JP2001312633A - Virtual reality article order system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a virtual reality article order system which enables a user to closely examine an article by presenting the sense of touch on an article and the sense of weight in addition to a photographic image, an explanatory sentence, video, and three-dimensional information on the article. SOLUTION: For electronic commerce using a network, article information held in an article information storage device is taken out through the network from an article selecting terminal device that a user uses, and while the information is displayed on the article selecting terminal device equipped with a graphic display, the article is closely examined and ordered from an order accepting device. The article information storage device stores the three-dimensional information, texture information, and touch sense information of the article in addition to still picture information and character information and the article selecting device reads in the article information held by the article information storage device to display a three-dimensional image of the article and presents the texture and weight sense of the article to the user.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an online merchandise ordering / ordering system for conducting electronic transactions of merchandise on a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the electronic trading of goods using a network, a product is introduced to a consumer by using a photograph image, a description, a video, and a three-dimensional shape of the product, and the consumer receives the information. Based on this, it was determined whether to purchase and the order was placed.

[0003]

There is no problem with the conventional method for a product such as a music CD, a food product, a home appliance, and the like, in which weight and tactile sensation are not important when making a purchase decision. However, the conventional methods have not been sufficient for items such as vases, pots, plates, bronze images, etc., for which tactile sensation and weight are important as product selection factors. Therefore, when purchasing these products, information is collected through a network, but the final purchase decision must be made by visiting a real shop.

The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and presents not only a photograph image, a description, a video, and three-dimensional shape information of a product, but also a tactile sensation and a feeling of weight of the product. It is an object of the present invention to provide a virtual sensation product ordering system that can help users to examine products.

[0005]

Therefore, according to the present invention, in electronic commerce using a network, product information stored in a product information storage device via a network is transmitted from a product selection terminal device operated by a user. take out,
A virtual sensation product ordering system that issues an order to an order receiving device that examines a product and receives an order while displaying the product on the product selection terminal device having a graphic display, wherein the product information storage device includes As information, three-dimensional shape information, texture information, and tactile information of a product are stored in addition to still image information and character information, and the product selection terminal device includes a plurality of force transmitting units that are tactile interfaces. It is characterized in that it can read information of a product held by the product information storage device, display a three-dimensional image of the product, and present a tactile sensation and a heavy feeling of the product to a user by the function of the force transmission unit. It is a gist of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problem by a virtual sensation product ordering system.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the product selection terminal device includes a product information input section for receiving and storing character and image information of the product, and a product information drawing unit for displaying the information on the graphic display. Unit, an object information input unit that receives and stores three-dimensional shape information, texture information, and tactile information of the product, and detects the position of the user's fingertip,
A force transmitting unit for transmitting a force vector to be applied to the user's fingertip,
An operation control unit that calculates a force control vector to be applied to the user's fingertip from the fingertip position information from the force transmission unit and the information held in the object information input unit; and a three-dimensional image of the user's fingertip position and the product. The virtual sensation product ordering system is configured to include a three-dimensional shape drawing unit for drawing on the graphic display in a superimposed manner so as to present a tactile sensation and a heavy feeling of the product to a user.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a virtual sensation product ordering system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a virtual sensation product ordering system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This system 1
Is a product information storage device 10 that stores information on various products, a plurality of product selection terminal devices 30 that allow a product orderer to display product information, examine products and issue orders, and store order information from the product selection terminal devices. An order information receiving device 20 for performing an order receiving process is configured to be connected via a network 9.

As shown in FIG. 2, the product information storage device 10 comprises a product information database unit 11, an explanation image / video / audio storage unit 12, an object information setting data storage unit 13, and a product information providing unit 14. I have. The product information database unit 11 stores, for each product, a product name, a maker name, a production year, a description text, a price, an image file name for product introduction, a sound file name, a video file name, and an object information setting file. The name is recorded as one record as shown in FIG.

The object information setting data storage unit 13 stores shape data, texture data, light source data, hardness data, friction coefficient (static friction, dynamic friction), and mass data of each part constituting each product. It is named and stored as an object information setting file together with control data described later.

The explanation image / video / audio storage unit 12 includes:
Each product record in the product information database 11 (FIG. 11)
, An image file, a video file, and an audio file for product introduction are stored. There are no particular restrictions on the format of each data. For example, image files are stored in JPEG format, video files are stored in MPEG1 format, and audio files are stored in WAVE format.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing shape data. The shape data includes a vertex table, which is a list of the coordinates of the vertices that are the basis of the object shape, and a surface table that indicates which vertices each surface forming the object is composed of.

The texture data is color data of each surface in the shape data, that is, environmental colors: Ra, Ga, Ba, and diffuse colors:
Rd, Gd, Bd, mirror color: Rs, Gs, Bs, mirror coefficient: S, and mapping picture information: mapimg. Mapimg
Means a mapping image file name. Enter NULL if you do not want to paste.

The light source data includes a three-dimensional position (X,
This data specifies Y, Z), direction (NX, NY, NZ), intensity, and color (R, G, B). The hardness data is the value of the hardness coefficient of the object.
The friction coefficient is a value of each of the static friction coefficient and the dynamic friction coefficient of the object surface. The mass data represents the weight of the object.
The hardness data, the coefficient of friction, and the mass data are collectively referred to as tactile information.

The control data has a data structure that defines the values of the shape, texture, light source, hardness, coefficient of friction, and mass for each part constituting the product. It is described as follows. Each product is represented by a set of parts described between the products <->. In the case of FIG. 4, two parts, part 1 representing the upper part, and part representing the lower part
Consists of two.

The product information providing means 14 receives a request for providing information on a specific product from the product selection terminal device 30, searches the product information database unit 11, and prepares data necessary for presenting information on the product. , To the product selection terminal device 30 that issued the request. The data necessary for presenting the product information includes the information described in one record (one line) in FIG. 11 and the image file, audio file, video file, and object information file specified therein. It is the content itself. The product information providing means 14 may be realized in any way, for example,
It can be realized by WWW server software and a CGI (Common Gateway Interface) program module for performing a database search. In this case, the product selection terminal device 30 naturally requests the product information using the WWW browser.

The order information receiving device 20 comprises an order data receiving means 22 and an order receiving database unit 21 as shown in FIG. 6, receives the product order information from the product selection terminal device 30, and is shown in FIG. Such an order record is recorded in the order reception database unit 21 and managed. The order data receiving unit 22 is, for example, a W that implements the product information providing unit 14 on the product information storage device 10.
It can be realized as a CGI program called from a WW server.

The merchandise selection terminal device 30 sends data (merchandise information data and explanation images, videos, and the like shown in FIG. 11) from the merchandise information providing means 14 on the merchandise information storage device 10 to present merchandise information. It receives the voice and the core file data of the object information setting) and provides the user with information for selecting the product. The reception of these data and the display on the terminal (the functions of the product information input unit 36 and the product information drawing unit 37 described later) can be realized using a generally used WWW browser. Further, it has a function of presenting the three-dimensional shape of the product and its tactile sensation and weight based on the read object information setting data. FIG. 7 shows a configuration diagram of the product selection terminal device 30. The product selection terminal device 30 includes an object information input unit 31, a plurality of force transmission units 32, and an arithmetic control unit 3.
3, object shape drawing unit 34, graphic display 3
5, a product information input unit 36 and a product information drawing unit 37 are provided.

The object information input section 31 reads and holds object information setting data from the product information storage device 10. The force transmitting unit 32 has a function of applying a force to the user's fingertip under the control of the arithmetic control unit 33. In addition, it has a function of reading the fingertip position of the user and transmitting it to the arithmetic control unit 33. The arithmetic control unit 33 calculates the shape based on the three-dimensional shape data, hardness data, friction coefficient (static friction, dynamic friction), mass data, and the current fingertip position transmitted from the force transmission unit 32 of the product. The drawing unit 34 and the force transmission unit 32 are controlled. The object shape drawing unit 34 has a function of reading the shape data, the texture data, the light source data, and the control information of the arithmetic control unit of the object information setting unit 31 and drawing the three-dimensional CG image of the product and the fingertip position on the display 35. The product information input unit 36 reads and holds a product information database and explanatory images, videos, and sounds in the product information storage device 10. The product information drawing unit 37 reads the product information and the description image / video / audio from the product information input unit 36 and performs a drawing process on the display 35.

The plurality of force transmitting units 32 are used to convert the physical operation of the operator into digital data (data indicating the position of the action point).
, A force generating unit 321 that converts digital data (data indicating a force control vector) given from the arithmetic control unit 33 into a physical force, and an action unit 322 that applies the generated force to an operator. Consists of A finger is usually used for a general object gripping operation. Therefore, in this embodiment, the action section 322 of the force transmission section 32 is configured by a finger sack that can be fitted and fixed to the operator's fingertip so that the above-described function is effectively performed. Thus, the operation point P can be moved, and the control force based on the force control vector C is transmitted to the operator's finger through the finger cot. In this embodiment, one force transmission unit 32
Will function as one finger, so that at least two sets of force transmitting units 32 are required. In FIG.
A state in which a virtual gripping operation of a product is performed using two sets of force transmission units 32 is shown.

An action point P is defined on the action section 322. The action point P can be moved in any three-dimensional direction based on a force applied by a user. Here, it is assumed that action points P1,..., Pn are defined on each action section 322 of the n force transmission sections 32, respectively.
Action point P displayed on display 35 in FIG.
1,..., Pn are the positions of the action points on the action portions 322. The position detection unit 323 has a function of detecting the position of the action point P on the action unit 322 on the three-dimensional coordinate system.
Specifically, the position of the action point P is detected as three coordinate values of x coordinate, y coordinate, and z coordinate. Here, the position of the action point P indicated by these three coordinate values is represented by data P (x, y, z). For example, the position detection unit 323 in the first force transmission unit 32
From the data P1 (x, y,
z) is output, and the position detection unit 323 in the second force transmission unit 32 outputs data P2 indicating the position of the action point P2.
(X, y, z) is output, and data Pn (x, y, z) indicating the position of the action point Pn is output from the position detection unit 323 in the n-th force transmission unit 32.

Data P1 indicating the positions of these action points
(X, y, z), P2 (x, y, z),..., Pn (x,
(y, z) is given to the arithmetic and control unit 33 and further to the object shape drawing unit 34. The object shape drawing unit 34
As described above, based on the data indicating these positions,
.., Pn on the screen of the display 35. On the other hand, the arithmetic control unit 33 recognizes the contact state between each action point and the virtual object based on the position of the action point and the position of the virtual object, and should generate at each action point according to the contact state. An operation for calculating a reaction force (force returned from the virtual object side to the user side) is performed. The specific contents of the calculation performed here are described in detail in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-272157 by the same applicant as the present invention, and therefore the description thereof is omitted here. When the reaction force to be generated at each point of action is obtained in this way, a force control vector C indicating a control force to be applied to each point of action is obtained based on the reaction force. To the force transmitting section 32. The force generating unit 321 in the force transmitting unit 32 has a function of generating a force vector to be applied to the action point P based on the force control vector C given from the arithmetic control unit 33.

The magnitude of the force control vector C is hardness,
It depends on the friction coefficient and the tactile information of the mass.
The user, while looking at the virtual screen on the graphic display 35, feels the force transmitted from the point of action P (finger sack) of the force transmitting unit to the fingertip, and tries to feel the product virtually or by touching it. Can be.

Since the force transmitting portion used in the present invention is a known device, a detailed description of its structure and mechanism will be omitted. As a commercially available product, for example, SensAble Device Inc. of the United States
An apparatus sold under the product name "oM" can be used. After all, the product selection terminal device 30 according to the present invention
A commercially available drive device serving as a force transmission unit is connected to a general-purpose computer, and can be realized by incorporating WWW browser software and a predetermined program into the computer.

Next, while showing specific screen movements,
The processing flow will be described. First, the merchandise selection terminal device 30 accesses the merchandise information storage device 10 and requests information presentation regarding “DNP jar”. The merchandise information providing means 14 searches the merchandise information database unit 11 and finds “DNP jar”. The information (the first line in FIG. 11) is obtained, and text data such as a production year, a description, a price, and file data of an image file, an audio file, and a video file are sent to the requested product selection terminal device 30. . Product selection terminal device 3
0 receives these data at the product information input unit 36, and the product information drawing unit 37 displays it as a product introduction screen as shown in FIG.

On this screen, the user can check the photograph image of the product and the description. Also, if you press the button for voice description on this screen, the product description by voice will be displayed.
Pressing the video description button provides a video description of the product.

Next, when the bodily sensation button is pressed, the product selection terminal device 30 requests the product information providing means 14 for object information data of the product. Therefore, the product information providing means 14 returns the object information setting file (dnptouch) data of the "DNP pot" to the requested product selection terminal device 30. The data of the object information setting file includes control data shown in FIG. 5 and values of various data such as shape data referred to by the control data. By obtaining these, a three-dimensional CG image of the product as shown in FIG. 9 and a point corresponding to the action part 322 of the force transmission part 32 are displayed. In this state, the user operates the force transmission unit 32 described above.
The user can feel the tactile sensation and the weight (the sensation and weight of gripping) of the product via the inner working portion 322. Image representing product shape in virtual space and action part 322 of force transmission part 32
Since the points corresponding to are superimposed and displayed, the operation of confirming the feel of the surface of the product or grasping the product to confirm the feeling of weight can be easily performed while checking the screen. After experiencing the tactile sensation and weight of the product in the virtual space, pressing the return button returns to the screen of FIG.

If the user decides to purchase after examining the merchandise in this way, the screen of FIG. 10 is displayed by pressing the order button, and the merchandise purchase procedure can be performed. Here, when the name, destination, telephone number, and e-mail address are entered and the purchase button is pressed, the order information shown in FIG. 12 is transmitted to the order information receiving device 20. Order information receiving device 11
Then, the order data receiving means 22 records the order information in the receiving order receiving database section 21, and performs order processing.

The product supplier who manages the product information receiving apparatus 10 periodically refers to the receiving order receiving database unit 21 to purchase ordered products and to send out goods and bills to the orderer.

[0030]

According to the present invention, when purchasing products such as vases, pots, dishes, etc., for which the touch and weight are important, in addition to visual information such as color and shape, using the Internet, virtually the tactile sensation of the products is obtained. In addition, since it is possible to make a purchase decision after experiencing the feeling of weight, it is possible to handle products that have been difficult to sell and to promote the spread of electronic commerce.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a virtual sensation product ordering system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an internal configuration diagram of the product information storage device 10.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of shape data.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a product example.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating control data.

FIG. 6 is an internal configuration diagram of the order information receiving device 20.

7 is an internal configuration diagram of the product selection terminal device 30. FIG.

FIG. 8 is a display screen of a product.

FIG. 9 is a screen when experiencing a product.

FIG. 10 is an order input screen.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing data contents of a product information database.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of order information.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a force transmission unit 32 of the product selection terminal device 30.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 virtual sensation product ordering system 1 10 product information storage device 11 product information database unit 12 explanation image / video / audio storage unit 13 object information setting data storage unit 14 product information providing means 20 order information receiving device 21 order reception database unit 22 Order data receiving means 30 Commodity selection terminal device 31 Object information input unit 32 Force transmission unit 321 Force generation unit 322 Acting unit 323 Position detection unit 33 Operation control unit 34 Object shape drawing unit 35 Graphic display 36 Product information input unit 37 Product information drawing Department

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In electronic commerce using a network, product information held in a product information storage device is taken out from a product selection terminal device operated by a user via a network, and the product information is provided with a graphic display. Examining a product while displaying it on a product selection terminal device, a virtual sensation product ordering system that issues an order to an order receiving device that receives an order, wherein the product information storage device includes, as product information, still image information, The product selection terminal device includes a plurality of force transmitting units that are tactile interfaces, and stores the product information storage device, including three-dimensional shape information, texture information, and tactile information in addition to character information. The information of the product being read is read, a three-dimensional image of the product is displayed, and the tactile sensation of the product is given to the user by the function of the force transmission unit. A virtual sensation product ordering system characterized by being able to present a feeling of weight. 2. The product selection terminal device includes a product information input unit that receives and stores character and image information of the product, a product information drawing unit that displays the information on the graphic display, and three-dimensional shape information of the product. An object information input unit for receiving and storing texture information and tactile information, a plurality of force transmitting units for holding a user's fingertip, detecting its position, and applying a force vector to be applied to the user's fingertip, A calculation control unit for calculating a force control vector to be applied to the user's fingertip from the fingertip position information from the transmission unit and the information held in the object information input unit; and a three-dimensional image of the user's fingertip position and the product. 2. The virtual sensation product ordering system according to claim 1, further comprising a three-dimensional shape drawing unit that draws the product on the graphic display in a superimposed manner. Stem.