Display controlling apparatus, display controlling method, and storage medium

1. A display controlling apparatus comprising:

one or more hardware processors; and

one or more memories which store instructions executable by the one or more hardware processors to cause the display controlling apparatus to perform at least:

(1) obtaining viewpoint path information for specifying a movement path of a virtual viewpoint corresponding to a virtual viewpoint image that is generated based on a plurality of captured images of an area captured with a plurality of image capturing apparatuses;

(2) generating, based on the obtained viewpoint path information, a path representation image for representing concurrently a plurality of movement paths of the virtual viewpoint; and

(3) causing a display screen to display the generated path representation image,

wherein in the generated path representation image, a figure representing a movement path of the virtual viewpoint is superimposed on an image of the area viewed from a specific viewpoint that is not on a movement path of the virtual viewpoint.

2. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the display controlling apparatus to perform:

setting a parameter for generating the path representation image based on user input,

wherein the path representation image is generated based on the obtained viewpoint path information and the set parameter.

3. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the path representation image includes a figure representing a time-dependent change of at least any of a position of the virtual viewpoint, a direction of the virtual viewpoint, an angle of view of the virtual viewpoint, and a gaze point corresponding to the virtual viewpoint.

4. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the display controlling apparatus to perform obtaining data related to a three-dimensional object in the area, and

wherein in the generating, the path representation image including an image of the three-dimensional object in the area is generated based on the obtained data.

5. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the path representation image includes a figure representing at least any of height and perspective of the movement path of the virtual viewpoint.

6. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the set parameter for generating the path representation image includes a parameter representing a position of a viewpoint for looking on a movement path of the virtual viewpoint.

7. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the set parameter includes information for designating at least any of display/non-display, shape, color, display interval, and opacity of a figure or an image displayed in the path representation image.

8. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the parameter includes information for designating a point of time in a capturing period of the plurality of image capturing apparatuses.

9. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the generated path representation image represents both an object in the area at the designated point of time and the plurality of movement paths of the virtual viewpoint in a period including time around the designated point of time.

10. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the path representation image is generated by superimposing images of objects at a plurality of designated points of time.

11. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein in the generated path representation image, the opacity of the objects is gradually changed depending on the point of time corresponding to each object.

12. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein in the generated path representation image, the opacity of an object is determined based on a degree of importance of the point of time corresponding to the object.

13. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case where at least one movement path among the plurality of movement paths is updated, the path representation image is updated.

14. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the path representation image includes a plurality of path images respectively representing the plurality of movement paths of the virtual viewpoint, and

wherein in a case where the parameter is updated by user input, the updated parameter is applied to all of the plurality of path images.

15. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the path representation image includes a plurality of path images respectively representing the plurality of movement paths of the virtual viewpoint, and

wherein in a case where the parameter is updated by user input, the updated parameter is applied to each of one or more path images selected from among the plurality of path images.

16. A display controlling method comprising:

obtaining viewpoint path information for specifying a movement path of a virtual viewpoint corresponding to a virtual viewpoint image that is generated based on a plurality of captured images of an area captured with a plurality of image capturing apparatuses;

generating, based on the obtained viewpoint path information, a path representation image for representing concurrently a plurality of movement paths of the virtual viewpoint; and

causing a display screen to display the generated path representation image,

wherein in the generated path representation image, a figure representing a movement path of the virtual viewpoint is superimposed on an image of the area viewed from a specific viewpoint that is not on a movement path of the virtual viewpoint.

17. The display controlling method according to claim 16 , further comprising setting a parameter for generating the path representation image based on user input,

wherein the path representation image is generated based on the obtained viewpoint path information and the set parameter.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for causing a computer to perform a display controlling method comprising:

obtaining viewpoint path information for specifying a movement path of a virtual viewpoint corresponding to a virtual viewpoint image that is generated based on a plurality of captured images of an area captured with a plurality of image capturing apparatuses;

generating, based on the obtained viewpoint path information, a path representation image for representing concurrently a plurality of movement paths of the virtual viewpoint; and

causing a display screen to display the generated path representation image,

wherein in the generated path representation image, a figure representing a movement path of the virtual viewpoint is superimposed on an image of the area viewed from a specific viewpoint that is not on a movement path of the virtual viewpoint.

19. The storage medium according to claim 18 , wherein the display controlling method further comprises setting a parameter for generating the path representation image based on user input, and

wherein the path representation image is generated based on the obtained viewpoint path information and the set parameter.

20. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image of the area is obtained by an image capturing apparatus positioned at the specific viewpoint.

21. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image of the area is generated based on user input designating the specific viewpoint and the plurality of images of the area captured with the plurality of image capturing apparatuses.

22. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the display controlling apparatus to perform:

receiving user input for selecting a movement path among the plurality of movement paths of the virtual viewpoint; and

causing the display screen to display a virtual viewpoint image corresponding to the selected movement path of the virtual viewpoint.

23. The display controlling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the generated path representation image includes a plurality of path images each representing a movement path of the virtual viewpoint, and

wherein in each of the plurality of path images, a figure representing a movement path of the virtual viewpoint is superimposed on an image of the area viewed from a specific viewpoint that is not on a movement path of the virtual viewpoint.