Image processing device, image processing system, image processing method, and computer program for effecting changes in a selected display region

1. An image processing device comprising:

an input information obtaining section configured to obtain user input information for changing, as a display object, a display region in an image;

a display image processing section configured to generate, as a display image, an image inside the display region determined on a basis of the user input information, where the display image processing section makes visibility different by synthesizing an image of a concentration line including a plurality of radial lines concentrating onto the region in a predetermined area range with the display image being scaled;

a display section configured to display, on a display, the generated display image; and

a storage section configured to store data of a template image of the concentration line, the template image having a size larger than a screen size of the display,

wherein when the input information obtaining section obtains user input information for scaling the display image, the display image processing section scales the display image according to the user input information, and during the scaling performs image manipulation making visibility of a region of the display image, the region being in the predetermined area range of the display image, the predetermined area range including an object of focus as a center of the scaling, different from visibility of another region of the display image,

wherein making visibility of the region different from visibility of the another region includes applying a masking effect to at least a part of the another region, the masking effect communicating to a viewer movement of the object of focus in a direction toward or away from a background behind the object of focus, and

wherein the display image processing section determines a region to be cut out from the template image such that the concentration line concentrates onto a position corresponding to the focus in the display image, and synthesizes the cut-out concentration line image.

2. The image processing device according to claim 1 ,

wherein when scaling the display image, the display image processing section updates the display image in each time step such that the scaling of the image is performed so as to be limited to within the region in the predetermined area range.

3. An image processing system comprising:

a client terminal operated by a user; and

a server configured to obtain information about a user operation from the client terminal, generate data of a display image to be displayed on the client terminal according to the information, and transmit the data to the client terminal,

wherein the server includes:

an input information obtaining section configured to obtain user input information for changing, as a display object, a display region in an image from the client terminal, a display image processing section configured to generate, as the display image, an image inside the display region determined on a basis of the user input information, where the display image processing section makes visibility different by synthesizing an image of a concentration line including a plurality of radial lines concentrating onto the region in a predetermined area range with the display image being scaled,

an encoding section configured to compression-code data of the generated display image, and

a transmitting section configured to transmit the compression-coded data to the client terminal;

the client terminal includes:

a decoding section configured to decode and decompress the compression-coded data transmitted from the server,

a display section configured to display, on a display, a decoded and decompressed image,

a storage section configured to store data of a template image of the concentration line, the template image having a size larger than a screen size of the display,

wherein, in the server, when the input information obtaining section obtains user input information for scaling the display image, the display image processing section changes the display image such that the scaling of the image is performed, during the scaling, so as to be limited to a region of the display image, the region being in the predetermined area range of the display image, the predetermined area range including an object of focus as a center of the scaling,

wherein during the scaling a masking effect is applied, the masking effect communicating to a viewer movement of the object of focus in a direction toward or away from a background behind the object of focus, and

wherein the display image processing section determines a region to be cut out from the template image such that the concentration line concentrates onto a position corresponding to the focus in the display image, and synthesizes the cut-out concentration line image.

4. The image processing system according to claim 3 ,

wherein the display section of the client terminal displays the display image being scaled on the display, the display image being transmitted from the server and decoded and decompressed by the decoding section, after the display image is subjected, during the scaling, to image manipulation making visibility of the region in the predetermined area range different from visibility of another region of the display image.

5. An image processing method for controlling an image displayed on a display by an image processing device, the image processing method comprising:

obtaining user input information for changing, as a display object, a display region in an image from an input device;

generating, as a display image, an image inside the display region determined on a basis of the user input information, and storing the display image in a memory, where the generating includes making visibility different by synthesizing an image of a concentration line including a plurality of radial lines concentrating onto the region in a predetermined area range with the display image being scaled; and

reading the display image stored in the memory,

displaying, on a display, the display image, and

storing data of a template image of the concentration line, the template image having a size larger than a screen size of the display,

wherein when user input information for scaling the display image is obtained in obtaining the user input information from the input device, the display image is scaled according to the user input information, and image manipulation making visibility of a region of the display image, the region being in the predetermined area range of the display image, the predetermined area range including an object of focus as a center of the scaling, different from visibility of another region of the display image, is performed during the scaling, and

wherein making visibility of the region different from visibility of the another region includes applying a masking effect to at least a part of the another region, the masking effect communicating to a viewer movement of the object of focus in a direction toward or away from a background behind the object of focus, and

wherein the displaying includes determining a region to be cut out from the template image such that the concentration line concentrates onto a position corresponding to the focus in the display image, and synthesizes the cut-out concentration line image.

6. An image processing method performed by a client terminal operated by a user, and a server for obtaining information about a user operation from the client terminal, generating data of a display image to be displayed on the client terminal according to the information, and transmitting the data to the client terminal, the image processing method comprising:

in the server,

obtaining user input information for changing, as a display object, a display region in an image from the client terminal;

generating, as a display image, an image inside the display region determined on a basis of the user input information, and storing the display image in a memory, where the generating includes making visibility different by synthesizing an image of a concentration line including a plurality of radial lines concentrating onto the region in a predetermined area range with the display image being scaled;

reading data of the generated display image from the memory, and compression-coding the data of the generated display image;

storing data of a template image of the concentration line, the template image having a size larger than a screen size of a display; and

transmitting the compression-coded data to the client terminal; and

in the client terminal,

decoding and decompressing the compression-coded data transmitted from the server, and storing the data in a memory; and

reading a decoded and decompressed image from the memory, and displaying, on the display, the image,

wherein when the server obtains user input information for scaling the display image in obtaining the user input information from the client terminal, the display image is changed such that the scaling of the image is performed, during the scaling, so as to be limited to a region of the display image, the region being in the predetermined area range of the display image, the predetermined area range including an object of focus as a center of the scaling,

wherein during the scaling a masking effect is applied, the masking effect communicating to a viewer movement of the object of focus in a direction toward or away from a background behind the object of focus, and

wherein the displaying includes determining a region to be cut out from the template image such that the concentration line concentrates onto a position corresponding to the focus in the display image, and synthesizes the cut-out concentration line image.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to carry out actions, comprising:

obtaining user input information for changing, as a display object, a display region in an image from an input device;

generating, as a display image, an image inside the display region determined on a basis of the user input information, and storing the display image in a memory, where the generating includes making visibility different by synthesizing an image of a concentration line including a plurality of radial lines concentrating onto the region in a predetermined area range with the display image being scaled; and

reading the display image stored in the memory,

displaying, on a display, the display image, and

storing data of a template image of the concentration line, the template image having a size larger than a screen size of the display,

wherein when user input information for scaling the display image is obtained in obtaining the user input information from the input device, the display image is scaled according to the user input information, and image manipulation making visibility of a region of the display image, the region being in the predetermined area range of the display image, the predetermined area range including an object of focus as a center of the scaling, different from visibility of another region of the display image, is performed during the scaling, and

wherein making visibility of the region different from visibility of the another region includes applying a masking effect to at least a part of the another region, the masking effect communicating to a viewer movement of the object of focus in a direction toward or away from a background behind the object of focus, and

wherein the displaying includes determining a region to be cut out from the template image such that the concentration line concentrates onto a position corresponding to the focus in the display image, and synthesizes the cut-out concentration line image.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program, which when executed by a server for obtaining information about a user operation from a client terminal connected via a network, generating data of a display image to be displayed on the client terminal according to the information, and transmitting the data to the client terminal, causes the server to carry out actions, comprising:

obtaining user input information for changing, as a display object, a display region in an image from the client terminal;

generating, as a display image, an image inside the display region determined on a basis of the user input information;

compression-coding data of the generated display image; and

transmitting the compression-coded data to the client terminal, and storing data of a template image of a concentration line, the template image having a size larger than a screen size of a display, where a display image processing section makes visibility different by synthesizing an image of the concentration line including a plurality of radial lines concentrating onto the region in a predetermined area range with the display image being scaled,

wherein when a function of obtaining the user input information from the client terminal obtains user input information for scaling the display image, a function of generating the image as the display image changes the display image such that the scaling of the image is performed, during the scaling, so as to be limited to a region of the display image, the region being in the predetermined area range including an object of focus as a center of the scaling,

wherein during the scaling a masking effect is applied, the masking effect communicating to a viewer movement of the object of focus in a direction toward or away from a background behind the object of focus,

wherein the displaying includes determining a region to be cut out from the template image such that the concentration line concentrates onto a position corresponding to the focus in the display image, and synthesizes the cut-out concentration line image.