JP2001306478A - Information providing method corresponding to utilization degree in virtual space, utilization degree display method, information providing program corresponding to utilization degree and storage medium with utilization display program stored therein - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information providing method by which communication is easily performed by permitting a user to visually and instantaneously grasp a difference between a frequenter and a beginner. SOLUTION: Whenever a user performs access to a system, a server side counts usage frequency and usage time for every user ID, distributes colors corresponding to utilization which are divided into a plurality of stages and stores it in a storage device. When a user side operates a utilization judging function, the data is read from the storage device and a user's avatar displayed on a screen is colored into the applying color for a short time. Besides, the user's IDs are displayed by division into colors corresponding to the utilization even when a user information list is displayed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-point virtual space communication display processing system in which a large number of users are represented as alter egos in a virtual space via a network. The present invention relates to an information processing method for identifying a degree and assisting communication, and a storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a system in which a large number of users are represented as alter egos in a virtual space via a conventional network, the personal information of other users can only see information that the user has permitted to disclose. It could not be done, and the content was information that was unrelated to the degree of use, such as address, age, and gender.

As an example of the server / client type multipoint virtual space communication display processing system as described above, there is an interspace. For example, Shigeki Masaki, Tetsuo Tajiri, Susumu Ichinose, "Cyber Communication Platform: Interspace", NTT R & D, V
ol. 47 pp. 453-458, April 1998.

[0004]

However, in the prior art, when a novice user searches for a communication partner in a log-in space, the distinction between a regular user with many uses and a beginner with low use is determined until communication is actually taken. could not. For this reason, provision of guide information to the user of the guide role becomes inefficient, causing confusion in forming a community among users, which has led to a decrease in willingness to use the system.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a system that allows a user to visually and instantaneously grasp the distinction between a regular and a beginner, thereby facilitating communication.

[0006]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, each time a user accesses the system, the server counts the number of times of use and the time of use for each user ID on the server side. The colors corresponding to the degrees of use are sorted and stored in the storage device. Then, when the user operates the usage determining function, the data is read from the storage device, and the alter ego displayed on the screen is colored in a corresponding color for a short time. Also in the display of the user information list, the user ID is displayed in a color corresponding to the degree of use.

The number of times a user has logged in is managed by a server, and can be counted for each user. The use degree can be divided into several stages based on the number of times set in advance, and the count can be ranked in descending order. Therefore, it can be displayed on the screen according to the degree of use.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a user usage determining function. In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a usage determining unit, 12 denotes an avatar color storage device, 13 denotes a log information storage device, 14 denotes a position information control unit, 15 denotes an audio processing unit, 16 denotes a user information management unit, 17 denotes a video processing unit, and 18 Is a usage-specific information providing device, 19 is a distribution control unit, 20 is a communication device, 21 is a network, and 22 is a terminal (client).

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the terminal (client) 22. 23 is a display, 24 is a terminal control device, 2
5 is a camera, 26 is a speaker, 27 is a microphone, 2
Reference numeral 8 denotes a moving direction input device.

The virtual space control server is connected to a network 21 by a communication device 20, and is connected to a terminal (client) 22. The user information management unit 16 of the virtual space control server has a function of holding participant information in the virtual space and a function of managing the same. If the participant information is not registered in the user information management unit 16 in advance, participation in the virtual space of the present system is not permitted.
If registered, the distribution control unit 19 distributes the user data in the virtual space to the terminal (client) 22 via the network 21. The position information control unit 14
Position coordinate data is determined based on the movement information of each alter ego sent from each terminal, and is distributed to each terminal by the distribution control unit 19. The video processing unit 17 determines a video based on the position determined by the position information control unit 14 based on the face image data sent from each terminal, and distributes the video to each terminal by the distribution control unit 19. The audio processing unit 15 performs a mixing process on the audio data sent from each terminal (client), adds information for identifying the speaker to all the participants in the virtual space, and distributes the information to each terminal by the distribution control unit 19. I do.

The log information obtained by the use of the user is stored in the log information storage device 13. Every time a user logs in, user ID data, usage count data,
The usage time data is sent to the usage determining unit 11, and the number of times of use and the usage time are counted for each user ID in the device, and then sent to the avatar color storage device 12, where the corresponding rank color is set. Accumulated on the

When the terminal (client) 22 instructs the virtual space control server to determine the usage, the distribution control unit 19 searches the avatar color storage device 12 for avatar color data of the currently logged-in user. The corresponding color is colored to the alter ego or the user ID in the user information list and displayed on the terminal (client) display 22 of the user.

The user ID data, the number of times of use data, and the time of use data transmitted from the usage degree discriminating unit 11 are as follows:
The information is also sent to the usage information providing unit 18 and each time the user logs in, the beginner guide information providing data is provided to the beginner,
The guidance information providing data for advanced users is distributed and sent to the regulars.

FIG. 3 is a processing flow when the client registers with the user usage color discrimination system. The processing is started (step s1), the client is started (step s2), and the server is connected (step s3). First,
The user ID of the connected client is recognized (step s4), and is compared with the user ID data in the storage device (step s5). If there is no user ID data in the storage device, the user ID of the connected client is registered (step s6), and the number of uses is set to 1 (step s7). If there is data, 1 is added to the previous use count (step s7). Then, if the number of times k is used for classifying the regular user and the beginner beforehand is less than k (step s8), the beginner information is provided (step s9). If k times or more (step s
8) Provide regular user information (step s10). Thereafter, the measurement of the usage time is started (step s11), and the measurement is continued until the user logs out (step s12). After logout, the usage time is accumulated (step s13). Next, a rank color suitable for the number of times and time is set (step s14). Register it in the server (step s15) and end the process (step s16).

FIG. 4 shows a display example on the terminal (client) display in the function of determining the use of the alter ego.
Normally, the display for determining the usage level does not appear in the alter ego in the state A, but when the usage degree discriminating function is activated, all the alter egos existing in the same space as in the state B remain in the same shape. , Are colored in a corresponding color. The upper body is the rank color of the number of uses, and the lower body is the rank color of the use time. At the end, a color scale indicating the rank of the usage degree is displayed.

FIG. 5 shows a display example on the terminal (client) display in the function of determining the usage of the user information list. Normally, the display for determining the usage does not appear in the table as in state A, but when the usage determination function is activated, the "user ID" portion in the table as in state B becomes
It is colored in a corresponding color. At the end, a color scale indicating the rank of the usage degree is displayed.

[0017]

As described above, by managing the number of times of use and the time of use of each user, the system management side can grasp the frequency of use of the system individually and as a whole, and the user side can communicate. In addition to building an environment that is easy to take, it also stimulates the number and time of competition among users, which leads to the activation of the system.

Also, since the system management side and the guide role can separately provide guidance information to regular users with many uses and beginners with low use, guide information for beginners can be provided to beginners and regular users can be provided. Can provide information such as providing guidance information for advanced users.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a user usage determining function.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration of a terminal.

FIG. 3 is a processing flow at the time of registration from a client to a user usage color discrimination system.

FIG. 4 is a display example of an alter ego in a usage determining function on a terminal display.

FIG. 5 is a display example of a user information list on a display in a usage determining function.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 11 usage determining unit 12 avatar color storage device 13 log information storage device 14 position information control unit 15 audio processing unit 16 user information management unit 17 video processing unit 18 usage-specific information providing device 19 distribution control unit 20 communication device 21 network 22 client

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A server-client type multi-point virtual space communication display processing system in which a plurality of clients communicate via a network, and the users of the clients are displayed as alter egos in a virtual space. In the information providing method for switching information to be provided to a client according to the information, the server stores the identification information and the number of times of use for each user, and recognizes the user identification information of the client when the client connects to the server, and The user's usage count is checked, and when the usage count is less than the predetermined count, the server provides the client with the first information. When the usage count is equal to or greater than the predetermined count, the server provides the client with the second information. The information that the server updates the number of uses after the client disconnects from the server Delivery method. 2. A server-client type multi-point virtual space communication display processing system in which a plurality of clients communicate over a network and the users of the clients are displayed as alter egos in a virtual space. In a usage level display method that makes it possible to visually distinguish a user on the terminal screen, the server stores identification information for each user, the number of times of use, the cumulative usage time, and the rank color according to the degree of use, and the client When connected, recognize the client's user identification information, measure the time the user has used the virtual space, and after the client disconnects from the server, use the user's usage count and cumulative usage Update the time, set the rank color according to the number of times the user has used and the cumulative usage time, and instruct the usage display from the client If there is, depending on the rank color of each user, utilization display method and displaying colored each user. 3. A server-client type multi-point virtual space communication display processing system in which a plurality of clients communicate via a network, and the users of the clients are displayed as alternations in a virtual space. In the information providing method for switching information to be provided to a client according to the information, the server stores the identification information for each user and the number of times of use, and when the client connects to the server, recognizes the user identification information of the client, The user's usage count is checked, and when the usage count is less than the predetermined count, the server provides the client with the first information, and when the usage count is equal to or greater than the predetermined count, the server provides the client with the second information. After the client disconnects from the server, the server provides an information provision method that updates the number of uses Because of, the storage medium storing the server of the computer program. 4. A server-client type multi-point virtual space communication display processing system in which a plurality of clients communicate over a network and the users of the clients are displayed as alter egos in the virtual space, In a usage level display method that makes it possible to visually distinguish a user on the terminal screen, the server stores identification information for each user, the number of times of use, the cumulative usage time, and the rank color according to the degree of use, and the client When connected, recognize the client's user identification information, measure the time the user has used the virtual space, and after the client disconnects from the server, use the user's usage count and cumulative usage Update the time, set the rank color according to the number of times the user has used and the cumulative usage time, and instruct the usage display from the client If there is, depending on the rank color of each user, for realizing the utilization display method for displaying colored each user, a storage medium storing a server of a computer program.