IP Library Granted Patent US 12,725,352
Granted Patent B2
US 12,725,352 · App. 18/727,110 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Information processing device and information processing method

Inventors: Takeshi Nakagawa (Tokyo, JP); Takashi Hatakeda (Tokyo, JP); Kuniaki Oe (Tokyo, JP); Shizuka Ohara (Tokyo, JP); Haruka Iwaki (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
G06T17/00G02B27/017G06F3/013G06T5/50G06T7/70G06T2207/20221
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,725,352
App. No.
18/727,110
Granted
Sep 1, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image generation device generates a look-around screen for allowing a user who wears a head-mounted display to look around a play area. The image generation device generates a map for estimating a position of the user, on the basis of a plurality of camera images obtained by capturing a space around the user in a plurality of directions by a camera of the head-mounted display. In the look-around screen, a predetermined special image is superimposed on an image indicating the play area, and a region which has coincided with the line-of-sight direction of the user in a special image changes a display mode different than before. The special image is set to a space around the head-mounted display and narrower than a maximum range of the play area.

Claims (39)

1 . An information processing device comprising:

a memory comprising computer-executable instructions; and

a processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:

generating a screen that allows a user wearing a head-mounted display to look around a play area that the user is able to move during a play of an application, wherein the screen includes:

a predetermined special image superimposed on an image indicating the play area;

the predetermined special image is set in a first space around the head-mounted display and narrower than a maximum range of the play area; and

a region coinciding with a line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image that changes a display mode different than before;

causing the screen to be displayed on the head-mounted display; and

generating a map for estimating a position of the user in the play area based at least in part on a plurality of camera images obtained by capturing a second space around the user in a plurality of directions by a camera of the head-mounted display.

2 . The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein, following change of a position of the head-mounted display, changing a position of a specified space for setting the predetermined special image.

3 . The information processing device according to claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise, when the head-mounted display pivotably rotates. maintaining a rotational position of the specified space.

4 . The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the screen includes a first transmittance at a first region which has not coincided with the line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image and a second transmittance higher than the first transmittance is at a second region which has coincided with the line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image.

5 . The information processing device according to claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise gradually changing a transmittance at a boundary between the first region which has not coincided with the line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image and the second region which has coincided with the line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image.

6 . The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise, where the display mode is changed, changing a size of the region such that an angle formed by both ends of the region and a viewpoint of the user is approximately 40°.

7 . The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the map is generated as each camera image of the plurality of camera images is obtained.

8 . An computer-implemented method comprising:

generating a screen that allows a user who wearing a head-mounted display to look around a play area that the user is able to move during a play of an application, wherein the screen includes:

a predetermined special image superimposed on an image indicating the play area;

the predetermined special image is set in a first space around the head-mounted display and narrower than a maximum range of the play area; and

a region coinciding with a line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image that changes a display mode different than before;

causing the screen to be displayed on the head-mounted display; and

generating a map for estimating a position of the user in the play area of based at least in part on a plurality of camera images obtained by capturing a second space around the user in a plurality of directions by a camera of the head-mounted display.

9 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 8 , further comprising, following change of a position of the head-mounted display, changing a position of a specified space for setting the predetermined special image.

10 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 9 , further comprising, when the head-mounted display pivotably rotates, maintaining a rotational position of the specified space.

11 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 8 , wherein the screen includes a first transmittance at a first region which has not coincided with the line-of- sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image and a second transmittance higher than the first transmittance at a second region which has coincided with the line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image.

12 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 11 , further comprising gradually changing a transmittance at a boundary between the first region which has not coincided with the line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image and the second region which has coincided with the line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image.

13 . The computer-implemented method according to claim 8 , wherein the map is generated as each camera image of the plurality of camera images is obtained.

14 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

generating a screen that allows a user wearing a head-mounted display to look around a play area that the user is able to move during a play of an application, wherein the screen includes:

a predetermined special image superimposed on an image indicating the play area;

the predetermined special image is set in a first space around the head- mounted display and narrower than a maximum range of the play area; and

a region coinciding with a line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image that changes a display mode different than before;

causing the screen to be displayed on the head-mounted display; and

generating a map for estimating a position of the user in the play area based at least in part on a plurality of camera images obtained by capturing a second space around the user in a plurality of directions by a camera of the head-mounted display.

15 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise, following change of a position of the head- mounted display, changing a position of a specified space for setting the predetermined special image.

16 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise, when the head-mounted display pivotably rotates, maintaining a rotational position of the specified space.

17 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to claim 14 , wherein the screen includes a first transmittance at a first region which has not coincided with the line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image and a second transmittance higher than the first transmittance at a second region which has coincided with the line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image.

18 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise gradually changing a transmittance at a boundary between the first region which has not coincided with the line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image and the second region which has coincided with the line-of-sight direction of the user in the predetermined special image.

19 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to claim 14 , wherein the map is generated as each camera image of the plurality of camera images is obtained.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2024
From: NAKAGAWA, TAKESHI; HATAKEDA, TAKASHI; OE, KUNIAKI; OHARA, SHIZUKA; IWAKI, HARUKA
To: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 067930/0157 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-005706 · Jan 18, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250157143A1 · May 15, 2025
References Cited (26)
US 11108964B2 · Kasuya et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11127212B1 · Wilens · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11378798B2 · Ng-Thow-Hing · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11423622B2 · Okano et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 12175601B2 · Yoshikawa et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
US 12347039B2 · Fukuchi et al. · 2025 [cited by applicant]
US 12347174B2 · Wu et al. · 2025 [cited by applicant]
US 20190235622A1 · Tu · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20230093342A1 · Murugappan · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230177788A1 · Aljubeh · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230237696A1 · Inoue et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
EP 3805899A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013225245A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016090772A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017096725A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019020997A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019534510A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2020201572A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 2021060953A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WO 2017173850A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2021153501A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WO 2021154558A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WO 2021200432A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
WO 2022004503A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion mailed on Mar. 14, 2023, received for PCT Application PCT/JP2022/046713, filed on Dec. 19, 2022, 8 pages including English Translation. [cited by applicant]
Office Action of Japanese application No. 2022-137724, Jun. 30, 2026: pp. 1-9 with English machine translation from the Japanese Patent Office. [cited by applicant]