JP6126271B1 - Method, program, and recording medium for providing virtual space - Google Patents

Abstract

When reproducing moving image content on a head-mounted display, other content such as an advertisement is displayed. A step of defining a virtual space, a step of synthesizing moving image content reproduced in a virtual space and a sub-content displayed in a part of a display area of the moving image content to generate a combined content, and combining The step of adapting the content to the virtual space, the step of specifying the user's line of sight, the step of specifying the view area based on the line of sight, and generating a view image corresponding to the view area of the synthesized content, Outputting. [Selection] Figure 11

Description

  The present disclosure relates to a method, a program, and a recording medium that provide a virtual space.

  Patent Document 1 describes a method for displaying objects such as a signboard and a bulletin board in a virtual space.

  Patent Document 2 describes a system for viewing content using a head-mounted display.

JP 2003-248844 A Japanese Patent No. 5882517

  A user who views moving image content on a head-mounted display is deeply immersed in the content of the moving image content as compared to a user who views moving image content on a stationary television or the like. Therefore, if an advertisement can be displayed when reproducing the moving image content on the head mounted display, a high advertising effect can be expected.

  This indication is made in view of such a situation, and provides a method of displaying other contents, such as an advertisement, when reproducing animation contents on a head mounted display.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a method for providing a virtual space according to the present disclosure is a method for providing a virtual space to a user wearing a head mounted display (hereinafter, HMD), and defines the virtual space. Synthesizing video content played back in the virtual space with sub-contents displayed in a part of a display area of the video content, and generating the synthesized content in the virtual space Adapting; identifying the user's line of sight; identifying the field of view based on the line of sight; generating a view image corresponding to the field of view of the composite content; Outputting.

  According to the present disclosure, it is possible to display other content such as advertisements when reproducing moving image content on a head-mounted display.

It is a figure which shows the structure of a HMD system. It is a figure which shows the hardware constitutions of a control circuit part. It is a figure which illustrates the visual field coordinate system set to HMD. It is a figure explaining the outline | summary of the virtual space provided to a user. It is a figure which shows the cross section of a visual field area | region. It is a figure which illustrates the method of determining a user's gaze direction. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of a control circuit part. It is a sequence diagram which shows the flow of the process in which an HMD system provides a virtual space to a user. It is a sequence diagram which shows the flow of a process which the HMD system reproduces | regenerates the moving image content which the user selected through the platform in virtual space in virtual space. It is a figure explaining the selection and reproduction | regeneration of the moving image content through the platform in virtual space. It is a figure which shows an example of the visual field image displayed by a visual field image generation part reproducing | regenerating synthetic | combination content. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process which a control circuit part synthesize | combines a moving image content and an advertisement content. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the relationship between a grid | lattice and the position of advertisement content. It is a figure which shows the flow of the process which a control circuit part collects gaze information.

[Details of the embodiment of the present invention]
A specific example of a method and program for providing a virtual space according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to these exemplifications, but is defined by the scope of claims for patent, and it is intended that all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims for patent are included in the present invention. In the following description, the same reference numerals are given to the same elements in the description of the drawings, and repeated description is not repeated.

(Configuration of HMD system 100)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of the HMD system 100. As shown in this figure, the HMD system 100 includes an HMD 110, an HMD sensor 120, a control circuit unit 200, and a controller 300.

  The HMD 110 is worn on the user's head. The HMD 110 includes a display 112 which is a non-transmissive display device, a sensor 114, and a gaze sensor 130. The HMD 110 displays a right-eye image and a left-eye image on the display 112, thereby allowing the user to visually recognize a three-dimensional image that is stereoscopically viewed by the user based on the parallax between both eyes of the user. This provides a virtual space to the user. Since the display 112 is disposed in front of the user's eyes, the user can immerse in the virtual space through an image displayed on the display 112. The virtual space may include a background, various objects that can be operated by the user, menu images, and the like.

  The display 112 may include a right-eye sub-display that displays a right-eye image and a left-eye sub-display that displays a left-eye image. Alternatively, the display 112 may be a single display device that displays the right-eye image and the left-eye image on a common screen. As such a display device, for example, a display device that alternately displays a right-eye image and a left-eye image independently by switching a shutter so that the display image can be recognized only by one eye. .

(Hard structure of the control circuit unit 200)
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the control circuit unit 200. The control circuit unit 200 is a computer for causing the HMD 110 to provide a virtual space. As shown in FIG. 2, the control circuit unit 200 includes a processor, a memory, a storage, an input / output interface, and a communication interface. These are connected to each other in the control circuit unit 200 through a bus as a data transmission path.

  The processor includes a central processing unit (CPU), a micro-processing unit (MPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), and the like, and controls operations of the control circuit unit 200 and the HMD system 100 as a whole.

  The memory functions as main memory. The memory stores a program processed by the processor and control data (such as calculation parameters). The memory may include a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory).

  The storage functions as auxiliary storage. The storage stores a program for controlling the operation of the entire HMD system 100, various simulation programs, a user authentication program, and various data (images, objects, etc.) for defining a virtual space. Furthermore, a database including a table for managing various data may be constructed in the storage. The storage can be configured to include a flash memory or an HDD (Hard Disc Drive).

  The input / output interface includes various wired connection terminals such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) terminal, a DVI (Digital Visual Interface) terminal, an HDMI (registered trademark) (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) terminal, and various wireless connection terminals. These processing circuits are included. The input / output interface connects the HMD 110, various sensors including the HMD sensor 120, and the controller 300 to each other.

  The communication interface includes various wired connection terminals for communicating with an external device via the network NW, and various processing circuits for wireless connection. The communication interface is configured to conform to various communication standards and protocols for communicating via a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet.

  The control circuit unit 200 provides a virtual space to the user by loading a predetermined application program stored in the storage into a memory and executing it. When the program is executed, the memory and the storage store various programs for operating various objects arranged in the virtual space and displaying and controlling various menu images and the like.

  The control circuit unit 200 may or may not be mounted on the HMD 110. That is, the control circuit unit 200 may be another hardware independent of the HMD 110 (for example, a personal computer or a server device that can communicate with the HMD 110 through a network). The control circuit unit 200 may be a device in which one or a plurality of functions are implemented by cooperation of a plurality of hardware. Alternatively, only a part of all the functions of the control circuit unit 200 may be mounted on the HMD 110, and the remaining functions may be mounted on different hardware.

  A global coordinate system (reference coordinate system, xyz coordinate system) is set in advance for each element such as the HMD 110 constituting the HMD system 100. This global coordinate system has three reference directions (axes) parallel to the vertical direction, the horizontal direction orthogonal to the vertical direction, and the front-rear direction orthogonal to both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction in the real space. In the present embodiment, since the global coordinate system is a kind of viewpoint coordinate system, the horizontal direction, vertical direction (vertical direction), and front-rear direction in the global coordinate system are set as an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis, respectively. Specifically, the x-axis of the global coordinate system is parallel to the horizontal direction of the real space, the y-axis is parallel to the vertical direction of the real space, and the z-axis is parallel to the front-rear direction of the real space.

  The HMD sensor 120 has a position tracking function for detecting the movement of the HMD 110. With this function, the HMD sensor 120 detects the position and inclination of the HMD 110 in the real space. In order to realize this detection, the HMD 110 includes a plurality of light sources (not shown). Each light source is, for example, an LED that emits infrared rays. The HMD sensor 120 includes, for example, an infrared sensor. The HMD sensor 120 detects the detection point of the HMD 110 by detecting the infrared ray irradiated from the light source of the HMD 110 with the infrared sensor. Further, based on the detection value of the detection point of the HMD 110, the position and inclination of the HMD 110 in the real space according to the user's movement are detected. The HMD sensor 120 can determine the time change of the position and inclination of the HMD 110 based on the change with time of the detected value.

  The HMD sensor 120 may include an optical camera. In this case, the HMD sensor 120 detects the position and inclination of the HMD 110 based on the image information of the HMD 110 obtained by the optical camera.

  Instead of the HMD sensor 120, the HMD 110 may detect its position and inclination using the sensor 114. In this case, the sensor 114 may be an angular velocity sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, or a gyro sensor, for example. The HMD 110 uses at least one of these. When the sensor 114 is an angular velocity sensor, the sensor 114 detects the angular velocity around the three axes in the real space of the HMD 110 over time according to the movement of the HMD 110. The HMD 110 can determine the temporal change of the angle around the three axes of the HMD 110 based on the detected value of the angular velocity, and can detect the inclination of the HMD 110 based on the temporal change of the angle.

  When the HMD 110 detects the position and inclination of the HMD 110 based on the detection value of the sensor 114, the HMD sensor 120 is not necessary for the HMD system 100. Conversely, when the HMD sensor 120 arranged at a position away from the HMD 110 detects the position and inclination of the HMD 110, the sensor 114 is not necessary for the HMD 110.

  As described above, the global coordinate system is parallel to the real space coordinate system. Therefore, each inclination of the HMD 110 detected by the HMD sensor 120 corresponds to each inclination around the three axes of the HMD 110 in the global coordinate system. The HMD sensor 120 sets the uvw visual field coordinate system to the HMD 110 based on the detected value of the inclination of the HMD sensor 120 in the global coordinate system. The uvw visual field coordinate system set in the HMD 110 corresponds to a viewpoint coordinate system when a user wearing the HMD 110 views an object.

(Uuv visual field coordinate system)
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a uwv visual field coordinate system set in the HMD 110. The HMD sensor 120 detects the position and inclination of the HMD 110 in the global coordinate system when the HMD 110 is activated. Then, a three-dimensional uvw visual field coordinate system based on the detected tilt value is set in the HMD 110. As shown in FIG. 3, the HMD sensor 120 sets a three-dimensional uvw visual field coordinate system around the head of the user wearing the HMD 110 as the center (origin) in the HMD 110. Specifically, the horizontal direction, the vertical direction, and the front-rear direction (x axis, y axis, z axis) that define the global coordinate system are respectively set around each axis by an inclination around each axis of the HMD 110 in the global coordinate system. Three new directions obtained by tilting are set as the pitch direction (u-axis), yaw direction (v-axis), and roll direction (w-axis) of the uvw visual field coordinate system in the HMD 110.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the user wearing the HMD 110 stands upright and visually recognizes the front, the HMD sensor 120 sets the uvw visual field coordinate system parallel to the global coordinate system to the HMD 110. In this case, the horizontal direction (x-axis), the vertical direction (y-axis), and the front-back direction (z-axis) of the global coordinate system are the same as the pitch direction (u-axis) and yaw direction (v of the uvw visual field coordinate system in the HMD 110. Axis) and the roll direction (w-axis).

  After setting the uvw visual field coordinate system in the HMD 110, the HMD sensor 120 can detect the inclination (the amount of change in inclination) of the HMD 110 in the currently set uvw visual field coordinate system in accordance with the movement of the HMD 110. In this case, the HMD sensor 120 detects the pitch angle (θu), yaw angle (θv), and roll angle (θw) of the HMD 110 in the currently set uvw visual field coordinate system as the inclination of the HMD 110. The pitch angle (θu) is an inclination angle of the HMD 110 around the pitch direction in the uvw visual field coordinate system. The yaw angle (θv) is an inclination angle of the HMD 110 around the yaw direction in the uvw visual field coordinate system. The roll angle (θw) is an inclination angle of the HMD 110 around the roll direction in the uvw visual field coordinate system.

  Based on the detected value of the inclination of the HMD 110, the HMD sensor 120 newly sets the uvw visual field coordinate system in the HMD 110 after moving to the HMD 110. The relationship between the HMD 110 and the uvw visual field coordinate system of the HMD 110 is always constant regardless of the position and inclination of the HMD 110. When the position and inclination of the HMD 110 change, the position and inclination of the uvw visual field coordinate system of the HMD 110 in the global coordinate system similarly change in conjunction with the change.

  The HMD sensor 120 determines the position of the HMD 110 in the real space relative to the HMD sensor 120 based on the infrared light intensity acquired by the infrared sensor and the relative positional relationship (distance between the detection points) between the plurality of detection points. You may specify as a position. The origin of the uvw visual field coordinate system of the HMD 110 in the real space (global coordinate system) may be determined based on the specified relative position. The HMD sensor 120 detects the inclination of the HMD 110 in the real space based on the relative positional relationship between the plurality of detection points, and further, based on the detected value, the uvw visual field coordinates of the HMD 110 in the real space (global coordinate system). The orientation of the system may be determined.

(Outline of virtual space 2)
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an outline of the virtual space 2 provided to the user. As shown in this figure, the virtual space 2 has a spherical structure that covers the entire 360 ° direction of the center 21. FIG. 4 illustrates only the upper half celestial sphere in the entire virtual space 2. A plurality of substantially square or substantially rectangular meshes are associated with the virtual space 2. The position of each mesh in the virtual space 2 is defined in advance as coordinates in a space coordinate system (XYZ coordinate system) defined in the virtual space 2. The control circuit unit 200 associates each partial image constituting content (still image, moving image, etc.) that can be developed in the virtual space 2 with each corresponding mesh in the virtual space 2, thereby enabling the virtual space image that can be visually recognized by the user. The virtual space 2 in which 22 is expanded is provided to the user.

  The virtual space 2 defines an XYZ space coordinate system with the center 21 as the origin. The XYZ coordinate system is parallel to the global coordinate system, for example. Since the XYZ coordinate system is a kind of viewpoint coordinate system, the horizontal direction, vertical direction (vertical direction), and front-rear direction in the XYZ coordinate system are defined as an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis, respectively. That is, the X axis (horizontal direction) of the XYZ coordinate system is parallel to the x axis of the global coordinate system, the Y axis (vertical direction) of the XYZ coordinate system is parallel to the y axis of the global coordinate system, and The Z axis (front-rear direction) is parallel to the z axis of the global coordinate system.

  When the HMD 110 is activated (initial state), the virtual camera 1 is arranged at the center 21 of the virtual space 2. The virtual camera 1 moves similarly in the virtual space 2 in conjunction with the movement of the HMD 110 in the real space. Thereby, changes in the position and orientation of the HMD 110 in the real space are similarly reproduced in the virtual space 2.

  As with the HMD 110, the uvw visual field coordinate system is defined for the virtual camera 1. The uvw visual field coordinate system of the virtual camera 1 in the virtual space 2 is defined to change to the uvw visual field coordinate system of the HMD 110 in the real space (global coordinate system). Therefore, when the inclination of the HMD 110 changes, the inclination of the virtual camera 1 also changes accordingly. The virtual camera 1 can also move in the virtual space 2 in conjunction with the movement of the user wearing the HMD 110 in the real space.

  The orientation of the virtual camera 1 in the virtual space 2 is determined according to the position and inclination of the virtual camera 1 in the virtual space 2. As a result, a line of sight (reference line of sight 5) as a reference when the user visually recognizes the virtual space image 22 developed in the virtual space 2 is determined. The control circuit unit 200 determines the visual field region 23 in the virtual space 2 based on the reference visual line 5. The visual field area 23 is an area corresponding to the visual field of the user wearing the HMD 110 in the virtual space 2.

  FIG. 5 is a view showing a cross section of the visual field region 23. FIG. 5A shows a YZ cross section of the visual field region 23 viewed from the X direction in the virtual space 2. FIG. 5B shows an XZ cross-section of the visual field region 23 viewed from the Y direction in the virtual space 2. The visual field region 23 is defined by the first region 24 (see FIG. 5A) that is a range defined by the reference line of sight 5 and the YZ section of the virtual space 2, and the reference line of sight 5 and the XZ section of the virtual space 2. And a second region 25 (see FIG. 5B) which is a defined range. The control circuit unit 200 sets a range including the polar angle α around the reference line of sight 5 in the virtual space 2 as the first region 24. In addition, a range including the azimuth angle β around the reference line of sight 5 in the virtual space 2 is set as the second region 25.

  The HMD system 100 provides the user with the virtual space 2 by causing the display image 112 of the HMD 110 to display a view image 26 that is a portion of the virtual space image 22 that is superimposed on the view region 23. If the user moves the HMD 110, the virtual camera 1 also moves in conjunction with it, and as a result, the position of the visual field area 23 in the virtual space 2 changes. As a result, the view image 26 displayed on the display 112 is updated to an image that is superimposed on a portion of the virtual space image 22 where the user faces (= view region 23). Therefore, the user can visually recognize a desired location in the virtual space 2.

  While wearing the HMD 110, the user visually recognizes only the virtual space image 22 developed in the virtual space 2 without seeing the real world. Therefore, the HMD system 100 can give a high immersive feeling to the virtual space 2 to the user.

  The control circuit unit 200 may move the virtual camera 1 in the virtual space 2 in conjunction with the movement of the user wearing the HMD 110 in the real space. In this case, the control circuit unit 200 identifies the visual field region 23 that is visually recognized by the user by being projected on the display 112 of the HMD 110 in the virtual space 2 based on the position and orientation of the virtual camera 1 in the virtual space 2.

  The virtual camera 1 preferably includes a right-eye virtual camera that provides a right-eye image and a left-eye virtual camera that provides a left-eye image. Furthermore, it is preferable that appropriate parallax is set for the two virtual cameras so that the user can recognize the three-dimensional virtual space 2. In the present embodiment, only the virtual camera 1 in which the roll direction (w) generated by combining the roll directions of the two virtual cameras is adapted to the roll direction (w) of the HMD 110 is represented. Will be shown and described.

(Gaze direction detection)
The gaze sensor 130 has an eye tracking function that detects the direction (gaze direction) in which the line of sight of the user's right eye and left eye is directed. As the gaze sensor 130, a known sensor having an eye tracking function can be employed. The gaze sensor 130 preferably includes a right eye sensor and a left eye sensor. The gaze sensor 130 may be, for example, a sensor that detects the rotation angle of each eyeball by irradiating the user's right eye and left eye with infrared light and receiving reflected light from the cornea and iris with respect to the irradiated light. The gaze sensor 130 can detect the direction of the user's line of sight based on each detected rotation angle.

  The user's gaze direction detected by the gaze sensor 130 is a direction in the viewpoint coordinate system when the user visually recognizes the object. As described above, the uvw visual field coordinate system of the HMD 110 is equal to the viewpoint coordinate system when the user visually recognizes the display 112. Further, the uvw visual field coordinate system of the virtual camera 1 is linked to the uvw visual field coordinate system of the HMD 110. Therefore, in the HMD system 100, the user's line-of-sight direction detected by the gaze sensor 130 can be regarded as the user's line-of-sight direction in the uvw visual field coordinate system of the virtual camera 1.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a method of determining the user's line-of-sight direction. As shown in this figure, the gaze sensor 130 detects the line of sight of the right eye and the left eye of the user U. When the user U is looking nearby, the gaze sensor 130 detects the line of sight R1 and L1 of the user U. When the user looks far away, the gaze sensor 130 identifies the line of sight R2 and L2 that are smaller in angle with the roll direction (w) of the HMD 110 than the line of sight R1 and L1 of the user. The gaze sensor 130 transmits the detection value to the control circuit unit 200.

  When receiving the line of sight R1 and L1 as the line-of-sight detection value, the control circuit unit 200 specifies the gazing point N1 that is the intersection of the two. On the other hand, also when the lines of sight R2 and L2 are received, the gazing point N1 (not shown) that is the intersection of the two is specified. The control circuit unit 200 detects the gaze direction N0 of the user U based on the identified gazing point N1. For example, the control circuit unit 200 detects, as the line-of-sight direction N0, the direction in which the straight line passing through the midpoint of the straight line connecting the right eye R and the left eye L of the user U and the gazing point N1 extends. The line-of-sight direction N0 is a direction in which the user U actually points the line of sight with both eyes. The line-of-sight direction N0 is also a direction in which the user U actually directs his / her line of sight with respect to the field-of-view area 23.

  The HMD system 100 may include a microphone and a speaker in any element constituting the HMD system 100. Thereby, the user can give a voice instruction to the virtual space 2. Further, in order to receive a broadcast of a television program on a virtual television in a virtual space, the HMD system 100 may include a television receiver as any element. Further, it may include a communication function or the like for displaying an electronic mail or the like acquired by the user.

(Controller 300)
The controller 300 is a device that can transmit various commands based on user operations to the control circuit unit 200. The controller 300 can be a portable terminal capable of wired or wireless communication. The controller 300 may be, for example, a smartphone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a tablet computer, a game console, a general-purpose PC (Personal Computer), or the like. The controller 300 is preferably a device including a touch panel, and any terminal including a processor, a memory, a storage, a communication unit, and a touch panel in which a display unit and an input unit are integrated with each other may be employed. . The user inputs various touch operations including tap, swipe, and hold on the touch panel of the controller 300, thereby affecting various objects and UI (User Interface) arranged in the virtual space 2. be able to.

(Functional configuration of control circuit unit 200)
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the control circuit unit 200. The control circuit unit 200 controls the virtual space 2 provided to the user by using various data received from the HMD sensor 120, the gaze sensor 130, and the controller 300, and displays an image on the display 112 of the HMD 110. Control. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the control circuit unit 200 includes a detection unit 210, a display control unit 220, a virtual space control unit 230, a storage unit 240, and a communication unit 250. The control circuit unit 200 functions as a detection unit 210, a display control unit 220, a virtual space control unit 230, a storage unit 240, and a communication unit 250 by the cooperation of the hardware illustrated in FIG. The functions of the detection unit 210, the display control unit 220, and the virtual space control unit 230 can be realized mainly by the cooperation of the processor and the memory. The function of the storage unit 240 can be realized mainly by the cooperation of the memory and the storage. The function of the communication unit 250 can be realized mainly by the cooperation of the processor and the communication interface.

  The detection unit 210 receives detection values from various sensors (such as the HMD sensor 120) connected to the control circuit unit 200. Moreover, the predetermined process using the received detected value is performed as needed. The detection unit 210 includes an HMD detection unit 211, a line-of-sight detection unit 212, and an operation reception unit 213. The HMD detection unit 211 receives detection values from the HMD 110 and the HMD sensor 120, respectively. The line-of-sight detection unit 212 receives the detection value from the gaze sensor 130. The operation reception unit 213 receives the operation by receiving a command transmitted in response to a user operation on the controller 300.

  The display control unit 220 controls image display on the display 112 of the HMD 110. The display control unit 220 includes a virtual camera control unit 221, a visual field region determination unit 222, and a visual field image generation unit 223. The virtual camera control unit 221 arranges the virtual camera 1 in the virtual space 2 and controls the behavior of the virtual camera 1 in the virtual space 2. The view area determination unit 222 determines the view area 23. The view image generation unit 223 generates a view image 26 displayed on the display 112 based on the determined view area 23.

  The virtual space control unit 230 controls the virtual space 2 provided to the user. The virtual space control unit 230 includes a virtual space defining unit 231, a line-of-sight management unit 232, a content specifying unit 233, and a content management unit 234. The virtual space defining unit 231 defines the virtual space 2 in the HMD system 100 by generating virtual space data representing the virtual space 2 provided to the user. The line-of-sight management unit 232 manages the user's line of sight in the virtual space 2. The content specifying unit 233 specifies the content to be reproduced in the virtual space 2. The content management unit 234 synthesizes the advertising content with the moving image content. In addition, the content management unit 234 recognizes the temporal position of the content being reproduced in the virtual space 2 and determines whether or not it is a time during which an advertisement is displayed.

  The storage unit 240 stores various data used by the control circuit unit 200 to provide the virtual space 2 to the user. The storage unit 240 includes a template storage unit 241 and a content storage unit 242. The template storage unit 241 stores various template data. The content storage unit 242 stores various types of content.

  The template data is data representing a template of the virtual space 2. The template data has spatial structure data that defines the spatial structure of the virtual space 2. The spatial structure data is data that defines the spatial structure of a 360-degree celestial sphere centered on the center 21, for example. The template data further includes data defining the XYZ coordinate system of the virtual space 2. The template data further includes coordinate data for specifying the position of each mesh constituting the celestial sphere in the XYZ coordinate system. The template data further includes a flag indicating whether or not an object can be arranged in the virtual space 2.

  The content is content that can be reproduced in the virtual space 2. Examples of content include platform content and viewing content.

  The platform content is content related to an environment (platform) for allowing the user to select viewing content that the user wants to view in the virtual space 2. By reproducing the platform content in the virtual space 2, a platform for content selection is provided to the user. The platform content has at least a background image and data defining an object.

  The viewing content is, for example, a still image content or a moving image content. The still image content has a background image. The moving image content includes at least an image (still image) of each frame. The moving image content may further include audio data.

  The moving image content is content generated by an omnidirectional camera, for example. An omnidirectional camera is a camera that can generate images in all directions at once by photographing all directions in a real space around the lens of the camera at once. Each image constituting the moving image content obtained by the omnidirectional camera is distorted, but when the moving image content is reproduced in the virtual space 2, the distortion of each image is canceled by the lens constituting the display 112 of the HMD 110. It is solved by. Therefore, at the time of reproduction of the moving image content, the user can visually recognize a natural image without distortion in the virtual space 2.

  In each content, an initial direction facing an image to be shown to the user in the initial state (at the time of activation) of the HMD 110 is defined in advance. The initial direction defined in the moving image content generated by the omnidirectional camera usually matches the predetermined shooting direction defined in the omnidirectional camera used for shooting the moving image content. The initial direction may be changed to a direction different from the shooting direction. Specifically, after shooting with the omnidirectional camera, the moving image content obtained may be edited as appropriate so that the moving image content is defined as the initial direction in the direction deviated from the shooting direction.

  The communication unit 250 transmits / receives data to / from an external device 400 (for example, a server) via the network NW.

(Process of providing virtual space 2)
FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram showing a flow of processing in which the HMD system 100 provides the virtual space 2 to the user. The virtual space 2 is basically provided to the user through the cooperation of the HMD 110 and the control circuit unit 200. When the process shown in FIG. 8 is started, first, in S1, the virtual space defining unit 231 generates virtual space data representing the virtual space 2 provided to the user, thereby defining the virtual space 2. The generation procedure is as follows. First, the virtual space defining unit 231 defines the prototype of the virtual space 2 by acquiring the template data of the virtual space 2 from the template storage unit 241. The virtual space defining unit 231 further acquires content to be played back in the virtual space 2 from the content storage unit 242. The virtual space defining unit 231 generates virtual space data defining the virtual space 2 by adapting the acquired content to the acquired template data. The virtual space defining unit 231 appropriately associates each partial image constituting the background image included in the content with the management data of each mesh constituting the celestial sphere of the virtual space 2 in the virtual space data. The virtual space defining unit 231 preferably associates each partial image with each mesh so that the initial direction defined in the content matches the Z direction in the XYZ coordinate system of the virtual space 2.

  The virtual space defining unit 231 further adds management data of each object included in the content to the virtual space data as necessary. At that time, coordinates representing the position where the corresponding object is arranged in the virtual space 2 are set in each management data. Thereby, each object is arranged at the position of the coordinate in the virtual space 2.

  After that, when the HMD 110 is activated by the user, the HMD sensor 120 detects the position and inclination of the HMD 110 in the initial state in S2, and outputs the detected value to the control circuit unit 200 in S3. The HMD detection unit 211 receives this detection value. Thereafter, in S4, the virtual camera control unit 221 initializes the virtual camera 1 in the virtual space 2.

  The initialization procedure is as follows. First, the virtual camera control unit 221 places the virtual camera 1 at an initial position in the virtual space 2 (eg, the center 21 in FIG. 4). Next, the orientation of the virtual camera 1 in the virtual space 2 is set. At that time, the virtual camera control unit 221 specifies the uvw visual field coordinate system of the HMD 110 in the initial state based on the detection value from the HMD sensor 120 and sets the uvw visual field coordinate system that matches the uvw visual field coordinate system of the HMD 110 to the virtual camera 1. The orientation of the virtual camera 1 may be set by setting to. When setting the uvw visual field coordinate system for the virtual camera 1, the virtual camera control unit 221 adapts the roll direction (w axis) of the virtual camera 1 to the Z direction (Z axis) of the XYZ coordinate system. Specifically, the virtual camera control unit 221 matches the direction obtained by projecting the roll direction of the virtual camera 1 on the XZ plane with the Z direction of the XYZ coordinate system, and the roll direction of the virtual camera 1 with respect to the XZ plane. Is matched with the inclination of the roll direction of the HMD 110 with respect to the horizontal plane. As a result of such adaptation processing, the roll direction of the virtual camera 2 in the initial state is adapted to the initial direction of the content, so that the horizontal direction that the user first faces after the start of content reproduction matches the initial direction of the content Can be made.

  When the initialization process of the virtual camera 1 is completed, the visual field region determination unit 222 determines the visual field region 23 in the virtual space 2 based on the uvw visual field coordinate system of the virtual camera 1. Specifically, the roll direction (w axis) of the uvw visual field coordinate system of the virtual camera 1 is specified as the reference visual line 5 of the user, and the visual field region 23 is determined based on the reference visual line 5. In S <b> 5, the visual field image generation unit 223 corresponds to a portion projected on the visual field region 23 in the virtual space 2 out of the entire virtual space image 22 developed in the virtual space 2 by processing the virtual space data. A view image 26 is generated (rendered). In S6, the visual field image generation unit 223 outputs the generated visual field image 26 to the HMD 110 as an initial visual field image. In S <b> 7, the HMD 110 displays the received initial view image on the display 112. Thereby, the user visually recognizes the initial view image.

  Thereafter, in S8, the HMD sensor 120 detects the current position and inclination of the HMD 110, and outputs these detected values to the control circuit unit 200 in S9. The HMD detection unit 211 receives each detection value. The virtual camera control unit 221 specifies the current uvw visual field coordinate system in the HMD 110 based on the position and tilt detection values of the HMD 110. Furthermore, in S <b> 10, the virtual camera control unit 221 specifies the roll direction (w axis) of the uvw visual field coordinate system in the XYZ coordinate system as the visual field direction of the HMD 110.

  In the present embodiment, in S <b> 11, the virtual camera control unit 221 identifies the identified visual field direction of the HMD 110 as the user's reference visual line 5 in the virtual space 2. In S <b> 12, the virtual camera control unit 221 controls the virtual camera 1 based on the identified reference line of sight 5. If the position (starting point) and direction of the reference line of sight 5 are the same as the initial state of the virtual camera 1, the virtual camera control unit 221 maintains the position and direction of the virtual camera 1 as they are. On the other hand, if the position (starting point) and / or direction of the reference line of sight 5 has changed from the initial state of the virtual camera 1, the position and / or inclination of the virtual camera 1 in the virtual space 2 is changed to the reference line of sight after the change. Change the position and / or inclination according to 5. Further, the uvw visual field coordinate system is reset for the virtual camera 1 after the control.

  In S <b> 13, the visual field region determination unit 222 determines the visual field region 23 in the virtual space 2 based on the identified reference visual line 5. Thereafter, in S14, the visual field image generation unit 223 projects (superimposes) the entire virtual space image 22 developed in the virtual space 2 onto the visual field region 23 in the virtual space 2 by processing the virtual space data. A view field image 26 is generated (rendered). In S15, the visual field image generation unit 223 outputs the generated visual field image 26 to the HMD 110 as a visual field image for update. In S <b> 16, the HMD 110 updates the view image 26 by displaying the received view image 26 on the display 112. Thereby, if a user moves HMD110, the view image 26 will be updated in response to it.

(Platform provision and content playback processing)
In the present embodiment, the HMD system 100 provides the user with an environment (platform) for the user to select content in the virtual space 2 that the user wants to view. When the user selects content to view through the platform developed in the virtual space 2, the control circuit unit 200 starts reproduction of the selected content in the virtual space 2. Details of the platform provision and content playback processing will be described below.

  FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram illustrating a flow of processing in which the HMD system 100 reproduces the moving image content selected by the user through the platform in the virtual space 2 in the virtual space 2. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining selection and playback of moving image content through the platform in the virtual space 2. When the processing shown in FIG. 9 is started, first, in S21, the virtual space defining unit 231 creates virtual space data representing the virtual space 2 for providing the platform, thereby defining the virtual space 2 for providing the platform. To do. The generation procedure is as follows. First, the virtual space defining unit 231 acquires the template data of the virtual space 2 corresponding to the platform from the template storage unit 241. Here, template data that can be used by the object is acquired.

  The virtual space defining unit 231 further acquires platform content related to the platform provided in the virtual space 2 from the content storage unit 242. The virtual space defining unit 231 generates virtual space data defining the virtual space 2 for providing the platform by adapting the acquired platform content to the acquired template data. In the virtual space data, the virtual space defining unit 231 appropriately associates each partial image constituting the background image included in the platform content with the management data of each mesh constituting the celestial sphere of the virtual space 2.

  The virtual space defining unit 231 further adds management data of each object included in the platform content to the virtual space data. Thus, each object is placed at a predetermined position in the virtual space 2 that provides the platform. Next, the virtual space defining unit 231 obtains a summary image (thumbnail) of a certain number of viewing contents (here, moving image content) stored in the content storage unit 242. The virtual space defining unit 231 associates each acquired thumbnail with the management data of any object in the virtual space data. Thereby, a thumbnail is associated with each object arranged in the virtual space 2. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, an object associated with a thumbnail arranged in the virtual space 2 may be simply referred to as a thumbnail.

  Each viewing content in which the corresponding thumbnail is associated with the object is a moving image content candidate (candidate moving image content) that can be selected for reproduction in the virtual space 2 by the user. The user can select the corresponding candidate moving image content through the selection of the thumbnail. The control circuit unit 200 identifies the candidate video content selected by the user on the platform as video content to be played back in the virtual space 2.

  FIG. 10A shows an example of a virtual space 2 for providing a platform. This figure shows a virtual space 2 for providing a platform in which four thumbnails SN1 to SN4 are arranged. Each of these thumbnails SN1 to SN4 is an object associated with a summary image (thumbnail) of the corresponding moving image content.

  After generating the virtual space data representing the virtual space 2 shown in FIG. 10A, the view image generation unit 223 generates the view image 26 based on the user's reference line of sight 5 in S22. This generation method is the same as the method described with reference to FIG. Here, a view field image 26 corresponding to the platform is generated. In (a) of FIG. 10, among the thumbnails SN1 to N4, thumbnails SN1 and SN2 are arranged inside the field-of-view area 23 defined by the user's reference line of sight 5. On the other hand, the thumbnails SN3 and SN4 are arranged outside the field-of-view area 23. Therefore, the view image generation unit 223 generates a view image 26 including thumbnails SN1 and SN2.

  In S <b> 23, the visual field image generation unit 223 outputs the generated visual field image 26 to the HMD 110. In S <b> 24, the HMD 110 displays the received view field image 26 on the display 112. The user views the platform view image 26. When an object associated with a thumbnail is included in the view image 26, the thumbnail associated with the object is displayed on the display 112 when the view image 26 is displayed. Thereby, the user visually recognizes the view field image 26 including the thumbnail. FIG. 10B shows an example of the platform view image 26. Since the view field image 26 shown in this figure includes thumbnails SN1 and N2, the user visually recognizes the thumbnails SN1 and SN2 in the virtual space 2.

  Although not shown in FIG. 9, if the user moves the HMD 110 thereafter, the view field image 26 is updated in conjunction with the movement. For example, when the user moves the HMD 110 and the position of the visual field area 23 changes to a position including the thumbnails SN1 and SN3, the visual field image 26 including the thumbnails SN1 and SN3 is displayed on the display 112. Therefore, the user can put the thumbnail of the moving image content that he / she wants to watch in his / her field of view by moving the HMD 110 as appropriate.

  After the platform view image 26 is displayed, the gaze sensor 130 detects the user's right eye gaze and left eye gaze in S25, and transmits each detected value to the control circuit unit 200 in S26. The line-of-sight detection unit 212 receives this detection value. In S <b> 27, the line-of-sight detection unit 212 identifies the user's line-of-sight direction N <b> 0 in the uvw visual field coordinate system of the virtual camera 1 using the received detection value.

  In S28, the line-of-sight management unit 232 determines whether or not the user's line of sight has hit a specific thumbnail included in the view image 26 for a predetermined time or more based on the line-of-sight direction N0 and each thumbnail included in the view area 23. . More specifically, the line-of-sight management unit 232 determines whether or not the point where the line-of-sight direction N0 in the visual field region 23 intersects is included in the display range (arrangement range) of a specific thumbnail included in the visual field region 23. If the determination result is YES, it is determined that the line of sight has hit a specific thumbnail included in the field-of-view image 26. If NO, it is determined that the line of sight has not hit the specific thumbnail.

  When S28 is No, the process of FIG. 9 returns to immediately before S25. Thereafter, the processes of S25 to S28 are repeated until S28 becomes YES. On the other hand, when S28 is YES, in S29, the content specifying unit 233 specifies the content corresponding to the thumbnail that has been determined that the line of sight has been hit for a specified time or more. For example, when the user focuses on the thumbnail SN1 for a predetermined time or more, the moving image content associated with the management data of the thumbnail SN1 is specified as the content corresponding to the thumbnail SN1.

  Thereafter, in S30, the virtual space defining unit 231 defines the virtual space 2 for reproducing the moving image content by generating virtual space data for reproducing the specified moving image content. The generation procedure is as follows. First, the virtual space defining unit 231 acquires the template data of the virtual space 2 corresponding to the moving image content from the template storage unit 241.

  The virtual space defining unit 231 acquires the moving image content specified by the content specifying unit 233 from the content storage unit 242. The virtual space defining unit 231 generates virtual space data that defines the virtual space 2 for reproducing moving image content by adapting the acquired moving image content to the acquired template data. The virtual space defining unit 231 appropriately associates each partial image constituting the first frame image included in the moving image content with the management data of each mesh constituting the celestial sphere of the virtual space 2 in the virtual space data.

  In the virtual space 2 defined by the virtual space data generated here, it is not assumed that an object is arranged. Furthermore, the moving image content does not include management data that defines the object. Therefore, in S30, the virtual space defining unit 231 generates virtual space data that does not include object management data.

  After generating the virtual space data representing the virtual space 2 for reproducing moving image content, the view image generating unit 223 generates the view image 26 based on the reference line of sight 5 of the user in S31. This generation method is the same as the method described with reference to FIG. Here, a view image 26 of the moving image content is generated. In S <b> 32, the visual field image generation unit 223 outputs the generated visual field image 26 to the HMD 110. In S <b> 33, the HMD 110 updates the view image 26 by displaying the received view image 26 on the display 112. Thereby, the reproduction of the moving image content in the virtual space 2 is started, and the user visually recognizes the view image 26 of the moving image content.

  Although not shown in FIG. 9, if the user moves the HMD 110 thereafter, the view field image 26 is updated in conjunction with the movement. Therefore, the user can visually recognize a partial image (view image 26) at a desired position in the omnidirectional image of each frame constituting the moving image content by appropriately moving the HMD 110.

  FIG. 10C shows an example of the visual field image 26 of the moving image content. The view image 26 shown in this figure is the view image 26 of the moving image content corresponding to the thumbnail SN1 selected by the user. As described above, when the user selects the thumbnail SN1 by the line of sight while viewing the platform view image 26 shown in FIG. 10B, the platform view image 26 displayed on the display 112 is shown in FIG. The view image 26 of the moving image content shown in FIG. That is, the user can view the moving image content corresponding to this in the virtual space 2 by selecting the thumbnail SN1 by moving the line of sight in the virtual space 2.

  As described above, the user can select the moving image content desired to view in the virtual space 2 through the moving image content selection platform in the virtual space 2. Therefore, the user does not need to select the moving image content that the user wants to view in the virtual space 2 while visually recognizing another general display connected to the control circuit unit 200 in the real space before wearing the HMD 110. Thereby, a user's immersion feeling with respect to the virtual space 2 can be improved further.

  In addition, if the user performs a predetermined operation on the HMD system 100 (for example, through the controller 300) during reproduction of the moving image content, the control circuit unit 200 provides the user with the virtual space 2 in which the moving image content is reproduced. Then, again, the virtual space 2 in which the platform for selecting moving image contents is developed is provided to the user. Thus, the user can view other moving image content in the virtual space 2 by selecting another thumbnail. Since the user does not need to remove the HMD 110 when switching the moving image content that the user wants to view, the user's immersion in the virtual space 2 can be further enhanced.

(Composition of content)
An embodiment of a method for displaying advertisement content in a part of the display area for moving image content will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the combined content obtained by combining the moving image content and the advertising content SC1 is reproduced so that the content of the advertising content SC1 is displayed in the specified display area in the moving image content. In this specification, the display area is defined by information including at least a temporal position and a spatial position of moving image content. When video content is played back, predetermined frames are displayed continuously every specified time. The temporal position can be said to be information indicating which frame is displayed. The spatial position indicates a place in one frame. Further, in the present embodiment, the information indicating the viewing direction of the user used in the processing of the control circuit unit 200 such as the line-of-sight management unit 232 may be information indicating the direction of the line-of-sight direction N0, or information indicating the viewing direction. It may be.

  FIG. 11 shows a visual field image of a scene that displays the contents of the advertising content SC1 or SC2 among visual field images displayed by the visual field image generation unit 223 reproducing the composite content. That is, the visual field image generation unit 223 displays a visual field image obtained by combining the advertising content SC1 in the moving image content display area F1 in the scene C1 ′, and displays the advertising content SC2 in the moving picture content display area F2 in the scene C1 ″. In other words, the view field image generation unit 223 combines the moving image content and the advertising content SC1 so as to display the advertising content SC1 in the display area F1 in the scene C1 ′, and the scene. Processing for synthesizing the moving image content and the advertising content SC2 is performed so that the advertising content SC2 is displayed in the display area F2 in C1 ″. The advertisement contents SC1 and SC2 may be moving images or still images.

  By using the combination of the moving image content and the advertisement content as described above, the control circuit unit 200 can display the advertisement without impairing the user's immersive feeling. This is because the creator of the moving image content can create the moving image content in such a way as to place an object that is not unnatural even if an advertisement is displayed in the display area F1 and the display area F2. For example, in an indoor scene C <b> 1 ′, a television screen that is actually installed indoors may be an object for displaying an advertisement. And what is necessary is just to produce a content so that the said screen may be arrange | positioned in the display area F1. Thereby, the advertisement content SC1 can be displayed as if it is actually being broadcast on the television of the scene C1 '. Similarly, in the indoor scene C1 ″, the content may be created so that the screen of the smartphone terminal held by the person actually boarding the hand is located in the display area F2. The advertisement content SC2 can be displayed as it is actually displayed. In this way, by displaying the advertisement in a place that is not unnatural even if the advertisement in the video content is displayed, the advertisement can be displayed without impairing the user's immersive feeling. In addition, the spatial position and the temporal position of the display area F1 and the display area F2 are not specified in advance when creating the moving image content, and a place where it is not unnatural to display an advertisement when the advertisement content is synthesized is specified. You may synthesize. In addition, if the spatial position of the display area for displaying the advertisement is determined in advance, the creator of the video content only has to place something that is not unnatural even if the advertisement is displayed at the spatial position. The advertisement can be displayed without impairing the user's immersive feeling. Other examples of objects that are not unnatural even if advertisements are displayed include digital signage, posters, electronic bulletin boards, and the like. The display area may be set appropriately according to the scene, such as digital signage if it is outdoors or indoors in a large-scale facility.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing in which the control circuit unit 200 synthesizes the moving image content and the advertising content SC1. First, in S201, the communication unit 250 receives moving image content. The timing at which the communication unit 250 acquires the moving image content is not particularly limited. For example, the operation receiving unit 213 receives an operation instructing acquisition of the moving image content performed by the user using the controller 300, thereby acquiring the moving image content. May be. In addition, the communication unit 250 determines whether or not the video content not stored in the storage unit 240 is stored in the external device 400 at a predetermined time by referring to the external device 400, and the unstored video content May be obtained automatically.

  When the communication unit 250 acquires the moving image content, the communication unit 250 stores it in the storage unit 240. The content management unit 234 recognizes that new moving image content is stored in the storage unit 240. Next, in S202, the content management unit 234 acquires advertisement space information from the moving image content (advertisement space information acquisition step). The advertising space information includes information indicating the temporal position of the scene including the display area of the advertising content and the spatial position of the display area. The creator of the moving image content associates the advertising space information with the moving image content when creating the moving image content.

  In S203, the content management unit 234 synthesizes the moving image content and the advertising content SC1 based on the advertising space information (combined content generation step). For example, the process of pasting the image of the advertisement content SC1 on the image of the frame constituting the scene including the display area in the moving image content is performed. The size and shape of the advertising content may be appropriately adjusted based on the spatial position, the temporal position, and the size of the advertising space. For example, if the object on which the advertisement is displayed can be seen in the distance, the size of the advertisement content SC1 is reduced. If the object is visible from the oblique direction, the shape of the advertisement content SC1 is processed into a trapezoidal shape. Or you may. When combining is completed, the content management unit 234 stores the combined moving image content in the content storage unit 242. The procedure (reproduction step) in which the user selects and reproduces the moving image content stored in the content storage unit 242 is as described above.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the mode in which the moving image content and the advertisement content SC1 are synthesized in advance and stored in the content storage unit 242 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to such a mode. For example, when the visual field image generation unit 223 displays the moving image content on the HMD 110, the composite content may be combined by generating a visual field image so that the advertising content SC1 is superimposed on the default display area. .

  Moreover, although the form which the HMD system 100 synthesize | combines a synthetic | combination content was demonstrated in this embodiment, what was synthesize | combined with external apparatuses 400, such as a server, may be acquired by the HMD system 100. FIG.

(Gaze information collection)
Next, the relationship between the position of the advertisement content SC1 to be combined with the moving image content and the line-of-sight information collection section FE will be described. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining the relationship between the lattice and the position of the advertisement content. A lattice G is associated with the virtual space data generated when the control circuit unit 200 reproduces the moving image content. More specifically, the grid G is associated with the template data that is a part of the virtual space data.

  The line-of-sight information collection section FE is one of the sections formed by the lattice G, and is set at a predetermined location in the celestial sphere constituting the virtual space 2. The line-of-sight information collection section FE is assigned a function for determining whether or not the user's line of sight (view direction or line-of-sight direction N0) intersects the line-of-sight information collection section FE. More specifically, the line-of-sight information collection section FE is associated with template data for generating virtual space data. A line-of-sight information collection section FE is set in the virtual space 2 by generating virtual space data using the template data. If a virtual space is provided by arranging objects as in a game or the like, it is sufficient that the objects have a function of collecting line-of-sight information. Easy. However, in the case of moving image content that does not use an object, it is difficult to collect line-of-sight information. However, it is possible to collect line-of-sight information by providing a function for collecting line-of-sight information in a specified section as in this embodiment.

  Next, a flow of processing for collecting line-of-sight information using the line-of-sight information collection section FE will be described. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a flow of processing for collecting line-of-sight information. First, when reproduction of moving image content is started for the first time, in S301, the content management unit 234 determines whether it is time to display the advertisement content SC1. Specifically, the content management unit 234 refers to information indicating the temporal position in the advertisement space information, and compares the information with the temporal position of the moving image content being reproduced by the content management unit 234 to make the above-described determination. . If S301 is NO, that is, if it is not time for the advertisement content SC1 to be displayed, the determination in S301 is continued until S301 becomes YES. Note that the reproduction of the moving image content may be started by the user selecting the moving image content from the platform described above.

  When S301 is YES, in S302, the line-of-sight management unit 232 determines whether or not the user's line of sight intersects with the line-of-sight information collection section FE corresponding to the location displaying the advertisement content SC1. In the case of NO in S302, the determination of whether or not the line of sight intersects the line-of-sight information collection section FE is continued. In the case of YES in S302, in S303, the line-of-sight management unit 232 measures the time when the line of sight intersects the line-of-sight information collection section FE (line-of-sight information collection step). When the line of sight deviates from the line-of-sight information collection section FE, the line-of-sight management unit 232 finishes the measurement. When the measurement is finished, the line-of-sight management unit 232 collects the line-of-sight information to be measured when the time position at which the measurement is started, the time position at which the measurement is finished, and a plurality of line-of-sight information collection sections FE are set. The line-of-sight information is created by associating with the information indicating whether the section is FE. Further, the line-of-sight management unit 232 associates information indicating which advertising content SC1 is combined with the line-of-sight information at a corresponding position in the line-of-sight information collection section FE.

  In S <b> 304, the communication unit 250 transmits line-of-sight information to the external device 400. The administrator of the external device 400 can evaluate how much the line of sight is directed to which advertisement based on the line-of-sight information. Further, the degree of interest that the user has for the advertisement can be evaluated according to the content of the moving image content. For example, if the scene where the user saw the advertisement is a mountain scene in a moving image content, a scene that is excited, or the like, it can be evaluated that the user has shown a high interest in the advertisement. Further, for example, if the scene in which the user views the advertisement is a scene that is not a hill in the moving image content and a scene that is not raised, it can be evaluated that the interest that the user has shown in the advertisement is not high. A temporal position in the moving image content may be associated with information indicating the situation of the scene such as whether or not it is a hill. Analysis of the user's interest described above becomes easy. As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to efficiently grasp the effect of the advertisement displayed on the moving image content reproduced on the head mounted display.

  Note that the information indicating which advertising content SC1 has been combined with the line-of-sight information collection section FE is determined by the communication unit 250 at any timing after combining the moving image content and the advertising content SC1 in S203 described above. You may transmit to 400. Also, which advertising content SC1 is to be combined with which moving image content is managed by the external device 400, and the control circuit unit 200 may combine the content in accordance with an instruction from the external device 400. In this case, the line-of-sight information does not need to be associated with information indicating which advertisement content SC1 is combined with the corresponding position of the line-of-sight information collection section FE, and how much interest the user has in which advertisement the external device 400 has. Can be evaluated.

  In addition, the content management unit 234 associates a plurality of advertisement contents with the line-of-sight information collection section FE in the same place in S201 to S203 described above so that the advertisement contents displayed as time passes change. Video content and advertising content may be combined. In this case, the content management unit 234 may associate information indicating the advertising content corresponding to the temporal position of the video content being played back with the line-of-sight information. One gaze information collection section can be used to evaluate the degree of user interest in a plurality of advertisements. Information indicating which advertisement content is displayed at which time position may be stored in the external device 400. The line-of-sight information only needs to include the temporal position at which the line of sight intersects the line-of-sight information collection section FE. The external device 400 can evaluate how much line of sight is directed to which advertisement.

  In the above embodiment, the mode of collecting line-of-sight information using one line-of-sight information collection section FE in one video content has been described, but the present invention is not limited to such a form. For example, the template data having the line-of-sight information collection section FE may be commonly used for virtual space data when a plurality of moving image contents are reproduced. In other words, it is possible to combine the advertising content at the same spatial position in a plurality of moving image contents and collect the line-of-sight information using the line-of-sight information collection section FE. In the case of such a form, when creating a plurality of moving image contents, what is not unnatural may be positioned even if an advertisement is displayed at the same spatial position. There is no need to change the position of the line-of-sight information collection section for each video content. Therefore, even if there are a large number of moving image contents, the degree of user interest in the advertisement can be efficiently evaluated.

  A plurality of line-of-sight information collection sections FE may be set in one template data, and the size may be different for each line-of-sight information collection section FE. The information of the line-of-sight information collection section FE is provided to the creator of the moving image content, and the creator of the moving image content can appropriately select which line-of-sight information collection section FE and when the advertisement is displayed. Information indicating at which temporal position an advertisement is to be displayed in the line-of-sight information collection section FE at which spatial position may be associated with the moving image content as advertisement frame information.

  The size of the line-of-sight information collection section FE may be set as appropriate, but is larger than the display area F1 in both the vertical and horizontal directions, and from the difference in the vertical width between the line-of-sight information collection section FE and the display area F1. More preferably, the horizontal width difference is set to be small. Adjustment of the initial vertical direction in the virtual space 2 can be reduced. For example, when moving image content is shot with an omnidirectional camera, the initial direction (front) and the initial image in the virtual space are automatically determined based on the shooting direction of the omnidirectional camera. However, the degree of freedom of the spatial position of the target object for displaying the advertisement is limited by the target object and the shooting environment. Therefore, in order to superimpose the spatial position of the target object for displaying the advertisement on the line-of-sight information collection section FE, the initial direction may be edited when editing the moving image content. Here, when adjustment is performed to move the initial direction in the vertical direction, the ground where the user stands in the virtual space is inclined. This may cause the user to get drunk. However, if the vertical direction width of the line-of-sight information collection section FE is increased in advance, the necessity of adjusting the initial direction to the vertical direction can be reduced. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of more accurately evaluating whether or not the line of sight is directed toward the advertisement, it is more preferable that the difference in size between the line-of-sight information collection section FE and the display area F1 is small. Therefore, the difference in size between the line-of-sight information collection section FE and the display area F1 is reduced by making the width difference in the horizontal direction smaller than the width difference in the vertical direction between the line-of-sight information collection section FE and the display area F1. However, the necessity of adjusting the initial direction to the vertical direction can be reduced.

[Example of software implementation]
A control block (detection unit 210, display control unit 220, virtual space control unit 230, storage unit 240, and communication unit 250) of the control circuit unit 200 is a logic circuit (hardware) formed in an integrated circuit (IC chip) or the like. ) Or by software using a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

  In the latter case, the control block includes a CPU that executes instructions of a program that is software that realizes each function, a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a storage in which the program and various data are recorded so as to be readable by the computer (or CPU). An apparatus (these are referred to as “recording media”), a RAM (Random Access Memory) for expanding the program, and the like are provided. And the objective of this invention is achieved when a computer (or CPU) reads the said program from the said recording medium and runs it. As the recording medium, a “non-temporary tangible medium” such as a tape, a disk, a card, a semiconductor memory, a programmable logic circuit, or the like can be used. The program may be supplied to the computer via an arbitrary transmission medium (such as a communication network or a broadcast wave) that can transmit the program. The present invention can also be realized in the form of a data signal embedded in a carrier wave in which the program is embodied by electronic transmission.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[Additional Notes]
The contents according to one aspect of the present invention are listed as follows.

  (Item 1) A method for providing a virtual space to a user wearing a head-mounted display (hereinafter, HMD), the step of defining the virtual space, the moving image content reproduced in the virtual space, and the moving image content Generating a composite content by combining sub-contents displayed in a part of the display area, adapting the composite content to the virtual space, identifying the user's line of sight, and the line of sight A method for providing a virtual space, comprising: identifying a visual field area, and generating a visual field image corresponding to the visual field area of the composite content and outputting the visual field image to the HMD. When reproducing moving image content on a head-mounted display, other content such as advertisements can be displayed.

  (Item 2) The method according to item 1, wherein the moving image content and the sub-content are combined so that the sub-content is displayed in a predetermined section of the virtual space. The creator of the video content can identify the portion that is not unnatural even if the advertisement is displayed in the video displayed in the video content, so that the advertisement is displayed without impairing the user's immersive feeling. be able to.

  (Item 3) including a step of acquiring advertising space information indicating a spatial position and a temporal position of the section associated with the moving image content, and combining the moving image content and the sub-content based on the advertising space information The method of item 2. The creator of the video content can identify a spatial position and a temporal position that are not unnatural even if an advertisement is displayed in the video displayed in the video content, thereby impairing the user's immersive feeling. Ads can be displayed without

  (Item 4) The method according to item 2 or 3, further comprising a step of collecting line-of-sight information by determining whether or not the section and the line of sight intersect. By using the section, it is possible to evaluate the degree of user interest in the advertisement without using an object.

  (Item 5) A step of displaying a list of contents indicating the contents of a plurality of candidate moving image contents in conformity with the virtual space, and displaying the candidate moving image content selected by the user in the content list as the moving image And in the two or more candidate moving image contents included in the plurality of candidate moving image contents, when the moving image content is specified, the sub-contents are defined in the same spatial position. The method of item 4, which is synthesized so as to include a part of Even if there are a plurality of moving image contents, it is possible to efficiently evaluate the degree of user interest in the advertisement.

  (Item 5) A step of displaying a list of contents indicating the contents of a plurality of candidate moving image contents in conformity with the virtual space, and displaying the candidate moving image content selected by the user in the content list as the moving image And in the two or more candidate moving image contents included in the plurality of candidate moving image contents, when the moving image content is specified, the sub-contents are defined in the same spatial position. Item 5. The method according to Item 4, which is synthesized so as to include a part of

  (Item 6) In the line-of-sight information collection step, the horizontal width and the vertical width of the section are made larger than the horizontal width and the vertical width of the portion of the moving image content where the sub-content is combined. The method according to items 2 to 5, wherein the difference between the horizontal width of the section and the horizontal width of the section is smaller than the difference between the vertical width of the section and the vertical width of the section. The necessity to adjust the initial direction of the moving image content in the vertical direction can be reduced.

  (Item 7) A step of displaying a list of contents indicating the contents of a plurality of candidate moving image contents in conformity with the virtual space, and displaying the candidate moving image content selected by the user in the content list as the moving image The method of items 1-4, further comprising the step of identifying as content. The user can select desired video content from a plurality of video content.

  (Item 8) A program that causes a computer to execute each step of any one of items 1 to 7.

  (Item 9) A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to item 8 is recorded.

  1 virtual camera, 2 virtual space, 5 reference line of sight, 21 center, 22 virtual space image, 23 view area, 24 first area, 25 second area, 26 view image, 100 HMD system, 110 HMD, 112 display, 114 sensor 120 HMD sensor, 130 gaze sensor, 200 control circuit unit, 210 detection unit, 211 HMD detection unit, 212 gaze detection unit, 213 operation reception unit, 220 display control unit, 221 virtual camera control unit, 222 visual field region determination unit, 223 Visibility image generation unit, 230 Virtual space control unit, 231 Virtual space defining unit, 232 Gaze management unit, 233 Content specifying unit, 234 Content management unit, 240 Storage unit, 241 Model storage unit, 242 Content storage unit, 250 Communication unit , 300 controller, C1 ', C1 " , F1 display area, F2 display area, FE gaze information collection section, G grid, N0 gaze direction, N1 gaze point, SC1, SC2 advertising content

Claims (8)

A method of providing a virtual space to a user wearing a head mounted display (hereinafter, HMD),
Defining the virtual space;
Synthesizing the moving image content reproduced in the virtual space and the sub-content displayed in a part of the display area of the moving image content to generate a combined content;
Adapting the composite content to the virtual space;
Identifying the user's line of sight;
Identifying a field-of-view area based on the line of sight;
Among the synthesized content, it generates a field image corresponding to the viewing area, seen including the steps of: outputting to the HMD,
In the step of generating the synthesized content, the video content and the sub-content are synthesized so that the sub-content is displayed in a predetermined section of the virtual space at a predetermined temporal position . Method. A method of providing a virtual space to a user wearing a head mounted display (hereinafter, HMD),
Defining the virtual space;
Synthesizing the moving image content reproduced in the virtual space and the sub-content displayed in a part of the display area of the moving image content to generate a combined content;
Adapting the composite content to the virtual space;
Identifying the user's line of sight;
Identifying a field-of-view area based on the line of sight;
Generating a view image corresponding to the view area of the composite content, and outputting the view image to the HMD.
In the step of generating the composite content, the video content and the sub-content are combined so that the sub-content is displayed in a predetermined section of the virtual space,
Obtaining advertising space information indicating a spatial position and a temporal position of the section associated with the video content,
Wherein in the step of generating a synthesized content, synthesizing the said sub-content and the video content based on the inventory information, Methods. It said compartment, to determine whether said line of sight intersects further comprising collecting viewing information, the method according to claim 1 or 2. A step of displaying a content list that displays a list of information indicating the contents of a plurality of candidate video contents in conformity with the virtual space;
Identifying the candidate video content selected by the user in the content list as the video content,
In two or more candidate video contents included in the plurality of candidate video contents, the sub-contents are combined so as to include a part of the section at the same spatial position when specified as the video content. Item 4. The method according to Item 3 . The horizontal width and the vertical width of the section are larger than the horizontal width and the vertical width of the portion where the sub content in the moving image content is combined,
The difference between the horizontal width of the horizontal width and the position of the compartments, the difference is smaller than the vertical width of said portion vertical direction of the partition, any of the preceding claims 1 The method according to item. A step of displaying a content list that displays a list of information indicating the contents of a plurality of candidate video contents in conformity with the virtual space;
The method according to claim 1, further comprising: specifying the candidate video content selected by the user in the content list as the video content. The program which makes a computer perform each step of the method of providing the virtual space of any one of Claim 1 to 6 . A computer-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 7 is recorded.

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