Information processing method and apparatus, and program for executing the information processing method on computer

• US 10,262,461 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2018
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colopl, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Colopl, Inc.
• Inventors: Nakashima, Kento, Sawaki, Kazuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoon, Sae Won
• Application Number:
  US15/881,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20180286122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 345419
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80

Abstract

A method includes defining a virtual space. The virtual space includes a first avatar object associated with a first user and a second avatar object associated with a second user. The method further includes playing back 360-degree content. The method further includes moving the first avatar object in response to a first input by the first user; and moving the second avatar object in response to a second input by the second user. The method further includes storing motion data for moving the second avatar object irrespective to the second input. The method further includes associating the motion data with a spatial position in the 360-degree content and a playback time. The method further includes identifying the motion data corresponding to identified spatial position and identified current playback time. The method further includes moving the second avatar object based on the identified motion data.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

defining a virtual space, wherein the virtual space comprises a first avatar object associated with a first user and a second avatar object associated with a second user;

playing back 360-degree content in the virtual space;

moving the first avatar object in response to a first input by the first user;

moving the second avatar object in response to a second input by the second user;

storing motion data for moving the second avatar object irrespective to the second input;

associating the motion data with a spatial position in the 360-degree content and a playback time;

identifying the spatial position included within a field of view of the second avatar object based on a viewing direction of the second avatar object;

identifying a current playback time of the 360-degree content;

identifying the motion data corresponding to the identified spatial position and the identified current playback time;

moving the second avatar object based on the identified motion data;

identifying a visual field of the first user in the virtual space in response to the first input; and

generating a visual-field image corresponding to the visual field.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising acquiring history data for identifying a viewing history of each of a plurality of users who has previously viewed the 360-degree content,

wherein the associating of the motion data comprises associating the motion data with the spatial position in the 360-degree content and the playback time based on the acquired history data.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising acquiring history data for identifying a viewing history of each of a plurality of users who have previously viewed the 360-degree content,

wherein the history data comprises first emotion data for identifying a first emotion at a time when each of the plurality of users has previously viewed the 360-degree content,

wherein the motion data defines an emotion of the second avatar, and

wherein the emotion of the second avatar is identified based on the first emotion data.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising acquiring second emotion data representing a second emotion at a time when the second user is viewing the 360-degree content,

wherein the avatar emotion of the second avatar is identified based on the first emotion data and the second emotion data.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying attribute information related to the second user,

wherein, in the motion data, a plurality of pieces of candidate motion data are associated with the spatial position in the 360-degree content and the playback time, and

wherein the identifying of the motion data further comprises identifying a piece of candidate motion data corresponding to the attribute information from among the plurality of pieces of candidate motion data.

6. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the second input comprises motion information for identifying a motion of a part of a body of the second user,

wherein the second avatar comprises a first part to be moved in accordance with the motion information and a second part inhibited from being moved in accordance with the motion information,

wherein the motion data is associated with the second part, and

wherein the method further comprises:

moving the first part based on the motion information; and

moving the second part based on the motion data.