JP5277436B2 - Image display program, image display device, and avatar providing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image display program, an image display device and an avatar providing system for displaying character information arbitrarily inputted by a user by suitably superimposing it on a static image or a moving image. <P>SOLUTION: This image display program for making a computer implement a function for superimposing character information and image data inputted or selected through an input means for display includes: a first function for displaying character information on a prescribed animation display picture so that its animation operation is possible; and a second function for generating a display picture on which the animation display picture is arranged so as to be superimposed on a display region where the image data are displayed, and for displaying the image data in the display region of the display picture. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image display apparatus that superimposes and displays text information (character information) on image data, and in particular displays text information arbitrarily input by a user on image data (still image or moving image). The present invention relates to an image display program and an image display apparatus.

  Conventionally, many techniques such as a superimpose technique have been proposed in which character information is inserted into a still image or moving image and the image data is included in the image data for display. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes an image display apparatus in which a user designates a plurality of patterns of moving images prepared in advance and displays the designated moving images superimposed on a still image. Patent Document 2 proposes a technique for generating an image effect arbitrarily designated by a user as a bitmap image and displaying the image effect superimposed on a predetermined video or the like.

  With these technologies, image data (character image data) prepared in advance by the service provider is displayed superimposed on a desired still image or moving image, or character information arbitrarily input by the user is generated once as image data. The character image data is displayed superimposed on a still image or the like. For this reason, it is necessary to perform processing for once generating character information input arbitrarily by the user as image data and processing for synthesizing character information with the image data, increasing the processing load.

  In other words, the service provider side needs to store a large number of character image data to be provided to the user, and still images and moving images obtained by combining character information have a large data capacity and increase the network load of data communication. become. In addition, the user side is also burdened with the synthesis process and the character image data generation process, and the burden of holding the character image data and the like. For this reason, the conventional technique of combining character information with a still image or superimposing an image as character image data is not suitable for displaying character information arbitrarily input by a user on a still image or the like. .

On the other hand, there is a telop technique in which character information is not generated as character image data unlike the superimpose technique, and a pixel value constituting character information is displayed on each pixel in a predetermined display area. In this telop technique, since character information arbitrarily input by the user is displayed in a predetermined display area in units of pixels, the processing load is small, and the character information arbitrarily input by the user can be displayed smoothly. However, in this telop technology, it is necessary to install a telop display function (program) in the terminal device on the user side and to provide a special environment for displaying character information in the display area. Further, this telop technology does not correspond to the operating environment in the WEB browser, and is not suitable for displaying character information on a WEB screen that requires versatility. Furthermore, there are restrictions on displayable character information and character information display operations, and characters cannot be displayed while being animated.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-27082 JP 2003-92706 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and is an image display program capable of suitably superimposing and displaying character information arbitrarily input by a user on a still image or a moving image. An object is to provide a display device and an avatar providing system.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an image display apparatus and an image display program in which character information arbitrarily input by a user is superimposed and displayed on a still image or the like while performing an animation operation.

  An image display program according to one aspect of the present invention is an image display program for displaying character information input or selected via input means of a computer and image data so as to be superimposed on the computer. A first function for displaying an animation on a predetermined animation display screen and a display screen in which the animation display screen is superimposed on a display area where image data is displayed, and an image is displayed in the display area of the display screen. And a second function for displaying data.

  The second function forms an image display layer including a display area in which image data is displayed and a character display layer in which an animation display screen is arranged, and the animation display screen is superimposed on at least a part of the display area. And a function of generating a display screen composed of an image display layer and a character display layer arranged in the same manner.

  The first function controls the animation display screen to a transparent display screen so that image data can be displayed on the display screen through the animation display screen, and characters on the transparent display screen. A function for performing animation operation control of information may be further included.

  The character information may include character text information and character animation control information, and the first function may further include a function of controlling animation display of the character text information using the character animation control information. . The image display program preferably realizes a character setting function through a character information setting screen for the user to arbitrarily input or set character text information and animation control information.

  An image display method according to another aspect of the present invention is an image display method in which character information input or selected via an input unit and image data are displayed in a superimposed manner, in an image data display area. A step of generating a display screen in which a predetermined animation display screen controlled to be displayed by the animation display control means is superimposed, and displaying image data in a display area of the display screen, and displaying character information in an animation by the animation display control means. And displaying on the screen.

  An image display device according to still another aspect of the present invention is an image display device that displays character information input or selected via an input unit and image data in a superimposed manner. An animation display control unit that displays an animation on the animation display screen so that the animation operation can be performed, and a display screen in which the animation display screen is superimposed on the display area where the image data is displayed are generated, and the image data is displayed in the display area of the display screen. And a display control unit.

  An avatar providing system as one aspect of the present invention is an avatar providing system that provides an avatar service to a user terminal connected through a network, and character information arbitrarily input or selected by the user through the user terminal. A first storage unit that stores the user avatar image in association with the user, a second storage unit that stores the avatar image for each user, and an animation display plugged into the WEB browser of the user terminal in response to a request from the user terminal An animation operation program that is read by the control means and displays the character information on a predetermined animation display screen is provided to the user terminal, and the WEB screen in which the animation display screen and the display area of the avatar image are superimposed is displayed on the WEB browser. The screen information for generating And having a screen control unit to provide to The terminal.

  The screen control unit can provide a user terminal with a character information setting screen for setting character text information, character effect information, and animation control information constituting character information.

  In addition, the avatar providing system receives character information input from the user terminal through the character information setting screen, and whether or not the character text information included in the received character information corresponds to preset prohibited character data. It is possible to further include a prohibited character discriminating unit for discriminating.

  According to the present invention, image data and character information are superimposed and displayed on a display screen in which an animation display screen on which character information is displayed in animation is superimposed on image data. It is possible to display the image by suitably superimposing it on a still image or a moving image.

  Moreover, since the character information arbitrarily input by the user is controlled to be displayed on an animation display screen provided independently for displaying the character information, the character information is suitably animated on a still image or the like. It is possible to display.

  The image display method (image display program) of the present invention superimposes character information (text information) arbitrarily input by a user on image data and displays it on a display screen such as a WEB browser, thereby displaying an image with message characteristics. I will provide a.

  Therefore, the image display method of the present invention generates a display screen in which an animation display screen is superimposed on the image data, and displays the character information in an animation independently of the display screen on which the image data is displayed. That is, an image display layer in which an image display layer including a display area in which image data is displayed and a character display layer in which an animation display screen is arranged are formed, and the animation display screen is arranged on at least a part of the display area. By providing a display screen composed of a layer and a character display layer, the degree of freedom of superimposed display of character information by the user is improved.

  The image display method of the present invention can be applied to image data that can be viewed by a third party through the Internet, such as an avatar or a WEB advertisement. In the embodiment of the present invention, an avatar will be described as an example, but the present invention can be applied to all image data displayed on a WEB browser. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an avatar providing system to which an image display method (image display program) of the present invention is applied. The avatar providing system according to the present embodiment provides a user with a WEB through the user terminal 100 and the user terminal 100. While providing a service, it is comprised with the WEB service provision server 200 which provides an avatar service with or independently of a WEB service.

  In the present embodiment, when a user accesses the WEB service providing server 200 through the user terminal 100, the WEB service providing server 200 provides a predetermined service login screen to the user terminal 100. The user can log in to the WEB service by inputting the user ID and password registered in the WEB service providing server 200 from the service login screen.

  And when a user's login process is completed normally, the WEB service provision server 200 acquired the avatar information containing each user's avatar image data from the avatar DB 204 mentioned later in order to provide a user with an avatar service, and acquired A WEB screen in which avatar image data is displayed in a predetermined display area is provided to the user terminal 100. The WEB service providing server 200 according to the present embodiment can provide various services (various service screens) such as community service, chat service, game service, bulletin board service, etc. Provide an avatar service that displays avatars.

  An avatar is a character displayed as a user's alternation on a web screen as a 2D image or a 3D image in a web service provided on the Internet, and the user can use clothes and accessories (avatar items) that constitute the avatar image. Can be purchased through a predetermined screen, and their avatars can be arbitrarily arranged. In other words, this avatar is used as a means for expressing the user himself on the WEB, and other users can freely view each user's avatar. The avatar is displayed on each user's WEB screen as avatar image data such as a still image, a GIF animation image, or a moving image.

  And the avatar provision system of this embodiment provides the function which superimposes and displays the character information with animation operation | movement on an avatar image. In the present embodiment, an avatar image is described as an example of image data on which character information is superimposed. However, in addition to an avatar image, image data arbitrarily acquired by the user in the service or provided by the service provider The present invention can also be applied to other image data. For example, when uploading image data taken by a user with a digital camera or the like on a user My Page provided by the avatar providing system, and displaying character information arbitrarily input by the user on the uploaded image data In addition, the image display method of the present invention can be applied.

  Further, the WEB service providing server 200 of the present embodiment provides various services such as community service, chat service, game service, bulletin board service, and avatar service to the user. However, the avatar providing server is provided separately, and the WEB service is provided. A system configuration in cooperation with the providing server 200 is also possible.

  Next, a specific configuration of the user terminal 100 configuring the avatar providing system of the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the user terminal 100. The user terminal 100 controls the communication control unit 106 that performs communication control with the WEB service providing server 200 through the network N, and the display 118 based on the WEB page information (screen information) received from the WEB service providing server 200. A display controller 102 for displaying a predetermined WEB screen, a memory 108, an external interface 110 to which an input unit 112 such as a keyboard and an operation unit 114 as a pointing device such as a mouse are connected, and a display to which a display 118 is connected And a control unit (CPU) 104 that controls the whole of these units.

  Specifically, the display control unit 102 according to the present embodiment is a web browser that is software for displaying web pages on the Internet, and WEB page information (HTML, XML) provided from the WEB service providing server 200 through the network N. Display control of the WEB screen displayed on the display 118 based on the screen information). For example, the display control unit 102 displays a WEB screen (display screen) in which image data, text data, and the like are displayed in a predetermined display area in accordance with display contents included in the WEB page information, display position, text information, link information, and the like. It is generated and displayed on the display 118 via the display interface 116.

  The display control unit 102 includes an animation display control unit 102F for providing an animation display function on the WEB screen. The display control unit 102 performs animation based on display position information included in the WEB page information. A WEB screen in which the animation display screen of the display control unit 102F is arranged at a predetermined position can be generated. Here, the animation display control unit 102F is an animation player plugged into the WEB browser, and for example, FlashPlayer can be applied. That is, the display control unit 102 according to the present embodiment includes an animation display control unit 102F as a Flash Player that functions by plugging in a WEB browser, and generates a display screen in which the Flash screen is incorporated at a predetermined position on the WEB screen. Note that a conventional technique can be applied to a technique for displaying the Flash Player screen at a predetermined display position on the WEB screen by plugging in the Flash Player into the WEB browser, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As described above, the display control unit 102 generates a predetermined WEB screen on which image data and the like are displayed based on the WEB page information, and arranges the animation display screen of the animation display control unit 102F in the display area of the predetermined WEB screen. The animation display control unit 102F performs reproduction display control of various contents on the animation display screen arranged on the WEB screen.

  And the display control part 102 of this embodiment superimposes the animation screen display-controlled by the animation display control part 102F on the display position where the avatar image on a WEB screen is displayed, and the user input or selected arbitrarily The avatar image and the character information are displayed in a superimposed manner by displaying and reproducing the character information on the animation display control unit 102F.

  Specifically, the display control unit 102 of the present embodiment includes an image display layer on which an avatar image is displayed and a character display layer including a playback screen of the animation display control unit 102F based on position information included in the WEB page information. A display area on which the (Flash screen) is superimposed is formed on the WEB screen.

  That is, the display control unit 102 performs animation display in which the display control unit 102 performs animation display independent of the image display control of the display control unit 102 in an image display area in which the avatar image is displayed based on WEB page information such as HTML. The animation display screen of the control unit 102F is superimposed and arranged as a character display layer, and a display area in which image display and character display are configured by different display layers is formed. In other words, the display control unit 102 superimposes and arranges the image display layer of the WEB screen whose display is controlled by the display control unit 102 and the character display layer of the Flash screen whose display is controlled by the animation display control unit 102F. Form a region.

  FIG. 4 is an example of a WEB screen on which the avatar image of the present embodiment is displayed. The WEB screen (web page) 10 is a web page (hereinafter referred to as “my page”) assigned to each user in a community service on the Internet. The avatar is displayed in the avatar image display area 20 which is a specific display area of this my page, and information such as a profile is displayed in the other display areas. From this page, the user can perform operations such as writing a diary or changing avatar settings. In addition, when other users access this web page, information such as the user's avatar, profile information or diary can be viewed on this page, and by leaving a message for the user, the user on the Internet They can communicate with each other.

  The avatar image display area 20 is a character image or clothes image stored in an image file such as a Gif format, which is configured by combining a basic character image with an avatar item image such as clothes or hairstyle, a background image, or the like. A set of image data in which a plurality of images such as, for example, are superimposed and displayed), and character information 24 is superimposed on the avatar image 22. As described above, the avatar image 22 and the character information 24 are not one image, but the image display layer on which the avatar image 22 as image data is displayed and the image display layer on which the character information 24 is displayed are independent. The character display layer is displayed so as to overlap, and the character information 24 and the avatar image 22 are superimposed and displayed on one avatar image display area 20. The character display layer of the character information 24 is a Flash (registered trademark) screen, and the Flash Player displays the character information 24 on the Flash (registered trademark) screen.

  Further, the background of the Flash screen displaying the character information 24 is set to be transparent so that the avatar image 22 is displayed on the WEB screen. That is, the character display layer is configured as a display layer having transparency, and the avatar image 22 is displayed through the flash screen. Note that the transparency of the background of the Flash screen can be arbitrarily set, and can be set to such a degree of transparency that the avatar image 22 is displayed to the user through the character display layer of the Flash screen. is there.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the avatar image 22 and the character information 24 of the present embodiment are displayed superimposed on the WEB screen. As shown in FIG. 5, the avatar image 22 and the character information 24 are individually displayed on the image display layer 22L (WEB screen) and the character display layer 24L (Flash screen), respectively. This character display layer 24L is set to a display layer with a transparent background color, and the avatar image 22 positioned as a lower layer than the character display layer as a hierarchy is displayed on the WEB screen through the transparent character display layer 24L. Is done. Since the character information 24 is displayed on a Flash screen (character display layer) that is controlled to display an animation, the character string can be displayed on the character information layer 24L while being animated.

  The character information 24 includes text information arbitrarily input from the screen described later by the user (characters “recruiting friends” in FIG. 4), a font as a display method of the text, a character color, a character color, It includes character effect information such as character decorations such as the presence or absence of bordering, and character string animation operation control information. In the present embodiment, an animation operation program (SWF file or the like) read by the animation display control unit 102F serving as FlashPlayer is provided to the user terminal 100, and the animation display control unit 102F serving as FlashPlayer includes text information included in the character information 24. Then, the character effect information and the animation operation control information are given as control parameters to the animation operation program, and the character information 24 is displayed as an animation.

  Next, the configuration of the WEB service providing server 200 of the avatar providing system will be described. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the configuration of the WEB service providing server 200. The communication control unit 202 performs communication control with the user terminal 100, and the screen control unit 203 generates web page information to be provided to the user terminal 100. Input from the user terminal 100 through the avatar DB 204 including the avatar storage unit 204a for storing avatar information such as the avatar image 22 and the character information storage unit 204b for storing the character information 24 superimposed on the avatar image, and the character information setting screen. The received character information is received, and the character text information included in the received character information determines whether or not the character text information corresponds to a preset prohibited character, and the overall control of each of these units. And a control unit (CPU) 206.

  The image of each part constituting the avatar image 22 is associated with the user ID in the avatar storage unit 204a and stored as avatar information, and the character information storage unit 204b has a user ID assigned with a character ID for each user ID. The character information arbitrarily input or selected is stored.

  The avatar information of this embodiment can be configured to include a character ID in addition to the information related to the image data of the avatar. For example, the avatar information corresponding to each user ID can be composed of avatar item 1 (clothes) _avatar item 2 (accessories) _.

  FIG. 6 is an example of a character information creation screen provided to the user terminal 100 by the avatar providing system of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the character information creation screen 30 includes a text input field (input text field) 32 for inputting text information, a character color, a character trimming color, a character glow color, a font (mojino Type), character direction (vertical writing, horizontal writing), character effect selection field 34 for selecting (or inputting) character effect information related to character decorations such as shadows and bold characters, and an animation for displaying a character string by an animation operation And an animation control information selection field 36 for selecting the type, the speed of the animation, the interval of the animation operation, and the like. A preview screen 40 including an avatar image display area 20 including an image display layer 22L and a character display layer 24L is provided on the right side of the character information creation screen 30. Note that the user can arbitrarily select a character color or the like from a separate color palette. Moreover, in this embodiment, the setting item for performing the character display which avoided the avatar is included.

  When the user presses the preview button 42, the display control unit 102 uses various information arbitrarily input or selected in the text input field 32, the character effect selection field 34, and the animation control information selection field 36 as an animation as a control parameter. The data is output to the display control unit 102F. The animation display control unit 102F displays an animation on the flash screen on the character display layer 24L according to the animation operation program using the received control parameter. At this time, as described above, the background of the Flash screen on the character display layer 24L is set to be transparent as described above.

  The user confirms the text information arbitrarily input, the set character effect, and the animation operation of the character through the preview screen 40 included in the character information creation screen 30, while checking the text input field 32, the character effect selection field 34, and the animation. Items that have been input or set in the control information selection field 36 can be arbitrarily changed.

  Thereafter, the user confirms the character information confirmed through the preview screen 40 in order to superimpose and display the character information 24 input and set on the character information creation screen 30 when the user's own avatar image 22 is displayed to other users. 24 is registered in the WEB service providing server 200. That is, when the user presses the registration button 44, the character information 24 is transmitted to the WEB service providing server 200, and the WEB service providing server 200 assigns a character ID to the received character information 24 and stores it in the character information storage unit 204b. At the same time, an avatar information update process for including the character ID in the corresponding user avatar information is performed.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of setting items for character effects and animation operations that can be selected on the character information creation screen 30. As character effects, character color, size, font, character direction (vertical writing, horizontal writing), characters You can set the shadow of the text, the color of the text, and the color of the text. As the animation operation, it is possible to set the type of character animation, the speed of the animation operation, the animation interval time, and the like. For example, it is possible to set a character effect such as a character edging or a character shining display, or an animation operation such as a character blinking display or a character rotation.

  The character ID includes the text information input in the text input field 32 of the character information creation screen 30 and a plurality of setting information of the setting items shown in FIG. 7, and is stored in the character information storage unit 204b. For example, based on information input and set by the user, character ID_text information (character string) _character color (red) _size (large) _..._ speed of animation operation (normal) _... Each piece of information is control parameter information of an animation operation program (SWF file).

  The screen control unit 203 generates screen information corresponding to various services for displaying the WEB screen on the user terminal 100 and provides the screen information to the user terminal 100. Specifically, the WEB screen (screen information) including the avatar image display area 20 shown in FIG. 4 and the WEB screen (screen information) including the character information setting screen 30 and the avatar image display area 20 shown in FIG. provide. In addition, the screen control unit 203 according to the present embodiment reads an animation operation program (SWF file) for displaying character information on the Flash screen, which is read by the Flash plugged into the WEB browser of the user terminal 100, together with the screen information. This is provided to the user terminal 100.

  The prohibited character determination unit 205 checks whether or not prohibited characters are included in the text information among the character information input through the character information setting screen 30. For example, it is determined whether the text information is an obscene word or a word inappropriate to be disclosed on the Internet. When it is determined that the word is inappropriate, the user terminal 100 is notified that prohibited characters are included without storing the created character information in the character information storage unit 204b. The characters that prohibit registration can be set in advance by the service provider.

  Next, the processing flow of the avatar providing system of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  First, when the user selects to display characters superimposed on the avatar image 22 from a predetermined WEB screen through the user terminal 100, the screen control unit 203 of the avatar providing system displays the character information setting screen 30 and the avatar image display shown in FIG. A WEB screen (screen information) including the area 20 is transmitted to the user terminal 100. In step S201, the user terminal 100 generates the character information setting screen 30 based on the screen information received from the screen control unit 203, and also displays the image display layer on which the avatar image 22 is displayed and the character display of the animation display control unit 102F. An avatar image display area 20 in which a layer (Flash screen) is superimposed is generated to form one WEB screen. At this time, an animation operation program (SWF file) is also provided from the screen control unit 203. Then, the user inputs the text to be displayed in the text input field 32 of the character information creation screen 30 displayed on the user terminal 100, and selects character effect and animation control.

  In step 202, when the user clicks the preview button 42, the input text information, the selected effect information, and animation control information are read into the Flash Player, and the character information 24 is displayed superimposed on the avatar image 22. .

  Specifically, when the preview button 42 is clicked by the user, the display control unit 102 acquires character information 24 including text information input to the character information setting screen 30, selected character effect information, and animation control information. To do. Next, the display control unit 102 outputs the acquired character information 24 as a control parameter to the animation display control unit 102F, and the Flash Player reads the animation operation program provided from the WEB service providing server 200 to read the character information 24. Character animation as a control parameter is displayed on the Flash screen. In the above description, when the WEB screen including the character information setting screen 30 is provided to the user terminal 100, the avatar image display area 20 is formed. For example, the user presses the preview button 42 as a trigger. It is also possible to perform display control so that the Flash screen is superimposed on the display position of the avatar image 22 displayed on the WEB screen.

  After the preview, the user selects whether or not to register the created character information 24 in the WEB service providing server 200, and clicks the registration button 44 in step S203 to display the character information 24 superimposed on the avatar image 22. Register. In step S <b> 203, when the registration button 44 is pressed by the user, the user terminal 100 transmits character information 24 including text information, character effect information, and animation control information together with the user ID to the WEB service providing server 200.

  Upon receiving the character information 24 from the user terminal 100, the WEB service providing server 200 performs a prohibited character check process by the prohibited character determination unit 205. When the prohibited character determination unit 205 determines that the prohibited character is included, If the user terminal 100 is notified that the prohibited character is included without registering in the information storage unit 204b, and it is determined that the prohibited character is not included, in step S204, the WEB service providing server 200 A predetermined character ID is assigned to the character information storage unit 204b and stored in association with the user ID. Thus, the registered character information 24 is registered as character information as parts owned by the user on the web service.

  Thereafter, in step S205, information such as a registration result of the character information 24 is transmitted from the WEB service providing server 200 to the user terminal 100, and a display for inquiring whether or not the character information 24 is attached to the current avatar image 22 is displayed. Do. When the user installs the created character information 24, the user makes a request for superimposed display of character information to the WEB service providing server 200 (steps S206 and S207). The screen control unit 203 of the WEB service providing server 200 reads the requested character information 24 from the character information storage unit 204b (step S208) and transmits it to the user terminal 100 (step S209). Then, the user terminal 100 superimposes and displays the acquired character information 24 on the avatar image 22 by the animation display control unit 102F (step S210). If it is selected in step S206 that display of the character information 24 is not performed, subsequent data acquisition processing of the character information 24 is not performed. In this case, the avatar information includes a character ID and a determination flag indicating whether or not the character can be displayed.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of the avatar display process of the avatar providing system of this embodiment.

  First, in step S <b> 301, when a user connects to the avatar providing system of the present embodiment through the user terminal 100 and logs in to a web service, a user ID is transmitted to the WEB service providing server 200. The screen control unit 203 of the WEB service providing server 200 acquires the avatar information associated with the user ID from the avatar storage unit 204a based on the received user ID, and displays the avatar image 22 associated with the avatar information. Each part image which comprises is acquired (step S302).

  As described above, the avatar information includes information (character ID) indicating the character information 24 to be displayed superimposed on the avatar image 22 and a character display availability flag. In step S303, the screen control unit 203 The presence / absence of a character ID included in the avatar information is determined, and a determination process is performed to determine whether or not the character information 24 is superimposed on the avatar image 22 based on the character display enable / disable flag. If the character display enable / disable flag is character display disabled, even if the character ID is included in the avatar information, only the avatar image 22 is stored in the avatar without acquiring the corresponding character information 24 from the character information storage unit 204b. From the unit 204a. On the other hand, if the character ID is included in the avatar information and the character display enable / disable flag is displayable, the screen control unit 203 acquires the corresponding character information 24 from the character information storage unit 204b and displays the avatar image 22 as well. Obtained from the avatar storage unit 204a (step S304).

  Next, in step S <b> 305, the acquired avatar image 22 and character information 24 are transmitted to the user terminal 100 together with the screen information of the WEB screen including the avatar image display area 20. If character information is not included in the avatar information in step S303, only the avatar image 22 is transmitted to the user terminal 100 in step S305, and the character information 24 is not superimposed and displayed. The screen information of the WEB screen not including the character display layer in the area 20 can be transmitted. That is, when a WEB screen that displays only the avatar image 22 is configured, it is possible to provide the user terminal 100 with screen information that activates a Flash screen as a character display layer on the screen information and does not superimpose the Flash screen on the WEB screen.

  In step S306, when the user terminal 100 receives the avatar image 22 and the character information 24, in step S307, the user terminal 100 determines whether or not the character information 24 is included in the received avatar information. If the character information 24 is included, a flash screen for displaying the character information in a superimposed manner is activated in accordance with the received screen information, and the flash screen is displayed in a superimposed manner on the avatar image 22 in step S308. In steps S309 and S310, animation display control on the Flash screen is performed.

  If it is determined that the character information 24 is not included in step S303 and the character information 24 is not included in the received avatar information in step S307, the process proceeds to step S311 and the display control unit 102 determines that the character information 24 is not included. It is configured so that only the display processing of the avatar image 22 is performed without activating the flash screen for displaying information superimposed, in other words, without performing the screen control for arranging the flash screen superimposed on the avatar image 22. be able to. Regardless of whether or not the character information 24 has been received, the screen information of the WEB screen on which the avatar image display area 20 including the flash screen as a character display layer is always displayed from the screen control unit 203 of the avatar providing system. It can also be provided to the terminal 100.

  In FIG. 9, the avatar providing system determines whether or not the character information 24 is included in the user's avatar image 22 and provides the user terminal 100 with the avatar image 22 and the character information 24 at a time. However, the user terminal 100 may determine the character ID and the character display availability flag and request the avatar providing system to provide the character information 24 from the user terminal 100 as necessary. For example, the avatar providing system acquires the avatar information related to the user ID from the avatar storage unit 204a after the login process, and provides the user terminal 100 with the avatar image 22 and the character display availability flag. The user terminal 100 determines the received character display enable / disable flag, and when the character display enable / disable flag is enabled (ON), the display control unit 102 can request the character information 24 from the avatar providing system. In this case, the character display enable / disable flag is set to “No” (OFF) by default for the avatar information not including the character information 24, and is provided to the user terminal 100. Moreover, the display control part 102 of the user terminal 100 forms the avatar image display area 20 in which the character display layer 24L is superimposed on the image display layer 22L of the avatar image 22 after requesting the avatar providing system and receiving character information. Even when only the avatar image 22 is formed, the character display layer 24L is automatically formed when the avatar image 22 is displayed on the WEB screen regardless of the request for the character information 24. You may comprise so that the character display layer 24L always transparent may be superimposed on the avatar image 22. FIG.

  As described above, the avatar providing system of the present embodiment provides a display screen in which an animation display screen on which character information is displayed in animation is superimposed on the image data, and displays the image data and character information in a superimposed manner. For this reason, it is not necessary to generate character information as image data and synthesize it with a still image or a moving image as in the conventional case, and the degree of freedom of the superimposed display of the character information on the image data by the user is greatly improved. It becomes possible.

  Furthermore, since the character information arbitrarily input by the user is displayed as an animation by the Flash plugged into the WEB browser, it is not necessary to install a special character display program or the like to provide a special environment. For this reason, it becomes possible to display character information on a still image or the like while suitably performing animation operation on a general-purpose user who uses a WEB browser.

More specifically, when the first user browses the user my page of the second user through the WEB service and the avatar image of the second user includes character information, the second user's WEB screen is displayed. Provide a display screen (avatar image display area 20) in which an animation display screen in which character information is displayed in an animation is superimposed on image data, and is suitable for all Internet users using a WEB browser, preferably on the avatar image. Information can be displayed while animating.
(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 10 is a configuration block diagram of an image display apparatus to which the image display method (image display program) of the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 10, the image display apparatus according to the present embodiment is a modification of the user terminal 100 according to the first embodiment, and character information input by the user is added to image data stored in the user terminal 100. It is configured as a single image display device 400 that is arbitrarily displayed. In addition, about the structure similar to the user terminal 100 of the said 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted and it demonstrates centering on a different point.

  The image display device 400 stores an image storage unit 420a for storing image data captured by a digital camera or the like or image data downloaded from the Internet, and character information 24 input from the character information setting screen 30 shown in FIG. A storage unit 420 including a character information storage unit 420b to be displayed and a screen information storage unit 420c to store screen information and an animation operation program of a display screen to be displayed on the display 118 of the image display device. A display screen based on each screen information stored in the screen information storage unit 420c is generated and displayed on the display 118 of the display device 400. The display control unit 402 includes an animation display control unit 402F as in the first embodiment.

  Accordingly, when the user selects a character superimposition process from a predetermined screen of the image display device, the display control unit 402 of the image display device 400 reads the character information setting screen 30 and the image display area 20a (the first display area 20a) from the screen information storage unit 420c. Each screen information (corresponding to the avatar image display area 20 of the embodiment) is extracted, and a display screen similar to that in FIG. 6 is generated and displayed on the display 118. The user selects image data on which characters are superimposed from an unillustrated image data selection screen, and the display control unit 402 displays the selected image data in the image display area 20a.

  At this time, the image display area 20a is overlapped with the image display layer on which the image data is displayed and the character display layer (for example, the flash screen) of the animation display control unit 402F, as in the first embodiment. And consist of Then, the user inputs text to be displayed in the text input field 32 of the character information creation screen 30 displayed on the image display device 400, and selects character effects and animation control.

  When the user clicks the preview button 42 (not shown), the input text information 24, the selected effect information, and animation control information are read into the Flash Player, and the input character information 24 is displayed superimposed on the image data.

  Specifically, when the preview button 42 is clicked by the user, the display control unit 402 acquires character information 24 including text information input to the character information setting screen 30, selected character effect information, and animation control information. To do. Next, the display control unit 402 outputs the acquired character information 24 as a control parameter to the animation display control unit 402F, and the Flash Player reads and inputs a predetermined animation operation program stored in the screen information storage unit 420c. Character animation using the character information 24 thus set as a control parameter is displayed on the Flash screen.

  After the preview, the user selects whether to save the created character information 24 in the character information storage unit 420b, and clicks a save button (registration button 44) to display the character information 24 superimposed on the image data. Can be saved. The image data and the character information are stored in each storage unit in association with the image ID and the character ID, respectively, as in the first embodiment.

  Since other configurations can be the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted.

  As described above, the present invention has been described according to a preferred embodiment. In the above embodiment, Flash is applied to the animation display control units 102F and 402F. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and animation operation is possible. It may be an animation software to be displayed (animation playback player). For example, software capable of playing multimedia content on a WEB browser such as Microsoft Silverlight or Adobe Shockwave can be used. In particular, it is preferable to apply software that is plugged into a WEB browser.

  As described above, in addition to the hardware configuration described above, the server or the like in the above embodiment includes an operation input unit such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a scanner, a display unit such as a liquid crystal display, an output unit such as a printer and a speaker, a main storage device (memory ), An auxiliary storage device (such as a hard disk) or the like, and these means can also be provided in the user terminal. Control of each means is performed by a control means (CPU) that controls the server or the entire computer (not shown).

  The image display method of the present invention is realized as a program for causing a computer to function, and is provided to a user terminal in a state of being recorded on a computer-readable recording medium or through a network such as the Internet. Computer-readable recording media include optical disks such as CD-ROM, phase change optical disks such as DVD-ROM, magneto-optical disks such as MO (Magnet Optical) and MD (Mini Disk), floppy (registered trademark) disks, Examples include magnetic disks such as removable hard disks, memory cards such as compact flash (registered trademark), smart media, SD memory cards, and memory sticks.

  In addition, although specific embodiment was described in detailed description of this invention, it can change variously within the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but should be determined based on the description of the scope of claims and equivalents thereof.

Schematic which shows the structure of the avatar provision system which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. The block diagram of the user terminal which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. The block diagram of the WEB service provision server which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. WEB page display screen example according to the first embodiment of the present invention Schematic diagram of superimposed display of avatar image and character information according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Example of character information creation screen according to the first embodiment of the present invention Examples of character information setting items according to the first embodiment of the present invention The flowchart which shows the process transition of the avatar provision system which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the process transition of the avatar provision system which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. The block diagram of the user terminal which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 Web page (WEB screen)
20 avatar image display area 22 avatar image 22L image display layer 24 character information 24L character display layer 30 character information setting screen 32 text input field 34 character effect selection field 36 animation control information selection field 40 preview screen 42 preview button 44 registration button 100 user Terminal 102 Display control unit (WEB browser)
102F Animation display controller (Flash)
104 control unit 106 communication control unit 108 storage unit 110 external interface 112 input unit 114 operation unit 116 display interface 118 display 200 WEB service providing server 202 communication control unit 203 screen control unit 204 avatar DB
204a Avatar storage unit 204b Character information storage unit 205 Prohibited character discrimination unit 206 Control unit 400 Image display device (user terminal)
402 Display control unit 402F Animation display control unit 420 Storage unit 420a Image storage unit 420b Character information storage unit 420c Screen information storage unit

Claims (12)

An image display program for superimposing and displaying character information and image data input or selected via an input means of a computer,
A first function performed on the basis of a first software program for displaying the character information on a predetermined animation display screen so as to be capable of animation;
Wherein the display area where the image data is displayed animation display screen is arranged overlapping area to be superimposed arranged at a predetermined position, it generates a large first display screen than the overlapping region, of the first display screen A second function that is performed based on a second software program that is separate from the first software program and that displays the image data in the display area;
Realized ,
The second function displays, as a second display screen, a character information setting screen for setting character text information and character animation control information constituting the character information based on a user input operation,
The character information setting screen includes at least the superimposition region, an input field and a preview button that are arranged outside the superimposition region and for inputting the character text information, and when the preview button is selected, An image display program which is a screen for displaying characters input in the input field by the first software program in the superimposed area . The second software program is a WEB browser that displays a WEB screen as the first display screen and the second display screen, and the first software program is a flash player plugged into the WEB browser. And a swf file,
The image data is avatar image data managed by a server,
The character information setting screen is a screen on which character effect information can be further set. The character information setting screen includes a selection field for setting the character effect information and character animation control information. When the preview button is selected, the first character information setting screen is displayed. the software programs claim 1, wherein the screen der Rukoto to display an animation display image using the character text information and the set character effect information and character animation control information the input to the overlapping region The image display program described.   3. The image display program according to claim 1, further comprising a third function of acquiring display position information relating to the position of the superimposing region and providing the acquired information to the second function. The third feature, the generated character information setting screen is acquired the character information is the set to the first function,
The image display program according to claim 3, wherein the first function controls the animation display of the character text information using the character animation control information of the acquired character information. The second function forms an image display layer including the display area in which the image data is displayed and a character display layer in which the animation display screen is arranged, and the animation display screen is formed in at least a part of the display area. 5. The image display program according to claim 1 , wherein the first display screen and the second display screen configured by the image display layer and the character display layer arranged to overlap each other are generated. . The first function controls the animation display screen to a display screen having transparency so that the image data can be displayed on the first and second display screens through the animation display screen. The image display program according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein an animation operation control of the character information is performed on a display screen. An image display method for superimposing and displaying character information and image data input or selected via an input means,
It was placed overlapping area in which a predetermined animation display screen displayed controlled by the animation display control means in the display area of the image data is superimposed arranged at a predetermined position, the display to generate a large first display screen than the overlapping region A screen generation step;
An animation display step of displaying the image data in the display area of the first display screen and displaying the character information on the animation display screen by the animation display control means;
Only including,
The display screen generation step and the animation display step perform processing based on mutually separate software programs,
The display screen generating step includes a step of displaying, as a second display screen, a character information setting screen for setting character text information and character animation control information constituting the character information based on a user input operation,
The character information setting screen includes at least the superimposition region, an input field and a preview button that are arranged outside the superimposition region and for inputting the character text information, and when the preview button is selected, An image display method, wherein the animation display control means is a screen that displays an animation of characters input in the input field in the superimposed area . The image data is avatar image data managed by a server,
The animation display control means is a flash player (Flash Player) and a swf file,
The display screen generation step generates a WEB screen as the first display screen and the second display screen through a WEB browser,
The character information setting screen is a screen on which character effect information can be further set, and includes a selection field for setting the character effect information and character animation control information. When the preview button is selected, the animation display is performed. the control means of claim 7, wherein the screen der Rukoto to display an animation display image using the character text information and the set character effect information and animation control information the input to the overlapping region Image display method.   9. The image display method according to claim 7, further comprising a display position information acquisition step of acquiring display position information related to the position of the superimposed region in order to perform the animation display step. An avatar providing system that provides an avatar service to user terminals connected through a network,
A first storage unit that stores character information arbitrarily input or selected by the user through the user terminal in association with the user's avatar image;
A second storage for storing the avatar image for each user;
In response to a request from the user terminal, an animation operation program that is read by an animation display control unit plugged into a WEB browser of the user terminal and displays the character information on a predetermined animation display screen is stored in the user terminal. provided in conjunction with, the said display area where the avatar image is displayed animation display screen is arranged overlapping area to be superimposed arranged at a predetermined position, the WEB browser generates a large first 1 WEB screen than the overlapping region A screen control unit that provides screen information to the user terminal;
I have a,
The screen control unit provides a character information setting screen for setting character text information and character animation control information constituting the character information to the user terminal as a second WEB screen,
The character information setting screen includes at least the superimposition region, an input field and a preview button that are arranged outside the superimposition region and for inputting the character text information, and when the preview button is selected, the animation on the basis of the operation program, the avatar providing system characters input in the input field is characterized screens der Rukoto to be animated in the overlap region. The animation display control means is a flash player, the animation operation program is a swf file,
The character information setting screen is a screen on which character effect information can be further set, and includes a selection field for setting the character effect information and animation control information, and when the preview button is selected, the animation operation program based on claim 10, wherein the animation displaying images using text effect information and animation control information the inputted character text information and the set is characterized screens der Rukoto displayed on the overlapping region Avatar providing system. The character information setting screen further includes a registration button for registering each set information,
The avatar providing system includes:
When the registration button on the character information setting screen is selected, the character information input from the user terminal is received, and the character text information included in the received character information is preset prohibited character data. Further includes a prohibited character discriminating unit that discriminates whether or not
12. When it is determined that the character data corresponds to the prohibited character data, the user terminal is notified that the prohibited character is included without storing the character information. Avatar providing system.

Images