Virtual space control data receiving apparatus,virtual space control data transmission and reception system, virtual space control data receiving method, and virtual space control data receiving program storage media

• US 6,961,060 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2000
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Naka, Toshiya, Mochizuki, Yoshiyuki, Asahara, Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US09/526,483
• Time in Patent Office: 2,057 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 345/473, 345/474, 345/475, 709/231, 709/219, 709/246
• US Class Current: 345/473
• 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 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6607 for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/20 3D [Three Dimensional] animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2016 Rotation, translation, scaling
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2021 Shape modification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44012 involving rendering scenes according to scene graphs, e.g. MPEG-4 scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup

Abstract

A virtual space control data receiving apparatus comprises stream data receiving means for receiving a plurality of stream data for controlling a dynamic virtual space, according to the type of each stream data; manual data input means for inputting control data for an object to be controlled in the virtual space; and control data output means for outputting the control data input by the manual data input means, for the object controlled by the manual data input means, and outputting the stream data received by the stream data receiving means, for the other objects. Therefore, in a dynamic virtual space represented by 3-dimensional CG, static image, dynamic image, audio, and text which are based on a network such as the Internet, the virtual space can be reproduced in real time, and the viewer can selectively control an object.

Claims

1. A stream correction apparatus for receiving an input stream in which motion data of plural components constructing computer graphics are packetized with time information in time sequence, and for correcting a part of the input stream, said apparatus comprising:

a user interface unit operable to select a component to be operated by a user from among the plural components and to input operational contents of the selected component; and

a correction unit operable to generate motion data for the selected component with data based on the operational contents inputted by said user interface unit, operable to save the generated motion data in an overwriting buffer in said correction unit, operable to generate a synchronized stream by synchronizing the input stream with the generated motion data in the overwriting buffer, and operable to output the synchronized stream as a corrected stream,

wherein the plural components include parts of an object to be operated, the motion data includes a joint angle of the parts, and said correction unit is further operable to correct the joint angle.

2. The stream correction apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a stream data reception unit operable to receive the input stream,

wherein said correction unit is further operable to correct the input stream by replacing the motion data of the selected component with data based on the operational contents before outputting the corrected stream.

3. The stream correction apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a data conversion unit operable to convert the operational contents into second data suited to the motion data of the selected component and to output the second data,

wherein said correction unit is further operable to correct the input stream by replacing the motion data of the selected component with the second data before outputting the corrected stream.

4. A computer graphics reproduction apparatus for reproducing computer graphics from data of the corrected stream of claim 2, said apparatus comprising a reproduction unit operable to decode the corrected stream, which is outputted from the correction unit, to reproduce the computer graphics.

5. A computer graphics display apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a display unit operable to real time display the computer graphics reproduced by said reproduction unit.

6. The stream correction apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a user data transmission unit operable to transmit the selected component and the operational contents of the selected component to a second stream correction apparatus; and

a user data reception unit operable to receive a second component selected by a second user interface unit of the second stream correction apparatus and second operational contents of the second selected component,

wherein said correction unit is further operable to correct the input stream by replacing the motion data of the selected component with data based on the operational contents and replacing motion data of the second selected component with data based on the second operational contents before outputting the corrected stream.

7. A stream correction apparatus for receiving an input stream in which motion data of plural components constructing computer graphics are packetized with time information in time sequence, and for correcting a part of the input stream, said apparatus comprising:

a user interface unit operable to select an object or an object part to be operated by a user from among the plural components and to input operational contents of the selected object or object part; and

a correction unit operable to generate motion data for the selected object or object part with data based on the operational contents inputted by said user interface unit, operable to save the generated motion data in an overwriting buffer in said correction unit, operable to generate a synchronized stream by synchronizing the input stream with the generated motion data in the overwriting buffer and operable to output the synchronized stream as a corrected stream,

wherein the components include parts of an object to be operated, the motion data includes a joint angle of the parts, and said correction unit is further operable to correct the joint angle.

8. The stream correction apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a data conversion unit operable to convert the operational contents into second data suited to the motion data of the selected object or object part and to output the second data,

wherein said correction unit is further operable to correct the input stream by replacing the motion data of the selected object or object part with the second data before outputting the corrected stream.

9. The stream correction apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a data conversion unit operable to convert the operational contents into second data suited to the motion data of the selected object or object part and to output the second data and to use tabled conversion data when converting the operational contents into data suited to the motion data of the selected object or object part.

10. The stream correction apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a data conversion unit operable to convert the operational contents into second data suited to the motion data of the selected object or object part and to output the second data and to use tabled key conversion data when converting the operational contents into data suited to the motion data of the selected object or object part.

11. The stream correction apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a data conversion unit operable to convert the operational contents into second data suited to the motion data of the selected object or object part and to output the second data and to use a pre-taught neural network when converting the operational contents into data suited to the motion data of the selected object or object part.

12. A computer graphics reproduction apparatus for reproducing computer graphics from data of the corrected stream of claim 7, said apparatus comprising a reproduction unit operable to decode the corrected stream, which is outputted from the correction unit, to reproduce the computer graphics.

13. A computer graphics display apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a display unit operable to real time display the computer graphics reproduced by said reproduction unit.

14. A transmission and reception system comprising:

a stream transmission apparatus for transmitting a first stream in which motion data of plural components constructing computer graphics are packetized with time information in time sequence; and

a stream correction apparatus for correcting a part of the first stream, said stream correction apparatus comprising a user interface unit and a correction unit,

wherein said user interface unit is operable to select a component to be operated by a user from among the plural components and to input operational contents of the selected component,

wherein said correction unit is operable to generate motion data for the selected component with data based on the operational contents inputted by said user interface unit, is operable to save the generated motion data in an overwriting buffer in said correction unit, is operable to generate a synchronized stream by synchronizing the first stream with the generated motion data in the overwriting buffer, and is operable to output the synchronized stream as a corrected stream, and

wherein the components include parts of an object to be operated, the motion data includes a joint angle of the parts, and said correction unit is further operable to correct the joint angle.

15. A stream correction method for receiving a stream in which motion data of plural components constructing computer graphics are packetized with time information in time sequence, and correcting a part of the stream, said method comprising:

selecting a component to be operated by a user from among the plural components;

inputting operational contents of the selected component;

correcting the stream by generating motion data for the selected component with data based on the inputted operational contents;

saving the generated motion data in an overwriting buffer;

generating a synchronized stream by synchronizing the stream with the generated motion data in the overwriting buffer; and

outputting the synchronized stream as a corrected input stream,

wherein the components include parts of an object to be operated, the motion data includes a joint angle of the parts, and said correcting further corrects the joint angle.

16. A computer graphics reproduction method for receiving a stream in which motion data of plural components constructing computer graphics are packetized with time information in time sequence, and reproducing the computer graphics in which a part of the stream is corrected, said method comprising:

selecting a component to be operated by a user from among the plural components;

inputting operational contents of the selected component;

correcting the stream by generating motion data for the selected component with data based on the inputted operational contents;

saving the generated motion data in an overwriting buffer;

generating a synchronized stream by synchronizing the stream with the generated motion data in the overwriting buffer;

outputting the synchronized stream as a corrected input stream; and

reproducing the computer graphics by decoding the outputted corrected input stream,

wherein the components include parts of an object to be operated, the motion data includes a joint angle of the parts, and said correcting further corrects the joint angle.

17. A computer graphics display method for receiving a stream in which motion data of plural component constructing computer graphics are packetized with time information in time sequence, reproducing the computer graphics in which a part of the stream is corrected, and displaying the computer graphics, said method comprising:

selecting a component to be operated by a user from among the plural components;

inputting operational contents of the selected component;

correcting the stream by generating motion data for the selected component with data based on the inputted operational contents;

saving the generated motion data in an overwriting buffer;

generating a synchronized stream by synchronizing the stream with the generated motion data in the overwriting buffer; and

outputting the synchronized stream as a corrected input stream;

reproducing the computer graphics by decoding the outputted corrected input stream; and

displaying, in real time, the reproduced computer graphics,

wherein the components include parts of an object to be operated, the motion data includes a joint angle of the parts, and said correcting further corrects the joint angle.

18. A data storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon, the computer readable instructions being capable of instructing a computer to perform a stream correction process of receiving a stream in which motion data of plural components constituting computer graphics are packetized with time information in time sequence and to correct a part of the stream, the computer readable instructions comprising instructions capable of instructing a computer to:

select a component to be operated by a user from among the plural components;

input operational contents of the selected component;

correct the stream by generating motion data for the selected component with data based on the inputted operational contents;

save the generated motion data in an overwriting buffer;

generate a synchronized stream by synchronizing the stream with the generated motion data in the overwriting buffer; and

output the synchronized stream as a corrected input stream,

wherein the components include parts of an object to be operated, the motion data includes a joint angle of the parts, and said correcting further corrects the joint angle.

19. A data storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon, the computer readable instructions being capable of instructing a computer to perform a computer graphics reproduction process of receiving a stream in which motion data of plural components constituting computer graphics are packetized with time information in time sequence and to reproduce the computer graphics in which a part of the stream is corrected, the computer readable instructions comprising instructions capable of instructing a computer to:

select a component to be operated by a user from among the plural components;

input operational contents of the selected component;

correct the stream by generating motion data for the selected component with data based on the inputted operational contents;

save the generated motion data in an overwriting buffer;

generate a synchronized stream by synchronizing the stream with the generated motion data in the overwriting buffer; and

output the synchronized stream as a corrected input stream; and

reproduce the computer graphics by decoding the outputted corrected input stream,

wherein the components include parts of an object to be operated, the motion data includes a joint angle of the parts, and said correcting further corrects the joint angle.

20. A data storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon, the computer readable instructions being capable of instructing a computer to perform a computer graphics display process of receiving a stream in which motion data of plural components constituting computer graphics are packetized with time information in time sequence, to reproduce the computer graphics in which a part of the stream is corrected and to display the computer graphics, the computer readable instructions comprising instructions capable of instructing a computer to:

select a component to be operated by a user from among the plural components;

input operational contents of the selected component;

correct the stream by generating motion data for the selected component with data based on the inputted operational contents;

save the generated motion data in an overwriting buffer;

generate a synchronized stream by synchronizing the stream with the generated motion data in the overwriting buffer; and

output the synchronized stream as a corrected input stream;

reproduce the computer graphics by decoding the outputted corrected input stream; and

display, in real time, the reproduced computer graphics,

wherein the components include parts of an object to be operated, the motion data includes a joint angle of the parts, and said correcting further corrects the joint angle.