Granted Patent B2

US 12,567,203 · App. 18/215,201 · Granted Mar 3, 2026

Inventor: Akihiko Shirai (Kanagawa, JP)

Assignee: GREE HOLDINGS, INC.

G06T17/00G06F3/0346G06T13/40

Abstract

Claims (82)

1 . An information processing system, comprising:

processing circuitry configured to

detect a state of a first user that distributes content including an image of a first virtual space, wherein the image includes a plurality of layers and the first virtual space is a three-dimensional virtual reality environment;

display the image of the first virtual space, which is viewable by the first user watching the content via a first terminal device relating to the first user or is viewable by a second user watching the content via a second terminal device relating to the second user; and

store a first avatar associated with the first user, wherein to display the image of the first virtual space, the processing circuitry is configured to

generate a first image region of a first layer, of the plurality of layers, including the first avatar, and

generate a second image region of a second layer, of the plurality of layers, including a first user interface,

the first layer is situated at a first distance within the three-dimensional virtual reality environment as viewed from the first user,

the second layer is situated at a second distance within the three-dimensional virtual reality environment as viewed from the first user, the second distance being farther from the first user than the first distance, and

the processing circuitry is further configured to change a state of the first avatar in the first image region of the first layer based on the detected state of the first user.

2 . The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein

the first avatar is in a form of a character having a frontal direction,

the processing circuitry detects, as the state of the first user, at least one user information of orientation, position, and movement of the first user in a real space, and

the processing circuitry generates the first image region in which at least one of orientation, position, and movement of the character is realized in accordance with the user information.

3 . The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry generates the first avatar in a semitransparent manner.

4 . The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein

the first avatar is an avatar of the first user, and

the processing circuitry generates the first image region by placing the first avatar in the first virtual space, based on an image reflected in a mirror provided in the first virtual space.

5 . The information processing system according to claim 4 , wherein to display the image, the processing circuitry is further configured to generate a third image region of at least one of, out of the plurality of layers,

a layer relating to a background, and

a layer that situated is on a side of the background that is closer to a viewpoint for the first user than to the background, and also on a side of the second image region that is farther from the viewpoint for the first user than the second image region.

6 . The information processing system according to claim 5 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to include, in the third image region, information relating to the second user.

7 . The information processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to

store a second avatar associated with the second user, and

generates the second avatar as the information relating to the second user.

8 . The information processing system according to claim 5 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to include, in the third image region, at least one of input information from the second user, guidance/notification information to the first user and/or the second user, and item information including a gift object that is sent to the first user.

9 . The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to

detect an input by the first user via the first user interface, based on the detected state of the first user, and a state of the second image region, and

execute a first processing in accordance with the input.

10 . The information processing system according to claim 9 , wherein the first processing includes any of processing to start distributing of the content, processing to end distributing of the content, processing of sound input, processing for receiving a gift, processing of displaying an image for an item in association with the first avatar, processing for selecting/exchanging an item that is displayable in association with the first avatar, processing for text input, processing for accepting other users, processing for changing a value of a parameter of the content, and processing for transitioning to a state in which another processing can be executed.

11 . The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein

the processing circuitry is further configured to display another image of a second virtual space, the other image being viewable by the first user via the first terminal device or the second user via the second terminal device,

the other image includes a plurality of layers, and

to display the other image, the processing circuitry is further configured to

generate a fourth image region of a layer, of the plurality of layers, relating to a second user interface, and

generate a fifth image region of a layer, of the plurality of layers, that is situated on a side behind the fourth image region as viewed from a viewpoint for the first user or the second user, and

generate a plurality of operating regions that are planar in form and that relate to the second user interface, in a form placed following a spherical face or a curved face.

12 . The information processing system according to claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry generates, at a position corresponding to a position of the second user in the second virtual space, at least part of the plurality of operating regions that are planar in form, in a plurality of rows following a first curved face, about a predetermined reference axis that extends in an up-down direction of the second virtual space.

13 . The information processing system according to claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry generates another part of the plurality of operating regions that are planar in form in a plurality of rows following a second curved face that is offset to a side behind the first curved face about the predetermined reference axis as viewed from the viewpoint for the first user or the second user.

14 . The information processing system according to claim 13 , further comprising:

another processing circuitry configured to

detect a state of the second user that enters the second virtual space;

detect input by the second user via the second user interface, based on the state detected of the second user and a state of the fourth image region; and

execute a second processing in accordance with the detected input by the second user.

15 . The information processing system according to claim 14 , wherein the second processing includes any of processing of changing placement of the second user interface, processing of relocating the first user to any location or a particular location in the first virtual space, processing to start distributing the content, processing to start watching the content, processing to end watching the content, sound input processing, processing of sending a gift, processing of displaying an image for an avatar item, processing for selecting/exchanging an avatar item, processing for text input, and processing for transitioning to a state in which another processing can be executed.

16 . The information processing system according to claim 11 , wherein the fifth image region includes

an image region of a layer, of the plurality of layers, relating to a background, and

an image region that is a layer, of the plurality of layers, situated at a side of the background that is closer to the viewpoint for the first user or the second user than the background, and that includes information relating to at least part of the plurality of operating regions that are planar in form.

17 . An information processing method that is executed by a computer, the information processing method comprising:

detecting a state of a first user that distributes content including an image of a first virtual space, wherein the image includes a plurality of layers and the first virtual space is a three-dimensional virtual reality environment;

performing first display processing of displaying the image of the first virtual space, which is viewable by the first user watching the content via a first terminal device relating to the first user or is viewable by a second user watching the content via a second terminal device relating to the second user; and

storing a first avatar associated with the first user, wherein

the performing the first display processing includes:

first generating a first image region of a first layer, of the plurality of layers, including the first avatar, and

second generating a second image region of a second layer, of the plurality of layers, including a first user interface,

the first layer is situated at a first distance within the three-dimensional virtual reality environment as viewed from the first user,

the second layer is situated at a second distance within the three-dimensional virtual reality environment as viewed from the first user, the second distance being farther from the first user than the first distance, and

the first generating includes changing a state of the first avatar in the first image region of the first layer based on the detected state of the first user.

18 . The information processing method according to claim 17 , further comprising:

performing second display processing of displaying another image of a second virtual space, the other image being viewable by the first user via the first terminal device or the second user via the second terminal device, wherein

the other image includes a plurality of layers, and

the performing the second display processing includes:

third generating a third image region of a layer, of the plurality of layers, relating to a second user interface, and

fourth generating a fourth image region of a layer, of the plurality of layers, that is situated on a side behind the third image region as viewed from a viewpoint for the first user or the second user, and

the third generating includes generating a plurality of operating regions that are planar in form and that relate to the second user interface, in a form placed following a spherical face or a curved face.

19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

detect a state of a first user that distributes content including an image of a first virtual space, wherein the image includes a plurality of layers and the first virtual space is a three-dimensional virtual reality environment;

perform first display processing of displaying the image of the first virtual space, which is viewable by the first user watching the content via a first terminal device relating to the first user or is viewable by a second user watching the content via a second terminal device relating to the second user; and

store a first avatar associated with the first user, wherein

to perform the first display processing, the computer is further caused to:

first generating a first image region of a first layer, of the plurality of layers, including the first avatar, and

second generating a second image region of a second layer, of the plurality of layers, including a first user interface,

the first layer is situated at a first distance within the three-dimensional virtual reality environment as viewed from the first user,

the second layer is situated at a second distance within the three-dimensional virtual reality environment as viewed from the first user, the second distance being farther from the first user than the first distance, and

the first generating includes changing a state of the first avatar in the first image region of the first layer based on the detected state of the first user.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 19 , wherein the computer is further caused to:

perform second display processing of displaying another image of a second virtual space, the other image being viewable by the first user via the first terminal device or the second user via the second terminal device,

the other image includes a plurality of layers, and

to perform the second display processing, the computer is further caused to:

third generating a third image region of a layer, of the plurality of layers, relating to a second user interface, and

fourth generating a fourth image region of a layer, of the plurality of layers, that is situated on a side behind the third image region as viewed from a viewpoint for the first user or the second user, and

the third generating includes generating a plurality of operating regions that are planar in form and that relate to the second user interface, in a form placed following a spherical face or a curved face.

Assignments (3)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (17)