Three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing apparatus, a three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing method, and an information providing medium

• US 5,926,179 A
• Filed: 09/29/1997
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Satoru, Hiei, Futoshi, Nashida, Tatsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thomas T.
• Application Number:
  US08/939,220
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 345/145, 345/419, 345/355, 345/331, 345/332, 345/330, 345/329, 707/513, 707/509
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics

Abstract

To allow a user to quickly and surely recognize whether an object is chat-enabled or not. A pointer is displayed on a three-dimensional virtual reality space image and, when the pointer is placed onto any of objects displayed in the three-dimensional virtual reality space image to specify the pointed object, it is determined whether that object is chat-enable based on the attribute information thereof. If the object is found chat-enabled, the pointer having a normal shape of an arrow is changed to a pointer 201a having a shape resembling a human face. This novel constitution allows a user to intuitively understand whether each of the objects displayed in the three-dimensional virtual reality space is chat-enabled or not.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing apparatus for decoding three-dimensional graphics data to display a corresponding three-dimensional virtual reality space image, comprising:

an object specifying means for displaying a pointer on said three-dimensional virtual reality space image and superimposing said pointer on any of objects displayed in said three-dimensional virtual reality space image to specify a desired object;

an attribute determining means for determining, based on attribute information of the object specified by said object specifying means, whether the specified object is a chat-enabled object and, if so, determining a nickname of said chat-enabled object;

pointer shape changing means for changing a shape of said pointer to a particular shape different from a normal shape, and for also displaying said nickname near said pointer displayed with said particular shape, if the object specified by said object specifying means is found to be a chat-enabled object by said attribute determining means.

2. A three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if the object specified by said object specifying means is found a chat-enabled object by said attribute determining means, said pointer shape changing means changes the shape of said pointer from a normal arrow shape to a face shape.

3. A three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if the object specified by said object specifying means is found a chat-enabled object by said attribute determining means, said pointer shape changing means changes the shape of said pointer from a normal arrow shape to a face shape in animated display in which a mouth opens and closes with time.

4. A three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object displayed in said three-dimensional virtual reality space image is an avatar of a user, said avatar being movable to any position in said three-dimensional virtual reality space.

5. A three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising a chat window display control means for displaying a private-chat dedicated window for displaying a private chat between users on a one to one basis different from a public chat window for displaying a public chat made between unspecified users if the object specified by said object specifying means is found an avatar of a user, said avatar being movable to any position in said three-dimensional virtual reality space.

6. A three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said three-dimensional graphics data is described in VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language).

7. A three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing method for decoding three-dimensional graphics data to display a corresponding three-dimensional virtual reality space image, comprising the steps of:

displaying a pointer on said three-dimensional virtual reality space image and superimposing-said pointer on any of objects displayed in said three-dimensional virtual reality space image to specify a desired object;

determining, based on attribute information of the object specified by said object specifying means, whether the specified object is a chat-enabled object and, if so, determining a nickname of said chat-enabled object; and

changing a shape of said pointer to a particular shape different from a normal shape and displaying said nickname near said pointer displayed with said particular shape if the object specified by said object specifying means is found to be a chat-enabled object by said attribute determining means.

8. An information providing medium for providing a computer program to be executed by a three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing apparatus for decoding three-dimensional graphics data to display a corresponding three-dimensional virtual reality space image, said computer program comprising the steps of:

displaying a pointer on said three-dimensional virtual reality space image and superimposing said pointer on any of objects displayed in said three-dimensional virtual reality space image to specify a desired object;

determining, based on attribute information of the object specified by said object specifying means, whether the specified object is a chat-enabled object and, if so, determining a nickname of said chat-enabled object; and

changing a shape of said pointer to a particular shape different from a normal shape and also displaying said nickname near said pointer displayed with said particular shape, if the object specified by said object specifying means is found a chat-enabled object by said attribute determining means.