Method, apparatus and presentation medium for multiple auras in a virtual shared space

• US 6,532,007 B1
• Filed: 09/03/1999
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US09/389,773
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/420, 345/157, 345/158, 345/705, 345/706
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects

Abstract

An inner aura and an outer aura each serving as a sensing area, are set for an avatar with the outer aura enclosing the inner aura. Only if an object sensed by the outer aura also exists in the inner aura, is information on the object reported to the avatar. As a result, information presented to an avatar existing in a virtual space is processed at a high speed and the amount of transmitted information is reduced.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for moving an object located in a 3-dimensional virtual space, comprising:

recognition means for recognizing a second object existing in an outer sensing area of a first object used for sensing said second object and set to enclose an inner sensing area, said inner sensing area configured to enclose said first object;

judgment means for determining whether said recognized second object exists in said inner sensing area; and

processing means for carrying out a predetermined processing on said second object determined to exist in said inner sensing area.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of said outer and inner sensing areas is a sensing area configured to sense said object in accordance with a sound, and wherein said other one of said outer and inner sensing areas is a sensing area configured to sense visually.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said recognition means recognizes said second object based on a position of said second object relative to said first object.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein either of said inner or outer sensing area includes a plurality of sub-sensing areas.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second objects are first and second avatars, respectively in said 3-dimensional virtual space, and further, wherein said inner and outer sensing areas of said first avatar are an inner and outer auras, respectively.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said first and second avatars correspond to a first and second users, respectively.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second sensing areas have a corresponding predetermined shape.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second sensing areas are different.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second sensing areas are the same.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second sensing areas are substantially spherical.

11. An information processing method for moving an object located in a 3-dimensional virtual space, said method comprising the steps of:

recognizing a second object existing in an outer sensing area of a first object used for sensing said second object and set to enclose an inner sensing area set to enclose said second object;

determining whether said recognized second object exists in said inner sensing area; and

performing a predetermined processing on said second object determined to exist in said inner sensing area.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said recognizing step recognizes said second object based on a position of said second object relative to said first object.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein either of said inner or outer sensing area includes a plurality of sub-sensing areas.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said first and second objects are first and second avatars, respectively in said 3-dimensional virtual space, and further, wherein said inner and outer sensing areas of said first avatar are an inner and outer auras, respectively.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein each of said first and second avatars correspond to a first and second users, respectively.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said first and second sensing areas have a corresponding predetermined shape.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second sensing areas are different.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second sensing areas are the same.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second sensing areas are substantially spherical.

20. A presentation medium for a presenting a program that can be executed by a computer to drive an information processing apparatus for moving an object located in a 3-dimensional virtual space to carry out processing including:

a recognition step of recognizing a second object existing in an outer sensing area of a first object used for sensing said second object and set to enclose an inner sensing area, said inner sensing area configured to enclose said first object;

a judgment step of determining whether said second recognized object exists in said inner sensing area; and

a processing step of performing a predetermined processing on said second object determined to exist in said inner sensing area.

21. The medium of claim 20 wherein said recognizing step recognizes said second object based on a position of said second object relative to said first object.

22. The medium of claim 20 wherein either of said inner or outer sensing area includes a plurality of sub-sensing areas.

23. The medium of claim 20 wherein said first and second objects are first and second avatars, respectively in said 3-dimensional virtual space, and further, wherein said inner and outer sensing areas of said first avatar are an inner and outer auras, respectively.

24. The medium of claim 23 wherein each of said first and second avatars correspond to a first and second users, respectively.

25. The medium of claim 20 wherein said first and second sensing areas have a corresponding predetermined shape.

26. The medium of claim 25 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second sensing areas are different.

27. The medium of claim 25 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second sensing areas are the same.

28. The medium of claim 25 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second sensing areas are substantially spherical.

29. An information processing apparatus for moving an object located in a 3-dimensional virtual space, comprising:

a browser for executing a script program to process a VRML file including an inner sensing area and an outer sensing area, said inner sensing area configured to enclose a first object and said outer sensing area including a second object; and

a server for determining whether said recognized second object exists in said inner sensing area;

wherein said server is configured to perform a predetermined processing on said second object determined to exist in said inner sensing area.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein one of said outer and inner sensing areas is a sensing area configured to sense said object in accordance with a sound, and wherein said other one of said outer and inner sensing areas is a sensing area configured to sense visually.

31. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said server is configured to recognize said second object based on a position of said second object relative to said first object.

32. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein either of said inner or outer sensing area includes a plurality of sub-sensing areas.

33. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said first and second objects are first and second avatars, respectively in said 3-dimensional virtual space, and further, wherein said inner and outer sensing areas of said first avatar are an inner and outer auras, respectively.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein each of said first and second avatars correspond to a first and second users, respectively.

35. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said first and second sensing areas have a corresponding predetermined shape.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second sensing areas are different.

37. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second sensing areas are the same.

38. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second sensing areas are substantially spherical.

39. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said predetermined processing includes processing for receiving information from said second object.

40. An information processing system for a 3-dimensional virtual shared space, comprising:

a user terminal having a browser loaded therein to execute a script program stored in a storage medium for processing a VRML file, said VRML file including an inner aura and an outer aura, said inner aura configured to enclose a first avatar and said outer aura including a second avatar;

a shared server coupled to said user terminal for determining whether said recognized second avatar exists in said inner aura;

wherein said shared server is configured to receive information from said second avatar wherein said second avatar is determined to exist in said inner aura.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein each of said inner and outer avatars has a predetermined detection range.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein one of said inner and outer auras is an aura configured to detect one or more avatars within its detection range in accordance with a sound, and wherein said other one of said inner and outer auras is an aura configured to visually detect one or more avatars within its corresponding detection range.

43. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein either of said inner or outer auras includes one or more sub-auras.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein each of said sub-auras has a predetermined detection range.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein said sub-aura is configured to detect one or more avatars within its detection range in accordance with a gesture from said one or more avatars.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein said gesture includes one or more of a movement of an arm for a handshake, a movement to come into physical contact with said first avatar, or a movement to transfer an object.

47. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said first avatar corresponds to a first user at said user terminal.

48. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said first and second auras have a corresponding predetermined shape.

49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second auras are different.

50. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second auras are the same.

51. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein said predetermined shapes of said first and second auras are substantially spherical.