Virtual space apparatus with avatars and speech

• US 5,736,982 A
• Filed: 08/01/1995
• Issued: 04/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Inventors: Arita, Hiroyuki, Nakajima, Yasuhiro, Tanigawa, Hiroya, Murakami, Yumi, Moriuchi, Machio, Nagashima, Yoshio, Suzuki, Gen, Sugawara, Shohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US08/509,091
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 395/326-358, 395/978, 364/516, 345/156, 345/326-358, 345/978, 381/173, 381/17
• US Class Current: 715/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/30 Clipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/16 involving adaptation to the client's capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/157 defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827

Abstract

A plurality of terminals are connected to a server via a communication network and share a predetermined common virtual space. The terminals each send to the server the position coordinates of the viewing point and direction of eyes of its user in the virtual space, and the visual field image viewed from that viewing point is displayed on a display. Based on the position coordinates and direction of eyes of the avatar each of the other terminals received from each of the other terminals via the server, each terminal generates an avatar image in the specified direction and at the specified position and displays it in the visual field. The server is always supplied with the latest position information of the avatar from every terminal and, when the distance between two arbitrary avatars becomes smaller than a threshold value, connects speech channels of the two terminals corresponding to these avatars.

Claims

1. A virtual space sharing apparatus which has a plurality of terminals connected to a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates a displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal, said each terminal comprising:

control means which generates signals for selectively specifying its position and direction of eyes in said virtual space;

visual field image generating means which generates a visual field image in said direction of eyes in said virtual space from said position as a viewing point;

position information sending and receiving means which sends said position and said direction of eyes as position information to said communication network and receives therefrom position information sent from other terminals;

avatar image forming means which forms avatar images representative of users of said other terminals in said visual field at positions corresponding to said received position information;

display means which displays a combined image containing said visual field image and said avatar images; and

server means connected to said each terminal via said communication network, said each terminal comprising speech sending and receiving means for sending speech data of its user to said server means via said communication network and for receiving speech data of said users of said other terminals from said server means and speech output means for outputting said received speech data as speech;

said server means comprising;

select means which calculates, from position information received from said terminals, the distances between said avatar of the user of said each terminal and other avatars and selects those of said other avatars which have said distance within a predetermined threshold value; and

mixer means which, in a group consisting of any one of said avatars and said avatars selected by said select means relative thereto, mixes speech data from the terminals corresponding to said avatars except each particular one and sends said mixed speech data to the terminal corresponding to said each particular avatar.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein said select means is means which selects, for each avatar, those of the other avatars whose distances therefrom are within said threshold value and which are present in the field of vision of said each avatar.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said select means is means which additionally selects that one of the other avatars which is outside of the field of vision of said each avatar but inside of the field of vision of any one of said selected avatars and provides speech data from said additionally selected avatar to said mixer means.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein said select means is means which selects, for each avatar, those other avatars whose distances therefrom is within said threshold value and which are each present in the field of vision of the other.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said select means is means which additionally selects that one of the other avatars which is outside of the field of vision of said each avatar but inside of the field of vision of any one of said selected avatars and provides speech data from said additionally selected avatar to said mixer means.

2. A virtual space sharing apparatus which has a plurality of terminals connected to a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal, said each terminal comprising:

control means which generates signals for selectively specifying its position and direction in eyes in said virtual space;

visual field image generating means which generates a visual field image in said direction of eyes in said virtual space from said position as a viewing point;

position information sending and receiving means which sends said position and said direction of eyes as position information to said communication network and receives therefrom position information sent from other terminals;

avatar image forming means which forms avatar images representative of users of said other terminals in said visual field at positions corresponding to said received position information; and

display means which displays a combined image containing said visual field image and said avatar images;

said terminals being interconnected via said communication network, and each of said terminals comprising;

speech sending and receiving means which sends speech data of its user to all the other terminals via said communication network and receives therethrough speech data of users of said other terminals;

select means which calculates, from position information received from said other terminals, the distances between the avatar of the user of said each terminal and said other avatars and selects those of said other avatars which have said distance within a predetermined threshold value;

mixer means which mixes speech data received from the terminals corresponding to said avatars selected by said select means and outputs the mixed speech data; and

speech output means for outputting said mixed speech data as a sound.

3. A virtual space sharing apparatus which has a plurality of terminals connected to a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal, said each terminal comprising:

control means which generates signals for selectively specifying its position and direction of eyes in said virtual space;

visual field image generating means which generates a visual field image in said direction of eyes in said virtual space from said position as a viewing point;

position information sending and receiving means which sends said position and said direction of eyes as position information to said communication network and receives therefrom position information sent from other terminals;

avatar image forming means which forms avatar images representative of users of said other terminals in said visual field at positions corresponding to said received position information;

display means which displays a combined image containing said visual field image and said avatar images; and

server means connected to said each terminal via said communication network, said each terminal comprising speech sending and receiving means for sending speech data of its user to said server means via said communication network and for receiving speech data of said users of said other terminals from said server means and speech output means for outputting said received speech data as speech;

said server means comprising;

first mixer means which mixes speech data received from terminals corresponding to all of said avatars and outputs environment sound data;

conversation monitor means which, on the basis of position information received from each of said terminals, searches for a group of avatars which mutually satisfy a conversation enable condition;

second mixer means which generates, for the terminal of each avatar or said group, mixed sound data by mixing speech data received from the terminal corresponding to the other avatar of said group and said environment sound data; and

means which sends said mixed sound data to said terminal of said each avatar.

13. The apparatus of claim 3 or 4, wherein said conversation monitor means presents, as said conversation enable condition, at least one condition that the distance between the avatar of the user of said each terminal and the other avatar in said group, calculated from position information received from said terminals, is within a predetermined threshold value.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said conversation enable condition includes a condition that said other avatar is inside of the field of vision of said avatar of the user of said each terminal.

15. The apparatus of claim 3 or 4, which further comprises channel switching means which one-way connects speech data received from all of said terminals to said first mixer means, two-way connects to said second mixer means speech data received from said avatars of said group and one-way connects an environment sound data outputted from said first mixer means to said second mixer means.

16. The apparatus of claim 3 or 4, which further comprises loss inserting means which inserts a loss into said environment sound data outputted from said first mixer means and provides it to said second mixer means.

4. A virtual space sharing apparatus which has a plurality of terminals connected to a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal, said each terminal comprising:

control means which generates signals for selectively specifying its position and direction of eyes in said virtual space;

visual field image generating means which generates a visual field image in said direction of eyes in said virtual space from said position as a viewing point;

position information sending and receiving means which sends said position and said direction of eyes as position information to said communication network and receives therefrom position information sent from other terminals;

avatar image forming means which forms images representative of users of said other terminals in said visual field at positions corresponding to said received position information; and

display means which displays a combined image containing said visual field image and said avatar images;

said terminals being interconnected via said communication network and each of said terminals comprising;

speech sending and receiving means which sends speech data of its user to all the other terminals via said communication network and receives therethrough speech data of users of said other terminals;

conversation monitor means which, on the basis of position information received from said other terminals, searches for a group of avatars which satisfy a conversation enable condition with respect to the avatar of the user of said each terminal;

first mixer means which mixes speech data received from terminals corresponding to all of said avatars and outputs environment sound data;

second mixer means which mixes speech data received from the terminals corresponding to said avatars of said group and said environment sound data to generate mixed speech data; and

speech output means for outputting said mixed speech data as a sound.

5. A display method for a virtual space which has a plurality of terminals connected to a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal, said each terminal performing the steps of:

(a) generating signals for selectively specifying its position and direction of eyes in said virtual space;

(b) sending said position and said direction of eyes as position information to said communication network;

(c) generating a visual field image in said direction of eyes in said virtual space from said position as a viewing point;

(d) receiving, from said communication network, position information sent thereto from other terminals;

(e) forming avatar images representative of users of said other terminals in said visual field at positions corresponding to said received position information; and

(f) displaying a combined image containing said visual field image and said avatar images;

server means being provided which is connected via said communication network to said terminals, respectively, said step (b) including a step of sending speech data of the user of said each terminal to said server means via said communication network, and said step (d) including a step of receiving speech data of other terminals from said server means and outputting said received speech data as speech;

said server means performing the steps of;

(g) calculating, from position information received from said other terminals, the distances between said avatar of the user of said each terminal and the avatars of said other terminals and selecting those of said avatars of said other terminals which have said distance within a predetermined threshold value; and

(h) mixing, in a group consisting of any one of said avatars and said avatars selected relative thereto, speech data from the terminals corresponding to said avatars except each particular one and sending said mixed speech data to the terminal corresponding to said each particular avatar.

34. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein said step (g) includes a step of selecting, for each avatar, those of the other avatars whose distances therefrom are within said threshold value and which are present in the field of vision of said each avatar.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said step (g) includes a step of additionally selecting that one of the other avatars which is outside of the field of vision of said each avatar but inside of the field of vision of any one of said selected avatars.

36. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein said step (g) includes a step of selecting, for each avatar, those other avatars whose distances therefrom is within said threshold value and which are each present in the field of vision of the other.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said step (g) includes a step of additionally selecting that one of the other avatars which is outside of the field of vision of said each avatar but inside of the field of vision of any one of said selected avatars.

6. A display method for a virtual space which has a plurality of terminals connected to a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal, said each terminal performing the steps of:

(a) generating signals for selectively specifying its position and direction of eyes in said virtual space;

(b) sending said position and said direction of eyes as position information to said communication network;

(c) generating a visual field image in said direction of eyes in said virtual space from said position as a viewing point;

(d) receiving, from said communication network, position information sent thereto from other terminals;

(e) forming avatar images representative of users of said other terminals in said visual field at positions corresponding to said received position information; and

(f) displaying a combined image containing said visual field image and said avatar images;

said terminals being interconnected via said communication network, said step (b) including a step of sending speech data of the user of said each terminal to all the other terminals via said communication network and said step (d) including a step of receiving therethrough speech data of the users of said other terminals via said communication network;

said each terminal performing the steps of;

(g) selecting, from position information received from said other terminals, the distances between the avatar of the user of said each terminal and the avatars of said other terminals and selecting those of the avatars of said other terminals which have said distance within a predetermined threshold value; and

(h) mixing speech data received from the terminals corresponding to said selected avatars and outputting the mixed speech data as a sound.

7. A display method for a virtual space which has a plurality of terminals connected to a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal, said each terminal performing the steps of:

(a) generating signals for selectively specifying its position and direction of eyes in said virtual space;

(b) sending said position and said direction of eyes as position information to said communication network;

(c) generating a visual field image in said direction of eyes in said virtual space from said position as a viewing point;

(d) receiving, from said communication network, position information sent thereto from other terminals;

(e) forming avatar images representative of users of said other terminals in said visual field at positions corresponding to said received position information; and

(f) displaying a combined image containing said visual field image and said avatar images;

wherein server means is provided which is connected via said communication network to said terminals, respectively, said step (b) including a step of sending speech data of the user of said each terminal to said server means via said communication network, and said step (d) including a step of receiving speech data of other terminals from said server means and outputting said received speech data as speech;

said server means performing the steps of;

(g) mixing speech data received from terminals corresponding to said avatars to generate environment sound data;

(h) searching for a group of avatars which mutually satisfy a conversation enable condition on the basis of the position information received from said other terminals;

(i) generating mixed sound data by mixing speech data received from the terminals corresponding to the avatars of said group other than each one of them and said environment sound data; and

(j) sending said mixed sound data, generated for the terminal of said each avatar, to said terminal.

38. The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein said conversation enable condition in said step (h) includes at least one condition that the distance between the avatar of the user of said each terminal and the other avatar in said group, calculated from position information received from said terminals, is within a predetermined threshold value.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said conversation enable condition includes a condition that said other avatar is inside of the field of vision of said avatar of the user of said each terminal.

40. The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein said step (i) includes a step of inserting a loss in said environment sound data and then mixing it with said received speech data.

8. A display method for a virtual space which has a plurality of terminals connected to a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal, said each terminal performing the steps of:

(a) generating signals for selectively specifying its position and direction of eyes in said virtual space;

(b) sending said position and said direction of eyes as position information to said communication network;

(c) generating a visual field image in said direction of eyes in said virtual space from said position as a viewing point;

(d) receiving, from said communication network, position information sent thereto from other terminals;

(e) forming avatar images representative of users of said other terminals in said visual field at positions corresponding to said received position information; and

(f) displaying a combined image containing said visual field image and said avatar images;

wherein said terminals are interconnected via said communication network, said step (b) including a step of sending speech data of the user of said each terminal to all the other terminals via said communication network and said step (d) includes a step of receiving speech data of the users of said other terminals via said communication network;

said each terminal performing the steps of;

(g) mixing speech data received from terminals corresponding to said avatars to generate environment sound data;

(h) searching for a group of avatars which mutually satisfy a conversation enable condition on the basis of the position information received from said other terminals;

(i) generating mixed sound data by mixing speech data received from the terminals corresponding to the avatars of said group other than each one of them and said environment sound data and

(j) outputting said mixed sound data as a sound.

17. A virtual space sharing apparatus which has a plurality of terminals connected to a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal, said each terminal comprising:

sending and receiving means which receives speech data of users of said terminals except said each terminal and position information of their avatars and sends speech data of the user of said each terminal and position information of its avatar to said terminals;

speech quality determining means which determines the levels of quality for speech data of other users in accordance with the relationship of the avatars of said other users to the avatar of said each user through the use of position information of said avatars of said other users received from said other terminals;

speech quality control means which controls the quality of speech data of said other users in accordance with the levels of quality determined therefor relative to the avatar of said each user;

mixer means which mixes said quality-controlled speech data of said other users in correspondence with said each user and outputs mixed sound data; and

acoustic signal output means which outputs said mixed sound data from said mixer means as an acoustic signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 or 18, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and said speech quality determining means is means which determines the speech quality of each of said other users so that its speech quality becomes lower with an increase in the length of a straight line joining the position coordinate of the avatar of said each user and the position coordinate of the avatar of an other user.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 or 18, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes and said speech quality determining means is means which determines the speech quality of each of said other users, through utilization of said position coordinate and direction of eyes of the avatar of said each user, so that the speech quality of an other user is high or low, depending on whether its avatar is in the field of vision of the avatar of said each user.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 or 18, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes and said speech quality determining means determines the speech quality of each of said other users, through utilization of the position coordinates and direction of eyes of said each user and each of said other users, so that the speech quality of each of said other users becomes lower with an increase in the angle between a straight line joining the coordinates of the avatar of said each user and each of said other users and the direction of eyes of the avatar of each of said other users.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 or 18, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes and said speech quality determining means is means which determines the speech quality of each of said other users so that said speech quality becomes lower with an increase in the sum of the angles of rotation of the directions of eyes of the avatars of said each user and each of said other users to a straight line joining their coordinates.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, in which said each terminal further comprises:

means which send to the terminal of each of said other users a quality request signal requesting said speech quality determined therefor; and

speech data processing means which responds to said quality request signal from each of said other users to send thereto the speech data of said each terminal at a transmission rate specified by said quality request signal.

18. A virtual space sharing apparatus which has a plurality of terminals connected to a server and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal, said server comprising:

sending and receiving means which receives speech data of users of said terminals except said each terminal and position information of their avatars and sends speech data of the user of said each terminal and position information of its avatar to said terminals;

speech and position information distributing means which distributes speech data of the user and position information of its avatar, received from said each terminal, to all the other terminals via said sending and receiving means;

speech quality determining means which determines the speech quality for speech data of other users in accordance with the relationship of the avatars of said other users to the avatar of said each user through the use of position information of said avatars of said other users received from said other terminals;

speech quality control means which controls the speech quality of speech data of said other users in accordance with the speech quality determined therefor relative to the avatar of said each user; and

mixer means which mixes said quality-controlled speech data of said other users in correspondence with said each user and outputs mixed sound data;

wherein said mixed sound data is sent via said sending and receiving means to corresponding ones of said terminals.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said sending and receiving means of said server means sends said mixed sound data to said each terminal at a transmission rate corresponding to said speech quality determined for the avatar of said each terminal.

25. A virtual space sharing apparatus which has a plurality of terminals connected to a server and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal,

wherein said each terminal comprises:

sending and receiving means which receives video image data of each of other users and position information of its avatar from said server means and sends video image data of the user of said each terminal and position information of its avatar to said server;

camera means which picks up the video image of said user of said each terminal and outputs a video signal;

digital processing means which digitally process, said video signal and sends it to said server means via said sending and receiving means;

quality specifying and video requesting means which determines the image quality for the avatar of each of said other users on the basis of the relationship between the position information of the avatar of each of said other users and the position information of the avatar of said each user and sends via said sending and receiving means to said server means a video request signal requesting a video image of said determined quality; and

means which generates an avatar image on the basis of the video image data of each of said other users received from said server means and displays it in a visual field image of said each user at a position specified by the position information of the avatar of each of said other users; and

wherein said server means comprises;

position information distributing means which sends position information of the avatar of the user, received from said each terminal, to all the other terminals;

video memory means which stores video image data in correspondence with said terminals;

means which writes received video image data into said video memory means; and

quality processing means which analyzes a video image request signal received from each of said other users, then reads out the requested video image data from said video memory means and sends it to a requesting terminal after processing it to have specified quality.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 or 26, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate, and said quality specifying and video requesting means includes means which determines the image quality of each of said other users so that its image quality becomes lower with an increase in the length of a straight line joining the position coordinate of the avatar of the user of said each terminal and the position coordinate of the avatar of each of said other users in the field of vision of the former.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 or 26, wherein the position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate, and said quality specifying and video image requesting means includes means which determines the image quality of each of said other users so that said image quality becomes lower with an increase in the angle between the direction of eyes of the avatar of the user of each terminal and the position of the avatar of each of said other users in the field of vision of the former.

29. The apparatus of claim 25 or 26, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes, and said quality specifying and video image requesting means includes means which determines the image quality of each of said other users so that said image quality becomes lower with an increase in the sum of the angles of rotation of the directions of eyes of the avatar of the user of said each terminal and the avatar of each of said other users to a straight line joining their coordinates in the field of vision of the avatar of the user of said each terminal.

26. A virtual space sharing apparatus which has a plurality of terminals connected to a server and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal,

said each terminal comprising:

sending and receiving means which receives video image data of the users of other terminals and position information of their avatars and sends to said other terminals the video image of the user of said each terminal and position information of its avatar;

quality specifying and video requesting means which determines the image quality for the avatar of each of said other users on the basis of the relationship between the position information of the avatar received from each of said other terminals and the position information of the avatar of said each terminal and sends via said sending and receiving means to each of said other terminals a video request signal requesting a video image of said determined quality;

video memory means which stores video data;

camera means which picks up the video image of the user of said each terminal;

video processing means which digitally processes said video signal and writes it into said video memory means;

means which analyzes a video image request signal received from each of said other users, then reads out the requested video image data from said video memory means and sends it to a requesting terminal after processing it to have specified quality;

and means which generates an avatar image on the basis of the video image data received from each of said other terminals and displays it in a visual field image of said each user at a position specified by the position information received from each of said other terminals.

30. A virtual space sharing apparatus which has a plurality of terminals connected to a server and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal,

wherein said each terminal comprises:

sending and receiving means which receives video image data of each of other users and position information of its avatar from said server means and sends video image data of the user of said each terminal and position information of its avatar to said server;

camera means which picks up the video image of said user of said each terminal and outputs a video signal;

digital processing means which digitally processes said video signal and sends it to said server means via said sending and receiving means; and

means which generates an avatar image on the basis of the video image data of each of said other users received from said server means and displays it in a visual field image of said avatar of the user of said each terminal at a position specified by the position information of the avatar of each of said other users; and

wherein said server means comprises;

position information distributing means which sends position information of the avatar of the user of said each terminal received therefrom to all the other terminals;

image quality determining means which determines the image quality for the avatar of the user of each of said other terminals on the basis of the relationship between the position information of the avatar of the user of said each terminal and the position information of the avatar of the user of each of said other users;

video memory means which stores video image data in correspondence with said terminals;

means which writes received video image data into said video memory means; and

quality processing means which reads out of said video memory means said video image data of each of said terminals received therefrom, and sends it to a requesting terminal after processing it to have said determined quality.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes, and said image quality determining means includes means which determines the image quality of each of said other users so that its image quality becomes lower with an increase in the length of a straight line joining the position coordinate of the avatar of the user of said each terminal and the position coordinate of the avatar of each of said other users in the field of vision of the former.

31. A virtual space sharing apparatus which has a plurality of terminals connected to a server and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal,

said each terminal comprising:

sending and receiving means which receives video image data of the users of other terminals and position information of their avatars and sends to said other terminals the video image of the user of said each terminal and position information of its avatar;

image quality determining means which determines the image quality for the avatar of the user of said each terminal relative to the avatar of each of said other users on the basis of the relationship between the position information of the avatar received from each of said other terminals and the position information of the avatar of the user of said each terminal and sends via said sending and receiving means to each of said other terminals video image data of said determined quality;

camera means which picks up the video image of the user of said each terminal and outputs a video signal;

video memory means which stores said video signal;

video processing means which digitally processes said video signal and writes it into said video memory means;

digital processing means which processes video image data of each of said other users read out of said video memory means to have said determined quality and sends it via said sending and receiving means to each of said other terminals;

and means which generates an avatar image on the basis of the video image data received from each of said other terminals and displays it in a visual field image of the avatar of said each terminal at a position specified by the position information received from each of said other terminals.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes, and said image quality determining means includes means which determines the image quality of each of said other users so that its image quality becomes lower with an increase in the length of a straight line joining the position coordinate of the avatar of the user of said each terminal and the position coordinate of the avatar of each of said other users in the field of vision of the former.

41. A display method for a virtual space which has a plurality of terminals connected to a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal, said each terminal performing the steps of:

(a) receiving speech data of the users and position information of their avatars from the other terminals;

(b) sending speech data of the avatar of said each terminal and position information of its avatar to each of said other terminals;

(c) determining the levels of quality for speech data of the users of said other terminals in accordance with the relationship of the avatars of the users of said other terminals to the avatar of the user of said each terminal through the use of position information of said avatars of said other users received from said other terminals;

(d) controlling the quality of speech data of said other users in accordance with the levels of quality determined therefor relative to the avatar of said each user; and

(e) mixing said quality-controlled speech data of said other users in correspondence with said each user and outputting mixed sound data as acoustic signal.

43. The apparatus of claim 41 or 42, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and said speech quality determining step includes a step determining the speech quality of each of said other users so that its speech quality becomes lower with an increase in the length of a straight line joining the position coordinate of the avatar of said each user and the position coordinate of the avatar of said other user.

44. The method of claim 41 or 42, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes and said speech quality determining step includes a step of determining the speech quality of each of said other user, through utilization of said position coordinate and direction of eyes of the avatar of said each user, so that the speech quality of said other user is high or low, depending on whether its avatar is in the field of vision of the avatar of said each user.

45. The method of claim 41 or 42, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes and said speech quality determining step includes a step of determining the speech quality of each of said other users, through utilization of the position coordinates and direction of eyes of said each user and each of said other user, so that the speech quality of each of said other users becomes lower with an increase in the angle between a straight line joining the coordinates of the avatar of said each user and each of said other users and the direction of eyes of the avatar of each of said other users.

46. The method of claim 41 or 42, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes and said speech quality determining step includes a step of determining the speech quality of each of said other users so that said speech quality becomes lower with an increase in the sum of the angles of rotation of the directions of eyes of the avatars of said each user and each of said other users to a straight line joining their coordinates.

47. The method of claim 41, in which said each terminal further performs the steps of:

sending to the terminal of each of said other users a quality request signal requesting said speech quality determined therefor; and

responding to said quality request signal from each of said other users to send thereto the speech data of said each terminal at a transmission rate specified by said quality request signal.

42. A display method for a virtual space which has a plurality of terminals connected to server means and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal, said each server means performing the steps of:

(a) receiving speech data of the users and position information of their avatars from the other terminals;

(b) sending to each terminal speech data and position information of their avatars;

(c) distributing the speech data of the user and position information of its avatar received from said each terminal to all the other terminals;

(d) determining the levels of quality for speech data of the users of said other terminals in accordance with the relationship of the avatars of the users of said other terminals to the avatar of the user of said each terminal through the use of position information of said avatars of said other users received from said other terminals;

(e) controlling the quality of speech data of said other users in accordance with the levels of quality determined therefor relative to the avatar of said each user; and

(f) mixing said quality-controlled speech data of said other users in correspondence with said each user and outputting and sending mixed sound data to said terminals corresponding thereto.

48. The method of claim 42, wherein said server means further performs a step of sending said mixed sound data to each of said other terminals at a transmission rate corresponding to said speech quality determined for the avatar thereof.

49. A display method for a virtual space which has a plurality of terminals connected to a server via a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal,

wherein said each terminal performs the steps of:

(a) picking up the video image of the user of said each terminal, digitally processing the video signal and sending the video image data of said user to said server;

(b) sending position information of the avatar of said each terminal to said server;

(c) receiving position information of the avatar of each user from said server;

(d) determining the image quality for the avatar of each of said other users on the basis of the relationship between the position information of the avatar of each of said other users and the position information of the avatar of said each user;

(e) sending to said server a video request signal requesting a video image of said determined quality; and

(f) generating an avatar image on the basis of the video image data of each of said other users received from said server and displaying it in a visual field image of said each user at the position specified by the position information of the avatar of each of said other users; and

wherein said server performs the steps of;

(g) writing video image data received from each terminal in correspondence therewith;

(h) sending position information of the avatar of the user received from each terminal to all the other terminals; and

(i) analyzing a video image request signal received from each of said other users, then reading out the requested video image data from said video memory means and sending it to the requesting terminal after processing it to have specified quality.

51. The method of claim 49 or 50, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and said step (d) includes a step of determining the image quality of each of said other users so that its image quality becomes lower with an increase in the length of a straight line joining the position coordinate of the avatar of the user of said each terminal and the position coordinate of the avatar of each of said other users in the field of vision of the former.

52. The method of claim 49 or 50, wherein the position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and said step (d) includes a step of determining the image quality of each of said other users so that said image quality becomes lower with an increase in the angle between the direction of eyes of the avatar of the user of each terminal and the position of the avatar of each of said other users in the field of vision of the former.

53. The method of claim 49 or 50, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes and said step (d) includes a step of determining the image quality of each of said other users so that said image quality becomes lower with an increase in the sum of the angles of rotation of the directions of eyes of the avatar of the user of said each terminal and the avatar of each of said other users to a straight line joining their coordinates in the field of vision of the avatar of the user of said each terminal.

50. A display method for a virtual space which has a plurality of terminals interconnected via a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal,

said each terminal performing the steps of:

(a) picking up a video signal representing the video image of the user of said each terminal, digitally processing the video signal and writing it in video memory means;

(b) sending position information of the avatar of said each terminal to the other terminals;

(c) receiving position information of the avatar of the user of each of said other terminals;

(d) determining the image quality for the avatar of each of said other users on the basis of the relationship between the position information of the avatar of each of said other users and the position information of the avatar of said each user;

(e) sending to each of said other terminals a video request signal requesting a video image of said determined quality;

(f) receiving the video request signal from each of said other terminals;

(g) sending video data of a user read out of said video image memory to the requesting terminals after processing it to have quality specified by said video request signal; and

(h) generating an avatar image on the basis of the video image data of each of said other users received therefrom and displaying it in a visual field image of said each user at the position specified by the position information of the avatar of each of said other users.

54. A display method for a virtual space which has a plurality of terminals connected to a server via a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal,

said each terminal performing the steps of:

(a) picking up video signal representing the video image of the user of said each terminal, digitally processing the video signal and sending the video image data of said user to said server;

(b) sending video image data of said each terminal and position information of its avatar to said server;

(c) receiving video image data of the other users and position information of their avatars from said server; and

(d) generating an avatar image on the basis of the video image data of each of said other users received from said server and displaying it in a visual field image of said each user at the position specified by the position information of the avatar of each of said other users; and

said server performing the steps of;

(e) storing video image data received from each terminal in correspondence therewith;

(f) sending position information of the avatar of the user received from each terminal to all the other terminals;

(g) determining the image quality for the avatar of the user of each of said other users on the basis of the relationship between the position information of the avatar of each user and the position information of the avatar of each of said other users; and

(h) reading out the video image data of each of said other terminals from said video memory means and sending it to each of said other terminals after processing it to have said determined quality.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes and said image quality determining step includes a step of determining the image quality of each of said other users so that said image quality becomes lower with an increase in the length of a straight line respectively joining the position coordinate of the avatar of the user of said each terminal and the position coordinate of the avatar of each of said other users in the field of vision of the user of said each terminal.

58. The method of claim 54, wherein the position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes and said step (g) includes a step of determining the image quality of each of said other users so that said image quality becomes lower with an increase in the angle between the direction of eyes of said each terminal and the position of the avatar of each of said other terminals in the field of vision of said each terminal.

60. The method of claim 54, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes and said step (g) includes a step of determining the image quality of each of said other users so that said image quality becomes lower with an increase in the sum of the angles of rotation of the directions of eyes of the avatars of the avatar of the user of said each terminal and the avatar of each of said other users to a straight line joining their coordinates in the field of vision of the avatar of the user of said each terminal.

55. A display method for a virtual space which has a plurality of terminals interconnected via a communication network and sharing a predetermined common virtual space and generates and displays a visual field image which changes as an avatar representing a user of each terminal moves in said virtual space at said each terminal,

said each terminal performing the steps of:

(a) picking up the video image of the user of said each terminal and writing the video signal in video memory means;

(b) sending position information of the avatar of said each terminal to the other terminals;

(c) receiving position information of the avatar of the user of each of said other terminals;

(d) determining the image quality for the avatar of each of said other users on the basis of the relationship between the position information of the avatar of each of said other users and the position information of the avatar of said each user;

(e) reading out the video image data of the user from said video memory and sending it to each of said other terminals after processing it to have said determined quality; and

(f) generating an avatar image on the basis of the video image data of each of said other users received therefrom and displaying it in a visual field image of said each user at the position specified by the position information of the avatar of each of said other users.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes and said image quality determining step includes a step of determining the image quality of each of said other users so that said image quality becomes lower with an increase in the length of a straight line joining the position coordinate of said each terminal and the position coordinate of the avatar of the user in the field of vision of said each terminal.

59. The method of claim 55, wherein the position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes and said step (d) includes a step of determining the image quality of each of said other users so that said image quality becomes lower with an increase in the angle between the direction of eyes of said each terminal and the position of the avatar of each of said other terminals in the field of vision of said each terminal.

61. The method of claim 55, wherein said position information of said avatar includes its position coordinate and direction of eyes and said step (d) includes a step of determining the image quality of each of said other users so that said image quality becomes lower with an increase in the sum of the angles of rotation of the directions of eyes of the avatar of the user of said each terminal and the avatar of each of said other users to a straight line joining their coordinates in the field of vision of the avatar of the user of said each terminal.