JP3959354B2 - Image generation apparatus, image generation method, and image generation program - Google Patents

Description

【００３８】
すなわち、誘導対象に観客の注目を誘導させたい場合には、注目位置２４と誘導対象２５との距離が予め設定された閾値以下であれば、観客は既に誘導対象に注目しているものと判別して誘導効果を施さず、距離が閾値を越えていれば、観客は誘導対象に注目していないものと判別して誘導効果を施すものとする。
【００３９】
また、誘導対象に観客の注目をそらせたい場合には、注目位置２４と誘導対象２５との距離が予め設定された閾値以下であれば、観客は既に誘導対象に注目しているものと判別して誘導効果を施し、距離が閾値を越えていれば、観客は誘導対象に注目していないものと判別して誘導効果を施さないものとする。
【００４０】
次に、誘導効果決定部１２１は、画像を生成するのに必要な２次元ピクチャ、３次元オブジェクト毎に、誘導情報記憶部１３に記憶されている何れの誘導効果を施すかを決定する。誘導情報記憶部１３には、何れの誘導対象に対して何れの誘導効果を施すかを示す誘導情報が記憶されているものとする。また、誘導情報記憶部１３には、注目位置誘導ベクトル２０６の向き、大きさ、また効果を施す２次元ピクチャ及び３次元オブジェクトの種類に応じて選択的に誘導効果の種類や強度を決定するための誘導情報が記憶されていても良い。また、注目位置誘導ベクトル２０６の向きと大きさだけでなく、誘導効果を発生させる地点と観客の注目位置までの距離あるいは方向、さらには注目位置誘導ベクトル２０６との組み合わせに応じて誘導効果を決定できるようにしても良い。なお、誘導効果決定部１２１は、１つの２次元ピクチャ、または３次元オブジェクトに関して複数の誘導効果を決定しても良い（ステップＡ６）。
【００４１】
誘導効果決定部１２１は、これら一連の誘導効果を施すかどうかの判別と誘導効果の決定を、画像を生成するのに必要な２次元ピクチャ、３次元オブジェクト全てに対して行ったかを判別し（ステップＡ７）、全てに対して処理が完了していれば処理対象とする全ての２次元ピクチャ、３次元オブジェクトに対して決定された誘導効果の情報を画像処理部１２２に提供して処理を終了する。
【００４２】
次に、画像処理部１２２の動作の詳細について説明する。画像処理部１２２は、誘導効果決定部１２１から提供された誘導効果の情報に応じて、素材情報記憶部１４に記憶された誘導効果に用いる素材情報を用いて画像に対して誘導効果を施す。
【００４３】
図２に示すテレビジョン画面での例では、入力動画像のフレームデータ、誘導対象（電話番号）２５の２次元ピクチャ、電話機２７の２次元ピクチャの情報から画面２２が合成されており、これらの情報は素材情報記憶部１４に記憶されている。
【００４４】
以下の表２には、図２の画面に表示される画像に対して誘導情報決定部１２１で決定された誘導効果の例を表している。
【００４５】
【表２】

【００４６】
例えば、入力動画像のフレームデータ（２次元ピクチャ）に対しては、集中線効果と色の変化を用いた誘導効果を施し、誘導対象（電話番号）２５（２次元ピクチャ）に対しては、色の変化を用いた誘導効果を施し、注目位置の誘導に用いるオブジェクトである電話機２７についてはアニメーションと拡大縮小を用いた誘導効果を施すものとしている。
【００４７】
画像合成部１２２は、これら画像を生成するのに必要な２次元ピクチャ及び３次元オブジェクト毎に決定した誘導効果に応じて、それぞれに対して画像処理を施して合成する。これにより、誘導効果を施して合成された画像が生成される。
【００４８】
次に、画像処理部１２２によって施される誘導効果（画像処理）の具体例について、図５〜図１１を参照しながら説明する。
【００４９】
図５（ａ）（ｂ）は、入力動画像のフレームデータ（２次元ピクチャ）に対して、観客の注目位置を、現在の注目位置から誘導対象に誘導するための効果として集中線効果を施した例である。画像処理部１２２は、現在の注目位置から誘導対象の間の何れかの位置を効果線（集中線）が集まる中心、すなわち焦点として効果線を素材情報記憶部１４の画像データ、あるいは動画データ内の現在のフレームデータの一部あるいは全体に対して描画した例を示している。
【００５０】
図５（ａ）は、焦点６３ａ（効果の中心）を誘導対象６２ａの位置に設定し、焦点６３ａを中心とした効果線の向きと注目位置誘導ベクトル６４ａとの角度が±１８０度周辺の方向の効果線に対して、特に他とは異なる色の効果を施したものである（図６（ａ）参照）。また、１本の効果線の太さを、効果の中心（焦点６３ａ）からの距離に比例してしだいに太くしている（図６（ｂ）参照）。こうして、注目位置誘導ベクトル６４ａの方向の効果線が他と異なる色に変化させることで誘導対象６２ａの方向に観客の意識が向かい、また効果線の中心（焦点６３ａ）に観客の意識が向かうことを利用して、観客の注目位置誘導を行うものである。
【００５１】
図６（ａ）には効果線の向きと色変化の効果の関係を示し、図６（ｂ）には効果の中心からの距離と効果線の太さの関係を示している。
【００５２】
図５（ｂ）は、図５（ａ）とは異なり、誘導効果の中心（焦点６３ｂ）を注視位置６１ｂと誘導対象６２ｂとの位置関係に応じて動かすことで注目位置誘導を行う例である。焦点６３ｂを注目位置６１ｂから誘導対象６２ｂの方向に、図６（ｃ）のグラフの関係に示す距離に応じて近づけた位置に設定しながら注目位置誘導を行う。次のステップ（あるいは単位時間後）に注目位置６１ｂが焦点６３ｂに誘導されていれば、焦点６３ｂが誘導対象６２ｂに近づいているので、さらに図６（ｃ）のグラフの距離分近づけた位置に設定する。注目位置６１ｂが誘導対象６２ｂのごく近くになるまで（誘導情報決定部１２１で距離が閾値以下になり効果を施さないと判断されるまで）、一連の焦点６３ｂの位置の移動を繰り返し、画像効果を施すことで、少しずつかつスムースな注目位置誘導を行う。なお、図６（ｃ）に示すグラフの関係以外にも、観客の視野角、モニターと観客の距離や向きなどの情報を収集し、この情報を利用して焦点６３ｂの移動距離を求めてもよいし、画面の実際の大きさから決めてもよい。なお、効果線の太さは、図５（ａ）の場合と同じように図６（ｂ）に示す関係に従って決めるものとする。
【００５３】
なお、図５に示す誘導効果の例では、焦点に向かう効果線による集中線効果を用いているが、画像処理がある焦点を中心とし、注目位置誘導ベクトルに応じた画像効果、あるいは画像処理であれば、例えば対象の２次元ピクチャあるいは３次元オブジェクトの一部ないし全部を、ある点を中心に光らせて観客を注目させたり、注目位置誘導ベクトルに応じて矢印のようなものを描画してもよい。また、波紋効果のように変形処理を施すものでもかまわない。図７には波紋効果を施した画像の例を示している。注目位置８１と誘導対象８２を設定して、誘導対象８２から注目位置８１の方向に波紋効果による変形を行っている。
【００５４】
また、３Ｄゲームなどのように、誘導対象、注目位置、処理の対象となる画像情報の位置が３次元（ｘ、ｙ、ｚ）で定義される場合には、３次元の注目位置誘導ベクトルに応じて誘導効果を施す。この場合、パースをかける等、３次元での処理を行う。なお、誘導対象から観客の注目をそらさせたい効果を施す場合は、誘導対象と反対の方向に効果の中心を設定することで実現する。
【００５５】
次に、他の画像効果の例として、誘導対象（電話番号）２５に対する画像効果について説明する。
【００５６】
図８は、時間ｔの変化に応じた誘導対象（電話番号）２５の色の変化について図示したものある。図８に示すように、時間の経過（ｔ→０，１，２…）に応じて、誘導対象（電話番号）２５を表示する際の色を、例えば赤色表示、緑色表示、青色表示…のように順次変化させて、観客の注目位置を誘導対象に注目させる。この色の変化をＲ，Ｇ，Ｂ成分でそれぞれ分けてグラフに表したものを図９に示している。なお、色の変化は、このように時間に応じて連続的に変化させても、時間に応じて高速に色値を入れ替えて誘導対象をフラッシュさせてもかまわない。
【００５７】
また、時間の変化に応じた誘導効果を施す例としては、ぼやけ処理を施したもの、図７の波紋効果を施したものなどがある。ぼやけ処理の例では、人間の目がくっきり見える部分を注視しやすいことを利用して、焦点の部分をくっきり見えるように、焦点から遠ざかるごとにぼけて見えるように、素材情報記憶部１４に記憶された画像データ、あるいは動画データ内の現在のフレームデータの一部あるいは全体に対して、ぼやけフィルタリング処理を施して描画する。この際、時間ｔの変化に応じて、例えばぼやけて見える範囲を次第に拡大して、焦点（誘導対象）の部分だけが明瞭に見えるようにしていく。これにより、観客の注目位置を誘導対象に誘導することができる。
【００５８】
また、図７の波紋効果の例のように、例えば図５を用いて説明したように決められる焦点をゆがみの中心に設定し、素材情報記憶部１４の画像データ、あるいは動画データ内の現在のフレームデータの一部あるいは全体をゆがませる。この際、時間ｔの変化に応じて、例えばゆがみの量を次第に大きくしていく。これにより、観客の注目位置を誘導対象８２に誘導することができる。
【００５９】
次に、他の画像効果の例として、アニメーション、拡大縮小の画像効果を施す場合について説明する。
【００６０】
図１０には、アニメーションの画像効果を施している画像の例を示している。図１０に示す画像では、観客の注目位置１１２の位置に誘導に用いるオブジェクトとして電話機１１４を表示することで、観客の注目位置を電話機１１４に集中させている。そして、図１１に示すように、電話機１１４の表示位置を注目位置誘導ベクトル１１５の方向、すなわち誘導対象（電話番号）１１３の方向に時間ｔの変化に応じて移動（アニメーション）させる。このように、電話機１１４という２次元ピクチャを使い、注目位置１１２から誘導対象１１３へのアニメーションを繰り返すことで観客の注目位置誘導を行う。なお、電話機１１４に対しては、誘導対象１１３と電話機１１４の現在の表示位置との距離に応じた拡大率に従って拡大縮小を施して表示する。図１２には、誘導対象１１３と電話機１１４の表示位置との距離に応じた拡大率の関係の一例を示している。図１２に示す例では、誘導対象１１３と電話機１１４の距離が所定以上にある時には、２倍の大きさに拡大して電話機１１４を表示し、その距離が所定未満となったら距離が短くなるに従って元の大きさ（１倍）となるように順次縮小して表示するように定義されている。なお、誘導対象１１３と電話機１１４の距離と拡大率の関係については、図１２に示す関係以外にも誘導効果のある関係を任意に設定することができる。
【００６１】
なお、前述した説明では、オブジェクト（電話機１１４）に対す句角田成立を変更して大きさを変えるものとして説明しているが、その他の表示属性を変更してオブジェクトを表示するようにしても良い。例えばオブジェクトの姿勢、色情報、透過率などを、観客の注目位置から誘導対象までの距離あるいは方向に応じて変更するようにしても良い。また、複数の異なる表示属性の組み合わせによってオブジェクトを変更させるようにしても良い。
【００６２】
以上のように、画像処理部１２２は、誘導効果決定部１２１の決定に基づいて、個々の誘導効果をシーンを構成する２次元ピクチャ及び３次元オブジェクトに施して合成することで、誘導効果を施した画像を生成する。
【００６３】
図１３には、表２のように決定された誘導効果に基づいて合成した画像を表示する画面１４１の例を示している。図１３に示すように、誘導対象とする電話番号に観客の視点を誘導するため、誘導対象の位置を焦点として集中線効果を施すと共に、電話機を現在の観客の注目位置から誘導方向に移動させるアニメーションを合成している。
このようにして、本実施形態における画像生成装置１０では、観客の注目位置を特定の誘導対象に誘導する画像をリアルタイムに生成することができる。
【００６４】
なお、前述した説明では、説明を簡単にするために、誘導対象をコンテンツ製作者が意図している電話番号とし、その位置が画面中の特定の位置（画面右上）にあるものとしているが、誘導対象をコンテンツ製作者が予め意図できない場合、誘導対象の位置が変動する場合、注目位置の誘導経路が直線的でない場合などにも応用することができる。以下には、これら応用の具体例（１）〜（５）について説明する。
【００６５】
（１）ユーザの興味対象（興味情報）を利用した誘導について説明する（ユーザの興味対象を見やすくするための画像効果について）。
【００６６】
ここでは、スポーツ中継などで、観客が主に注目している選手や、観客が動きや行動に注目したいと設定した選手を誘導対象とし、この誘導対象とする選手に観客の注目位置を的確に誘導する効果の具体例について説明する。
【００６７】
例えば、観客が前もって動きや行動に注目したいと設定した選手、あるいは観客の注目位置の履歴情報から観客が主に注目している選手が、急に速い動きをした場合、観客がその選手を目で追うのが難しくなる。このような場合、注目したいと設定した主に注目している選手の画面中の位置と、現在の観客の注目位置がある一定距離以上離れていれば、観客が目で追えていないとみなして、速やかに注目できるように誘導効果を施す。
【００６８】
他の例として、観客が注目したいと設定した選手や、主に注目している選手が、画面内にいなかった状態から、選手の移動やカメラの移動、シーンチェンジなどにより、急に画面に入ってきた場合を考える。このような場合、何時どこから注目している選手が画面内に出現するかわからないため、観客がその注目したい選手の行動を見逃すといった場合がある。観客としては、注目したい選手が画面内に表示されていない場合は普通に観戦して、注目したい選手が画面内に登場している間はその選手に注目したいという要求が多い。そのため、突然画面内に注目したい選手が出現し、且つ観客の現在の視点が注目したい選手のある一定距離内にない場合には、観客が注目したい選手に気づいていないとみなして、速やかに注目できるように誘導効果を施す。
【００６９】
こうした場合に画像に対して施す誘導効果としては、前述した集中線効果やアニメーションするポインタなどによって観客の視点位置を誘導対象に誘導する他に、注目したい選手を他に比べてより明確に表示することで誘導する誘導効果を施すことができる。例えば注目したい選手を他に比べて明るくしたり、くっきりしたり、輪郭線を表示するなど目立つ表示をさせて、その他の選手や背景を暗めにしたりぼやけ処理を施したりしても良い。
【００７０】
図１４（ａ）（ｂ）は、画面外から誘導対象とする注目したい選手が画面内に入った場合を説明するための画面の表示例である。時間の経過に伴って画面１５０では画面外にいた選手１５２が画面１５３では画面内に表れている（注目したい選手１５５）。なお、図１４（ａ）（ｂ）の画面外は仮想的に描いており、画面外の情報を保持しても保持しなくても良い。
【００７１】
ユーザの興味対象（興味情報）を利用した誘導を行なう場合、誘導対象を複数の中から選択することができる場合、例えば複数の選手が参加するスポーツにおいて特定の選手を誘導対象として選択することができる場合には、各選手についての誘導情報を誘導情報記憶部１３に記憶させておく。この場合、誘導情報記憶部１３には、時系列的な選手と選手の位置（位置情報）との対応付けがされた誘導情報を記憶させておく。
【００７２】
画像生成装置１０は、観客によって予め複数の選手のうち注目したい選手を選択させておき、その選択された情報を誘導情報記憶部１３に記憶させておく。誘導効果決定部１２１は、誘導情報記憶部１３に記憶されている観客によって指定された注目したい選手の位置情報を、誘導対象の位置として選択する。
【００７３】
画面１５０の時点では、画面内に注目したい選手１５２がいないため、注目位置誘導がおこなわれていない。画面１５３の時点で、注目したい選手１５５が画面内に出現しているので、注目したい選手１５５を誘導対象と設定する。
【００７４】
次に、誘導効果決定部１２１は、誘導対象（注目したい選手１５５）の位置と現在の観客の注目位置１５４から求まる注目位置誘導ベクトル１５６を求めて、この注目位置誘導ベクトル１５６の距離、向きに応じて、前述したような誘導効果を決定する。画像処理部１２２は、誘導効果決定部１２１により決定された誘導効果に応じた画像処理を実行する。
【００７５】
なお、前述した説明では、複数の選手の中から注目したい選手を観客に予め選択させるものとしているが、観客の注目位置の履歴情報をもとにして、観客が注目している選手（誘導対象）を自動的に判別して、この選手に対して誘導効果を施すようにしても良い。この場合、誘導効果決定部１２１では、観客の注目位置の情報と誘導情報記憶部１３の選手の位置情報から観客が何れの選手に注目しているかを判別し、観客が注目している選手とその注目時間を履歴情報をとして順次記録していく。そして、例えば履歴情報から何れの選手について最も注目しているかを、各選手についての注目時間の合計を比較することで判別し、この判別された選手に対して誘導効果を施す。
【００７６】
また、履歴情報をもとにして注目対象とする選手の優先順位を決めて（例えば注目時間の長い順、注目回数の多い順など）、その優先順位に従って誘導対象を切り替えるようにしても良い。例えば、優先順位が１位と２位の選手が画面内に現れている場合には１位の選手を誘導対象とし、１位の選手が画面外となった時点で２位の選手を誘導対象に切り替える。
【００７７】
（２）次に、電子ゲームや多人数参加型会話ソフトウェアなど、インタラクティブ性が高く、且つリアルタイム性を要するアプリケーションでの誘導効果の具体例について説明する（対話型アプリケーションにおけるインタフェースとしての誘導効果について）。
【００７８】
多人数参加型会話ソフトウェアのような、不特定多数の他のユーザが参加していて、且つ複数の他のユーザと会話できるような会話ソフトで、観客の注目位置を会話相手（誘導対象）に的確に誘導する効果について説明する。
【００７９】
ここでは、画面内に多くのユーザが表示され、表示されている相手と画面を通じて会話することができるものとする。この場合、観客が他のあるユーザと会話している際に、観客の注目が会話しているユーザに向くように誘導効果を施したり、他のあるユーザから話しかけられた際に、観客の注目が話しかけてきたユーザに向くように誘導効果を施す。画面内に多くのユーザが表示されていると、観客が会話しているユーザを見失ったり、他のユーザから話しかけられても、どのユーザから話しかけられたのかわからないような問題がよく起こる。更に、広範囲、大画面のスクリーンなどに表示する場合は、観客の視界範囲内に画面の全てが見えるわけではないため、視界外のユーザから話しかけられた場合には、余計に対応が難しくなる。
【００８０】
このような場合、観客の注目位置と観客が会話しているユーザ、あるいは観客に話しかけてきたユーザとの間が一定距離以上離れている場合に、速やかに注目できるように誘導効果を施す。
【００８１】
この具体例の場合、誘導情報記憶部１３に記憶される誘導情報は、観客の会話対象となっているユーザの位置情報と、観客に向かって話しかけてきたユーザの画面における位置情報に応じて逐次更新されるものとする。観客の会話対象となっているユーザは、予め決められていても良いし、画面に表示されたユーザを観客が例えばポインティングデバイスを用いて指定することで特定しても良い。また、観客に向かって話しかけてきたユーザは、例えばユーザ毎に発言の内容を解析することで特定するようにしても良い。画像生成装置１０は、素材情報記憶部１４に記憶される画像データから、前述のように特定された観客の会話対象となっているユーザあるいは観客に向かって話しかけてきたユーザの位置を検出して、誘導情報として誘導情報記憶部１３に記憶させる。
【００８２】
誘導効果としては、例えば、会話しているユーザのキャラクタ情報を他の会話していないユーザに比べて明るめにしたりくっきり表示させ、そのほかのユーザや背景を暗めにしたりぼやけ処理を施したりする。あるいは、集中線効果やぼかしフィルター、ブラー処理などを用いた誘導効果を施してもよい。さらに、観客の注目位置と誘導対象、すなわち話しかけてきたユーザとの位置関係や距離に応じて、誘導効果の種類や強度などを変化させることで、より効果的な注目位置誘導をすることができる。
【００８３】
また、この具体例では、誘導対象が観客の視界内にいない場合と視界内にいる場合で、別の誘導効果を使い分けることもできる。誘導対象が観客の視界内にいない場合は、まず先に誘導対象が視界内に見えるように注目位置を誘導することが好ましく、例えばアニメーションするポインタなどで直接的な誘導を行って、誘導対象が観客に見える位置まで誘導する。そして、誘導対象が見える位置まで誘導できたら、それ以降、他の上記したような誘導対象をくっきりと表示させる方法や、集中線やぼかしフィルターを使って、注目位置を誘導対象に誘導する誘導効果を施す。このように誘導効果を切り替えて施すこともできる。
【００８４】
図１５（ａ）（ｂ）は、視界を越える広い画面上での注目位置誘導について説明したものである。
【００８５】
図１５（ａ）に示す画面１６０の時点では、ユーザ１６２が観客に話しかけた場合、ユーザ１６２は観客の視界外にいるため観客には認識できない。なお、観客の視界に関する情報は注目位置計算部１１から取得されるものとし、誘導効果決定部１２１は、ユーザ１６２が視界内にいるかどうかを、ユーザ１６２の位置情報と観客の注目位置１６１から求まる注目位置誘導ベクトル１６３によって判断する。ユーザ１６２が観客の視界外にあると判断した場合、誘導効果決定部１２１は、観客の注目位置をユーザ１６２が見える位置に誘導するための誘導効果を施すものと決定する。
【００８６】
この場合は、速やかに観客の視点をユーザ１６２が見える位置まで誘導する必要があるので、視界内に誘導対象がある場合に用いた前述した各種の誘導効果を用いるほかにも、より直接的な誘導効果を用いるようにしても良い。例えば、図１６に示すような矢印のような視界を変更すべき方向を明示するオブジェクトを、注目位置誘導ベクトル１６３に沿ってアニメーションさせるような誘導効果を用いる。
【００８７】
こうした誘導効果を施すことにより、図１５（ｂ）に示す画面１６５のように、ユーザ１６７が視界内に含まれるまで注目位置１６６を誘導することができたら、注目位置誘導ベクトル１６８の距離、向きに応じて、誘導効果を決定する。その際の誘導効果は、誘導対象が視界外あった時の誘導効果よりも、直接的でない種類の誘導効果を用いたり、誘導効果の強度を落としたものを適用するようにしても良い。
【００８８】
なお、前述した説明では、会話の相手を例えば話しかけてきたユーザとして特定しているが、話しかけるという行動を検出とするだけでなく、会話を行う場面以外で画像に表示されるオブジェクトの変化を検出して誘導対象とすることもできる。例えば、オブジェクトの動き、大きさの変化などを検出して、誘導対象として特定することも可能である。
【００８９】
（３）次に、電子ゲームや構内案内システムなどにおいて表示される画面中で、画面中で表示されるオブジェクトの位置関係により他のオブジェクトの奥にあるため陰になって見えない（画面に表示されていない）誘導対象へ誘導する場合の具体例について説明する（３Ｄタイプのアプリケーションにおける誘導効果について）。
【００９０】
電子ゲームや、構内案内システムなどでは、観客の仮想空間内の位置、あるいは視点位置によっては誘導対象が他のオブジェクトの陰になって表示できない場合が多くある。例えば、図１７に示すように、視点位置１７２から視線向き１７３の方向に視点変換を行ない生成する投影面１７４には、誘導対象１７８が階段１７１の陰になり表示できない。
【００９１】
その際に、視点位置１７２と視点向き１７３を、それぞれ視点位置１７５、視点向き１７７に移動させて投影面１７６による画像を表示することで、誘導対象１７８が階段１７１などほかのオブジェクトによって隠れないようにする誘導効果を施すことが可能となる。この場合、視点位置を移動させるために修正した視点変換モデルのパラメータや、これらを移動させるための補正分を誘導効果決定部１２１で決定された誘導効果の情報として、画像処理部１２２に送り、画像を生成することで実現する。
【００９２】
他にも、視点位置を変更する以外にも、誘導対象の前にある物体を半透明にした後に誘導効果を施す、あるいは現在の観客の注目位置から誘導対象へ陰になっている他のオブジェクトを避けたパスを設定して、そのパスに沿った誘導効果を施すなどしてもよい。
【００９３】
図１８は誘導対象１８５が階段１８１の陰になっていて見えない場合の注目位置誘導について、図１７の視点位置１７２から見た投影面１７４の図である。図１８に示す注目位置１８３とは、観客が投影面１７４に対して注目している位置である。
【００９４】
この場合、階段１８１を一部もしくは全部を半透明化して描画し、誘導対象１８５が見えるような状態にして、注目位置誘導ベクトル１８４に応じて注目位置１８４の誘導を行うといった方法が適用できる。この注目位置誘導方法では、誘導対象１８５を観客が直に見ることができる上、直線の注目位置誘導ベクトル１８４に沿った誘導を行うため、速やかに誘導対象１８５そのものへの注目位置誘導ができる効果がある。
【００９５】
具体的な誘導手段としては、例えば、直線の注目位置誘導ベクトル１８４に沿って、図５に示す集中線効果による誘導効果やそのほかの誘導効果を適用することができる。
【００９６】
他にも、階段１８１を半透明で表示しないで、誘導対象１８５を隠している階段１８１を避けて奥へ向かう経路を、注目位置誘導ベクトル１８５として求め、この位置誘導ベクトル１８５に応じた誘導効果を施して注目位置誘導を行う方法も適用できる。この注目位置誘導方法は、上記の注目位置誘導ベクトル１８４に沿った方法とは違い、誘導対象１８５が直に見えない状況のままで誘導することを目的としている。観客の注目位置１８３を誘導対象１８５が見える位置への経路である注目位置誘導ベクトル１８５に沿って誘導することで、観客に誘導対象１８５への経路を意識させ、階段１８１を迂回する経路とその先にある誘導対象１８５との位置関係などを把握させるといった効果が期待できる。また、直接誘導対象１８５を直接見えるようにしなくてもよいため、空間上のオブジェクトを半透明にする処理を必要としない。
【００９７】
具体的な誘導効果としては、例えば、ぼやけフィルタやブラー効果の中心を注目位置誘導ベクトル１８５に沿って繰り返し移動させながら、ぼやけフィルタやブラー効果を適用する方法が適用できる。
【００９８】
（４）２次元、あるいは３次元の仮想上の空間（例えばショールーム）内を利用者（観客）がウォークスルーして、ショールーム内のコンテンツを閲覧するようなアプリケーションでの誘導効果の具体例について説明する。
【００９９】
例えば、広い仮想空間上を利用者がウォークスルーするようなアプリケーションにおいて、利用者が設定された複数の誘導対象を通るように誘導効果を施す。この場合、誘導対象は、例えば、利用者の過去の履歴から興味を示しているジャンルのコンテンツ群に設定する、あるいはユーザが興味のあるジャンルを直接設定できるようにしても良い。また、ショールームのコンテンツ製作者が、誘導対象を設定してもかまわない。
【０１００】
図１９（ａ）は利用者がウォークスルーする仮想空間を上から見た図である。現在の利用者の現在位置１９１と向きを基点として、誘導対象１９２、誘導対象１９３のコンテンツを通る誘導経路１９４を作成する。その後、利用者が仮想空間を進んで、分岐点などに来るたびに、利用者が作成した経路の方向に進むように誘導効果を施した画像を生成する。誘導方法としては、分岐点などで誘導を行うところで、利用者の現在の注目位置が作成した経路のほうを向くように誘導する。
【０１０１】
図１９（ｂ）は、利用者が仮想空間上の現在位置１９１にいて誘導経路１９４の方向を向いているときの、仮想空間を投影した画面出力である。目の前に分岐点が見えており、誘導経路１９６が右側に進んでいることを表している。ここでは、ユーザの現在の注目位置が画面上部の注目位置１９８にあるので、右側の通路に誘導対象１９７を設定し、注目位置誘導ベクトル１９９に応じた誘導効果を施すことで、ユーザの注目位置を右側の通路に誘導する。この際の具体的な誘導効果は、前述した場合と同様にして、波紋効果、集中線効果、ぼかし効果などが適用できる。
【０１０２】
利用者が経路に沿って移動して、誘導対象のコンテンツが見える位置まできたら、利用者の注目位置を誘導対象のコンテンツに誘導する。この際の具体的な誘導効果も、同様にして、波紋効果、集中線効果、ぼかし効果などが適用できる。
【０１０３】
（５）電子ゲームなどで、プレイヤのミスを誘発させたり、対戦型のゲームにおいて敵の攻撃をうまく避ける操作をさせるための誘導効果の具体例について説明する（ゲームの特殊効果としての注目位置の誘導について）。
【０１０４】
シューティングゲームやアクションゲームのような対戦型のゲームにおいて、敵、敵弾が観客の操作する自機に向かってくる瞬間に、観客の操作する自機（注目位置）から、向かってくる敵とは違う方向に誘導効果を施すことでプレイヤーのミスを誘発させることができる。
【０１０５】
例えば、図２０（ａ）に示す画面２００のような、敵機２０３が自機２０２に向かってく直前の場面で、現在の観客の注目位置２１から敵機２０３から関係のない方向に誘導対象２０４を設定し、注目位置２１から注目位置誘導ベクトル２０５の方向に誘導する。敵機２０３から関係のない方向に観客の注目位置を誘導して敵機２０３から注意を逸らすことで、例えば画面２１０のような敵機２１３が自機２１２と衝突しやすい状況を発生しやすくできる。このような場合の誘導効果としては、例えば緩い波紋効果を加えたり、部分的にフラッシュさせたり、ゲーム画面上の背景が変化するなどといったイベントを発生させたりすることで実現する。
【０１０６】
また、反対に、敵や敵弾が観客の操作する自機に向かってくる少し前に、向かってくる方向に観客の注目位置を誘導することで注意を促し、観客を敵の攻撃に身構えさせることができる。これらの具体例の場合、注目位置計算部１１（例えばコントローラ）から、観客の操作する自機の位置情報をも注目位置情報として取得し、利用する。
【０１０７】
なお、上述した実施形態において記載した手法は、コンピュータに実行させることのできるプログラムとして、例えば磁気ディスク（フレキシブルディスク、ハードディスク等）、光ディスク（ＣＤ−ＲＯＭ、ＤＶＤ等）、半導体メモリなどの記録媒体に書き込んで各種装置に提供することができる。また、通信媒体により伝送して各種装置に提供することも可能である。本装置を実現するコンピュータは、記録媒体に記録されたプログラムを読み込み、または通信媒体を介してプログラムを受信し、このプログラムによって動作が制御されることにより、上述した処理を実行する。
【０１０８】
また、本願発明は、前述した実施形態に限定されるものではなく、実施段階ではその要旨を逸脱しない範囲で種々に変形することが可能である。更に、前記実施形態には種々の段階の発明が含まれており、開示される複数の構成要件における適宜な組み合わせにより種々の発明が抽出され得る。例えば、実施形態に示される全構成要件から幾つかの構成要件が削除されても効果が得られる場合には、この構成要件が削除された構成が発明として抽出され得る。
【０１０９】
【発明の効果】
以上詳述したように本発明によれば、画面に表示される画像に対する観客の注目位置に関する情報をもとに、画像中の誘導対象に前記注目位置を誘導するための誘導効果を決定し、この決定された誘導効果を施した画像を生成することができるので、画像中の誘導対象に観客の注目位置を誘導することが可能になる。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】 本実施形態に係わる画像生成装置の構成を示すブロック図。
【図２】 観客と画像生成装置によって生成された画像を表示するテレビジョン画面２２の一例を示す図。
【図３】 注目位置計算部としてアイカメラを装着した観客が画面の映像を見ている様子を示す図。
【図４】 誘導効果決定部における処理動作について説明するためのフローチャート。
【図５】 入力動画像のフレームデータに対して、観客の注目位置を、現在の注目位置から誘導対象に誘導するための効果として集中線効果を施した例を示す図。
【図６】 効果線の向きと色変化の効果の関係、効果の中心からの距離と効果線の太さの関係、及び注視位置と誘導対象との距離と誘導効果の中心位置の関係を示す図。
【図７】 誘導効果として波紋効果を施した画像の一例を示す図。
【図８】 時間ｔの変化に応じた誘導対象の色の変化について説明するための図。
【図９】 色の変化をＲ，Ｇ，Ｂ成分でそれぞれ分けて表した図。
【図１０】 アニメーションの画像効果を施している画像の一例を示す図。
【図１１】 アニメーションの画像効果を施している画像の一例を示す図。
【図１２】 誘導対象と電話機の表示位置との距離に応じた拡大率の関係の一例を示す図。
【図１３】 表２に示す誘導効果に基づいて合成した画像を表示する画面の一例を示す図。
【図１４】 画面外から誘導対象とする注目したい選手が画面内に入った場合を説明するための画面の一例を示す図。
【図１５】 視界を越える広い画面上での注目位置誘導について説明するための図。
【図１６】 視界を変更すべき方向を明示するオブジェクトの一例を示す図。
【図１７】 観客の視点位置から誘導対象が他のオブジェクトの陰になって表示できない状況を示す図。
【図１８】 誘導対象１８５が階段１８１の陰になっていて見えない場合の注目位置誘導を示す図。
【図１９】 利用者がウォークスルーする仮想空間と仮想空間を投影した画面出力の一例を示す図。
【図２０】 ゲームの特殊効果としての注目位置の誘導について説明するための図。
【符号の説明】
１０…画像生成装置、１１…注目位置計算部、１２…画像生成制御部、１２１…誘導効果決定部、１２２…画像処理部、１３…誘導情報記憶部、１４…素材情報記憶部。[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image generation apparatus, an image generation method, and an image generation program for generating various images such as a still image, a moving image, and a stereoscopic video by using a data broadcasting television apparatus, real-time computer graphics (CG), or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, when displaying various images (videos) such as still images, moving images, and three-dimensional images on a television device or a computer, there is a target to be particularly focused on the audience watching these images. Added an effect in the image that was intended for some kind of guidance. Conventionally, there has been a method of creating content by adding an effect in advance to an object to be guided in an image (video) or its periphery.
[0003]
However, with this method, when the audience had already focused on the guidance target, the effect felt annoying and was counterproductive. In addition, since the guidance effect had to be applied without knowing the current attention position of the audience, the effective attention position guidance could not be performed. Also, it was not possible to determine whether or not the audience's attention was directed to the guidance target as intended.
[0004]
Also, an eye camera or a gaze detection device described in Patent Document 3 (a pattern near the pupil of the spectator cut out from the spectator's face image and a certain location (an index such as an icon) on the screen registered in advance) Compared with a dictionary created from patterns near the eyes of the spectator of the spectator and uses a device that calculates the position of the spectator that is actually looking at the spectator) An apparatus for generating a blurred image corresponding to the focus obtained from the direction of the sight line of the audience has been invented (see Patent Document 1).
[0005]
However, the viewpoint guidance in Patent Document 1 aims to guide the user's eyes to the focus by setting the focus to the guidance target rather than from the line-of-sight direction. There was no effect to induce attention. There was also an image display device that reduced the fatigue of the audience by detecting the attention position of the audience and applying an appropriate blur effect based on the attention position, but it did not perform viewpoint guidance (Patent Literature) 2).
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-161814 (second page, claim 12)
[0007]
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-215092 (second page, claim 1)
[0008]
[Patent Document 3]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-175246 (first page, representative diagram)
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, conventionally, a method of creating content by adding an effect in advance to an object to be guided in an image (video) and its surroundings cannot perform effective attention position guidance. Also, it was not possible to determine whether or not the audience's attention was directed to the guidance target as intended.
[0010]
Conventionally, a blurred image corresponding to the focus obtained from the sight line direction of the audience is generated (Patent Document 1), and the user's focus is guided by setting the focus on the guidance target. Although it can be added (Patent Document 2), the sight line of the audience is effectively guided to a specific guidance target such as a guidance target intended by the content creator in real time according to the current attention position of the audience. I couldn't.
[0011]
An object of the present invention is to provide an image generation device, an image generation method, and an image generation program that generate an image that guides a target position of a spectator to a specific guidance target.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to an image generation apparatus that generates an image to be displayed on a screen. The attention position calculation means for detecting the attention position and the field of view of the spectator with respect to the image displayed on the screen, the information on the guidance target in the image as the destination of the attention position of the spectator, and the information on the guidance effect applied to the image Guidance information storage means, a discrimination means for discriminating whether or not the guidance target is included in the field of view detected by the attention position detection means, and the attention position detected by the attention position calculation means in the image In accordance with the determination result by the determination means, the induction effect determination means for determining the induction effect for guiding to the induction target to be different depending on whether the induction target is included in the field of view or not The inductive effect determined by the inductive effect determining means gave And image processing means for generating an image.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image generation apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. The image generation apparatus 10 is realized by a computer that reads a program recorded on a recording medium such as a semiconductor memory, a CD-ROM, a DVD, or a magnetic disk and whose operation is controlled by the program. The computer includes devices such as a display device for displaying images, an input device including a keyboard and various pointing devices, and a storage device for storing programs and data. The image generation device 10 provides a function of detecting an attention position of a spectator who is viewing an image and generating an image with an effect of guiding the attention position to a guidance target in the image.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 1, the image generation apparatus 10 includes functions of an attention position calculation unit 11, an image generation control unit 12, a guidance information storage unit 13, and a material information storage unit 14. The image generation control unit 12 includes a guidance effect determination unit 121 and an image processing unit 122.
[0016]
The attention position calculation unit 11 obtains the attention position for the image displayed on the screen of the spectator in real time, and is configured using, for example, an eye camera 31 of FIG. In addition, the attention position calculation unit 11 may be able to detect not only the attention position but also information on the field of view range on the audience screen. When the image generation device 10 generates an image of a game or the like, the position-of-interest calculation unit 11 is used as an input device such as a controller, and character position information that allows the audience to move the position on the screen by operating the controller. It may be used as the attention position of the audience.
[0017]
The image generation control unit 12 is detected by the attention position calculation unit 11 based on information on a guidance target (guide destination of the attention position of the audience) set in advance by the content producer, for example, stored in advance in the guidance information storage unit 13. The image is generated by adding the image effect stored in the guidance information storage unit 13 to the image stored in the material information storage unit 14 according to the positional relationship between the target position and the guidance target with respect to the image of the audience. .
[0018]
The guidance effect determination unit 121 is configured by a CPU, a memory, and the like, and is stored in the guidance information storage unit 13 based on input means (keyboard, pointing device, etc.) not shown and a given program stored in the memory. The position and direction (hereinafter referred to as the attention position guidance vector) between the position information of the guidance target and the attention position calculated by the attention position calculation unit 11 are calculated, and the attention position is guided according to the distance. Determine whether to do. Alternatively, the guidance effect determination unit 121 may determine whether or not to perform the guidance position guidance according to the passage of time for applying the guidance effect. Further, the guidance effect determination unit 121 may determine the guidance effect based on a combination of at least two of the distance, direction, or time from the target position to the guidance target position. For the guidance, one or more guidance effects are determined from guidance effect information stored in the guidance information storage unit 13 set by the content producer, for example, according to the target position guidance vector. Like a game or real-time CG, a plurality of different types of image data, for example, a scene that includes a plurality of two-dimensional pictures or three-dimensional objects, determines the induction effect for each. Here, the three-dimensional object is one in which data representing the shape of the object is defined by a three-dimensional element (X, Y, Z), such as a polygon object or an object formed by a free-form surface. . The two-dimensional picture is defined by a two-dimensional element (X, Y) representing data of the shape of the picture. For example, a cel picture of animation, a sprite in CG, a television picture, or a video frame Data, etc.
[0019]
The image processing unit 122 includes a CPU, a memory, and the like. Based on a given input unit (not shown) and a given program stored in the memory, the image processing unit 122 Attention The current frame data in the image data of the material information storage unit 14, for example, still image data or moving image data, using the position and the guidance target set by the content creator and the attention position guidance vector calculated by the guidance effect determination unit 121 as parameters. The induction effect determined by the induction effect determination unit 121 is applied. In a game or real-time CG, the guidance effect determined by the guidance effect determination unit 121 is applied to each of the two-dimensional picture and the three-dimensional object constituting the scene.
[0020]
The guidance information storage unit 13 stores information related to a guidance target set by the content producer. If the guidance target is a point, position information in the screen is stored. If the guidance target is a region, area information in the screen is stored. is doing. There may be a plurality of guidance objects.
[0021]
The material information storage unit 14 stores image data that is a material necessary for generating an image, that is, information including a three-dimensional object, a two-dimensional picture, and the like. In the case of generating a television screen image, the material information storage unit 14 stores moving image data and current frame data. Further, when generating a real-time CG, a game image (video), etc., data of a three-dimensional object or a two-dimensional picture may be included.
[0022]
Next, an outline of the operation of the image generation apparatus 10 in the present embodiment will be described.
[0023]
FIG. 2 shows a television screen 22 that displays images generated by the audience 21 and the image generation device 10.
[0024]
On the screen 22, a product, a person explaining the product, a telephone number used for ordering the product, and a telephone 27 are displayed. In addition, the audience 21 is paying attention to the attention position 24 on the screen 22.
[0025]
It is assumed that the content producer side wants to pay attention to the telephone number for ordering the product from the audience 21 as the guidance object 25. In the existing method, regardless of the position on the screen where the audience 21 is paying attention, the appeal is such that the guidance target is animated in advance by adding effects such as enlargement, reduction, and deformation, or the color is constantly changed and lit. The effect was performed at the stage of producing the video source. However, this is often difficult to see for the audience who has already focused on the guidance target, and often has the opposite effect. Moreover, even if the guidance target can be appealed, it is not known whether the audience's attention position can be guided in the direction of the guidance target.
[0026]
Therefore, the image generation apparatus 10 selects an appropriate guidance effect from the current attention position 24 of the spectator 21 and the guidance target (phone number) set by the content producer, and selects the precise location or target on the screen. To generate an image with a guidance effect. In order to implement these in television broadcasting and real-time CG, it is necessary to detect the attention position 24 of the spectator 21 watching the screen 22 in real time.
[0027]
Next, in the present embodiment, a method for real-time detection by detecting the attention position of the audience will be described.
[0028]
FIG. 3 shows a state in which the spectator 32 wearing the eye camera 31 as the attention position calculation unit 11 is viewing the video on the screen 33. The eye camera 31 is configured to detect the gazing point of the spectator 32 by, for example, a corneal reflection method. The corneal reflection method is a method in which light (near-infrared light) is applied to the eyeball and a virtual image (reflected light) generated inside the cornea of the eyeball is captured, and the rotation center of the eyeball and the curvature center of the cornea are shifted. Using this, the attention position actually seen by the audience is calculated from the movement of the virtual image point. Further, the field of view of the audience 32 is detected.
[0029]
Further, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-175246 (see Patent Document 3), a pattern in the vicinity of the pupil of the spectator cut out from the spectator's face image and a predetermined location (an index such as an icon) on the screen are registered. It is also possible to use a method of calculating the attention position actually viewed by the audience by comparing with a dictionary created from a pattern near the pupil of the audience who is viewing.
[0030]
Next, the processing operation in the guidance effect determination unit 121 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
[0031]
The guidance effect determination unit 121 calculates a parameter of the guidance effect from the attention position 24 (attention position information) obtained from the attention position calculation unit 11, the position of the guidance target 25, and information stored in the guidance information storage unit 13. Ask.
[0032]
First, the guidance effect determination unit 121 sets the attention position 24 by the spectator 21 based on the input (attention position information) from the attention position calculation unit 11. If the input from the attention position calculation unit 11 is the viewpoint position of the spectator 21, the attention position 24 on the screen of the spectator 21 is set as the attention position (x1, y1). When a two-dimensional picture and a three-dimensional object operated by the audience are targeted for attention in a game or the like, the position is set to the attention position {(x1, y1) or (x1, y1, z1)} (step A1).
[0033]
Next, the guidance effect determination unit 121 stores the attention position guidance vector 26 {(x2, y2) or (x2, y2, z2)} used in the subsequent processing in the attention position 24 and the guidance information storage unit 13. It is calculated from the difference of the position {(x3, y3) or (x3, y3, z3)} of the guidance object 25 that is present (step A2).
[0034]
Next, the guidance effect determination unit 121 calculates the distance between the target position 24 and the guide target 25 from the scalar amount of the target position guide vector 206 (step A3).
[0035]
Next, the guidance effect determination unit 121 determines whether or not to apply the guidance effect according to the distance between the target position 24 and the guidance target 25 for each two-dimensional picture and three-dimensional object necessary for generating an image. (Steps A4 and A5). It is assumed that a threshold for determining whether or not to apply the guidance effect is stored in advance in the guidance information storage unit 13.
[0036]
In Table 1 below, the conditions for determining whether or not the induction effect determining unit 121 performs the induction effect are classified and shown.
[0037]
[Table 1]

[0038]
That is, when it is desired to guide the audience to the guidance target, if the distance between the target position 24 and the guidance target 25 is equal to or less than a preset threshold, it is determined that the audience has already focused on the guidance target. Then, if the guidance effect is not applied and the distance exceeds the threshold value, it is determined that the audience is not paying attention to the guidance target and the guidance effect is applied.
[0039]
If it is desired to divert the audience's attention to the guidance target, if the distance between the target position 24 and the guidance target 25 is equal to or less than a preset threshold, it is determined that the audience has already focused on the guidance target. If the distance is greater than the threshold value, it is determined that the spectator is not paying attention to the guidance target and the guidance effect is not applied.
[0040]
Next, the guidance effect determination unit 121 determines which guidance effect stored in the guidance information storage unit 13 is to be applied for each two-dimensional picture and three-dimensional object necessary for generating an image. It is assumed that guidance information indicating which guidance effect is to be applied to which guidance target is stored in the guidance information storage unit 13. The guidance information storage unit 13 selectively determines the type and intensity of the guidance effect according to the direction and size of the attention position guidance vector 206 and the type of the two-dimensional picture and the three-dimensional object to which the effect is applied. The guidance information may be stored. Further, the guidance effect is determined according to not only the direction and size of the attention position guidance vector 206 but also the distance or direction from the point where the guidance effect is generated to the attention position of the audience and the attention position guidance vector 206. You may be able to do it. The guidance effect determining unit 121 may determine a plurality of guidance effects for one two-dimensional picture or three-dimensional object (step A6).
[0041]
The guidance effect determination unit 121 determines whether or not the series of guidance effects is to be performed and the guidance effects are determined for all the two-dimensional pictures and three-dimensional objects necessary for generating an image ( Step A7), if the processing is completed for all, the information processing unit 122 is provided with information on the induction effect determined for all the two-dimensional pictures and three-dimensional objects to be processed, and the processing ends. To do.
[0042]
Next, details of the operation of the image processing unit 122 will be described. The image processing unit 122 applies a guidance effect to the image using the material information used for the guidance effect stored in the material information storage unit 14 in accordance with the guidance effect information provided from the guidance effect determination unit 121.
[0043]
In the example of the television screen shown in FIG. 2, the screen 22 is synthesized from the frame data of the input moving image, the two-dimensional picture of the guidance target (telephone number) 25, and the two-dimensional picture of the telephone 27. Information is stored in the material information storage unit 14.
[0044]
Table 2 below shows an example of the guidance effect determined by the guidance information determination unit 121 for the image displayed on the screen of FIG.
[0045]
[Table 2]

[0046]
For example, for the frame data (two-dimensional picture) of the input moving image, a guidance effect using the concentrated line effect and the color change is applied, and for the guidance target (phone number) 25 (two-dimensional picture), The guidance effect using the color change is applied, and the telephone 27 which is an object used for guidance of the target position is subjected to the guidance effect using animation and enlargement / reduction.
[0047]
The image composition unit 122 performs image processing on the two-dimensional picture and the guidance effect determined for each three-dimensional object necessary for generating these images and synthesizes them. As a result, an image synthesized by applying the induction effect is generated.
[0048]
Next, a specific example of the induction effect (image processing) performed by the image processing unit 122 will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0049]
5 (a) and 5 (b) show a concentrated line effect applied to the frame data (two-dimensional picture) of the input moving image as an effect for guiding the attention position of the audience from the current attention position to the guidance target. This is an example. The image processing unit 122 uses the effect line (concentrated line) as the center where the effect line (concentrated line) gathers at any position between the current attention position and the guidance target, that is, the focus in the image data or moving image data in the material information storage unit 14 An example in which a part or all of the current frame data is drawn is shown.
[0050]
In FIG. 5A, the focal point 63a (center of effect) is set to the position of the guidance target 62a, and the angle between the direction of the effect line around the focal point 63a and the target position guidance vector 64a is around ± 180 degrees. In particular, an effect of a color different from the others is applied to the effect line (see FIG. 6A). The thickness of one effect line is gradually increased in proportion to the distance from the center of the effect (focal point 63a) (see FIG. 6B). Thus, by changing the effect line in the direction of the attention position guidance vector 64a to a color different from the others, the consciousness of the audience is directed to the direction of the guidance target 62a, and the consciousness of the audience is directed to the center of the effect line (focal point 63a). Is used to guide the attention position of the audience.
[0051]
FIG. 6A shows the relationship between the direction of the effect line and the color change effect, and FIG. 6B shows the relationship between the distance from the center of the effect and the thickness of the effect line.
[0052]
FIG. 5B is an example in which attention position guidance is performed by moving the center of the guidance effect (focal point 63b) according to the positional relationship between the gaze position 61b and the guidance target 62b, unlike FIG. 5A. . The attention position guidance is performed while setting the focal point 63b in the direction from the attention position 61b to the guidance object 62b according to the distance shown in the relationship of the graph of FIG. 6C. If the target position 61b is guided to the focal point 63b in the next step (or after a unit time), the focal point 63b is approaching the guidance target 62b. Set. Until the attention position 61b is very close to the guidance target 62b (until the guidance information determination unit 121 determines that the distance is equal to or less than the threshold value and no effect is applied), a series of movements of the position of the focus 63b is repeated, and the image effect By applying, the attention position guidance is performed little by little. In addition to the relationship of the graph shown in FIG. 6C, information such as the viewing angle of the audience, the distance and orientation between the monitor and the audience, etc. may be collected, and the moving distance of the focal point 63b may be obtained using this information. It may be determined from the actual size of the screen. The thickness of the effect line is determined according to the relationship shown in FIG. 6B, as in the case of FIG.
[0053]
In the example of the induction effect shown in FIG. 5, the concentrated line effect by the effect line toward the focal point is used. Attention In the case of an image effect or image processing according to a position guidance vector, for example, a part or all of a target two-dimensional picture or three-dimensional object is illuminated around a certain point, or a target position guidance vector Depending on the case, an arrow-like object may be drawn. Further, a deformation process such as a ripple effect may be performed. FIG. 7 shows an example of an image with a ripple effect. The attention position 81 and the guidance object 82 are set, and the deformation is performed by the ripple effect in the direction from the guidance object 82 to the attention position 81.
[0054]
When the position of the image information to be guided, the target position, and the processing target is defined in three dimensions (x, y, z) as in a 3D game, the three-dimensional target position guidance vector Inductive effects are applied accordingly. In this case, three-dimensional processing such as parsing is performed. In addition, when the effect which wants to divert the attention of the audience from the guidance target is realized by setting the center of the effect in the direction opposite to the guidance target.
[0055]
Next, as another example of the image effect, an image effect for the guidance target (phone number) 25 will be described.
[0056]
FIG. 8 illustrates the change in the color of the guidance target (telephone number) 25 according to the change in time t. As shown in FIG. 8, as the time (t → 0, 1, 2,...) Elapses, the color used when displaying the guidance target (phone number) 25 is, for example, red, green, blue,. In this way, the attention position of the audience is focused on the guidance target. FIG. 9 is a graph showing the color change divided into R, G, and B components. Note that the color change may be continuously changed according to the time as described above, or the color object may be changed at high speed according to the time and the guidance target may be flashed.
[0057]
Further, examples of applying the inductive effect according to the change in time include those subjected to blurring processing and those subjected to the ripple effect of FIG. In the example of the blurring process, the material information storage unit 14 stores the focus portion so that the focus portion can be clearly seen so that the focus portion can be clearly seen every time the subject moves away from the focus. A part or all of the current frame data in the image data or the moving image data is subjected to blur filtering processing and rendered. At this time, in accordance with the change in time t, for example, the blurry range is gradually expanded so that only the focus (guide target) portion can be clearly seen. As a result, the attention position of the audience can be guided to the guidance target.
[0058]
Further, as in the example of the ripple effect in FIG. 7, for example, the focus determined as described with reference to FIG. 5 is set at the center of the distortion, and the current data in the image data or moving image data in the material information storage unit 14 is set. Distort part or all of the frame data. At this time, for example, the amount of distortion is gradually increased according to the change in time t. Thereby, the attention position of the audience can be guided to the guidance target 82.
[0059]
Next, as another example of the image effect, a case where an image effect such as animation or enlargement / reduction is applied will be described.
[0060]
FIG. 10 shows an example of an image subjected to an animation image effect. In the image shown in FIG. 10, the attention position of the audience is concentrated on the telephone 114 by displaying the telephone 114 as an object used for guidance at the position of the attention position 112 of the audience. Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the display position of the telephone 114 is moved (animated) in the direction of the target position guidance vector 115, that is, in the direction of the guidance target (phone number) 113 according to the change in time t. As described above, the attention position guidance of the audience is performed by repeating the animation from the attention position 112 to the guidance target 113 using the two-dimensional picture called the telephone 114. It should be noted that the telephone 114 is displayed by being enlarged or reduced according to an enlargement ratio corresponding to the distance between the guidance target 113 and the current display position of the telephone 114. FIG. 12 shows an example of the relationship of the enlargement ratio according to the distance between the guidance target 113 and the display position of the telephone 114. In the example shown in FIG. 12, when the distance between the guidance target 113 and the telephone 114 is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the telephone 114 is displayed enlarged to double the size, and when the distance becomes less than the predetermined, the distance becomes shorter. It is defined so that the original size (1 time) is reduced and displayed sequentially. As for the relationship between the distance between the guidance target 113 and the telephone 114 and the enlargement ratio, a relationship having a guidance effect can be arbitrarily set in addition to the relationship shown in FIG.
[0061]
In the above description, it has been described that the size of the object (telephone 114) is changed by changing the establishment of the phrase Kakunoda, but other display attributes may be changed to display the object. . For example, the orientation of the object, color information, transmittance, etc. may be changed according to the distance or direction from the audience's attention position to the guidance target. Further, the object may be changed by a combination of a plurality of different display attributes.
[0062]
As described above, the image processing unit 122 applies the guidance effect by applying the individual guidance effects to the two-dimensional picture and the three-dimensional object constituting the scene based on the determination of the guidance effect determination unit 121. Generated image.
[0063]
FIG. 13 shows an example of a screen 141 that displays an image synthesized based on the induction effect determined as shown in Table 2. As shown in FIG. 13, in order to guide the audience's viewpoint to the telephone number to be guided, a concentration line effect is applied focusing on the position of the guidance target, and the telephone is moved in the guidance direction from the current attention position of the audience. The animation is synthesized.
In this manner, the image generation apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment can generate an image that guides the attention position of the audience to a specific guidance target in real time.
[0064]
In the above description, in order to simplify the explanation, it is assumed that the guidance target is the telephone number intended by the content producer and that the position is at a specific position (upper right of the screen) on the screen. The present invention can also be applied to cases where the content creator cannot preliminarily guide the guidance target, when the location of the guidance target varies, or when the guidance route of the target position is not linear. Specific examples (1) to (5) of these applications will be described below.
[0065]
(1) Guidance using the user's interests (interest information) will be described (image effects for making the user's interests easier to see).
[0066]
Here, players who are mainly focused by the audience in sports broadcasts, etc., or players that the audience wants to focus on movement and behavior are targeted for guidance, and the target position of the audience is accurately determined for the players targeted for guidance. A specific example of the effect to be induced will be described.
[0067]
For example, if a player who wants to pay attention to movement or behavior in advance, or a player who is mainly focused by the audience from the historical information of the audience's attention position, suddenly moves quickly, the audience looks at that player. It becomes difficult to follow. In such a case, if the position of the player who mainly focuses on the screen that he / she wants to focus on is separated from the current audience's attention position by a certain distance or more, it is considered that the audience is not chasing the eyes. Inductive effects are applied so that attention can be quickly drawn.
[0068]
As another example, the player that the audience wants to pay attention to or the player who is mainly paying attention to the screen suddenly moves from the state where it was not on the screen by moving the player, moving the camera, changing the scene, etc. Consider the case of entering. In such a case, there is a case where the spectator misses the action of the player who wants to pay attention because it is not known when and from which player the attention will appear on the screen. As a spectator, there are many requests that the player who wants to pay attention usually watches the game when it is not displayed on the screen and wants to pay attention to the player while the player who wants to pay attention appears on the screen. Therefore, if a player who suddenly wants to pay attention appears on the screen and the current viewpoint of the audience is not within a certain distance of the player who wants to pay attention, it is considered that the audience is not aware of the player who wants to pay attention and prompt attention Apply an inductive effect as you can.
[0069]
In this case, the guidance effect to be applied to the image is not only to guide the spectator's viewpoint position to the guidance target by the above-mentioned concentrated line effect or an animated pointer, but also to display the player to be noticed more clearly than others. Inducing effects can be applied. For example, the player who wants to pay attention may be made brighter or clearer than others, or may be displayed conspicuously, such as by displaying an outline, and other players or background may be darkened or blurred.
[0070]
FIGS. 14A and 14B are display examples of a screen for explaining a case where a player who wants to pay attention from outside the screen enters the screen. With the passage of time, the player 152 who was off the screen on the screen 150 appears on the screen 153 (player 155 to be noted). 14 (a) and 14 (b) are virtually drawn outside the screen, and information outside the screen may or may not be held.
[0071]
When performing guidance using a user's interest (interest information), when a guidance target can be selected from a plurality, for example, a specific player may be selected as a guidance target in a sport in which a plurality of players participate. If possible, the guidance information for each player is stored in the guidance information storage unit 13. In this case, the guidance information storage unit 13 stores guidance information in which time-series players and player positions (position information) are associated with each other.
[0072]
The image generation apparatus 10 causes a spectator to select a player to be noticed from among a plurality of players in advance and store the selected information in the guidance information storage unit 13. The guidance effect determination unit 121 selects the position information of the player who wants to pay attention specified by the spectator stored in the guidance information storage unit 13 as the position of the guidance target.
[0073]
At the time of the screen 150, since there is no player 152 who wants to pay attention to the screen, attention position guidance is not performed. At the time of the screen 153, the player 155 to be noticed appears in the screen, so the player 155 to be noticed is set as a guidance target.
[0074]
Next, the guidance effect determination unit 121 obtains the attention position guidance vector 156 obtained from the position of the guidance target (player 155 to be noticed) and the current audience attention position 154, and sets the attention position guidance vector 156 in the distance and direction. In response, the induction effect as described above is determined. The image processing unit 122 executes image processing according to the guidance effect determined by the guidance effect determination unit 121.
[0075]
In the above description, the audience is selected in advance from the plurality of athletes who want to pay attention. However, based on the historical information of the audience's attention position, ) May be automatically determined, and a guidance effect may be applied to this player. In this case, the guidance effect determination unit 121 determines which player the spectator is paying attention to from the information on the position of the spectator's attention and the position information of the player in the guidance information storage unit 13. The attention time is sequentially recorded as history information. Then, for example, which player is most focused on from the history information is determined by comparing the total attention time for each player, and a guidance effect is applied to the determined player.
[0076]
Further, the priority order of the players to be noticed may be determined based on the history information (for example, in order of long attention time, order of attention frequency, etc.), and the guidance target may be switched according to the priority order. For example, if the 1st and 2nd priority players appear on the screen, the 1st player will be the target of guidance, and the 2nd player will be the target of guidance when the 1st player is off the screen. Switch to.
[0077]
(2) Next, specific examples of guidance effects in applications that require high real-time properties such as electronic games and multi-participant conversation software will be described (about guidance effects as interfaces in interactive applications). .
[0078]
Conversation software such as multi-participation type conversation software that allows many unspecified other users to participate and talk with multiple other users. The effect of accurately guiding will be described.
[0079]
Here, it is assumed that many users are displayed on the screen and can talk with the displayed partner through the screen. In this case, when the spectator is talking to another user, the spectator's attention is given to the user who is talking, or the spectator's attention A guidance effect is applied so as to be suitable for the user who has spoken to. When many users are displayed on the screen, a problem often occurs that even if the audience is losing sight of the user who is speaking or who is spoken by another user, it is not known from which user. Furthermore, when displaying on a wide, large-screen screen or the like, not all of the screen is visible within the sight range of the audience, so it becomes difficult to respond when spoken by a user outside the sight.
[0080]
In such a case, a guidance effect is applied so that attention can be quickly paid when the attention position of the audience and the user who is speaking to the audience or the user who is speaking to the audience is more than a certain distance away.
[0081]
In the case of this specific example, the guidance information stored in the guidance information storage unit 13 is sequentially determined according to the position information of the user who is the conversation target of the audience and the position information on the screen of the user who has spoken to the audience. It shall be updated. The user who is the conversation target of the audience may be determined in advance, or the user displayed on the screen may be specified by the audience using, for example, a pointing device. Moreover, you may make it identify the user who talked toward the audience by analyzing the content of the statement for every user, for example. The image generation apparatus 10 detects the position of the user who is the conversation target of the audience specified as described above or the user who is speaking to the audience from the image data stored in the material information storage unit 14. The information is stored in the guidance information storage unit 13 as guidance information.
[0082]
As the guidance effect, for example, the character information of the user who is talking is made brighter or clearer than other users who are not talking, and other users and the background are darkened or blurred. Alternatively, a guidance effect using a concentrated line effect, a blur filter, a blur process, or the like may be applied. Furthermore, it is possible to perform more effective attention position guidance by changing the type and intensity of the guidance effect according to the positional relationship and distance between the attention position of the spectator and the guidance target, that is, the user who is speaking to. .
[0083]
In this specific example, different guidance effects can be used depending on whether the guidance target is not in the sight of the audience or in the sight. If the guidance target is not in the audience's field of view, it is preferable to first guide the target position so that the guidance target is visible in the field of view. Guide it to a position where it can be seen by the audience. And if you can guide to the position where you can see the guidance target, then the guidance effect that guides the attention position to the guidance target using the method of clearly displaying other guidance targets as described above, and the concentration line and blur filter Apply. In this way, the induction effect can be switched.
[0084]
FIGS. 15A and 15B illustrate attention position guidance on a wide screen exceeding the field of view.
[0085]
At the time of the screen 160 shown in FIG. 15A, when the user 162 talks to the audience, the user 162 is out of the audience's view and cannot be recognized by the audience. It is assumed that information regarding the sight of the audience is acquired from the attention position calculation unit 11, and the guidance effect determination unit 121 determines whether the user 162 is in the sight from the position information of the user 162 and the attention position 161 of the spectator. The determination is made based on the attention position guidance vector 163. When it is determined that the user 162 is outside the sight of the audience, the guidance effect determination unit 121 determines that the guidance effect for guiding the audience's attention position to a position where the user 162 can be seen is applied.
[0086]
In this case, since it is necessary to promptly guide the audience's viewpoint to a position where the user 162 can see, in addition to using the various guidance effects described above when there is a guidance target in the field of view, more direct An inductive effect may be used. For example, an object that clearly indicates the direction in which the field of view should be changed, such as an arrow as shown in FIG. Attention position guidance vector 163 Use an inductive effect that animates along.
[0087]
By applying such a guiding effect, if the user's 167 can guide the attention position 166 until the user 167 is included in the field of view as in the screen 165 shown in FIG. 15B, the distance and direction of the attention position guidance vector 168 Depending on, the induction effect is determined. In this case, the inductive effect may be applied by using an indirect type of inductive effect or by reducing the intensity of the inductive effect, rather than the inductive effect when the object to be guided is out of sight.
[0088]
In the above explanation, the conversation partner is specified as the user who is speaking, for example, but not only the behavior of speaking is detected, but also the change of the object displayed in the image other than the scene where the conversation is performed is detected. It can also be a guidance target. For example, it is also possible to identify the object to be guided by detecting the movement, size change, etc. of the object.
[0089]
(3) Next, in a screen displayed in an electronic game, a premises guidance system, etc., it is not visible because it is behind other objects due to the positional relationship of the objects displayed on the screen (displayed on the screen). A specific example in the case of guiding to a guidance target (not performed) will be described (guidance effect in a 3D type application).
[0090]
In electronic games, on-site guidance systems, and the like, there are many cases where the guidance target is hidden behind other objects and cannot be displayed depending on the position of the audience in the virtual space or the viewpoint position. For example, as shown in FIG. 17, the guidance object 178 is hidden behind the stairs 171 and cannot be displayed on the projection plane 174 generated by performing viewpoint conversion from the viewpoint position 172 in the direction of the line of sight 173.
[0091]
At that time, the viewpoint position 172 and the viewpoint direction 173 are moved to the viewpoint position 175 and the viewpoint direction 177, respectively, and an image of the projection plane 176 is displayed so that the guidance target 178 is not hidden by other objects such as the staircase 171. It is possible to apply an induction effect. In this case, the parameters of the viewpoint conversion model modified to move the viewpoint position and the correction amount for moving these parameters are sent to the image processing unit 122 as information on the guidance effect determined by the guidance effect determination unit 121. This is achieved by generating an image.
[0092]
In addition to changing the viewpoint position, make the object in front of the guidance target semi-transparent and then apply the guidance effect, or other objects that are hidden from the current audience attention position to the guidance target It is also possible to set a path that avoids and to apply a guiding effect along the path.
[0093]
FIG. 18 is a diagram of the projection plane 174 viewed from the viewpoint position 172 in FIG. 17 for the attention position guidance when the guidance target 185 is hidden behind the staircase 181 and cannot be seen. The attention position 183 shown in FIG. 18 is a position where the audience is paying attention to the projection plane 174.
[0094]
In this case, a method in which part or all of the staircase 181 is rendered semi-transparent and rendered so that the guidance target 185 can be seen and the attention position 184 is guided according to the attention position guidance vector 184 can be applied. In this attention position guidance method, the audience can see the guidance object 185 directly, and guidance is performed along the straight attention position guidance vector 184, so that the attention position guidance to the guidance object 185 itself can be promptly performed. There is.
[0095]
As specific guidance means, for example, the guidance effect by the concentrated line effect shown in FIG. 5 or other guidance effects can be applied along the straight line attention position guidance vector 184.
[0096]
In addition, a route toward the back by avoiding the staircase 181 that hides the guidance target 185 without displaying the staircase 181 in a translucent manner is obtained as the attention position guidance vector 185, and the guidance effect corresponding to the position guidance vector 185 is obtained. It is also possible to apply a method of performing attention position guidance by applying the above. Unlike the method of following the attention position guidance vector 184 described above, this attention position guidance method is intended to guide the guidance object 185 in a state where it cannot be seen directly. By guiding the audience's attention position 183 along the attention position guidance vector 185 which is a path to the position where the guidance object 185 can be seen, the audience is aware of the path to the guidance object 185 and the path that bypasses the stairs 181 and its route It can be expected to have an effect of grasping the positional relationship with the guidance object 185 previously. Further, since it is not necessary to make the direct guidance target 185 directly visible, a process of making the object in the space translucent is not required.
[0097]
As a specific guidance effect, for example, a method of applying a blur filter or a blur effect while repeatedly moving the center of the blur filter or the blur effect along the attention position guidance vector 185 can be applied.
[0098]
(4) A specific example of a guidance effect in an application in which a user (audience) walks through a two-dimensional or three-dimensional virtual space (for example, a showroom) and browses content in the showroom will be described. To do.
[0099]
For example, in an application in which the user walks through a large virtual space, a guidance effect is applied so that the user passes through a plurality of guidance targets set. In this case, for example, the guidance target may be set to a content group of a genre that shows interest from the past history of the user, or the genre that the user is interested in may be directly set. Also, the showroom content producer may set the guidance target.
[0100]
FIG. 19A is a view of the virtual space where the user walks through, as viewed from above. Based on the current user's current position 191 and direction as a base point, a guidance route 194 passing through the contents of the guidance object 192 and the guidance object 193 is created. Thereafter, every time the user travels through the virtual space and reaches a branching point or the like, an image with a guidance effect is generated so as to proceed in the direction of the route created by the user. As a guidance method, guidance is performed at a branch point or the like so that the current attention position of the user faces the created route.
[0101]
FIG. 19B is a screen output in which the virtual space is projected when the user is at the current position 191 in the virtual space and facing the direction of the guide route 194. A branch point is visible in front of the eyes, indicating that the guide route 196 is moving to the right. Here, since the user's current attention position is at the attention position 198 in the upper part of the screen, the guidance target 197 is set in the right passage, and the guidance effect according to the attention position guidance vector 199 is applied, thereby the user's attention position. To the right aisle. As a specific induction effect at this time, a ripple effect, a concentrated line effect, a blurring effect, and the like can be applied as in the case described above.
[0102]
When the user moves along the route and reaches the position where the guidance target content can be seen, the user's attention position is guided to the guidance target content. Similarly, the ripple effect, the concentrated line effect, the blurring effect, and the like can be applied to the specific induction effect at this time.
[0103]
(5) A specific example of a guiding effect for inducing an error of a player in an electronic game or an operation for successfully avoiding an enemy attack in a battle-type game will be described (the attention position as a special effect of the game) About induction).
[0104]
In a battle-type game such as a shooting game or action game, at the moment when an enemy or enemy bullet comes to the aircraft that the audience operates, what is the enemy coming from the aircraft (attention position) that the audience operates? A player's mistake can be induced by applying a guidance effect in a different direction.
[0105]
For example, in a scene just before the enemy aircraft 203 heads toward the own device 202, as in the screen 200 shown in FIG. 20A, the guidance target 204 is moved from the current audience attention position 21 to the irrelevant direction from the enemy aircraft 203. And is guided from the target position 21 in the direction of the target position guidance vector 205. By guiding the spectator's attention position in an unrelated direction from the enemy aircraft 203 and diverting the attention from the enemy aircraft 203, it is possible to easily generate a situation in which the enemy aircraft 213, such as the screen 210, easily collides with the own aircraft 212. . The induction effect in such a case is realized by, for example, generating an event such as adding a gentle ripple effect, partially flashing, or changing the background on the game screen.
[0106]
On the other hand, just before enemies and enemy bullets come to the aircraft that the spectator controls, the attention position of the spectator is guided in the direction of coming and the spectator is prepared to attack the enemy. be able to. In these specific examples, the position information of the own device operated by the spectator is also acquired as the position information of interest from the position-of-interest calculation unit 11 (for example, a controller) and used.
[0107]
Note that the method described in the above-described embodiment can be applied to a recording medium such as a magnetic disk (flexible disk, hard disk, etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD, etc.), a semiconductor memory, etc. It can be written and provided to various devices. It is also possible to transmit to a variety of devices by transmitting via a communication medium. A computer that implements this apparatus reads the program recorded on the recording medium or receives the program via the communication medium, and the operation is controlled by this program, thereby executing the above-described processing.
[0108]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention at the stage of implementation. Further, the embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, when the effect can be obtained even if several constituent requirements are deleted from all the constituent requirements shown in the embodiment, a configuration from which the constituent requirements are deleted can be extracted as an invention.
[0109]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, based on the information on the attention position of the audience with respect to the image displayed on the screen, the guidance effect for guiding the attention position to the guidance target in the image is determined, Since it is possible to generate an image with the determined guidance effect, it is possible to guide the attention position of the audience to the guidance target in the image.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image generation apparatus according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a television screen 22 that displays an image generated by a spectator and an image generation apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a spectator wearing an eye camera as an attention position calculation unit is viewing a screen image.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a processing operation in a guidance effect determination unit.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example in which a concentrated line effect is applied to the frame data of the input moving image as an effect for guiding the attention position of the audience from the current attention position to the guidance target.
FIG. 6 shows the relationship between the direction of the effect line and the effect of the color change, the relationship between the distance from the center of the effect and the thickness of the effect line, and the relationship between the distance between the gaze position and the guidance target and the center position of the guidance effect. Figure.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image on which a ripple effect is applied as a guidance effect.
FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a change in color of a guidance target according to a change in time t.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing color changes separately for R, G, and B components.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image on which an animation image effect is applied.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of an image on which an animation image effect is applied.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship of the enlargement ratio according to the distance between the guidance target and the display position of the telephone.
13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen that displays an image synthesized based on the guidance effect shown in Table 2. FIG.
FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for explaining a case where a player who wants to be guided from outside the screen enters the screen.
FIG. 15 is a view for explaining attention position guidance on a wide screen exceeding the field of view.
FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of an object that clearly indicates the direction in which the field of view should be changed.
FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a situation in which a guidance target is hidden behind another object and cannot be displayed from the viewpoint position of the audience.
FIG. 18 is a view showing attention position guidance when the guidance target 185 is hidden behind the stairs 181 and cannot be seen.
FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of a virtual space that a user walks through and a screen output that projects the virtual space.
FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining guidance of a target position as a special effect of a game.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Image generation apparatus, 11 ... Attention position calculation part, 12 ... Image generation control part, 121 ... Guidance effect determination part, 122 ... Image processing part, 13 ... Guidance information storage part, 14 ... Material information storage part

Claims (10)

In an image generation device that generates an image to be displayed on a screen,
Attention position calculation means for detecting the attention position and field of view of the audience with respect to the image displayed on the screen,
Guidance information storage means for storing information on a guidance target in an image as a guidance destination of the target position of the audience and information on a guidance effect to be applied to the image;
Determining means for determining whether or not the guidance target is included in the field of view detected by the attention position detecting means;
Guidance for determining the guidance effect for guiding the target position detected by the target position calculation means to the target in the image so as to differ depending on whether the target is included in the field of view or not. An effect determining means;
An image generation apparatus comprising: an image processing unit configured to generate an image subjected to the induction effect determined by the induction effect determination unit according to a determination result by the determination unit. The inductive effect determining means, claims characterized in that it comprises a means for determining inductive effect based on at least one distance or direction or inductive effect applying time, to the position of the induction target from the target position of the spectator Item 2. The image generating device according to Item 1 . 3. The image generation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the induction effect determining means further includes means for determining the type and intensity of the induction effect. The image generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guidance effect determined by the guidance effect determination unit includes a guidance effect for moving an object whose display attribute is changed. Having setting means for setting a guidance target;
The image generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guidance effect determination unit determines a guidance effect for a guidance target set by the setting unit. Detection means for detecting a change in an object in the image;
Specifying means for specifying an object whose change has been detected by the detection means as a guidance target;
The image generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guidance effect determination unit determines a guidance effect for the guidance target specified by the specification unit. The image represents a virtual space,
The image generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guidance effect determination unit determines the guidance effect with an object that is not displayed on the screen in the virtual space as a guidance target. The image generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide effect determining unit determines the guide effect according to a positional relationship between an object in the image and the target position. In an image generation method for generating an image to be displayed on a screen,
Detect the audience's attention position and field of view for the image displayed on the screen ,
Determining whether the guidance object is included in the field of view;
A guidance effect for guiding the target position to the guidance target in the image is determined so as to be different depending on whether the guidance target is in the field of view or not .
An image generation method characterized by generating an image with the determined induction effect. An image generation program for generating an image to be displayed on a screen,
Computer
Attention position calculation means for detecting the attention position and field of view of the audience with respect to the image displayed on the screen,
Guidance information storage means for storing information on a guidance target in an image as a guidance destination of the target position of the audience and information on a guidance effect to be applied to the image;
Determining means for determining whether or not the guidance target is included in the field of view detected by the attention position detecting means;
Guidance for determining the guidance effect for guiding the target position detected by the target position calculation means to the target in the image so as to differ depending on whether the target is included in the field of view or not. An effect determining means;
An image generation program for functioning as an image processing unit that generates an image having a guidance effect determined by the guidance effect determination unit according to a determination result by the determination unit .

Images