JP2002042172A - Virtual object selection method and recording medium and service receiving application of this method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To instinctively select a virtual object inside a virtual space. SOLUTION: A virtual object selecting method comprises a display 11 for displaying the virtual space, a mouse 12 used by an operator for selecting operation, a recording medium 13 storing a program, and a computer 14 which can read and execute the program stored in the recording medium 13. The program includes a step for selecting a specific virtual object as a target object operable by the operator from a plurality of selectable virtual objects inside the virtual space with reference to a relative positional relationship between a plurality of virtual objects inside the virtual space and the position representing a view point of the operator inside the virtual space such as the operator's view point position inside the virtual world and the virtual object position substitutable for the operator's view point when the operator carries out selecting operation of the virtual object inside the virtual space displayed on the display 11 by means of the mouse 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the design of a three-dimensional model using a computer, a system for providing a three-dimensional virtual shopping mall or a virtual sightseeing service on the Internet, and the like. A method of selecting a virtual object to enable the operator to intuitively select and operate a specific virtual object from a plurality of virtual objects displayed intricately with the viewpoint position of the operator, The present invention relates to a recording medium and a service to which the method is applied.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a user interface for allowing an operator to select a virtual object arranged in a virtual space, a two-dimensional mouse pointer is arranged on a screen in the virtual space viewed from the viewpoint position of the operator. A virtual object that can be operated according to the degree of overlap between the position of the pointer and the virtual object projected two-dimensionally, or a virtual object that becomes a three-dimensional pointer is arranged in virtual space, and There is one that selects a virtual object that can be operated by contact with the virtual object.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-305411 discloses that an interference determination process is performed in parallel with other processes, and a virtual condition obtained from a contact condition between virtual objects when interference is determined. A means for obtaining a figure that restricts the position of the object is added so that the position of the virtual object can be corrected within this restricted figure. Moves the virtual object as it is to the target position, corrects the target position to be placed in the constraint figure to remove the interference while it is recently determined to be interference, and moves the virtual object to this corrected position The virtual object operation method is described,
This virtual object operation method selects an operation target virtual object by calculating interference between the virtual object and the virtual object.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-120264 discloses a storage means for storing an image of a virtual world and a sound effect, a display for displaying an image of the virtual world, a speaker for emitting a sound effect, and measurement of physical characteristics of a patient. A body characteristic amount measuring unit that captures the body characteristic amount measured by the body characteristic amount measuring unit, changes the body characteristic amount and the image and sound effect of the virtual world of the storage unit in conjunction with each other, and displays a display and a speaker. A rehabilitation support device having control means for outputting to a patient is described. The rehabilitation support device expresses a patient's body in a virtual image in a virtual space, and detects contact with another virtual object to perform rehabilitation training. Execute

[0005] Japanese Patent Publication No. 9-503082 discloses an apparatus for allowing a user to interact with a virtual space, in which data defining a three-dimensional virtual space and communication between the database and the first user are communicated. Communication means for establishing and data for limiting the virtual space from the database to the first
And a data communication unit for transmitting the data to a user. The device performs an interference check while sharing a position in a virtual space of a virtual object representing the user through a network.

[0006] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-134069 describes an information search device for searching for related information corresponding to an anchor, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-259516 discloses a search from an anchor set for a virtual three-dimensional space. Are described, and each of these devices has an interface for selecting and searching for a moving anchor as a virtual object with a mouse or the like.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-137842 has viewpoint position setting means for setting an area in which a virtual viewpoint can move along an area consisting of a three-dimensional surface at a predetermined distance from a virtual object. The means is described as an image processing apparatus that receives an operation signal corresponding to the moving amount of the virtual viewpoint from the input means and enables the virtual viewpoint to continuously move in the area. A collision between a game character and an obstacle is detected in a virtual space, and the distance between the two is automatically operated so as not to approach within a certain distance.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-2448 discloses an example of switching the content and quality of a display image according to the user's viewpoint position.
The virtual object display device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-53103 detects an actual position of a movable image display device by a sensor and displays another window for displaying information when the position reaches a preset position. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
The image display device described in Japanese Patent No. 96396 switches the displayed image according to the distance from the viewpoint to improve the display speed as a moving image.

[0009]

Conventionally, when a plurality of virtual objects are arranged in a complicated manner in a virtual space,
If the operator wants to intuitively select a specific virtual object from among them, it is difficult to select the virtual object in a virtual space. Therefore, a system for three-dimensional design displays a two-dimensional tree-structured structure diagram separately. In addition, a method of specifying a virtual object by indirectly selecting therefrom is used.

[0010] As another method, a virtual object dedicated to selection may be separately arranged in a virtual space so as not to overlap in the viewpoint direction. In this case, a virtual object to be actually selected is located at a large position. Since a different virtual object is selected for convenience, it is far from an intuitive selection operation.

Any of these methods is inappropriate as a method for intuitively selecting a virtual object in a virtual space.

[0012] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a virtual object selection method capable of intuitively selecting a virtual object in a virtual space, and a recording medium and a service using the method. With the goal.

[0013]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for selecting a specific virtual object from a plurality of virtual objects displayed in a virtual space, When the operator performs an operation of selecting a virtual object in the virtual space, the relative positional relationship between the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space and the position representing the viewpoint of the operator in the virtual space is used as a reference. A specific virtual object is selected from a plurality of selectable virtual objects in a virtual space, and the specific virtual object is set as a target operable by an operator.

According to this method, when the operator performs a selecting operation, for example, a virtual object that can be selected at the viewpoint position is ranked from a plurality of selectable virtual objects based on the relative positional relationship. Since a specific virtual object is automatically selected, for example, by attaching it, the virtual object in the virtual space can be intuitively selected. For the selected virtual object, display the bounding box as necessary, highlight it, shift the surrounding focus to emphasize it, or shift the parallax for binocular stereovision. Can also be explicitly shown to others. Here, if the selected virtual object is not what the operator wants to operate,
After moving the viewpoint position to change the relative positional relationship between the virtual object and the viewpoint position, an appropriate virtual object may be selected by performing the selection operation again. If you want to give the operator more choice without moving the viewpoint position, the feature of intuitive selection is slightly lost, but the virtual object specified by the above method is selected by default. Multi-step display including the operator's confirmation operation by superimposing and displaying at the position corresponding to the selected virtual object in the operator's field of view, or by sequentially changing the selected object according to priority by clicking the mouse etc. A selection operation may be performed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method of selecting a virtual object according to the first aspect, the position representing the viewpoint is a viewpoint position of the operator in the virtual space. Also in this method, it is possible to intuitively select a virtual object in the virtual space.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the method for selecting a virtual object according to the first aspect, the position representing the viewpoint is a position of the virtual object that substitutes for the viewpoint position in the virtual space of the operator. Features. Also in this method, it is possible to intuitively select a virtual object in the virtual space.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the method of selecting a virtual object according to any one of the first to third aspects, the relative positional relationship is based on a viewpoint for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space. It is characterized by the distance from the position to be represented. According to this method, a specific virtual object is automatically selected from a plurality of selectable virtual objects based on the distance, for example, by ranking the selectable virtual objects. It is only necessary to perform a simple calculation for obtaining the distance between the position representing the viewpoint of the virtual object and
The selection operation can be performed at high speed, and the virtual object in the virtual space can be selected intuitively and smoothly. For the calculation of the distance, a calculation method according to the application may be selected, such as the distance between the position representing the viewpoint and the origin of the virtual object or the distance from the position representing the viewpoint to the closest part of the surface of the virtual object. . Regarding ranking, you can choose a method that suits your purpose, such as ranking the closest one in terms of distance, ranking the one at a specific distance from the viewpoint as higher, and lowering the ranking as you move away from it. Good.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the method of selecting a virtual object according to any one of the first to third aspects, the relative positional relationship is based on a viewpoint for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space. It is characterized by the direction from the position to be represented. According to this method, a specific virtual object is automatically selected from a plurality of selectable virtual objects based on the direction, for example, by ranking the selectable virtual objects. Can be performed at high speed, and a virtual object in the virtual space can be selected intuitively and smoothly.
In addition, the origin position of the selectable virtual object is projected on a plane including the direction vector indicating the visual field direction from the position representing the viewpoint, the angle formed with the direction vector is calculated, and the rank is increased as the angle is smaller. You just have to do a simple calculation,
Selection operation can be performed at high speed. In addition to the above, the method of selecting based on the direction can be any method according to the application, imitating the selection with the toe at the position representing the viewpoint or the selection with the fingertip when the arm is expanded left and right The direction vector can be used, and any method can be used for ranking, such as increasing the rank when a specific angle is formed. It is also possible to use not only the direction vector from the viewpoint position but also individual directions of the selectable virtual object, for example, to select a virtual object facing the operator toward the front. You can choose the method that suits you.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the method of selecting a virtual object according to any one of the first to third aspects, the relative positional relationship is based on a viewpoint for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space. It is characterized by the distance from the position to be represented and the direction from the position representing the viewpoint for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space. According to this method, a specific virtual object is automatically and more accurately selected from a plurality of selectable virtual objects based on the distance and the direction, for example, by ranking the selectable virtual objects. Therefore, it is possible to intuitively and more accurately select a virtual object in the virtual space. For example, in the case of using one of the distance and the direction as a reference, when the selectable virtual objects are ranked, if there are a plurality of virtual objects having the same rank, a specific virtual object cannot be selected. Then
A specific virtual object can be quickly selected from a plurality of virtual objects having the same rank based on the other of the distance and the direction. Although the amount of calculation is large, it is possible to accurately select the candidate of the virtual object that the user wants to select by performing a rank calculation that comprehensively ranks both the distance and the direction for all selectable virtual objects. This makes intuitive and more accurate selection possible.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the method for selecting a virtual object according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, when a specific virtual object is selected from a plurality of selectable virtual objects in a virtual space, At least one of characteristic data relating to each virtual object and additional information indicating the current state of the operator is further used. According to this method, it is possible to intuitively select a virtual object in the virtual space that is more desirable. In addition to the relative positional relationship, characteristic data relating to the virtual object, for example, when an automobile is represented as a plurality of virtual objects, different attribute values depending on each virtual object such as a hood, a door, a glass, an engine or a tire. By using, for example, information such as age, gender or height as the current state of the operator, the history or residence time of the previous selection operation, and in some cases, ranking using information such as the budget balance, Intuitive and desired selection of a specific virtual object becomes possible.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the method of selecting a virtual object according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, a specific operation method is selected from a plurality of operation methods based on a relative positional relationship. It is characterized by doing. According to this method, for the operation method applied to the selected virtual object, for example, a plurality of operation methods are ranked based on the relative positional relationship between the position representing the viewpoint and the selected virtual object. For example, a specific operation method is automatically selected, so that an intuitive operation can be performed.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the virtual object selection method according to the eighth aspect, when a specific operation method is selected from a plurality of operation methods, the characteristic data and the operator's information on the selected specific virtual object are selected. It is characterized in that at least one of additional information indicating a current state is further used.
According to this method, a more intuitive operation becomes possible. Note that, in addition to the relative positional relationship for selecting a specific operation method, characteristic data relating to the virtual object, for example, a hood when a car is represented as a plurality of virtual objects,
Different attribute values are used for each virtual object such as a door, glass, engine or tire, or the current state of the operator, such as information such as age, gender or height, the history of the previous selection operation or the residence time, and in some cases, By ranking using information such as budget balance,
An even more accurate and intuitive selection becomes possible.

The invention according to claim 10 is the invention according to claims 1 to 9
In the virtual object selection method according to any one of the above, the position representing the viewpoint is moved to a relative position set or calculated with respect to the selected specific virtual object.
According to this method, accurate and intuitive selection is possible.
Note that, for the selected specific virtual object, a relative position set in advance for each virtual object, or an appropriate relative position calculated in consideration of information on the virtual space changed by the selection operation, for example, a selected relative position By automatically moving the position representing the viewpoint to the position where the virtual object can be best seen or operated most easily with the selection operation, accurate and intuitive selection becomes possible.

The eleventh aspect of the present invention relates to the first to the first aspects.
0, wherein the camera image is presented at a position corresponding to the viewpoint position of the operator, instead of presenting the virtual object in the virtual space to the operator. And According to this method, intuitive selection is possible in a virtual space closer to the real space. The selection based on the ranking of the virtual object itself is
By associating the camera image with the coordinates of the virtual space,
Even if the virtual object itself is not presented to the operator, the virtual object can be realized using the virtual object in the virtual space, the viewpoint position of the operator, and other auxiliary information. By displaying the virtual object of the part as a detailed three-dimensional model or a simplified model superimposed on the camera image on the screen, a more intuitive selection becomes possible. In the case where the viewpoint position is automatically moved in accordance with the selection operation as in the case of the invention according to claim 10, a camera capable of controlling pan, tilt, zoom, etc. from the outside can be used, Synchronizing the viewpoint position in virtual space with the camera image that is presented to the operator by switching multiple cameras installed at different angles or switching camera images recorded from various angles in advance Can be.

A recording medium according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention stores a computer program including steps necessary for executing the virtual object selecting method according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, and is readable by a computer. It is characterized by being.

In this case, if a computer program recorded on a recording medium is used, a virtual object in a virtual space can be intuitively selected. By combining the computer program stored in the recording medium with various computers on which a system for providing a three-dimensional model, a three-dimensional virtual shopping mall on the Internet, or a virtual sightseeing service, is operated. Can easily realize a user interface for intuitively selecting and operating a specific virtual object. In addition, when combined with a server computer, it can be downloaded and executed by multiple clients over a network environment such as the Internet, and is also applicable to systems where multiple operators share a virtual space and work. it can.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a service which requires a computer program including steps necessary for executing the virtual object selecting method according to any one of the first to eleventh directly or from a server computer. In response to the above, the computer program is loaded on a plurality of computers connected to a network, the computer program is executed by the computer, and the virtual space is shared by the plurality of computers via the network, and identification is performed by another operator in the virtual space. And performing operations such as guidance display by selecting only the virtual object, and selecting and interacting only with a specific operator who is paying attention to the certain virtual object.

In this case, it is possible to intuitively select a virtual object in the virtual space. When a variety of products and structures exist in a virtual space such as a virtual shopping mall, and multiple operators share the virtual space, the products and operators are represented in the virtual space. An operator such as a sales clerk or a tour operator can intuitively select the specified virtual object. This enables collaborative work such as presenting accurate product information to operators sharing the virtual space through a network, and interests in specific products from a large number of customers in a virtual shopping mall. Efficient dialogue, such as accurately picking up only the customers who seem to be present and explaining the product, is possible. For the selected virtual object, the bounding box is displayed as necessary, highlighted, the surrounding focus is shifted and emphasized, and in the case of binocular stereovision, the parallax is shifted to the operator. Since it can also be shown explicitly, it can be easily used for guiding the customer's line of sight to a specific virtual object in a manner that does not cause a sense of incongruity, for example, guiding a virtual sightseeing tour or training of eye movements. In addition, since it is not always necessary for a human salesperson or tour operator to present product information or explain products, the system automatically and efficiently provides information to many operators anytime and anywhere through the Internet. It can also be a service that does.

[0029]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system using an embodiment according to a method for selecting a virtual object according to the present invention.
An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

The system shown in FIG. 1 has a display 11 for displaying a virtual space, a mouse 12 for an operator to perform a selection operation, and a recording medium 13 on which a program is recorded.
And a computer 14 that can read and execute the program recorded on the recording medium 13.

When the operator performs an operation of selecting a virtual object in the virtual space displayed on the display 11 with the mouse 12, the recording medium 13 stores a plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space,
A position representing a viewpoint in the virtual space of the operator, for example, based on a relative positional relationship with a viewpoint position of the operator in the virtual space or a position of a virtual object that substitutes for the viewpoint position, the virtual space A program is recorded that includes various procedures such as selecting a specific virtual object from a plurality of selectable virtual objects within the group, and setting the specific virtual object as a target that can be operated by an operator.

Here, FIGS. 2 to 5 show more specific examples of the system of FIG. The system shown in the example of FIG. 2 includes a face-mounting or head-mounting type display 21, a mouse 22 as a pointing device, a recording medium 13, and a computer 14.
It is composed of The system shown in the example of FIG.
A display 31 comprising a screen 311 and a projection device 312 for projecting a virtual space onto the screen 311;
, The recording medium 13, the computer 14, and glasses 35 for viewing the image of the screen 311 as a three-dimensional image.
It is composed of The system shown in the example of FIG.
It comprises a CRT display 41, a normal mouse 42 used on a desk, the recording medium 13, and the computer 14. The system shown in the example of FIG. 5 includes computers 541, 542, 543,... Communicatively connected to each other via the Internet IN, and a display 4 connected to each of the computers 542, 543,.
1, the mouse 42 and the keyboard 56, and the recording medium 13 mounted on the computer 541. However, the computer 541 executes the program recorded on the recording medium 13 by the computer 542, 54
Each of the computers 542, 543,... Is capable of executing a program downloaded from the computer 541. In addition,
The display 41 is a CRT, but may be an LCD or a computer-integrated type.

FIG. 6 shows a display example of a virtual space on the display 11, such as the displays 21, 31, 41. As shown in the example of FIG.
Each virtual object of the cars V11, V12, V13, the scooter V14, and the bus V15 is displayed in the virtual space. FIG. 6 shows the position of each virtual object and the viewpoint position VP of the operator.
The positional relationship is as shown in the example of FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a method for selecting one virtual object in FIG. In the example of FIG. 7, the priority order for each virtual object in the virtual space, in the example of FIG. 7, for each part of each virtual object, based on the distance from the viewpoint position VP for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space Is derived and graphed in a priority graph. In FIG. 7A, the virtual object car V
Twelve left rear wheels have the highest priority,
In this case, when the operator performs a selection operation of a virtual object in the virtual space displayed on the display 11 with the mouse 12 such as the mice 22 and 42, the left rear wheel of the virtual object car V12 is selected. Become. On the other hand, in FIG. 7B, the priority of the virtual object with respect to the center of the vehicle V12 is the highest, and in this case, the operator selects the virtual object in the virtual space displayed on the display 11 by using the mouse 12 In this case, the entire virtual object car V12 is selected. As described above, if the distance between the virtual object in the virtual space and the position representing the viewpoint is used as the relative positional relationship, the virtual object at the position where the hand can be reached with priority is given priority. Can be selected.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of another method of selecting a virtual object in FIG. In the example of FIG. 8, the priority order for each virtual object in the virtual space, in the example of FIG. 8, for each part of each virtual object, based on the direction from the viewpoint position VP for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space Is derived and graphed in a priority graph. For example, when the viewpoint at the viewpoint position VP faces the direction D1, the priority of the virtual object in the direction D1 with respect to the seat of the car V12 is the highest, and in this case, the virtual object displayed on the display 11 by the operator is displayed. When the operation of selecting the virtual object in the space is performed with the mouse 12, the seat of the car V12 of the virtual object is selected. On the other hand, when the viewpoint at the viewpoint position VP faces the direction D2, the vehicle V13 of the virtual object in the direction D2
Has the highest priority for the right front wheel,
When the operator performs an operation of selecting a virtual object in the virtual space displayed on the display 11 with the mouse 12, the right front wheel of the virtual object car V13 is selected.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of another method of selecting a virtual object in FIG. In the example of FIG. 9, virtual distances from the viewpoint position VP for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space and directions from the viewpoint position VP for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space are used as a reference. A priority for each part of each virtual object in the space is derived. That is, as shown in FIG. 9A, the distance from the viewpoint position VP for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space is set as a reference.
The priority order for each part of each virtual object in the virtual space is derived, and as shown in FIG. 9B, virtual priority is set based on the direction from the viewpoint position VP for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space. A priority for each part of each virtual object in the space is derived. In this case, since the viewpoint at the viewpoint position VP is oriented in the direction D1, the priority order of the virtual object with respect to the car V11 is reduced.
The vehicle V11 of the virtual object close to P is excluded, and when the operator performs a selection operation of the virtual object in the virtual space displayed on the display 11 with the mouse 12, the left rear wheel of the virtual object car V12 is more accurately positioned. Will be selected.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of another method of selecting a virtual object in FIG. In the example of FIG. 10, when a specific virtual object is selected from a plurality of selectable virtual objects in the virtual space, characteristic data on each virtual object is further used. That is, a specific virtual object is selected based on a criterion combining a distance as a relative positional relationship and a function classification as characteristic data on each virtual object. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, in the case of the viewpoint position VP1, the priority of the virtual object with respect to the wheel, the door, the entire vehicle body, and the like of the vehicle V12 can be increased. On the other hand, in the case of the viewpoint position VP2 closer to the center of the car V12, even if the wheels and the door are at the same distance, the priority is given to the steering wheel, the seat, the instrument panel, etc., which belong to the equipment in the car. Can be. This allows for an appropriate selection. Instead of the characteristic data or together with the characteristic data, additional information indicating the current state of the operator, for example, information such as age, gender, or height, the history or residence time of the previous selection operation, and in some cases, the budget balance, etc. May be used.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of an example of selecting one of the operation methods for a specific virtual object. In the example of FIG. 11, the relative positional relationship of the selected virtual object with respect to the viewpoint position VP,
For example, a specific operation method is selected from a plurality of operation methods based on the direction. In FIG. 11, for example, a bus V1
When the mouse 12 is moved forward and backward when 5 is selected, the priority of the operation method for moving the bus V15 in the front-rear direction increases from the direction of the vehicle body of the bus V15.
In response to the operation 2, the bus V15 moves in the front-rear direction according to the operation method having the higher priority. On the other hand, if the mouse 12 is moved back and forth when the car V11 is selected, the priority of the operation method of opening and closing the door increases from the direction of the body of the car V11. Car V according to the operation method with the highest rank
11 doors will be opened and closed. If this method is applied to an editing operation, expansion and contraction in the vertical direction and duplication in the horizontal direction can be performed.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of another example of selecting an operation method for a specific virtual object. In the example of FIG. 12, when a specific operation method is selected from a plurality of operation methods, characteristic data on the selected specific virtual object is further used. For example, a specific operation method is selected based on the viewpoint position VP, the direction of the vehicle body of the selected virtual object, and the functional classification (characteristic data) of the vehicle body, the door, the headlight, and the like. In FIG. 12, when the mouse 12 is moved back and forth, when the vehicle body of the virtual object car V12 is selected, the car V
12 has a higher priority for the operation method of moving the vehicle V in the front-rear direction.
12 will move in the front-back direction. When the headlight of the car V12 is selected, the priority order for the operation method of raising and lowering the headlight becomes higher,
The headlights of the vehicle V12 are moved up and down according to the operation method having the higher priority. When the door of the vehicle V12 is selected, the priority of the operation method for opening and closing the door becomes higher, and the door of the vehicle V12 opens and closes according to the operation method with the higher priority.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of an example of automatic movement of the viewpoint position with respect to a specific virtual object. In FIG. 13, the viewpoint position VP is automatically moved to the relative position set or calculated with respect to the selected specific virtual object. For example, FIG.
In FIG. 3A, when the handle of the virtual object car V12 is selected, as shown in FIG.
P automatically moves to a position optimal for steering operation (an appropriate distance in front of the steering wheel).

FIG. 14 shows an example of a camera image which is presented to the operator at the viewpoint position and changes according to selection of a virtual object in a virtual space corresponding to the camera image. First, the live-action image shown in FIG.
Positioning is performed so that the image in the virtual section shown in (b) matches the viewpoint position VP as a reference. Then, the pointer MP of the mouse 12 is displayed on the actual video. At this time, when the operator operates the mouse 12 to move the pointer MP to the position shown in FIG. 14A, the viewpoint position VP in the virtual space automatically moves to the position corresponding to the pointer MP. The viewpoint in the camera video is moved to a position corresponding to the pointer MP as shown in FIG. 14C by panning, tilting, zooming, or the like of the camera. In this case, the display of the virtual space need not be shown to the operator.

FIG. 15 shows an example of a virtual object selection method applicable to the example of the system shown in FIG. The system shown in FIG. 15 selects only a specific virtual object such as a product that another operator is paying attention to in a virtual space such as a virtual shopping mall shared via a network and performs operations such as guidance display. This is an example of a service system in which only a specific operator paying attention to a certain virtual object is selected and a dialogue is performed. In this system, as shown in FIG. 15, a virtual space is shared by a plurality of operators through a network, and the operators are also arranged as virtual objects in the virtual space. Then, it is intuitively selected as a partner with which another operator interacts in the same manner as the virtual object described so far. In this way, by treating the operator as an avatar (an alternation of the operator in a virtual section) distinguished from a virtual object such as a car, the priority order of the virtual object such as a car that some of the operators are paying attention to , Or the priority of the virtual object of interest to the operator who is facing him can be increased, and various selection operations according to the application can be performed.

FIG. 16 shows a flow of a basic process according to the virtual object selection method described above. In FIG. 16, the virtual space data is updated in response to any change such as movement of the viewpoint position of the operator in the virtual space. In the case where the operator selects a virtual object, first, the viewpoint position of the operator and the position of the virtual object selectable by the operator are acquired from the virtual space data (S1, S1).
2). Subsequently, priority is given to each virtual object in the virtual space based on the relative positional relationship between the operator's viewpoint position and each virtual object, and ranking is performed (S3). Thereafter, when it is notified through the user interface that the operator has performed the selection operation, the data of the selection position by the operator at the time of the selection operation is obtained, and the selection operation of the selection operation is performed from among the ranked virtual objects. Select virtual objects by position,
This is set as a virtual object selected by the operator, and is set as a target of operation by the operator following the selection operation (S5). In addition, data about the selected virtual object is obtained as needed, an optimal viewpoint position when the operator selects the virtual object in the virtual space is obtained, and the current viewpoint position is moved to the viewpoint position. (S6, S6)
7).

Next, an example of the selection operation by the operator and an example of the result will be described with reference to FIGS. The virtual space shown in FIG. 6 includes a car (entire), tires, doors, a bonnet, a hatch, and the like as constituent parts thereof as virtual objects selectable by an operator, and further includes a steering wheel and an operation panel in the car. is there.

In FIG. 10, ranking is performed for each of these virtual objects based on the distance from the viewpoint position and the characteristic data relating to each virtual object, and when the operator performs a selection operation, an appropriate virtual object is selected. Select an object. Thereby, VP1
When the viewpoint position is far away from the center position of the vehicle V12, the priority order for the vehicle (entire) can be high, and the priority order for components such as tires and doors, the steering wheel in the vehicle, and the like can be lowered. On the other hand, VP
The viewpoint position is relatively closer to the center of the car V12 than VP2.
If the vehicle is farther away, the priority for the car (entire) can be lower, the priority for the tires and doors can be higher, and the priority for the steering wheel in the vehicle can be lower. In addition, as in VP2, the viewpoint position is the vehicle V12.
Very close to the center of the vehicle, lower priority for cars (entire), lower priority for tires and doors, etc.
The priority for the steering wheel in the vehicle can be increased. By performing the ranking in this way, it is possible to select a virtual object that matches the intuition of the operator according to the viewpoint position of the operator. In such a selection method, when selecting a virtual object, it is unlikely that the operator wants to select the operation panel in the vehicle from a distance, and conversely, wants to select the tires and the vehicle (whole) in a state where the viewpoint is in the vehicle. Is based on the idea that it is unlikely to be possible, which allows intuitive choices that match the senses.

[0046]

As is apparent from the above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for selecting a specific virtual object from a plurality of virtual objects displayed in a virtual space, When the operator performs an operation of selecting a virtual object in the virtual space, the relative positional relationship between the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space and the position representing the viewpoint of the operator in the virtual space is used as a reference. Since a specific virtual object is selected from a plurality of selectable virtual objects in the virtual space and the specific virtual object is set as a target that can be operated by the operator, the operation target expected by the operator is immediately The possibility of selection is increased, and a virtual object in the virtual space can be intuitively selected.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the virtual object selecting method according to the first aspect, the position representing the viewpoint is a viewpoint position of the operator in the virtual space.
It is possible to intuitively select a virtual object in the virtual space.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the virtual object selection method according to the first aspect, the position representing the viewpoint is a position of the virtual object that substitutes for the viewpoint position in the virtual space of the operator. Also, this method can also intuitively select a virtual object in the virtual space.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the virtual object selecting method according to any one of the first to third aspects,
Since the relative positional relationship is a distance between a position representing a viewpoint for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space,
Only a simple calculation to find the distance between the selectable virtual object and the position representing the viewpoint is required, and the selection operation can be performed at high speed and the virtual object in the virtual space can be selected intuitively and smoothly. Can be.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the virtual object selecting method according to any one of the first to third aspects,
Since the relative positional relationship is a direction from a position representing a viewpoint for each of a plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space, a simple calculation using, for example, a direction vector may be performed, and the selection operation can be performed at high speed. In addition, it is possible to intuitively and smoothly select a virtual object in the virtual space. It is also possible to select a virtual object facing the operator, for example, using the individual orientation of the selectable virtual object.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the method for selecting a virtual object according to any one of the first to third aspects,
The relative positional relationship is a distance between a position representing the viewpoint for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space, and a direction from the position representing the viewpoint for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space. As a result, it is possible to intuitively and more accurately select a virtual object in the virtual space.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the method for selecting a virtual object according to any one of the first to sixth aspects,
When a specific virtual object is selected from a plurality of selectable virtual objects in the virtual space, at least one of the characteristic data relating to each virtual object and the accompanying information indicating the current state of the operator is further used. It is possible to select a virtual object intuitively and more desirably.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the method for selecting a virtual object according to any one of the first to seventh aspects,
Since a specific operation method is selected from a plurality of operation methods based on the relative positional relationship, a specific operation method is automatically selected for the operation method applied to the selected virtual object. Intuitive operation becomes possible.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, in the virtual object selection method according to the eighth aspect, when a specific operation method is selected from a plurality of operation methods, the characteristic data and the operation data of the selected specific virtual object are selected. Since at least one of the additional information indicating the current state of the user is further used, a more intuitive operation can be performed.

According to the tenth aspect, the first aspect is provided.
In the method for selecting a virtual object according to any one of the above, the position representing the viewpoint is moved to the relative position set or calculated with respect to the selected specific virtual object, so that accurate and intuitive selection is possible. Becomes

According to the eleventh aspect, the first aspect is provided.
In the method for selecting a virtual object according to any one of Items 1 to 10, instead of presenting the virtual object in the virtual space to the operator, the camera image is presented at a position corresponding to the viewpoint position of the operator. Intuitive selection is possible in a virtual space closer to the real space.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the first aspect is provided.
Since the computer program including the steps required to execute the virtual object selecting method according to any one of to 11 is stored and readable by a computer, using the computer program recorded on a recording medium, It is possible to intuitively select a virtual object in the virtual space.

According to the thirteenth aspect, the first aspect is provided.
A computer program including the steps required to execute the virtual object selection method according to any one of the above-described items, directly or from a server computer, as necessary, to a plurality of computers connected to a network, Run the program on a computer, share the virtual space with multiple computers via the network, select only specific virtual objects that other operators are paying attention to in the virtual space, and perform operations such as guidance display, Since only the specific operator who is paying attention to a certain virtual object is selected for the dialogue, the virtual object in the virtual space can be selected intuitively.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a system using an embodiment according to a virtual object selection method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a more specific example of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another specific example of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another specific example of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another specific example of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a virtual space on a display.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a method for selecting one virtual object in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of another method for selecting a virtual object in FIG. 6;

9 is an explanatory diagram of another method of selecting a virtual object in FIG.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of another method for selecting a virtual object in FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a selection example of an operation method for a specific virtual object.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of another example of selecting an operation method for a specific virtual object.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of an example of automatic movement of a viewpoint position with respect to a specific virtual object.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a camera image that is presented to an operator at a viewpoint position and changes according to selection of a virtual object in a virtual space corresponding to the camera image.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method of selecting a virtual object applicable to the system example of FIG. 5;

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a basic processing flow according to a virtual object selection method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11, 21, 31, 41 Display 12, 22, 42 Mouse 13 Recording medium 14, 541, 542, 543, ... Computer

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5B046 DA08 FA08 GA01 GA10 5B050 BA13 CA07 CA08 EA12 FA02 FA09 FA13 FA14 5B087 AA07 AD02 AE07 BB21 DD03 DE03 DE07 5E501 AC09 AC37 BA05 CA03 CB09 EA13 EB05 FA02 FA14 FB44

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A method for selecting a specific virtual object from a plurality of virtual objects displayed in a virtual space, the method comprising: when an operator performs a selection operation on a virtual object in the virtual space, Selects a specific virtual object from multiple selectable virtual objects in the virtual space based on the relative positional relationship between multiple virtual objects in the virtual space and the position representing the viewpoint of the operator in the virtual space Then, a method of selecting a virtual object in which the specific virtual object can be operated by the operator. 2. The virtual object selecting method according to claim 1, wherein the position representing the viewpoint is a viewpoint position of the operator in a virtual space. 3. The virtual object selection method according to claim 1, wherein the position representing the viewpoint is a position of a virtual object that substitutes for the viewpoint position of the operator in the virtual space. 4. The selection of the virtual object according to claim 1, wherein the relative positional relationship is a distance between a position representing a viewpoint of each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space. Method. 5. The virtual object selection method according to claim 1, wherein the relative positional relationship is a direction from a position representing a viewpoint for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space. 6. The relative positional relationship indicates a distance between a position representing a viewpoint for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space, and a viewpoint for each of the plurality of virtual objects in the virtual space. The method for selecting a virtual object according to claim 1, wherein the direction is a direction from a position. 7. When selecting a specific virtual object from a plurality of selectable virtual objects in a virtual space, at least one of characteristic data relating to each virtual object and incidental information indicating a current state of an operator is further used. Item 7. The method for selecting a virtual object according to any one of Items 1 to 6. 8. A specific operation method is selected from a plurality of operation methods based on a relative positional relationship.
The method for selecting a virtual object according to any one of the above. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein when selecting a specific operation method from a plurality of operation methods, at least one of characteristic data relating to the selected specific virtual object and incidental information indicating a current state of the operator is further used. How to select virtual objects. 10. The virtual object selection method according to claim 1, wherein a position representing a viewpoint is moved to a relative position set or calculated with respect to the selected specific virtual object. 11. The virtual machine according to claim 1, wherein a camera image at a position corresponding to a viewpoint position of the operator is presented instead of presenting a virtual object in the virtual space to the operator. How to select objects. 12. A recording medium readable by a computer, storing a computer program including steps necessary for executing the method for selecting a virtual object according to any one of claims 1 to 11. 13. A computer program including steps necessary for executing the method for selecting a virtual object according to claim 1 connected to a network directly or as needed from a server computer. Load it on multiple computers, run the computer program on the computer, share the virtual space with multiple computers via the network, select only specific virtual objects that other operators are paying attention to in the virtual space A service that performs operations such as guidance display and selects only specific operators who are paying attention to a certain virtual object and has a dialogue.