Patent Description:
Some of peripheral apparatuses that are connected to an information processing apparatus such as a portable telephone set, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, or a home game machine include a sound inputting device such as a microphone and output a sound signal obtained by sound collection by the sound inputting device to the information processing apparatus.

Previously proposed arrangements are disclosed in <CIT>, <CIT>, and <CIT>.

However, in a case where it is difficult to input a sound signal or in a situation in which inputting of a sound signal is not desirable (for example, in a case in which it is midnight and utterance of voice of is hesitated or in a similar condition), it is preferable to perform a mute process such that processing of a sound signal is not performed.

Yet, if such a mute process as just described is performed, then input of a sound signal is cut off even in a case in which the application side requires input of a sound signal, degrading the convenience. On the other hand, there is a demand that, in such a case as just described, a sound signal is to be outputted only for an application that requires input of a sound signal.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation as described above, and it is one of objects of the present invention to provide an information processing system, an information processing apparatus, a control method for an information processing apparatus, and a program by which the convenience of mute control can be enhanced.

According to an aspect of the present invention that solves the problem of the prior art described above, there is provided an information processing system including a peripheral apparatus and an information processing apparatus.

With the present invention, the convenience of mute control can be enhanced.

An embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the drawings. An information processing system <NUM> according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured as exemplified in <FIG> and includes an information processing apparatus <NUM> such as a home game machine or a personal computer (PC) and a controller <NUM>. Here, a plurality of controllers <NUM> may be included. In addition, the information processing system <NUM> may further include a peripheral apparatus including a sound inputting device, such as a chat controller <NUM>, a headset <NUM>, or a head-mounted display <NUM>, that may be connected to the information processing apparatus <NUM>.

As exemplified in <FIG>, the information processing apparatus <NUM> includes a control unit <NUM>, a storage unit <NUM>, an operation controlling unit <NUM>, an output controlling unit <NUM>, a sound input controlling unit <NUM>, and a communication unit <NUM>. Further, the controller <NUM> includes an operation unit <NUM>, a microphone <NUM>, a communication unit <NUM>, a display unit <NUM>, and a sound outputting unit <NUM>. Further, the chat controller <NUM> includes an operation unit <NUM>, a microphone <NUM>, a communication unit <NUM>, and a display unit <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> of the information processing apparatus <NUM> is a program-controlled device such as a central processing unit (CPU) and operates in accordance with a program stored in the storage unit <NUM>. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the control unit <NUM> executes a plurality of application programs (performs what is generally called a multitasking process) in parallel.

In particular, in a case where the information processing apparatus <NUM> is a home game machine, the control unit <NUM> executes various application programs such as an application of a game and a chat application for transferring a sound signal through a network. Further, the control unit <NUM> executes a system program and executes, as processing of the system program, a process for authenticating a user who uses the relevant apparatus such as the controller <NUM> or the headset <NUM> for each apparatus, to associate information for specifying a user (for example, a user name) for each information for specifying the apparatus such as a controller <NUM> and to store the associated information.

Then, if the control unit <NUM> accepts input of operation information together with information for specifying the controller <NUM> from the operation controlling unit <NUM>, then the control unit <NUM> selects an application that becomes an output destination of the operation information from among applications being executed. It is sufficient if a condition for selecting an output destination here is determined in advance in such a manner that, for example, when a game application is run, the game application is selected in principle and predetermined operation information is processed exceptionally by the system and the selection is performed according to the condition.

The control unit <NUM> executes, as a process of the application or the system of the output destination of the operation information, a process that uses the information for specifying the controller <NUM> that is inputted from the operation controlling unit <NUM> and the operation information. Further, the control unit <NUM> determines a sound volume of mixing of each sound signal when pieces of sound information individually received from a plurality of apparatus are to be mixed. Operation of the control unit <NUM> is described later.

The storage unit <NUM> is a memory device, a hard disk drive, or the like and retains programs to be executed by the control unit <NUM>. Further, the storage unit <NUM> operates also as a work memory of the control unit <NUM>.

The operation controlling unit <NUM> is connected for communication by wireless or wired communication to the controller <NUM>, and receives, from the controller <NUM>, operation information representative of the substance of an operation performed by the user with use of the controller <NUM>, to output the received operation information to the control unit <NUM> together with the information for specifying controller <NUM> that is a transmission source of the operation information.

Further, in the present embodiment, the operation controlling unit <NUM> sends out, in accordance with an instruction inputted from the control unit <NUM>, a display controlling signal and so forth to the controller <NUM> indicated by the instruction.

The output controlling unit <NUM> is connected to a display device such as a home television set, a monitor, or the head-mounted display <NUM>, and outputs a signal of sound, video, and so forth to the display devices in accordance with an instruction inputted from the control unit <NUM>. Further, the output controlling unit <NUM> may output video and a sound signal to apparatuses different from each other. For example, the video may be outputted to a monitor, and the sound signal may be outputted to the controller <NUM> or the headset <NUM>.

The sound input controlling unit <NUM> receives a sound signal from peripheral apparatuses that include a sound inputting device such as the controller <NUM>, the chat controller <NUM>, the headset <NUM>, and the head-mounted display <NUM>. Further, the sound input controlling unit <NUM> includes, as exemplified in <FIG>, a mixer unit <NUM>, a mute unit <NUM>, a switch unit <NUM>, and an outputting unit <NUM>, and synthesizes, by the mixer unit <NUM>, sound signals inputted from an apparatus other than an apparatus determined in advance (for example, other than the chat controller <NUM>) among the sound signals received.

In particular, the mixer unit <NUM> performs synthesizing by determining a sound volume for each of sound signals received from the individual apparatuses such as the controller <NUM>, the headset <NUM>, and the head-mounted display <NUM> and synthesizing the sound signals received from the individual apparatuses with the determined sound volumes. In a certain example of the present embodiment, the mixer unit <NUM> determines a sound volume of a sound signal received from each apparatus, in accordance with an instruction inputted from the control unit <NUM>.

Further, for example, in a case where the control unit <NUM> sets the sound volume of the sound signal from the headset <NUM> to "<NUM>" and sets the sound volume of the other sound signals to "<NUM>," the mixer unit <NUM> functions also as selection means. In this example, the mixer unit <NUM> selectively outputs the sound signal only from the headset <NUM>. Further, in this case, even if there is a sound signal received from the controller <NUM>, the head-mounted display <NUM>, or the like other than the headset <NUM>, such sound signal is not included in the output of the mixer unit <NUM>.

Further, in an example of the present embodiment, a plurality of controllers <NUM> are possibly connected to the information processing apparatus <NUM>. Alto in this case, the mixer unit <NUM> determines a sound volume for a sound signal received from each controller <NUM>, in accordance with an instruction inputted from the control unit <NUM>. For example, in a case where an instruction is inputted from the control unit <NUM> to set the sound volume for a sound signal received from a controller 20a used by a user A to "<NUM>" and set the sound volume for sound signals received from controllers 20b and 20c used by the other users B and C to "<NUM>," the mixer unit <NUM> selectively outputs the sound signal received from the controller 20a.

The mute unit <NUM> switches a sound signal outputted from the mixer unit <NUM>, between outputting as it is or not outputting (muting), in accordance with an instruction inputted from the control unit <NUM>. When the control unit <NUM> outputs an instruction not to mute, the mute unit <NUM> outputs the sound signal outputted from the mixer unit <NUM>, as it is. On the other hand, when the control unit <NUM> outputs an instruction to mute, the mute unit <NUM> discards (mutes) the sound signal outputted from the mixer unit <NUM> without outputting the signal to the switch unit <NUM>.

The switch unit <NUM> accepts input, from among sound signals received by the information processing apparatus <NUM>, of a sound signal from an apparatus that is not inputted to the mixer unit <NUM> (such sound signal is hereinafter referred to as an interrupting sound signal; in the example here, the sound signal received from the chat controller <NUM>). Further, when the mute unit <NUM> outputs a sound signal, the switch unit <NUM> accepts input of the sound signal. The switch unit <NUM> selectively outputs one of a sound signal (if any) accepted from the mute unit <NUM> and an interrupting sound signal (if any) in accordance with an instruction inputted from the control unit <NUM>.

The outputting unit <NUM> outputs the sound signal outputted from the switch unit <NUM> to the control unit <NUM>. In such a manner, the sound input controlling unit <NUM> according to the one example of the present embodiment receives sound signals from peripheral apparatuses each including a sound inputting device, mixes the sound signals or selects one of the sound signals, and outputs the resulting sound signal for processing in the control unit <NUM>.

The communication unit <NUM> is a network interface or the like, and transmits various kinds of information through a network in accordance with an instruction inputted from the control unit <NUM>. Further, the communication unit <NUM> outputs information received through the network to the control unit <NUM>.

The operation unit <NUM> of the controller <NUM> includes buttons, a joystick, and so forth, and accepts an operation of the user, to output operation information representative of the substance of the operation performed by the user to the communication unit <NUM>. Meanwhile, the microphone <NUM> collects sound of surroundings and outputs a digital sound signal representative of the collected sound. Further, in the present embodiment, the operation unit <NUM> may have arranged thereon a button for outputting an instruction to change the state of mute to the information processing apparatus <NUM>.

The communication unit <NUM> is wireless communication means of, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark), and outputs information (operation information) representative of the substance of an operation performed on the operation unit <NUM> by the user to the information processing apparatus <NUM>. Further, the communication unit <NUM> outputs, to the information processing apparatus <NUM>, the sound signal outputted from the microphone <NUM>. Further, the communication unit <NUM> outputs, to the display unit <NUM>, a display controlling signal outputted from the information processing apparatus <NUM>. Furthermore, upon receiving a sound signal from the information processing apparatus <NUM>, the communication unit <NUM> outputs the received sound signal to the sound outputting unit <NUM>.

The display unit <NUM> includes, for example, a light emitting diode (LED) and so forth. The display unit <NUM> receives input of a display controlling signal from the communication unit <NUM> and turns on or off the LED. The sound outputting unit <NUM> is a device including a vibrator such as a speaker and generates sound on the basis of a sound signal received from the information processing apparatus <NUM>.

Further, the chat controller <NUM> is what is generally called a push-to-talk device (PTT device) that accepts and outputs input of sound only while the user gives an instruction on sound input, and the operation unit <NUM> of the chat controller <NUM> includes, for example, a button. Further, the microphone <NUM> collects and converts sound of surroundings into a sound signal and outputs the sound signal.

The communication unit <NUM> is wireless communication means of, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark) or the like and outputs, while the user is pressing the button of the operation unit <NUM>, a sound signal outputted from the microphone <NUM>, to the information processing apparatus <NUM>. On the other hand, when the user is not pressing the button of the operation unit <NUM>, the communication unit <NUM> discards the sound signal outputted from the microphone <NUM> without outputting the sound signal to the information processing apparatus <NUM>. Furthermore, the communication unit <NUM> outputs, to the display unit <NUM>, the display controlling signal outputted from the information processing apparatus <NUM>.

The display unit <NUM> includes, for example, an LED and so forth. The display unit <NUM> receives input of a display controlling signal from the communication unit <NUM> and turns on or off the LED. Operation of the chat controller <NUM> is also described later.

The headset <NUM> includes, for example, a headphone, a microphone, and so forth. The headset <NUM> causes the speaker to generate sound on the basis of a sound signal outputted from the information processing apparatus <NUM>. Further, the headset <NUM> sends out a sound signal collected by the microphone to the information processing apparatus <NUM>.

The head-mounted display <NUM> includes a display, a speaker, and a microphone. The head-mounted display <NUM> accepts a video signal and a sound signal outputted from the information processing apparatus <NUM>, to display an image on the display and cause the speaker to generate sound. Further, the head-mounted display <NUM> sends out a sound signal collected by the microphone to the information processing apparatus <NUM>.

Here, operation of the control unit <NUM> of the information processing apparatus <NUM> is described. In the present embodiment, the control unit <NUM> functionally includes a sound input processing unit <NUM>, a mute processing unit <NUM>, an interruption processing unit <NUM>, and a display processing unit <NUM> as exemplified as processing of the system in <FIG>.

It is to be noted that, in the following description of the present embodiment, it is assumed that the control unit <NUM> determines, in advance, one of apparatuses that are connected to the information processing apparatus <NUM> and that include a sound inputting device as an interrupting apparatus.

The sound input processing unit <NUM> performs the following process for target apparatuses that are apparatus including a sound inputting device (in a case where an interrupting apparatus is determined, the interrupting apparatus is excluded from the target apparatus). The sound input processing unit <NUM> determines a sound volume of mixing for each target apparatus connected to the information processing apparatus <NUM>, in accordance with a predetermined rule. This predetermined rule can be, for example, such as that described in the following. In particular, the control unit <NUM> determines a priority order for the target apparatuses in advance and sets a sound volume of mixing of a sound signal received from a target apparatus that is highest in the priority order from among the target apparatuses connected thereto to a value that is determined in advance and that is higher than <NUM> (<NUM> is not included). For this value, for example, the highest value may be set or, for each target apparatus, a different value that is different depending upon the type of the target apparatus may be set; in the following description, the value larger than <NUM> is referred to as an output value. Further, the sound volume of mixing of a sound signal received from a target apparatus other than the target apparatus highest in the priority order among the apparatuses connected is set to the lowest value. It is sufficient if this lowest value is a value representing, for example, the sound volume "<NUM>. " This lowest value is hereinafter referred to as a "cutoff value.

It is to be noted that the setting of a rule and a sound volume here is an example, and various other methods may be available. For example, the control unit <NUM> may set, for a target apparatus selected by the user, a sound volume of mixing of a sound signal received from the selected target apparatus to the output value determined in advance, and set a sound volume of mixing of a sound signal received from any other target apparatus to the cutoff value.

Further, taking a case in which a plurality of users use the information processing apparatus <NUM> into consideration, the rule may be such as described below. In particular,.

According to this example, for a user who uses, as a sound inputting device, the headset <NUM> or a like device in which the directivity of the microphone is relatively high, a sound signal collected by the headset <NUM> is enabled to be used in processing as an application. On the other hand, for a user who uses, as a sound inputting device, the controller <NUM> that is a wide range sound collection apparatus in which the directivity of the microphone is relatively low, only the sound signal collected by the controller <NUM> operated by one of the users who use the controller <NUM> as a sound inputting device is enabled to be used in processing as an application.

It is to be noted that, in both cases, when a user who uses a wide range sound collection apparatus operates the controller <NUM> to issue a request for input of a sound signal, the mixing sound volume of the wide range sound collection apparatus such as the controller <NUM> of the user is set to the output value, and the mixing sound volume of any other wide range sound collection apparatus is set to the cutoff value.

The mute processing unit <NUM> retains mute state information representative of a state of mute at present. This mute state information is initially set to a predetermined state (for example, to a state not muted (unmute state). Then, when accepting, as operation information received from the controller <NUM> operated by the user, operation information representing that the state of mute is to be switched (in short, when a mute instruction is received from the user), the mute processing unit <NUM> switches the mute state information. In short, when the mute state information represents an unmute state, the mute processing unit <NUM> accepting this operation information sets the mute state information to one that represents a muted state. On the other hand, when the mute state information represents a muted state, the mute processing unit <NUM> accepting this operation information sets the mute state information to one that represents a state of unmute. Then, when the mute processing unit <NUM> sets the mute state information to one that represents a muted state, it outputs a mute instruction to the sound input controlling unit <NUM>.

The interruption processing unit <NUM> may output, in accordance with an instruction inputted from an interrupting apparatus determined in advance (for example, an instruction for requesting selection), an instruction to select a sound signal received from the interrupting apparatus to the sound input controlling unit <NUM>. Further, if an instruction to cancel the selection is received from the interrupting apparatus, then the control unit <NUM> outputs to the sound input controlling unit <NUM> an instruction to select a sound signal received from any apparatus other than the interrupting apparatus.

The display processing unit <NUM> outputs, in response to an instruction outputted from the sound input processing unit <NUM>, the mute processing unit <NUM>, and the interruption processing unit <NUM>, a display controlling signal to the apparatus in order to indicate an input state of sound signals. A particular example of this display controlling signal is described later.

The information processing system <NUM> of the present embodiment basically includes such a configuration as described above and operates in the following manner. In the following, an example (<FIG>) in which three users A, B, and C play a game sharing one information processing apparatus <NUM> will be described.

At this time, it is assumed that the users A, B, and C operate by holding the controllers 20a, 20b, and 20c, respectively. In particular, the information processing apparatus <NUM> initially authenticates the users who operate the controllers <NUM> and records, in association with information that specifies the controllers, information specifying the authenticated users. Further, it is assumed that the chat controller <NUM> as an interrupting apparatus is connected to the information processing apparatus <NUM>.

At this time, it is assumed that the information processing apparatus <NUM> observes the following rules as the rule determined in advance.

Thus, the information processing apparatus <NUM> determines, setting the controllers 20a, 20b, and 20c connected to the information processing apparatus <NUM> as target apparatuses, a sound volume of mixing for each target apparatus in accordance with the predetermined rule. Here, it is assumed that the controller <NUM> is a wide range sound collection apparatus. In this example, on the basis of the predetermined rule described above, the information processing apparatus <NUM> sets, for example, the sound volume of mixing of the controller <NUM> that is connected first (it is assumed that this is the controller 20a of the user A) to the output value and sets the sound volume of mixing of a sound signal outputted from any other target apparatus to the cutoff value.

Thus, in the information processing apparatus <NUM>, a sound signal collected by the controller 20a used by the user A and sent out to the information processing apparatus <NUM> is used in processing of the application.

For example, if the application is a chat application, then the information processing apparatus <NUM> sends out a sound signal that has been collected by the controller 20a and sent out to the information processing apparatus <NUM> to a chat partner. On the other hand, the information processing apparatus <NUM> outputs a sound signal received from the partner to an output destination determined by a predetermined method (for example, the controllers 20a, 20b, and 20c here).

At this time, sound signals sent out from the controllers 20b and 20c are discarded by operation of the sound input controlling unit <NUM> of the information processing apparatus <NUM>. Consequently, sound collected by the controllers 20a, 20b, and 20c is prevented from being mixed, avoiding muffling of voice or generation of an echo.

Further, if the user C here wears the headset <NUM> and is authenticated as a user of the headset <NUM> by the information processing apparatus <NUM> (<FIG>), then, using the authentication of the new apparatus as a trigger, the information processing apparatus <NUM> again sets the controllers 20a, 20b, and 20c connected to the information processing apparatus <NUM> and the headset <NUM> used by the user C as target apparatuses and determines sound volumes of mixing for each target apparatus, in accordance with the abovementioned rule.

Here, if it is assumed that the headset <NUM> is not a wide range sound collection apparatus, then the information processing apparatus <NUM> here determines, first for the user C, the sound volume of mixing of the headset <NUM> to the output value, on the basis of the predetermined rule described above. On the other hand, for the other users A and B, the information processing apparatus <NUM> determines, for example, the sound volume of mixing of the controller <NUM> that is connected first (here, the controller 20a of the user A) to the output value, and determines the sound volume of mixing of sound signals received from any other target apparatus (controller 20b of the user B) to the cutoff value.

At this time, voice uttered by the user C is collected by the headset <NUM>. Then, the sound signal collected by the controller 20a used by the user A and sent out to the information processing apparatus <NUM> and the sound signal sent out from the headset <NUM> are mixed and used in processing of the application.

At this time, the sound signals sent out from the controllers 20b and 20c are discarded by operation of the sound input controlling unit <NUM> of the information processing apparatus <NUM>. Consequently, the sound collected by the controllers 20a, 20b, and 20c is prevented from being mixed, avoiding muffling of voice or generation of an echo. It is to be noted that, since the headset <NUM> has relatively high directivity, the voice of the user A included in the sound signal outputted from the headset <NUM> is sufficiently small. Thus, even if the sound signal obtained by sound collection by the headset <NUM> is mixed with the sound signal sent out from the controller 20a, the sound signals are prevented from being mixed, avoiding muffling of voice or generation of an echo.

Further, if the user B here operates the controller 20b to perform an operation for requesting input of a sound signal, then information representative of the substance of the operation is transmitted to the information processing apparatus <NUM>. The information processing apparatus <NUM> receives the request, and maintains the sound volume of mixing of the headset <NUM> to the output value for the user C. Further, the information processing apparatus <NUM> sets the sound volume of mixing of the controller 20b that has requested inputting of a sound signal to the output value and sets the sound volume of mixing of the sound signal received from any other target apparatus (controller 20a of the user A) to the cutoff value.

At this time, the sound signals sent out from the controllers 20a and 20c are discarded by operation of the sound input controlling unit <NUM> of the information processing apparatus <NUM>. Consequently, the sound collected by the controllers 20a, 20b, and 20c is prevented from being mixed, avoiding muffling of voice or generation of an echo.

Further, the information processing apparatus <NUM> that performs processing of the chat application outputs a sound signal received from a chat partner to each controller <NUM> such that sound is generated by the controllers <NUM>.

Further, in an example of the present embodiment, if one of the users operates its controller <NUM> to make an instruction for switching the state of mute and the control unit <NUM> determines that a state of mute is established (if the mute state information is set to a muted state), then the sound signal from each of the apparatuses that include a sound inputting device (except the interrupting apparatus) is muted. In short, in the example of the present embodiment, if an instruction for mute is issued from any of the controllers <NUM> and so forth, then every sound input is cut off.

In particular, if one of the users A, B, and C operates the controller <NUM> operated by the user itself to issue an instruction for switching the mute, then operation information representing that an operation based on an instruction for switching the mute has been performed is sent out to the information processing apparatus <NUM>.

The information processing apparatus <NUM> accepts the operation information for switching the state of mute from the controller <NUM> and switches the mute state information (information representing whether or not mute is to be performed) at the point of time of the acceptance of the operation information. In particular, when the mute state information at this point of time represents an unmute state, the information processing apparatus <NUM> that has accepted this operation information sets the mute state information to one that represents a muted state and outputs an instruction for mute to the sound input controlling unit <NUM>.

On the other hand, when the mute state information at the point of time represents a muted state, the mute processing unit <NUM> that has accepted this operation information sets the mute state information to one that represents an unmute state and outputs an instruction not to mute (instruction to cancel the mute) to the sound input controlling unit <NUM>.

Then, when an instruction for mute is outputted, in the sound input controlling unit <NUM>, in whatever sound volume setting the mixer unit <NUM> is mixing sound signals sent out from the individual apparatuses, the mute unit <NUM> performs control such that a sound signal outputted from the mixer unit <NUM> is not outputted (is muted).

When an instruction not to mute is outputted, the mute unit <NUM> outputs a sound signal outputted from the mixer unit <NUM>, as it is.

Consequently, by one operation of a user, switching of mute is performed as a whole, requiring no labor for setting mute for each apparatus and enhancing the operability for mute.

Further, depending upon the substance of the mute switching instruction (for example, in a case where a button for the mute switching instruction is long-pressed or the like), the control unit <NUM> may perform such control that, as a process of the output controlling unit <NUM>, a sound signal is not outputted (all mute). By this, sound outputting from the television set, headset, and controllers <NUM> is also stopped.

Here, in a case where it is possible for a peripheral apparatus side that includes a sound inputting device such as the controller <NUM> to control whether or not sending out of a sound signal is to be performed, when some user operates its controller <NUM> to issue an instruction to switch the state of mute and thereby performs mute, the information processing apparatus <NUM> may instruct such a peripheral apparatus as described above to stop sending out a sound signal.

In a case where control for muting (control for stopping sending out a sound signal) is performed by the peripheral apparatus side in this manner, when the information processing apparatus <NUM> is to (temporarily) establish a state of unmute as in an example described below, it instructs a peripheral apparatus which is to temporarily input a sound signal, to resume sending out of a sound signal.

Further, in the present embodiment, the control unit <NUM> receiving input of a sound signal from the sound input controlling unit <NUM> normally performs such control that the inputted sound signal can be used by any application being executed by the control unit <NUM>. In the following, an operation mode of the control unit <NUM> in which it performs such control as just described is referred to as a share mode for the convenience of description. However, in a certain example of the present embodiment, it is sometimes preferable that an inputted sound signal is used only by a specific application.

Further, if a mute state is valid even though an application is demanding sound input, then sound input is disabled. Thus, a state in which mute can be cancelled may be established temporarily in response to a request from the application side. At this time, the information processing apparatus <NUM> outputs a sound signal inputted in the state in which the mute is temporarily cancelled only to the application which has issued the request for cancel of the mute.

Thus, if sound input becomes necessary in processing of one application, the control unit <NUM> outputs a display indicating that sound input is requested, to a monitor or the like, and temporarily retains information that specifies the application (that may be an application name).

Here, if a user performs a predetermined operation to unmute (operation of switching the state of mute) through its controller <NUM>, then the control unit <NUM> detects that the operation has been performed and controls the mixer unit <NUM> of the sound input controlling unit <NUM> such that the mixing sound volume of the controller <NUM> for which the operation has been performed is set to the output value (for example, the maximum value) (for the other controllers <NUM> and so forth, the mixing sound volume is set to the cutoff value). It is to be noted that, when an unmute operation is performed for a plurality of controllers <NUM>, the mixing sound volume may be set to the output value (for example, the maximum value) only for the controller <NUM> for which the unmute operation has been performed at an earliest point of time.

Then, the control unit <NUM> uses a sound signal that has been received from a controller <NUM> in a period until a user performs a mute operation (operation of switching the state of mute) through its controller <NUM> subsequently or until after a predetermined period of time elapses, for processing of an application specified by the information temporarily retained previously (temporary unmute). This sound signal is set to be unavailable for any application other than the application specified by the information. The operation mode of the control unit <NUM> when this setting is performed is referred to as an exclusive mode for the convenience of description.

Control of such an exclusive mode as just described is similar to operation of a widely known operating system for using inputted information in processing of only a specific application, and thus, detailed description is omitted here.

In a further example, when an application that requires sound input is run, a state in which the mute can be cancelled may be established in response to a request from the application side. At this time, the information processing apparatus <NUM> outputs a sound signal inputted in a state in which the mute is cancelled only to the application.

Further, in this case, when an operation for ending the application is performed by the user, the information processing apparatus <NUM> returns to operation for controlling the mute unit <NUM> on the basis of the mute state information. In this example, while the application that requires sound input is operating, even if an instruction for mute is issued, it is possible to output sound information only to the application.

Further, a sound signal from the interrupting apparatus (in the example here, the chat controller <NUM>) may be used only by a specific application.

In particular, the information processing apparatus <NUM> accepts in advance a setting that associates information that specifies an interrupting apparatus and information that specifies an application that uses a sound signal received from the interrupting apparatus with each other. In short, in this example, an apparatus that is recorded in the setting and includes a sound inputting device is identified as an interrupting apparatus.

If a user operates the interrupting apparatus (chat controller <NUM>) to perform inputting of a sound signal (for example, if inputting of a sound signal is performed in a state in which a button included in the operation unit <NUM> of the chat controller <NUM> is pressed), then the chat controller <NUM> transmits a sound signal to the information processing apparatus <NUM>. Further, at this time, the chat controller <NUM> transmits information for specifying the chat controller <NUM> itself (information for specifying the interrupting apparatus) to the information processing apparatus <NUM>.

The sound input controlling unit <NUM> of the information processing apparatus <NUM> receiving the sound signal from the chat controller <NUM> does not input this sound signal (that becomes an interrupting sound signal) to the mixer unit <NUM> but inputs the sound signal to the switch unit <NUM>, and the control unit <NUM> instructs the switch unit <NUM> and the outputting unit <NUM> to output the interrupting sound signal to the control unit <NUM>. Here, since the switch unit <NUM> is arranged on the outputting unit <NUM> side with respect to the mute unit <NUM>, even if the mute unit <NUM> is in a state of mute, the interrupting sound signal is outputted to the control unit <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> refers to the information that is transmitted thereto together with the sound signal and that specifies the interrupting apparatus, to find out the information that specifies an application associated with the information. Then, the control unit <NUM> runs the application specified by the found information and causes the application to process the received interrupting sound signal. At this time, the control unit <NUM> performs control so as to inhibit any other application from accessing the received interrupting sound signal. Such process and control can be implemented by various processes of widely-known system software, and thus, detailed description of them is omitted here.

According to this example of the present embodiment, a sound signal inputted while the button of the operation unit <NUM> is being pressed is transmitted as an interrupting sound signal from the chat controller <NUM> to the information processing apparatus <NUM>, and the information processing apparatus <NUM> runs the application (for example, the chat application) set in advance in association with the chat controller <NUM> and causes the interrupting sound signal to be processed by the application.

Now, an example of a display controlling signal by the display processing unit <NUM> is described. In one example of the present embodiment, the control unit <NUM> outputs.

According to this, since a display controlling signal representative of a mute/unmute state is outputted from the information processing apparatus <NUM> and the controller <NUM> or the like changes the display of the display unit <NUM> (changes to turning off, turning on, or flickering) according to the display controlling signal to thereby clearly indicate that a mute state is valid, the user can easily recognize whether or not a state in which sound inputting is possible is valid.

Further, in the present embodiment, the control unit <NUM>
(<NUM>) may output, to a device whose mixing sound volume is set to the cutoff value, a display controlling signal that blinks the LED of the display unit <NUM> in a mode in which the blinking can be distinguished from that in the all mute state.

Here, the mode in which the blinking can be distinguished from that in the all mute state may be such that the cycle of blinking is made longer than that in the case of the all mute state. According to this, such a case in which sound input cannot be performed through the controller <NUM> owned by a user itself as a case in which sound input is being performed by a different person can be indicated clearly.

Claim 1:
An information processing apparatus, connected to a peripheral apparatus that includes sound inputting means for outputting a sound signal representative of sound of surroundings, comprising:
means (<NUM>) for accepting a sound signal outputted from the peripheral apparatus; and
mute controlling means (<NUM>) for cutting off the sound signal accepted from the peripheral apparatus, wherein,
in a case where sound input is required in processing of a predetermined application, wherein the information processing apparatus is configured to execute, in parallel, a plurality of applications including the predetermined application, in a state in which a sound signal accepted from the peripheral apparatus is cut off by the mute controlling means, control is performed, in response to a request from the predetermined application, such that the mute controlling means accepts the sound signal accepted from the peripheral apparatus and the sound signal is used only in the processing of the predetermined application and is set to be unavailable for the processing of any other application in the plurality of applications.