JP7608622B2 - Display Control Device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a display control device that controls the display on a display.

Conventionally, in displays such as head-mounted displays, display information arranged in a virtual space is displayed according to the line of sight in the virtual space. When the display information moves in the virtual space, the display changes according to the movement. Patent Document 1 shows that the display information in the virtual space is specified and moved according to the line of sight in the virtual space.

JP 2018-10702 A

However, in the method of specifying display information to be moved individually by gaze as shown in Patent Document 1, it may be difficult to move the display information easily and appropriately. For example, with the above method, it may be difficult or impossible to specify and move display information that is hidden by other display information and not displayed. Furthermore, a similar problem occurs in the method of specifying display information to be moved individually by user operation rather than by gaze.

One embodiment of the present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide a display control device that can easily and appropriately move displayed information in a display using a virtual space.

A display control device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a display control device that controls display on a display that displays display information arranged in a virtual space according to a line of sight in the virtual space, and includes a trigger detection unit that detects a trigger to move the display information in the virtual space, a setting unit that sets a position and direction in the virtual space used to move the display information in the virtual space, a conversion unit that, when a trigger is detected by the trigger detection unit, converts a coordinate system of the virtual space based on the position and direction in the virtual space set by the setting unit, and a movement unit that moves display information included in an area corresponding to the position and direction in the virtual space set by the setting unit in the coordinate system converted by the conversion unit, and restores the coordinate system of the virtual space to the original coordinate system, and the movement unit moves each piece of display information to be moved at a speed corresponding to the position of the display information in the area .

In a display control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, display information contained in an area corresponding to the position and direction in the virtual space used to move the display information is moved. Therefore, it is possible to easily move display information that could not be easily moved using conventional methods. In addition, the coordinate system of the virtual space is converted when moving the display information. Therefore, it is possible to move the display information after converting it into a coordinate system that makes it easier to move. In this way, according to a display control device according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to easily and appropriately move display information in a display using a virtual space.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, displayed information can be moved easily and appropriately in a display using a virtual space.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a display which is a display control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating examples of display information arranged in a virtual space and areas used for movement. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating another example of display information arranged in a virtual space and an area used for movement. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of movement of display information in a virtual space. 4 is a flowchart showing a process executed on a display which is a display control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a display that is a display control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the display control device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted.

Figure 1 shows the functional configuration of a display 10, which is a display control device according to this embodiment. Display 10, which is a display device, controls the display on display 10 itself. Display 10 displays display information arranged in a virtual space (e.g., a virtual three-dimensional space) according to the line of sight in the virtual space. The display information is, for example, content such as text, images, and moving images. In addition, the display information may be anything other than the above, as long as it can be arranged in the virtual space and displayed according to the line of sight in the virtual space.

For example, the display 10 is a display that displays virtual content (display information) by XR such as AR (Augmented Reality), MR (Mixed Reality), or VR (Virtual Reality). The display 10 may be a transparent display that is attached to the user's eye. For example, the display 10 may be a glasses-type head-mounted display, i.e., see-through glasses (smart glasses, XR glasses). In the following, the display 10 will be described as being attached to the user's eye, i.e., the user's head. However, the display 10 does not have to be attached to the user.

The display 10 displays information in a visible area in the direction of the line of sight in virtual space from a reference position of the line of sight in virtual space (starting point of the line of sight). The line of sight in virtual space is composed of a reference position of the line of sight in virtual space and a direction of the line of sight in virtual space. On the display 10, the line of sight in virtual space can be moved to perform display. By moving the line of sight in virtual space, the display information visible in the virtual space changes, and the display on the display 10 also changes.

The line of sight of the display 10 in the virtual space may be based on the position or orientation of the display 10 in the real space. Therefore, the display 10 may be provided with a sensor that detects the movement (i.e., change in position) and orientation (i.e., orientation) of the display 10 itself. For example, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration and a gyro sensor that detects angular velocity may be provided. The display 10 may detect the movement and orientation of the display 10 itself using these sensors, and move the line of sight in the virtual space according to the detected movement and orientation. That is, the line of sight may be moved according to the orientation of the head (face) of the user wearing the display 10. However, the movement of the line of sight in the virtual space may be performed according to detection of the position or orientation by a sensor other than the above.

Movement of the line of sight in the virtual space may also be performed by a user's operation on the display 10, rather than by a sensor as described above. Display on the display 10 using the line of sight in the virtual space, including movement of the line of sight in the virtual space, may be performed in the same manner as display using conventional AR, MR, VR, etc. Note that information relating to the virtual space may be stored and processed on the display 10, or on a cloud connected to the display 10.

The movement of the line of sight in the virtual space is performed in a preset manner. For example, the movement of the line of sight in the virtual space is performed with a predetermined degree of freedom. The preset degree of freedom is, for example, 6 DoF (Degree of Freedom).

In 6DoF, the reference position of the line of sight in the virtual space can move in three axial directions, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of the virtual space. In addition, in 6DoF, the direction of the line of sight in the virtual space can rotate around three axes, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of the virtual space. Therefore, when a user wearing the display 10 moves his/her head, it is possible to see display information corresponding to that movement. However, the line of sight in the virtual space may be moved with degrees of freedom other than those described above and in a manner other than those described above.

On the display 10, operations related to the display, for example, user operations on the displayed information, may be performed. The display 10 accepts the user's operations and reflects the operations in the display. For example, operations such as generating, moving, enlarging and reducing the displayed information in a virtual space, and inputting characters into the displayed information may be performed. The operations may be performed, for example, using an information processing device such as a smartphone carried by a user wearing the display 10. In this case, the display 10 and the smartphone are connected in advance so as to be able to send and receive information.

The operation may also be performed by a dedicated controller attached to the head-mounted display. The operation may also be performed by a gesture by the user. The part of the user performing the gesture is, for example, the hand. That is, the operation may be performed by a hand tracking gesture. However, the operation may also be performed by a gesture with a part other than the hand. When the operation is performed by a gesture by the user, a camera is provided so as to capture an image of the part performing the gesture, and the gesture is determined from a moving image captured by the camera. The operation may also be performed by any method other than the above. The above display and operation on the display 10 may be performed in the same manner as in the conventional method.

The display on display 10 and the display on the other displays may use display information commonly arranged in a common virtual space. That is, the virtual space and display information may be shared between multiple displays. The multiple displays that share the virtual space and display information are set in advance. The line of sight of the virtual space for the display on display 10 and the display on the other displays may be independent for each display. If the lines of sight on the displays are different, for example, different displays are made on each display according to the respective lines of sight.

The virtual space may correspond to the real space. This allows, for example, directing the display 10 to a specific position in the real space to display display information arranged at a position in the virtual space corresponding to the specific position. As described above, the virtual space and display information are shared among multiple displays, and the virtual space corresponds to the real space, allowing asynchronous communication between users of multiple displays. For example, after a user arranges display information that the user has generated in the virtual space, another user can direct the display to a position in the real space that corresponds to the arrangement position of the display information, causing the display information to be displayed on the display of the other user.

The above-mentioned display information is, for example, a message (words, text) to other users or a three-dimensional video. The display information may also be a display of a soap bubble floating in a virtual space, and when the soap bubble is popped by a user's operation, etc., the above-mentioned message and content such as a three-dimensional video may be made available for reference. In other words, the content may be displayed in space with the content placed inside the soap bubble.

A conventional display having the above-mentioned functions can be used as the display 10. The display 10 may also have a communication function. The communication function of the display 10 may be used to share the above-mentioned virtual space and display information, and to realize the functions according to this embodiment. The above-mentioned functions of the display 10 and some of the functions according to this embodiment described later may also be possessed by an information processing device (e.g., a smartphone or a PC (personal computer)) connected to a display device (e.g., the above-mentioned see-through glasses). That is, the display 10 according to this embodiment may be realized by including a display device and an information processing device.

Next, the functions of the display 10 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the display 10 is configured to include a display unit 11, a trigger detection unit 12, a setting unit 13, a conversion unit 14, and a movement unit 15. In addition to the above, the display 10 may also include functions that are included in conventional display devices such as conventional see-through glasses.

The function of the display 10 described below is for moving the display information arranged in the virtual space. For example, if the display information is far from the reference position of the line of sight in the virtual space, the display information is displayed small. If the display information is moved closer to the reference position of the line of sight, the display information is displayed large, allowing the user to see it clearly.

As described above, in the conventional method of specifying (selecting) display information to be moved individually by gaze, it is difficult or impossible to specify and move display information that is hidden by other display information and not displayed. Furthermore, when multiple pieces of displayed display information, i.e., multiple pieces of display information within the user's field of vision, are brought together to approach a reference position of the gaze in the virtual space, it is difficult to move them easily and appropriately using the conventional method described above. The same problem occurs in the method of specifying display information to be moved individually by user operation rather than by gaze specification.

In addition, a method of specifying the display information to be moved by the user touching the display information with his/her hand using hand tracking gestures or a dedicated controller, etc., is also conceivable. However, in this method, the display information that can be specified is limited to the range within reach. In order to move display information that is far away, for example, the user himself/herself must move. In addition, a method of specifying the display information to be moved by a pointer beam is also conceivable. However, in this method, delicate operation is required, especially when specifying display information that is far away. In addition, in each of the above methods, it is difficult or impossible to move multiple pieces of display information at once. The function according to this embodiment solves the above problems and allows the display information to be moved easily and appropriately. For example, the function according to this embodiment allows the user to operate display information that is out of reach without burdening the user while wearing the display 10.

The movement of the display information displayed on the display 10 may be performed by a function other than that of the present embodiment, in addition to the function of the present embodiment. For example, the display information may be moved by any of the methods described above.

The display unit 11 is a functional unit that performs display on the display 10. The display unit 11 inputs and displays display information to be displayed on the display 10. For example, the display unit 11 may input display information stored in the display 10, or may receive and input display information from the outside. As described above, the display unit 11 displays display information arranged in the virtual space according to the line of sight in the virtual space. Also, as described above, the display unit 11 may share the virtual space and display information with other displays. The sharing of the virtual space and display information is performed, for example, by transmitting and receiving display information and information indicating the position of the virtual space where the display information is arranged with other displays. Also, the sharing of the virtual space and display information may be performed via a server with which each of the displays can communicate, rather than a direct exchange between the displays. Also, the sharing of the virtual space and display information between the displays may be performed by a method other than the above.

The above functions of the display unit 11 may be the same as conventional functions. Furthermore, as described below, the display by the display unit 11 is controlled by the movement unit 15.

The trigger detection unit 12 is a functional unit that detects a trigger for moving display information in a virtual space. For example, the trigger detection unit 12 pre-stores a user operation that serves as the above-mentioned trigger. The trigger detection unit 12 accepts a user operation, and if the accepted user operation is one that has been pre-stored, it is deemed to have detected the above-mentioned trigger. The user operation that serves as the above-mentioned trigger is, for example, pressing a button, inputting a specific command by gesture or voice. Note that the trigger may be a user operation other than those mentioned above, or may be something other than a user operation. When the trigger detection unit 12 detects a trigger, it notifies the setting unit 13 accordingly.

The setting unit 13 is a functional unit that sets a position and direction in the virtual space used to move the display information in the virtual space. The setting unit 13 may set the position and direction of the line of sight in the virtual space to the position and direction in the virtual space used to move the display information in the virtual space.

The set position and direction are the basis for determining the display information to be moved. For example, the reference position and direction of the line of sight in the virtual space are set in advance to be used as the position and direction to be used for movement. The setting unit 13 receives a notification of the detection of the trigger from the trigger detection unit 12. At the timing of receiving the notification, the setting unit 13 acquires information indicating the reference position and direction of the line of sight in the virtual space held by the display unit 11, and sets the reference position and direction of the line of sight as the position and direction in the virtual space to be used for moving the display information. The information indicating the reference position of the line of sight in the virtual space is, for example, a coordinate in the coordinate system (absolute coordinate system) of the virtual space. The information indicating the direction of the line of sight in the virtual space is, for example, a vector in the coordinate system of the virtual space. The coordinate system of the virtual space is, for example, a Cartesian coordinate system (X, Y, Z).

The setting unit 13 outputs information indicating the set position and direction in the virtual space used for movement to the conversion unit 14. Note that the position and direction in the virtual space used for movement of the displayed information do not need to be the position and direction of the line of sight in the virtual space, but may be other positions and directions. In addition, the position and direction in the virtual space used for movement of the displayed information do not need to be set according to the setting criteria stored in advance as described above, and may be set, for example, by accepting a user operation at the time of setting.

The conversion unit 14 is a functional unit that converts the coordinate system of the virtual space based on the position and direction in the virtual space set by the setting unit 13 when a trigger is detected by the trigger detection unit 12. The conversion unit 14 inputs information indicating the position and direction in the virtual space used for movement from the setting unit 13. For example, the conversion unit 14 converts the coordinate axes of the virtual space so that the position indicated by the input information is the origin and the direction indicated by the information is the pre-set direction extending from the origin. When the reference position and direction of the line of sight in the virtual space are the position and direction used for movement as described above, the reference position of the line of sight is converted into a coordinate system with the origin. That is, the conversion unit 14 converts the coordinate system (X, Y, Z) of the virtual space corresponding to the real space into the coordinate system (X', Y', Z') of the user's viewpoint (provisional coordinate system). The converted coordinate system may be an orthogonal coordinate system as described above, or may be another coordinate system (e.g., a spherical coordinate system).

The transformation of the coordinate system itself may be performed by a conventional method. The transformation unit 14 also calculates the position (coordinates) of the display information in the transformed coordinate system (X', Y', Z'). The transformation unit 14 outputs information indicating the transformed coordinate system (X', Y', Z') to the movement unit 15.

The movement unit 15 is a functional unit that moves display information included in an area corresponding to the position and direction in the virtual space set by the setting unit 13 in the coordinate system converted by the conversion unit 14, and restores and converts the coordinate system of the virtual space to the original coordinate system. The movement unit 15 may move display information included in a fan-shaped or strip-shaped area corresponding to the position and direction in the virtual space set by the setting unit 13. The movement unit 15 may move each piece of display information to be moved at a speed corresponding to the position of the display information in the above-mentioned area. The movement unit 15 may reduce or enlarge the display information in accordance with the movement of the display information. The movement unit 15 performs the following process, for example.

The movement unit 15 inputs information indicating the transformed coordinate system (X', Y', Z') from the conversion unit 14. The movement unit 15 sets an area (range) to be used for moving the display information in the transformed coordinate system. For example, as shown in FIG. 2(a), the movement unit 15 sets a fan-shaped area 200 in the transformed coordinate system. More specifically, the area 200 is an area that spreads in a cone or pyramid shape. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the spreading direction of the area 200 (for example, from above), the area 200 spreads in a fan shape as shown in FIG. 2(a). Note that the fan shape may spread infinitely or may have a fixed size.

The moving unit 15 sets the above-mentioned area 200 according to the position and direction in the virtual space set by the setting unit 13. Specifically, the moving unit 15 sets the above-mentioned area 200 with the origin of the transformed coordinate system (i.e., the reference position of the line of sight in the virtual space) corresponding to the position set by the setting unit 13 as a vertex. The moving unit 15 also sets the above-mentioned area 200 with the direction of the transformed coordinate system (i.e., the line of sight direction in the virtual space) corresponding to the direction set by the setting unit 13 as the direction of the center of the angle spreading from the origin of the above-mentioned area 200. That is, the moving unit 15 sets the area 200 corresponding to the range displayed on the display 10, that is, the area 200 corresponding to the user's field of view, in the transformed coordinate system. Note that the set area 200 does not have to match the range displayed on the display 10. If the set area 200 and the range displayed on the display 10 match and the display 10 displays a rectangle, the set area 200 will be a pyramid-shaped area spreading accordingly.

The movement unit 15 determines the display information 100 included in the set region 200. The display information 100 included in the region 200 may be the entire display information 100 included in the region 200, or a central axis preset for each display information 100 may be included in the region 200. The movement unit 15 sets the display information 100 included in the set region 200 as the display information 100 to be moved. As shown in FIG. 2(b), the movement unit 15 moves the display information 100 to be moved in a preset direction. As shown in FIG. 2(b), the preset direction is, for example, a direction toward the origin, which is the vertex of the region 200 (i.e., the reference position of the line of sight in the virtual space). That is, in the display on the display 10, the display information 100 is moved so as to approach the user (is drawn to the user).

Since the movement of the display information 100 is toward the origin, this is performed by multiplying the coordinate values in the coordinate system after the transformation of the display information 100 by t (t is a positive value less than 1). When the movement unit 15 moves the display information 100, it restores and transforms the coordinate system of the virtual space to the original coordinate system. The restoration and transformation of the coordinate system itself may be performed by a conventional method. The display unit 11 reflects the moved display information 100 in the display on the display 10. Thus, the user can see the moved and displayed display information 100.

The movement unit 15 may also move the display information 100 at a constant speed that is set in advance. For example, multiple values of t may be prepared, and the movement unit 15 may calculate the converted coordinates in order, so that the display information 100 gradually moves (comes closer to the user) when displayed on the display 10. Also, a user operation to stop the movement may be accepted, and the display information 100 may continue to move until the operation is accepted.

The direction of movement of the display information 100 may not be toward the origin, but may be away from the origin, i.e., away from the user. The direction of movement of the display information 100 may be a direction other than the above. The type of trigger detected by the trigger detection unit 12 may be associated with the direction of movement of the display information 100 in advance, and the display information 100 may be moved in a direction according to the type of trigger detected. The movement of the display information 100 in the transformed coordinate system may be performed by a method other than the above.

Furthermore, the movement unit 15 may move each piece of display information 100 to be moved at a speed according to the position of the display information 100 in the above-mentioned region 200. For example, the movement unit 15 sets a partial region according to an angle extending from the origin of the region 200 as shown in FIG. 2(a). Specifically, the movement unit 15 sets a partial region 210 with a central angle Θ extending from the origin of the region 200, and a partial region 220 with an angle Θ' excluding the central angle Θ. The above-mentioned angle Θ is, for example, 1 to 2°, which is the angle of a human's central vision. The above-mentioned angle Θ' is, for example, 4 to 20°, which is the angle within the range of a human's effective visual field.

The movement unit 15 moves the display information 100 included in the partial region 210 at a speed v, and moves the display information 100 included in the partial region 220 at a speed sv. Note that v and s are preset values, 0<s<1. That is, the display information 100 included in the inner partial region 210 moves faster, and the display information 100 included in the outer partial region 210 moves slower. As a result, the display information 100 moves faster in parts closer to the center of the display screen of the display 10, and moves slower in parts outside of that. By moving the display information 100 in this manner, the movement of the display information 100 can be made to suit the user's visual sense.

The movement direction of the above-mentioned area 200 and the display information 100 is not limited to the above. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the movement unit 15 may set a strip-shaped area 200 according to the position and direction in the virtual space set by the setting unit 13, and use it to move the display information 100. Specifically, the movement unit 15 sets a strip-shaped area 200 that includes the origin of the transformed coordinate system corresponding to the position set by the setting unit 13 at its end and extends in the direction set by the setting unit 13. The movement unit 15 also moves the display information 100 included in the set area 200 parallel to the direction set by the setting unit 13. The entire transformed coordinate system may be the above-mentioned area 200.

The movement of display information will be explained again with reference to FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, display information 100 is placed in a virtual space, and the line of sight in the virtual space is from left to right, i.e., toward the placed display information 100. When the line of sight in the virtual space moves with 6DoF, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the display information 100 in the back may be hidden by other display information 100 and may not be visible or may be difficult to see. In this case, because the distance is large, the appearance of the display information 100 in the back does not change much simply by tilting the line of sight in the virtual space slightly.

When the display information is moved by the function of the present embodiment described above, as shown in FIG. 4B, each piece of display information 100 approaches the reference position of the line of sight in the virtual space. In this case, the movement of the display information 100 changes the distance u in the depth direction (the direction of the line of sight in the virtual space) to tu as described above, and the height v of the display information 100 does not change. However, the display information 100 may be moved so as to change the height v. As shown in FIG. 4B, when the display information 100 approaches the reference position of the line of sight in the virtual space as a result of the movement of the display information, the rear display information 100 can also be confirmed by moving the line of sight in the virtual space a little. In other words, the rear display information 100 can also be displayed on the display 10 so that it can be properly recognized by the user.

As described above, two pieces of display information 100 that overlap in the line of sight, as indicated by the double arrows in Figure 3, can also be moved closer to the reference position of the line of sight, making it possible to confirm the display information 100 that is hidden by one of the pieces of display information 100, and enabling operations such as selecting that display information 100.

The movement unit 15 may also reduce or enlarge the display information 100 in response to the movement of the display information 100. For example, the movement unit 15 stores a reduction ratio or enlargement ratio of the display information 100 according to the movement direction and amount of movement, and reduces or enlarges the display information 100 in response to the movement of the display information 100 based on the stored information. When reducing the display information 100, an arbitrary minimum size may be set in advance and the display information 100 may be reduced to that size. When enlarging the display information 100, an arbitrary maximum size may be set in advance and the display information 100 may be enlarged to that size. The reduction or enlargement of the display information 100 is performed, for example, for the purpose of preventing the display information 100 from becoming difficult to see due to the movement of the display information 100. The above is the function of the display 10 according to this embodiment.

Next, the process executed by the display 10 according to this embodiment (the operation method performed by the display 10) will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 5. This process is performed when the display unit 11 displays on the display 10.

In this process, the trigger detection unit 12 detects a trigger for moving the display information in the virtual space (S01). Then, the setting unit 13 sets a position and a direction in the virtual space used for moving the display information in the virtual space (S02). Then, the conversion unit 14 converts the coordinate system of the virtual space based on the position and direction in the virtual space set by the setting unit 13 (S03). Then, the movement unit 15 moves the display information 100 included in the area corresponding to the position and direction in the virtual space set by the setting unit 13 in the converted coordinate system (S04). Then, the movement unit 15 restores and converts the coordinate system of the virtual space to the original coordinate system (S05). The movement of the display information 100 by the above process is reflected in the display by the display unit 11 on the display 10. The above is the process executed by the display 10 according to this embodiment.

In this embodiment, the display information 100 included in the area 200 according to the position and direction in the virtual space used to move the display information 100 is moved. Therefore, the display information 100, which could not be easily moved by conventional methods such as, for example, specifying the display information by gaze and user operation, can be easily moved. In addition, the coordinate system of the virtual space is converted when the display information 100 is moved. Therefore, the display information 100 can be moved after being converted into a coordinate system that makes it easy to move the display information. For example, as described above, the display information 100 can be easily moved by multiplying the coordinate value by t. In this way, according to this embodiment, the display information can be easily and appropriately moved in a display using a virtual space. As a result, for example, by making the display information 100 appear near the user as described above, it is possible to improve visibility and ease of selection.

Also, as in the above-described embodiment, the setting unit 13 may set the position and direction of the line of sight in the virtual space to a position and direction in the virtual space used to move the display information 100 in the virtual space. With this configuration, the display information 100 can be moved appropriately according to the position and direction of the line of sight in the virtual space. However, the position and direction in the virtual space used to move the display information 100 in the virtual space may be any position and direction other than the position and direction of the line of sight in the virtual space.

Also, as in the above-described embodiment, the movement unit 15 may move the display information 100 included in the fan-shaped or strip-shaped area 200 according to the position and direction in the virtual space set by the setting unit 13. With this configuration, the display information 100 to be moved can be appropriate. However, as described above, the above-described area 200 is not limited to the above and may be any shape.

Furthermore, as in the above-described embodiment, the movement unit 15 may move each piece of display information 100 to be moved at a speed corresponding to the position of the display information 100 in the area 200. According to this configuration, as described above, for example, the movement of the display information 100 can be made to match the visual sense of the user.

Also, as in the above-described embodiment, the movement unit 15 may reduce or enlarge the display information 100 in response to the movement of the display information 100. With this configuration, for example, it is possible to prevent the display information 100 from becoming difficult to see due to the movement of the display information 100. However, the display information 100 does not have to be reduced or enlarged.

In the above-described embodiment, the display control device has been described as a display 10 having a display function, but it does not necessarily have to have a display function. The display control device is a device (system) that is connected to a display that displays display information arranged in a virtual space according to the line of sight in the virtual space (i.e., has a display unit 11) and controls the display on the display, and may be equipped with the above-described trigger detection unit 12, setting unit 13, conversion unit 14, and movement unit 15. For example, some or all of the above-described functional units 12 to 15 may be provided in a device such as a server that can send and receive information to and from the display. In this case, each functional unit 12 to 15 provided in the device such as the server may send and receive input and output information to and from the display.

Note that the block diagrams used to explain the above embodiments show functional blocks. These functional blocks (components) are realized by any combination of at least one of hardware and software. Furthermore, the method of realizing each functional block is not particularly limited. That is, each functional block may be realized using one device that is physically or logically coupled, or may be realized using two or more devices that are physically or logically separated and directly or indirectly connected (e.g., using wires, wirelessly, etc.) and these multiple devices. The functional blocks may be realized by combining the one device or the multiple devices with software.

Functions include, but are not limited to, judgement, determination, judgment, calculation, computation, processing, derivation, investigation, search, confirmation, reception, transmission, output, access, resolution, selection, election, establishment, comparison, assumption, expectation, regard, broadcasting, notifying, communicating, forwarding, configuring, reconfiguring, allocating, mapping, and assignment. For example, a functional block (component) that performs the transmission function is called a transmitting unit or transmitter. In either case, as mentioned above, there are no particular limitations on the method of implementation.

For example, the display 10 in one embodiment of the present disclosure may function as a computer that performs the information processing of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the display 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The above-mentioned display 10 may be physically configured as a computer device including a processor 1001, a memory 1002, a storage 1003, a communication device 1004, an input device 1005, an output device 1006, a bus 1007, etc.

In the following description, the term "apparatus" may be interpreted as a circuit, device, unit, etc. The hardware configuration of the display 10 may be configured to include one or more of the devices shown in the figure, or may be configured to exclude some of the devices.

Each function of the display 10 is realized by loading a specific software (program) onto hardware such as the processor 1001 and memory 1002, causing the processor 1001 to perform calculations, control communication via the communication device 1004, and control at least one of the reading and writing of data in the memory 1002 and storage 1003.

The processor 1001, for example, operates an operating system to control the entire computer. The processor 1001 may be configured by a central processing unit (CPU) including an interface with peripheral devices, a control device, an arithmetic unit, a register, etc. For example, each function of the display 10 described above may be realized by the processor 1001.

The processor 1001 also reads out programs (program codes), software modules, data, etc. from at least one of the storage 1003 and the communication device 1004 into the memory 1002, and executes various processes according to these. The programs used are those that cause a computer to execute at least a part of the operations described in the above-mentioned embodiments. For example, each function of the display 10 may be realized by a control program stored in the memory 1002 and running on the processor 1001. Although the above-mentioned various processes have been described as being executed by one processor 1001, they may be executed simultaneously or sequentially by two or more processors 1001. The processor 1001 may be implemented by one or more chips. The programs may be transmitted from a network via a telecommunications line.

The memory 1002 is a computer-readable recording medium, and may be composed of at least one of, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The memory 1002 may be called a register, a cache, a main memory (primary storage device), etc. The memory 1002 can store executable programs (program codes), software modules, etc. for performing information processing related to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

Storage 1003 is a computer-readable recording medium, and may be composed of at least one of, for example, an optical disk such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc ROM), a hard disk drive, a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk (e.g., a compact disk, a digital versatile disk, a Blu-ray (registered trademark) disk), a smart card, a flash memory (e.g., a card, a stick, a key drive), a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a magnetic strip, etc. Storage 1003 may also be referred to as an auxiliary storage device. The storage medium provided by display 10 may be, for example, a database, a server, or other suitable medium including at least one of memory 1002 and storage 1003.

The communication device 1004 is hardware (transmitting/receiving device) for communicating between computers via at least one of a wired network and a wireless network, and is also referred to as, for example, a network device, a network controller, a network card, a communication module, etc.

The input device 1005 is an input device (e.g., a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, a switch, a button, a sensor, etc.) that accepts input from the outside. The output device 1006 is an output device (e.g., a display, a speaker, an LED lamp, etc.) that performs output to the outside. Note that the input device 1005 and the output device 1006 may be integrated into one configuration (e.g., a touch panel).

In addition, each device such as the processor 1001 and the memory 1002 is connected by a bus 1007 for communicating information. The bus 1007 may be configured using a single bus, or may be configured using different buses between each device.

In addition, the display 10 may be configured to include hardware such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and some or all of the functional blocks may be realized by the hardware. For example, the processor 1001 may be implemented using at least one of these pieces of hardware.

The processing steps, sequences, flow charts, etc. of each aspect/embodiment described in this disclosure may be reordered unless inconsistent. For example, the methods described in this disclosure present elements of various steps using an example order and are not limited to the particular order presented.

The input and output information, etc. may be stored in a specific location (e.g., memory) or may be managed using a management table. The input and output information, etc. may be overwritten, updated, or added to. The output information, etc. may be deleted. The input information, etc. may be transmitted to another device.

The determination may be based on a value represented by a single bit (0 or 1), a Boolean (true or false) value, or a numerical comparison (e.g., with a predetermined value).

Each aspect/embodiment described in this disclosure may be used alone, in combination, or switched depending on the execution. In addition, notification of specific information (e.g., notification that "X is the case") is not limited to being done explicitly, but may be done implicitly (e.g., not notifying the specific information).

Although the present disclosure has been described in detail above, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present disclosure can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description of the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative and does not have any limiting meaning on the present disclosure.

Software shall be construed broadly to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, threads of execution, procedures, functions, etc., whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or otherwise.

Additionally, software, instructions, information, etc. may be transmitted and received via a transmission medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using wired technologies (such as coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)), and/or wireless technologies (such as infrared, microwave), then these wired and/or wireless technologies are included within the definition of a transmission medium.

As used in this disclosure, the terms "system" and "network" are used interchangeably.

In addition, the information, parameters, etc. described in this disclosure may be expressed using absolute values, may be expressed using relative values from a predetermined value, or may be expressed using other corresponding information.

As used in this disclosure, the terms "determining" and "determining" may encompass a wide variety of actions. "Determining" and "determining" may include, for example, judging, calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up, searching, inquiring (e.g., searching in a table, database, or other data structure), ascertaining, and the like. "Determining" and "determining" may also include receiving (e.g., receiving information), transmitting (e.g., sending information), input, output, accessing (e.g., accessing data in memory), and the like. In addition, "judgment" and "decision" can include considering resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, comparing, etc., to be a "judgment" or "decision." In other words, "judgment" and "decision" can include considering some action to be a "judgment" or "decision." Furthermore, "judgment (decision)" can be interpreted as "assuming," "expecting," "considering," etc.

The terms "connected" and "coupled", or any variation thereof, refer to any direct or indirect connection or coupling between two or more elements, and may include the presence of one or more intermediate elements between two elements that are "connected" or "coupled" to each other. The coupling or connection between elements may be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. For example, "connected" may be read as "access". As used in this disclosure, two elements may be considered to be "connected" or "coupled" to each other using at least one of one or more wires, cables, and printed electrical connections, as well as electromagnetic energy having wavelengths in the radio frequency range, microwave range, and light (both visible and invisible) range, as some non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples.

As used in this disclosure, the phrase "based on" does not mean "based only on," unless expressly stated otherwise. In other words, the phrase "based on" means both "based only on" and "based at least on."

Any reference to elements using designations such as "first," "second," etc., used in this disclosure does not generally limit the quantity or order of those elements. These designations may be used in this disclosure as a convenient way to distinguish between two or more elements. Thus, a reference to a first and a second element does not imply that only two elements may be employed or that the first element must precede the second element in some way.

When used in this disclosure, the terms "include," "including," and variations thereof are intended to be inclusive, similar to the term "comprising." Additionally, the term "or," as used in this disclosure, is not intended to be an exclusive or.

In this disclosure, where articles have been added by translation, such as a, an, and the in English, this disclosure may include that the nouns following these articles are in the plural form.

In this disclosure, the term "A and B are different" may mean "A and B are different from each other." In addition, the term may mean "A and B are each different from C." Terms such as "separate" and "combined" may also be interpreted in the same way as "different."

10...display, 11...display unit, 12...trigger detection unit, 13...setting unit, 14...conversion unit, 15...movement unit, 1001...processor, 1002...memory, 1003...storage, 1004...communication device, 1005...input device, 1006...output device, 1007...bus.

Claims (4)

A display control device that controls display on a display that displays display information arranged in a virtual space according to a line of sight in the virtual space,
an opportunity detection unit that detects an opportunity to move display information in a virtual space;
a setting unit that sets a position and a direction in the virtual space used for moving the display information in the virtual space;
a conversion unit that converts a coordinate system of a virtual space based on a position and a direction in the virtual space set by the setting unit when the trigger is detected by the trigger detection unit;
a moving unit that moves display information included in an area corresponding to the position and direction in the virtual space set by the setting unit in the coordinate system converted by the conversion unit, thereby converting the coordinate system of the virtual space back into the original coordinate system;
Equipped with
The movement unit is a display control device that moves each piece of display information to be moved at a speed corresponding to a position of the display information in the area . The display control device according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets the position and direction of the line of sight in the virtual space to a position and direction in the virtual space used to move the displayed information in the virtual space. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein the movement unit moves display information included in a sector-shaped or strip-shaped area according to the position and direction in the virtual space set by the setting unit. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein the movement unit reduces or enlarges the display information in response to the movement of the display information.

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