JP2000172740A - Design supporting system with viewpoint information display function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a user from losing his position when moving in virtual space, to reduce time to go to a viewpoint where an examination is desired to be performed in the virtual space and to perform design examination while grasping the scale feeling of an examination object. SOLUTION: This system has a virtual space displaying means 1, a plan view displaying means 2 that corresponds to virtual space, a viewpoint information displaying means 4 which overlaps the viewpoint information of the virtual space on a plan view and shows it, an operating means 7 which designates a position on the plan view and performs a coordinates input, a viewpoint information setting means 6 which sets the viewpoint information of the virtual space and an editing means 5 which edits the virtual space. It is also provided with a means 9 which changes the angle of visibility of the virtual space.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a design support system with a viewpoint information display function for performing design support utilizing virtual reality technology.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when designing a property such as a building,
In the case of using paper, design support was provided using drawings and perspectives. In the case of using a computer,
In general, CAD systems have become widespread. However, users who cannot read the drawings cannot perform design studies and cannot participate in the designs. As a system for solving the problem, there has been proposed a device which constructs a virtual space that does not actually exist on a computer so that a non-expert user can participate in a design operation (Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-192066).

[0003]

However, in the conventional apparatus, when performing a walk-through in a virtual space, it is difficult to determine where the examiner is at the present time. The problem was that it took a very long time to get to the viewpoint.

An object of the present invention is to allow a user who is experiencing a virtual space not only to grasp the current position in real time, but also to set and input a viewpoint to be examined.
An object of the present invention is to provide a design support system with a viewpoint information display function capable of displaying a virtual space in real time from an arbitrary viewpoint. Further, the present invention provides a design support system that has a function of changing the viewing angle and enables the examiner to examine the design while grasping the sense of scale.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, to solve the above problems, as shown in FIG.
First display means 1 for displaying a virtual space in real time, second display means 2 for displaying a plan view or a bird's-eye view corresponding to the virtual space in real time, and display by the first display means 1. The viewpoint information display means 4 for displaying the viewpoint information of the virtual space on the plan view or the bird's-eye view displayed by the second display means 2 and the position on the plan view or the bird's-eye view displayed by the second display means 2 An operation unit 7 having at least a function of designating and inputting coordinates, a viewpoint information setting unit 6 for setting viewpoint information of a virtual space using information input by the operation unit 7, and information input by the operation unit 7 And an editing means 5 for editing the virtual space displayed by the first display means 1 by using
According to the invention of claim 2, in addition to the above configuration,
It is characterized in that a means 9 for changing the viewing angle of the virtual space displayed by the first display means 1 is provided.
Note that the plan view or the bird's-eye view means a view viewed from above, and includes a view obliquely from above as long as the object of the present invention can be solved.

[0006]

FIG. 2 shows an example of an outline of a screen display of the system of the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a virtual space display unit, 12 is an operation button group for a user to walk through in the virtual space, 13 is a viewing angle change operation unit, 14 is a plan view display unit, and 15 is a mouse function setting Button. The virtual space display unit 11 displays the building A and the passage B, and the plan view display unit 14 also displays the building A and the passage B. The mark P on the plan view display unit 14 indicates the viewpoint position of the user, and the arrow C indicates the direction of the gazing point of the user. A solid line R indicates the right end of the visual field, and a solid line L indicates the left end of the visual field. The solid lines R and L express the viewing angle.

The viewing angle changing operation unit 13 indicates that the current viewing angle is equivalent to the viewing angle of a standard lens having a focal length of 35 mm. When the wide-angle lens expression is selected by shortening the focal length by operating the viewing angle changing operation unit 13 with a mouse, the angle between the solid lines R and L of the plan view display unit 14 increases, and the virtual space display unit 11 Is displayed as viewed from a human viewing angle (about 150 to 160 degrees for an adult). When the telephoto lens expression is selected by increasing the focal length, the angle formed by the solid lines R and L in the plan view display unit 14 becomes small, and the virtual space display unit 11 looks like a telephoto lens expressing perspective. Display. Thus, the design can be examined while grasping the scale of the object to be examined.

Next, as one means for changing the viewpoint position, there is a means for operating the operation button group 12 to allow the user to walk through the front, rear, left and right in the virtual space. In the conventional device, when the user walks through in the virtual space, there is a problem that the examiner himself is lost because he cannot know where he is now. When the user moves in the virtual space, the user's viewpoint position P displayed on the plan view display unit 14 also moves on the plan view at the same time, so that the user does not get lost.

Although the viewpoint position display function alone greatly improves the usability as compared with the conventional apparatus, the system of the present invention further includes another means for changing the viewpoint position on the plan view display unit 14. Also, a viewpoint position setting function for instantly moving the viewpoint position by inputting the viewpoint position is added. To explain this function, first, the mouse mode is switched from the parts editing mode to the viewpoint editing mode by the mouse function setting button 15. In order to switch the mouse mode, the part of the setting button 15 indicated by a white circle is clicked with a mouse cursor so that a small black circle is displayed in the white circle. In the example shown, the part edit mode is selected,
This is switched to the viewpoint edit mode. (Note that the part edit mode is a mode for editing a part in a virtual space on a plan view. For example, in the illustrated example,
This mode is used when removing the stairs displayed in the virtual space or moving the position. UndoMov
A button displayed as e or UndoDelete is a button used to restore a moved part or a removed part. )

The viewpoint editing mode is used to change the viewpoint position. When this mode is selected and an arbitrary point on the plan view display unit 14 is clicked with a mouse cursor, the viewpoint editing mode is changed. P instantly moves to the position of the mouse cursor. This function of instantly moving the viewpoint position is particularly useful when moving a long distance in a virtual space. An operation unit for up and down scrolling is provided on the right side of the plan view display unit 14, and an operation unit for left and right scroll is provided on the bottom side. For example, by scrolling the plan view upward from the state shown in the drawing, the exit of the passage If the display state is set and the viewpoint position P is set near the exit of the passage B, the virtual space viewed from the opposite side of the passage B can be instantaneously displayed. By providing the viewpoint position setting function, it is possible to solve a problem that it takes a long time for a user to perform a walk-through in a virtual space with a conventional device.

Next, in order to change the user's gazing point direction, there is a means in which the user changes the direction in the virtual space by operating the operation button group 12. As another means, there is also a means of dragging the tip of the arrow C of the plan view display unit 14 with a mouse. Thereby, the image of the virtual space displayed on the virtual space display unit 11 rotates (scrolls left and right), and the arrow C of the plan view display unit 14
, And the directions of the viewing angle display lines R and L are simultaneously rotated. In the conventional device, when the user changes the direction in the virtual space, it may not be possible to know which direction in the virtual space the user is looking at, but in the system of the present invention,
By referring to the direction of the arrow C on the plan view display unit 14, it is possible to easily grasp which direction the user is looking. Since the scale (0 to 30 m in the illustrated example) is displayed on the plan view display section 14, the size can be easily grasped.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a functional block diagram of a software configuration for displaying the viewpoint information of the virtual space display unit 11 on the plan view display unit 14 in real time. The display means of the present system includes a first drawing program for displaying a virtual space on the virtual space display section 11 of the monitor screen and a second drawing program for displaying a plan view on the plan view display section 14. I have. The first drawing program uses the current viewpoint information to display the virtual space,
It has information such as viewpoint, gaze direction, and viewing angle. Therefore, this viewpoint information is obtained in real time from the first drawing program and transmitted to the second drawing program.
On the second drawing program side, the viewpoint information (viewpoint, gazing point direction, viewing angle) of the virtual space acquired from the first drawing program is converted into a plan view coordinate system, and the viewpoint information (FIG. Viewpoint position P, gazing point direction C, viewing angle display line R,
L) is displayed. When the user operates the operation button group 12 and walks through the virtual space, the viewpoint information in the virtual space is changed, and the viewpoint information in the plan view is updated one by one in conjunction with the change.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram illustrating a software configuration for reflecting the viewpoint information specified by the plan view display unit 14 on the display of the virtual space display unit 11 in real time. As described above, the second drawing program for displaying the plan view on the plan view display unit 14 includes:
It has a function of displaying a viewpoint position P and a gazing point direction C on a plan view. As described above, in the viewpoint editing mode, the viewpoint position P and the gazing point direction C can be changed by the user's specification by operating the mouse. Therefore, in the viewpoint edit mode, when the viewpoint to be examined is specified on the plan view, the plane coordinates are obtained, displayed on the plan view, converted into the virtual space coordinate system, and the viewpoint information of the virtual space is calculated. Then, the data is transmitted from the second drawing program to the first drawing program. In the first drawing program, when the viewpoint information is acquired, the virtual space is displayed based on the designated viewpoint and the direction of the point of regard.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram functionally showing a software configuration for changing the viewing angle displayed in the virtual space in real time. The viewing angle changing operation unit 13 has, for example, a virtual lens exchange function of selecting a viewing angle corresponding to a standard lens, a wide-angle lens, and a telephoto lens, or a virtual zoom lens function of continuously changing a focal length. When the viewing angle is set by the viewing angle changing function, the first drawing program for displaying the virtual space acquires the viewing angle information and displays the virtual space at the set viewing angle.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration when the system of the present invention is realized on a personal computer. The virtual space display means 1 is a drawing program for displaying a virtual space displayed on the virtual space display unit 11,
The plan view display means 2 is a drawing program for displaying a plan view displayed on the plan view display unit 14. The display unit 3 includes a monitor and a graphic board. The viewpoint information display means 4 is a means for realizing the function described in FIG. 3 (the function of displaying the viewpoint information of the virtual space in real time on a plan view). The editing unit 5 is a unit for realizing an editing function for moving or removing a part (for example, the stairs in FIG. 2) in the virtual space in the above-described part editing mode. The viewpoint information setting unit 6 is a unit for realizing the function described with reference to FIG. 4 (the function of reflecting the viewpoint information specified on the plan view on the display of the virtual space in real time). The operation unit 7 is an input device having at least a function of designating and inputting a position on the screen drawn on the display unit 3, and is realized by, for example, a mouse body, a mouse port of a computer, and a mouse driver. The switching unit 8 is a unit for switching the mouse mode between the viewpoint editing mode and the parts editing mode. The viewing angle changing means 9 is shown in FIG.
This is a means for realizing the function described in (1) (the function of changing the viewing angle displayed in the virtual space in real time). The viewing angle changing means 9 is provided in the viewing angle changing unit 13 shown in FIG.
The switching means 8 is a program module including a function of displaying the mouse mode setting unit 15 of FIG. 2 on the screen of the display unit 3, and receives mouse operation information from a mouse driver constituting the operation means 7. Acquisition is performed, and the operations of changing the viewing angle and switching the mouse mode are realized.

The function of the main part of the system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. When an operation for moving in the virtual space is performed by the operation unit 7 while the virtual space is displayed on the display unit 3 by the virtual space display unit 1, the display of the virtual space is updated in real time by the virtual space display unit 1. At the same time, the viewpoint information is transmitted from the viewpoint information display unit 4 to the plan view display unit 2, and the viewpoint information is overwritten on the plan view. When the mouse mode is set to the parts editing mode by the switching means 8 and a position on the plan view is designated by the operating means 7, the editing means 5 acquires the mouse cursor coordinates from the plan view display means 2, and displays the coordinates on the virtual space display means 1. Give the part coordinates. Thereby, the virtual space can be edited. When the mouse mode is set to the viewpoint editing mode by the switching unit 8 and the position on the plan view is designated by the operation unit 7, the viewpoint information setting unit 6 acquires the mouse cursor coordinates from the plan view display unit 2, and New viewpoint coordinates are given to the display means 1. Thereby, the viewpoint of the virtual space displayed by the virtual space display means 1 can be instantaneously moved. Further, when the viewing angle is changed by the viewing angle changing means 9, the virtual space display means 1 displays the virtual space with the changed viewing angle. When the viewpoint and the viewing angle of the virtual space display unit 1 are changed by the viewpoint information setting unit 6 and the viewing angle changing unit 9, the viewpoint information (viewpoint, gazing point direction, viewing angle) is always displayed by the viewpoint information display unit 4. Since it is transmitted to the display means 2, the viewpoint display position on the plan view and the angle of the viewing angle display line are simultaneously updated.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of editing on a network. In the figure, reference numeral A denotes a database-equipped terminal, which is equipped with a database DB storing property data.
5 are installed.
Customers a1 and a2 operating the database-equipped terminal A
Can use this system at that location. Further, a customer b or a customer c operating another terminal B or C at a remote place can connect to the database-installed terminal A via the network N and use the present system at a remote place. That is, the customer b and the customer c use the database at the database-mounted terminal A via the network N, and the actual editing work is performed at the local terminals B and C. Further, in the present system, the same data can be shared between arbitrary customers, for example, between the customers b and c so that opinions can be exchanged with each other.
It also has a function of bidirectional transmission and reception via the network N. Each of the terminals A to C can be realized by a general personal computer.

[0018]

According to the present invention, the viewpoint information of the virtual space can be displayed on the plan view, and the viewpoint information is extracted every time the user who experiences the virtual space walks through, The current viewpoint information is displayed on the plan view in real time. Accordingly, the user can walk through while checking the current viewpoint information displayed on the plan view, and can perform design study without hesitation in the virtual space. Further, when there is a viewpoint to be examined, by inputting a viewpoint or a gazing point direction on a plan view by operating a mouse or the like, the viewpoint information is reflected on the display of the virtual space in real time. This allows the user to display from a viewpoint he / she wants to study, so that the design study can be comfortably performed using the virtual space.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the viewing angle displayed in the virtual space can be changed, the user can express a wide-angle lens expressing the viewing angle of a human or a perspective by interactive operation. The telephoto lens expression can be confirmed, and the design can be examined while grasping the scale of the object to be examined.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration when a system of the present invention is realized on a personal computer.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen display on a display unit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a viewpoint information display function according to claim 1;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a viewpoint information setting function according to claim 1;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a viewing angle changing function according to claim 2;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration when the system of the present invention is used by a computer on a network.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Virtual space display means 2 Plan view display means 3 Display part (monitor) 4 Viewpoint information display means 5 Editing means 6 Viewpoint information setting means 7 Operation means (mouse) 8 Switching means 9 Viewing angle change means

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5B046 AA03 CA05 GA01 GA09 HA04 HA05 5B050 BA09 CA07 EA28 FA02 FA06 FA09 FA12 FA13

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. First display means for displaying a virtual space in real time, second display means for displaying a plan view or a bird's eye view corresponding to the virtual space in real time, and display by the first display means. Viewpoint information display means for superimposing and displaying the obtained viewpoint information of the virtual space on the plan view or bird's-eye view displayed by the second display means, and specifying the position on the plan view or bird's-eye view displayed by the second display means Operating means having at least a function of inputting coordinates by using the input means; viewpoint information setting means for setting viewpoint information of a virtual space using information input by the operating means; And an editing means for editing the virtual space displayed by the display means. 2. The design support system according to claim 1, further comprising means for changing a viewing angle of the virtual space displayed by the first display means.