Information processing method and apparatus

• US 20060227151A1
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Bannai, Yuichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,532,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/633
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality

Abstract

An information processing method and apparatus enables one or more further users to share a mixed reality space image including a virtual object superimposed in a space where a first user exists. A first stereo image is acquired based on a stereo video captured by a first stereo capturing section mounted on the first user and a virtual object image created based on the position and orientation of the first stereo capturing section. A second stereo image is acquired based on a stereo video captured by a second stereo capturing section provided in the space where the first user exists and a virtual object image created based on the position and orientation of the second stereo capturing section. An image is selected from the first stereo image and the second stereo image according to an instruction of the further user. The selected image is presented to the further user.

Claims

1. An information processing method for enabling a further user to share a mixed reality space image including a virtual object superimposed in a space where a first user exists, comprising:

a first image acquiring step of obtaining a first stereo image based on stereo video data from a first stereo capturing section mounted on the first user and a virtual object image created based on the position and orientation of the first stereo capturing section;

a second image acquiring step of obtaining a second stereo image based on stereo video data from a second stereo capturing section provided in the space where the first user exists and a virtual object image created based on the position and orientation of the second stereo capturing section;

a selecting step of selecting an image from the first stereo image and the second stereo image according to an instruction of the further user; and

a displaying step of displaying the selected image to the further user.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a manipulation object position acquiring step of obtaining the position of a manipulation object manipulated by the further user;

a further user position and orientation acquiring step of obtaining the position and orientation of the further user; and

a relative position information acquiring step of obtaining relative position information representing the position of the manipulation object relative to the position and orientation of the further user.

3. The information processing method according to claim 2, further comprising:

a producing step of producing a manipulation object virtual image based on the position and orientation of the first stereo capturing section, with reference to the relative position information of the manipulation object and the position and orientation of one of the first and second stereo capturing sections corresponding to the selected image;

a combining step of combining the manipulation object virtual image with the first stereo image to create a composite image; and

a displaying step of displaying the composite image to the first user.

4. The information processing method according to claim 2, further comprising:

an identification image producing step of producing an identification image representing the selected image;

an identification image combining step of combining the identification image with the first stereo image to create a composite image; and

a displaying step of displaying the composite image created in the identification image combining step to the first user.

5. The information processing method according to claim 4, wherein the identification image is a virtual image of the manipulation object, and a color of the virtual image of the manipulation object changes depending on the selected image.

7. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program which, when loaded into an information processing apparatus and executed, performs an information processing method according to claim 1.

6. An information processing apparatus that enables a further user to share a mixed reality space image including a virtual object superimposed in a space where a first user exists, comprising:

a first image acquiring unit configured to obtain a first stereo image based on stereo video data from a first stereo capturing section mounted on the first user and a virtual object image created based on the position and orientation of the first stereo capturing section;

a second image acquiring unit configured to obtain a second stereo image based on stereo video data from a second stereo capturing section provided in the space where the first user exists and a virtual object image created based on the position and orientation of the second stereo capturing section;

a selecting unit configured to select an image from the first stereo image and the second stereo image according to an instruction of the further user; and

a display unit configured to display the selected image to the further user.