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

• US 6,346,956 B2
• Filed: 09/29/1997
• Issued: 02/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LINE Corporation (A Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chauhan, Ulka J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Mano
• Application Number:
  US08/939,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20010055039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,597 Days
• Field of Search: 345/334, 345/335, 345/339, 345/355, 345/348, 345/349, 345/357, 345/744, 345/764, 345/763, 345/762, 345/757, 345/836, 345/839, 345/848, 345/850
• US Class Current: 715/848
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957

Abstract

To allow the user who wants to use three-dimensional virtual reality spaces to easily select a desired three-dimensional virtual reality space. When the browser is started with data about a three-dimensional virtual reality space stored in a predetermined directory, this predetermined directory is searched. According to the search result, an entry room in which three-dimensional icons representing three-dimensional virtual reality spaces are arranged is generated and displayed. The three-dimensional icons arranged in the entry room are linked to the data of the corresponding three-dimensional virtual reality spaces. When user clicks on a desired three-dimensional icon, the corresponding three-dimensional virtual reality space is displayed.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing apparatus via which a user traverses worlds of a three-dimensional virtual reality space, comprising:

storage means for storing world content data describing different worlds making up the three-dimensional virtual reality space; and

means for automatically generating entry room graphics data upon entry by the user into an entry room, the entry room graphics data including data of three-dimensional graphics icons arranged in a three-dimensional array, wherein automatic generation of the entry room graphics data includes retrieving and using the world content data stored on the storage means, and the entry room configured as a three-dimensional directory of said icons.

2. The display processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said entry room graphics generating means includes means for determining that content data relating to a particular world is present and, in response to the determination, generates the entry room graphics data with a three-dimensional icon corresponding to the particular world.

3. The display processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the entry room graphics generating means includes means for maintaining tracking data when world content is added and deleted, and wherein a reordering of display of three dimensional graphics icons for the worlds of the universe is at least partially in response to the tracking data.

4. The display processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the automatic generation is such that a viewpoint position of an initial state of the entry room depends on the reordering of the display of the three dimensional graphics icons.

5. The display processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the automatic generation is such that at least some of the three dimensional graphics icons have a shape or a surface pattern simulating the world to which the icons correspond based on the content data for the world.

6. The display processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the entry room graphics data is described in a virtual reality modeling language.

7. The display processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said entry room graphics generating means includes means for determining that content data relating to a particular world is not present and, in response to the determination, generates the entry room graphics data without a three-dimensional icon corresponding to the particular world.

8. The display processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the content data for the worlds is organized on a file basis;

the entry room graphics generating means includes means for searching the storage means to determine for which worlds files are present; and

the automatic generation is based on the determination made by the storage means.

9. The display processing apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising:

selecting means for selecting any of the icons displayed in the entry room;

reading means for reading, based on link information that relates the icon to the content data, the content data for the world to which the icon corresponds.

10. The display processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein said selecting means selects a particular icon by moving and establishing the position of a pointer displayed in the entry room, the display processing apparatus further comprising:

explanation display means for displaying in an overlay manner of an icon, text explaining the world to which the icon corresponds.

11. A three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing method by which a user traverses worlds of a three-dimensional virtual reality space, comprising:

storing world content data describing different worlds making up the three-dimensional virtual reality space; and

automatically generating entry room graphics data upon entry by the user into an entry room, the entry room graphics data including data of three-dimensional graphics icons arranged in a three-dimensional array, wherein the step of automatically generating the entry room graphics data includes retrieving and using the world content data stored during the storing step, and the entry room configured as a three-dimensional directory of said icons.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of generating said entry room graphics includes the step of determining that content data relating to a particular world is present and, in response to the determination, generating the entry room graphics data with a three-dimensional icon corresponding to the particular world.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said step of generating said entry room graphics includes the step of maintaining tracking data when world content is added and deleted, and wherein a reordering of display of three dimensional graphics icons for the worlds of the universe is at least partially in response to the tracking data.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the automatic generation at said step of generating said entry room graphics is such that a viewpoint position of an initial state of the entry room depends on the reordering of the display of the three dimensional graphics icons.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the automatic generation at said step of generating said entry room graphics is such that at least some of the three dimensional graphics icons have a shape or a surface pattern simulating the world to which the icons correspond based on the content data for the world.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the entry room graphics data is described in a virtual reality modeling language.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein step of generating said entry room graphics includes the step of determining that content data relating to a particular world is not present and, in response to the determination, generating the entry room graphics data without a three-dimensional icon corresponding to the particular world.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the content data for the worlds is organized on a file basis;

the step of generating said entry room graphics includes the step of searching said stored content data to determine for which worlds files are present; and

the automatic generation is based on the determination made by the storing step.

19. The method of claim 11 and further comprising the steps of:

selecting any of the icons displayed in the entry room;

reading, bascd on link information that relates the icon to the content data, the content data for the world to which the icon corresponds.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said step of selecting selects a particular icon by moving and establishing the position of a pointer displayed in the entry room, the method further comprising the step of displaying in an overlay manner of an icon, text explaining the world to which the icon corresponds.

21. An information providing medium for providing a computer program for displaying a three-dimensional virtual reality space in which a user traverses worlds of a three-dimensional virtual reality space, the computer program comprising the steps of:

storing world content data describing different worlds making up the three-dimensional virtual reality space; and

automatically generating entry room graphics data upon entry by the user into an entry room, the entry room graphics data including data of three-dimensional graphics icons arranged in a three-dimensional array, wherein the step of automatically generating the entry room graphics data includes retrieving and using the world content data stored during the storing step, and the entry room configured as a three-dimensional directory of said icons.

22. The medium of claim 21 wherein said step of generating said entry room graphics of said computer program includes the step of determining that content data relating to a particular world is present and, in response to the determination, generating the entry room graphics data with a three-dimensional icon corresponding to the particular world.

23. The medium of claim 22 wherein said step of generating said entry room graphics of said computer program includes the step of maintaining tracking data when world content is added and deleted, and wherein a reordering of display of three dimensional graphics icons for the worlds of the universe is at least partially in response to the tracking data.

24. The medium of claim 23 wherein the automatic generation at said step of generating said entry room graphics of said computer program is such that a viewpoint position of an initial state of the entry room depends on the reordering of the display of the three dimensional graphics icons.

25. The medium of claim 24 wherein the automatic generation at said step of generating said entry room graphics of said computer program is such that at least some of the three dimensional graphics icons have a shape or a surface pattern simulating the world to which the icons correspond based on the content data for the world.

26. The medium of claim 25 wherein the entry room graphics data is described in a virtual reality modeling language.

27. The medium of claim 21 wherein step of generating said entry room graphics of said computer program includes the step of determining that content data relating to a particular world is not present and, in response to the determination, generating the entry room graphics data without a three-dimensional icon corresponding to the particular world.

28. The medium of claim 21 wherein:

the content data for the worlds is organized on a file basis;

the step of generating said entry room graphics of said computer program includes the step of searching said stored content data to determine for which worlds files are present; and

the automatic generation is based on the determination made by the storing step.

29. The medium of claim 21, wherein said computer program further includes the steps of:

selecting any of the icons displayed in the entry room;

reading, based on link information that relates the icon to the content data, the content data for the world to which the icon corresponds.

30. The medium of claim 29 wherein said step of selecting of said computer program selects a particular icon by moving and establishing the position of a pointer displayed in the entry room, the computer program further including the step of displaying in an overlay manner of an icon, text explaining the world to which the icon corresponds.

31. A three-dimensional virtual reality space display processing apparatus via which a user traverses worlds of a three-dimensional virtual reality space, comprising:

a storage unit configured to store world content data describing different worlds making up the three-dimensional virtual reality space; and

a controller configured to automatically generate entry room graphics data upon entry by the user into an entry room, the entry room graphics data including data of three-dimensional graphics icons arranged in a three-dimensional array, wherein automatic generation of the entry room graphics data includes retrieving and using the world content data stored on the storage unit, and the entry room configured as a three-dimensional directory of said icons.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said controller is further configured to determine that content data relating to a particular world is present and, in response to the determination, generates the entry room graphics data with a three-dimensional icon corresponding to the particular world.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the controller is further configured to maintain tracking data when world content is added and deleted, and wherein a reordering of display of three dimensional graphics icons for the worlds of the universe is at least partially in response to the tracking data.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein:

the automatic generation is such that a viewpoint position of an initial state of the entry room depends on the reordering of the display of the three dimensional graphics icons.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the automatic generation is such that at least some of the three dimensional graphics icons have a shape or a surface pattern simulating the world to which the icons correspond based on the content data for the world.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the entry room graphics data is described in a virtual reality modeling language.

37. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said controller is further configured to determine that content data relating to a particular world is not present and, in response to the determination, generates the entry room graphics data without a three-dimensional icon corresponding to the particular world.

38. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein:

the content data for the worlds is organized on a file basis;

the controller is further configured to search the storage unit to determine for which worlds files are present; and

the automatic generation is based on the determination made by the storage unit.

39. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a selection unit for selecting any of the icons displayed in the entry room;

wherein said controller is further configured to read, based on link information that relates the icon to the content data, the content data for the world to which the icon corresponds.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said selection unit selects a particular icon by moving and establishing the position of a pointer displayed in the entry room, and further, wherein said controller is further configured to display, in an overlay manner of an icon, text explaining the world to which the icon corresponds.

41. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said storage unit includes a memory.