JP7496558B2 - Computer program, server device, terminal device, and method - Google Patents

Description

The technology disclosed in this application relates to a computer program, a server device, a terminal device, and a method.

In recent years, there have been games, animations, videos, and the like in which broadcasters act as avatar objects in a virtual space. In such virtual spaces, the avatar objects played by the broadcasters are broadcast as images within the virtual space.

JP 2018-74294 A JP 2019-37549 A JP 2002-271693 A Patent No. 6543403

The technology described in Patent Document 1 synthesizes images of a background and a 3D CG space. The technology described in Patent Document 2 allows players and participants to interact. The technology described in Patent Document 3 synthesizes real-life images and virtual images. The technology described in Patent Document 4 relates to video distribution.

The above patent documents 1 to 4 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Some embodiments disclosed in this application provide a computer program, a server device, a terminal device, and a method that enable replaying of previously broadcasted avatar objects performed by broadcasters.

According to one aspect, the computer program is capable of executing the following steps by one or more processors:
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
information relating to a second gift, the information being different from the information relating to the first gift;
Receive,
generating a first animation using information necessary for generating the first animation;
The first animation is displayed.

In addition, a computer program according to another aspect is provided that, when executed by one or more processors,
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
It is a service that transmits sounds and images that have been previously distributed.

In addition, a computer program according to another aspect is provided that, when executed by one or more processors,
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
information relating to a second gift, the information being different from the information relating to the first gift;
It is to transmit.

According to one aspect, there is provided a server device including one or more processors, the one or more processors executing computer-readable instructions to:
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
information relating to a second gift, the information being different from the information relating to the first gift;
It is to transmit.

Also, a method according to one aspect is a method executed by one or more processors executing computer readable instructions, the one or more processors executing the instructions to:
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
information relating to a second gift, the information being different from the information relating to the first gift;
Receive,
generating a first animation using information necessary for generating the first animation;
The first animation is displayed.

[0013] According to another aspect, there is provided a method executed by one or more processors executing computer readable instructions, the method comprising:
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
information relating to a second gift, the information being different from the information relating to the first gift;
The above is transmitted.

[0013] According to another aspect, there is provided a method executed by one or more processors executing computer readable instructions, the one or more processors executing the instructions comprising:
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
It is to transmit.

According to one aspect, a terminal device includes one or more processors, the one or more processors executing computer-readable instructions to:
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
information relating to a second gift, the information being different from the information relating to the first gift;
Receive,
generating a first animation using information necessary for generating the first animation;
The first animation is displayed.

According to another aspect, there is provided a terminal device including one or more processors, the one or more processors executing computer-readable instructions to:
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
It is to transmit.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the server device 20 (terminal device 30) illustrated in FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functions of a system according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is an example of data held by the system according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is an example of data held by a system according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 is an example of data held by a system according to an embodiment. FIG. 7 is an example of statistical information that may be displayed by a system according to one embodiment. FIG. 8 is an example of statistical information that may be displayed by a system according to one embodiment. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a system according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is an example of a flow of processing performed by a system according to an embodiment. FIG. 11 is an example of a flow of processing performed by a system according to an embodiment. FIG. 12 is an example of a flow of processing performed by a system according to an embodiment.

Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Please note that components depicted in one drawing may be omitted in another drawing for ease of explanation. Furthermore, please note that the accompanying drawings disclose an embodiment of the present invention, but are not necessarily drawn to scale. In addition, in this application document, the subject matter referred to as the term application may be software or a program, which may be instructions for a computer that are combined to produce a result.

1. Example of a System FIG . 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a system configuration according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the system 1 may include one or more server devices 20 connected to a communication network 10, and one or more terminal devices 30 connected to the communication network 10. Note that in FIG. 1, three server devices 20A to 20C are illustrated as examples of the server devices 20, and three terminal devices 30A to 30C are illustrated as examples of the terminal devices 30, but one or more server devices 20 other than these may be connected to the communication network 10 as the server devices 20, and one or more terminal devices 30 other than these may be connected to the communication network 10 as the terminal devices 30. Note that in the present application documents, the term "system" may include both a server and a terminal device, or may refer to only a server or only a terminal device. That is, the system may be in any of the following forms: only a server, only a terminal device, or both a server and a terminal device.

The system may also be an information processing device on the cloud. The system may also constitute a virtual information processing device and be logically configured as a single information processing device. The owner and administrator of the system may be different persons.

The communication network 10 may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone network, a wireless LAN, a landline telephone network, the Internet, an intranet, Ethernet (registered trademark), and/or a combination thereof. In the communication network 10, various data disclosed in the present application documents may be communicated.

By executing a specific installed application, the server device 20 may be able to perform operations such as transmitting, as information necessary for generating a first animation, previously distributed information relating to a motion that can be combined with information relating to an avatar object related to a distributor terminal to express the movement of the avatar object, previously distributed information relating to a first gift that is provided by a viewer terminal viewing the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object, and previously distributed information relating to a sound and a second gift that is different from the information relating to the first gift.

Alternatively, the terminal device 30 may execute an installed web browser or a specific application to receive, as information necessary for generating a first animation, previously distributed information related to a motion that can be combined with information related to an avatar object related to a distributor terminal to express the movement of the avatar object, previously distributed information related to a first gift that is provided by a viewer terminal viewing the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object, and previously distributed information related to a sound and a second gift that is different from the information related to the first gift, and may perform operations such as generating a first animation using the information necessary for generating the first animation and displaying the first animation.

Alternatively, the terminal device 30 may execute an installed web browser or a specific application to perform operations such as transmitting, as information necessary for generating the first animation, previously distributed information relating to a motion that can be combined with information relating to an avatar object related to the distributor terminal to express the movement of the avatar object, previously distributed information relating to a first gift that is provided by a viewer terminal viewing the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object, and previously distributed sound.

The terminal device 30 is any terminal device capable of performing such operations, and may be, but is not limited to, a smartphone, a tablet, a mobile phone (feature phone), and/or a personal computer.

2. Hardware Configuration of Each Device Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the server device 20 will be described.

2-1. Hardware configuration of server device 20 An example of the hardware configuration of the server device 20 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a typical example of the hardware configuration of the server device 20 (terminal device 30) shown in Fig. 1 (note that in Fig. 2, the reference numerals in parentheses are those described in relation to each terminal device 30, as will be described later).

As shown in FIG. 2, the server device 20 may mainly include a computing device 21, a main memory device 22, and an input/output interface device 23. The server device 20 may further include an input device 24 and an auxiliary output device 26. These devices may be connected to each other by a data bus and/or a control bus.

The arithmetic unit 21 performs calculations using instructions and data stored in the main memory 22, and stores the results of the calculations in the main memory 22. Furthermore, the arithmetic unit 21 can control the input device 24, the auxiliary memory 25, the output device 26, etc. via the input/output interface device 23. The server device 20 may include one or more arithmetic units 21. The arithmetic unit 21 may include one or more central processing units (CPUs), microprocessors, and/or graphics processing units (GPUs).

The main memory device 22 has a storage function and stores commands and data received from the input device 24, the auxiliary memory device 25, and the communication network 10 (such as the server device 20) via the input/output interface device 23, as well as the results of calculations by the calculation device 21. The main memory device 22 can include, but is not limited to, RAM (random access memory), ROM (read only memory), and/or flash memory.

The auxiliary storage device 25 is a storage device. It may store instructions and data (computer programs) that constitute the specific application, web browser, etc., and these instructions and data (computer programs) may be loaded into the main storage device 22 via the input/output interface device 23 under the control of the computing device 21. The auxiliary storage device 25 may be, but is not limited to, a magnetic disk device and/or an optical disk device, a file server, etc.

The input device 24 is a device that inputs data from the outside, and may be a touch panel, a button, a keyboard, a mouse, and/or a sensor, etc.

The output device 26 may include, but is not limited to, a display device, a touch panel, and/or a printer device. The input device 24 and the output device 26 may also be integrated.

In such a hardware configuration, the calculation device 21 sequentially loads the instructions and data (computer program) constituting a specific application stored in the auxiliary storage device 25 into the main storage device 22, and by calculating the loaded instructions and data, it may be possible to control the output device 26 via the input/output interface device 23, or to transmit and receive various information to and from other devices (such as the server device 20 and other terminal devices 30) via the input/output interface device 23 and the communication network 10.

The server device 20 may be configured as described above and execute a specific application installed therein to perform some or all of the following operations (including various operations described in detail below): transmitting previously distributed motion information that can express the movement of the avatar object by combining with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal as information necessary for generating the first animation, as defined below; previously distributed first gift information that is provided by a viewer terminal that watches the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object; previously distributed sound, and information related to a second gift that is different from the information related to the first gift. Such operations may be performed by a user giving an instruction to the system of the example of the invention disclosed in the present application documents using the input device 24 or the input device 34 related to the terminal device 30 described below. In addition, when the program is executed on the calculation device 21, the program may be displayed by the output device 26 of the server device 20 as a system used by the user, or may be configured to be displayed on the output device 36 of the terminal device 30 as a system used by the user. In addition, the server device may be referred to as a management server in the present application documents.

2-2. Hardware Configuration of Terminal Device 30 An example of the hardware configuration of the terminal device 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The hardware configuration of each terminal device 30 may be the same as that of each server device 20 described above. Therefore, the reference characters for the components of each terminal device 30 are shown in parentheses in Fig. 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, each terminal device 30 can mainly include a calculation device 31, a main memory device 32, an input/output interface device 33, an input device 34, an auxiliary memory device 35, and an output device 36. These devices are connected to each other by a data bus and/or a control bus.

The arithmetic device 31, the main memory device 32, the input/output interface device 33, the input device 34, the auxiliary memory device 35, and the output device 36 may be substantially the same as or different from the arithmetic device 21, the main memory device 22, the input/output interface device 23, the input device 24, the auxiliary memory device 25, and the output device 26 included in each of the above-mentioned server devices 20. Furthermore, the capacity and capabilities of the arithmetic device and the memory device may be different. The input device 34 and the output device 36 in particular will be described in detail below.

In such a hardware configuration, the calculation device 31 sequentially loads the instructions and data (computer program) constituting a specific application stored in the auxiliary storage device 35 into the main storage device 32, and by calculating the loaded instructions and data, it is possible to control the output device 36 via the input/output interface device 33, or to send and receive various information to and from other devices (such as each server device 20) via the input/output interface device 33 and the communication network 10.

When the terminal device 30 has such a configuration and executes an installed web browser or a specific application, it may be able to execute some or all of the following operations (including various operations described in detail below), such as receiving previously distributed motion-related information that can be combined with information related to an avatar object related to a distributor terminal to express the movement of the avatar object as information necessary for generating a first animation, previously distributed information related to a first gift provided by a viewer terminal viewing the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object, previously distributed sound, and information related to a second gift that is different from the information related to the first gift, generating a first animation using the information necessary for generating the first animation, and displaying the first animation.

Alternatively, the terminal device 30 may execute an installed web browser or a specific application to transmit, as information necessary for generating the first animation, previously distributed information related to a motion that can express the movement of the avatar object by combining with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal, previously distributed information related to a first gift that is provided by a viewer terminal that watches the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object, and previously distributed sound, etc. (including various operations described in detail later). Also, by executing the installed web browser, the terminal device 30 may receive and display a web page from the server device 20 to execute the same operation. Also, such operations may be executed by a user giving an instruction to the system of the example of the invention disclosed in the present application documents using the input device 34. Also, when the program is executed on the computing device 31, it may be configured to display on the output device 36 of the terminal device 30 as a system used by the user.

In the present application, there may be two types of terminal devices, a "distributor terminal" and a "viewer terminal". These may be names given to the roles of the terminals, and a terminal device may be a viewer terminal, a distributor terminal, or a viewer terminal and a distributor terminal at the same time. A distributor terminal may be a terminal used by a distributor who appears as a character such as an avatar in the distributed content. On the other hand, a viewer terminal may be a terminal used mainly by a viewer who watches the distributed content. Viewers may also have a certain influence on the distributed content by gifting gifts to characters such as avatars, so that gifts appear in the distributed content. Similarly, viewers may have a certain influence on the distributed content in the form of voice, comments, etc. The distributed content may be video or animation, and may include characters such as avatars played by the distributor. The above description is merely an example in which one embodiment of the present invention is applied, and each embodiment of the present invention may be applied to a virtual space in which characters without such a premise appear.

As described above, the viewer terminal may be configured to allow voice input, comment input, gifting, and the like. For example, the viewer terminal may have an input device 34 such as a keyboard or touch panel that can input comments and acquire comments as text information. The viewer terminal may also have a function for generating certain comments using the computing device 34. These acquired comments may similarly be transmitted to the communication network 10 via the input/output interface device 23.

Note that the comments according to the present invention may be comments that are automatically generated by the system, in addition to comments that are input by the viewer terminal. Such comments may be transmitted to the viewer terminal and displayed on the viewer terminal.

The viewer terminal may also include a microphone capable of acquiring sound as the input device 34. Human voice may be acquired by the microphone as the input device 34 and treated as sound, or may be acquired by the microphone as the input device 34 and then converted into text through voice recognition by the calculation device 31 and treated as a comment. The viewer terminal may also generate sound by the calculation device 31. These acquired sounds or comments may similarly be transmitted to the communication network 10 via the input/output interface device 23.

On the other hand, the broadcaster terminal may include a motion sensor capable of detecting human movement as the input device 34. The motion sensor may be attached to the broadcaster's body and have the function of detecting the movement of each part of the body. The parts of the body may include various parts such as the head, face, upper arms, forearms, hands, thighs, lower legs, feet, and torso, but are not limited to some or all of these, and may be attached in a position where the movement of the body can be detected. The motion sensor may include an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, etc. The information obtained may be transmitted to the communication network 10 via the input/output interface device 23 in the same manner.

The broadcaster terminal may also include an imaging device capable of capturing video as the input device 34. The imaging device may capture the broadcaster's head, face, eyes, a part of the body, the whole body, etc. The imaging device may be capable of detecting the direction of the face when capturing the head or face, capable of detecting facial expressions when capturing the face, capable of detecting the line of sight when capturing the eyes, and capable of detecting body movement together with or instead of the above-mentioned motion sensor when capturing a part or the whole body. The broadcaster terminal may generate information related to these motions from a motion sensor or video. Also, information related to the rotation of the face may be generated from such a motion sensor or video. The information related to the rotation of the face may include the direction of the face. Also, the broadcaster terminal may generate information on the position of the face from the video. That is, the broadcaster terminal may generate information related to the motion from the video, and the information related to the motion may include information related to facial expressions and/or information related to the position and rotation of the face. The distributor terminal may also include an imaging device capable of capturing facial expressions, and the distributor terminal capturing the facial expressions may generate information that identifies one or more of a plurality of classified information that identifies the facial expressions from the video image of the face. The plurality of classifications that identify the facial expressions may be predetermined. The identification of the facial expression may be such that, when the movement of a part of the face, such as each position of the eyebrows, the eyes, the nose, or the outline of the lips, is a predetermined movement, the facial expression is identified as one of the predetermined expressions. The information that sets the facial expression may be set for the distributor using parameters that are set by calibration. The distributor terminal may transmit information related to the motion based on the imaging information to the communication network 10 via the input/output interface device 23. The distributor terminal may also include a microphone that can capture sound as the input device 34, and may capture the voice of the distributor when performing. After being captured by the microphone as the input device 34, the voice may be converted into text by voice recognition by the calculation device 31 and treated as a comment. The distributor terminal may also generate sound by the calculation device 31. These acquired sounds or comments may likewise be transmitted to the communication network 10 via the input/output interface device 23.

In addition, the output device 36 in the viewer terminal and the distributor terminal may be a display device or a sound generating device. The display device may be a variety of devices capable of displaying, such as, but not limited to, a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, an organic EL display, a micro LED display, and a head mounted display. The sound generating device may be a speaker, a headphone, an earphone, etc. The information output by the output device 36 may be information generated by the calculation device 31, or may be information received from the communication network 10.

In addition, in the present application, a terminal device may also be referred to as an "administrator terminal," which may have the functions of a viewer terminal. The administrator terminal may be connectable to a management server or a distributor terminal. The administrator terminal may be used by the system operator to confirm or examine information distributed from the management server or distributor terminal.

3. Functions of each device Next, an example of the functions of the system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functions of the system shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the system of the example may include some or all of the following: a switching unit 41 that acquires selected information of either the first mode or the second mode, a transmitting unit 42 that transmits at least information corresponding to the acquired mode, a receiving unit 43 that receives at least information corresponding to the acquired mode, a generating unit 44 that generates an animation when the acquired mode is the second mode, and a statistical processing unit 45 that performs statistical processing using information related to the viewer. For example, the distributor terminal may include some or all of the switching unit 41 that acquires selected information of either the first mode or the second mode, a transmitting unit 42 that transmits at least information corresponding to the acquired mode, and a statistical processing unit 45 that performs statistical processing. In addition, the management server may include some or all of the switching unit 41 that acquires selected information of either the first mode or the second mode, a transmitting unit 42 that transmits at least information corresponding to the acquired mode, and a statistical processing unit 45 that performs statistical processing. The management server may have a receiving unit 43 that receives information transmitted from the distributor terminal. The administrator terminal or the viewer terminal may have some or all of a switching unit 41 that acquires information selected from either the first mode or the second mode, a receiving unit 43 that receives at least information corresponding to the acquired mode, a generating unit 44 that generates an animation when the acquired mode is the second mode, and a statistical processing unit 45 that performs statistical processing.

Switching unit 41
The switching unit 41 has a function of managing the change of the mode of distribution to the viewer terminal. The switching unit 41 may have a function of switching between a first mode, a second mode, a third mode, and a fourth mode. Here, the first mode is a mode for a video in a state where the distributor is performing in a virtual space at the same time using an avatar object. The second mode is a mode in which an animation in a state where the distributor is performing in a virtual space at the same time using an avatar object is generated in a terminal device having a display screen. In this case, information required for generating the animation is transmitted to the terminal device, and the animation is generated in the terminal device. Note that the same time period in the first and second modes means that the time period in which the distributor is performing and the time period in which the viewer watches are the same or very close to each other, and the latter may include a case where there is a time lag of about the delay time of the generation or distribution of the video or animation. In the present application, the term "same time period" is sometimes referred to as "real time." The third mode is a mode for a video in a state where the distributor has previously performed in a virtual space using an avatar object. The third mode is different from the first mode, and may be a previously performed video and may be a previously distributed video by the first mode, but may have different effects added by the viewer viewing the video, such as gifts, sounds, and comments. In addition, in the present application, the video that has different effects added by the viewer viewing the video may also be referred to as a video that was previously distributed. The fourth mode is a mode in which an animation of a state in which a distributor has previously performed using an avatar object in a virtual space is generated in a terminal device having a display screen. In this case, information necessary for generating the animation is transmitted to the terminal device, and the animation is generated in the terminal device. The fourth mode is different from the second mode, and may be a previously performed video and may be a previously distributed video by the second mode, but may have different effects added by the viewer viewing the video, such as gifts, sounds, and comments. In addition, in the present application, the video that has different effects added by the viewer viewing the video may also be referred to as information necessary for generating animation that was previously distributed, or animation that was previously displayed. By being able to switch between the first to fourth modes, there is an advantage that a more appropriate selection can be made depending on the situation related to viewing. In particular, the second and fourth modes have the advantage that the processing can be distributed since the animation is generated at the viewer terminal as described later. In the present application, the animation generated at the viewer terminal by synthesizing the avatar object related to the distributor terminal with the information related to the motion capable of expressing the movement of the avatar object is sometimes simply called "animation". On the other hand, the video using such an avatar object is sometimes simply called "video". In addition, the term "program" is sometimes used as a higher-level concept of such animation or video. As described above, since the avatar is generated based on an object, the background of the "animation" may be a simple still image, a predetermined video such as a movie, or a game video created with the involvement of a person in real time or in the past. In addition, the program may include animation or video that has been distributed in the past, or may include animation or video that the distributor is performing and distributed at the same time. In addition, the switching unit 41 may have a function of selecting another mode.

The switching unit 41 may have a function of acquiring information on the selected first to fourth modes. When the first mode is selected, the switching unit 41 may set the unit 41 to transmit video in the same time period as the broadcaster is performing, or to receive video and display the video. When the second mode is selected, the switching unit 41 may generate information necessary for generating animation in the same time period as the broadcaster is performing, or to receive information necessary for generating such animation and generate and display animation from the information necessary for generating such animation. When the third mode is selected, the switching unit 41 may set the unit 41 to transmit video that was previously distributed, or to receive video and display the video. When the fourth mode is selected, the switching unit 41 may transmit information necessary for generating animation that was previously distributed, or to receive information necessary for generating animation that was previously distributed, and generate and display animation that was previously displayed from the information necessary for generating such animation.

The switching unit 41 may acquire information on the first to fourth modes from a viewer terminal, from a distributor terminal, or from a server or the like that manages such distribution. Furthermore, the information on the first to fourth modes may be acquired from the same information processing device as the information processing device in which the switching unit 41 is provided, or from an information processing device different from the information processing device in which the switching unit 41 is provided. The information on the selection of the first to fourth modes may be acquired at the viewer terminal by the viewer's selection, at the distributor terminal by the distributor's selection, or at the management server by the administrator's selection.

In particular, since the third mode and the fourth mode are both distributed in the past, the switching unit 41 may switch between them by acquiring information to switch between them. Specifically, in the third mode, at the stage of transmitting a video previously distributed or receiving a video previously distributed, the switching unit 41 may acquire information for switching to the fourth mode, which is transmitting information necessary for generating an animation corresponding to a video previously distributed or receiving information necessary for generating an animation corresponding to a video previously distributed, respectively. Similarly, in the fourth mode, at the stage of transmitting information necessary for generating an animation previously distributed or receiving such information, the switching unit 41 may acquire information for switching to the third mode, which is transmitting a video corresponding to an animation previously distributed or receiving a video corresponding to an animation previously distributed, respectively. That is, one embodiment of the present invention is a computer program that receives, as information necessary for generating a first animation, previously distributed information related to a motion that can be combined with information related to an avatar object related to a distributor terminal to express the movement of the avatar object, previously distributed information related to a first gift that is provided from a viewer terminal viewing the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object, and previously distributed information related to a sound and a second gift that is different from the information related to the first gift, generates a first animation using the information necessary for generating the first animation, and displays the first animation, and may be a computer program that obtains information to switch to a video corresponding to the first animation, receives the video, and displays the video.

The switching unit 41 may also switch from the third or fourth mode, which was previously distributed, to the first or second mode, which is currently being performed by the distributor. That is, one embodiment of the present invention is a computer program that receives, as information necessary for generating a first animation, information related to a motion, which is previously distributed and can express the movement of the avatar object by being combined with information related to an avatar object related to a distributor terminal, information related to a first gift, which is previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object, and information related to a sound, which is previously distributed, and information related to a second gift, which is different from the information related to the first gift, and generates a first animation using the information necessary for generating the first animation and displays the first animation. The computer program may also receive information necessary for generating a second animation related to a video being distributed in real time, generate a second animation using the information necessary for generating the second animation, and display the second animation. In this case, there is an advantage that the viewer can easily switch to viewing a program currently being distributed in addition to viewing past programs and enjoy viewing. Furthermore, the information required to generate the second animation may include information relating to a motion that can express the movement of the avatar object by being combined with information relating to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal, information relating to a third gift that is provided by a viewer terminal that views the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object, and sound.

The fourth mode, which is an animation that was previously distributed and displayed, or the third mode, which is an image corresponding to the previously distributed and displayed animation, may be switched manually or automatically. The information for the manual switching may be input in the viewer terminal, the distributor terminal, or the management server. On the other hand, the automatic switching may be according to the number of viewer terminals, the degree of functionality of the viewer terminal, the latency between the viewer terminal, and the like. The degree of functionality of the viewer terminal may include information such as the CPU function of the viewer terminal, the memory function of the viewer terminal, or the number of applications running on the viewer terminal and the degree of load. In the case of past distribution, unlike real-time distribution, the newly generated information to be synchronized is limited to information related to gifts and comments. In addition, the possibility that past distributions are distributed at the same time is less likely than when the distribution itself is performed in real time. Therefore, the newly generated information that needs to be synchronized is generally less than in real-time distribution. Therefore, as described later, by storing the information necessary for generating the animation on multiple servers, the fourth mode has the advantage of being able to distribute the information necessary for generating the animation that was previously distributed to a large number of viewer terminals compared to real-time distribution. Furthermore, the distribution in the fourth mode is the distribution of information necessary for generating animation, and the amount of such information is small compared to the amount of video corresponding to the information necessary for generating such animation, so there is an advantage in that the storage capacity can be reduced. Furthermore, distribution in the fourth mode has the advantage of being able to reduce the amount of information communicated compared to video distribution in the third mode. Note that the switching unit 41 is capable of switching between the third mode and the fourth mode, which has the advantage of allowing the better mode to be selected.

The switching unit 41 may function in the distributor terminal, the management server, or the viewer terminal. The switching unit 41 in the distributor terminal or the management server has the advantage of being able to select either the first mode or the second mode, or to transmit video and animation in both modes, depending on the communication situation and the situation of the viewer terminal. For example, if the processing load of generating animation is large on the viewer terminal, it is possible to select the first mode and transmit video.

2.2. Transmitter 42
The transmitting unit 42 has a function of transmitting video or information necessary for generating animation. Various modes of transmission may be used, and there are no restrictions on the method. For example, information may be transmitted spontaneously, or other information may be transmitted passively in a format corresponding to the reception of one piece of information. Alternatively, information may be transmitted in response to access from another information processing device. In the present application, the transmission of information between information processing devices regarding information and video necessary for generating animation may be referred to as either distribution or transmission.

The transmitting unit 42 may transmit corresponding information depending on the selection of the first to fourth modes. That is, when the switching unit 41 acquires the first mode, the transmitting unit 42 may transmit real-time video, when the switching unit 41 acquires the second mode, the transmitting unit 42 may transmit information required for generating animation in real-time, when the switching unit 41 acquires the third mode, the transmitting unit 42 may transmit video that was previously distributed, and when the switching unit 41 acquires the fourth mode, the transmitting unit 42 may transmit information required for generating animation that was previously distributed.

In the first mode, the transmission unit 42 may transmit the video based on information acquired by the broadcaster terminal. The video may be generated based on the broadcaster's appearance as an avatar on the broadcaster terminal. Such video may be generated based on the behavior of the broadcaster on one or more broadcaster terminals. Such video may be generated on a management server or the like based on information acquired from each broadcaster terminal on one or more broadcaster terminals, or may be generated by synthesizing in a management server or the like based on the video generated on each broadcaster terminal on one or more broadcaster terminals. The transmission unit 42 may store such transmitted video. By retransmitting such stored video, there is an advantage that the video initially distributed can be redistributed in real time. In addition, the transmission unit 42 may store information related to the viewers of such video in association with such transmitted video. For example, the information related to the viewers of the video may include the number of viewers at the time of distribution, the number of gifts provided at the time of distribution, and/or the number of comments made at the time of distribution. Storing such information has the advantage that viewer reactions, such as the number of viewers, the number of gifts, or the number of comments, for the video that was initially distributed can be stored together with the video. In addition, such viewer-related information may include associated temporal information at which the corresponding information was detected. The temporal information may be the amount of time elapsed from the start of the video, or may be time information for the video. Storing such information has the advantage that it is possible to store information on what point in time in a video that includes a temporal element the above-mentioned viewer reaction is. FIG. 4 shows an example of stored data of viewer-related information.

In the second mode, the transmission unit 42 may transmit information necessary for generating the animation based on the information acquired by the broadcaster terminal. The information necessary for generating the animation may include at least information related to a motion that can express the movement of the avatar object by being synthesized with information related to the avatar object related to the broadcaster terminal, information related to gifts given from a viewer terminal that watches the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object, and sound. The transmission unit 42 may store the information necessary for generating the transmitted animation. The transmitted and stored information necessary for generating the animation may be called an "archive", and the animation generated using the information necessary for generating the stored animation may be called an "archived animation". By transmitting the stored information necessary for generating the animation again, there is an advantage that the animation initially displayed can be redisplayed in real time. The transmission unit 42 may also store information related to viewers of the animation made to the animation at the time of initial distribution and/or redistribution in association with the information necessary for generating the transmitted animation. For example, the information related to viewers of the animation may include the number of viewers at the time of distribution, the number of gifts provided at the time of distribution, and/or the number of comments made at the time of distribution. Storing such information has the advantage of being able to store viewer reactions, such as the number of viewers, the number of gifts, or the number of comments, for the initially distributed and/or redistributed animation. In addition, such viewer-related information may include associated temporal information at which the corresponding information was detected. The temporal information may be the elapsed time from the start of the video or may be time information for the video. Storing such information has the advantage of being able to store information on what point in time in the video including a time-dependent element the above-mentioned viewer reaction is. An example of stored data on viewer-related information for archived animation in the second mode may be as shown in FIG. 4.

In the third mode, the transmitting unit 42 may transmit the video transmitted in the first mode. Alternatively, the transmitting unit 42 may transmit a video corresponding to an animation generated based on information necessary for generating an animation transmitted in the fourth mode. In this case, the video corresponding to such an animation may be generated using information related to a second gift described below, and may be a video including a display of the second gift. The transmitting unit 42 may transmit information related to a viewer associated with the video or statistical information based on the information related to such a viewer at the same time as transmitting the video, or at a time different from the time of transmitting the video. The statistical information based on the information related to a viewer associated with such a video may include the total number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments for the information related to the viewer within a predetermined period. The statistical information may limit the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments to a predetermined number or more, or may include a predetermined number for such limitation. In the third mode, an example of data transmitted about the information related to a viewer associated with a video may be as shown in FIG. 4.

In the fourth mode, the transmission unit 42 may transmit information necessary for generating the animation transmitted in the second mode. The transmission unit 42 may also transmit information related to the viewer associated with the information necessary for generating the animation or statistical information based on the information related to the viewer, simultaneously with the transmission of the information necessary for generating the animation or at a different time period. The statistical information based on the information related to the viewer associated with the information necessary for generating the animation may include the total number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments for the information related to the viewer within a predetermined period. The statistical information may also limit the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments to a predetermined number or more, or may include a predetermined number for such limitation. In the fourth mode, an example of data transmitted about the information related to the viewer associated with the animation may be as shown in FIG. 4.

In the fourth mode, the transmission unit 42 may transmit information related to a gift given to the initially displayed animation or an animation displayed after the initially displayed animation (sometimes referred to as "information related to the second gift") as one of the pieces of information necessary for generating the animation. Note that in the present application documents, the information related to the gift about the gift given to the initially generated animation in real time by the distributor using the avatar object may be referred to as "information related to the first gift". In contrast, the second gift in the information related to the second gift conforms to the above definition, and is different from the first gift displayed in the initially distributed first animation in the past, and is a gift newly given to the distribution of the first animation. In this way, in the fourth mode, by transmitting the information related to the second gift as information necessary for generating the animation, the information of the gift given after the initial animation in real time is also used to generate the animation and is displayed in the generated animation, which has the advantage of providing an incentive to provide a gift for the transmission of the archive. Note that the above-mentioned "archive" may include information related to the second gift, and the "archived animation" may include the display of the second gift based on the information related to the second gift. In addition, the information processing device to which the information on the second gift is input may be various, and the viewer terminal may be the same as the information processing device on which the animation is displayed, or may be a different viewer terminal. That is, the information on the second gift may include information based on a gift input from a terminal device that displays the first animation. That is, when a viewer provides a gift while viewing an archived animation, the gift is displayed as a second gift in the archived animation being viewed. In addition, the information on the second gift may include information based on a gift input from a terminal device different from the terminal device that displays the first animation. In this case, for example, a first viewer provides a gift while viewing an archived animation. This gift is displayed as a second gift in the animation viewed by the first viewer. After that, when the second viewer views the archived animation, the gift provided by the first viewer is displayed as the second gift. In this way, a gift provided by a third party to an archived animation may also be displayed as part of the archived animation.

The transmitting unit 42 may receive and store information related to the gift provided for the archived animation from the viewer terminal. By storing such information, when transmitting information necessary for generating an animation for the archived animation, the information related to the gift can be transmitted as information related to the second gift, as part of the information necessary for generating the animation. Furthermore, such gift-related information may be stored in association with time information provided in the archived animation. The time information may be, for example, the elapsed time from the start time of the archived animation. By associating such time information, there is an advantage that when transmitting information necessary for generating an animation for the archived animation, the information can be transmitted as a gift at the corresponding time, and the gift can be displayed within the animation in accordance with the time of the gift provided.

As mentioned above, the present application documents deal with the transmission of real-time animation in the second mode and the re-transmission of previously distributed animation (information necessary for the generation of the animation) in the fourth mode, so information related to gifts in the generation of real-time animation may be distinguished as "information related to the third gift."

To clarify the distinction between information related to the first gift, information related to the second gift, and information related to the third gift, information related to the third gift is the name used when referring to information transmitted in real time, while information related to the first gift is the name used when referring to information related to the third gift transmitted in real time later, such as during rebroadcasting, so they essentially refer to the same thing. On the other hand, information related to the second gift is the name given to the gift given to archived animations. Note that while the first to third names have been explained here only for information related to gifts, the same concept can also be applied to comments and sounds, so the same terms may also be used for comments and sounds.

The transmission unit 42 may transmit the information necessary for generating the video in the third mode or the animation in the fourth mode to the viewer terminal, or may transmit the information to the administrator terminal associated with the management server via a network. When the transmission unit transmits such video or information to the viewer terminal, there is an advantage that viewers who missed the real-time video or animation display or viewers who became interested later can enjoy the video or animation on the viewer terminal. In addition, when the transmission unit transmits to the administrator terminal, there is an advantage that the administrator terminal can confirm how the video or animation transmitted and displayed in real time was displayed. To explain the latter specifically, there are cases where viewers complain about the content or report errors regarding the video or animation displayed in real time. In such a case, as a provider of video or animation and administrator, there is an advantage that the provider can confirm what kind of video or animation was provided. In addition, there is an advantage that it is possible to verify what information is specifically transmitted as information necessary for generating the animation and how the animation was generated, which can ultimately be an opportunity to consider measures to improve the quality of the animation. In the fourth mode, the transmission unit 42 may transmit all information necessary for generating the animation, or may transmit only a part of it. For example, the information necessary for generating the animation includes information related to motion, sound, comments, gifts, and camera work, and may transmit only a part of the information. For example, when the transmission unit 42 transmits information related to motion and information related to camera work, the animation generated by the administrator terminal using such information will have no sound, comments, or gifts. However, since the information related to motion can be used to check what movements the distributor made as an avatar, for example, when an error in the movement of the avatar is reported by a viewer, the error can be confirmed. In this case, by not transmitting a part of the information necessary for generating the animation, such as comments and gifts that may appear in large numbers in the display, the screen is not unnecessarily blocked by the comments and gifts, and the error can be confirmed by focusing on the movement of the avatar based on the information related to motion. As another example, by the transmission unit 42 sending a comment to the administrator terminal, the viewer of the administrator terminal can check the contents of the comment, which has the advantage that, for example, even if the comment contains slander, the viewer can concentrate on the comment and check it without being distracted by the motions, sounds, gifts, etc. of other avatars. Therefore, the transmission unit 42 may have a function of acquiring a request to transmit part or all of the information necessary for generating the animation, and transmitting part or all of the information necessary for generating the animation in response to such a request. This has the advantage that, as described above, the viewer of an animation generated based on part of the information necessary for generating such an animation can view the animation without being distracted by information other than the information of interest, and can concentrate on the information of interest.

The information related to the gift may include the position of the gift and/or the rotation angle of the gift displayed. Such a gift may be something that a viewer can provide to identify a specific broadcaster or for a certain scene. In the former case, the information may be information that identifies a specific avatar, and the position of the gift may be specified based on such information. This has the advantage of making it clear that the gift is for a specific broadcaster. Also, gifts may be rotatable, and in the case of rotatable gifts, the information related to the gift may include the rotation angle of the gift. In particular, when a gift based on the information related to the gift is displayed using physical laws, the information related to the gift may include the position at which the gift is displayed and/or the rotation angle of the gift displayed.

The information related to the gift may include the type of gift. The type of gift may be various and is not limited. In particular, when a gift based on the information related to the gift is displayed using pseudo-randomness, the information related to the gift may include the type of gift. Furthermore, when a gift based on the information related to the gift is displayed using pseudo-randomness, the information related to the gift may be only the type of gift. Furthermore, when a gift based on the information related to the gift is displayed using pseudo-randomness, the information related to the gift may include the type of gift and a seed of the pseudo-randomness. The pseudo-randomness and the seed of the pseudo-randomness will be described later.

In addition, since the gift-related information is based on the viewer's terminal, it may be sent directly from the viewer's terminal, or it may be sent indirectly via a management server, etc.

The sound may be based on the distributor's terminal or the viewer's terminal, and may or may not go through a management server.

In addition, in the second mode or the fourth mode, the transmission unit 42 may transmit information that specifies identification information that specifies the avatar played by the distributor. The party that receives such identification information can perform processing to apply the information related to the motion to model data that corresponds to the received identification information among the 3D model data that has been received in advance, thereby enabling processing so that the avatar played by the distributor can perform the corresponding role in the animation.

The transmission unit 42 may function in the distributor terminal and/or the management server.

2.3 Receiving unit 43
The receiving unit 43 has a function of receiving video or information necessary for generating animation. The receiving mode may be various, and there is no restriction on the method. For example, the receiving unit 43 may receive transmitted information, or may access information from another information processing device and receive information transmitted in response to the access.

The receiving unit 43 may correspond to the transmitting unit 42 and receive the information transmitted by the transmitting unit 42. That is, the receiving unit 43 may receive the corresponding information according to the selection of the first to fourth modes. When the switching unit 41 acquires the first mode, the receiving unit 43 may receive real-time video, when the switching unit 41 acquires the second mode, the receiving unit 43 may receive information necessary for generating real-time animation, when the switching unit 41 acquires the third mode, the receiving unit 43 may receive video that was distributed in the past, and when the switching unit 41 acquires the fourth mode, the receiving unit 43 may receive information necessary for generating animation corresponding to animation that was distributed in the past. However, in the fourth mode, as described above, information related to the second gift may also be received as one of the pieces of information necessary for generating animation.

In the first mode, the receiving unit 43 may receive video in real time. Such video may be video generated based on the behavior of a broadcaster at one or more broadcaster terminals. Such video may be video generated in a management server or the like based on information acquired from each broadcaster terminal at one or more broadcaster terminals, or video generated by synthesis at a management server or the like based on video generated at each broadcaster terminal at one or more broadcaster terminals.

In the second mode, the receiving unit 43 may receive information necessary for generating the animation in real time. The information necessary for generating the animation may include at least information related to a motion that can express the movement of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal, information related to a third gift provided by a viewer terminal that watches the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object, and sound. The information and sound related to the third gift may be the same as described above. Note that such real-time animation is sometimes referred to as a "second animation" in the present application documents.

In the third mode, the receiving unit 43 may receive video that was previously distributed, or may receive video corresponding to an animation generated based on information necessary for generating the animation described above. In the latter case, as described above, the video may include a display of the second gift based on information related to the second gift. Such video may be video generated based on the behavior of a broadcaster at one or more broadcaster terminals. Such video may be generated in a management server or the like based on information acquired from each broadcaster terminal at one or more broadcaster terminals, or may be video generated by synthesizing in a management server or the like based on video generated at each broadcaster terminal at one or more broadcaster terminals.

In the fourth mode, the receiving unit 43 may receive information necessary for generating animations that have been distributed in the past. The information necessary for generating animations may include at least information related to a motion that can express the movement of an avatar object by being combined with information related to an avatar object related to a distributor terminal, information related to a third gift provided by a viewer terminal that watches the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object, and sound. The information and sound related to the third gift may be the same as described above. Note that such archived animations that have been distributed in the past are sometimes referred to as "first animations" in the present application documents.

As described above, in the first to fourth modes, the receiving unit 43 may acquire information about the viewers in response to the transmission of the transmitting unit 42. In particular, in the fourth mode, the receiving unit 43 may receive information about the viewers related to the first animation that was previously distributed. By receiving such information about the viewers, it is advantageous to be able to receive information about the archived animation. The information about the viewers may also include the number of viewers at the time of past distribution. The number of viewers has the advantage of being able to receive information about the number of viewers who were interested in the animation, and when such information is displayed on a viewer terminal, it is advantageous for the viewer to understand the number of viewers who were interested in the animation. The information about the viewers may also include the number of gifts at the time of past distribution. The number of gifts has the advantage of being able to receive information about viewers who were interested in the animation and provided gifts, that is, about the popularity of the animation, and when such information is displayed on a viewer terminal, it is advantageous for the viewer to understand the situation in which the animation became popular. The information about the viewers may also include the number of comments at the time of past distribution. The number of comments has the advantage that viewers can receive information that indicates that they have become interested in the animation and provided comments, i.e., that the viewer's interest in the animation has been aroused, and when such information is displayed on the viewer's terminal, the viewer can understand the circumstances under which interest in the animation has arisen.

The receiving unit 43 may function in a management server, an administrator terminal, or a viewer terminal.

2.4. Generation unit 44
The generation unit 44 has a function of generating animation using the received information necessary for generating animation. The generation unit 44 may function within the viewer terminal.

The generation unit 44 generates an animation using the information necessary for generating the animation described above. The generation unit 44 may generate an animation by expressing the movement of the avatar object using information related to a motion capable of expressing the movement of the avatar object, which is acquired as information necessary for generating the animation, and model data corresponding to the received identification information among the 3D model data received in advance. That is, the generation unit 44 may generate an animation by applying the information related to the motion to information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal, which is combined with the information related to the avatar object, and model data corresponding to the received identification information among the 3D model data received in advance.

The generation unit 44 may generate animations using sounds received by the reception unit 43. The sounds may include sounds performed by the broadcaster obtained from the broadcaster terminal, and may also include sounds provided by the viewer for the presentation of the avatar object obtained from the viewer terminal. Either type of sound may be received at the viewer terminal and used to generate animations.

The generation unit 44 may also generate an animation using the received gift-related information. A gift may be provided to a viewer for a scene in which an avatar object related to one broadcaster or multiple avatar objects related to multiple broadcasters are acting out. In other words, the gift-related information may be provided from a viewer terminal that watches an animation that represents the movement of an avatar object.

The gift may be of various types, but in the virtual space where the avatar object performs and the gift is provided, the gift may be produced by applying the physical laws in the virtual space. For example, the physical laws in the virtual space may be Newtonian mechanics, such as an object falling from above, an object moving at a certain speed moving due to inertia, or the speed of the movement of an object decreasing due to friction or resistance. When a gift based on information related to the gift is displayed using physical laws, the information related to the gift may include the position at which the gift is displayed and/or the rotation angle of the displayed gift, and in generating an animation, the animation may be generated using the physical laws from the position at which the gift is displayed as information related to the gift, and when the displayed gift is rotated, the rotation angle that is the initial position of the rotation may be used to generate the animation. Note that the information related to the gift may also include some or all of the position at which the gift is displayed, the size of the displayed gift, the orientation of the displayed gift, such as up, down, left, right, etc., the initial velocity of the movement of the gift, the orientation of the movement of the gift, such as up, down, left, right, etc., the acceleration of the movement of the gift, etc. By including such gift-related information, it may be possible to increase the variety of ways gifts can be expressed on the distributor's terminal.

The animation of the gift may be generated using pseudo-randomness. Here, pseudo-randomness means a property for imitating true randomness as a performance in a computer, since true randomness cannot be realized mathematically, and may be realized by using various functions imitating true randomness. When the animation of the gift has pseudo-randomness, in the performance of the gift, some or all of the following may be determined by pseudo-randomness: the position where the gift is displayed, the size of the displayed gift, the orientation of the gift, such as up, down, left, right, etc., the initial speed of the movement of the gift, the orientation of the movement of the gift, such as up, down, left, right, etc., and the acceleration of the movement of the gift. In such a case, since it is not necessary to communicate this information in detail from the distributor terminal or the management server to the viewer terminal, there is an advantage that the amount of information communicated is reduced. In particular, since only the type of gift is communicated to the viewer terminal, there is an advantage that the amount of communication can be reduced. In addition, when pseudo-randomness is used, there is an advantage that different animations can be created for each viewer terminal. In addition, when a seed of pseudo-randomness is transmitted to the viewer terminal, there is an advantage that variations can be applied to the pseudo-randomness. As mentioned above, true randomness cannot be expressed mathematically, so if the same function is used continuously, non-random animations will be displayed repeatedly, which may result in a lack of variety. The use of pseudo-random seeds has the advantage of improving the randomness of the pseudo-randomness and enabling more variety in the animations. The seeds may be assigned to each type of gift. The seeds themselves may also be calculated using a pseudo-random function. Such pseudo-random seeds may be transmitted from the management server or distributor terminal to the viewer terminal and used as one parameter when the pseudo-random function is applied.

Although the above describes a case where the laws of physics apply to the gift within the viewer terminal, it is also possible for the laws of physics not to apply to the viewer terminal. In this case, the position information and rotation information of the gift are transmitted from the broadcaster terminal or the administrator server, and the gift may be drawn on the broadcaster terminal using the position information and rotation information of the gift, which is, in a sense, the result of applying the laws of physics. This has the advantage that no processing related to the laws of physics needs to be performed on the broadcaster terminal.

The generating unit 44 may process not to use the received gift-related information for generating the animation in a predetermined case, and correspondingly, the receiving unit 43 may process not to receive gift-related information in a predetermined case, or the transmitting unit 42 may process not to transmit gift-related information in a predetermined case. For example, if a certain gift is displayed for 3 seconds, the information may be processed to not display the gift on a viewer terminal that starts watching the animation with 0.1 seconds remaining. This is because if there is not more than a predetermined amount of time left to draw, it is considered that there is little point in actually drawing and producing the effect. Therefore, a predetermined case may be when the drawing time of the gift in the gift-related information is shorter than the predetermined amount of time, etc.

The information required to generate the animation may include information related to the service data and/or information related to the camera work. The generation unit 44 may generate the animation using the information related to the service data and/or information related to the camera work.

The information related to the service data may include a comment from the distributor, a comment from the viewer, and/or the number of viewers of the animation. The comment from the distributor may be a comment made by the distributor. Furthermore, the comment from the viewer may be a comment from a viewer who watches the animation.

The comment of the distributor may be a comment input or generated at the distributor terminal. Such a comment may be directly or indirectly communicated from the distributor terminal where the comment was input or generated to a viewer terminal having a generation unit 44 where animation is generated. Indirect communication may be, for example, communication via a management server. When there are one or more distributors, comments from one or more distributor terminals based on such one or more distributors may be communicated to the viewer terminal as information related to the service data. Such a distributor's comment may be associated with the distributor who made the comment and communicated to the viewer terminal, and such comment may be displayed on the viewer terminal in association with information indicating the associated distributor.

Similarly, the viewer's comments may be comments input or generated at the viewer terminal. Such comments may be communicated directly or indirectly from the viewer terminal where they are input or generated to a viewer terminal having a generation unit 44 where the animation is generated. Indirect communication may be, for example, communication via a management server. For one or more viewers watching the animation, comments from one or more viewer terminals based on such one or more viewers may be communicated to the viewer terminal as information related to the service data.

If the viewer terminal into which the viewer's comment is input and the viewer terminal that displays the animation generated based on the viewer's comment are different viewer terminals, the viewer's comment may be directly or indirectly transmitted from the viewer terminal into which the viewer's comment is input to the viewer terminal that will display the animation generated based on the viewer's comment, and the generation unit 44 in the viewer terminal may generate an animation including the viewer's comment and the viewer who created the comment from the received viewer's comment as information related to the service data, and display the animation on the viewer terminal. In this case, viewers can understand the comments input by other viewers by the display in the animation.

Furthermore, if the viewer terminal into which the viewer's comment is input and the viewer terminal displaying the animation generated based on the viewer's comment are the same viewer terminal, the generation unit 44 in the viewer terminal may generate an animation including the viewer's comment and the viewer who created the comment, using the input viewer's comment as information related to the service data, and display the animation on the viewer terminal. In this case, the viewer can understand that the comment he or she inputted will be displayed in the animation.

In addition, the viewer's comment may be associated with the broadcaster who entered the comment and communicated to the viewer's terminal, and on the viewer's terminal, the comment may be associated with information indicating the associated broadcaster, and information indicating the broadcaster associated with the comment may be displayed.

The number of viewers of an animation may be any number that allows an estimation of the viewers watching the animation, and may be, for example, the number of viewer terminals displaying the generated animation, the number of viewer terminals receiving the information necessary to generate the animation, or the number of viewer terminals sending a request signal to a management server or distributor terminal to receive the information necessary to generate the animation.

When the management server receives a request for information necessary for generating an animation from a viewer terminal, the management server may calculate the number of viewers by adding up the number of viewer terminals making such requests.

In addition, when a distributor terminal receives a request for information necessary for generating an animation from a viewer terminal, the number of viewer terminals making such requests may be calculated by sharing the number of such viewer terminals among distributor terminals distributing the same animation or by contacting one distributor terminal.

The number of viewers of an animation may be calculated in real time for each animation. This allows the number of viewers of an animation, which changes from moment to moment, to be calculated and displayed in real time, which has the advantage that the viewer can understand the number of viewers of the animation. The number of viewers of such animations may be ranked on the viewer terminal. For example, by associating the number of viewers with each animation, animations may be displayed in order of the most or least number of viewers. This has the advantage that the viewer can evaluate the animations according to their popularity, which is the number of viewers.

In addition, the information related to the service data may include an action of the distributor toward the viewer. For example, the information related to the service data may include an action of the distributor to view the viewer's profile. In this case, the distributor may select one viewer from among multiple viewers who are viewing the distributor's broadcast, and the action of viewing the selected viewer may be transmitted to a viewer terminal viewing an avatar object related to the distributor. This has the advantage that other viewers can share which viewer the distributor is interested in. In particular, when generating animations on the distributor terminal, delays are reduced and, for example, animations can be displayed within a few seconds, which has the advantage that the distributor's response can be shared at a timing closer to the same time, compared to when delays occur as in the case of video.

The information on the camerawork may be information on a technique for imaging the broadcaster. The information on the imaging technique may be, for example, the angle at which the broadcaster is imaged, the distance at which the broadcaster is imaged, the imaging technique for imaging the broadcaster, etc. The angle at which the broadcaster is imaged may be specified by various techniques for indicating the imaging angle. The distance at which the broadcaster is imaged may also be specified by various methods for indicating the distance, and may be specified by a predetermined absolute distance or a distance relative to a predetermined reference distance. Techniques such as panning and tilting may also be used as techniques for imaging the broadcaster. Such information on the camerawork may be used when generating animation in the viewer terminal. In particular, the information on the camerawork transmitted from the broadcaster terminal may be used to specify a method for displaying an avatar object played by the broadcaster in the viewer terminal so that the camerawork in the viewer terminal can imitate the camerawork in the broadcaster terminal.

Information regarding the technique for capturing images of the broadcaster is determined in advance according to rules set forth in the broadcaster terminal, the server, and the viewer terminal, and by transmitting information specifying the capturing technique within such rules, the technique for capturing images of the broadcaster on the broadcaster terminal may be used on the viewer terminal when creating the animation.

The generation unit 44 may generate animations using information necessary for generating various animations as described above. FIG. 5 shows an example of a general overview of various information necessary for generating animations. When generating animations, information from one or more distributor terminals may be used, and information from one or more viewer terminals may also be used. Such generation may be performed in real time. The generated animation may be displayed on the viewer terminal that generated it.

2.5. Statistical processing unit 45
The statistical processing unit 45 may display information about the viewers. The statistical processing unit 45 may also have a function of performing statistical processing using the information about the viewers. The statistical processing unit 45 may also have a function of displaying the results of the statistical processing.

Figure 6 is an example of displaying information about viewers. Here, as an example, a plurality of archived animations 61 and the number of viewers 62 for each animation are displayed in association with each other. Here, the number of viewers may be the maximum number of viewers in a certain time period for an animation of a certain length of time, the minimum number of viewers in a certain time period, or the average number of viewers in a certain time period. In addition, in this example, the total number of gifts provided in each animation 63 and the total number of comments provided in each animation 64 are also displayed in association with each animation. In this way, by displaying the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and the number of comments, information about each archived animation can be obtained, and the viewer can view the desired animation. In addition, in such a display, there may be a function for sorting the information about these viewers. For example, there may be a function for sorting in order of the number of viewers, the number of gifts, or the number of comments. In addition, such sorting may be a sorting function for a predetermined period of time. For example, the past day, the past week, the past month, the past six months, etc. The number of viewers, the number of gifts, and the number of comments may be the number when the animation was initially distributed in real time, or may be the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and the number of comments when the animation was archived and sent as the archived animation. In this case, information on the viewpoint of animations whose popularity has increased or decreased since being archived can be obtained separately from the initial animation. In this case, sorting may be performed on the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and the number of comments in the total of the real-time animation display and the archived animation display. In this case, the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and the number of comments in the total of the initial real-time display and the archived animation display can be displayed, so there is an advantage in that the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and the number of comments can be displayed in consideration of the overall increase or decrease in popularity of the animation. In this case, sorting may be performed on the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and the number of comments in the total of the initial real-time display and the archived animation display.

The statistical processing unit 45 may function in the distributor terminal, the management server, the administrator terminal, or the viewer terminal. The statistical processing unit 45 may complete the various functions described below in one of these information processing devices to generate and display display information, or may process the generation and display of information in a distributed manner in multiple information processing devices. For example, information about the viewer may be transmitted from the distributor terminal or the management server to the viewer terminal or the administrator terminal, and statistical information about the viewer related to the one animation distributed in the past may be generated using the information about the viewer in the viewer terminal, and the statistical information may be displayed on the viewer terminal or the administrator terminal, or the distributor terminal or the management server may use information about the viewer to generate statistical information about the viewer related to the one animation distributed in the past, and the statistical information may be transmitted to the viewer terminal or the administrator terminal, and the statistical information may be displayed on the viewer terminal or the administrator terminal. In these cases, the statistical information may include the total number of the viewers, the gifts, and/or the comments within a predetermined period. The above display may also display the portion of the statistical information where the number of views, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number. For example, on a viewer terminal or an administrator terminal, only the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and the number of comments that is equal to or greater than a certain threshold may be displayed as the predetermined number.

The statistical processing unit 45 may also use the statistical information to generate and display a graph. For example, FIG. 7 is an example of a graph created by the statistical processing unit 45. For a particular archived animation, the number of viewers 71, the number of gifts 73, and the number of comments 72 are displayed on the vertical axis against the passage of time on the horizontal axis. Such a graph allows the viewer to understand the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and the number of comments corresponding to the time transition for a certain archived animation, and therefore allows the viewer to understand the overall transition in viewers for that animation, as well as the degree of popularity of the animation in terms of time periods when the number of gifts increased or the number of comments increased.

In addition, the statistical information may display information specifying a predetermined range where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments are equal to or greater than a predetermined number. For example, in FIG. 8, in addition to displaying a portion 84 where the number of comments 82 has increased, a portion 85 where the number of gifts 83 has increased may be displayed. In this figure, the information specifying a predetermined range where the number of gifts is equal to or greater than a predetermined number is shown as a square, but such display may be of various types, and in short, it is sufficient that the display is displayed in a manner that allows the viewer to understand that the number is equal to or greater than a predetermined number. Such a display has the advantage that the viewer can understand at what time period in the animation display the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, i.e., the portion is popular and worth paying attention to.

The statistical processing unit 45 may also generate a digest of one animation. The digest of one animation may be, for example, a combination of parts where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments are equal to or greater than a predetermined number. This has the advantage that such a digest is composed only of parts of the animation that can be evaluated as being successful, and the viewer can view the essence of the animation in a short time. In this case, the statistical processing unit 45 transmits the parts of the animation where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments are equal to or greater than a predetermined number via the transmission unit 42 to the viewer terminal, and the receiving unit may generate an animation from information necessary for generating the animation based on such parts and display it as a digest on the viewer terminal. In this case, the information necessary for generating the animation corresponding to one animation is transmitted and received from among the information necessary for generating the animation corresponding to the digest, which has the advantage of reducing the amount of communication. On the other hand, instead of such a configuration, the statistical processing unit 45 may generate animations in the generation unit only for those parts of the information about the viewers corresponding to the information necessary to generate an animation received by the receiving unit, where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, and display the animations as a digest on the viewer terminal.

Although the digest has been described above as being based on one animation, it may be based on multiple animations. In this case, there is an advantage that the viewer can view the essence of the multiple animations in a short time. In this case, a digest that summarizes the multiple animations may be generated for the parts of the multiple animations where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, and may be displayed on the viewer terminal. In this case, the digest may be generated by transmitting, receiving, and generating only the information necessary for generating the animations required for the digest, as described above, or the information necessary for generating the multiple animations related to the digest may be transmitted, and then the statistical processing unit 45 may generate and display the animations on the viewer terminal using the information necessary for generating the animations corresponding to the parts where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number.

4. Embodiments
4-1. Embodiment 1
In the first embodiment, first, a description will be given of an embodiment of real-time distribution, focusing on the first and second modes. In this embodiment, an example is an operation processed in an entire system consisting of distributor terminals 91A and 91B, a server device 90, an administrator terminal 93A, and viewer terminals 92A and 92B as shown in Fig. 9. Note that there may be multiple administrator terminals. The flow of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 10.

Step 1
The switching unit 41 in the distributor terminal and the management server acquires information on either the first mode or the second mode (step 001). The information on the mode selection may be acquired from the server, from the distributor terminal, or from the viewer terminal.

Step 2
One or more distributors act as avatars in a virtual space using avatar objects (step 002). Note that information regarding the above-mentioned modes may be acquired while the avatars are performing.

Step 3
The broadcaster terminal associated with each broadcaster acquires information related to the broadcaster's performance status (step 003). The broadcaster terminal may acquire information about the broadcaster performing using the various sensors and imaging devices described above.

Step 4
The broadcaster terminal transmits information corresponding to the mode to the management server (step 004). That is, in the first mode, a video in which the movement of the avatar object performed by the broadcaster is embedded may be transmitted, and in the second mode, information related to a motion capable of expressing the movement of the avatar object performed by the broadcaster and information on a sound emitted by the broadcaster may be transmitted.

Step 5
The management server receives the information corresponding to the mode, processes it so that it can be transmitted to the viewer terminal, transmits the information to the viewer terminal, and stores the transmitted information (step 005). The management server may transmit the information and then store it, or may store the information and then transmit it. In either case, by storing the information transmitted to the viewer terminal, the stored information can be transmitted, which has the advantage that the transmitted content can be reproduced in real time.

Step 6
The switching unit 41 of the viewer terminal acquires information on the first mode or the second mode, and also receives information corresponding to the mode from the management server (step 006). That is, in the first mode, the viewer terminal in the first mode receives a video in which an avatar object played by a distributor is embedded, and the viewer terminal in the second mode receives information related to motion and information necessary for generating animation such as sound.

Step 7
In the first mode, the viewer terminal displays the received video, and in the second mode, generates and displays an animation from the received information required for generating the animation (step 007). Here, when the viewer indicates a sound, comment, gift, or the like for the video or animation, such information may be acquired by the viewer terminal and transmitted from the viewer terminal to a management server, and the management server may use the sound, comment, gift, or the like to generate a video or transmit the sound, comment, gift, or the like to the viewer terminal in real time as part of the information required for generating an animation. In this case, the sound, comment, and gift given from the viewer terminal or the distributor terminal for the video or animation being distributed may be stored in the management server as sound information, comment information, and gift-related information, respectively. In this case, the sound information, comment information, and gift-related information may be associated with the video or animation being distributed and associated with information related to the given time, and stored in the management server.

In the above description, the original information that becomes the image or animation displayed on the viewer terminal is transmitted from the distributor terminal to the viewer terminal via the management server, but a configuration in which the information is transmitted from the distributor terminal to the viewer terminal without the management server may be adopted. In such a case, the distributor terminal may have the above-mentioned management server function. In addition, if there are multiple distributor terminals, both of the multiple distributor terminals may function as the management server by synchronizing, or some of the multiple distributor terminals, such as one of the multiple distributor terminals, may function as the management server. In such a case, the information required to generate the image or animation transmitted to the viewer terminal may be stored in the distributor terminal or in a different server. In any case, it is sufficient that the information required to generate the image or animation transmitted to the distributor terminal is stored in some information processing device, and the information is transmitted to the viewer terminal or the administrator terminal, so that the image or animation can be reproduced in real time (note that such reproduction may include the addition of gifts, sounds, comments, etc.).

4-2. Embodiment 2
The second embodiment is mainly directed to the third or fourth mode, that is, an embodiment in which previously distributed video or animation is viewed on a viewer terminal. The flow of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

Step 1
The viewer terminal transmits information on a program to be viewed to the management server (step 001). The program may be selected from a plurality of programs. As described above, the plurality of programs may be selected from programs ranked in terms of the number of viewers, the number of comments, the number of gifts, and the like. In order to provide candidates for programs that can be viewed at the viewer terminal, information indicating one or more programs that can be viewed may be provided to the viewer terminal from the management server in advance, and the one or more programs that can be viewed may be displayed at the viewer terminal. In addition, the information indicating one or more programs that can be viewed from the management server to the viewer terminal may be transmitted in response to a request from the viewer terminal, or may be transmitted without a request from the viewer terminal. Note that the program may include real-time video or animation currently being distributed instead of or in addition to past animation or video.

Step 2
The viewer terminal and the management server acquire information on the third or fourth mode (step 002). The information on the mode selection may be acquired from the management server, from the distributor terminal, or from the viewer terminal. The mode information may also be acquired before step 1 described above.

Step 3
The management server transmits information corresponding to the mode to the viewer terminal (step 003). That is, in the third mode, a video in which an avatar object performed by one or more broadcasters is embedded that was previously distributed is transmitted, and in the fourth mode, information required for generating animation such as information related to motions previously distributed and sound is transmitted. In the third mode, the video may be exactly the same as the video initially distributed, or may be a newly generated video including sound, gift, comment, etc., which is provided after the video initially distributed. In this case, the video differs from the video initially distributed in terms of sound, gift, comment, etc., and includes sound, comment, gift, etc., which is added by subsequent viewing, but has the advantage of being a video that also takes into account the reaction of viewers after the initial distribution. Similarly, in the fourth mode, the information required for generating the animation may be exactly the same as the information required for generating the animation initially distributed, or may be information required for generating animation to which information about sound, gift, comment, etc., which is provided after the video initially displayed is added. In this case, the animation differs from the initially displayed animation in terms of sound, gifts, comments, etc., and includes sounds, comments, and gifts added through subsequent viewing, but has the advantage of being an animation that also takes into account the reactions of viewers after the initial distribution. That is, in this case, the information required to generate the animation may include information related to the first gift and information related to the second gift.

Step 4
In the third mode, the viewer terminal displays the received video, and in the fourth mode, the viewer terminal generates and displays an animation from the received information necessary for generating the animation (step 004). Here, as described above, in the fourth mode, the information necessary for generating the animation may or may not include information related to the second gift. If the information related to the second gift is included, there is an advantage that the reaction of the viewer who viewed the animation after the initial animation is displayed is also added to the animation. That is, one embodiment of the present invention may be a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, receives, as information necessary for generating the first animation, information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that can express the movement of the avatar object by being combined with information related to an avatar object related to a distributor terminal, information related to a first gift that has been distributed in the past and that is provided from a viewer terminal that views the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object, information related to a second gift that has been distributed in the past and that is different from the information related to the first gift, and generates a first animation using the information necessary for generating the first animation and displays the first animation.

Step 5
When a viewer performs an operation to provide a gift for an animation that was previously distributed and is currently being viewed, the viewer terminal on which the operation to provide a gift is performed acquires the information on which the gift is provided, and generates an animation using the information on the second gift as part of the information necessary for generating the animation that is being received, and displays the animation on the viewer terminal on which the operation to provide a gift is performed (step 005). Note that in this example, the viewer terminal on which the operation to provide a gift is performed uses the information on the gift as information necessary for generating the animation directly in the viewer terminal on which the operation to provide a gift is performed, without going through the management server, as information necessary for generating the animation. However, a configuration may be adopted in which the information on the gift is once transmitted to the management server, and then transmitted from the management server to the viewer terminal on which the operation to provide a gift is performed as part of the information necessary for generating the animation, and the viewer terminal on which the operation to provide a gift is performed generates and displays the animation using the information on the second gift via a communication path. The former case has an advantage that the gift can be displayed with less delay than the latter case. On the other hand, the latter case has an advantage that the gift can be treated in the same way as gifts from other viewer terminals, as in the following example. That is, when a viewer performs an operation to provide a gift, viewer terminal A, on which the viewer performed the operation to provide a gift, acquires information that a gift will be provided, and viewer terminal A transmits the information that a gift will be provided to the management server, and the management server that has acquired the information transmits the information related to the second gift as part of the information necessary for generating an animation to viewer terminal B, which is different from viewer terminal A on which the operation to provide a gift was performed, and viewer terminal B generates an animation using the information necessary for generating an animation including the information related to the second gift, and displays the animation on viewer terminal B. In this case, the gift provided on viewer terminal A can be displayed on viewer terminal B. Note that, although only gifts have been described above, the same applies to sounds and comments.

In this way, in this embodiment, the viewer has the advantage of being able to watch video and animation that were distributed in the past. Furthermore, even if the video and animation were distributed in the past, the viewer has the advantage of feeling as if they are watching in real time, even if it is a past archive, because the results of the viewer's manipulation of the video and animation, such as gifts, comments, and sounds, are reflected in the video and animation that they are viewing. This has the advantage of increasing the possibility that the program will be watched continuously, in addition to being watched during the same time period as the broadcaster is performing, and improving the value of the program. Furthermore, by storing the gifts, comments, sounds, etc. added when watching such an archive, the broadcaster has the advantage of being able to obtain the viewer's response not only to the original video and animation, but also to subsequent re-broadcasts.

In addition, instead of or in addition to the one or more programs described above, a digest of one or more programs may be selectable. In the case of such a digest, the information required for generating a video or animation may be transmitted from the management server to the viewer terminal, and the video may be displayed or the animation may be generated and displayed on the viewer terminal.

In addition, in the above step 2, the third mode and the fourth mode have been described, but when a video or animation performed in real time by a distributor is selected as a program, the first mode or the second mode may be used instead of the third mode or the fourth mode. That is, one embodiment of the present invention is a computer program that receives, as information necessary for generating a first animation, information related to a motion distributed in the past that can express the movement of the avatar object by being combined with information related to an avatar object related to a distributor terminal, information related to a first gift distributed in the past that is provided from a viewer terminal that watches the animation expressing the movement of the avatar object, and information related to a sound distributed in the past and a second gift that is different from the information related to the first gift, generates a first animation using the information necessary for generating the first animation, and displays the first animation, and may be a computer program that receives information necessary for generating a second animation related to a video distributed in real time, generates a second animation using the information necessary for generating the second animation, and displays the second animation.

4-3. Embodiment 3
The third embodiment is mainly an embodiment in which the third or fourth mode, that is, a video or animation that has been distributed in the past, is viewed on the administrator terminal. The flow of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

Step 1
The administrator terminal transmits information about the program being viewed to the management server (step 001). In terms of a specific configuration, step 1 in the above-mentioned second embodiment, which was described as a viewer terminal, may be replaced with an administrator terminal.

Step 2
The management server and the administrator terminal acquire information on the third or fourth mode (step 002). Information on the selection of the mode may be acquired from the management server, the distributor terminal, or the viewer terminal. In accordance with the first or second mode, the viewer terminal in the first mode receives a video in which an avatar object played by the distributor is embedded, and the viewer terminal in the second mode receives information related to motion and information necessary for generating animation such as sound (step 002).

Step 3
In the fourth mode, the administrator terminal selects information indicating information used to generate the animation from among the information necessary for generating the animation, and transmits the information to the management server (step 003). For example, only information related to motion, only sound, only information related to gifts, only comments, some of these, or all of these may be used. Since only such corresponding information is used as information necessary for generating the animation and the animation is generated, the viewer of the administrator terminal can narrow down the information used when generating the animation and can consider it. For example, as described above, when only information related to motion is selected, the administrator terminal receives information related to motion from the management server, and the administrator terminal generates the movement of the avatar object corresponding to the information related to motion, and can generate an animation for the avatar object. This has the advantage that gifts, sounds, comments, etc. are not part of the animation, and the movement of the avatar object can be considered without being confused by the display of these.

Step 4
The management server transmits an image to the administrator terminal in the third mode, and receives information indicating the information used to generate the selected animation in the fourth mode, and transmits information necessary for generating the animation corresponding to the indicated information (step 004). Note that in the above steps 3 and 4, the information indicating the information used to generate the animation is described as a function of the fourth mode, but may be a function added in the third mode. In this case, the image in the third mode may be an image generated in the management server based on the selected information. Also, when the management server receives information related to the second gift as in the third embodiment, that is, when information related to a gift not displayed in the initial animation or image is given to the initial animation or image, if a gift is selected, the information related to the second gift may be used to generate and transmit an image, or the information related to the second gift may be transmitted as one of the information necessary for generating the animation. Also, although only gifts have been described here, the same may be true for comments and sounds.

Step 5
The viewer terminal displays the received video in the third mode, and generates and displays an animation from the received information required for generating the animation in the fourth mode (step 005). Note that even during the display of such video or animation, the administrator terminal may select the information required for generating the animation described above, in which case information indicating the selected information may be transmitted to the management server, and the information required for generating the animation may be selected based on the selected information, or the information required for generating the animation may be selected in the viewer terminal based on the information indicating the selected information, and an animation may be generated and displayed.

As described above, previously distributed video or animation, such as in the first or second mode, can be displayed in the third or fourth mode on the administrator terminal, which has the advantage of allowing previously displayed video or animation to be reviewed and examined. In addition, the ability to select the information used for the displayed video or animation has the advantage of allowing the video or animation to be reviewed and examined while concentrating on the selected information, without being distracted by other information.

In the above, we have mainly described animations and videos that are targeted at the virtual space in which the avatar operates, but the setting in which the avatar acts may also be a virtual space that includes a specific configuration.

For example, the virtual space including a specific configuration may be a virtual space including a game screen. In the case of a virtual space including a game screen, there is an advantage that the avatar can explain the game. In addition, in the first and second modes, there is an advantage that the avatar can broadcast the game live when the game progresses in real time. In this case, the game screen may be a game screen of a game played by the distributor, or a game screen of a game played by a person other than the distributor. In the case of a game screen played by the distributor, such a game screen may also be transmitted from the distributor terminal and transmitted to the viewer terminal via or without the management server. In the case of a game screen played by a person other than the distributor, such a game screen may be transmitted from the information processing device of such a player and transmitted to the viewer terminal via or without the management server. In these cases, in the above-mentioned second and fourth modes, the information necessary for generating the animation may include a game screen played by the distributor or a person other than the distributor, and an animation may be generated in the viewer terminal using the game screen played by the distributor or a person other than the distributor, and such animation may be displayed on the viewer terminal. In addition, in the first and third modes, a video including a game screen may be generated in a management server or a distributor terminal, and the video may be transmitted to a viewer terminal, and the video including the game screen may be displayed on the viewer terminal. Switching between the first to fourth modes may be the same as described above.

In addition, the virtual space including a specific configuration may be a virtual space including a photograph of the real world. In the case of a virtual space including a photograph of the real world, there is an advantage that it is possible to realize a situation in which the avatar explains an event in the real world or visits a specific place in the real world. In addition, in the first and second modes, when the photographing of the real world progresses in real time, there is an advantage that the avatar can live broadcast the progress of an incident in the real world. In this case, the photograph of the real world may be included in the information necessary for generating the animation. The photograph of the real world may be a photograph of nature or a photograph of a city, and there is no limitation on the subject. Such photographs may be photographed in advance or in real time. These photographs may be transmitted to the viewer terminal via or without the management server. In the above-mentioned second and fourth modes, such photographs may be included as information necessary for generating the animation, and animation may be generated in the viewer terminal using such photographs, and such animation may be displayed on the viewer terminal. In addition, in the first and third modes, a video including the photographed material may be generated in a management server or a distributor terminal, and the video may be transmitted to a viewer terminal, where the video including the photographed material may be displayed. Switching between the first to fourth modes may be the same as described above.

An example first computer program includes:
A computer program comprising:
When executed by one or more processors,
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
information relating to a second gift, the information being different from the information relating to the first gift;
Receive,
generating a first animation using information necessary for generating the first animation;
Displaying the first animation.
A computer program comprising:

An example second computer program includes:
acquiring information indicating that the image is to be switched to an image corresponding to the first animation;
receiving the video;
Displaying the image.
2. The computer program according to claim 1 .

An example third computer program includes:
receiving information necessary for generating a second animation related to the video being distributed in real time;
generating a second animation using information necessary for generating the second animation;
Displaying the second animation.
A first or second computer program.

An example fourth computer program comprises:
The information necessary for generating the second animation is
information relating to a motion that can express a movement of an avatar object by being combined with information relating to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a third gift provided by a viewer terminal that views an animation representing the movement of the avatar object;
Sound and
including,
Any one of programs 1 to 3.

A fifth example computer program comprises:
The information related to the second gift includes information based on a gift input from a terminal device displaying the first animation.
Any one of programs 1 to 4.

A sixth example computer program comprises:
The information related to the second gift includes information based on a gift input from a terminal device different from the terminal device displaying the first animation.
Any one of programs 1 to 5.

A seventh example computer program comprises:
The second gift in the information on the second gift is different from the first gift displayed in the first animation initially distributed in the past, and is a gift newly given in response to the distribution of the first animation.
Any one of programs 1 to 6.

An eighth example computer program comprises:
receiving information about viewers of the first animation distributed in the past;
displaying information about said viewers;
8. A computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

A ninth example computer program comprises:
The information about the viewers includes the number of viewers at the time of past distribution.
An eighth computer program comprising:

An example tenth computer program comprises:
The information about the viewer includes the number of gifts given during past broadcasts.
8. A computer program according to claim 8 or 9.

An eleventh example computer program comprises:
The information about the viewers includes the number of comments made during past distributions.
11. A computer program according to any one of claims 8 to 10.

An example twelfth computer program includes:
generating statistical information on viewers of the one animation distributed in the past using the information on the viewers;
12. A computer program according to any one of claims 8 to 11.

An example thirteenth computer program comprises:
The statistical information includes a total number of the viewers, the gifts, and/or the comments within a predetermined period of time.
A twelfth computer program comprising:

An example fourteenth computer program comprises:
displaying a portion of the statistical information in which the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number;
12. A computer program according to claim 13,

An example fifteenth computer program comprises:
Using the statistical information, a graph is generated and displayed.
15. A computer program according to any one of claims 12 to 14.

An example sixteenth computer program comprises:
displaying information specifying a predetermined range in which the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number in the statistical information;
16. A computer program according to any one of claims 12 to 15.

An example seventeenth computer program comprises:
The processor is a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, or a graphics processing unit (GPU);
Any one of computer programs 1 to 16.

An eighteenth example computer program comprises:
The processor is installed in a smartphone, tablet, mobile phone, or personal computer.
Any one of computer programs 1 to 17.

An example nineteenth computer program comprises:
A computer program comprising:
When executed by one or more processors,
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
Send,
A computer program comprising:

An example twentieth computer program includes:
acquiring information indicating that the image is to be switched to an image corresponding to the first animation;
Transmitting the video;
A nineteenth computer program comprising:

An example of a 21st server device is
One or more processors,
The processor executes the computer readable instructions to
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
information relating to a second gift, the information being different from the information relating to the first gift;
Send
A server device comprising:

An example of a 22nd server device is
acquiring information indicating that the image is to be switched to the first animation;
Transmitting the video;
A 21st server device.

An example of a twenty-third method is
1. A method performed by one or more processors executing computer readable instructions, comprising:
The processor executes the instructions to
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
information relating to a second gift, the information being different from the information relating to the first gift;
Receive,
generating a first animation using information necessary for generating the first animation;
Displaying the first animation.
A method comprising:

An example of a twenty-fourth method is
acquiring information indicating that the image is to be switched to an image corresponding to the first animation;
Transmitting the video;
A 23rd method comprising the steps of:

An example of a twenty-fifth method includes:
1. A method performed by one or more processors executing computer readable instructions, comprising:
The processor executes the instructions to
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
information relating to a second gift, the information being different from the information relating to the first gift;
transmitting a signal to

An example of a twenty-sixth method is
acquiring information indicating that the image is to be switched to an image corresponding to the first animation;
Transmitting the video;
A 25th method, comprising:

An example of a twenty-seventh method includes:
1. A method performed by one or more processors executing computer readable instructions, comprising:
The processor executes the instructions to
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
Send,
A method comprising:

An example of a twenty-eighth method includes:
acquiring information indicating that the image is to be switched to an image corresponding to the first animation;
Transmitting the video;
A 27th method, comprising:

The system and information processing described in this application document may be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of these. In addition, some or all of such systems and information processing may be implemented as computer programs and executed by various computers. These computer programs may be stored in storage media. These programs may also be stored in non-transient or temporary storage media.

It goes without saying that what is described in this application document is not limited to what is described in this application document, but can be applied to various examples within the scope of various technical ideas having various technical advantages and configurations described in this application document.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 System 10 Communication network 20 (20A to 20C) Server device 30 (30A to 30C) Terminal device 21 (31) Arithmetic device 22 (32) Main memory device 23 (33) Input/output interface 24 (34) Input device 25 (35) Auxiliary memory device 26 (36) Output device 41 Switching unit 41
42 Transmission unit 42
43 Receiving unit 43
44 Generation unit 44
45 Statistical processing unit 45
90 Server device 91A, 91B Distributor terminal 92A, 92B Viewer terminal 93A Administrator terminal

Claims (36)

A computer program comprising:
When executed by one or more processors,
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
Information on a second gift that is different from the information on the first gift and was given after the distribution of the original animation that was distributed in the past;
Receive,
Using information necessary for generating the first animation,
displaying a digest of the first animation at a portion where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number;
A computer program comprising: displaying a graph showing at least the number of gifts and the number of comments over time during past distributions;
2. The computer program product of claim 1. The graph is displayed by identifying a portion where the number of gifts and the number of comments are equal to or greater than a predetermined number.
3. A computer program according to claim 2. acquiring information indicating that the image is to be switched to an image corresponding to the first animation;
receiving the video;
Displaying the image.
2. The computer program product of claim 1. receiving information necessary for generating a second animation related to the video being distributed in real time;
generating a second animation using information necessary for generating the second animation;
Displaying the second animation.
3. A computer program according to claim 1 or 2. The information relating to the second gift includes information based on a gift input from a viewer terminal device displaying the first animation.
A computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The information relating to the second gift includes information based on a gift input from a viewer terminal device different from the viewer terminal device displaying the first animation.
A computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 6. receiving information about a viewer as information necessary for generating the first animation;
generating the displayed digest based on information about the viewer;
A computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The information about the viewers includes the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments.
9. A computer program according to claim 8. The information necessary for generating the first animation used to generate the digest is only information corresponding to a portion where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number.
A computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The processor is a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, or a graphics processing unit (GPU);
A computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 10. The processor is installed in a smartphone, tablet, mobile phone, or personal computer.
A computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 11. A computer program comprising:
When executed by one or more processors,
As information for generating a digest of the first animation at a portion where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number,
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
Information on a second gift that is different from the information on the first gift and was given after the distribution of the original animation that was distributed in the past;
Information about the audience and
Send
The digest is generated based on information about the viewer.
A computer program comprising: A computer program comprising:
When executed by one or more processors,
As information for generating a digest of the first animation at a portion where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number,
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
Information on a second gift that is different from the information on the first gift and was given after the distribution of the original animation that was distributed in the past;
Send,
A computer program comprising:
The information for generating the digest is only information corresponding to a portion where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number.
Computer program. acquiring information indicating that the image is to be switched to the first animation;
Transmitting the video;
15. A computer program according to claim 13 or 14 . The processor utilizes a main memory device.
A computer program according to any one of claims 13 to 15 . The processor is a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, or a graphics processing unit (GPU);
A computer program according to any one of claims 13 to 16. The processor has a computing function.
A computer program according to any one of claims 13 to 17. One or more processors,
The processor executes the computer readable instructions to
As information for generating a digest of the first animation at a portion where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number,
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
Information on a second gift that is different from the information on the first gift and was given after the distribution of the original animation that was distributed in the past;
Information about the audience and
Send
The digest is generated based on information about the viewer.
A server device comprising: One or more processors,
The processor executes the computer readable instructions to
As information for generating a digest of the first animation at a portion where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number,
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
Information on a second gift that is different from the information on the first gift and was given after the distribution of the original animation that was distributed in the past;
Send,
A server device, comprising:
The information for generating the digest is only information corresponding to a portion where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number.
Server device. acquiring information indicating that the image is to be switched to the first animation;
Transmitting the video;
21. The server device according to claim 19 or 20 . The processor utilizes a main memory device.
22. The server device according to any one of claims 19 to 21. The processor is a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, or a graphics processing unit (GPU);
23. The server device according to any one of claims 19 to 22. The processor has a computing function.
24. The server device according to any one of claims 19 to 23. 1. A method performed by one or more processors executing computer readable instructions, comprising:
The processor executes the instructions to
The information required to generate the first animation is:
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
Information on a second gift that is different from the information on the first gift and was given after the distribution of the original animation that was distributed in the past;
Receive,
displaying a digest of the first animation at a portion where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, using information necessary for generating the first animation;
A method comprising: displaying a graph showing at least the number of gifts and the number of comments over time during past distributions;
26. The method of claim 25. receiving information about a viewer as information necessary for generating the first animation;
generating the displayed digest based on information about the viewer;
27. The method of claim 25 or 26. The information necessary for generating the first animation used to generate the digest is only information corresponding to a portion where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number.
27. The method of claim 25 or 26. The processor is a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, or a graphics processing unit (GPU);
29. The method of any one of claims 25 to 28. The processor has a computing function.
30. The method of any one of claims 25 to 29. 1. A method performed by one or more processors executing computer readable instructions, comprising:
The processor executes the instructions to
As information for generating a digest of the first animation at a portion where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number,
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
Information on a second gift that is different from the information on the first gift and was given after the distribution of the original animation that was distributed in the past;
Information about the audience and
Send
The digest is generated based on information about the viewer.
A method comprising: 1. A method performed by one or more processors executing computer readable instructions, comprising:
The processor executes the instructions to
As information for generating a digest of the first animation at a portion where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number,
information related to a motion that has been distributed in the past and that is capable of expressing a motion of the avatar object by being combined with information related to the avatar object related to the distributor terminal;
Information on a first gift that was previously distributed and is provided from a viewer terminal that views an animation that expresses the movement of the avatar object; and
Previously distributed sound and
Information on a second gift that is different from the information on the first gift and was given after the distribution of the original animation that was distributed in the past;
Send,
A method comprising:
The information for generating the digest is only information corresponding to a portion where the number of viewers, the number of gifts, and/or the number of comments is equal to or greater than a predetermined number.
Method. acquiring information indicating that the image is to be switched to an image corresponding to the first animation;
Transmitting the video;
33. The method according to claim 31 or 32 . The processor utilizes a main memory device.
34. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 33. The processor is a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, or a graphics processing unit (GPU);
35. The method of any one of claims 31 to 34. The processor has a computing function.
36. The method of any one of claims 31 to 35.

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