JPH09200802A - Information presentation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system in which external appearance information viewing display objects such as articles in a desired direction as if the real object were in existence in front independently of location and time even when transportation of the display object is inconvenient or simultaneous observation by lots of persons is difficult or the like. SOLUTION: Image information generated by picking up a display object A in plural directions by cameras 12a to 12b is stored in a storage medium 10 corresponding to the image pickup direction. Based on relation between a face direction of an observer 2 and an image pickup direction of the display object A, information corresponding to the direction of the face of the observer 2 detected from stored image information is read. The read image information is displayed on display sections 21a, 21b mounted to a head of the observer 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information presentation system capable of presenting a display target as image information as if it were an actual object.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, there is a merchandise catalog that can provide merchandise information to customers in addition to actually seeing or touching an object in merchandise trading. Recently, a method of providing product information using a CD-ROM capable of storing a large amount of information has become popular. The product information provided includes knowledge information such as dimensions, specifications, prices, etc., and visual information such as product pictures taken from one direction and computer graphic images that move according to the program, making the product attractive. Advertising in an easy-to-understand manner has become a major issue.

Further, in the field of education, it is difficult to obtain objects for observing living things such as plants and small animals and various experiments, so classes are conducted using photographs and the like.

[0004]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As visual information in providing merchandise information, it is difficult to grasp the overall picture of merchandise because the merchandise photograph is difficult to grasp and the computer graphic image is not the actual image of merchandise. hard. Therefore, it is insufficient information for expensive products that are difficult to pick up and see, or for products that have a difficult image.

[0005] In addition, a lesson in the field of education such as photography was not so impressive to the students.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an information presentation system that can solve the above problems.

[0007]

The information presenting system of the present invention comprises means for detecting the orientation of the face of an observer, and image information generated by photographing a display target from a plurality of directions. The image recording means for storing in the storage medium in association with each other, the means for storing the correspondence between the face direction of the observer and the shooting direction of the display target, and the stored image information among the stored image information based on the correspondence. And a display unit for displaying the read image information corresponding to the orientation of the observer's face detected from the display unit on the display unit mounted on the observer's head. To do.

According to the configuration of the present invention, the image information of the display object photographed from the direction corresponding to the face orientation of the observer can be visually recognized according to the orientation of the face of the observer. As described above, it is possible to confirm the information such as the product to be displayed.

[0009]

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

The information presentation system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes an image recording device 1, a head-mounted display device (HMD) 3 mounted on the head of an observer 2, and a head motion sensor 4.
And a control device 6.

The recording apparatus 1 is composed of, for example, a magneto-optical disk device which stores information in a large-capacity storage medium 10 such as a magneto-optical disk. The stored information is image information generated by photographing the display target (a high-class vase in the illustrated example) A from a plurality of directions, and the photographing is performed by the photographing device 11 as illustrated, for example. . Here, the stored image information is not limited to a single type and may be a plurality of types. In the case of a plurality of types, the type of display image can be switched by a signal from the operation unit 44 described later. There is.

The photographing device 11 includes two cameras 12.
a and 12b, and a camera drive mechanism that changes the shooting directions of both cameras 12a and 12b. One of the two cameras 12a and 12b captures a left-eye image and the other captures a right-eye image. The camera drive mechanism includes a pedestal 13 on which the display target A is placed, an arc-shaped guide 14 attached to the pedestal 13, a moving body 15 and a light 16 attached to the guide 14, and the movement thereof. Body 1
Both cameras 12a and 12b are attached to the camera 5. The guide 14 is connected to a motor built in the gantry 13, and the motor is driven by an imaging control device built in the gantry 13 so that the guide 14 is orbitally driven around the vertical axis. The moving body 15 has a built-in pinion that meshes with the rack teeth 14a provided on the guide 14 and a drive motor for the pinion, and the motor is driven by the photographing control device to reciprocate along the guide 14. It By driving the guide 14 and the moving body 15, both cameras 12 a, 1
2b moves along a hemisphere centered on the display target A, and outputs image signals obtained by shooting the display target A from a plurality of directions to the recording device 1 via the shooting control device. In addition, for example, the rotation detection encoder of each motor, the position detection sensor of the guide 14 and the moving body 15, both cameras 12a, 12a.
Means for outputting a signal corresponding to the shooting direction of b to the recording device 1 via the shooting control device is provided. As a result, the recording device 1 individually stores the image signals output from the cameras 12a and 12b in the storage medium 10 as image information in association with the shooting direction.

The head-mounted display device 3 displays image information in the visual field range of an observer, and a pair of left and right display portions 21a and 21b and a holding portion 22 that holds both display portions 21a and 21b. Have and.

The holder 22 can be mounted on the head of the observer 2 by, for example, forming a helmet or a band, so that both display portions 21a and 21b are fixed relative to the observer's 2 visual field. Is positioned at the position. The head of the observer 2 is not limited to the crown, but refers to a portion above the neck including the face.

As shown in FIG. 3, the respective display portions 21a, 21
b is a display element 2 such as a CRT or a liquid crystal display panel.
6a and 26b, display control devices 27a and 27b for the display elements 26a and 26b, and an optical system. The display control devices 27a and 27b send the image signals sent from the control device 6 to the display elements 26a and 26b, respectively.
An image corresponding to the image signal is displayed on a and 26b. Each optical system includes a lens system 29a, 29b, a mirror 30a,
30b, 1st combiners 31a and 31b, and 2nd combiners 32a and 32b. Each display element 26a,
The display light of the image displayed by 26b is the lens system 29.
a, 29b, reflected by the mirrors 30a, 30b and the first combiners 31a, 31b, reflected by the second combiners 32a, 32b and focused, transmitted through the first combiners 31a, 31b, and observed by the eye of the observer 2. Be led to. Further, the visor 35 is attached to the holding portion 22 so as to be vertically movable in front of the second combiners 32a and 32b. By displacing the visor 35 upward, the observer 2 can move not only the captured image but also the combiner 31a,
An actual object in the front field of view can be visually recognized through 31b, 32a, and 32b, and only the captured image can be visually recognized by displacing the visor 35 downward.

The head motion sensor 4 detects the orientation of the face of the observer 2 from the movement of the head of the observer 2. The head motion sensor 4 is a known one, for example, one that outputs a detection signal of its own three-dimensional position autonomously without interaction with the outside using a gyro device or an acceleration sensor, or is attached to the holding portion 22. And a means for generating a magnetic field around the coil, which outputs a signal corresponding to a change in current caused by the movement of the coil in the magnetic field, and an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver. Attach the transmitter to the fixed side using
It is possible to use a device in which a receiver is attached to 2 and a signal is output according to a change in the arrival time of the ultrasonic wave from the transmitter to the receiver due to the movement of the receiver.

The control device 6 has a computer 40, and in the computer 40, a reproducing device 41 of the image information stored in the storage medium 10 and a sensor data processing device 42 serving as an interface with the head motion sensor 4. The left-eye image controller 43a, the right-eye image controller 43b, and the operation unit 44 are connected to each other.

The computer 40 has a central processing unit and a storage device, stores a program including a correspondence relationship between the orientation of the face of the observer 2 and the shooting direction of the display object A, and the reproducing device according to the program. 41 and the head-mounted display device 3 are controlled. That is, the sensor data processing device 4
When a signal corresponding to the face orientation of the observer 2 is input via the head motion sensor 4 via 2, the reproduction device 41 reads out the image information corresponding to the face orientation from the storage medium 10. The read left-eye camera 1
Image information from the left-eye controller 43a is sent to the left-eye display unit 21a, and image information from the right-eye camera 12a is sent from the right-eye controller 43b to the right-eye display unit 21b. Thereby, the observer 2 can stereoscopically view the image information of the display target A captured from the direction corresponding to the direction of his or her face. When a switching signal is input from the operation unit 44, the computer 40 causes the playback device 41 to operate.
The type of image to be reproduced from the storage medium 10 is switched by.

Further, in this embodiment, the computer 40
Stores the character information corresponding to each display object A and sends the character information to the head-mounted display device 3 together with the image information read from the storage medium 10. Thereby, for example, when the observer 2 faces the front as shown in (1) of FIG. 4, the observer 2 views an image when the display target A is seen from the front as shown in (2) of FIG. The information A ′ and the character information B can be visually recognized, and when the observer 2 faces downward as shown in (1) of FIG. 5, the observer 2 displays the display target as shown in (2) of FIG. A
The image information A ″ and the character information B when viewed from above can be visually recognized.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the type of image to be displayed is not particularly limited,
It may be an educational image for observing plants. Also,
It is used to perform various simulations as if you were actually riding a water bike by allowing the observer to see the actual object in the front view and the display image, for example, the image of the actual water bike and the image of the sea surface. Good. Although a magneto-optical disk is used as the storage medium 10 in the above-described embodiment, the type thereof is not particularly limited as long as the function can be secured, and for example, PD or DV.
D or the like can be used. Further, the present system may be provided with a zoom function so that an image in an arbitrary shooting direction can be zoomed up or down depending on the operation of the operation unit or the position of the face of the observer 2. In the above-described embodiment, the camera moves along the hemispherical surface to photograph the display target, but it may move on the entire globe centering on the display target or photograph only from a specific direction. In the above-described embodiment, the display target is photographed by two cameras, but the camera to be used may be one, and the images may be photographed separately for the right-eye image and the left-eye image, or the images may be displayed stereoscopically. There may be a single image for both eyes if not required. Further, when displaying an image three-dimensionally, two image recording devices, a storage medium, and a reproducing device may be prepared for the left eye and the right eye. Further, instead of the storage medium and the image reproducing device, the recording device is connected to the computer through the interface,
By storing the image information in the image memory built into the computer in association with the shooting direction, and changing the shooting direction of the display target according to the signal from the head motion sensor,
The image information may be sent to the display unit almost at the same time as the shooting.

[0021]

According to the information presenting system of the present invention, even if it is inconvenient to carry a display target or it is difficult to observe a large number of people at the same time, it is possible to select a place and time.
It is possible to allow the observer to visually recognize the appearance information when a display target such as a product is viewed from a desired direction, as if the real object is in front.

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In the information presenting system of the present invention, the stored image information consists of right-eye image information and left-eye image information, and the display means visually recognizes the right-eye image information. It is preferable that the left eye image information is visually recognized by the observer. As a result, the observer can visually recognize the display target image in three dimensions, and can visually recognize the display image with a feeling closer to that of the actual object.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an information presentation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the information presentation system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration explanatory view of a head-mounted display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a side view of an observer facing the front, and FIG. 4B is a view showing a display example by an information presentation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a side view of an observer facing downward, and FIG. 5B is a diagram showing a display example by an information presentation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Image Recording Device 2 Observer 3 Head Mounted Display Device 10 Storage Medium 40 Computer 41 Playback Device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A means for detecting the orientation of a face of an observer, and an image recording means for storing image information generated by photographing a display target from a plurality of directions in a storage medium in association with the photographing directions. And a means for storing the correspondence between the orientation of the observer's face and the shooting direction of the display target, and corresponding to the orientation of the observer's face detected from the stored image information based on the correspondence. An information presenting system comprising: a means for reading what is read and a display means for displaying the read image information on a display unit mounted on the head of an observer.