JP2000311256A - Shared virtual space display system, avatar display method and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a shared virtual space display system which can display an avatar that is optionally produced in a shared virtual space. SOLUTION: When a client terminal 1b is logged in a shared virtual space, the terminal 1b transmits an avatar 52 that is read out of an avatar object input part 12 to a WWW server 21. The server 21 transmits an avatar 51 that is read out of a VRML file storage part 23 to the terminal 1b. Then the terminal 1b receives the avatar 51 and displays a three-dimensional image of the shared virtual space where the avatar 51 appeared. Meanwhile, a client terminal 1a receives the log-in information from the server 21 and displays a three- dimensional image of the shared virtual space where the avatar 52 included in the log-in information appeared.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a shared virtual space display system, an avatar display method, and a recording medium that can display arbitrarily created avatars in a shared virtual space.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the development of computer networks and the like, users can obtain desired information from computers all over the world. Above all, the development of the Internet is remarkable. Using this Internet, a user can use HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) stored in a WWW (World Wide Web) server.
Document data (HTML file) described in the HTML file is acquired by HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol), and can be displayed on the HTML browser of the client terminal. Intranets that have built in-company networks and the like using HTTP, which is a mechanism for transmitting and receiving such HTML files and HTML files, have also become widespread.

Recently, a VRML capable of displaying a three-dimensional image on a client terminal by handling data of three-dimensional graphics which cannot be handled in the HTML.
(Virtual Reality Modeling Language) technology is known. In this technology, similarly to HTML, a client terminal acquires three-dimensional graphics data (VRML file) described in a VRML language stored in a WWW server via the Internet, and uses a VRML browser of the client terminal to acquire the three-dimensional graphics data (VRML file). A predetermined three-dimensional image is displayed.

[0004] This VRML file generally has the format shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, a camera object in which a viewpoint position and the like in three-dimensional graphics are set, a light object in which light irradiation conditions and the like in three-dimensional graphics are set, and vertices such as polygons and the like in three-dimensional graphics ( (Vertex coordinates) are set. The VRML browser reads these objects, generates an image according to the objects, and displays a virtual three-dimensional world scene.

[0005] For example, a "town" composed of buildings, roads, and the like is formed by a geometry object, a viewpoint for obliquely looking down at the "town" from a hill is set by a camera object, and light is emitted from the diagonal sky to the "town" by a light object. When the irradiation condition is set, the VRML browser displays a scene of a “town” in the three-dimensional world.
That is, the objects included in the VRML file together form a virtual three-dimensional world scene.

[0006] These objects are composed of a node (Node) as shown in FIG. 19A and a field (Field), and are specifically described as shown in FIG. 19B. For example, a node (and a field) defining the shape of a cube constitutes a cube image as shown in FIG. 20A, and a node defining the shape of a sphere is shown in FIG.
An image of a sphere as shown in FIG. In addition to these, there are nodes that define shapes such as polygons by vertices. Generally, a geometry object is configured by collecting a plurality of nodes that define these predetermined shapes.

[0007] The shape and the like of this geometry object are defined according to local coordinates based on their own reference points, and the VRML browser converts the geometry object into world coordinates based on the viewpoint position and the like determined by the camera object. For example, when the shape of a cube or a sphere defined according to the local coordinates shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B is converted into world coordinates, a predetermined position in a three-dimensional world as shown in FIG. Placed in

In order to enable such coordinate transformation,
A geometry object is generally a node (and a field) that defines a transformation matrix as shown in FIG.
Contains. Then, the VRML browser uses the transformation matrix included in the geometry object,
For example, a plurality of vertices at a polygon node are converted from local coordinates to world coordinates, and a predetermined three-dimensional world scene formed by polygons is displayed. After the scene is displayed, if the viewpoint position or the like determined by the camera object changes, the world coordinates where the polygons are arranged also change, so that the scene of the three-dimensional world changes.

[0009] The viewpoint position and the like of such a camera object are designated by, for example, a user input via a mouse or the like in a VRML browser. For example, in a state where the scene of the “town” of the three-dimensional world is displayed on the VRML browser by the VRML file configuring the “town”,
When the user sequentially changes the viewpoint position of the camera object via a mouse or the like, the scene of the “town” moves as if the user is walking in the “town”.

[0010] Further, since the transformation matrix can be included for each geometry object, even if only the value of the transformation matrix changes, the world coordinates where the polygons and the like constituting the corresponding geometry object are arranged change. The value of this conversion matrix is, for example, VRM
It is changed by a predetermined script language indicated by a script node included in the L file. For example,
In a state where the scene of the “town” of the three-dimensional world is displayed on the VRML browser by the VRML file constituting the “town”, the value of the conversion matrix corresponding to the polygon or the like constituting the “automobile” is set to a predetermined script. When sequentially changed according to the language, the “car” moves in the “town”.

At present, instead of enjoying such a virtual three-dimensional world by itself, a plurality of users can share their own avatar (Avatar) in a shared three-dimensional world (shared virtual space). And a dedicated VRML site that allows communication such as chat, which is a conversation by inputting and displaying characters, has also appeared. For example, in a shared virtual space as shown in FIG. 22, a user A (Taro) operates an avatar 110a, and a user B (Hanako) operates an avatar 110b. These avatars operated by each user move freely in the shared virtual space and communicate with other avatars.

[0012]

In such a shared virtual space display system, generally, a user selects an appropriate avatar from a plurality of avatars prepared by the system and logs in to the shared virtual space. Therefore, the user must select one of the avatars prepared by the system, even if the user does not have a favorite avatar.
The degree of freedom was low. Also, even if there is a favorite avatar, if another user has also selected, the same avatar will appear in the shared virtual space.

Since each user cannot distinguish the other users from the appearance of the avatar appearing in the shared virtual space, the shared virtual space display system generally uses the avatar 110a, as shown in FIG. The user names 111a and 111b are displayed as text on the image 110b.
That is, each user determines the user based on the user name 111 (111a, 111b), and communicates with the user, not from the appearance of the avatar 110 (110a, 110b) appearing in the shared virtual space. Such a display of the user name 111 impairs the realism in the shared virtual space.
There is a problem that the avatar 110 is hidden behind the user name 111 when is located far away.

On the other hand, avatars prepared by different shared virtual space display systems are different. And even if the user uses a plurality of shared virtual space display systems, the shared virtual space display system in which the avatar of choice cannot be selected is no longer used, and the entire shared virtual space display system can be activated. There was a problem that there was no.

The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and has as its object to provide a shared virtual space display system, an avatar display method, and a recording medium that can display an avatar created arbitrarily in a shared virtual space. And

[0016]

In order to achieve the above object, a shared virtual space display system according to a first aspect of the present invention provides a system in which a plurality of clients connected via a network are connected to a predetermined client provided from a server. Sharing virtual space,
A shared virtual space display system that displays a three-dimensional image in a virtual space captured from the viewpoint of an avatar managed by each client, wherein each client is a graphic object input unit that inputs a graphic object constituting the avatar, A graphic object transmitting unit that transmits a graphic object input by the graphic object input unit to a server, a graphic object receiving unit that receives a graphic object of another client transmitted from the server, and a graphic object receiving unit that receives the graphic object. Graphic object storage means for storing a graphic object of another client, and a graphic object stored in the graphic object storage means Characterized in that and an image drawing unit that draws an image of the shared virtual space including the.

According to the present invention, the graphic object input means inputs a graphic object that constitutes an avatar, for example, is described in the VRML language.
The graphic object transmitting means transmits the graphic object input by the graphic object input means to the server via the network. The graphic object receiving means receives the graphic object of another client sent from the server via the network. The graphic object storing means stores the graphic object of another client received by the graphic object receiving means. The image drawing means draws an image of the shared virtual space including the graphic object stored in the graphic object storage means. As a result, the avatar created arbitrarily can be displayed in the shared virtual space.

In order to achieve the above object, a shared virtual space display system according to a second aspect of the present invention provides a system in which a first client and a second client connected via a network are connected to a predetermined client provided from a server. A shared virtual space display system that shares a virtual space and displays a three-dimensional image in the virtual space captured from the viewpoint of an avatar managed by each client, wherein the first client is a graphic object that constitutes the avatar. Graphic object input means for inputting; and a graphic object transmitting means for transmitting the graphic object input by the graphic object input means to a server, wherein the server receives the graphic object transmitted by the graphic object transmitting means. An avatar receiving means, an avatar storing means for storing the graphic object received by the avatar receiving means, and an avatar transmitting means for transmitting the graphic object stored in the avatar storing means to a second client, A client for receiving a graphic object transmitted from the avatar transmitting unit; a graphic object storing unit for storing a graphic object of the first client received by the graphic object receiving unit; Image drawing means for drawing an image of the shared virtual space including the graphic object stored in the means.

According to the present invention, the graphic object input means inputs, in the first client, a graphic object that constitutes an avatar, for example, is described in the VRML language. The graphic object transmitting means transmits the graphic object input by the graphic object input means to the server. The avatar receiving means receives the graphic object transmitted by the graphic object transmitting means in the server. The avatar storage unit stores the graphic object received by the avatar reception unit. The avatar transmission means transmits the graphic object stored in the avatar storage means to the second client. The graphic object receiving means receives the graphic object transmitted from the avatar transmitting means in the second client. The graphic object storing means stores the graphic object of the first client received by the graphic object receiving means. The image drawing means draws an image of the shared virtual space including the graphic object stored in the graphic object storage means. As a result, the avatar created arbitrarily can be displayed in the shared virtual space.

The graphic object input means is a predetermined recording medium, for example, a floppy (registered trademark)
A graphic object stored in a disk may be read and input. In this case, since a recording medium such as a floppy disk is portable, it can be used in any client terminal.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an avatar display method in which a plurality of clients connected via a network share a predetermined virtual space supplied from a server. Is an avatar display method for displaying a three-dimensional image of an avatar in a virtual space captured from a viewpoint defined by each of the avatars, wherein a graphic object input step of inputting a graphic object constituting the avatar; A graphic object transmitting step of transmitting the graphic object to the server, a graphic object receiving step of receiving another client graphic object transmitted from the server, and a graphic object receiving step. Characterized in that it comprises an image rendering step of rendering an shared virtual space including other client graphical objects, the.

According to the present invention, the graphic object input step includes, for example, VRM forming an avatar.
A graphic object specified in the L language is input. The graphic object transmitting step transmits the graphic object input in the graphic object input step to the server via the network. The graphic object receiving step receives the graphic object of another client sent from the server via the network. The image drawing step draws an image of the shared virtual space including the graphic object of another client received by the graphic object receiving step. As a result,
Arbitrarily created avatars can be displayed in the shared virtual space.

In order to achieve the above object, a recording medium according to a fourth aspect of the present invention provides a recording medium in which a plurality of clients connected via a network share a predetermined virtual space supplied from a server, and each client A computer-readable recording medium recording a program for causing a computer to execute an avatar display method of displaying a three-dimensional image of an avatar in a virtual space captured from a defined viewpoint. A graphic object inputting step for inputting, a graphic object transmitting step for transmitting the graphic object input in the graphic object inputting step to the server, and a graphic receiving the other client graphic object transmitted from the server. A program for causing a computer to execute an avatar display method having an image object receiving step and an image drawing step of drawing an image of a shared virtual space including a graphic object of another client received by the graphic object receiving step. .

[0024]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A shared virtual space display system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a shared virtual space display system applied to this embodiment. This system comprises a client terminal 1 and a VRML site 2
And are connected via the Internet 3 respectively.

The client terminal 1 is composed of, for example, a general-purpose personal computer having a display, a mouse, a keyboard, a modem and the like, and is connected to the VRML site 2 via the Internet 3. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the client terminal 1 includes a communication processing unit 11, an avatar object input unit 12, an other client information storage unit 13, an instruction input unit 14, a processing control unit 15, , A VRML storage unit 16, a VRML processing unit 17, a graphic processing unit 18, and an image display unit 19.

The communication processing unit 11 comprises a modem or the like, is controlled by the processing control unit 15,
Obtain a VRML file from the RML site 2. Note that the communication processing unit 11 sends the VRML site 2
When acquiring a file, HTTP is used, but the protocol of the file transfer is arbitrary. Communication processing unit 11
Supplies the obtained VRML file to the processing control unit 15. Further, when the current position or the like of the avatar managed by the communication processing unit 11 in the shared virtual space changes, the communication processing unit 11 transmits avatar movement information to another client terminal 1.
Similarly, the communication processing unit 11 receives the avatar movement information transmitted from another client terminal 1. Communication processing unit 1
1 supplies the processing control unit 15 with the received avatar movement information of the other client terminal 1.

The avatar object input section 12 inputs a predetermined avatar object and supplies it to the processing control section 15. The avatar object input unit 12 includes, for example, a floppy disk drive capable of reading predetermined information from a floppy disk (flexible disk) or the like. The avatar object input unit 12 reads an avatar object stored in the floppy disk and supplies the avatar object to the processing control unit 15. I do.

Hereinafter, the avatar object stored in the floppy disk will be specifically described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, first, the user generates graphic data of the avatar 41 using a predetermined authoring tool or the like. For example, the user may generate the avatar 41 from a photograph or the like of the user. in this case,
Real avatars 41 can be generated, and acquaintances can generate avatars 41
The user can be easily determined from the appearance of the user.

Then, the user further sets the avatar 41 to VR.
The avatar object 42 is generated by performing ML conversion. The user writes and stores the generated avatar object 42 on a predetermined floppy disk 43. Floppy disk 4 storing such an avatar object 42
By inserting 3 into the avatar object input unit 12, the avatar object input unit 12 reads out the avatar object 42 and supplies it to the processing control unit 15.

Returning to FIG. 2, the other client information storage unit 13 stores information of the other client terminals 1 sharing the virtual space, that is, information of the other client terminals 1 connected to the VRML site 2. Certain other user information 31
And other avatar information 32. Other user information 31
4A includes a user name and an address of the client terminal 1 used as a transmission destination when transmitting the avatar movement information to another client terminal 1 as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the other avatar information 32 indicates the current position and the like of the avatar managed by the other client terminal 1 in the shared virtual space. It consists of a direction vector and a drawing flag. The position vector, the line-of-sight vector, and the upward vector are information for specifying the current position and orientation of the avatar managed by another client terminal 1 in the shared virtual space. These position vector, line-of-sight vector, and upward vector are updated according to the movement information sent from another client terminal 1. The details of the position vector, the line-of-sight vector, and the upward vector will be described later. The drawing flag is a flag indicating whether or not an avatar managed by another client terminal 1 is a drawing target. ON is set when the avatar is a drawing target, and OFF when the avatar is not a drawing target.

Returning to FIG. 2, the instruction input unit 14 is composed of an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, and supplies an input command or the like according to a user's instruction to the processing control unit 15.
For example, according to a user's instruction, instruction information for changing the position and orientation of the avatar managed by the client terminal 1 in the shared virtual space is input.

The processing control unit 15 has a RAM (Random Acces
s Memory) and a CPU (Central Processing Unit) having a ROM (Read Only Memory) and the like, and controls the entire client terminal 1. For example, the processing control unit 1
5 controls the VRML processing unit 17 to perform a login process, an image generation process, a login information reception process, a viewpoint movement process, a movement information reception process, a logout information reception process, which will be described later.
Then, a logout process is executed.

The VRML storage unit 16 comprises a hard disk or the like, and stores the camera object information 3 shown in FIG.
3, and the static object information 34 shown in FIG.
The dynamic object information 35 shown in FIG.

The camera object information 33 shown in FIG. 5A is composed of a position vector, a line-of-sight vector, and an upward vector representing the current position and orientation of the avatar managed by itself in the shared virtual space. The avatar managed by the user is not displayed on the image display unit 19 of the client terminal 1 in principle. What is displayed on the image display unit 19 is a scene of the shared virtual space viewed from the viewpoint of the avatar. That is, the avatar managed by the user is a camera object that captures an image of the shared virtual space in the client terminal 1 of the user. Therefore, the position vector, the line-of-sight direction vector, and the upward vector forming the camera object information 33 are the respective values of the camera object 44 schematically shown in FIG.

The static object information 3 shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 4 denotes information on a plurality of objects serving as a source of a static and static image constituting a shared virtual space excluding an avatar. That is, the static object information 34 includes a polygon data area, a world coordinate area, a visible flag, and a graphics context data area that constitute each static object in the shared virtual space. The polygon data area is an area for storing information on polygons constituting each object. The world coordinate area is an area for storing the vertices of each polygon converted into world coordinates in the image generation processing described later.

The visible flag holds a flag indicating whether or not the polygon is to be drawn. The graphics context data area is an area for storing graphics context data generated in image generation processing described later.

The dynamic object information 3 shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 5 denotes information on a plurality of avatar objects that can move in the shared virtual space. That is, the dynamic object information 35 includes a conversion matrix area, a polygon data area, a world coordinate area, a visibility flag, and a graphics context data area which constitute each avatar object managed by another client terminal 1. The conversion matrix is a matrix for converting the coordinates of the vertices of the polygons forming the avatar object. The position and orientation of the avatar in the shared virtual space change according to the value of the conversion matrix.
The polygon data area, world coordinate area, visible flag, and graphics context data area are shown in FIG.
The configuration is the same as that of the static object information 34 shown in (b).

Referring back to FIG. 2, the VRML processing unit 17
It is composed of an application body of an RML browser and the like, and is controlled by the processing control unit 15 to perform a login process, an image generation process, a login information reception process, a viewpoint movement process, a movement information reception process, a logout information reception process, and a logout process described later. Execute. That is, the VRML processing unit 17
Performs a login process, transmits a login request via the communication processing unit 11, and transmits an arbitrary avatar object input from the avatar object input unit 12 to the WWW server 21. After login, the VRML processing unit 17
Performs image generation processing, and generates a three-dimensional image according to each object stored in the static object information 34 and the dynamic object information 35. Further, the VRML processing unit 17 performs a login information receiving process, receives the avatar object sent from the WWW server 21 in accordance with the login of the other client terminal 1, and stores the received avatar object in the dynamic object information 35. Store.

Then, the VRML processing unit 17 performs a viewpoint moving process, and when the viewpoint position of the avatar managed by the client terminal 1 changes, the VRML processing unit 17 sends the movement information to the other client terminals 1 via the communication processing unit 11. Send Also,
The VRML processing unit 17 performs movement information reception processing, similarly receives movement information transmitted from another client terminal 1, and, according to the received movement information, performs processing on the avatar object stored in the dynamic object information 35. Update the transformation matrix.

Further, the VRML processing unit 17 performs a logout information receiving process, receives the logout information sent from the WWW server 21 in accordance with the logout of the other client terminal 1, and performs dynamic logout according to the received logout information. The target avatar object or the like stored in the eject information 35 is deleted. In addition, the VRML processing unit 17
A logout process is performed, and a logout request is transmitted to the WWW server 21 to log out of the shared virtual space.

The graphic processing unit 18 includes a predetermined graphic library and the like, and generates a three-dimensional image representing the shared virtual space based on the graphics context data sent from the VRML processing unit 17. Note that the graphic processing unit 18 finally draws the generated three-dimensional image in a two-dimensional memory (a frame buffer or the like) and supplies the image in the two-dimensional memory to the image display unit 19.

The image display unit 19 is a general-purpose color CRT.
(Cathode Ray Tube) A display or the like, which displays an image representing the shared virtual space supplied from the graphic processing unit 18.

Returning to FIG. 1, the VRML site 2
W server 21, client information management unit 22, VR
An ML file storage unit 23 is included.

The WWW server 21 is composed of, for example, a general-purpose workstation provided with a communication control device, and responds to a connection request (login request) sent from the client terminal 1 via the Internet 3. Connect with communication. Further, in response to a disconnection request (logout) sent from the client terminal 1, the communication connection with the client terminal 1 is disconnected. That is, the WWW server 21 manages login and logout of the client terminal 1 into the shared virtual space. At this time, the WWW server 21 supplies the information of the client terminal 1 that has logged in to the shared virtual space and the client terminal 1 that has logged out to the client information management unit 22, and stores the information.

The WWW server 21 receives the avatar object sent from the client terminal 1 when the client terminal 1 logs in to the shared virtual space,
The received avatar object is stored in the VRML file storage unit 23. Then, the WWW server 21 transmits the avatar object of the newly logged-in client terminal 1 to another client terminal 1 already logged in the shared virtual space.

The client information management unit 22 manages information on all the client terminals 1 sharing the virtual space, that is, connected to the VRML site 2. That is, the client information management unit 22 stores the status of login and logout to the VRML site 2 performed by each client terminal 1.

The VRML file storage unit 23 is composed of a hard disk or the like attached to the WWW server 21 and is a VRML file that defines static objects constituting a shared virtual space.
A file and a VRML file that defines an avatar object sent from each client terminal 1 are stored.

Hereinafter, the VRM controlled by the processing control unit 15
Login processing, image generation processing, login information reception processing, viewpoint movement processing, movement information reception processing performed by the L processing unit 17,
The logout information receiving process and the logout process will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, the login process will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the login process. The login process is started in response to predetermined instruction information indicating login entered from the instruction input unit 14 after the user sets a floppy disk or the like storing the avatar object in the avatar object input unit 12.

First, the VRML processing unit 17 transmits a login request to the WWW server 21 via the communication processing unit 11 (Step S11). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
Transmits a login request including predetermined information such as a user name and a password to the WWW server 21. After checking the validity of the user name and the password included in the received login request, the WWW server 21 requests the VRML processing unit 17 to transmit the avatar object.

The VRML processing unit 17 transmits the avatar object to the WWW server 21 (Step S12).
That is, the VRML processing unit 17 acquires the avatar object stored in the floppy disk from the avatar object input unit 12 and transmits the acquired avatar object to the WWW server 21 via the communication processing unit 11.
Upon receiving the avatar object, the WWW server 21 stores the received avatar object in the VRML file storage unit 23. After storing the avatar object,
The WW server 21 reads out a VRML file that defines a static and static object constituting the shared virtual space from the VRML file storage unit 23, and transmits the VRML file to the client terminal 1.

The VRML processing unit 17 is a WWW server 21
Obtain the static object sent from (Step S
13). The VRML processing unit 17 stores the static avatar object in the static object information 34 of the VRML storage unit 16. On the other hand, when the WWW server 21 determines that the information of the other client terminal 1 is stored in the client information management unit 22, the VRML file storage unit 2
3 generates client information from an avatar object or the like of another client terminal 1 stored in the client terminal 1, and transmits the generated client information to the client terminal 1.

The VRML processing unit 17 is a WWW server 21
It is determined whether or not the client information has been transmitted from (step S14). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
Determines whether client information including an avatar object, a user name, an address, and the like of another client terminal 1 has been received. The VRML processing unit 17
If it is determined that the client information has not been transmitted from the WW server 21, the process proceeds to step S16 described below.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the client information sent from the WWW server 21 has been received, the VRML processing unit 17 stores information such as the avatar object included in the received client information in the VRML storage unit 16 (step S15). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
In the received client information, the user name and the like included in the received client information are stored in the other user information 31, the position vector and the like defined in advance as initial values are stored in the other avatar information 32, and the avatar object included in the client information is stored in the dynamic object information 35
Are added and stored. Note that the VRML processing unit 17 sets the drawing flag to OFF when storing the initial value position vector and the like in the other avatar information 32. This is because the current accurate position of the camera object (that is, another avatar) managed by another client terminal 1 is not known. When the other avatar moves in the shared virtual space and the movement information is transmitted from the other client terminal 1 with the movement, the accurate position of the other avatar becomes clear, and the drawing flag is changed to ON. VRM
The L processing unit 17 stores, in the camera object information 33, a position vector or the like indicating a default position and direction in the shared virtual space. That is, the position of the own avatar is set to a predetermined position.

The VRML processing section 17 performs an image generation process (step S16). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
Controls the graphic processing unit 18 to generate an image of the shared virtual space at the time of login.

Hereinafter, the image generation processing performed in step S16 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the image generation processing. Note that this image generation processing is also executed in login information reception processing, viewpoint movement processing, movement information reception processing, and logout information reception processing, which will be described later.

First, the VRML processing unit 17 performs coordinate conversion of polygons constituting the static object information 34 (step S21). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
Converts the vertices of the polygons constituting the static object information 34 stored in the VRML storage unit 16 from local coordinates to world coordinates. The VRML processing unit 17 stores the converted vertex value in the world coordinate area.

The VRML processing unit 17 outputs the other avatar information 32
It is determined whether a position vector or the like is stored in step S22 (step S22). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
Determines whether there is another client terminal 1 sharing the virtual space. If the VRML processing unit 17 determines that the position vector or the like is not stored in the other avatar information 32, the process proceeds to step S24 described below.

On the other hand, when the VRML processing unit 17 determines that the position vector and the like are stored in the other avatar information 32, it performs coordinate conversion of the polygons constituting the dynamic object information 35 (step S23). That is, VRML
The processing unit 17 converts the vertices of the polygons constituting the dynamic object information 35 from local coordinates to world coordinates using the conversion matrix. The VRML processing unit 17 stores the converted vertex value in the world coordinate area. When the drawing flag of the dynamic object information 35 is set to OFF, the VRML processing unit 17 sets a value not to be drawn in the world coordinate area.

The VRML processing unit 17 selects a polygon to be drawn according to the normal vector (polygon normal) of the polygon (vertics) in the static object information 34 and the dynamic object information 35 (step S2).
4). That is, the VRML processing unit 17 determines that the value obtained by multiplying the line-of-sight vector l of the polygon 101 by the normal vector (polygon normal) n is positive (n · l> 0), as shown in FIG. , Polygons whose angle θ formed by the line-of-sight direction vector 1 and the normal vector n is less than 90 degrees are selected. The VRML processing unit 17 sets the visible flag of a polygon selected as a drawing target to ON, and sets the visible flag of a polygon not selected as OFF.

The VRML processing section 17 generates graphics context data from the polygon to be drawn (step S25). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
Generates graphics context data to be supplied to the graphic processing unit 18 from polygons for which the visible flags of the static object information 34 and the dynamic object information 35 are set to ON. The VRML processing unit 17 stores the generated graphics context data in the graphics context data area.

The VRML processing unit 17 supplies the graphics context data to the graphic processing unit 18 and controls the graphic processing unit 18 to draw a three-dimensional image (step S26). That is, when the graphics processing unit 18 acquires the graphics context data of the static object information 34 and the dynamic object information 35, the graphics processing unit 18 performs geometry conversion, 3D (three-dimensional) clipping, shading, and conversion from 3D to 2D (two-dimensional). And the like, and writes (draws) an image obtained by projecting and converting the three-dimensional image in the shared virtual space onto a predetermined screen in a predetermined frame memory. The graphic processing unit 18 supplies the drawn image to the image display unit 19, and displays a scene in the shared virtual space. Then, the image display unit 19 displays a scene in the shared virtual space generated from the polygon data to be drawn.

Next, the login information receiving process will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the login information receiving process. The login information receiving process starts when another client terminal 1 logs in to the shared virtual space in response to login information including an avatar object and the like sent from the WWW server 21.

First, the VRML processing unit 17 acquires the login information sent from the WWW server 21 (Step S31). That is, the VRML processing unit 17 transmits the login information including the user name, the address, the avatar object, and the like sent from the WWW server 21 to the communication processing unit 1.
1 to receive.

The VRML processing unit 17 converts the information such as the avatar object included in the received login information into a VRML
It is stored in the storage unit 16 (step S32). That is,
The VRML processing unit 17 includes the user name and the like included in the received login information in the other user information 31, the position vector and the like indicating the default position and direction in the shared virtual space in the other avatar information 32, and the login information. The avatar object is added to the dynamic object information 35 and stored. The VRML processing unit 17 sets the drawing flag to ON when storing the position vector and the like in the other avatar information 32. That is, another avatar set to the default position and direction in the shared virtual space is set as a display target.

The VRML processing section 17 performs an image generation process (step S33). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
Controls the graphic processing unit 18 to generate an image of a shared virtual space including another avatar (an avatar object sent from another client terminal 1).

Next, the viewpoint moving process will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the viewpoint moving process. This viewpoint moving process starts when predetermined instruction information is input from the user via the instruction input unit 14, in response to the instruction information.

First, the VRML processing unit 17 acquires the instruction information input from the instruction input unit 14, and changes the value of the camera object information 33 according to the acquired instruction information (step S41). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
Updates the position vector, line-of-sight vector, and upward vector value of the camera object information 33 according to the instruction information.

The VRML processing unit 17 stores the other user information 31
Then, it is determined whether or not the information of the other client terminal 1 is stored in Step S42. That is, the VRML processing unit 17 determines whether there is another client terminal 1 sharing the virtual space. If it is determined that the information of the other client terminal 1 is not stored in the other user information 31, the VRML processing unit 17 proceeds to step S4 described later.
The process proceeds to 5.

The VRML processing unit 17 stores the other user information 31
When it is determined that the information of the other client terminal 1 is stored in the other user information, a user name or the like is acquired from the other user information 31 (step S43). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
Acquires a user name and an address for specifying another client terminal 1 to which the movement information is transmitted.

The VRML processing unit 17 generates movement information indicating that the position of its own avatar in the shared virtual space has changed from the position vector or the like of the camera object information 33, and transmits the generated movement information to another client terminal. 1 (step S44). The VRML processing unit 17 transmits the generated movement information to the other client terminals 1 specified in step S43.

The VRML processing section 17 performs an image generation process (step S45). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
Controls the graphic processing unit 18 to generate an image of the shared virtual space including the avatar object of another client terminal 1 and the like.

Next, the movement information receiving process will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the movement information receiving process. This movement information reception processing is started in response to movement information sent from another client terminal 1 via the communication processing unit 11 in response to the movement information.

First, the VRML processing unit 17 acquires the movement information sent from another client 1 (step S).
51). That is, the VRML processing unit 17 receives the movement information sent from the other client terminal 1 in accordance with the change of the camera object in the other client terminal 1.

The VRML processing unit 17 updates the other avatar information 32 according to the received movement information (step S5).
2). That is, the VRML processing unit 17 changes the corresponding position vector or the like of the other avatar information 32 according to the received movement information. At that time, the VRML processing unit 17 unconditionally sets the drawing flag of the other avatar information 32 to ON. That is, even if the drawing flag is set to OFF in the above-described login processing, the drawing flag is changed to ON by receiving the movement information.

The VRML processing unit 17 makes the corresponding dynamic object information 3 according to the changed other avatar information 32.
5 is updated (step S53). That is, the VRML processing unit 17 changes the value of the corresponding transformation matrix of the dynamic object information 35 according to the changed position vector, line-of-sight vector, and upward vector of the other avatar information 32.

The VRML processing section 17 performs an image generation process (step S54). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
Controls the graphic processing unit 18 to generate an image of the shared virtual space including the moved avatar object of the other client terminal 1.

Next, regarding the logout information receiving process,
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the logout information receiving process. The logout information receiving process is started in response to logout information sent from the WWW server 21 via the communication processing unit 11 when another client terminal 1 logs out of the shared virtual space.

First, the VRML processing unit 17 acquires the logout information sent from the WWW server 21 (step S61). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
The logout information including the user name and the like transmitted from the server 21 via the communication processing unit 11 is received.

The VRML processing unit 17 deletes the avatar object from the dynamic object information 35 and the like according to the received logout information (step S62). That is, the VRML processing unit 17 uses the user name included in the logout information as a key, and stores the user name and the like from the other user information 31, the position vector and the like from the other avatar information 32, and the avatar object from the dynamic object information 35. delete.

The VRML processing section 17 performs an image generation process (step S63). That is, the VRML processing unit 17
Controls the graphic processing unit 18 to generate an image of the shared virtual space from which the avatar object of the other client terminal 1 that has logged out is deleted.

Next, the logout process will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating the logout process. The logout process is started in response to predetermined instruction information indicating logout input from the instruction input unit 14.

First, the VRML processing unit 17 transmits a logout request to the WWW server 21 via the communication processing unit 11 (Step S71). Upon receiving the logout request, the WWW server 21 generates logout information including the user name of the client terminal 1 that has requested logout, and transmits the generated logout information to the other client terminals 1 by the client information management unit 22. . Further, the WWW server 21 deletes the corresponding information from the client information management unit 22 and the VRML file storage unit 23 using the user name of the client terminal 1 that has requested logout as a key, and then deletes the client terminal 1 that has requested logout. Send a logout completion notification to.

The VRML processing unit 17 receives the logout completion notification sent from the WWW server 21 via the communication processing unit 11 (Step S72). As a result, the client terminal 1 has logged out of the shared virtual space.

Hereinafter, the flow of data of the avatar object and the like in each of the above-described processes will be described with reference to the drawings, taking as an example the case where the client terminal 1 logs in to the shared virtual space.

First, a case where the client terminal 1a logs in with no client terminal 1 logged in to the shared virtual space will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 15, the client terminal 1a
Reads the avatar object 51 from the avatar object input unit 12 of the client terminal 1a when logging in to the shared virtual space, and transmits the read avatar object 51 to the WWW server 21 (step S1).
2). After storing the received avatar object 51 in the VRML file storage unit 23, the WWW server 21
Only the static object is read from the RML file storage unit 23 and transmitted to the client terminal 1a. The client terminal 1a receives the static object from the WWW server 21, and stores only the static object in the VRML storage unit 16 (Step S13). Then, the client terminal 1a displays the shared virtual space where the avatar does not appear on the image display unit 19 (Step S16).

As a result, the client terminal 1a can log in to the shared virtual space with the original avatar object 51 created by the user using a predetermined authoring tool or the like.

Next, a case where the client terminal 1b newly logs in while the client terminal 1a is logged in to the shared virtual space will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 16, the client terminal 1b
Reads the avatar object 52 from the avatar object input unit 12 of the client terminal 1b when logging in to the shared virtual space, and transmits the read avatar object 52 to the WWW server 21 (step S1).
2). The WWW server 21 adds and stores the received avatar object 52 to the VRML file storage unit 23, reads the static object and the avatar object 51 from the VRML file storage unit 23, and transmits the static object and the avatar object 51 to the client terminal 1b. The client terminal 1b has the WW
The static object and the avatar object 51 are received from the W server 21 and the static object and the avatar object 51 are stored in the VRML storage unit 16 (steps S13 and S15). Then, the client terminal 1b
The shared virtual space in which the avatar 51 appears as shown in FIG. 17A is displayed on the image display unit 19 (step S1).
6).

On the other hand, the client terminal 1a receives the login information including the avatar object 52 from the WWW server 21 (step S31), and the VRML storage 16
The avatar object 52 (step S3).
2). Then, the client terminal 1a is configured as shown in FIG.
Is displayed on the image display unit 19 (step S33).

As a result, the client terminal 1b can log in to the shared virtual space with the original avatar object 52 created by the user using a predetermined authoring tool or the like. Then, the client terminals 1a and 1b each have an avatar 5 as another avatar.
An image representing the shared virtual space in which 2, 51 has appeared can be displayed.

Thereafter, the movement information of the avatars 52 and 51 is directly transmitted and received between the client terminals 1a and 1b without passing through the WWW server 21. Then, the client terminals 1a and 1b communicate with the respective avatars 5 reflecting the movement information.
An image representing the shared virtual space including 2, 51 can be displayed. When any one of the client terminals 1 logs out, the avatar object and the like are deleted. Then, the remaining client terminal 1 can display an image representing the shared virtual space from which the logged out avatar has been deleted.

In the above embodiment, the avatar object created arbitrarily by the user is stored on a floppy disk, but the storage medium for storing the avatar object is arbitrary. For example, an avatar object may be stored in an IC card.

The shared virtual space display system according to the present invention can be realized by using an ordinary computer system without using a dedicated system. For example, by installing the program from a medium (a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, or the like) storing a program for executing any of the above-described processes in a computer, a shared virtual space display system that executes the above-described process is configured. be able to.

The medium for supplying the program to the computer may be a communication medium (a medium that temporarily and fluidly stores the program, such as a communication line, a communication network, or a communication system). For example, the program may be posted on a bulletin board (BBS) of a communication network and distributed via the network. Then, by starting this program and executing it in the same manner as other application programs under the control of the OS, the above-described processing can be executed.

[0097]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Arbitrarily created avatars can be displayed in the shared virtual space.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a shared virtual space display system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a client terminal.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating how an avatar object is stored on a floppy disk.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of information stored in a client information storage unit, where (a) is other user information,
(B) is other avatar information.

5A and 5B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of information stored in a VRML storage unit, where FIG. 5A illustrates camera object information, FIG. 5B illustrates static object information, and FIG. 5C illustrates a dynamic object. is there.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a position vector, a line-of-sight vector, and an upward vector constituting camera object information.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a login process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an image generation process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for determining a polygon to be drawn.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a login information receiving process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a viewpoint moving process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for describing movement information reception processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a logout information receiving process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a logout process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating a flow of data of an avatar object when a client terminal logs in from a state where no client terminal has logged in to the shared virtual space display system.

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating a flow of data of an avatar object when another client terminal logs in from a state in which one client terminal has logged in to the shared virtual space display system.

17A is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a three-dimensional image displayed on an image display unit of a client terminal that has logged in later, and FIG. 17B is a schematic diagram illustrating an image display unit of a client terminal that has logged in earlier. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a three-dimensional image displayed on the screen.

FIG. 18 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of a VRML file.

FIG. 19A is a schematic diagram illustrating nodes and fields of a minimum unit constituting an object, and FIG. 19B is a schematic diagram illustrating a description example of actual nodes and fields.

20A is a schematic diagram illustrating a cubic object, FIG. 20B is a schematic diagram illustrating a spherical object, and FIG. 20C is a schematic diagram illustrating a cubic object and a spherical object in world coordinates. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example converted into.

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a node of a conversion matrix.

FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an avatar appearing in a shared virtual space.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 client terminal 2 VRML site 3 Internet 11 communication processing unit 12 avatar object input unit 13 other client information storage unit 14 instruction input unit 15 processing control unit 16 VRML storage unit 17 VRML processing unit 18 graphic processing unit 19 image display unit 21 WWW server 22 Client Information Management Unit 23 VRML File Storage Unit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of clients connected via a network share a predetermined virtual space supplied from a server, and each client displays a three-dimensional image in the virtual space viewed from the viewpoint of an avatar managed by each client. A shared virtual space display system, wherein each client comprises: a graphic object input unit for inputting a graphic object constituting an avatar; a graphic object transmitting unit for transmitting a graphic object input by the graphic object input unit to a server; A graphic object receiving means for receiving a graphic object of another client sent from the server; and a graphic object of another client received by the graphic object receiving means. Shared virtual space display system for the graphic object storage unit that, an image drawing means for drawing the image of the shared virtual space including the graphic objects stored in said graphical object storage means, comprising: a. 2. A first client and a second client connected via a network share a predetermined virtual space supplied from a server, and the first client and the second client in a virtual space viewed from the viewpoint of an avatar managed by each client. A shared virtual space display system for displaying a three-dimensional image of: a first client, a graphic object input means for inputting a graphic object constituting an avatar, and a server for receiving a graphic object input by the graphic object input means. The graphic object transmitting means for transmitting the graphic object transmitted by the graphic object transmitting means; and the graphic object received by the avatar receiving means. An avatar memory for storing the avatar transmitting means for transmitting the graphic object to the second client stored in the avatar memory means,
The second client comprises: a graphic object receiving means for receiving the graphic object sent from the avatar sending means; and a graphic object storage means for storing the graphic object of the first client received by the graphic object receiving means. And an image drawing means for drawing an image of the shared virtual space including the graphic object stored in the graphic object storage means. 3. The shared virtual space display system according to claim 1, wherein said graphic object input means reads and inputs a graphic object stored in a predetermined recording medium. 4. A plurality of clients connected via a network share a predetermined virtual space supplied from a server, and each client displays a three-dimensional image of an avatar in a virtual space viewed from a viewpoint defined by each client. An avatar display method, comprising: a graphic object input step of inputting a graphic object constituting an avatar; a graphic object transmitting step of transmitting a graphic object input by the graphic object input step to a server; A graphic object receiving step of receiving a graphic object of another client; and a shared virtual sky containing the graphic object of another client received by the graphic object receiving step. An avatar display method, comprising: an image drawing step of drawing an image between the avatars. 5. A plurality of clients connected via a network share a predetermined virtual space supplied from a server, and each client displays a three-dimensional image of an avatar in a virtual space captured from a viewpoint defined by each client. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for causing a computer to execute an avatar display method is provided, comprising: a graphic object input step of inputting a graphic object constituting an avatar; and a graphic input by the graphic object input step. A graphic object transmitting step of transmitting an object to a server, a graphic object receiving step of receiving another client graphic object transmitted from the server, and the graphic object A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute an avatar display method, comprising: an image drawing step of drawing an image of a shared virtual space including a graphic object of another client received by the event receiving step.