a table used to determine, in accordance with the attribute of a person, which informing program is to be selected. 
     The person recognition DB  817  stores parameters for each predetermined feature to judge the attribute of a person. That is, points are predetermined in accordance with the face, clothing, or height, and the points are totalized to judge whether a person is a male or a female and to which age group he/she belongs. 
     The attribute judgment module  858  is a program module that judges the attribute of each person or a group of plural persons using the person recognition DB  817  and generates the attribute judgment table  801 . The attribute judgment module  858  judges what kind of attribute (gender, age, or the like) each person who is performing a gesture in a sensed image has or what kind of attribute (couple, parent-child, friends, or the like) a group has. 
     The informing program selection module  857  selects an informing program corresponding to the attribute of a person or a group from an informing program DB  216 . 
       FIG. 10  is a block diagram showing the structure of the informing program DB  216 . In  FIG. 10 , an informing program ID  1001  used to identify an informing program and serving as a key of readout is stored. An informing program A  1010  and an informing program B  1020  can be read out by the informing program IDs “001” and “002” in  FIG. 10 , respectively. In the example shown in  FIG. 10 , the informing program A is assumed to be a “cosmetic advertisement” program, and the informing program B is assumed to be an “apartment advertisement” program. An informing program corresponding to the attribute of the “target person” recognized using the person recognition DB  817  is selected from the informing program DB  216  and executed. 
       FIG. 11  is a view showing the structure of the informing program selection table  802 . Referring to  FIG. 11 , reference numeral  1101  denotes a person ID of a “target person” judged by a gesture;  1102 , a “gender” of the “target person” recognized by the person recognition DB  817 ; and  1103 , an “age” of the “target person”. An informing program ID  1104  is determined in association with the attributes of the “target person” and the like. In the example shown in  FIG. 11 , the person with the person ID (0010) of the “target person” is recognized as a “female” in gender and twenty-to-thirtysomethings in “age”. For this reason, the informing program A of cosmetic advertisement shown in  FIG. 10  is selected and executed. The person with the person ID (0005) of the “target person” is recognized as a “male” in gender and forty-to-fiftysomethings in “age”. For this reason, the informing program B of apartment advertisement shown in  FIG. 10  is selected and executed. Note that the informing program selection is merely an example, and the However, the present invention is not limited to this. 
       FIG. 12  is a flowchart showing the processing sequence of the information processing apparatus according to this embodiment. The flowchart shown in  FIG. 12  is obtained by adding steps S 1201  and S 1203  to the flowchart shown in  FIG. 7 . The remaining steps are the same as in  FIG. 7 , and the two steps will be explained here. 
     In step S 1201 , the attribute of the “target person” is recognized by referring to the person recognition DB  817 . In step S 1203 , an informing program is selected from the informing program DB  216  in accordance with the informing program selection table  802  shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     According to the above-described embodiment, advertisement can be informed in accordance with the attribute of the target person who has performed a gesture. For example, it is possible to play a game of rock, paper and scissors with plural persons and perform advertisement informing corresponding to the winner. 
     Fourth Embodiment  
     In the second and third embodiments, processing by one information processing apparatus has been described. In the fourth embodiment, an arrangement will described in which plural information processing apparatuses are connected to an advertising information server via a network, and an informing program downloaded from the advertising information server is executed. According to this embodiment, the apparatuses can exchange information with each other. In addition, information can be concentrated to the advertising information server, and the advertisement/publicity can unitarily be managed. Note that the information processing apparatus of this embodiment can have the same functions as those of the information processing apparatus of the second or third embodiment, or some of the functions may be transferred to the advertising information server. When not only the informing program but also the operation program of the information processing apparatus is downloaded from the advertising information server according to the circumstances, a control method by gestures appropriate for the arrangement location is implemented. 
     Processing according to the fourth embodiment is basically the same as in the second and third embodiments regardless of the function dispersion. Hence, the arrangement of the image processing system will be explained, and a detailed description of the functions will be omitted. 
       FIG. 13  is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image processing system  1300  according to this embodiment. The same reference numerals as in  FIG. 2  denote constituent elements having the same functions in  FIG. 13 . Different points will be explained below. 
       FIG. 13  shows three information processing apparatuses  1310 . The number of information processing apparatuses is not limited. The information processing apparatuses  1310  are connected to an advertising information server  1320  via a network  1330 . The advertising information server  1320  stores an informing program  1321  to be downloaded. The advertising information server  1320  receives information of each site sensed by a stereo camera  230  and selects an informing program to be downloaded. This enables to perform integrated control to, for example, cause plural display apparatuses  240  to display inducement images of associated gestures. 
     Note that  FIG. 13  illustrates the information processing apparatuses  1310  each including a gesture judgment unit  214 , a gesture DB  215 , an informing program DB  216 , and an informing program execution unit  217 , as characteristic constituent elements. However, some of the functions may be dispersed to the advertising information server  1320  or another apparatus. 
     Other Embodiments  
     While the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various changes and modifications can be made for the arrangement and details of the present invention within the scope of the present invention, as is understood by those skilled in the art. A system or apparatus formed by combining separate features included in the respective embodiments in any form is also incorporated in the present invention. 
     The present invention can be applied to a system including plural devices or a single apparatus. The present invention can be applied to a case in which a control program for implementing the functions of the embodiments is supplied to the system or apparatus directly or from a remote site. Hence, the control program installed in a computer to implement the functions of the present invention by the computer, or a storage medium storing the control program or a WWW (World Wide Web) server to download the control program is also incorporated in the present invention. 
     This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-251679, filed Nov. 10, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.