JP2022048172A - Program, information processing device, and information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a program that can improve the virtual experience of a user.

SOLUTION: Provided is a program that causes a computer to execute a step of setting a virtual space 1611 to provide a virtual experience to a user, a step of setting a virtual viewpoint 14 at a first position 1661 of the virtual space 1611, a step of instructing a second position 1662 of the virtual space 1611 according to the movement of a part of a user body, a step of moving the virtual viewpoint 14 to the second position 1662, a step of controlling a field of view 1615 from the virtual viewpoint 14 according to the movement of a user head, a step of generating a movement locus object 1671 representing a movement locus connecting the first position 1661 and the second position 1662 when the field of view 1615 includes the first position 1661, a step of generating a first view image including the movement locus object 1671, and a step of outputting the first view image to an image display device associated with the user head.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 22

COPYRIGHT: (C)2022,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present disclosure relates to programs, information processing devices, and information processing methods.

Non-Patent Document 1 discloses that a user can teleport to a desired area by pointing to the desired area using an operation object (for example, a gun) that can be operated in the virtual space.

"Bullet Train VR Demo by Epic Games on Oculus | Unreal Engine, [online], [Search January 10, 2018], Internet <https://youtu.be/DmaxmnPzMWE>

Regarding teleport movement using an operation object as disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, there is room for improvement in improving the virtual experience of the user.

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a program, an information processing device, and an information processing method capable of improving a user's virtual experience.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure.
Steps to set up a virtual space to provide a virtual experience to users,
The step of setting the virtual viewpoint at the first position of the virtual space and
A step of instructing a second position in the virtual space according to the movement of a part of the user's body,
The step of moving the virtual viewpoint to the second position,
A step of controlling the field of view from the virtual viewpoint according to the movement of the user's head,
When the first position is included in the field of view, a step of generating a movement locus object representing a movement locus connecting the first position and the second position, and a step of generating the movement locus object.
The step of generating the first view image including the movement locus object, and
A step of outputting the first view image to an image display device associated with the head of the user, and
Provides a program to run the computer.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the virtual experience of the user.

It is a figure which shows the outline of the structure of the HMD system according to a certain embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the hardware composition of the computer according to a certain embodiment. It is a figure which conceptually represents the uvw field coordinate system set in the HMD according to a certain embodiment. It is a figure which conceptually represents one aspect which expresses a virtual space according to a certain embodiment. It is a figure which showed the head of the user who wears an HMD according to a certain embodiment from the top. It is a figure which shows the YZ cross section which looked at the view area from the X direction in a virtual space. It is a figure which shows the XZ cross section which looked at the view area from the Y direction in a virtual space. It is a figure which shows the schematic structure of the controller according to a certain embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of each direction of yaw, roll, and pitch defined for the right hand of the user according to a certain embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the hardware configuration of the server according to a certain embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the computer according to a certain embodiment as a module structure. It is a sequence chart which shows a part of the processing performed in the HMD set according to a certain embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the situation that each HMD provides a virtual space to a user in a network. It is a figure which shows the field of view image of the user 5A in FIG. 12A. It is a sequence chart which shows the process to perform in the HMD system according to a certain embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a computer module according to an embodiment. It is a sequence chart which shows the flow of processing when the movement locus object which shows the locus which a user moved in a virtual space is generated. It is a figure which shows an example of the virtual space provided to a user. It is a figure which shows an example of the virtual space provided to a user. It is a figure which shows an example of the virtual space provided to a user. It is a figure which shows an example of the virtual space provided to a user. It is a figure which shows an example of the virtual space provided to a user. It is a figure which shows an example of the virtual space provided to a user. It is a figure which shows an example of the virtual space provided to a user. It is a figure which shows an example of the field of view image displayed on the monitor of an HMD. It is a sequence chart which shows the flow of the display / non-display processing of the movement locus object in the HMD of another user in the multiplayer game by a plurality of users. It is a sequence chart which shows the flow of the process for displaying a history object. Represents the configuration of another HMD system. Represents the configuration of other controllers.

Hereinafter, embodiments of this technical idea will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are the same. Therefore, the detailed description of them will not be repeated. In one or more embodiments shown in the present disclosure, the elements included in each embodiment may be combined with each other, and the combined result shall also form part of the embodiments shown in the present disclosure.

[HMD system configuration]
The configuration of the HMD (Head-Mounted Device) system 100 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of the HMD system 100 according to the present embodiment. The HMD system 100 is provided as a home system or a business system.

The HMD system 100 includes a server 600, HMD sets 110A, 110B, 110C, 110D, an external device 700, and a network 2. Each of the HMD sets 110A, 110B, 110C, and 110D is configured to be able to communicate with the server 600 and the external device 700 via the network 2. Hereinafter, the HMD set 110A, 110B, 110C, 110D are collectively referred to as the HMD set 110. The number of HMD sets 110 constituting the HMD system 100 is not limited to four, and may be three or less or five or more. The HMD set 110 includes an HMD 120, a computer 200, an HMD sensor 410, a display 430, and a controller 300. The HMD 120 includes a monitor 130, a gaze sensor 140, a first camera 150, a second camera 160, a microphone 170, and a speaker 180. The controller 300 may include a motion sensor 420.

In one aspect, the computer 200 can connect to the Internet or other network 2 and can communicate with the server 600 or other computer connected to the network 2. Examples of other computers include computers of other HMD sets 110 and external devices 700. In another aspect, the HMD 120 may include a sensor 190 instead of the HMD sensor 410.

The HMD 120 may be mounted on the user 5's head and provide virtual space to the user 5 during operation. More specifically, the HMD 120 displays an image for the right eye and an image for the left eye on the monitor 130, respectively. When each eye of the user 5 visually recognizes the respective image, the user 5 can recognize the image as a three-dimensional image based on the parallax of both eyes. The HMD 120 may include either a so-called head-mounted display provided with a monitor and a head-mounted device to which a terminal having a monitor such as a smartphone can be attached.

The monitor 130 is realized as, for example, a non-transparent display device. In one aspect, the monitor 130 is arranged in the body of the HMD 120 so as to be located in front of both eyes of the user 5. Therefore, the user 5 can immerse himself in the virtual space when he / she visually recognizes the three-dimensional image displayed on the monitor 130. In one aspect, the virtual space includes, for example, a background, a user-operable object, and a user-selectable menu image. In a certain aspect, the monitor 130 can be realized as a liquid crystal monitor or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) monitor included in a so-called smartphone or other information display terminal.

In another aspect, the monitor 130 can be realized as a transmissive display device. In this case, the HMD 120 may be an open type such as a glasses type, not a closed type that covers the eyes of the user 5 as shown in FIG. The transmissive monitor 130 may be temporarily configured as a non-transparent display device by adjusting its transmittance. The monitor 130 may include a configuration that simultaneously displays a part of the image constituting the virtual space and the real space. For example, the monitor 130 may display an image of the real space taken by the camera mounted on the HMD 120, or may make the real space visible by setting a part of the transmittance to be high.

In certain aspects, the monitor 130 may include a sub-monitor for displaying an image for the right eye and a sub-monitor for displaying an image for the left eye. In another aspect, the monitor 130 may be configured to display the image for the right eye and the image for the left eye as a unit. In this case, the monitor 130 includes a high speed shutter. The high-speed shutter operates so that the image for the right eye and the image for the left eye can be alternately displayed so that the image is recognized by only one of the eyes.

In one aspect, the HMD 120 includes a plurality of light sources (not shown). Each light source is realized by, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) that emits infrared rays. The HMD sensor 410 has a position tracking function for detecting the movement of the HMD 120. More specifically, the HMD sensor 410 reads a plurality of infrared rays emitted by the HMD 120 and detects the position and inclination of the HMD 120 in the real space.

In another aspect, the HMD sensor 410 may be implemented by a camera. In this case, the HMD sensor 410 can detect the position and tilt of the HMD 120 by executing the image analysis process using the image information of the HMD 120 output from the camera.

In another aspect, the HMD 120 may include the sensor 190 as a position detector in place of the HMD sensor 410 or in addition to the HMD sensor 410. The HMD 120 can detect the position and tilt of the HMD 120 itself using the sensor 190. For example, if the sensor 190 is an angular velocity sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, or an acceleration sensor, the HMD 120 may use any of these sensors instead of the HMD sensor 410 to detect its position and tilt. As an example, when the sensor 190 is an angular velocity sensor, the angular velocity sensor detects the angular velocity around the three axes of the HMD 120 in real space over time. The HMD 120 calculates the temporal change of the angle around the three axes of the HMD 120 based on each angular velocity, and further calculates the inclination of the HMD 120 based on the temporal change of the angle.

The gaze sensor 140 detects the direction in which the line of sight of the user 5's right eye and left eye is directed. That is, the gaze sensor 140 detects the line of sight of the user 5. Detection of the direction of the line of sight is realized, for example, by a known eye tracking function. The gaze sensor 140 is realized by a sensor having the eye tracking function. In certain aspects, the gaze sensor 140 preferably includes a sensor for the right eye and a sensor for the left eye. The gaze sensor 140 may be, for example, a sensor that irradiates the right eye and the left eye of the user 5 with infrared light and detects the angle of rotation of each eyeball by receiving the reflected light from the cornea and the iris with respect to the irradiation light. .. The gaze sensor 140 can detect the line of sight of the user 5 based on each detected rotation angle.

The first camera 150 captures the lower part of the face of the user 5. More specifically, the first camera 150 captures the nose, mouth, and the like of the user 5. The second camera 160 captures the eyes, eyebrows, and the like of the user 5. The housing on the user 5 side of the HMD 120 is defined as the inside of the HMD 120, and the housing on the opposite side of the user 5 of the HMD 120 is defined as the outside of the HMD 120. In one aspect, the first camera 150 may be located outside the HMD 120 and the second camera 160 may be located inside the HMD 120. The images generated by the first camera 150 and the second camera 160 are input to the computer 200. In another aspect, the first camera 150 and the second camera 160 may be realized as one camera, and the face of the user 5 may be photographed by this one camera.

The microphone 170 converts the utterance of the user 5 into an audio signal (electrical signal) and outputs it to the computer 200. The speaker 180 converts the voice signal into voice and outputs it to the user 5. In another aspect, the HMD 120 may include earphones instead of the speaker 180.

The controller 300 is connected to the computer 200 by wire or wirelessly. The controller 300 receives an instruction input from the user 5 to the computer 200. In one aspect, the controller 300 is configured to be grippable by the user 5. In another aspect, the controller 300 is configured to be wearable on a part of the user 5's body or clothing. In yet another aspect, the controller 300 may be configured to output at least one of vibration, sound, and light based on the signal transmitted from the computer 200. In yet another aspect, the controller 300 receives from the user 5 an operation for controlling the position and movement of the object arranged in the virtual space.

In one aspect, the controller 300 includes a plurality of light sources. Each light source is realized, for example, by an LED that emits infrared rays. The HMD sensor 410 has a position tracking function. In this case, the HMD sensor 410 reads a plurality of infrared rays emitted by the controller 300 and detects the position and inclination of the controller 300 in the real space. In another aspect, the HMD sensor 410 may be implemented by a camera. In this case, the HMD sensor 410 can detect the position and tilt of the controller 300 by executing the image analysis process using the image information of the controller 300 output from the camera.

The motion sensor 420 is attached to the user 5's hand in a certain aspect and detects the movement of the user 5's hand. For example, the motion sensor 420 detects the rotation speed, the number of rotations, and the like of the hand. The detected signal is sent to the computer 200. The motion sensor 420 is provided in the controller 300, for example. In a certain aspect, the motion sensor 420 is provided in, for example, a controller 300 configured to be grippable by the user 5. In another aspect, for safety in real space, the controller 300 is attached to something that does not easily fly by being attached to the user 5's hand, such as a glove type. In yet another aspect, a sensor not attached to the user 5 may detect the movement of the user 5's hand. For example, the signal of the camera that captures the user 5 may be input to the computer 200 as a signal indicating the operation of the user 5. As an example, the motion sensor 420 and the computer 200 are wirelessly connected to each other. In the case of wireless communication, the communication mode is not particularly limited, and for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark) or other known communication method is used.

The display 430 displays an image similar to the image displayed on the monitor 130. As a result, users other than the user 5 wearing the HMD 120 can view the same image as the user 5. The image displayed on the display 430 does not have to be a three-dimensional image, and may be an image for the right eye or an image for the left eye. Examples of the display 430 include a liquid crystal display and an organic EL monitor.

The server 600 may send the program to the computer 200. In another aspect, the server 600 may communicate with another computer 200 to provide virtual reality to the HMD 120 used by another user. For example, in an amusement facility, when a plurality of users play a participatory game, each computer 200 communicates a signal based on the operation of each user with another computer 200 via a server 600, and a plurality of users are used in the same virtual space. Allows users to enjoy a common game. Each computer 200 may communicate a signal based on the operation of each user with another computer 200 without going through the server 600.

The external device 700 may be any device as long as it can communicate with the computer 200. The external device 700 may be, for example, a device capable of communicating with the computer 200 via the network 2, or a device capable of directly communicating with the computer 200 by short-range wireless communication or a wired connection. Examples of the external device 700 include, but are not limited to, smart devices, PCs (Personal Computers), and peripheral devices of the computer 200.

[Computer hardware configuration]
The computer 200 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the computer 200 according to the present embodiment. The computer 200 includes a processor 210, a memory 220, a storage 230, an input / output interface 240, and a communication interface 250 as main components. Each component is connected to bus 260, respectively.

The processor 210 executes a series of instructions contained in the program stored in the memory 220 or the storage 230 based on the signal given to the computer 200 or when a predetermined condition is satisfied. In a certain aspect, the processor 210 is realized as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processor Unit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or other device.

The memory 220 temporarily stores programs and data. The program is loaded from storage 230, for example. The data includes data input to the computer 200 and data generated by the processor 210. In a certain aspect, the memory 220 is realized as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or other volatile memory.

Storage 230 holds programs and data permanently. The storage 230 is realized as, for example, a ROM (Read-Only Memory), a hard disk device, a flash memory, or other non-volatile storage device. The program stored in the storage 230 includes a program for providing a virtual space in the HMD system 100, a simulation program, a game program, a user authentication program, and a program for realizing communication with another computer 200. The data stored in the storage 230 includes data, objects, and the like for defining the virtual space.

In another aspect, the storage 230 may be realized as a removable storage device such as a memory card. In yet another aspect, a configuration using programs and data stored in an external storage device may be used instead of the storage 230 built into the computer 200. With such a configuration, it becomes possible to collectively update programs and data in a situation where a plurality of HMD systems 100 are used, for example, in an amusement facility.

The input / output interface 240 communicates signals with the HMD 120, the HMD sensor 410, the motion sensor 420, and the display 430. The monitor 130, the gaze sensor 140, the first camera 150, the second camera 160, the microphone 170, and the speaker 180 included in the HMD 120 may communicate with the computer 200 via the input / output interface 240 of the HMD 120. In a certain aspect, the input / output interface 240 is realized by using USB (Universal Serial Bus), DVI (Digital Visual Interface), HDMI (registered trademark) (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) and other terminals. The input / output interface 240 is not limited to the above.

In some aspects, the input / output interface 240 may further communicate with the controller 300. For example, the input / output interface 240 receives inputs of signals output from the controller 300 and the motion sensor 420. In another aspect, the input / output interface 240 sends an instruction output from the processor 210 to the controller 300. The command instructs the controller 300 to vibrate, output voice, emit light, and the like. Upon receiving the command, the controller 300 executes either vibration, voice output, or light emission in response to the command.

The communication interface 250 is connected to the network 2 and communicates with another computer (for example, the server 600) connected to the network 2. In a certain aspect, the communication interface 250 is realized as, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) or other wired communication interface, or a WiFi (Wireless Fidelity), Bluetooth®, NFC (Near Field Communication) or other wireless communication interface. Will be done. The communication interface 250 is not limited to the above.

In one aspect, the processor 210 accesses the storage 230, loads one or more programs stored in the storage 230 into the memory 220, and executes a series of instructions contained in the program. The one or more programs may include an operating system of the computer 200, an application program for providing the virtual space, game software that can be executed in the virtual space, and the like. The processor 210 sends a signal to the HMD 120 to provide virtual space via the input / output interface 240. The HMD 120 displays an image on the monitor 130 based on the signal.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the computer 200 is configured to be provided outside the HMD 120, but in another aspect, the computer 200 may be built in the HMD 120. As an example, a portable information communication terminal (for example, a smartphone) including a monitor 130 may function as a computer 200.

The computer 200 may have a configuration commonly used for a plurality of HMDs 120. According to such a configuration, for example, the same virtual space can be provided to a plurality of users, so that each user can enjoy the same application as other users in the same virtual space.

In a certain embodiment, in the HMD system 100, a real coordinate system, which is a coordinate system in the real space, is preset. The real coordinate system has three reference directions (axises) that are parallel to the vertical direction in the real space, the horizontal direction orthogonal to the vertical direction, and the front-back direction orthogonal to both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. The horizontal direction, the vertical direction (vertical direction), and the front-back direction in the real coordinate system are defined as the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis, respectively. More specifically, in the real coordinate system, the x-axis is parallel to the horizontal direction of the real space. The y-axis is parallel to the vertical direction in real space. The z-axis is parallel to the front-back direction of the real space.

In one aspect, the HMD sensor 410 includes an infrared sensor. When the infrared sensor detects the infrared rays emitted from each light source of the HMD 120, the presence of the HMD 120 is detected. The HMD sensor 410 further detects the position and inclination (orientation) of the HMD 120 in the real space according to the movement of the user 5 wearing the HMD 120 based on the value of each point (each coordinate value in the real coordinate system). do. More specifically, the HMD sensor 410 can detect a temporal change in the position and inclination of the HMD 120 by using each value detected over time.

Each inclination of the HMD 120 detected by the HMD sensor 410 corresponds to each inclination of the HMD 120 around three axes in the real coordinate system. The HMD sensor 410 sets the uvw field coordinate system to the HMD 120 based on the inclination of the HMD 120 in the real coordinate system. The uvw field-of-view coordinate system set in the HMD 120 corresponds to the viewpoint coordinate system when the user 5 wearing the HMD 120 sees an object in the virtual space.

[Uvw field coordinate system]
The uvw field coordinate system will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram conceptually representing the uvw field coordinate system set in the HMD 120 according to an embodiment. The HMD sensor 410 detects the position and tilt of the HMD 120 in the real coordinate system when the HMD 120 is activated. The processor 210 sets the uvw field coordinate system to the HMD 120 based on the detected values.

As shown in FIG. 3, the HMD 120 sets a three-dimensional uvw visual field coordinate system centered (origin) on the head of the user 5 wearing the HMD 120. More specifically, the HMD 120 has horizontal, vertical, and anteroposterior directions (x-axis, y-axis, z-axis) that define the real coordinate system, respectively, by the inclination around each axis of the HMD 120 in the real coordinate system. The three directions newly obtained by tilting each around the axis are set as the pitch axis (u axis), the yaw axis (v axis), and the roll axis (w axis) of the uvw field coordinate system in the HMD 120.

In a certain aspect, when the user 5 wearing the HMD 120 stands upright and is visually recognizing the front, the processor 210 sets the uvw field coordinate system parallel to the real coordinate system to the HMD 120. In this case, the horizontal direction (x axis), the vertical direction (y axis), and the anteroposterior direction (z axis) in the real coordinate system are the pitch axis (u axis) and the yaw axis (v axis) of the uvw visual field coordinate system in the HMD 120. , And the roll axis (w axis).

After the uvw field coordinate system is set to the HMD 120, the HMD sensor 410 can detect the tilt of the HMD 120 in the set uvw field coordinate system based on the movement of the HMD 120. In this case, the HMD sensor 410 detects the pitch angle (θu), yaw angle (θv), and roll angle (θw) of the HMD 120 in the uvw field coordinate system as the inclination of the HMD 120. The pitch angle (θu) represents the tilt angle of the HMD 120 around the pitch axis in the uvw field coordinate system. The yaw angle (θv) represents the tilt angle of the HMD 120 around the yaw axis in the uvw visual field coordinate system. The roll angle (θw) represents the tilt angle of the HMD 120 around the roll axis in the uvw field coordinate system.

The HMD sensor 410 sets the uvw field coordinate system in the HMD 120 after the HMD 120 has moved, based on the detected tilt of the HMD 120, in the HMD 120. The relationship between the HMD 120 and the uvw field coordinate system of the HMD 120 is always constant regardless of the position and tilt of the HMD 120. When the position and inclination of the HMD 120 change, the position and inclination of the uvw field coordinate system of the HMD 120 in the real coordinate system change in conjunction with the change of the position and inclination.

In one aspect, the HMD sensor 410 is based on the infrared light intensity obtained based on the output from the infrared sensor and the relative positional relationship between the points (eg, the distance between the points), the HMD 120. The position of the light in the real space may be specified as a relative position with respect to the HMD sensor 410. The processor 210 may determine the origin of the uvw visual field coordinate system of the HMD 120 in real space (real coordinate system) based on the identified relative position.

[Virtual space]
The virtual space will be further described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram conceptually representing one aspect of expressing the virtual space 11 according to a certain embodiment. The virtual space 11 has an all-sky spherical structure that covers the entire center 12 in the 360-degree direction. In FIG. 4, the celestial sphere in the upper half of the virtual space 11 is illustrated so as not to complicate the explanation. Each mesh is defined in the virtual space 11. The position of each mesh is predetermined as a coordinate value in the XYZ coordinate system, which is a global coordinate system defined in the virtual space 11. The computer 200 associates each partial image constituting the panoramic image 13 (still image, moving image, etc.) expandable in the virtual space 11 with each corresponding mesh in the virtual space 11.

In a certain aspect, the virtual space 11 defines an XYZ coordinate system with the center 12 as the origin. The XYZ coordinate system is, for example, parallel to the real coordinate system. The horizontal direction, the vertical direction (vertical direction), and the front-back direction in the XYZ coordinate system are defined as the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis, respectively. Therefore, the X-axis (horizontal direction) of the XYZ coordinate system is parallel to the x-axis of the real coordinate system, and the Y-axis (vertical direction) of the XYZ coordinate system is parallel to the y-axis of the real coordinate system. The Z-axis (front-back direction) is parallel to the z-axis of the real coordinate system.

At the time of starting the HMD 120, that is, in the initial state of the HMD 120, the virtual camera 14 is arranged at the center 12 of the virtual space 11. In one aspect, the processor 210 displays an image captured by the virtual camera 14 on the monitor 130 of the HMD 120. The virtual camera 14 moves in the virtual space 11 in the same manner as the movement of the HMD 120 in the real space. Thereby, changes in the position and inclination of the HMD 120 in the real space can be similarly reproduced in the virtual space 11.

As in the case of the HMD 120, the virtual camera 14 is defined with the uvw field coordinate system. The uvw field-of-view coordinate system of the virtual camera 14 in the virtual space 11 is defined to be linked to the uvw field-of-view coordinate system of the HMD 120 in the real space (real coordinate system). Therefore, when the tilt of the HMD 120 changes, the tilt of the virtual camera 14 also changes accordingly. The virtual camera 14 can also move in the virtual space 11 in conjunction with the movement of the user 5 wearing the HMD 120 in the real space.

The processor 210 of the computer 200 defines the view area 15 in the virtual space 11 based on the position and tilt (reference line of sight 16) of the virtual camera 14. The visual field area 15 corresponds to an area of the virtual space 11 that is visually recognized by the user 5 wearing the HMD 120. That is, the position of the virtual camera 14 can be said to be the viewpoint of the user 5 in the virtual space 11.

The line of sight of the user 5 detected by the gaze sensor 140 is a direction in the viewpoint coordinate system when the user 5 visually recognizes an object. The uvw field-of-view coordinate system of the HMD 120 is equal to the viewpoint coordinate system when the user 5 visually recognizes the monitor 130. The uvw field-of-view coordinate system of the virtual camera 14 is linked to the uvw field-of-view coordinate system of the HMD 120. Therefore, the HMD system 100 according to a certain aspect can consider the line of sight of the user 5 detected by the gaze sensor 140 as the line of sight of the user 5 in the uvw field-of-view coordinate system of the virtual camera 14.

[User's line of sight]
The determination of the line of sight of the user 5 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a top view of the head of the user 5 who wears the HMD 120 according to a certain embodiment.

In one aspect, the gaze sensor 140 detects each line of sight of the user 5's right and left eyes. In a certain aspect, when the user 5 is looking near, the gaze sensor 140 detects the lines of sight R1 and L1. In another aspect, when the user 5 is looking far away, the gaze sensor 140 detects the lines of sight R2 and L2. In this case, the angle formed by the lines of sight R2 and L2 with respect to the roll axis w is smaller than the angle formed by the lines of sight R1 and L1 with respect to the roll axis w. The gaze sensor 140 transmits the detection result to the computer 200.

When the computer 200 receives the detection values of the lines of sight R1 and L1 from the gaze sensor 140 as the detection result of the line of sight, the computer 200 identifies the gaze point N1 which is the intersection of the lines of sight R1 and L1 based on the detected values. On the other hand, when the computer 200 receives the detected values of the lines of sight R2 and L2 from the gaze sensor 140, the computer 200 identifies the intersection of the lines of sight R2 and L2 as the gaze point. The computer 200 identifies the line of sight N0 of the user 5 based on the position of the identified gazing point N1. The computer 200 detects, for example, the extending direction of the straight line passing through the midpoint of the straight line connecting the right eye R and the left eye L of the user 5 and the gazing point N1 as the line of sight N0. The line of sight N0 is the direction in which the user 5 actually directs the line of sight with both eyes. The line of sight N0 corresponds to the direction in which the user 5 actually directs the line of sight with respect to the view area 15.

In another aspect, the HMD system 100 may include a television broadcast receiving tuner. According to such a configuration, the HMD system 100 can display a television program in the virtual space 11.

In yet another aspect, the HMD system 100 may include a communication circuit for connecting to the Internet or a telephone function for connecting to a telephone line.

[Visibility area]
The view area 15 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a YZ cross section of the view area 15 viewed from the X direction in the virtual space 11. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an XZ cross section of the view area 15 viewed from the Y direction in the virtual space 11.

As shown in FIG. 6, the field of view region 15 in the YZ cross section includes the region 18. The region 18 is defined by the position of the virtual camera 14, the reference line of sight 16, and the YZ cross section of the virtual space 11. The processor 210 defines a range including the polar angle α around the reference line of sight 16 in the virtual space as a region 18.

As shown in FIG. 7, the field of view region 15 in the XZ cross section includes the region 19. The region 19 is defined by the position of the virtual camera 14, the reference line of sight 16, and the XZ cross section of the virtual space 11. The processor 210 defines a range including the azimuth angle β centered on the reference line of sight 16 in the virtual space 11 as a region 19. The polar angles α and β are determined according to the position of the virtual camera 14 and the inclination (orientation) of the virtual camera 14.

In one aspect, the HMD system 100 provides the user 5 with a field of view in the virtual space 11 by displaying the field of view image 17 on the monitor 130 based on the signal from the computer 200. The visual field image 17 is an image corresponding to a portion of the panoramic image 13 corresponding to the visual field region 15. When the user 5 moves the HMD 120 attached to the head, the virtual camera 14 also moves in conjunction with the movement. As a result, the position of the view area 15 in the virtual space 11 changes. As a result, the visual field image 17 displayed on the monitor 130 is updated to an image superimposed on the visual field region 15 in the direction in which the user 5 faces in the virtual space 11 among the panoramic images 13. The user 5 can visually recognize the desired direction in the virtual space 11.

As described above, the inclination of the virtual camera 14 corresponds to the line of sight (reference line of sight 16) of the user 5 in the virtual space 11, and the position where the virtual camera 14 is arranged corresponds to the viewpoint of the user 5 in the virtual space 11. Therefore, by changing the position or tilt of the virtual camera 14, the image displayed on the monitor 130 is updated and the field of view of the user 5 is moved.

While wearing the HMD 120, the user 5 can visually recognize only the panoramic image 13 developed in the virtual space 11 without visually recognizing the real world. Therefore, the HMD system 100 can give the user 5 a high sense of immersion in the virtual space 11.

In one aspect, the processor 210 may move the virtual camera 14 in the virtual space 11 in conjunction with the movement of the user 5 wearing the HMD 120 in the real space. In this case, the processor 210 identifies an image area (view area 15) projected onto the monitor 130 of the HMD 120 based on the position and tilt of the virtual camera 14 in the virtual space 11.

In one aspect, the virtual camera 14 may include two virtual cameras, a virtual camera for providing an image for the right eye and a virtual camera for providing an image for the left eye. Appropriate parallax is set in the two virtual cameras so that the user 5 can recognize the three-dimensional virtual space 11. In another aspect, the virtual camera 14 may be realized by one virtual camera. In this case, an image for the right eye and an image for the left eye may be generated from the image obtained by one virtual camera. In the present embodiment, the virtual camera 14 includes two virtual cameras, and the roll axis (w) generated by synthesizing the roll axes of the two virtual cameras is adapted to the roll axis (w) of the HMD 120. Assuming that it is configured as such, the technical idea according to the present disclosure will be exemplified.

[controller]
An example of the controller 300 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a controller 300 according to an embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 8, in certain aspects, the controller 300 may include a right controller 300R and a left controller (not shown). The right controller 300R is operated by the right hand of the user 5. The left controller is operated by the left hand of the user 5. In a certain aspect, the right controller 300R and the left controller are symmetrically configured as separate devices. Therefore, the user 5 can freely move the right hand holding the right controller 300R and the left hand holding the left controller. In another aspect, the controller 300 may be an integrated controller that accepts operations of both hands. Hereinafter, the right controller 300R will be described.

The right controller 300R includes a grip 310, a frame 320, and a top surface 330. The grip 310 is configured to be gripped by the right hand of the user 5. For example, the grip 310 may be held by the palm of the user 5's right hand and three fingers (middle finger, ring finger, little finger).

The grip 310 includes buttons 340,350 and a motion sensor 420. The button 340 is arranged on the side surface of the grip 310 and accepts an operation by the middle finger of the right hand. The button 350 is arranged on the front surface of the grip 310 and accepts an operation by the index finger of the right hand. In one aspect, the buttons 340,350 are configured as trigger type buttons. The motion sensor 420 is built in the housing of the grip 310. If the movement of the user 5 can be detected from around the user 5 by a camera or other device, the grip 310 may not include the motion sensor 420.

The frame 320 includes a plurality of infrared LEDs 360 arranged along its circumferential direction. The infrared LED 360 emits infrared rays as the program progresses while the program using the controller 300 is being executed. The infrared rays emitted from the infrared LED 360 can be used to detect each position and posture (tilt, orientation) of the right controller 300R and the left controller. In the example shown in FIG. 8, infrared LEDs 360 arranged in two rows are shown, but the number of arrays is not limited to that shown in FIG. An array with one column or three or more columns may be used.

The top surface 330 includes buttons 370, 380 and an analog stick 390. The buttons 370 and 380 are configured as push buttons. Buttons 370 and 380 accept operations by the thumb of the user 5's right hand. The analog stick 390 accepts an operation in any direction 360 degrees from the initial position (neutral position) in a certain aspect. The operation includes, for example, an operation for moving an object arranged in the virtual space 11.

In one aspect, the right controller 300R and the left controller include a battery for driving the infrared LED 360 and other components. Batteries include, but are not limited to, rechargeable, button type, dry cell type and the like. In another aspect, the right controller 300R and the left controller may be connected to, for example, the USB interface of the computer 200. In this case, the right controller 300R and the left controller do not require batteries.

As shown in the states (A) and (B) of FIG. 8, for example, the yaw, roll, and pitch directions are defined with respect to the right hand of the user 5. When the user 5 extends the thumb and the index finger, the direction in which the thumb extends is the yaw direction, the direction in which the index finger extends is the roll direction, and the direction perpendicular to the plane defined by the yaw direction axis and the roll direction axis is the pitch direction. Is defined as.

[Server hardware configuration]
The server 600 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the server 600 according to a certain embodiment. The server 600 includes a processor 610, a memory 620, a storage 630, an input / output interface 640, and a communication interface 650 as main components. Each component is connected to bus 660, respectively.

The processor 610 executes a series of instructions contained in the program stored in the memory 620 or the storage 630 based on the signal given to the server 600 or when a predetermined condition is satisfied. In one aspect, the processor 610 is implemented as a CPU, GPU, MPU, FPGA or other device.

Memory 620 temporarily stores programs and data. The program is loaded from storage 630, for example. The data includes data input to the server 600 and data generated by the processor 610. In one aspect, the memory 620 is realized as a RAM or other volatile memory.

Storage 630 permanently holds programs and data. The storage 630 is realized as, for example, a ROM, a hard disk device, a flash memory, or other non-volatile storage device. The program stored in the storage 630 may include a program for providing a virtual space in the HMD system 100, a simulation program, a game program, a user authentication program, and a program for realizing communication with the computer 200. The data stored in the storage 630 may include data and objects for defining the virtual space.

In another aspect, the storage 630 may be realized as a removable storage device such as a memory card. In yet another aspect, a configuration using programs and data stored in an external storage device may be used instead of the storage 630 built into the server 600. With such a configuration, it becomes possible to collectively update programs and data in a situation where a plurality of HMD systems 100 are used, for example, in an amusement facility.

The input / output interface 640 communicates a signal with the input / output device. In some aspects, the input / output interface 640 is implemented using USB, DVI, HDMI and other terminals. The input / output interface 640 is not limited to the above.

The communication interface 650 is connected to the network 2 and communicates with the computer 200 connected to the network 2. In one aspect, the communication interface 650 is realized, for example, as a LAN or other wired communication interface, or a WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC or other wireless communication interface. The communication interface 650 is not limited to the above.

In one aspect, the processor 610 accesses the storage 630, loads one or more programs stored in the storage 630 into the memory 620, and executes a series of instructions contained in the program. The one or more programs may include an operating system of the server 600, an application program for providing the virtual space, game software that can be executed in the virtual space, and the like. The processor 610 may send a signal to the computer 200 to provide virtual space via the input / output interface 640.

[HMD control device]
The control device of the HMD 120 will be described with reference to FIG. In certain embodiments, the control device is implemented by a computer 200 having a well-known configuration. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a computer 200 according to an embodiment as a module configuration.

As shown in FIG. 10, the computer 200 includes a control module 510, a rendering module 520, a memory module 530, and a communication control module 540. In one aspect, the control module 510 and the rendering module 520 are implemented by the processor 210. In another aspect, the plurality of processors 210 may operate as the control module 510 and the rendering module 520. The memory module 530 is realized by the memory 220 or the storage 230. The communication control module 540 is realized by the communication interface 250.

The control module 510 controls the virtual space 11 provided to the user 5. The control module 510 defines the virtual space 11 in the HMD system 100 by using the virtual space data representing the virtual space 11. The virtual space data is stored in, for example, the memory module 530. The control module 510 may generate virtual space data or acquire virtual space data from a server 600 or the like.

The control module 510 arranges an object in the virtual space 11 by using the object data representing the object. The object data is stored in, for example, the memory module 530. The control module 510 may generate object data or acquire object data from a server 600 or the like. The objects are, for example, an avatar object that is the alter ego of the user 5, a character object, an operation object such as a virtual hand operated by the controller 300, a landscape including forests, mountains, etc. arranged as the story of the game progresses, a cityscape, and animals. Etc. may be included.

The control module 510 arranges the avatar object of the user 5 of another computer 200 connected via the network 2 in the virtual space 11. In a certain aspect, the control module 510 arranges the avatar object of the user 5 in the virtual space 11. In a certain aspect, the control module 510 arranges an avatar object imitating the user 5 in the virtual space 11 based on the image including the user 5. In another aspect, the control module 510 arranges an avatar object in the virtual space 11 that has been selected by the user 5 from among a plurality of types of avatar objects (for example, an object imitating an animal or a deformed human object). do.

The control module 510 identifies the tilt of the HMD 120 based on the output of the HMD sensor 410. In another aspect, the control module 510 identifies the tilt of the HMD 120 based on the output of the sensor 190, which acts as a motion sensor. The control module 510 detects organs (for example, mouth, eyes, eyebrows) constituting the face of the user 5 from the images of the face of the user 5 generated by the first camera 150 and the second camera 160. The control module 510 detects the movement (shape) of each detected organ.

The control module 510 detects the line of sight of the user 5 in the virtual space 11 based on the signal from the gaze sensor 140. The control module 510 detects the viewpoint position (coordinate value in the XYZ coordinate system) where the detected line of sight of the user 5 and the celestial sphere of the virtual space 11 intersect. More specifically, the control module 510 detects the viewpoint position based on the line of sight of the user 5 defined by the uvw coordinate system and the position and inclination of the virtual camera 14. The control module 510 transmits the detected viewpoint position to the server 600. In another aspect, the control module 510 may be configured to transmit line-of-sight information representing the line of sight of the user 5 to the server 600. In such a case, the viewpoint position can be calculated based on the line-of-sight information received by the server 600.

The control module 510 reflects the movement of the HMD 120 detected by the HMD sensor 410 on the avatar object. For example, the control module 510 detects that the HMD 120 is tilted and tilts and arranges the avatar object. The control module 510 reflects the detected movement of the facial organ on the face of the avatar object arranged in the virtual space 11. The control module 510 receives the line-of-sight information of another user 5 from the server 600 and reflects it in the line-of-sight of the avatar object of the other user 5. In a certain aspect, the control module 510 reflects the movement of the controller 300 on the avatar object and the operation object. In this case, the controller 300 includes a motion sensor for detecting the movement of the controller 300, an acceleration sensor, a plurality of light emitting elements (for example, infrared LEDs), and the like.

The control module 510 arranges an operation object for receiving the operation of the user 5 in the virtual space 11 in the virtual space 11. By manipulating the operation object, the user 5 operates, for example, an object arranged in the virtual space 11. In a certain aspect, the operation object may include, for example, a hand object which is a virtual hand corresponding to the hand of the user 5. In one aspect, the control module 510 moves the hand object in the virtual space 11 so as to be interlocked with the movement of the user 5's hand in the real space based on the output of the motion sensor 420. In one aspect, the manipulation object can correspond to the hand portion of the avatar object.

When each of the objects arranged in the virtual space 11 collides with another object, the control module 510 detects the collision. The control module 510 can detect, for example, the timing at which the collision area of one object and the collision area of another object touch each other, and when the detection is made, a predetermined process is performed. The control module 510 can detect the timing when the object and the object are separated from the touching state, and when the detection is made, the control module 510 performs a predetermined process. The control module 510 can detect that the object is in contact with the object. For example, when the operation object touches another object, the control module 510 detects that the operation object touches the other object, and performs a predetermined process.

In one aspect, the control module 510 controls the image display on the monitor 130 of the HMD 120. For example, the control module 510 arranges the virtual camera 14 in the virtual space 11. The control module 510 controls the position of the virtual camera 14 in the virtual space 11 and the inclination (orientation) of the virtual camera 14. The control module 510 defines the field of view 15 according to the inclination of the head of the user 5 wearing the HMD 120 and the position of the virtual camera 14. The rendering module 520 generates a view image 17 to be displayed on the monitor 130 based on the determined view area 15. The view image 17 generated by the rendering module 520 is output to the HMD 120 by the communication control module 540.

When the control module 510 detects an utterance using the microphone 170 of the user 5 from the HMD 120, the control module 510 identifies the computer 200 to which the voice data corresponding to the utterance is transmitted. The voice data is transmitted to the computer 200 specified by the control module 510. When the control module 510 receives voice data from another user's computer 200 via the network 2, the control module 510 outputs voice (utterance) corresponding to the voice data from the speaker 180.

The memory module 530 holds data used by the computer 200 to provide the virtual space 11 to the user 5. In a certain aspect, the memory module 530 holds spatial information, object information, and user information.

Spatial information holds one or more templates defined to provide virtual space 11.

The object information includes a plurality of panoramic images 13 constituting the virtual space 11 and object data for arranging the objects in the virtual space 11. The panoramic image 13 may include a still image and a moving image. The panoramic image 13 may include an image of unreal space and an image of real space. Examples of images in unreal space include images generated by computer graphics.

The user information holds a user ID that identifies the user 5. The user ID may be, for example, an IP (Internet Protocol) address or a MAC (Media Access Control) address set in the computer 200 used by the user. In another aspect, the user ID may be set by the user. The user information includes a program for operating the computer 200 as a control device of the HMD system 100.

The data and programs stored in the memory module 530 are input by the user 5 of the HMD 120. Alternatively, the processor 210 downloads a program or data from a computer (for example, a server 600) operated by a business operator that provides the content, and stores the downloaded program or data in the memory module 530.

The communication control module 540 may communicate with the server 600 and other information communication devices via the network 2.

In certain aspects, the control module 510 and the rendering module 520 may be implemented using, for example, Unity® provided by Unity Technologies. In another aspect, the control module 510 and the rendering module 520 can also be realized as a combination of circuit elements that realize each process.

The processing in the computer 200 is realized by the hardware and the software executed by the processor 210. Such software may be pre-stored in a hard disk or other memory module 530. The software may be stored on a CD-ROM or other computer-readable non-volatile data recording medium and distributed as a program product. Alternatively, the software may be provided as a downloadable program product by an information provider connected to the Internet or other networks. Such software is read from the data recording medium by an optical disk drive or other data reader, or downloaded from the server 600 or other computer via the communication control module 540, and then temporarily stored in the storage module. .. The software is read from the storage module by the processor 210 and stored in RAM in the form of an executable program. The processor 210 executes the program.

[Control structure of HMD system]
The control structure of the HMD set 110 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 is a sequence chart showing a part of the processing performed in the HMD set 110 according to an embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 11, in step S1110, the processor 210 of the computer 200 identifies the virtual space data as the control module 510 and defines the virtual space 11.

In step S1120, the processor 210 initializes the virtual camera 14. For example, the processor 210 arranges the virtual camera 14 in a predetermined center 12 in the virtual space 11 in the work area of the memory, and directs the line of sight of the virtual camera 14 in the direction in which the user 5 is facing.

In step S1130, the processor 210 generates the view image data for displaying the initial view image as the rendering module 520. The generated field image data is output to the HMD 120 by the communication control module 540.

In step S1132, the monitor 130 of the HMD 120 displays the view image based on the view image data received from the computer 200. The user 5 wearing the HMD 120 can recognize the virtual space 11 when he / she visually recognizes the visual field image.

In step S1134, the HMD sensor 410 detects the position and tilt of the HMD 120 based on the plurality of infrared rays emitted from the HMD 120. The detection result is output to the computer 200 as motion detection data.

In step S1140, the processor 210 specifies the viewing direction of the user 5 wearing the HMD 120 based on the position and the inclination included in the motion detection data of the HMD 120.

In step S1150, the processor 210 executes the application program and arranges the object in the virtual space 11 based on the instruction included in the application program.

In step S1160, the controller 300 detects the operation of the user 5 based on the signal output from the motion sensor 420, and outputs the detection data representing the detected operation to the computer 200. In another aspect, the operation of the controller 300 by the user 5 may be detected based on an image from a camera arranged around the user 5.

In step S1170, the processor 210 detects the operation of the controller 300 by the user 5 based on the detection data acquired from the controller 300.

In step S1180, the processor 210 generates view image data based on the operation of the controller 300 by the user 5. The generated field image data is output to the HMD 120 by the communication control module 540.

In step S1190, the HMD 120 updates the view image based on the received view image data, and displays the updated view image on the monitor 130.

[Avatar Object]
An avatar object according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 12A and 12B. Hereinafter, it is a figure explaining the avatar object of each user 5 of the HMD set 110A, 110B. Hereinafter, the user of the HMD set 110A is referred to as a user 5A, the user of the HMD set 110B is referred to as a user 5B, the user of the HMD set 110C is referred to as a user 5C, and the user of the HMD set 110D is referred to as a user 5D. A is added to the reference code of each component related to the HMD set 110A, B is added to the reference code of each component related to the HMD set 110B, and C is added to the reference code of each component related to the HMD set 110C. A D is added to the reference code of each component with respect to 110D. For example, the HMD 120A is included in the HMD set 110A.

FIG. 12A is a schematic diagram showing a situation in which each HMD 120 provides the virtual space 11 to the user 5 in the network 2. The computers 200A to 200D provide the virtual spaces 11A to 11D to the users 5A to 5D via the HMDs 120A to 120D, respectively. In the example shown in FIG. 12A, the virtual space 11A and the virtual space 11B are composed of the same data. In other words, the computer 200A and the computer 200B share the same virtual space. In the virtual space 11A and the virtual space 11B, the avatar object 6A of the user 5A and the avatar object 6B of the user 5B exist. The avatar object 6A in the virtual space 11A and the avatar object 6B in the virtual space 11B are each equipped with the HMD 120, but this is for the sake of clarity, and in reality, these objects are equipped with the HMD 120. Not.

In one aspect, the processor 210A may place a virtual camera 14A that captures the field of view image 17A of the user 5A at the eye position of the avatar object 6A.

12 (B) is a diagram showing the field of view image 17A of the user 5A in FIG. 12 (A). The view image 17A is an image displayed on the monitor 130A of the HMD 120A. The view image 17A is an image generated by the virtual camera 14A. The avatar object 6B of the user 5B is displayed on the view image 17A. Although not shown in particular, the avatar object 6A of the user 5A is also displayed in the field of view image of the user 5B.

In the state of FIG. 12B, the user 5A can communicate with the user 5B via the virtual space 11A by dialogue. More specifically, the voice of the user 5A acquired by the microphone 170A is transmitted to the HMD 120B of the user 5B via the server 600, and is output from the speaker 180B provided in the HMD 120B. The voice of the user 5B is transmitted to the HMD 120A of the user 5A via the server 600, and is output from the speaker 180A provided in the HMD 120A.

The operation of the user 5B (the operation of the HMD 120B and the operation of the controller 300B) is reflected in the avatar object 6B arranged in the virtual space 11A by the processor 210A. As a result, the user 5A can recognize the operation of the user 5B through the avatar object 6B.

FIG. 13 is a sequence chart showing a part of the processing executed in the HMD system 100 according to the present embodiment. Although the HMD set 110D is not shown in FIG. 13, the HMD set 110D operates in the same manner as the HMD sets 110A, 110B, and 110C. Also in the following description, A is added to the reference code of each component related to the HMD set 110A, B is added to the reference code of each component related to the HMD set 110B, and C is added to the reference code of each component related to the HMD set 110C. It shall be attached and D shall be attached to the reference code of each component with respect to the HMD set 110D.

In step S1310A, the processor 210A in the HMD set 110A acquires the avatar information for determining the operation of the avatar object 6A in the virtual space 11A. This avatar information includes information about the avatar such as motion information, face tracking data, and voice data. The motion information includes information indicating a temporal change in the position and inclination of the HMD 120A, information indicating the hand motion of the user 5A detected by the motion sensor 420A, and the like. The face tracking data includes data for specifying the position and size of each part of the face of the user 5A. Examples of the face tracking data include data showing the movement of each organ constituting the face of the user 5A and line-of-sight data. Examples of the voice data include data indicating the voice of the user 5A acquired by the microphone 170A of the HMD 120A. The avatar information may include information for specifying the avatar object 6A or the user 5A associated with the avatar object 6A, information for specifying the virtual space 11A in which the avatar object 6A exists, and the like. Information that identifies the avatar object 6A and the user 5A includes a user ID. Information that identifies the virtual space 11A in which the avatar object 6A exists includes a room ID. The processor 210A transmits the avatar information acquired as described above to the server 600 via the network 2.

In step S1310B, the processor 210B in the HMD set 110B acquires the avatar information for determining the operation of the avatar object 6B in the virtual space 11B and transmits it to the server 600, as in the process in step S1310A. Similarly, in step S1310C, the processor 210B in the HMD set 110C acquires the avatar information for determining the operation of the avatar object 6C in the virtual space 11C and transmits it to the server 600.

In step S1320, the server 600 temporarily stores the player information received from each of the HMD set 110A, the HMD set 110B, and the HMD set 110C. The server 600 integrates the avatar information of all the users (users 5A to 5C in this example) associated with the common virtual space 11 based on the user ID, the room ID, and the like included in each avatar information. Then, the server 600 transmits the integrated avatar information to all the users associated with the virtual space 11 at a predetermined timing. As a result, the synchronization process is executed. By such a synchronization process, the HMD set 110A, the HMD set 110B, and the HMD set 110C can share the avatar information of each other at substantially the same timing.

Subsequently, each HMD set 110A to 110C executes the process of steps S1330A to S1330C based on the avatar information transmitted from the server 600 to each HMD set 110A to 110C. The process of step S1330A corresponds to the process of step S1180 in FIG.

In step S1330A, the processor 210A in the HMD set 110A updates the information of the avatar object 6B and the avatar object 6C of the other users 5B and 5C in the virtual space 11A. Specifically, the processor 210A updates the position and orientation of the avatar object 6B in the virtual space 11 based on the motion information included in the avatar information transmitted from the HMD set 110B. For example, the processor 210A updates the information (position, orientation, etc.) of the avatar object 6B included in the object information stored in the memory module 530. Similarly, the processor 210A updates the information (position, orientation, etc.) of the avatar object 6C in the virtual space 11 based on the motion information included in the avatar information transmitted from the HMD set 110C.

In step S1330B, the processor 210B in the HMD set 110B updates the information of the avatar objects 6A, 6C of the users 5A, 5C in the virtual space 11B, as in the process in step S1330A. Similarly, in step S1330C, the processor 210C in the HMD set 110C updates the information of the avatar objects 6A, 6B of the users 5A, 5B in the virtual space 11C.

[Detailed configuration of module]
The details of the module configuration of the computer 200 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a module of the computer 200 according to an embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 14, the control module 510 includes a virtual camera control module 1421, a view area determination module 1422, a virtual space definition module 1423, a virtual object generation module 1424, and an operation object control module 1425. .. The rendering module 520 includes a field of view image generation module 1429. The memory module 530 holds spatial information 1426, object information 1427, and user information 1428.

The virtual camera control module 1421 arranges the virtual camera 14 in the virtual space 11. The virtual camera control module 1421 controls the arrangement position of the virtual camera 14 in the virtual space 11 and the orientation (tilt) of the virtual camera 14. The view area determination module 1422 defines the view area 15 according to the orientation of the head of the user wearing the HMD 120 and the arrangement position of the virtual camera 14. The view image generation module 1429 generates a view image 17 to be displayed on the monitor 130 based on the determined view area 15.

The virtual space definition module 1423 defines the virtual space 11 in the HMD system 100 by generating virtual space data representing the virtual space 11.

The virtual object generation module 1424 generates an object to be arranged in the virtual space 11. Objects can include, for example, forests, landscapes, including mountains, animals, etc. that are arranged as the story of the game progresses. In particular, the object may include movement points 1662,1663, pointer objects 1665, and movement trajectory objects 1671,1672, which will be described later.

The operation object control module 1425 controls the operation object arranged in the virtual space 11. In one aspect, the operating object may include, for example, a pointer object 1665 described below that can be manipulated by the hand of a user wearing the HMD 120.

When each of the objects arranged in the virtual space 11 collides with another object, the control module 510 detects the collision. The control module 510 can detect, for example, the timing at which one object and another object touch each other, and when the detection is made, a predetermined process is performed. The control module 510 can detect the timing when the object and the object are separated from the touching state, and when the detection is made, the control module 510 performs a predetermined process. The control module 510 can detect that the object is in contact with the object. Specifically, the operation object control module 1425 detects that the operation object touches the other object when the operation object touches the other object, and performs predetermined processing. ..

The memory module 530 holds data used by the computer 200 to provide the virtual space 11 to the user 5. In one aspect, the memory module 530 holds spatial information 1426, object information 1427, and user information 1428.

Spatial information 1426 holds one or more templates defined to provide virtual space 11.

The object information 1427 holds the content to be reproduced in the virtual space 11, the object used in the content, and the information (for example, position information) for arranging the object in the virtual space 11. The content may include, for example, a game, content representing a landscape similar to that of the real world, and the like.

The user information 1428 holds a program for operating the computer 200 as a control device of the HMD system 100, an application program using each content held in the object information 1427, and the like.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 15 to 23, the flow of processing when a movement locus object indicating a locus of movement by the user 5A in the virtual space is generated in the game program according to the present embodiment will be described. .. FIG. 15 is a sequence chart showing a processing flow when a movement locus object is generated. 16 to 22 are diagrams showing an example of a virtual space provided to the user 5A for explaining the game program according to the present embodiment. FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of a field image displayed on the monitor 130 of the HMD 120 for explaining the game program according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 15, in step S1541, the processor 210 of the computer 200 identifies the virtual space data of the game program according to the present embodiment as the control module 510, and defines the virtual space 1611 shown in FIG. ..

In step S1542, the processor 210 sets a virtual camera 14 (an example of a virtual viewpoint) at a predetermined position in the virtual space 1611 as shown in FIG. For example, the virtual camera 14 is arranged at the center position 1661 of the celestial spherical virtual space 1611.

In step S1543, the processor 210 sets the movement points 1662 and 1663 at predetermined positions in the virtual space 1611 as shown in FIG. The movement points 1662 and 1663 function as points on which the virtual camera 14 can teleport (warp) move based on the operation by the user 5A.

In step S1544, the processor 210 arranges the pointer object 1665 as an operation object in the virtual space 1611. In the initial state, the pointer object 1665 is arranged at a predetermined position in the field of view area 1615 of the virtual camera 14. The predetermined position of the pointer object 1665 in the initial state is predetermined as a position relative to the position of the virtual camera 14 in the virtual space 1611. For example, the pointer object 1665 is arranged at a position within the field of view area 1615 of the virtual camera 14 by a predetermined distance from the virtual camera 14. The pointer object 1665 can be moved from the initial state position to an arbitrary position based on the operation of the controller 300 by the user 5A. That is, the user 5A can move the pointer object 1665 and point to an arbitrary position in the virtual space 1611 by operating the controller 300. Note that the pointer object 1665 may function like a laser pointer in real space. That is, the virtual camera 14 may irradiate light in a predetermined direction so that the moving points 1662 and 1663 hit by the light can be pointed. Further, the pointer object 1665 may be configured as a stretchable object based on the operation of the controller 300. That is, while leaving one end of the pointer object 1665 at a predetermined position, the other end of the pointer object 1665 may be moved so that an arbitrary position can be pointed.

In step S1545, the processor 210, as the rendering module 520, generates view image data for displaying the view image of the virtual space 1611 including the movement points 1662, 1663 and the pointer object 1665. The generated field image data is output to the HMD 120 by the communication control module 540.

In step S1546, the monitor 130 of the HMD 120 displays the view image based on the view image data received from the computer 200.

In step S1547, the controller 300 detects an input operation by the user 5A, and outputs detection data representing the detected input operation to the computer 200. In another aspect, the operation of the controller 300 by the user 5A may be detected based on an image from a camera arranged around the user 5A.

In step S1548, the processor 210 detects the input operation by the user 5A based on the detection data acquired from the controller 300.

In step S1549, the processor 210 controls the pointer object 1665 based on the detected operation of the controller 300. For example, the processor 210 moves the pointer object 1665 to a position that interferes with the movement point 1662, as shown in FIG. 17, based on the detection data representing the operation of the controller 300.

In step S1550, the processor 210 generates the view image data in the state where the pointer object 1665 is moved to the position of the movement point 1662, and outputs the view image data to the HMD 120.

In step S1551, the HMD 120 updates the view image based on the received view image data, and causes the monitor 130 to display the updated view image.

In step S1552, the processor 210 determines whether or not the movement point 1662 has been pointed by the pointer object 1665. The processor 210 may determine that the movement point 1662 has been pointed based on the fact that the pointer object 1665 has been moved to a position that interferes with the movement point 1662, and the pointer object 1665 has been moved to a position that interferes with the movement point 1662. It may be determined that the movement point 1662 is pointed based on the detection of the operation of the controller 300 by the user 5A (for example, the operation of pressing the button 350) in this state.

If it is determined by the pointer object 1665 that the move point 1662 has been pointed (Yes in step S1552), in step S1553, the processor 210 will use the virtual camera at the pointed move point 1662 as shown in FIG. Move 14 That is, the virtual viewpoint by the virtual camera 14 is moved from the position 1661 to the position 1662.

In step S1554, the processor 210 generates view image data in a state where the virtual camera 14 has moved to the position of the movement point 1662, and outputs the view image data to the HMD 120.

In step S1555, the HMD 120 updates the view image based on the received view image data, and causes the monitor 130 to display the updated view image.

The processor 210 repeats steps S1547 to S1555, and as shown in FIG. 19, based on the pointer object 1665 pointing to the movement point 1663, the virtual camera 14 is moved to the position of the movement point 1663 as shown in FIG. The view image in the state where the virtual camera 14 is moved to the position of the movement point 1663 is displayed on the monitor 130 of the HMD 120.

In step S1556, the processor 210 determines whether or not the position before the movement of the virtual camera 14 is included in the field of view area 1615 of the virtual camera 14. For example, when the user 5A who teleports from the initial position 1661 to the movement point 1662 and then to the movement point 1663 turns around, as shown in FIG. 21, the virtual camera is within the view area 1615 of the virtual camera 14. Includes movement point 1662, which is the position before 14 teleports to movement point 1663. As described above, when the position in the field of view 1615 before the virtual camera 14 is moved to the current position is included, the processor 210 includes the position in the field of view 1615 before the virtual camera 14 is moved. Can be determined. In FIG. 21, the field of view area 1615 of the virtual camera 14 also includes the initial position 1661, which is the position before the virtual camera 14 teleports to the movement point 1662. It should be noted that the field of view area 1615 does not necessarily have to include the initial position 1661 and / or the movement point 1662. For example, at least a part of the virtual line 1667 connecting the initial position 1661 and the moving point 1662, or at least a part of the virtual line 1668 connecting the moving point 1662 and the moving point 1663 is included in the view area 1615. If so, it may be determined that the position of the virtual camera 14 before movement is included in the view area 1615.

If it is determined that the position before the movement of the virtual camera 14 is included in the field of view area 1615 of the virtual camera 14 (Yes in step S1556), in step S1557, the processor 210 is the position before the movement of the virtual camera 14. Generate a movement trajectory object that represents the movement trajectory connecting the position and the position after movement. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 22, the processor 210 arranges the movement locus object 1671 on the movement locus (virtual line 1667 in FIG. 21) connecting the initial position 1661 and the movement point 1662, and the movement point 1662. The movement locus object 1672 is arranged on the movement locus (virtual line 1668 in FIG. 21) connecting the movement locus and the movement point 1663.

As shown in FIG. 22, the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 may be generated as linear objects or as footprint-like objects. The processor 210 may change the visibility of the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 according to the attributes of the movement locus of the virtual camera 14. For example, the processor 210 uses the movement locus object 1672 of the movement locus objects 1671, 1672, which has a short distance on the movement path from the current position of the virtual camera 14 (for example, the position of the movement point 1663). The display mode of the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 can be changed so that the distance on the movement path from the current position is thicker than that of the movement locus object 1671. The distance on the movement path corresponds to the distance from the current position of the virtual camera 14 to the movement trajectory object after following the movement path. For example, the distance on the movement path can be the distance from the current position of the virtual camera 14 to the center position of the movement trajectory object after following the movement path.

In step S1558, the processor 210 generates view image data (an example of a first view image) in which the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 are arranged in the view area 1615, and outputs the view image data to the HMD 120. ..

In step S1559, the HMD 120 updates the view image based on the received view image data, and displays the updated view image 2317 on the monitor 130. As shown in FIG. 23, in the view image 2317, the movement locus object 1671 when the user 5A moves from the initial position 1661 to the movement point 1662, and the movement when the user 5A moves from the movement point 1662 to the movement point 1663. The locus object 1672 is included.

As described above, according to the program according to the present embodiment, the step of setting the virtual space 1611 and the virtual camera 14 (an example of a virtual viewpoint) are set in the initial position 1661 (an example of the first position) of the virtual space 1611. The step of arranging, the step of instructing the movement point 1662 (an example of the second position) of the virtual space 1611 according to the input operation of the user 5A, the step of moving the virtual camera 14 to the movement point 1662, and the movement of the HMD 120. A step of controlling the view from the virtual camera 14 accordingly, and a step of generating a movement locus object 1671 representing a movement locus connecting the initial position 1661 and the movement point 1662 when the view area 15 includes the initial position 1661. , A computer is made to execute a step of generating a view image including the movement locus object 1661 (an example of a first view image) and a step of outputting a view image including the movement locus object 1661 to the HMD 120. In this way, by displaying the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 representing the movement locus connecting the position before the movement and the position after the movement of the virtual camera 14 in the view image 2317, the user 5A himself / herself in the virtual space 1611. You can intuitively understand the travel route of.

Further, in the program according to the present embodiment, the visibility of the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 is lowered as the distance on the movement path from the current position of the virtual camera 14 becomes longer. According to this configuration, the user 5A can more intuitively understand the travel route. The method of changing the visibility of the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 according to the attributes of the movement locus is not limited to the method of changing the visibility according to the distance from the virtual camera 14 to the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672. For example, the processor 210 reduces the visibility of the movement locus objects 1671, 1672 as the elapsed time from the occurrence of the movement locus associated with each movement locus object 1671, 1672 (that is, the occurrence of the movement of the virtual camera 14) becomes longer. You may let me. That is, in the above example, since the movement locus object 1671 has a longer elapsed time from the occurrence of the movement locus than the movement locus object 1672, the visibility of the movement locus object 1671 is lower than the visibility of the movement locus object 1672. .. Further, the processor 210 may record the number of teleport movements associated with the movement locus, and the visibility of the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 may be lowered as the number of teleport movements becomes older.

Further, the display mode for reducing the visibility of the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 is not limited to the method of thinning the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672. For example, when the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 are generated in step S1557, each movement is made so that the movement locus object 1672 farther from the current position of the virtual camera 14 is thinner than the movement locus object 1671 closer to the current position of the virtual camera 14. The locus objects 1671 and 1672 may be generated. As a method of thinning the movement locus object, for example, a method of increasing the transparency of the movement locus object can be adopted.

Further, in the above embodiment, the virtual camera 14 teleports (warps) to each of the movement points 1662, 1663 by pointing the movement points 1662, 1663 arranged in the virtual space 1611 by the user 5A. However, the method of moving the virtual camera 14 is not limited to this example. For example, the virtual space 1611 may be set as an open world in which the virtual viewpoint can be freely moved, and the user 5A may operate the controller 300 to freely move the virtual viewpoint to an arbitrary position in the virtual space 1611. You may be able to do it. In such a virtual space 1611 as an open world, it is difficult for the user 5A to grasp his / her whereabouts. Therefore, by displaying the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 in the visual field area 1615, the virtual experience of the user 5A can be made more effective. Can be improved.

Next, with reference to FIG. 24, the flow of the display / non-display processing of the movement locus object in the multiplayer game by a plurality of users will be described. As an example, as shown in FIG. 24, a case where multiplayer is executed between the user 5A of the HMD set 110A and the user 5B of the HMD set 110B will be described.

In step S2461, the computer 200 of the HMD set 110A generated the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 in step S1557 of FIG. 15, and the view image data including the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 (first field image). Data) is generated. Then, in step S2462, the computer 200 of the HMD set 110A outputs the generated first field of view image data to the server 600.

In step S2463, the server 600 outputs the first field of view image data received from the HMD set 110A to the computer 200 of the HMD set 110B.

In step S2464, the computer 200 of the HMD set 110B sets the field of view image including the movement locus objects 1671,1672 based on the field of view area 15 of the HMD set 110B and the first field of view image data received from the server 600. It is displayed on the HMD 120 of 110B. That is, when the movement locus of the user 5A is included in the field of view area 15 of the user 5B, the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 are displayed in the field of view image 17 visually recognized by the user 5B.

On the other hand, in step S2465, the computer 200 of the HMD set 110A determines whether or not a predetermined item (hidden item) for hiding the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 from other users is used. judge.

When it is determined that the hidden item is used (Yes in step S2465), in step S2466, the computer 200 of the HMD set 110A has the field of view image data (second) that does not include the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672. View image data) is generated. Then, in step S2467, the computer 200 of the HMD set 110A outputs the generated second field of view image data to the server 600.

In step S2468, the server 600 outputs the second field of view image data received from the HMD set 110A to the computer 200 of the HMD set 110B.

In step S2469, the computer 200 of the HMD set 110B uses the field of view area 15 of the HMD set 110B and the second field of view image data received from the server 600 to obtain a field of view image that does not include the movement locus objects 1671,1672. It is displayed on the HMD 120 of the set 110B. That is, when the non-display item is used, even if the movement locus of the user 5A is included in the view region 15 of the user 5B, the movement locus object 1671, is included in the view image 17 visually recognized by the user 5B. Hide 1672.

As described above, in the example shown in FIG. 24, a step of generating a second view image that does not include the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 representing the movement locus of the user 5A, and a case where a hidden item is used. Outputs the second view image to the HMD120 worn by the user 5B, which is different from the user 5A, while the user 5B outputs the first view image including the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 when the hidden item is not used. Further, the computer is made to execute the step of outputting to the HMD 120 of. According to this configuration, for example, in the case of a multiplayer game by a plurality of users, it is possible to set the display / non-display of the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 of the own user to other users according to conditions such as the use of hidden items. Can be done.

The non-display settings of the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 are not limited to those based on the use of non-display items. For example, when the charge is executed by the user 5A, the second field-of-view image that does not include the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 may be output to the computer 200 of the HMD set 110B. In this way, by setting the display / non-display of the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 for other users according to the presence / absence of the use of the hidden item and the presence / absence of the charge, the game quality can be enhanced.

Next, with reference to FIG. 25, the flow of processing for displaying the history object will be described. In the example shown in FIG. 15 and the like, when the view area 1615 includes the position before the movement of the virtual camera 14, the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 are displayed by default, but in the example shown in FIG. , The history object showing the history of the movement locus is displayed as needed by the operation of the user 5A.

In step S2571, the processor 210 stores information (history information) regarding the history of the movement trajectory of the virtual camera 14 based on the movement of the virtual camera 14 to the movement points 1662 and 1663 in step S1553 of FIG. Store at 530. For example, the history information may include information indicating that the virtual camera 14 has moved from the initial position 1661 to the movement point 1662, and further moved from the movement point 1662 to the movement point 1663.

In step S2572, the controller 300 detects the input operation of the user 5A regarding the history information, and outputs the detection data representing the detected input operation to the computer 200. The input operation of the user 5A regarding the history information includes, for example, an input operation for selecting the user 5A to reproduce the history information of the movement locus on the menu screen shown in the view image.

In step S2573, the processor 210 detects the input operation of the user 5A regarding the history information based on the detection data acquired from the controller 300.

In step S2574, the processor 210 generates a history object based on the detected operation of the controller 300. For example, the processor 210 generates the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 shown in FIG. 22 as history objects.

In step S2575, the processor 210 generates view image data (third view image data) including the movement locus objects 1671 and 1672 as history objects, and outputs the third view image data to the HMD 120.

In step S2576, the HMD 120 updates the field of view image based on the received third field of view image data, and displays the updated field of view image (an example of the third field of view image) on the monitor 130.

As described above, in the example shown in FIG. 25, the step of saving the history information of the movement locus, the step of accepting the input operation of the user 5A regarding the history information (an example of the second input operation), and the input operation are performed. A step of generating a history object (for example, movement locus objects 1671, 1672) for reproducing the history of the movement locus based on the step, a step of generating a third view image including the history object, and a user using the third view image. Further, the computer 200 is made to execute the step of outputting to the HMD 120 mounted on the 5A. According to this configuration, the game quality can be further enhanced by displaying the history object according to the input operation of the user 5A. For example, it may not be possible to reach the destination unless the movement points are moved in a predetermined order from a plurality of movement points. Specifically, when there are 10 movement points 1 to 10 in the virtual space 1611 and the destination cannot be reached unless the movement points 3 → the movement point 5 → the movement point 2 are moved in this order. By displaying the history object as needed by the operation of the user 5A, the user 5A can easily grasp the correct movement route.

Similar to the example shown in FIG. 24, in the example shown in FIG. 25, the display / non-display setting of the history object (movement locus objects 1671, 1672) can be switched on condition that the item is used or the charge is executed. You may be able to do it. Further, on condition that the item is used or billing is executed, not only the history object showing the movement locus of the user 5A but also the history object showing the movement locus of the other user of the multiplayer (for example, user 5B) can be displayed. good. In the example shown in FIG. 24, the side that provides the movement history to the other user could set whether or not to display the movement locus object in the view image of the other user on the condition of the item and the charge. In the example shown in 25, it is possible to set whether or not the side provided with the movement history by the other user displays the history object of the other user in his / her own view image on the condition of the item or the charge.

[Structure of other HMD]
In the above example, the HMD system 100 includes an HMD 120 and a computer 200, and is configured such that the processor 210 of the computer 200 executes various arithmetic processes. Other configuration examples of the HMD system will be described below.

FIG. 26 shows the configuration of the HMD system 2631. The HMD system 2631 has an HMD 2632 and a portable information processing terminal 2641. The HMD2632 is a so-called mobile HMD in which a smartphone can be attached to the housing. The HMD2632 described below includes the above-mentioned HMD sensor 410, and the orientation of the HMD2632 can be detected by using the HMD sensor 410.

The HMD2632 has a housing 2633, a belt 2634, an adjusting member 2635, a front cover 2636, and a protrusion 2638. After hooking the belt 2634 on its own head, the user 5 fixes the HMD2632 to his / her head by adjusting the length of the belt 2634 with the adjusting member 2635.

The front cover 2636 is attached to the lower front part of the housing 2633, and is configured to be rotatable around the attachment point. The front cover 2636 is provided with a hook 2637. The user 5 closes the front cover 2636 with the information processing terminal 2641 mounted on the front cover 2636. The user 5 further fixes the information processing terminal 2641 to the HMD 2632 by hooking the hook 2637 on the protrusion 2638 with the front cover 2636 closed.

The housing 2633 further comprises a lens 2639. The lens 2639 includes a lens for the left eye and a lens for the right eye. The front portion of the housing 2633 is open from the lens 2639. The user 5 visually recognizes the monitor 2642 of the information processing terminal 2461 via the lens 2639 in a state where the HMD 2632 is attached to the head. The HMD2632 may further have an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the lens 2639.

The information processing terminal 2641 further includes components corresponding to each of the above-mentioned processor 210, memory 220, storage 230, communication interface 250, speaker 180, and microphone 170 (not shown). In the HMD system 2631, the above-mentioned various processes (processes for generating a field of view image, etc.) are realized by the processor 210 provided in the information processing terminal 2461 linked with various components.

[Configuration of other controllers]
FIG. 27 shows the configuration of another controller 2751. The user 5 uses the controller 2751 in a state of being held in his / her hand. User 5 grips the controller 2751 with one or both hands.

The controller 2751 has a touch pad 2752, an application button 2761, a home button 2762, a volume button 2763, a motion sensor 2764, and a communication interface 2765.

The touch pad 2752 is composed of a plurality of touch sensors. The touchpad 2752 is configured to be able to determine which of the regions 2753 to 2755 divided in the longitudinal direction of the controller 2751 is being touched by the user 5. For example, the user 5 may move an object (for example, a pointer object 1665) arranged in the virtual space 1611 forward by sliding a finger from the area 2754 to the area 2753. However, the touchpad 2752 may be configured by a single touch sensor.

The application button 2761 is a button used in an application such as a game. For example, when the processor 210 detects that the application button 2761 is pressed, the processor 210 displays a menu screen on the monitor 130 of the HMD 120. The home button 2762 is a button for displaying a predetermined screen (for example, a screen of an application different from the application using the application button 2761) on the monitor 130. The volume button 2763 is a button for adjusting the volume of the speaker 180.

The motion sensor 2764 provided in the controller 2751 has a 3-axis acceleration sensor and a 3-axis angular velocity sensor. Further, as described above, the controller 2751 is gripped by the hand of the user 5. Therefore, the computer 200 (information processing terminal 2641) can detect the tilt of the hand of the user 5 based on the output of the motion sensor 2764.

The communication interface 2765 transmits a signal representing the operation content to the controller 2751 of the user 5 to the computer 200 (information processing terminal 2461). For example, the communication interface 2765 communicates with an opposite device in accordance with Bluetooth® and other short range radio communication standards.

In the above embodiment, the virtual space (VR space) in which the user is immersed by the HMD 120 has been described as an example, but a transmissive HMD may be adopted as the HMD. In this case, by outputting a view image obtained by synthesizing a part of the image constituting the virtual space in the real space visually recognized by the user via the transmissive HMD, the augmented reality (AR) space or mixed reality (AR) space or mixed reality (AR) MR: Mixed Reality) A virtual experience in space may be provided to the user. In this case, instead of the operation object, an action on the target object in the virtual space may be generated based on the movement of the user's hand. Specifically, the processor may specify the coordinate information of the position of the user's hand in the real space, and may define the position of the target object in the virtual space in relation to the coordinate information in the real space. As a result, the processor can grasp the positional relationship between the user's hand in the real space and the target object in the virtual space, and can execute the processing corresponding to the above-mentioned collision control or the like between the user's hand and the target object. .. As a result, it becomes possible to give an action to the target object based on the movement of the user's hand.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the description of the present embodiments. This embodiment is an example, and it is understood by those skilled in the art that various embodiments can be modified within the scope of the invention described in the claims. The technical scope of the present invention should be determined based on the scope of the invention described in the claims and the scope thereof.

[Additional notes]
The contents of this disclosure are listed below.

(Item 1)
Steps to set up a virtual space to provide a virtual experience to users,
The step of setting the virtual viewpoint at the first position of the virtual space and
A step of instructing a second position in the virtual space according to the movement of a part of the user's body,
The step of moving the virtual viewpoint to the second position,
A step of controlling the field of view from the virtual viewpoint according to the movement of the user's head,
When the first position is included in the field of view, a step of generating a movement locus object representing a movement locus connecting the first position and the second position, and a step of generating the movement locus object.
The step of generating the first view image including the movement locus object, and
A step of outputting the first view image to an image display device associated with the head of the user, and
A program that lets your computer run.
According to this configuration, the virtual experience of the user can be improved. In particular, by displaying the movement locus object representing the movement locus connecting the first position and the second position in the visual field image, the user can intuitively understand the movement route.

(Item 2)
The program according to item 1, which changes the visibility of the movement locus object according to the attribute of the movement locus in the step of generating the movement locus object.
With this configuration, the user can understand the travel route more intuitively.

(Item 3)
The attribute includes the distance from the virtual viewpoint.
The program according to item 2, wherein the change in visibility includes a decrease in visibility of the movement locus object as the distance increases.

(Item 4)
The attribute includes the elapsed time from the occurrence of the movement locus.
The program according to item 2, wherein the change in visibility includes a decrease in visibility of the movement locus object as the elapsed time becomes longer.

(Item 5)
The attribute includes the number of teleport movements associated with the movement trajectory.
The program according to item 2, wherein the change in visibility includes a decrease in visibility of the movement locus object as the number of times increases.

As an attribute of the movement locus, it is preferable to change the visibility of the movement locus object based on the distance from the virtual camera, the elapsed time, and the number of teleport movements.

(Item 6)
The program according to any one of items 3 to 5, wherein reducing the visibility includes at least one of thinning the movement locus object and thinning the movement locus object.
According to this configuration, it is possible to display the movement route by the movement locus object so that the user can easily understand it.

(Item 7)
A step of generating a second view image that does not include the movement locus object, and
When the predetermined condition is satisfied, the second view image is output to another image display device associated with the head of another user different from the user, but the predetermined condition is not satisfied. In the case, the program according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the computer further executes a step of outputting the first view image to the other image display device.
According to this configuration, for example, in the case of a multiplayer game by a plurality of users, it is possible to set display / non-display of the movement locus object for other users according to predetermined conditions.

(Item 8)
The program according to item 7, wherein the predetermined condition includes at least one of the use of the predetermined item and the execution of billing.
According to this configuration, it is possible to enhance the game by setting the display / non-display of the movement locus object to other users according to the presence / absence of item use and the presence / absence of billing.

(Item 9)
The step of saving the history of the movement trajectory and
The step of accepting the second input operation by the user and
A step of generating a history object for reproducing the history of the movement locus based on the second input operation, and
A step of generating a third field of view image including the history object, and
A step of outputting the third field of view image to an image display device associated with the head of the user, and
The program according to any one of items 1 to 8, further causing the computer to execute the program.
According to this configuration, the game quality can be enhanced by displaying the history object according to the input operation of the user.

(Item 10)
An information processing device equipped with a processor
Steps to set up a virtual space to provide a virtual experience to users,
The step of setting the virtual viewpoint at the first position of the virtual space and
A step of instructing a second position in the virtual space according to the movement of a part of the user's body,
The step of moving the virtual viewpoint to the second position,
A step of controlling the field of view from the virtual viewpoint according to the movement of the user's head,
When the first position is included in the field of view, a step of generating a movement locus object representing a movement locus connecting the first position and the second position, and a step of generating the movement locus object.
The step of generating the first view image including the movement locus object, and
A step of outputting the first view image to an image display device associated with the head of the user, and
Is an information processing device that is executed under the control of the processor.

(Item 11)
An information processing method executed by a computer
Steps to set up a virtual space to provide a virtual experience to users,
The step of setting the virtual viewpoint at the first position of the virtual space and
A step of instructing a second position in the virtual space according to the movement of a part of the user's body,
The step of moving the virtual viewpoint to the second position,
A step of controlling the field of view from the virtual viewpoint according to the movement of the user's head,
When the first position is included in the field of view, a step of generating a movement locus object representing a movement locus connecting the first position and the second position, and a step of generating the movement locus object.
The step of generating the first view image including the movement locus object, and
A step of outputting the first view image to an image display device associated with the head of the user, and
Information processing methods, including.

2: Network 11: Virtual space 13: Panorama image 14: Virtual camera 15: Field of view area 17: Field of view image 100: HMD system 110: HMD set 120: HMD
130: Monitor 140: Gaze sensor 150: First camera 160: Second camera 170: Microphone 180: Speaker 200: Computer 210: Processor 220: Memory 230: Storage 240: Input / output interface 250: Communication interface 300: Controller 310: Grip 320: Frame 330: Top surface 340, 350, 370, 380: Button 360: Infrared LED
390: Analog stick 410: HMD sensor 420: Motion sensor 430: Display 510: Control module 520: Rendering module 530: Memory module 540: Communication control module 600: Server 700: External device 1421: Virtual camera control module 1422: View area determination Module 1423: Virtual space definition module 1424: Virtual object generation module 1425: Operation object control module 1426: Spatial information 1427: Object information 1428: User information 1429: Visibility image generation module 1611: Virtual space 1661: Initial position 1662, 1663: Movement Point 1665: Pointer object 1671, 1672: Movement trajectory object

Claims (9)

Steps to display the game image on the display associated with the user,
A step of generating a movement trajectory object representing a movement trajectory connecting the first position and the second position when the first object in the game image is warped from the first position to the second position.
The step of generating the first image including the movement locus object, and
The step of outputting the first image to the display and
A step of generating a second image that does not include the movement locus object,
When the predetermined condition is satisfied, the second image is output to another display associated with another user different from the user, while when the predetermined condition is not satisfied, the other display is output. The step of outputting the first image to the display and
A program that lets your computer run. The program according to claim 1, wherein in the step of generating the movement locus object, the visibility of the movement locus object is changed according to the attribute of the movement locus. The attribute includes the elapsed time from the occurrence of the movement locus.
The program according to claim 2, wherein the change in visibility includes a decrease in visibility of the movement locus object as the elapsed time becomes longer. The attribute includes the number of warp movements associated with the movement trajectory.
The program according to claim 2, wherein the change in visibility includes, when the warp movement is performed a plurality of times, the visibility is lowered as the movement locus object becomes a past one among the plurality of movement trajectory objects. The program according to claim 3 or 4, wherein reducing the visibility includes at least one of thinning the movement locus object and thinning the movement locus object. The program according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the predetermined condition includes at least one of the use of the predetermined item and the execution of billing. The step of saving the history of the movement trajectory and
The step of accepting the input operation by the user and
A step of generating a history object for reproducing the history of the movement trajectory based on the input operation, and
A step of generating a third field of view image including the history object, and
The step of outputting the third field of view image to the display and
The program according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further causing the computer to execute the program. An information processing device equipped with a processor
Steps to display the game image on the display associated with the user,
A step of generating a movement trajectory object representing a movement trajectory connecting the first position and the second position when the first object in the game image is warped from the first position to the second position.
The step of generating the first image including the movement locus object, and
The step of outputting the first image to the display and
A step of generating a second image that does not include the movement locus object,
When the predetermined condition is satisfied, the second image is output to another display associated with another user different from the user, while when the predetermined condition is not satisfied, the other display is output. The step of outputting the first image to the display and
Is an information processing device that is executed under the control of the processor. An information processing method executed by a computer
Steps to display the game image on the display associated with the user,
A step of generating a movement trajectory object representing a movement trajectory connecting the first position and the second position when the first object in the game image is warped from the first position to the second position.
The step of generating the first image including the movement locus object, and
The step of outputting the first image to the display and
A step of generating a second image that does not include the movement locus object,
When the predetermined condition is satisfied, the second image is output to another display associated with another user different from the user, while when the predetermined condition is not satisfied, the other display is output. The step of outputting the first image to the display and
Information processing methods, including.

Images