Information processing apparatus, method and computer program for virtual reality aura setting

• US 6,933,938 B1
• Filed: 09/03/1999
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LINE Corporation (A Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Shih-Chao
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCUSO, HUEDUNG XUAN CAO
• Application Number:
  US09/389,803
• Time in Patent Office: 2,181 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/418, 345/633, 345/706, 345/758, 345/422, 345/473, 345/474
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/352 involving special game server arrangements, e.g. regional servers connected to a national server or a plurality of servers managing partitions of the game world
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

According to the present invention, there are provided an information processing apparatus, an information processing method and a computer-readable medium for use with a virtual reality environment. The information processing apparatus includes a sensing-area setting means for setting an area used to sense information on objects, and a transmission-area setting means for setting an area used for transmitting information on an object. The transmission area may be set wider than the sensing area. Thus, according to the present invention, information on an object can be reported to another object located at a remote position with a higher degree of reliability.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for management of information on objects placed in a 3-dimensional virtual space, said information processing apparatus comprising:

a sensing-area setting means for setting a sensing area used for a sensing object to sense information on one or more sensed objects within said sensing area; and

a transmission-area setting means for setting a transmission area used for a transmitting object to transmit information to one or more receiving objects within said transmission area, wherein at least one of said sensing object and transmitting object is associated with a server, and wherein one of said sensing area and said transmission area is wider than the other of said sensing area and said transmission area.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

interaction means for exchanging data between said sensing object and said one or more sensed objects based on said sensing area, and between said transmitting object and said one or more receiving objects based on said transmission area.

3. An information processing apparatus for management of information on objects placed in a 3-dimensional virtual space, said information processing apparatus comprising:

a sensing-area setting means for setting a sensing area used for a sensing object to send information on one or more sensed objects within said sensing area; and

a transmission-area setting means for setting a transmission area used for a transmitting object to transmit information to one or more receiving objects within said transmission area, wherein at least one of said sensing object and transmitting object is associated with a server, and wherein said transmitting object is said sensing object.

4. An information processing apparatus for management of information on objects placed in a 3-dimensional virtual space, said information processing apparatus comprising:

a sensing-area setting means for setting a sensing area used for a sensing object to sense information on one or more sensed objects within said sensing area;

a transmission-area setting means for setting a transmission area used for a transmitting object to transmit information to one or more receiving objects within said transmission area; and

determination means for determining whether said one or more sensed objects are within said sensing area, and for determining whether said one or more receiving objects are within said transmission area, and wherein at least one of said sensing object and transmitting object is associated with a server.

5. An information processing method for management of information on objects placed in a 3-dimensional virtual space, said information processing method comprising the steps of:

setting a sensing area used for a sensing object to sense information on one or more sensed objects within said sensing area; and

setting a transmission area used for a transmitting object to transmit information to one or more receiving objects within said transmission area, wherein at least one of said sensing object and transmitting object is associated with a server, and wherein one of said sensing area and said transmission area is wider than the other of said sensing area and said transmission area.

6. The information processing method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

exchanging data between said sensing object and said one or more sensed objects based on said sensing area, and between said transmitting object and said one or more receiving objects are within based on said transmission area.

7. An information processing method for management of information on objects placed in a 3-dimensional virtual space, said information processing method comprising the steps of:

setting a sensing area used for a sensing object to sense information on one or more sensed objects within said sensing area; and

setting a transmission area used for a transmitting object to transmit information to one or more receiving objects within said transmission, wherein at least one of said sensing object and transmitting object is associated with a server, and wherein said transmitting object is said sensing object.

8. An information processing method for management of information on objects placed in a 3-dimensional virtual space, said information processing method comprising the steps of:

setting a sensing area used for a sensing object to sense information on one or more sensed objects within said sensing area;

setting a transmission area used for a transmitting object to transmit information to one or more receiving objects within said transmission area; and

determining whether said one or more sensed objects are within said sensing area, and whether said one or more receiving objects are within said transmission area, and wherein at least one of said sensing object and transmitting object is associated with a server.

9. A computer-readable medium for presenting a program executable by a computer to operate an information processing apparatus for management of information on objects placed in a 3-dimensional virtual space, said program to carry out processing including the steps of:

setting a sensing area used for a sensing object to sense information on one or more sensed objects within said sensing area; and

setting a transmission area used for a transmitting object to transmit information to one or more receiving objects within said transmission area, wherein at least one of said sensing object and transmitting object is associated with a server, and wherein one of said sensing area and said transmission area is wider than the other of said sensing area and said transmission area.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein said program further comprises the step of:

exchanging data between said sensing object and said one or more sensed objects based on said sensing area, and between said transmitting object and said one or more receiving objects based on said transmission area.

11. A computer-readable medium for presenting a program executable by a computer to operate an information processing apparatus for management of information on objects placed in a 3-dimensional virtual space, said program to carry out processing including the steps of:

setting a sensing area used for a sensing object to sense information on one or more sensed objects within said sensing area; and

setting a transmission area used for a transmitting object to transmit information to one or more receiving objects within said transmission area, wherein at least one of said sensing object and transmitting object is associated with a server, and wherein said transmitting object is said sensing object.

12. A computer-readable medium for presenting a program executable by a computer to operate an information processing apparatus for management of information on objects placed in a 3-dimensional virtual space, said program to carry out processing including the steps of:

setting a sensing area used for a sensing object to sense information on one or more sensed objects within said sensing area;

setting a transmission area used for a transmitting object to transmit information to one or more receiving objects within said transmission area; and

determining whether said one or more sensed objects are within said sensing area, and whether said one or more receiving objects are within said transmission area, and wherein at least one of said sensing object and transmitting object is associated with a server.

13. An information processing apparatus for management of information on objects placed in a 3-dimensional virtual space, said information processing apparatus comprising:

a storage element configured to store information related to a sensing object, information related to one or more sensed objects, information related to a sensing area, information related to a transmitting object, information related to one or more receiving objects, and information related to a transmission area, wherein said sensing area is used for said sensing object to sense said information related to said one or more sensed objects within said sensing area, wherein said transmission area is used for said transmitting object to transmit said information related to said transmitting object to said one or more receiving objects within said transmission area, and wherein at least one of said sensing object and transmitting object is associated with a server; and

a processor, coupled to said storage element, said processor configured to selectively set said sensing area and said transmission area such that one of said sensing area and said transmission area is wider than the other of said sensing area and said transmission area.

15. The information processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

said processor is further configured to exchange data between said sensing object and said one or more sensed objects based on said sensing area, and between said transmitting object and said one or more receiving objects based on said transmission area.

14. An information processing apparatus for management of information on objects placed in a 3-dimensional virtual space, said information processing apparatus comprising:

a storage element configured to store information related to a sensing object, information related to one or more sensed objects, information related to a sensing area, information related to a transmitting object, information related to one or more receiving objects, and information related to a transmission area, wherein said sensing area is used for said sensing object to sense said information related to said one or more sensed objects within said sensing area, wherein said transmission area is used for said transmitting object to transmit said information related to said transmitting object to said one or more receiving objects within said transmission area, and wherein at least one of said sensing object and transmitting object is associated with a server; and

a processor, coupled to said storage element, said processor configured to selectively set said sensing area and said transmission area, wherein said transmitting object is said sensing object.

16. An information processing apparatus for management of information on objects placed in a 3-dimensional virtual space, said information processing apparatus comprising:

a storage element configured to store information related to a sensing object, information related to one or more sensed objects, information related to a sensing area, information related to a transmitting object, information related to one or more receiving objects, and information related to a transmission area, wherein said sensing area is used for said sensing object to sense said information related to said one or more sensed objects within said sensing area, wherein said transmission area is used for said transmitting object to transmit said information related to said transmitting object to said one or more receiving objects within said transmission area, and wherein at least one of said sensing object and transmitting object is associated with a server; and

a processor, coupled to said storage element, said processor configured to selectively set said sensing area and said transmission area, wherein said processor is further configured to determine whether said one or more sensed objects are within said sensing area, and to determine whether said one or more receiving objects are within said transmission area.