JP2003033580A - Network system, information providing device, and information providing method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] The present invention relates to a network system, and proposes to further improve the entertainment property of a robot device. Kind Code: A1 An action for generating a virtual creature according to feature information of robot devices 1A to 1N transmitted from terminal devices 31A to 31N, and causing the virtual creature to perform an action based on the feature information in a predetermined virtual space. By generating information and providing the generated information to the terminal devices 31A to 31N, it is possible to provide the user with more fun, and thus it is possible to further improve the entertainment properties of the robot devices 1A to 1N.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network system, an information providing apparatus, and an information providing method, and is suitable for application to, for example, a network system that transmits and receives various kinds of information regarding a pet robot via a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the applicant of the present patent application has proposed and developed a four-legged walking type pet robot which behaves according to a command from a user and the surrounding environment. Such a pet robot has a shape similar to a dog or a cat raised in a general household, and acts autonomously according to a command from a user and a surrounding environment.

[0003]

By the way, in recent years, due to the spread of communication means such as the Internet, information communication technology has been dramatically developed, and various kinds of information can be transmitted in real time using images and voice. There is.

Therefore, if various kinds of information about the pet robot can be transmitted and received by utilizing the Internet or the like, it is possible to give the user further interest and further improve the entertainment property as the pet robot. It is considered to be a thing.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and an object thereof is to propose a network system, an information providing apparatus, and an information providing method capable of further improving the entertainment property of a robot apparatus.

[0006]

In order to solve such a problem, according to the present invention, in a network system in which an information providing device and a terminal device are connected via a predetermined communication path, the terminal device is a robot owned by a user. The characteristic information indicating the characteristic peculiar to the device is transmitted to the information providing device via the communication path, and the information providing device generates a virtual creature according to the characteristic information of the robot device transmitted from the terminal device, A generation unit that generates action information for making an action based on the characteristic information in a predetermined virtual space, and a provision unit that provides the generated action information to the terminal device as provision information are provided.

As a result, it is possible to provide the user with even more interest, and thus to further improve the entertainment property of the robot device.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

(1) Structure of Pet Robot In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes the pet robot according to the present embodiment as a whole, in which leg units 3A to 3D are connected to the front, rear, left and right of the body unit 2, respectively, and a body is formed. The head unit 4 and the tail unit 5 are connected to the front end and the rear end of the sub unit 2, respectively.

In this case, in the body unit 2, as shown in FIG. 2, a controller 10 for controlling the operation of the pet robot 1 as a whole, a battery 11 as a power source of the pet robot 1, a battery sensor 12 and The internal sensor unit 14 including the thermal sensor 13 and the like are stored.

The head unit 4 has a microphone 15 corresponding to the "ears" of the pet robot and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera 16 corresponding to the "eyes".
, Touch sensor 17, and speaker 1 corresponding to the "mouth"
8 and the like are arranged at predetermined positions.

Further, the joints of the leg units 3A to 3D, the leg units 3A to 3D and the body unit 2 are connected.
Actuators 19 ₁ to 19 ₁ to the connection parts of the head unit 4 and the body unit 2, and the connection parts of the tail unit 5 and the body unit 2, respectively.
19 _n are provided.

The microphone 15 of the head unit 4
Is a voice signal S obtained by collecting command sounds such as "walk", "prone" or "follow the ball" given as a scale from a user through a sound commander (not shown).
1 is sent to the controller 10. CCD camera 1
6 captures an image of the surrounding situation and sends the obtained image signal S2 to the controller 10.

Further, as is apparent from FIG. 1, the touch sensor 17 is provided on the upper part of the head unit 4 and detects the pressure received by a physical action such as "stroking" or "striking" from the user. Then, the detection result is sent to the controller 10 as the pressure detection signal S3.

Further, the battery sensor 12 of the body unit 2 detects the energy remaining amount of the battery 11, and the detection result is used as the battery remaining amount detection signal S4 to the controller 1
The heat sensor 13 detects the heat inside the pet robot 1 and sends the detection result to the controller 10 as a heat detection signal S5.

The controller 10 includes a microphone 15,
A voice signal S1, an image signal S2, a pressure detection signal S3, and a battery remaining amount signal S4 provided from the CCD camera 16, the touch sensor 17, the battery sensor 12, and the heat sensor 13.
Based on the heat detection signal S5 and the like, it is determined whether or not there is a surrounding situation, a command from the user, and the presence or absence of an action from the user.

Then, the controller 10 determines a subsequent action or operation based on the result of this determination and a control program including various control parameters stored in advance in the memory 10A, and the required actuators 19 ₁ to 19 ₁ to
By driving 19 _n , the head unit 4 can be swung up and down, right and left, the tail 5A of the tail unit 5 can be moved, and the leg units 3A to 3D can be driven to walk or the like. Let it be done. In the following,
A set of actions is defined as an action and used.

Further, at this time, the controller 10 outputs a voice based on the voice signal S6 to the outside by giving a predetermined voice signal S6 stored in the memory 10A to the speaker 18 as necessary, or the pet robot 1 LED (Light Em
blink iting diode).

In this way, the pet robot 1 can act autonomously based on the surrounding conditions, the control program stored in the memory 10A, and the like.

Here, the software configuration of the above-mentioned control program in the pet robot 1 is shown in FIG. As is clear from FIG. 3, the control program includes a meaning conversion object 20, an emotion / instinct generation object 21,
Action decision object 22 and action generation object 2
It consists of three.

In this case, the meaning conversion object 20 is
Microphone 15, CCD camera 16, touch sensor 1
7, the voice signal S1, the image signal S2, the pressure detection signal S3, the battery remaining amount detection signal S4, and the heat detection signal S5 provided from the battery sensor 12 and the heat sensor 13 are input,
Based on these, "struck", "struck", "ball detected", "battery low",
It recognizes a specific external state and internal state such as “internal temperature has risen” and notifies the emotion / instinct generation object 21 and the action determination object 22 of the recognition result.

The emotion / instinct generation object 21 is given from the recognition result given from the meaning conversion object 20, the personal information 24 which is one of the control parameters stored in the memory 10A, and the action decision object 22 as described later. The emotion and instinct state of the pet robot 1 is determined based on the notification indicating the performed action, and when the emotion and instinct state exceeds a predetermined level, the action determination object 22 is notified of this.

That is, the emotion / instinct generation object 21
Indicates a total of 6 emotional strengths of "joy", "sadness", "anger", "surprise", "fear" and "disgust".
Emotional model that holds two parameters and "lust for love",
It has an instinct model that holds a total of four parameters that represent the strength of each desire of “search desire”, “exercise desire”, and “appetite”.

In the memory 10A, as the personal information 24, for example, the parameter of "anger" is increased when "struck" and the parameter of "joy" is lowered, and the parameter of "joy" is increased when "stabbed". Together with lowering the parameter of “anger” and raising a parameter of “motivation” and a parameter of “joy” when a certain behavior is expressed, the recognition result of the meaning conversion object 20 and a behavior determination object 2 described later.
Data about which emotion or desire parameter value to increase or decrease in response to the notification that the action is performed from 2 is stored.

Then, the emotion / instinct generation object 21
Changes the value of the corresponding emotional or desire parameter of the emotion model or the instinct model periodically based on the personal information based on the recognition result given from the meaning conversion object 20, the notification from the action determination object 22, or the like. .

More specifically, the emotion / instinct generation object 21 sets the parameter value of each emotion one cycle before the emotion E _(n-1) , and the recognition result and action decision given during that cycle. A numerical value obtained by a predetermined calculation based on the notification content from the object 22 is P, and a coefficient value representing a preset sensitivity to the emotion is k _e ,
The following formula

[0027]

[Equation 1]

Then, the parameter value E _(n) of the next cycle of the emotion is calculated, and the parameter value of the emotion is changed to this parameter value E _(n) .

The emotion / instinct generation object 21 is
For each desire, the parameter value one cycle before the desire is I _(n-1) , and a numerical value obtained by a predetermined calculation based on the recognition result and the notification content from the action determination object 22 given during the cycle is Q. , K _i is a coefficient value representing a preset sensitivity to the desire,

[0030]

[Equation 2]

The parameter value I _(n) of the next cycle of the desire is calculated by and the parameter value of the desire is changed to this parameter value I _(n) .

The emotion / instinct generation object 21
When the parameter value of any emotion or desire parameter exceeds a value preset for the emotion or instinct as a result of the updating process of each parameter value, the action determination object 22 To notify.

The action determination object 22 is based on the recognition result given from the meaning conversion object 20, the notification from the emotion / instinct generation object 21, and the action model 25 which is one of the control parameters stored in the memory 10A. The subsequent action or action is determined, and the action generation object 23 is notified of the determination result.

Note that in the case of this embodiment, the action decision object 22 uses the method shown in FIG.
One node (state) NODE _{0 to} NOD as shown in
Arc ARC ₁ ~ARC transition probabilities are set respectively _n-1 P ₁ ~P _n for connecting the respective nodes NODE ₀ ~NODE _n or transitions from E _n to any other node NODE ₀ ~NODE _n An algorithm called a probabilistic automaton that determines probabilistically based on ₊₁ is used.

More specifically, a state transition table 26 as shown in FIG. 5 for each node NODE _{0 to} NODE _n is stored in the memory 10A as an action model 25, and the action decision object 22 makes these state transitions. The subsequent action is set based on the table 26.

That is, in the state transition table 26, the input events (recognition results) which are the transition conditions in the nodes NODE _{0 to} NODE _n are listed in order of priority in the row of “input event”, and further conditions regarding the transition conditions are listed. It is described in the corresponding columns in the rows of "data name" and "data range".

Therefore, in the node NODE ₁₀₀ represented by the state transition table of FIG. 5, when the recognition result of "detecting a ball (BALL)" is given, the "size (size) of the ball given together with the recognition result is given. "SIZE)" is in the range of 0 to 1000 (0,1000), and when the recognition result of "obstacle detection (OBSTACE)" is given, the obstacles given together with the recognition result The “distance (DISTANCE)” of “is in the range of 0 to 100 (0,100)” is a condition for transition to another node.

Further, in this node NODE ₁₀₀ , even if there is no input of the recognition result, the emotion model in the emotion / instinct generation object 21 periodically referenced by the action determination object and each emotion and each desire parameter of the instinct model are set. Of the values, "joy (joy)" and "surprise (SUP
RISE) ”or“ Sadness ”parameter value is in the range of 50-100 (50,100
) ”, It is possible to transit to another node.

Further, in the state transition table 26, in the column of "transition destination node" in the column of "transition probability to another node", the node names that can transit from the nodes NODE _{0 to} NODE _n are listed, and " Each other node NODE that can transition when all the conditions described in each row of "input event name", "data value" and "data range" are met
The transition probability from _{0 to} NODE _n is described in the row of “output behavior” in the column of “transition probability to other node”.
Note that the sum of the transition probabilities of each row in the "Transition Probability to Other Node" column is 100 [%].

Therefore, in the node NODE ₁₀₀ represented by the state transition table 26 of FIG. 5, for example, "ball detection (BAL
L) ”, and the“ size ”of the ball is“ 0 ”.
When the recognition result that the range is up to 1000 (0,1000) "is given, it is possible to transit to" node NODE ₁₂₀ (node 120) "with a transition probability of" 30 [%] ", and at that time," A
The action of "CATION 1" will be output.

The behavior model 25 has nodes NODE _{0 to} NOD described as such a state transition table 26.
E _n is configured as several leads. Then, the action determination object 22 corresponds to the node NODE ₀ stored in the memory 10A when the recognition result is given from the meaning conversion object 20 or when the emotion / instinct generation object 21 gives a notification.
~ The state transition table 26 of NODE _n is used to probabilistically determine the next action or action, and the action generation object 23 is notified of the determination result.

Based on the notification from the action determination object 22, the action generation object 23 drives the corresponding actuators 19 _{1 to} 19 _n as necessary so that the pet robot 1 exhibits the designated action or motion. One of the control parameters stored in memory 10A
Based on the sound data in one sound data file, the corresponding sound signal S6 (FIG. 2) is generated and sent to the speaker 19, or the light emission data which is one of the control parameters stored in the memory 10A. Based on the light emission data in the file, the LED at the "eye" position is caused to blink in a corresponding light emission pattern.

In this way, the pet robot 1 is capable of performing autonomous actions in accordance with its own and surrounding conditions and instructions and actions from the user based on the control program.

(2) Structure of Pet Robot Network System FIG. 6 shows a network system (hereinafter referred to as a pet robot network system) 30 for exchanging various kinds of information regarding the pet robot 1 as described above. It is a thing.

In the pet robot network system 30, the personal terminals 31A to 31N to which the pet robots 1A to 1N owned by each user are connected are connected to the Internet provider 35 through a telephone line or the like, and the Internet provider 35 is connected to the personal terminals 31A to 31N. Seller 3 of pet robot 1 via Internet 36
7 is connected to the installed server 38.

In this case, the individual terminals 31A to 31N are
It is an ordinary personal computer installed in a general household or the like, communicates with a server 38 via the Internet 36, and communicates with the server 38, the pet robots 1A to 1N.
It is adapted to be able to send and receive various data regarding.

The server 38 is a Web server that performs various processes when the dealer 37 sends and receives information about the pet robot 1, and will be described later with respect to the personal terminals 31A to 31N accessed through the Internet 36. It is possible to send screen data of various screens, generate necessary image data, and display an image based on the image data on the corresponding screen.

The configuration of the server 38 is shown in FIG.
As is clear from FIG. 7, the server 38 is an LA that incorporates an interface circuit for the Internet 36.
An N (Local Area Network) card 40, a CPU 42 that controls the entire server 38, and a temporary storage medium 43 such as a semiconductor memory as a work memory of the CPU 42.
And a storage medium 44 such as a hard disk device in which various data is stored for the server 38 to perform the processes described later.

Then, in the server 38, the personal terminals 31A to 3A that have accessed through the Internet 36.
Data and commands supplied from 1N are sent to LAN card 4
It is fetched into the CPU 42 via 0, and a predetermined process is executed based on the data or command and the control information stored in the storage medium 44.

Then, the CPU 42 generates screen data of a screen corresponding to the processing result as needed, and generates the screen data via the LAN card 40 to the corresponding personal terminal 31A.
.. to 31N.

Next, a processing procedure for acquiring information about the pet robot 1 in the pet robot network system 30 will be described. In this pet robot network system 30, personal terminals 31A to 31
A character having the same personality and growth stage as the pet robots 1A to 1N connected to N autonomously act in the virtual space on the server 38, and the user owning the pet robots 1A to 1N and the seller 37. The information about the pet robot 1 can be transmitted and received between the users and the users who own the pet robots 1A to 1N can also transmit and receive various information related to the pet robots 1A to 1N.

That is, in the pet robot network system 30, the users of the pet robots 1A to 1N are
First, the pet robots 1A-1N are connected to the personal terminals 31A-
By connecting to 31N by wire and accessing the server 38 using the personal terminals 31A to 31N, the destinations when the characters corresponding to the pet robots 1A to 1N visit the virtual space provided on the server 38 are displayed. Perform the specified operation.

Here, for example, pet robots 1A to 1N
A case where the user accesses the server 38 for the purpose of searching for a store near the user's home where the pet robots 1A to 1N can be repaired will be described.

The CPU 42 of the server 38 uses the personal terminal 31.
When the operation information regarding the designated operation of the visited place transmitted from A to 31N via the Internet 36 is received,
The map data recorded in advance in the storage medium 44 is read, and the screen data related to the read map data is transmitted to the personal terminals 31A to 31N.

As a result, each of the personal terminals 31A to 31N receives the screen data shown in FIG.
A selection screen 50 for selecting a destination country as shown in (A) is displayed on the display. The shaded area in the drawing indicates the area where the user who owns the pet robots 1A to 1N exists, or the area where the telecommunications carrier that transmits the information of the pet robots 1A to 1N exists.

In this state, the pet robots 1A ...
When the user of 1N selects the country of the visit by positioning the cursor 50A in the desired country by an input operation using a mouse and clicking the selected country, the personal terminals 31A to 31A
On the display of N, a selection screen 51 for selecting an area to be visited as shown in FIG. 8B is displayed based on the screen data transmitted from the server 38.

In this state, the pet robots 1A ...
When the user of 1N selects a region to visit by positioning the cursor 51A in a desired region and clicking the region, the display of the personal terminals 31A to 31N displays the screen data transmitted from the server 38 on the personal terminals 31A to 31N. Figure 8
A selection screen 52 for selecting a visited place as shown in (C) is displayed.

Further, in this state, the user of the pet robots 1A to 1N selects the place to visit by positioning the cursor 52A in the desired area and clicking the cursor 52A, and the personal terminals 31A to 31N receive the information from the server 38. Based on the transmitted screen data, a detailed screen 53 showing the visited place as shown in FIG. 8D is displayed on the display, and the detailed screen 53 is connected to the personal terminals 31A to 31N. Pet Robot 1A
The character C1 corresponding to 1N is displayed.

This character C1 is personal terminal 31A ...
The pet robots 1A to 1N connected to the robot 31N are operated on the detailed screen 53 so as to correspond to the autonomous movements of the pet robots 1A to 1N. The distance of C1 is adjusted by crossing the sidewalk.

That is, in the personal terminals 31A to 31N, when the connected pet robots 1A to 1N operate,
The motion information according to the motion is transmitted to the server 38 via the Internet 36, and the CPU 42 of the server 38 generates the character C1 based on this motion information and operates it on the detailed screen 53.

By the way, when the user positions the cursor on the store 53A among the stores 53A to 53C displayed on the detailed screen 53 and clicks it, the personal terminals 31A to 31A.
31N superimposes and displays on the detailed screen 53 the service content of the clicked store 53A, for example, that the service for accepting the repair of the pet robots 1A to 1N is being performed.

In this way, the user can search for the store 53A accepting the repair of the pet robots 1A to 1N from the stores existing near his / her home, whereby the repair of the pet robots 1A to 1N can be actually performed. In store 53
Ask A.

The characters C2 and C3 displayed on the detailed screen 53 happen to meet on the detailed screen 53, and in this case, the user of the pet robot 1 corresponding to the character C2 and the pet corresponding to the character C3. The user of the robot 1 can talk with each other through the detailed screen 53. As described above, in the pet robot network system 30, users of the pet robots 1A to 1N can interact with each other.

(3) Operations and Effects of the Present Embodiment In the above configuration, the pet robot network system 30 has the same character and growth stage as the pet robots 1A to 1N connected to the personal terminals 31A to 31N. While autonomously acting the character in the virtual space on the server 38, the pet robot 1 is between the user who owns the pet robots 1A to 1N and the dealer 37, or between the users who own the pet robots 1A to 1N.
It transmits and receives various information regarding A to 1N.

By transmitting and receiving various kinds of information regarding the pet robots 1A to 1N via the Internet 36 in this manner, it is possible to provide the user with further interest, and thus the entertainment property of the pet robots 1A to 1N is further enhanced. Can be improved.

According to the above configuration, the personal terminals 31A-3A
While allowing the characters corresponding to the pet robots 1A to 1N connected to 1N to autonomously act in the virtual space on the server 38, the users of the other pet robots 1A to 1N and the pet robot 1 concerned via the Internet 36.
Pet robots 1A to 1N with distributors A to 1N
By transmitting and receiving various kinds of information relating to the pet robot, it is possible to provide the user with more fun, and therefore, the entertainment property of the pet robots 1A to 1N can be further improved.

(4) Other Embodiments In the above embodiment, the pet robot 1A is used.
A service for searching a store accepting repairs of the pet robots 1A to 1N while allowing the characters corresponding to 1N to act in the virtual space on the server 38, and a service for interacting with other pet robots 1A to 1N. Although the case has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various other services such as a failure diagnosis service for the pet robots 1A to 1N may be provided.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the pet robots 1A to 1N are connected to the personal terminals 31A to 31N by wire is described, but the present invention is not limited to this.
The pet robots 1A to 1N may be wirelessly connected to the personal terminals 31A to 31N.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, of the stores 53A to 53C displayed on the detail screen 53,
Although the case where the service content of the selected store is displayed on the detailed screen 53 is described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the character corresponding to the pet robots 1A to 1N can be displayed according to the intention of the character or the user's command. "Pee"
Then, the marking may be displayed so as to be superimposed on the detailed screen 53 at that location. In this case, when the user clicks the marking displayed on the detailed screen 53, the visit records of other characters are displayed. It may be displayed.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the users of the pet robots 1A to 1N talk with each other through the virtual space on the server 38 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this and, for example, the target of sale. By constructing a parent-child relationship with the pet robots 1A to 1N in advance and selling it to the user, the pet robot 1
The users A to 1N may search for parents and siblings through the virtual space on the server 38.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the users of the pet robots 1A to 1N talk with each other through the virtual space on the server 38 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the pet robots 1A to 1N. 1
Image data captured by the N CCD 16 is transmitted to the server 38, and the pet robot 1 is based on the image data.
The users A to 1N may interact with each other.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the users of the pet robots 1A to 1N talk with each other through the virtual space on the server 38 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this and, for example, on the server 38. In the virtual space, the characters corresponding to the pet robots 1A to 1N may be allowed to compete in various other types such as leg speed.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the Internet 36 is applied as the communication path has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a public line or LAN.
Other various communication paths such as the above may be applied.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the server 38 is applied as the information providing apparatus has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various other information providing apparatuses may be applied. .

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the personal terminal 31 which is a personal computer is used as the terminal device.
The case of applying A to 31N has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various other terminal devices such as a mobile phone may be applied.

In the above embodiment, the case where the CPU 42 is applied as the generation means has been described.
The present invention is not limited to this, generates a virtual creature according to the characteristic information of the robot device transmitted from the terminal device, the action information for causing the virtual creature to act in a predetermined virtual space based on the characteristic information. Other various generating means for generating may be applied.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the CPU 42 is applied as the providing means has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various other types of providing the generated behavior information as the provision information to the terminal device. You may make it apply a provision means.

[0078]

As described above, according to the present invention, a virtual creature is generated according to the characteristic information of the robot device transmitted from the terminal device, and the virtual creature acts in a predetermined virtual space based on the characteristic information. By generating the action information for causing the terminal device to provide the action information to the terminal device, it is possible to provide the user with further interest, and thus to further improve the entertainment property as the robot device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a pet robot according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a pet robot.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram used for explaining behavior generation of a pet robot.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram used to explain a probability automaton.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a state transition table.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a pet robot network system.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a server.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an information acquisition screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Pet robot, 2 ... Body unit, 3 ...
Leg unit, 4 ... Head unit, 5 ... Tail unit, 10 ... Controller, 11 ... Battery, 12
...... Battery sensor, 13 ...... heat sensor, 15 ...... microphone, 16 ...... CCD camera, 17 ...... touch sensor, 18 ...... speaker, 19 ...... actuator, 30
...... Pet robot network system, 31 ...... Personal terminal, 35 ...... Internet provider, 36 ......
Internet, 37 ... Distributor, 38 ... Server,
40 ... LAN card, 42 ... CPU, 43 ... Temporary storage medium, 44 ... Storage medium.

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. In a network system in which an information providing device and a terminal device are connected via a predetermined communication path, the terminal device transmits characteristic information indicating a characteristic peculiar to a robot device owned by a user via the communication path. To the information providing device, the information providing device generates a virtual creature corresponding to the characteristic information of the robot device transmitted from the terminal device, and converts the virtual creature into the characteristic information in a predetermined virtual space. A network system comprising: a generation unit that generates action information for making an action based on the action; and a provision unit that provides the generated action information as provision information to the terminal device. 2. The terminal device transmits the motion of the robot device as motion information, and the generation means, based on the motion information transmitted from the terminal device,
The network system according to claim 1, wherein the action information for operating the virtual creature is generated so as to correspond to the operation of the robot device. 3. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the providing means provides the terminal device with information held by the information providing device in response to a request from the terminal device. 4. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the providing means provides the terminal device with information about another robot device transmitted from another terminal device. 5. An information providing device, to which a terminal device is connected via a predetermined communication path, generates a virtual creature according to the characteristic information of the robot device transmitted from the terminal device, and sets the virtual creature to a predetermined number. Information providing, comprising: a generation unit that generates action information for making an action in the virtual space based on the characteristic information; and a providing unit that provides the generated action information as provision information to the terminal device. apparatus. 6. The generation means generates the action information for operating the virtual creature so as to correspond to the action of the robot device, based on the action information of the robot device transmitted from the terminal device. The information providing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein 7. The information providing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the providing means provides the terminal apparatus with information held by the information providing apparatus in response to a request from the terminal apparatus. 8. The information providing device according to claim 5, wherein the providing means provides the terminal device with information about another robot device transmitted from another terminal device. 9. In an information providing method of a network system in which an information providing device and a terminal device are connected via a predetermined communication path, characteristic information indicating a characteristic unique to a robot device owned by a user is transmitted from the terminal device to the communication. A first step of transmitting to the information providing device via a path, a virtual creature according to the characteristic information of the robot device transmitted from the terminal device, and generating the virtual creature in a predetermined virtual space. An information providing method comprising: a second step of generating action information for making an action based on the information; and a third step of providing the action information as provision information to the terminal device. 10. In the first step, the motion of the robot device is transmitted as motion information, and in the second step, based on the motion information transmitted from the terminal device,
The information providing method according to claim 9, wherein the action information for operating the virtual creature is generated so as to correspond to the operation of the robot device. 11. The information providing method according to claim 9, wherein in the third step, the information possessed by the information providing device is provided to the terminal device in response to a request from the terminal device. 12. The information providing method according to claim 9, wherein in the third step, the terminal device is provided with information about another robot device transmitted from another terminal device.