IP Library › Granted Patent US 12661582
Granted Patent B2
US 12661582 · App. 18/361,928 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Information processing apparatus and image generation method

Inventors: Nodoka Tokunaga (Tokyo, JP); Kiyobumi Matsunaga (Tokyo, JP); Masahiro Fujihara (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
A63F13/26G06F3/1454G06T19/00A63F2300/8082
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12661582
App. No.
18/361,928
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus including at least one processor that has hardware. The at least one processor generates a first content image in a three-dimensional virtual reality space to be displayed on a head-mounted display, generates a second content image to be displayed on a flat-screen display, and generates a third content image from the first content image and/or the second content image.

Claims (47)

1 . An information processing apparatus comprising:

at least one processor that has hardware, the at least one processor being configured to perform operations comprising:

generating a first content image in a three-dimensional virtual reality space to be displayed on a head-mounted display,

generating a second content image to be displayed on a flat-screen display;

displaying a first menu to a user interface of the head-mounted display;

receiving a first selection from the first menu;

based at least in part of the received selection, generating a third content image from at least one of the first content image or the second content image;

displaying a second menu to the user interface of the head-mounted display;

receiving a second selection from the second menu; and

displaying, based at least in part on the second selection, one or more of the first content image, the second content image, and the third content image to one or more of the head-mounted display and the flat-screen display.

2 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor generates the third content image by switching between the first content image and the second content image while generating the third content image.

3 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor generates the third content image by merging the first content image and the second content image.

4 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor presents multiple options for the third content image to be generated.

5 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor generates the third content image that includes multiple images.

6 . An image generation method comprising:

generating a first content image in a three-dimensional virtual reality space to be displayed on a head-mounted display;

generating a second content image to be displayed on a flat-screen display;

displaying a first menu to a user interface of the head-mounted display;

receiving a first selection from the first menu;

based at least in part of the received selection, generating a third content image from at least one of the first content image or the second content image;

displaying a second menu to the user interface of the head-mounted display;

receiving a second selection from the second menu; and

displaying, based at least in part on the second selection, one or more of the first

content image, the second content image, and the third content image to one or more of the head-mounted display and the flat-screen display.

7 . A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory recording medium, including instructions configured to cause at least one processor to perform operations, comprising:

generate a first content image in a three-dimensional virtual reality space to be displayed on a head-mounted display;

generate a second content image to be displayed on a flat-screen display;

display a first menu to a user interface of the head-mounted display;

receive a first selection from the first menu;

based at least in part of the received selection, generate a third content image from at least one of the first content image or the second content image;

display a second menu to the user interface of the head-mounted display;

receive a second selection from the second menu; and

display, based at least in part on the second selection, one or more of the first

content image, the second content image, and the third content image to one or more of the head-mounted display and the flat-screen display.

8 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor merges the first content image and the second content image by arranging them side-by-side within the third content image, such that the first content image is displayed on one portion of the display and the second content image is displayed on a different portion of the display within the third content image.

9 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to switch between the first content image and the second content image at predetermined time intervals during generation of the third content image, thereby producing a third content image that alternates between the first and second content images according to a schedule.

10 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor merges the first content image and the second content image by overlaying at least a portion of the second content image onto the first content image within the third content image.

11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the third content image is generated by switching between the first content image and the second content image while generating the third content image.

12 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the third content image is generated by merging the first content image and the second content image.

13 . The method claim 6 , further comprising presenting multiple options for the third content image to be generated.

14 . The method claim 6 , wherein the third content image includes multiple images.

15 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising the first content image and the second content image by arranging them side-by-side within the third content image, such that the first content image is displayed on one portion of the display and the second content image is displayed on a different portion of the display within the third content image.

16 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising switching between the first content image and the second content image at predetermined time intervals during generation of the third content image, thereby producing a third content image that alternates between the first and second content images according to a schedule.

17 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor generates the third content image by switching between the first content image and the second content image halfway through generating the third content image.

18 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor generates the third content image by merging the first content image and the second content image.

19 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor presents multiple options for the third content image to be generated.

20 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor generates the third content image that includes multiple images.