KR20010087256A - System for providing clients with a three dimensional virtual reality - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A system for providing contents space is provided to search for information with the help of other users connected to an identical site while a page of a site that provides only 2-dimensional contents is displayed internally. CONSTITUTION: A contents space server system(100) is comprised of a main manager(110), a 2-D/3-D transfer request data analyzer(120), a user location information extractor(130), a space session manager(140), a space information manager(150), an avatar manager(160), a database system(170), and a chatting system(180). The 2-D/3-D transfer request data analyzer(120) analyzes data received from a client' browser, judges whether the data are 2-D/3-D transfer request data, and transmits the data to the main manager(110). The user location information extractor(130) extracts the user's client IP information and the URL of a previous site from the 2-D/3-D transfer request data transmitted from the main manager(110). The space session manager(140) has a contents space creation function, a contents space session opening/allocation/ending function, and a function to manage the number of persons to be admitted. The space information manager(150) manages contents space information. The avatar manager(160) manages the generation, deletion and modification of an avatar according to each user's input. The database system(170) stores the processing data of the managers(140-160). The chatting system(180) forms a chatting channel between users who participates in contents space and provides communication means to them.

Description

SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING CLIENTS WITH A THREE DIMENSIONAL VIRTUAL REALITY}

The present invention relates to a system for providing a three-dimensional cyber space, and in particular, even when a web page of a web site composed of two-dimensional content is displayed therein, it is possible to communicate with other users accessing the same site and viewing the same page. A system for providing a three-dimensional cyber space.

Recently, with the rapid development of the Internet technology, it is possible to search for information in a three-dimensional environment. In particular, the present invention invented the "two-dimensional and three-dimensional combined web browsing system" (Application No. 10-2000-5901, application date February 9, 2000) or "Information retrieval method based on communication between users and New Internet technologies such as "System" (Application No. 10-2000-9580, filed February 26, 2000) have made information retrieval easier in three-dimensional environments.

In the systems of the present inventions, an avatar controlled by a navigation controller is used to move through a three-dimensional cyber space, obtain desired information through a dialogue with another avatar, and pass through a content gate. When the avatar passes through the content gate, the avatar accesses the site linked to the content gate, and the content of the site is displayed on the screen. That is, if the browser detects an event that the position coordinate of the avatar enters the content gate definition area (content tag) while monitoring the position of the avatar, the server notifies the server of the event occurrence. This is because the position coordinates of the avatar in the content tag mean that the avatar passes through the content gate. The server translates the domain name of the corresponding content tag according to the event signal and transmits it to the browser that sent the event signal. The browser accesses the site corresponding to the domain name data received from the server and displays the content of the site on the screen. Currently, there are many sites composed of two-dimensional contents as well as sites composed of three-dimensional contents on the Internet. Therefore, when surfing a 3D cyber space using an avatar and passing a content gate linked to a site composed of 2D content, the browser accesses the site of the 2D content and displays the 2D content of the site on the 2D browser screen. Indicated by. If you look at the 2D content displayed on the 2D browser screen and click on the navigation controller (or click on the 3D content display area provided with the 2D content display area), the browser will surf the 3D cyberspace previously Reconnect to the site that provides the 3D content of this site on the 3D browser screen.

However, when surfing the 3D cyber space and passing the content gate linked to the site composed of the 2D content, the 2D content of the site is displayed on the screen, and the user who has been surfing in the 3D environment so far passes the content gate. After that, you surf to the two-dimensional browser screen. Therefore, after a user who is searching for information while helping others in a 3D cyber space accesses a site of 2D content through a content gate, only the 2D content of the site is displayed on the user's screen. Communication with other users depends entirely on the services of the site to which you are connected. That is, it is inconvenient to search for information based only on very limited communication means or two-dimensional contents provided by the connected site.

On the other hand, given that visitors to the same site are more likely to search for information with a common interest or purpose, getting help from other users visiting the same site will help them get the information they want quickly. Can be. In this regard, it is desirable to provide a means for obtaining assistance by requesting help from other users who are accessing the site when visiting a site providing two-dimensional content immediately after accessing the Internet.

Therefore, there is a need for internet technology that provides a three-dimensional cyber space in which not only pages of a two-dimensional content providing site are displayed therein but also can be assisted by other users who visit the site.

The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention can be retrieved with the help of other users who are accessing the same site while the page of the site is provided only two-dimensional content is displayed inside 3 Its purpose is to provide a system that provides dimensional cyberspace.

In addition, the present invention provides a system for providing a three-dimensional cyber space that can communicate with other users who are accessing the same site using the avatar while the information on the site provided with only the two-dimensional content is displayed.

In addition, the present invention, the three-dimensional cyber space provided by the present invention defines the number of avatars that can be accommodated, and when the number of avatar generation reaches a defined value, the avatars created after that are the same as the three-dimensional cyber space Provided is a system accommodated in the generated second three-dimensional cyberspace.

The present invention also provides a system for forming the three-dimensional cyber space into a hexahedron and displaying two-dimensional content of a connected site on one side of the hexahedron.

According to one aspect of the invention, in the system for providing a three-dimensional cyber space on a network,

When receiving a three-dimensional conversion request from a user connected to a site that is provided with only two-dimensional information, a server system for providing the user with a three-dimensional cyber space in which the page screen of the site is posted at any place,

The server system is a means for communicating information between a plurality of users connected to the three-dimensional cyber space

Provided is a three-dimensional cyber space providing system comprising a.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in the server system for providing a three-dimensional cyber space on a network,

In response to a 3D conversion request received from a user accessing a site where only two-dimensional information is provided, a three-dimensional cyber space in which a page of the site is captured to obtain an image, and then the image is posted in an arbitrary place in the interior. Means for forming a;

Means for allocating a session to which the user can access the formed three-dimensional cyber space so that the user enters the three-dimensional cyber space;

Means for the user entering the three-dimensional cyberspace to move and act as an avatar; And

Means for exchanging information with a plurality of users connected to the three-dimensional cyber space

Provided is a three-dimensional cyber space providing server system.

Still other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood from the following description. Further advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a functional block diagram of an entire system including a three-dimensional cyber space providing system according to the present invention.

2A and 2B are flow charts showing step by step processing performed in a three-dimensional cyber space providing system according to the present invention.

3A to 3C are screen examples illustrating a process in which a user's avatar enters a three-dimensional cyber space provided by a three-dimensional cyber space providing system according to the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of using a three-dimensional cyber space provided by a three-dimensional cyber space providing system according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: 3D cyber space providing system (content space server system)

110: State Manager

120: 2D / 3D conversion request data analyzer

130: user location information extractor

140: space session manager

150: space information manager

160: avatar manager

170: database system

180: chat system

200: Client A

300: client B

210, 310: 2D / 3D web browser

400: server A

410: metadata provider

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 is a block diagram showing the components of an entire system including a system for providing a three-dimensional cyber space according to the present invention, a server system for providing a three-dimensional cyber space (hereinafter referred to as a content space) according to the present invention. 100, clients 200, 300, and server 400 for providing two-dimensional content are shown.

The browsers 210 and 310 of the clients 200 and 300 are preferably the two-dimensional and three-dimensional combined web browsers described above, but may be equivalents having the same function. Each client's browser has a user interface such as a 2D / 3D switch window, a 2D / 3D switch button, a navigation controller, a chat window, and a user ID display window, while processing a user input input through the interface. It has a built in handler. Such processors include a 2D / 3D switch input detector, a content tag event detector, a projection angle determining means, a browser common control engine, and the like. The 2D / 3D switch input detector includes a 2D / 3D switch button. Click to detect the selection of an item corresponding to the 2D / 3D switch button on the toolbar, or when the 2D / 3D switch input is detected, the user's ID, client IP, and the URL of the site where the user is located before the switchover. And a 2D / 3D switch request data packet including a packet and the like. The content tag event detector has a function of detecting the avatar passing through the content gate and notifying the server. Since the spatial information is managed based on the location coordinates, if the area of the content gate is set to a range of specific coordinates, that is, the content tag, the content gate passing event can be detected by monitoring whether the avatar's location coordinates are in the content tag. . That is, the content tag event detector detects the content tag event and transmits a content tag event detection signal to the server. The projection angle determining means transmits the calculated value of the angle between the avatar's position and the inner surface of the content space to the server so that the inner surface of the content space seen by the user can be viewed at a different angle according to the position of the avatar. The browser common control engine determines whether the data provided from the connected server is two-dimensional information or three-dimensional information, and operates the two-dimensional browser engine or the three-dimensional browser engine according to the determination result. The above-described user interface and other components are described in detail in the "two-dimensional and three-dimensional combined web browsing system" (Application No. 10-2000-5901), and the detailed description thereof is omitted here.

Server A 400 is a server providing only two-dimensional content, and includes a metadata provider 410 for transmitting metadata to a client's browser before transmitting content data. The metadata provider 410 provides metadata to the client's browser so that the client's browser can determine whether the content of the server is two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Server A is shown to help understand the overall system of the present invention with reference to the drawings, and is understood to correspond to a server of a two-dimensional content providing site linked to a content gate or a two-dimensional content providing site to which the user is surfing. shall.

The function of each component of the content space server system 100 that provides the content space will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the content space server system 100 includes a main manager 110, a 2D / 3D switch request data analyzer 120, a user location information extractor 130, a space session manager 140, A space information manager 150, an avatar manager 160, a database system 170, and a chat system 180. The 2D / 3D switch request data analyzer 120 analyzes the data received from the client's browser to determine whether the 2D / 3D switch request data is the data required for the 2D / 3D switch request data. Transfer to the manager 110. The user location information extractor 130 extracts the client IP information of the user and the URL of the site where the user is located before the conversion from the 2D / 3D conversion request data transmitted from the main manager 110. Space session manager 140 has three functions. The ability to create content spaces, create and allocate content space sessions, terminate sessions, and manage session capacity. The space session manager 140 captures the page screen of the site to which the user is connected and obtains the screen image. The content space is formed in a hexahedral room, and one side of the content space arranges the captured image. Optionally, on the other side, an exit to exit the content space can be arranged. The exit has a function similar to that of the content gate. When the avatar passes through the exit, the exit moves to a site linked to the exit. The data processing transmitted and received by detecting an event passing through the exit can be performed in the same manner as the processing of the content gate. In addition, the space session manager 140 checks whether the content space session is established with respect to the URL obtained by the user location information extractor 130 analyzing the 2D / 3D conversion request data. If a content space session is not established, a content space is created and a content space session is established at the URL and assigned to the user. If a content space session is allocated, the user is assigned a session for that content space. At this time, if the new user exceeds the session capacity, a new content space is created for the same URL, and a session for the newly created content space is created and assigned to this user. Considering the area of the content space or communication with other users, it is desirable to set an appropriate number of session capacity. This is because when the number of avatars displayed in the content space is too large, traffic jams occur in the content space, and thus it is difficult to ensure smooth communication. Therefore, if the capacity of the content space is set to 20, for example, a new content space is provided to the 21st user who connects. The space information manager 150 manages space information of the content space. In order to provide the background displayed in the content space to all users who access the content space, for example, when the background is changed according to the movement or movement of the avatar. The avatar manager 160 manages generation, deletion, and change of an avatar in the content space according to the input of each user. The database system 170 stores processing data of the above-described administrators, for example, for each user or for each session. The chat system 180 forms a chat channel between users participating in the content space to provide a means of communication to the users. The chat system 180 is an example of a means for communication between users, and may use a conventional chat system. Preferably, as the present chat system 180, information between users is used in combination with a conventional chat system by using "information retrieval method and system based on communication between users" (Application No. 10-2000-9580). AC can be made easier.

A process of providing a content space to a user using the above-described components of the system will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. 2A and 2B are flowcharts showing step by step processing performed in the three-dimensional cyber space providing system according to the present invention.

Under the control of the main administrator of the content space server, the 2D / 3D switch request data analyzer analyzes whether the data received from the client's browser is data requiring 2D / 3D switch (step S101). If the 2D / 3D switch request data, the main manager sends the 2D / 3D switch request data to the user location information extractor and the user location information extractor sends the user from the 2D / 3D switch request data received from the main manager. IP, URL of the current site, etc. are extracted (step S103). Next, the space session manager checks whether the content space session is established with respect to the URL extracted by the user location information extractor analyzing the 2D / 3D switch request data (step S105). If a content space session is not established, a content space in the form of a room is created with an image capturing the pages of the site to which the user is connected, and then a content space session is established at the URL. (Step S107a). If the content space session is established, the session for the content space is allocated to the user (step S107b). At this time, it is checked whether the new user exceeds the session capacity (step S109). If the session capacity is exceeded due to the connection of a new user, a new content space is created for the same URL, and a session for the newly created content space is opened and assigned to this user (step S111). The avatar manager confirms whether the user is a registered user based on the user's IP extracted from the 2D / 3D switch request data (step S113). If the user is a registered user, a registered avatar is created in the content space (step S115a). If the user is not registered, an avatar to represent itself in the content space can be generated through a new registration (step S115b). Next, under the control of the main administrator, the chat system forms a channel between users in the same content space so that users send and receive a conversation message (step S117). If a new 2D / 3D switch request data is received from the client or a signal of clicking the exit of the content space is received (step S119), the client reconnects to the site of the URL extracted from the previously received data, that is, the previous site. And log out of the content space. In this case, the space session manager terminates the user's session, and the avatar manager removes the user's avatar from the content space (step S121).

A process of navigating a content space by a user connected to the system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The user moves through the 3D cyber space using the avatar (step S201). You can also ask other users for help to get the information you want. If the desired information is at the site of the two-dimensional content linked to the content gate, the user adjusts the avatar to access the site by passing through the content gate (step S203). The user looks at a screen on which two-dimensional content of the site is displayed in order to search for desired information (step S205). If the help of another user who is looking at the same screen is needed, the user clicks the 2D / 3D switching button of the browser (step S207). In response to the user's input of the 3D switch request, the user enters the content space provided from the server (step S209). If the user is registered when entering the content space, the registered ID and avatar are displayed. If the user is not registered, the ID and avatar are newly registered. The user can see the two-dimensional content previously viewed in the content space. At the same time, the user communicates with another user using the avatar (step S211). When the user clicks on the 2D / 3D switch button or the exit in the content space, the user is returned to the site of the previously connected 2D content (step S213).

3A to 3C are screen examples illustrating a process in which a user's avatar enters a content space provided by a 3D cyber space providing system according to the present invention. 3A illustrates an example of a screen in which a user moves to a 3D cyber space using an avatar and arrives in front of a content gate with the help of another user. As shown, the content gate has an index indicating which site is linked. When the avatar passes through the content gate, the content of the site linked to the content gate is displayed on the screen. When the site is made of 2D content, the 2D content screen is displayed as shown in FIG. 3B. At this time, when the user clicks the 2D / 3D switch button, the content space in which the screen of the site is displayed on one side is displayed on the user's screen. According to the present invention, since the user viewing the same screen enters the same content space, another user viewing the same screen as the previous two-dimensional content is displayed together in the content space displayed on the screen. Users in the same content space can get the information they want through chat.

In the embodiments described so far, there are two cases in which a content space can be created: one in a three-dimensional cyber space where an avatar passes through a content gate that is linked to a site consisting of two-dimensional content. The other case is the case where the user is connected to a site composed of two-dimensional contents from the beginning. However, the scope of application of the content space is not limited thereto. For example, when a site of two-dimensional content passes through a linked content gate using an avatar, in the above-described embodiment, two-dimensional content is displayed on a two-dimensional browser screen, but information is maintained while maintaining a three-dimensional environment. You can also create a content space at the same time as it passes through the content gate for searching. In this embodiment, which enters the content space immediately after passing through the content gate, when the user's avatar passes through the content gate, the browser sends a content tag event detection signal to the content space server system, and the content space server system sends the content tag event. Upon receiving the detection signal, processing for generating a content space is performed. In addition, when the user clicks on the exit or clicks the 2D / 3D switch button to exit the content space, a corresponding signal is transmitted to the server, and the server includes a content gate when the user's avatar has passed through the exit. If the user clicks on the 2D / 3D switch button, the content space is logged out. At the same time, the user's browser switches to the 2D browser screen for display. In particular, it is different from the above-described embodiment, in which the content space providing server of the present embodiment receives two-dimensional content by receiving metadata from a server of a site linked to a content gate before generating the content space. After determining whether to provide the content, if the site provides the two-dimensional content, it performs the processing of posting the captured image of the homepage of the site in the content space, and a signal that detects that the avatar has passed through the exit. When the user receives a signal, the user exits the content space and accesses a site that provides a previous three-dimensional cyber space including a content gate. When the user receives a signal that clicks the 2D / 3D switch button, the user exits the content space and simultaneously exits the content space. In the browser will start the two-dimensional browser engine It is that it performs the processing. Other than that is performed in the same process as the above-described embodiment.

As described above, according to the present invention, even when accessing a site providing two-dimensional content, various benefits of three-dimensional cyber space can be enjoyed. In addition, since it is possible to talk with other users who visited the same page of the same site, there is an advantage that users with similar interests or purposes can meet on the cyber space to exchange or share useful information.

The specific embodiments made in the detailed description of the invention are intended to clarify the technical contents of the present invention to the last, and should not be interpreted in consultation with only such examples, but the spirit of the present invention and the claims described below Various changes can be made within the range.

Claims (6)

In the system for providing a three-dimensional cyber space on a network, When receiving a three-dimensional conversion request from a user connected to a site that is provided with only two-dimensional information, a server system for providing the user with a three-dimensional cyber space in which the page screen of the site is posted at any place, The server system comprises a means for a plurality of users connected to the three-dimensional cyber space to exchange information with each other. The method of claim 1, An image capturing a page screen of the site is posted on any one wall of the three-dimensional cyber space. The method of claim 1, The server system limits the number of users that the three-dimensional cyber space can accommodate, When receiving a three-dimensional conversion request from the user of the capacity or more, the remaining users other than the capacity of the user to provide a second three-dimensional cyber space having the same form as the three-dimensional cyber space, characterized in that 3D cyber space providing system. The method of claim 1, The user is a three-dimensional cyber space providing system, characterized in that represented by the avatar in the three-dimensional cyber space. In the server system that provides a three-dimensional cyber space on the network, In response to a 3D conversion request received from a user accessing a site where only two-dimensional information is provided, a three-dimensional cyber space in which a page of the site is captured to obtain an image, and then the image is posted in an arbitrary place in the interior. Means for forming a; Means for allocating a session to which the user can access the formed three-dimensional cyber space so that the user enters the three-dimensional cyber space; Means for the user entering the three-dimensional cyberspace to move and act as an avatar; And Means for exchanging information with a plurality of users connected to the three-dimensional cyber space 3D cyber space providing server system comprising a. The method of claim 5, To limit the number of users that the three-dimensional cyber space can accommodate, Upon receiving a three-dimensional conversion request from the users of the capacity or more, the remaining users other than the capacity of the user means for forming a second three-dimensional cyber space having the same form as the three-dimensional cyber space 3D cyber space providing server system further comprising.