JP5043903B2 - Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention provides an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a computer suitable for appropriately expanding and presenting the state of an object when presenting a state in a virtual space in which the object is arranged to a user. It relates to the program to be realized in.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been proposed a technique for presenting a user with a state of a virtual space in which various objects such as characters and various objects are arranged using a three-dimensional graphics technique. For example, in Patent Document 1 listed below, a technique for drawing a state of a character arranged in a virtual space using three-dimensional graphics is disclosed.

Japanese Patent No. 4228646

  Here, when observing the state of the virtual space, if the enlargement ratio is changed by a zoom-in / zoom-out operation, the object of interest may be difficult to see because the object is out of view. Therefore, there is a strong demand for a technique that does not lose sight of the object that the user is paying attention to when the enlargement ratio changes.

  In addition, in the case where a plurality of objects are arranged, there are many cases where it is desired to appropriately present arrangement information to the user for objects other than the object of interest.

  The present invention solves the above-described problems. When presenting a user with a state in a virtual space in which an object is arranged, image processing suitable for appropriately enlarging and presenting the state of the object It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus, an image processing method, and a program that realizes these on a computer.

  In order to achieve the above object, the following invention is disclosed in accordance with the principle of the present invention.

  An image processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a storage unit, a display unit, and an update unit, and is configured as follows.

  That is, the storage unit stores the position of the viewpoint in the virtual space, the direction of the line of sight extending from the viewpoint, and the magnification rate.

  The position of the viewpoint, the direction of the line of sight, and the magnification rate are referred to when generating an image showing the state of the virtual space. These pieces of information are appropriately changed based on user operations and predetermined algorithms.

  On the other hand, the display unit generates an image representing a state in which the virtual space is viewed from the viewpoint position in the direction of the line of sight at predetermined time intervals based on the enlargement ratio, and the generated image is displayed on the screen. indicate.

  Typically, a projection plane orthogonal to the direction of the line of sight is arranged at a position separated from the position of the viewpoint in the direction of the line of sight by a distance corresponding to the enlargement ratio on a one-to-one basis so that the position of the viewpoint is the center. An image is generated by performing perspective projection. When the size of the projection plane matches the size of the screen, the enlargement ratio increases as the distance between the projection plane and the viewpoint increases, and the enlargement ratio decreases as the projection plane approaches the viewpoint.

  When parallel projection is performed, the enlargement ratio changes the correspondence between the position of each point included in the projection plane and the position of each point included in the screen.

  Furthermore, when a predetermined expansion condition is satisfied, the update unit reaches the second value from the first value over time, and then maintains the second value for a predetermined time. Thereafter, the storage unit is updated so as to reach the third value from the second value as time passes. Here, the first value is smaller than the second value, and the second value is smaller than the third value.

  The case where the predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied typically means that there is no enlargement display at present (that is, the enlargement ratio is not the third value) and there is an enlargement instruction input from the user. is there.

  In the present invention, when the virtual space is zoomed in, the state is gradually enlarged, but the enlargement is temporarily interrupted in the middle. After that, it will be expanded again.

  According to the present invention, when the virtual space is zoomed in, the enlargement is temporarily interrupted in the middle of the enlargement, so that the user can check slowly which direction the user is trying to enlarge at the time of the interruption. It becomes possible to understand the state of the virtual space.

  In the image processing apparatus of the present invention, the update unit causes the enlargement ratio to reach the fourth value from the second value as time passes, and then from the fourth value as time passes. The storage unit can be updated to reach the third value, and the third value can be configured to be smaller than the fourth value.

  In the present invention, when the virtual space is zoomed in, the state is gradually enlarged, but the enlargement is temporarily interrupted in the middle. After that, the expansion proceeds again. Thereafter, the display is reduced, and the change in the enlargement rate stops. In the real world, when focusing on a distant object, it is common to make adjustments by moving the focused position back and forth, but the present invention simulates this.

  According to the present invention, in the zoom-in process of the virtual space, it is possible to increase the user's immersive degree to the virtual space and to end the change of the enlargement ratio by displaying a similar display when the human focuses. You will be able to give a notice.

  In the image processing apparatus of the present invention, when a predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the update unit selects the first object closest to the line of sight from the plurality of objects arranged in the virtual space, and the enlargement ratio When the value reaches the third value, the storage unit can be updated so that the line of sight faces the first object.

  Here, the object closest to the line of sight means an object having the smallest angle formed by the half line extending from the viewpoint to the object and the line of sight extending from the viewpoint. The reason that the angle is the smallest is that it can be predicted that the user is paying attention to the object.

  Note that the direction of the line of sight is adjusted only when the angle is equal to or smaller than a certain threshold value, and for any object, when the angle exceeds the certain threshold value, no object is noticed. Therefore, the line-of-sight direction may not be updated.

  According to the present invention, in an enlarged display after being zoomed in, an object that the user will pay attention to is displayed near the center of the screen, so that it is possible to prevent the user from losing sight of the object during enlargement. become.

  In the image processing apparatus of the present invention, the updating unit can be configured to determine the third value from the value associated with the first object in advance.

  For example, since information on the size is assigned to each object, there is a method in which an enlargement ratio at which the object is finally displayed at substantially the same size on the projection plane is set as the third value. Conceivable.

  According to the present invention, an object can be zoomed in and displayed at an enlargement ratio that is easy for the user to see.

  Further, in the image processing device of the present invention, when a predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the update unit is based on a distribution of objects arranged in the vicinity of the line of sight among the plurality of objects arranged in the virtual space. Thus, the second value can be determined.

  Here, the vicinity of the line of sight is typically an area in which the angle is equal to or smaller than a certain threshold, that is, an area included in a cone having the line of sight as the apex and the line of sight as the central axis. .

  For example, as the second value, an enlargement ratio is selected such that these neighboring objects are appropriately arranged in the image. “Properly arranged” means a situation in which all nearby objects are drawn in the image, and the vertical and horizontal spreads in the image are included in a certain range.

  For example, among the objects drawn in the image, any one of the leftmost object, the rightmost object, the topmost object, and the bottommost object is separated from the edge of the image by a certain distance, The other one is to select an enlargement factor that is separated from the edge of the image by a certain distance. In addition, various modes such as a method described later can be adopted.

  According to the present invention, when enlargement is temporarily interrupted during zoom-in, the user can confirm the outline of the arrangement of objects in the line-of-sight direction in detail, and thus can appropriately grasp the state in the virtual space. It becomes like this.

  Further, in the image processing device of the present invention, when a predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the update unit is based on a distribution of objects arranged in the vicinity of the line of sight among the plurality of objects arranged in the virtual space. Thus, a trajectory in which the direction of the line of sight changes can be determined, and the storage unit can be updated so that the direction of the line of sight changes along the trajectory as time passes.

  For example, if the average or sum of unit direction vectors from the viewpoint to each object in the vicinity of the line of sight is taken, the direction can be considered as the central direction of the distribution of neighboring objects. Therefore, it is only necessary to determine a trajectory in which the direction of the line of sight changes so that the direction of the line of sight reaches the direction of the first object from the initial direction through the center direction of the distribution of neighboring objects as time passes.

  In addition, various modes such as a method of obtaining the center direction of the distribution by taking the average or sum of unit direction vectors for neighboring objects other than the first object, and a method described later can be employed.

  According to the present invention, the user can check the outline of the arrangement of the objects in the gaze direction determined based on the distribution of the objects in the gaze direction when zooming in. Will be able to.

  In the image processing apparatus of the present invention, when a predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the update unit selects a second object closest to the line of sight from a plurality of objects arranged in the virtual space, The second value can be determined based on the angle at which the first object and the second object are viewed from the viewpoint position.

  In the above description, an example in which the angle between the line connecting the viewpoint and the object and the line of sight is selected as a nearby object is selected as a nearby object. It is a technique that takes two things, the closest one and the next closest to the line of sight.

  According to the present invention, when the change in the enlargement ratio is interrupted during zooming in, two objects close to the line of sight are displayed with a suitable enlargement ratio, so that the user can see the state of the object existing in the direction of the line of sight. It becomes possible to grasp appropriately.

  In the image processing apparatus of the present invention, the update unit has a direction in which the line of sight reaches a direction intersecting the second object with the passage of time, and then intersects with the first object with the passage of time. Thus, the storage unit can be updated so as to reach the above.

  In the above description, the example in which the path of the line-of-sight movement is determined using the average direction of the nearby object is taken. However, the present invention is the closest object to the line of sight and the next closest line of sight as the nearby object. It is a technique that takes up two things.

  According to the present invention, the object closest to the line of sight is displayed at the center of the screen after the object closest to the line of sight is displayed in the middle of zooming in, and therefore the user exists in the direction of the line of sight. It becomes possible to appropriately grasp the state of the object to be performed.

  An image processing method according to another aspect of the present invention is executed by an image processing apparatus having a storage unit, a display unit, and an update unit in which a position of a viewpoint in a virtual space, a direction of a line of sight extending from the viewpoint, and an enlargement ratio are stored. The display step and the update step are configured as follows.

  That is, in the display step, the display unit generates an image representing a state in which the virtual space is viewed from the viewpoint position in the direction of the line of sight at predetermined time intervals based on the enlargement ratio. Display the image on the screen.

  On the other hand, in the update process, when the update unit satisfies a predetermined enlargement condition, the enlargement rate reaches the second value from the first value over time, and then the second value is set to the predetermined value. The time is maintained, and then the storage unit is updated so as to reach the third value from the second value with the passage of time. Here, the first value is smaller than the second value, and the second value is smaller than the third value.

  A program according to another aspect of the present invention is configured to cause a computer to function as the above-described image processing apparatus.

  The program of the present invention can be recorded on a computer-readable information storage medium such as a compact disk, flexible disk, hard disk, magneto-optical disk, digital video disk, magnetic tape, and semiconductor memory.

  The above program can be distributed and sold via a computer communication network independently of the computer on which the program is executed. The information storage medium can be distributed and sold independently from the computer.

  According to the present invention, when presenting to a user a state in a virtual space where an object is arranged, an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and the like that are suitable for appropriately expanding and presenting the state of the object Can be provided on a computer.

It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure of a typical information processing apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure of the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of control of the image processing performed with the image processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a graph which shows the change of the expansion rate at the time of zooming in in embodiment. It is a graph which shows the change of the expansion ratio at the time of zoom out in an embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of the image displayed on a screen. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of the image displayed on a screen. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of the image displayed on a screen. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of the image displayed on a screen. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of the image displayed on a screen. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of a visual line and the movement of an area | region. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of the image displayed on a screen. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of the image displayed on a screen. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of the image displayed on a screen. It is explanatory drawing which shows embodiment of the movement path | route of eyes | visual_axis. It is explanatory drawing which shows embodiment of the movement path | route of eyes | visual_axis. It is explanatory drawing which shows embodiment of the movement path | route of eyes | visual_axis.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In the following, for ease of understanding, an embodiment in which the present invention is realized using a game information processing device will be described. However, the embodiment described below is for explanation, and the present invention It does not limit the range.

  Therefore, those skilled in the art can employ embodiments in which each or all of these elements are replaced with equivalent ones, and these embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a typical information processing apparatus that can function as the image processing apparatus of the present embodiment by executing a program. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIG.

  An information processing apparatus 100 shown in the figure corresponds to a so-called consumer game machine, and includes a central processing unit (CPU) 101, a read only memory (ROM) 102, a random access memory (RAM) 103, an interface 104, a controller 105, An external memory 106, an image processing unit 107, a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc ROM) drive 108, a NIC (Network Interface Card) 109, an audio processing unit 110, a microphone 111, and a hard disk (HD) 121 are included. Various input / output devices can be omitted as appropriate.

  When the information processing apparatus 100 is caused to function as a typical consumer game machine, a DVD-ROM storing a game program and data is mounted on the DVD-ROM drive 108 and the power is turned on. Then, the game program is executed and the game can be played.

  However, in the present embodiment, typically, an application is installed in the HD 121 from a DVD-ROM attached to the DVD-ROM drive 108. Then, by executing the program stored in the HD 121, various applications including a game are executed.

  In order to make the portable image processing apparatus portable, the DVD-ROM drive 108 is not used, but an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM) cassette is installed in the ROM cassette slot, and the HD 121 is installed. Can be omitted. In this case, the application program is written in the EEPROM cassette and then the program is executed. In addition, an application program can be installed in the external memory 106.

  The CPU 101 controls the overall operation of the information processing apparatus 100 and is connected to each component to exchange control signals and data. Further, the CPU 101 uses arithmetic operations such as addition / subtraction / multiplication / division, logical sum, logical product, etc. using an ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) (not shown) for a storage area called a register (not shown) that can be accessed at high speed. , Logic operations such as logical negation, bit operations such as bit sum, bit product, bit inversion, bit shift, and bit rotation can be performed. In addition, the CPU 101 itself is configured so that saturation operations such as addition / subtraction / multiplication / division for multimedia processing, vector operations such as trigonometric functions, etc. can be performed at a high speed, and those provided with a coprocessor. There is.

  The ROM 102 records an IPL (Initial Program Loader) that is executed immediately after the power is turned on, and when this is executed, the program recorded on the DVD-ROM is read out to the RAM 103 and execution by the CPU 101 is started. The The ROM 102 stores an operating system program and various data necessary for operation control of the entire information processing apparatus 100.

  The RAM 103 is for temporarily storing data and programs, and retains programs and data read from the HD 121 and DVD-ROM, and other data necessary for the progress of the communication battle game and chat communication. Further, the CPU 101 provides a variable area in the RAM 103 and performs an operation by directly operating the ALU on the value stored in the variable, or temporarily stores the value stored in the RAM 103 in the register. Perform operations such as performing operations on registers and writing back the operation results to memory.

  The controller 105 connected via the interface 104 receives an operation input performed when the user executes the game.

  The controller 105 does not necessarily have to be externally attached to the information processing apparatus 100, and may be formed integrally. The controller 105 of the portable image processing apparatus includes various buttons and switches, and handles these pressing operations as operation inputs. In addition, in the information processing apparatus 100 using the touch screen, the user traces the trace of the touch screen using a pen or a finger as an operation input.

  The external memory 106 detachably connected via the interface 104 stores data indicating game play status (past results, etc.), data indicating the progress of the game, and log of chat communication in a network battle ( Data) is stored in a rewritable manner. The user can record these data in the external memory 106 as appropriate by inputting an instruction via the controller 105.

  As described above, it is possible to adopt a form in which the application program is installed in the external memory 106 and executed. This is suitable when the external memory 106 has a large capacity.

  A DVD-ROM mounted on the DVD-ROM drive 108 stores a program for realizing the game and image data and audio data associated with the game. Under the control of the CPU 101, the DVD-ROM drive 108 performs a reading process on the DVD-ROM loaded therein, reads out necessary programs and data, and these are temporarily stored in the RAM 103 or the like.

  The image processing unit 107 processes the data read from the DVD-ROM by an image arithmetic processor (not shown) included in the CPU 101 or the image processing unit 107, and then processes the processed data on a frame memory ( (Not shown). The image information recorded in the frame memory is converted into a video signal at a predetermined synchronization timing and output to a monitor (not shown) connected to the image processing unit 107. Thereby, various image displays are possible.

  As a monitor of the portable image processing apparatus, a small liquid crystal display is typically used. When a touch screen is used as the controller 105, the display panel of the touch screen functions as a monitor. As a monitor of an image processing device for playing at home, a display device such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) or a plasma display can be used.

  Now, the image calculation processor can perform high-speed blur calculation such as two-dimensional image overlay calculation, transparency calculation such as α blending, various saturation calculations, and smoothing.

  Also, polygon information arranged in the virtual three-dimensional space and added with various texture information is rendered by the Z buffer method, and the polygon arranged in the virtual three-dimensional space from the predetermined viewpoint position is determined in the direction of the predetermined line of sight It is also possible to perform high-speed execution of operations for obtaining rendered images.

  Further, the CPU 101 and the image arithmetic processor operate in a coordinated manner, so that a character string can be drawn as a two-dimensional image in a frame memory or drawn on the surface of each polygon according to font information that defines the character shape. is there.

  The NIC 109 is used to connect the information processing apparatus 100 to a computer communication network (not shown) such as the Internet, and conforms to the 10BASE-T / 100BASE-T standard used when configuring a LAN. An analog modem for connecting to the Internet using a telephone line, an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) modem, an ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) modem, a cable modem for connecting to the Internet using a cable television line, etc. These are configured by an interface (not shown) that mediates between these and the CPU 101.

  An application program can be installed in the HD 121 or the like based on information obtained from the computer communication network via the NIC 109.

  The audio processing unit 110 converts audio data read from the HD 121 or DVD-ROM into an analog audio signal, and outputs the analog audio signal from a speaker (not shown) connected thereto. Further, under the control of the CPU 101, sound effects and music data to be generated during the progress of the game are generated, and the corresponding sound is output from a speaker, headphones (not shown), and earphones (not shown). Output.

  When the audio data recorded on the HD 121 or the DVD-ROM is MIDI data, the audio processing unit 110 refers to the sound source data included in the audio data and converts the MIDI data into PCM data. If the compressed audio data is in ADPCM format or Ogg Vorbis format, it is expanded and converted to PCM data. The PCM data can be output by performing D / A (Digital / Analog) conversion at a timing corresponding to the sampling frequency and outputting it to a speaker.

  Furthermore, a microphone 111 can be connected to the information processing apparatus 100 via the interface 104. In this case, the analog signal from the microphone 111 is subjected to A / D conversion at an appropriate sampling frequency so that processing such as mixing in the sound processing unit 110 can be performed as a PCM format digital signal.

  As described above, the information processing apparatus 100 used in the present embodiment typically uses a large-capacity external storage device such as the HD 121. The HD 121 can also perform the same functions as a DVD-ROM or the like mounted on the ROM 102, RAM 103, external memory 106, DVD-ROM drive 108, and the like.

  In addition, it is possible to adopt a form in which a keyboard for accepting a character string editing input from a user, a mouse for accepting various position designations and selection inputs, and the like are connected. In addition, a general-purpose personal computer, a server computer, or the like can be used instead of the information processing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment.

  The information processing apparatus 100 described above corresponds to a consumer image processing apparatus. However, the electronic processing apparatus of the present invention can be realized as long as it is an electronic device capable of various input / output processes. Therefore, the image processing apparatus of the present invention can be realized on various computers such as a mobile phone, a portable game device, a karaoke apparatus, and a general business computer.

  For example, similarly to the information processing apparatus 100, the business computer has a CPU, RAM, ROM, DVD-ROM drive, NIC, and HD as constituent elements, and has simpler functions than the information processing apparatus 100. In addition, a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a magnetic tape, etc. can be used as an external storage device, and it is typical to use a keyboard or mouse as an input device instead of the controller 105. is there.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIG.

  The image processing apparatus 201 includes a storage unit 202, a display unit 203, and an update unit 204, and is configured as follows.

Here, the storage unit 202 includes the RAM 103 and the like, and the storage unit 202 stores the following information.
(A) The position of the viewpoint in the virtual space and the direction of the line of sight extending from the viewpoint.
(B) Information on the position, orientation, and shape of the object arranged in the virtual space, and the texture to be pasted on the surface of the object. When the image processing apparatus 201 is applied to a game, the object represents an enemy character or a friend character.
(C) In addition, the position, orientation, shape, and texture information “object” of various “objects” placed in the virtual space should be noted by the user, whereas the “object” It is distinguished from the viewpoint that it is not always necessary to pay attention.
(D) An enlargement ratio when generating an image representing the state of the virtual space.

  The initial values of these pieces of information are read from, for example, a DVD-ROM mounted on the DVD-ROM drive 108, and are changed as appropriate based on user operations and predetermined algorithms.

  On the other hand, the display unit 203 periodically generates an image representing the state of the virtual space and displays it on the screen. Under the control of the CPU 101, the image processing unit 107 is based on information stored in the RAM 103. Is realized by functioning. Therefore, the display unit 203 allows the user to view a moving image.

  Furthermore, the update unit 204 updates enlargement ratio information stored in the storage unit 202, and is realized by the CPU 101 cooperating with the RAM 103. This update process is performed in parallel with the operation of the display unit 203, and the user views an image in which the size of the object displayed on the screen changes, that is, an image as if the virtual space was zoomed in. Will be able to.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of image processing control executed by the image processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIG.

  When this process is started, the CPU 101 initializes the storage unit 202 realized by the RAM 103 (step S301). That is, information on the viewpoint, line of sight, object, and object is read from the DVD-ROM or the like as described above, or initialized based on a pseudo random number. On the other hand, the enlargement ratio is initialized to an initial value (first value).

  Next, the CPU 101 controls the image processing unit 107 so that an image in the virtual space where an object or an object is arranged in the direction of the line of sight from the viewpoint based on information stored in the storage unit 202 is displayed. Are generated at the set enlargement ratio and are temporarily stored in the RAM 103 (step S302).

  Typical methods for generating an image representing a state in the virtual space are perspective projection and parallel projection.

  In perspective projection, a projection plane that is orthogonal to the direction of the line of sight is placed at a position that is separated from the viewpoint by a distance that is associated with the current magnification, and the position that the line segment that connects the viewpoint and the object is orthogonal to the projection plane The position is obtained as a position where an object or the like is drawn in the image. Therefore, normally, the size of the projection surface is substantially matched with the size of the screen.

  In parallel projection, the position and orientation of the projection plane are the same as in perspective projection, but the position where a straight line passing through the object intersects the projection plane is the position where the object is drawn in the image. Therefore, by changing the size of the projection plane according to the enlargement ratio, the drawing position of the object on the screen changes, and zooming in becomes possible.

  Further, the CPU 101 stands by until a vertical synchronization interrupt occurs (step S303). Typically, vertical synchronization interrupts occur at 1/60 second or 1/30 second intervals. During the standby, the CPU 101 can also execute other calculation processes in parallel in a coroutine manner, such as moving an object in the virtual space according to a predetermined algorithm.

  When the vertical synchronization interrupt occurs, the CPU 101 controls the image processing unit 107 to transfer the image generated in the RAM 103 to the frame memory and display it on a display device such as a monitor (step S304). Accordingly, images are generated at regular time intervals and displayed on the screen.

  Next, the CPU 101 checks whether or not the enlargement condition is satisfied, that is, whether or not to start zooming in (step S305). In the present embodiment, the enlargement condition is satisfied when the current enlargement ratio is the first value and the user operates a button assigned to the enlargement / reduction operation among the buttons of the controller 105. When the image processing apparatus 201 is applied to a game, an enlargement condition may be set as appropriate depending on the progress of the game.

  When the enlargement condition is satisfied (step S305; Yes), the CPU 101 determines how to change the enlargement ratio (step S306).

  FIG. 4 is a graph showing a change in the enlargement ratio when zooming in according to the present embodiment. The horizontal axis of this graph represents the passage of time, and the vertical axis represents the enlargement ratio. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIG.

In the present embodiment, the magnification rate changes as follows with the passage of time.
(A) First, the value increases from the first value to the second value.
(B) The second value is maintained for a certain time.
(C) Thereafter, the value increases from the second value to the fourth value.
(D) Further, the value decreases from the fourth value to the third value.
(E) When the third value is reached, the value is maintained.

  By changing the enlargement ratio in this way, it is possible to give the user a feeling as if he / she operated binoculars himself / herself to focus.

  Hereinafter, a method for determining the second value, the third value, and the fourth value will be described.

  The second value and the third value are appropriate constants in the present embodiment, but these may be appropriately set according to the distribution and size of the objects arranged in the virtual space. . Details of the latter will be described later.

  Also, typically, the difference between the third value and the fourth value is a constant. Further, the fourth value may be determined so that the second value and the fourth value are internally divided by a predetermined internal ratio. As the difference between the third value and the fourth value, a minute difference sufficient to allow the user to sense that the magnification has been changed is sufficient, and the third value and the fourth value are set to be equal. Also good.

  After determining the change mode of the enlargement ratio, zoom-in is started, the enlargement ratio is updated according to the determined change (step S307), and the process returns to step S302.

  On the other hand, when the enlargement condition is not satisfied (step S305; No), the current zoom state is checked (step S308). If the zoom is currently zoomed in (step S308; zooming in), that is, if the change in the determined magnification has not yet been completed, the process proceeds to step S307, where the magnification is further updated, and the process returns to step S302. .

  If zoom-in has not started yet, that is, if the current enlargement ratio remains the first value (step S308; first value), the process returns to step S302.

  On the other hand, when the zoom-in is completed, that is, when the current enlargement ratio maintains the third value (step S308; third value), whether or not a predetermined reduction condition is satisfied, that is, Then, it is checked whether or not zoom-out should be started (step S309).

  In the present embodiment, the reduction condition is satisfied when the current enlargement ratio maintains the third value and the user operates a button assigned to the enlargement / reduction operation among the buttons of the controller 105. It is said. When the reduction condition is not satisfied (step S309; No), the process returns to step S302.

  On the other hand, when the reduction condition is satisfied (step S309; Yes), a change in the enlargement ratio is determined (step S310), the enlargement ratio is reduced according to the change (step S311), and zoom-out is started. Return to step S302.

  FIG. 5 is a graph showing a change in the enlargement ratio during zoom-out in the present embodiment. The horizontal axis of this graph represents the passage of time, and the vertical axis represents the enlargement ratio. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIG.

  As shown in the figure, in the present embodiment, at the time of zooming out, the enlargement ratio is decreased from the third value to the first value at a constant speed, and when the first value is reached, the enlargement ratio is maintained. To do. As in the case of zooming in, it is possible to adopt a form of change in which the enlargement ratio is changed to a value slightly smaller than the first value and then returned to the first value.

  When zoom-out is started in this manner, it is determined in step S308 that the current zoom state is zoom-out. In this case (step S308; zooming out), the process proceeds to step S311 to further update the enlargement ratio in the decreasing direction, and the process returns to step S302.

  In the above description, enlargement is temporarily interrupted only once during zoom-in, and reduction is not temporarily interrupted during zoom-out. However, the number of times can be increased as appropriate.

  6, 7, 8, and 9 are explanatory diagrams illustrating the appearance of an image displayed on the screen in the present embodiment. The enlargement ratios are the first value, the second value, and the fourth value, respectively. Corresponds to the third value. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIG.

  As shown in these drawings, a plurality of objects 602 are arranged in the virtual space 601. In this figure, for the sake of easy understanding, illustration of objects other than the object 602 is omitted.

  The object 602 is an enemy character in the game to which the image processing apparatus 201 of the present embodiment is applied, and should be noticed by the user. Since the distance to the object 602 is different, the size of the object 602 displayed in the screen 611 is large. It is also different.

  Initially, the state of the virtual space 601 is displayed as shown in FIG. 6 (first value). In FIG. 7, the state of the virtual space 601 is enlarged (second value). In FIG. 8, the enlargement further proceeds (fourth value), and in FIG. 9, the enlargement ratio slightly decreases (third value).

  In FIG. 6, the areas 607, 608, and 609 displayed on the screen 611 in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 are displayed surrounded by dotted lines. Here, the area 607 is the largest, the area 608 is the smallest, and the area 609 is a slightly larger area 608.

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, when the virtual space is zoomed in, the state is gradually enlarged, but the enlargement is temporarily interrupted in the middle. After that, it will be expanded again.

  According to the present embodiment, when the virtual space is zoomed in, the enlargement is temporarily interrupted in the middle of the enlargement. Therefore, the user can confirm slowly which direction the user is trying to enlarge at the time of the interruption. It becomes easier to grasp the state of the virtual space.

  In the real world, when focusing on a distant target, it is common to adjust the focus by moving it back and forth. In 3D graphics, however, the image is out of focus and blurred. If reproduced, the amount of calculation would be enormous. Therefore, in this embodiment, the state of focusing is simply simulated.

  According to the present embodiment, in the zoom-in processing of the virtual space, it is possible to increase the user's immersive degree to the virtual space and to end the change in the enlargement ratio by performing a similar display when the human focuses. Will be able to give notice.

  In the above embodiment, the direction of the line of sight is maintained as it is at the time of zooming in, but this embodiment appropriately changes the direction of the line of sight when zooming in. Therefore, the update unit 204 appropriately updates not only the enlargement ratio but also information on the line-of-sight direction stored in the storage unit 202 when zooming in.

  In the display example shown in FIG. 6, the line of sight faces the center 612 of the screen 611, but the object 602 is not arranged there. However, the most typical situation for zooming in is a situation in which the user is interested in enlarging and viewing the details of what the user is paying attention to.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, an object closest to the line of sight, that is, an object 602a drawn at a position closest to the center 612 of the screen 611 (hereinafter referred to as “recent object”) 602a is selected and zoomed in. Is completed, the direction of the line of sight is changed over time so that the direction of the line of sight faces the nearest object 602a.

  Therefore, when the zoom-in is completed, the recent object 602a is drawn at the center 612 of the screen 611.

  In general, the relationship between the distance and the distance between the object and the line of sight matches the relationship between the position of the object 602 displayed in the screen 611 and the distance between the center 612 and the distance from the center 612.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, at the time of image generation, information on which position in the screen 611 each object 602 is drawn is secured in the RAM 103, and based on that information, the latest object 602a is stored. select.

  In addition, in the virtual space, the angle formed by the half line extending from the viewpoint position to the object position and the line of sight extending from the viewpoint position is obtained by calculation. The smaller this angle is, the closer the object is to the line of sight It is good also as certifying that.

  This criterion is that a cone with a predetermined angle with the viewpoint as the apex and the line of sight as the central axis is placed in the virtual space, and if the object is inside the cone, it is determined that the object is “close to the line of sight” Is outside the cone, this is equivalent to determining “far from the line of sight”. In addition, not only a cone but an appropriate cone, such as a quadrangular pyramid or a polygonal pyramid, can be employed.

  FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of an image displayed on the screen corresponding to FIG. 6, and FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of movement of the line of sight and the region. Hereinafter, description will be given with reference to these drawings.

  In these drawings, a path 631 in which the line of sight moves with the passage of time is shown on the screen 611 in which the enlargement ratio is the first value. The path 631 moves straight from the center 612 on the screen 611 to the nearest object 602a.

  Similarly to the areas 607, 608, and 609 in FIG. 6, areas 641, 642, and 643 are set, the area 641 is the largest, the area 642 is the smallest, and the area 643 is slightly larger than the area 642.

  10 and 11, diagonal lines are drawn for easy understanding of the positions of the centers of the regions 641, 642, and 643. In FIG. 11, the centers 671 of the regions 641, 642, and 643, respectively. , 672, and 673. Here, in the present embodiment, the centers 671, 672, 673 of the regions 641, 642, 643 are on the path 631.

  The speed at which the line of sight moves on the path 631 is typically a constant speed. However, as will be described later, the speed may be changed as appropriate.

  FIGS. 12, 13, and 14 are explanatory diagrams showing the state of an image displayed on the screen in the present embodiment, corresponding to the second value, the fourth value, and the third value, respectively. To do. In these drawings, reference numerals are omitted for easy understanding.

  Regions 641, 642, and 643 in FIGS. 10 and 11 are enlarged and displayed in the screen 611 in FIGS. 12, 13, and 14, respectively.

  Now, in this aspect, as shown in FIG. 14, the latest object 602a is finally displayed in a size that is easy to see on the screen 611, thereby improving the ease of confirmation by the user.

  One method for determining such an enlargement ratio is to obtain the size of the object 602 from the shape of the object 602 stored in the storage unit 202 and display the recent object 602a in a size that is easy to see on the screen 611. In this way, the third value is determined.

  For example, when the easy-to-see size in the screen 611 is set to a constant value, the ratio between this and the size of the recent object 602a may be set to the third value.

  In addition, in this embodiment, zoom-in is temporarily stopped when the enlargement ratio is the second value. Therefore, at this stage, a method is adopted that presents in an easy-to-understand manner how the objects 602 are distributed around the position where the user pays attention.

  For example, in FIG. 12, in addition to the recent object 602a, objects 602b and 602c are arranged in the vicinity of the center 612 of the screen 611.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12, when the state of the virtual space 601 is displayed with the second value, the second value is determined so that the arrangement of the objects 602a, 602b, and 602c is drawn in an easy-to-view manner. is there.

  Here, whether or not it is “neighboring” is determined by determining the distance between the position where the object is drawn in the screen 611 and the center 612 of the screen 611 and whether or not this is below a predetermined threshold. Can do. In addition, as described above, in the virtual space, it may be determined whether or not it is “near” based on the angle from the object through the viewpoint to the line-of-sight direction.

  When the neighboring objects 602a, 602b, and 602c can be selected, how much they spread in the horizontal direction and how wide they spread in the screen 611 in FIG. 10 is obtained. That is, the minimum rectangle that includes the nearby object is obtained, and the second value is determined so that the rectangle is displayed in a size that is easy to see in the screen 611.

  For example, the width and height that are easy to see in the screen 611 are determined in advance as constants, the respective ratios of the width and height of the rectangle are obtained, and one of the ratios may be set as the second value. When there is a ground in the virtual space 601 and the object 602 is arranged on the ground, since the spread in the height direction in which the object 602 is drawn is small, the width of the rectangle and the width that is easy to see are set. It is enough to consider.

  Furthermore, the movement path of the line of sight is not limited to the above aspect. 15, FIG. 16, and FIG. 17 are explanatory views showing an embodiment of the movement path of the line of sight. Hereinafter, description will be given with reference to these drawings.

  FIG. 15 shows a path 631 that passes through the object 602b that is second closest to the line of sight among the nearby objects, and reaches the object 602a that is closest to the line of sight. If the speed at which the line of sight moves within the path 631 is determined so that the enlargement ratio is set to the second value when the line of sight reaches the object 602b, what kind of object is close to the object other than the object being noticed by the user. It is possible to appropriately notify the user of whether or not

  FIG. 16 illustrates a path 631 that passes through the average position 651 of the positions at which the nearby objects 602a, 602b, and 602c are drawn, and reaches the object 602a closest to the line of sight.

  As described above, when the drawing position information of the object 602 in the screen 611 is stored in the RAM 103, the average (center of gravity) of these may be set as the average position 651.

  In addition, in the virtual space 601, a unit direction vector from the viewpoint toward each neighboring object 602 may be obtained, and an average or sum of these may be obtained, and the average position 651 may be determined based on the obtained vector direction. .

  FIG. 17 shows a path 631 that passes through the average position 661 of the positions where the objects 602b and 602c other than the nearest object 602a are drawn among the neighboring objects 602a, 602b, and 602c and reaches the object 602a closest to the line of sight. It is shown in the figure. The specific method of obtaining the average position 661 is the same as in FIG.

  Since the line of sight will eventually face the object 602a in the end, in this aspect, when the enlargement ratio is the second value, other neighboring objects 602b and 602c are presented to the user in an easy-to-see manner.

  15, 16, and 17, the movement path 631 in the screen 601 is a polygonal line, but the direction of the line of sight is changed along a smooth path such as a spline curve, for example. It is also good.

  Note that the change in the direction of the line of sight and the change in the enlargement ratio are executed in conjunction with each other. Therefore, the center position of the area displayed on the screen 611 in an enlarged manner is on the path 631 at any time point.

  The total time required to change the direction of the line of sight and the total time required to change the magnification rate are typically matched. For example, the direction of the line of sight has been corrected after focusing. When the user wants to present to the user, the total time for the change in the direction of the line of sight may be slightly longer than the total time required for the change in the enlargement ratio. The reverse is also true.

  In addition, when the path 631 has a broken line shape, the bending point of the broken line (corresponding to the position of the second closest object 602b, the average position 651, the average position 661, etc.) is temporarily stopped when the enlargement is temporarily interrupted. Is set to be displayed at the center position of the screen 611, it is possible to present the distribution of neighboring objects in an easy-to-see manner.

  In addition, after the line of sight reaches the latest object 602a which is the final destination position, the path 631 may be set so that the line of sight passes the recent object 602a slightly and then returns to the recent object 602a. The overshoot amount may be proportional to the total length of the path 631 in the screen, the distance from the bending point of the path 631 to the nearest object 602a, or may be a predetermined constant. In this aspect, a similar display is possible when a person looks far away with binoculars.

  As described above, in this embodiment, it is possible to display the state of the object in the direction of the line of sight in an easy-to-view manner and to display the distribution of the objects around the line of sight in an easy-to-view manner.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when presenting to a user a state in a virtual space in which an object is arranged, an image processing apparatus and an image suitable for appropriately enlarging and presenting the state of the object It is possible to provide a processing method and a program that implements these on a computer.

100 Information processing apparatus 101 CPU
102 ROM
103 RAM
104 Interface 105 Controller 106 External Memory 107 Image Processing Unit 108 DVD-ROM Drive 109 NIC
110 Audio processing unit 111 Microphone 121 HD
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 201 Image processing apparatus 202 Storage part 203 Display part 204 Update part 601 Virtual space 602 Object 607 Area 608 Area 609 Area 611 Screen 612 Center 631 Path 641 Area 642 Area 643 Area 651 Average position 661 Average position 671 Center of area 672 Area center 673 Center of region

Claims (12)

A storage unit that stores the position of the viewpoint in the virtual space, the direction of the line of sight extending from the viewpoint, and the magnification rate;
Based on the enlargement factor, an image representing a state in which the virtual space is viewed in the direction of the line of sight from the viewpoint position is generated at predetermined time intervals, and the generated image is displayed on the screen. Display,
When a predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the enlargement ratio reaches from the first value to the second value as time elapses, and then maintains the second value for a predetermined time, and then elapses of time. And an update unit for updating the storage unit so as to reach the third value from the second value,
The first value is less than the second value;
The second value is less than the third value ;
When the predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the update unit includes a first object closest to the line of sight and a second closest to the line of sight from a plurality of objects arranged in the virtual space. An image processing apparatus , wherein the second value is determined based on an angle at which the first object and the second object are viewed from the position of the viewpoint . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The updating unit is configured so that the enlargement ratio reaches from the second value to the fourth value as time elapses, and then reaches from the fourth value to the third value as time elapses. , Update the storage unit,
The image processing apparatus, wherein the third value is smaller than the fourth value. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
The update unit updates the storage unit so that the line of sight faces the first object when the enlargement ratio reaches the third value. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
The update unit determines the third value from a value associated with the first object in advance. A storage unit that stores the position of the viewpoint in the virtual space, the direction of the line of sight extending from the viewpoint, and the magnification rate;
Based on the enlargement factor, an image representing a state in which the virtual space is viewed in the direction of the line of sight from the viewpoint position is generated at predetermined time intervals, and the generated image is displayed on the screen. Display,
When a predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the enlargement ratio reaches from the first value to the second value as time elapses, and then maintains the second value for a predetermined time, and then elapses of time. And an update unit for updating the storage unit so as to reach the third value from the second value,
The first value is less than the second value;
The second value is less than the third value ;
When the predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the update unit includes, in the image, all neighboring objects whose proximity to the line of sight is within a predetermined threshold among the plurality of objects arranged in the virtual space. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second value is determined such that a predetermined range includes a vertical and horizontal spread in which the neighboring object is drawn in the image. An image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
The proximity of the object and the line of sight is determined by a small angle between a half line extending from the viewpoint to the object and the line of sight extending from the viewpoint . An image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
The proximity between the object and the line of sight is the distance between the position where the object is to be displayed on the screen and the center of the screen when the predetermined magnification condition is satisfied. An image processing apparatus characterized by being determined by a small size. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
The update unit is configured so that the direction of the line of sight reaches the direction intersecting the second object with the passage of time, and then reaches the direction intersecting with the first object with the passage of time. An image processing apparatus characterized by updating a storage unit. An image processing method executed by an image processing apparatus having a storage unit, a display unit, and an update unit for storing a viewpoint position in a virtual space, a direction of a line of sight extending from the viewpoint, and an enlargement ratio,
The display unit generates an image representing a state where the virtual space is viewed from the viewpoint position in the direction of the line of sight at predetermined time intervals based on the enlargement ratio, and the generated image Display process to display on the screen,
When a predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the update unit reaches the second value from the first value over time, and then maintains the second value for a predetermined time. An update step of updating the storage unit so as to reach the third value from the second value over time,
The first value is less than the second value;
The second value is less than the third value ;
When the predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the update unit includes a first object closest to the line of sight and a second closest to the line of sight from a plurality of objects arranged in the virtual space. An image processing method , wherein the second value is determined based on an angle at which the first object and the second object are viewed from the viewpoint position . Computer
A storage unit that stores the position of the viewpoint in the virtual space, the direction of the line of sight extending from the viewpoint, and the magnification rate;
Based on the enlargement factor, an image representing a state in which the virtual space is viewed in the direction of the line of sight from the viewpoint position is generated at predetermined time intervals, and the generated image is displayed on the screen. Display,
When a predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the enlargement ratio reaches from the first value to the second value as time elapses, and then maintains the second value for a predetermined time, and then elapses of time. And functioning as an update unit for updating the storage unit so as to reach the third value from the second value,
The first value is less than the second value;
The second value is less than the third value ;
When the predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the update unit includes a first object closest to the line of sight and a second closest to the line of sight from a plurality of objects arranged in the virtual space. And a function for determining the second value based on an angle at which the first object and the second object are viewed from the position of the viewpoint . An image processing method executed by an image processing apparatus having a storage unit, a display unit, and an update unit for storing a viewpoint position in a virtual space, a direction of a line of sight extending from the viewpoint, and an enlargement ratio,
The display unit generates an image representing a state where the virtual space is viewed from the viewpoint position in the direction of the line of sight at predetermined time intervals based on the enlargement ratio, and the generated image Display process to display on the screen,
When a predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the update unit reaches the second value from the first value over time, and then maintains the second value for a predetermined time. An update step of updating the storage unit so as to reach the third value from the second value over time,
The first value is less than the second value;
The second value is less than the third value ;
When the predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the update unit includes, in the image, all neighboring objects whose proximity to the line of sight is within a predetermined threshold among the plurality of objects arranged in the virtual space. 2. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the second value is determined such that a predetermined range includes a vertical and horizontal extent in which the adjacent object is drawn in the image. Computer
A storage unit that stores the position of the viewpoint in the virtual space, the direction of the line of sight extending from the viewpoint, and the magnification rate;
Based on the enlargement factor, an image representing a state in which the virtual space is viewed in the direction of the line of sight from the viewpoint position is generated at predetermined time intervals, and the generated image is displayed on the screen. Display,
When a predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the enlargement ratio reaches from the first value to the second value as time elapses, and then maintains the second value for a predetermined time, and then elapses of time. And functioning as an update unit for updating the storage unit so as to reach the third value from the second value,
The first value is less than the second value;
The second value is less than the third value ;
When the predetermined enlargement condition is satisfied, the update unit includes, in the image, all neighboring objects whose proximity to the line of sight is within a predetermined threshold among the plurality of objects arranged in the virtual space. A program that functions to determine the second value so that a vertical and horizontal spread in which the neighboring object is drawn in the image is included in a predetermined range .

Images