Method, apparatus, device and medium for providing prompt information

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, devices, and media for providing prompt information are presented. In one method, a virtual environment model corresponding to a first physical environment is generated, the first physical environment including a physical model corresponding to a second physical environment, the physical model being generated based on a building and its surrounding information in the second physical environment, and the virtual environment model including a virtual physical model corresponding to the physical model. In a first instance of a virtual reality application initiated by a first user of the virtual reality application, and a second instance of the virtual reality application initiated by a second user of the virtual reality application, the virtual environment model is respectively rendered. In response to detecting an interaction of the first user associated with the first physical environment, prompt information associated with the second physical environment is provided in the second instance of the virtual reality application. In this way, richer prompt information can be provided to the users, and the degree of awareness of the users on the spatial distribution of the second physical environment is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Exemplary implementations of this disclosure generally relate to virtual reality applications, and more particularly to methods, apparatus, devices, and computer-readable storage media for providing prompting information in virtual reality applications. Background Technology

[0002] Virtual reality applications have been widely used in various industries. For example, data acquisition devices can be used to capture models of the physical environment, and these models can be used in virtual reality applications to present a virtual environment corresponding to the physical environment. Users can then roam within this virtual environment to experience an immersive visual effect. However, in some cases, the physical environment does not exist, making it impossible to capture and generate a model of it (e.g., an unfinished building or a historical site that no longer exists). In such cases, providing relevant information about the physical environment becomes a research hotspot and a challenge. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first aspect of this disclosure, a method for providing prompt information is provided. In this method, a virtual environment model corresponding to a first physical environment is generated, the first physical environment including an entity model corresponding to a second physical environment, the entity model being generated based on building and surrounding information in the second physical environment, and the virtual environment model including a virtual entity model corresponding to the entity model. The virtual environment model is presented in a first instance of a virtual reality application initiated by a first user of the virtual reality application, and in a second instance of the virtual reality application initiated by a second user of the virtual reality application. In response to detecting an interaction between the first user and the first physical environment, prompt information associated with the second physical environment is provided in the second instance of the virtual reality application.

[0004] In a second aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus for providing prompt information is provided. The apparatus includes: a generation module configured to generate a virtual environment model corresponding to a first physical environment, the first physical environment including an entity model corresponding to a second physical environment, the entity model being generated based on building and surrounding information in the second physical environment, and the virtual environment model including virtual entity models corresponding to the entity models; a presentation module configured to present the virtual environment model in a first instance of a virtual reality application initiated by a first user of the virtual reality application and in a second instance of the virtual reality application used by a second user of the virtual reality application; and a providing module configured to provide prompt information associated with the second physical environment in the second instance of the virtual reality application in response to detecting an interaction between the first user and the first physical environment.

[0005] In a third aspect of this disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes: at least one processing unit; and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processing unit and storing instructions for execution by the at least one processing unit, the instructions causing the electronic device to perform the method according to a first aspect of this disclosure when executed by the at least one processing unit.

[0006] In a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to implement the method according to a first aspect of this disclosure.

[0007] It should be understood that the content described in this content section is not intended to limit the key or essential features of the implementation of this disclosure, nor is it intended to restrict the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0008] In the following detailed description, the above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the various implementations of this disclosure will become more apparent, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0009] Figure 1 A block diagram of an application environment according to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure is shown;

[0010] Figure 2 A block diagram illustrating the provision of prompting information according to some implementations of this disclosure is shown;

[0011] Figure 3 A block diagram is shown illustrating how to provide prompt information based on labeled regions according to some implementations of this disclosure;

[0012] Figure 4 A block diagram is shown illustrating how to provide prompts based on user field of view according to some implementations of this disclosure;

[0013] Figure 5 A block diagram illustrating how navigation paths are provided in a virtual application according to some implementations of this disclosure is shown;

[0014] Figure 6 A block diagram is shown illustrating some implementations of the present disclosure of providing prompt information in a virtual application;

[0015] Figure 7 A block diagram illustrating how navigation paths are provided in an entity model according to some implementations of this disclosure is shown;

[0016] Figure 8 A flowchart is shown of a method for providing prompt information according to some implementations of this disclosure;

[0017] Figure 9 A block diagram of an apparatus for providing prompting information according to some implementations of this disclosure is shown; and

[0018] Figure 10 A block diagram of a device capable of implementing various implementations of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Implementations of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some implementations of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein. Rather, these implementations are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and implementations of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0020] In the description of the implementation methods disclosed herein, the term "comprising" and similar terms should be understood as open inclusion, i.e., "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on". The term "one implementation" or "the implementation" should be understood as "at least one implementation". The term "some implementations" should be understood as "at least some implementations". Other explicit and implicit definitions may also be included below. As used herein, the term "model" can represent the relationships between various data. For example, the aforementioned relationships can be obtained based on various currently known and / or future-developed technical solutions.

[0021] It is understood that the data involved in this technical solution (including but not limited to the data itself, the acquisition or use of the data) shall comply with the requirements of relevant laws, regulations and related provisions.

[0022] It is understood that before using the technical solutions disclosed in the various embodiments of this disclosure, users should be informed of the types, scope of use, and usage scenarios of the personal information involved in this disclosure through appropriate means in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and user authorization should be obtained.

[0023] For example, upon receiving a user's active request, a prompt message is sent to the user to explicitly inform them that the requested operation will require the acquisition and use of the user's personal information. This allows the user to independently choose whether to provide personal information to the software or hardware, such as the electronic device, application, server, or storage medium performing the operations of this disclosed technical solution, based on the prompt message.

[0024] As an optional but non-restrictive implementation, in response to a user's active request, a prompt message can be sent to the user, for example, via a pop-up window, where the prompt message can be presented in text format. Furthermore, the pop-up window can also include a selection control allowing the user to choose whether to "agree" or "disagree" to provide personal information to the electronic device.

[0025] It is understood that the above notification and user authorization process are merely illustrative and do not constitute a limitation on the implementation of this disclosure. Other methods that comply with relevant laws and regulations may also be applied to the implementation of this disclosure.

[0026] The term "in response to" as used herein refers to a state in which a corresponding event occurs or a condition is satisfied. It will be understood that the timing of subsequent actions performed in response to such event or condition is not necessarily strongly correlated with the time when the event occurs or the condition is met. For example, in some cases, subsequent actions may be performed immediately upon the occurrence of the event or the fulfillment of the condition; while in others, they may be performed some time after the occurrence of the event or the fulfillment of the condition.

[0027] Example Environment

[0028] For ease of description, a specific implementation of an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure is described within the context of a property demonstration. See also Figure 1 This describes an application environment based on an exemplary implementation of the present disclosure. Figure 1 A block diagram 100 of an application environment according to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure is shown. Figure 1 As shown, a physical model (e.g., a sand table) 110 can be provided in the sales office 130. This physical model 110 can be, for example, a physical model of a building 132 under construction. At this time, users 120 (e.g., staff and / or homebuyers) can access the sales office 130 and be introduced to and / or learn about relevant information about the building 132.

[0029] Typically, staff need to be familiar with all aspects of the property beforehand so they can skillfully explain it to clients upon arrival. Although virtual reality applications are provided for property demonstrations, clients can only browse general information about the property through tools like panoramic views and cannot interact with staff. Therefore, it is desirable to provide clients with helpful information in a more convenient and effective way.

[0030] Summary of the prompt information

[0031] To at least partially address the shortcomings of the prior art, a method for providing prompting information is proposed according to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure. See also Figure 2A summary of an exemplary implementation according to this disclosure is provided. Figure 2 A block diagram 200 is shown illustrating some implementations of this disclosure for providing prompts. Users 120 and 232 (referred to as the first user and the second user, respectively) can log in to the virtual reality application via their respective terminal devices 214 and 232 and through network 240. User 120 may be a sales office staff member located in a first physical environment (e.g., Figure 1 The sales office 130 shown here, the first physical environment may include a corresponding second physical environment (e.g., Figure 1 The physical model (e.g., a sand table) of the property 132 shown. User 232 can be a customer who wishes to purchase a house and can be located in any physical location (e.g., any physical location outside the first and second physical environments).

[0032] The entity model can be generated based on the building and its surrounding information in the second physical environment. A virtual environment model corresponding to the first physical environment can be generated, and this virtual environment model can include virtual entity models corresponding to the entity model. For example... Figure 2 As shown, instances of virtual reality applications can be provided in terminal devices 214 and 230 of users 120 and 232, respectively. Furthermore, the generated environment model can be presented in each instance of the virtual reality application.

[0033] It will be understood that the entity model 110 here may include multiple entity objects, such as subway station 140, residence 142, residence 144, and park 146, etc. Here, each entity object may correspond to a physical object in the building complex 132 (i.e., a physical object under construction or already completed). For example, subway station 140 may correspond to a real subway station in the environment where building complex 132 is located, and residence 142, residence 144, and park 146 may correspond to real residences and parks in the real physical environment, respectively.

[0034] Furthermore, the virtual environment models in each instance of the virtual reality application can correspondingly present virtual entity models corresponding to entity model 110, and present virtual entity objects corresponding to each entity object. For ease of description, the instances of the virtual reality application used by users 120 and 232 can be referred to as the first instance and the second instance, respectively. For example, the virtual entity model may include virtual subway station objects, virtual residential objects, virtual garden objects, and so on. In this way, entity model 110 can provide user 232 with the spatial relationships of the environment where property 132 is located, thereby facilitating user 232's understanding of relevant information about property 132.

[0035] User 120 can interact with the first physical environment (e.g., move to user location 210 in the first physical environment, or interact with a virtual environment model in a virtual reality application, such as operating a first instance of the virtual reality application to view the virtual environment model at a certain location). Furthermore, based on user 120's interaction with the first physical environment, a second instance of the virtual reality application can provide prompts 220 associated with the second physical environment. Specifically, when user 120 moves away from the physical model 110, the prompts 220 may include summary information about the building 132, and when user 120 approaches a building in the physical model 110, the prompts 220 may include information about the building, such as the number of floors, area, etc.

[0036] It will be understood that, even though user 232 is currently outside the sales office 130 and the building 132 may not yet be completed, detailed information about the building 132 under construction can be provided to user 232 using the physical model 110 and virtual reality applications. In this way, user 232 can tour the physical model in the sales office 130 under the guidance of user 120, and the information can be presented in a more convenient and effective manner, thereby improving user 232's user experience.

[0037] Detailed process of providing prompts

[0038] See already Figure 2 A summary of an exemplary implementation of this disclosure has been described, and further details regarding the provision of prompting information will be described below. According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, a model of the sales office 130 can be acquired and generated based on a variety of currently known and / or future-developed technologies. For example, a panoramic model can be generated and presented based on panoramic imaging technology; alternative and / or additional sites can be generated and presented based on 3D technology, and so on. According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the physical model 110 herein is constructed based on a building and its surrounding environment in a second physical environment. For example, a sand table model of the property 132 and its surrounding environment can be constructed using various materials at a predetermined scale.

[0039] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, interactions between user 120 and the first physical environment can be detected. For example, user 120 can move to user location 210, alternative locations, and / or additional locations within the first physical environment; user 120 can move along a predetermined path within the first physical environment; and so on. Specifically, various positioning technologies can be used to detect user 120's location within the sales office 130. For example, user location 210 can be collected based on positioning sensors in terminal device 230; or, for example, positioning sensors can be deployed within the sales office 130 to collect user location 210; and so on. The positional relationship between the user's location and the physical location of the entity model in the physical environment can be determined, and information about the property 132 can be provided based on this positional relationship.

[0040] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the interaction between user 120 and the first physical environment may include user 120 operating a viewpoint in a first instance of the virtual reality application and reaching a location around a virtual environment model of the first physical environment. In this case, prompts may be presented based on the positional relationship between the viewpoint of user 120 in the first instance of the virtual reality application and the virtual environment model.

[0041] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, a set of labeled areas may be pre-defined around entity location 212, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 3 Describe more details about the labeled area. Figure 3 A block diagram 300 illustrates a method for providing prompts based on labeled regions, according to some implementations of this disclosure. For example... Figure 3 As shown, different annotation areas 310, ..., 312, etc. can be preset. Here, each annotation area can be located at a specified position and have a specified shape.

[0042] Furthermore, each labeled region can correspond to a set of entity objects in entity model 110. For example, labeled region 310 can correspond to residence 142, residence 144, and park 146, and labeled region 312 can correspond to subway station 140 and park 146. It will be understood that since each entity object corresponds to a real physical object in the second physical environment, the labeled region can then correspond to a set of real physical objects in the second physical environment.

[0043] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, one or more predefined labeled regions can be obtained. Then, it can be determined whether the user's location 210 is within a certain labeled region. If it is determined that the user's location is within a certain labeled region, prompt information associated with a set of physical objects in that labeled region can be provided. For example... Figure 3As shown, assuming user location 210 is within marked area 310, information related to residences and parks in building 132 can be provided. Similarly, assuming user 120 enters marked area 312, information related to subway stations can be provided to user 232 in a second instance of the virtual reality application, such as the subway station name, stops along the line, first and last train times, etc.

[0044] Using the exemplary implementation of this disclosure, when user 120 approaches a physical object in the physical model, user 232 can be provided with prompts related to the physical object. In this way, when user 120 approaches a subway station model in the sand table, user 232 can be provided with potentially interesting information about the subway station, thus facilitating user 232 to obtain more information in a simple and effective manner. Compared to existing technical solutions that only present a virtual environment model of the property in a virtual reality application, combining the physical model 110 with a virtual reality application allows user 120 to guide user 232 through a tour, enabling user 232 to perceive the real spatial layout of the property 132 in a more intuitive way and obtain richer information about the property 132 from a second instance of the virtual reality application. In this way, regardless of user 232's location, they can enjoy the guidance and introduction services provided by user 120 online.

[0045] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the prompt information presented to user 232 can be selected based on various methods. For example, based on user 120's orientation in the physical environment, it can be determined which entity object in the entity model 110 user 120 is viewing, and then corresponding prompt information can be provided. See also Figure 4 To describe more details, the Figure 4 A block diagram 400 illustrating a user-view-based prompt message according to some implementations of this disclosure is shown. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the user's orientation can be determined based on the sensors in the terminal device 230, thereby determining the user's field of view 410, and providing relevant information about the residence 142 within the user's field of view 410, etc.

[0046] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, information about various physical objects can be provided in order of proximity, following the user's line of sight. For example, general information about residence 142 can be presented first, followed by information about park 146 in the distance, and so on. Alternatively and / or additionally, user actions can be further detected; for example, assuming user 120 is detected pointing to park 146 in the distance, specific information about that park can be presented directly, and so on.

[0047] Alternative and / or additional methods can detect the length of time a user uses the virtual reality application. Specifically, when a user first uses the virtual reality application, summary information about the building and various physical objects can be provided; after the user has used it for a period of time, more detailed information about each object can be provided, such as the area and orientation of each unit type, etc. Using the exemplary implementation of this disclosure, potentially interesting information can be provided to user 232 based on the actual usage of user 120. In this way, user 232 can automatically obtain the desired information without additional operation.

[0048] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, a physical navigation path can be predefined to guide user 120 to move within sales office 130. Figure 5 A block diagram 500 illustrates providing a navigation path in a first instance of a virtual application according to some implementations of this disclosure. For example... Figure 5 As shown, for example, physical navigation path 510 can start from the entrance of sales office 130 and specify the movement route within sales office 130. Specifically, physical navigation path 510 can pass through multiple labeled areas around physical model 110. At this time, when user 120 moves along physical navigation path 510, they can pass through multiple labeled areas and thus obtain rich information about the relevant objects in the multiple labeled areas.

[0049] Furthermore, a virtual navigation path 520 can be provided in the first instance of the virtual reality application to guide the user 120 to move along the physical navigation path. At this time, when the user 120 walks in the sales office 130 with the handheld terminal device 230, they can obtain information about various objects along the virtual navigation path 520. According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, upon detecting that the user 120 is moving along the physical navigation path 510 in the first physical environment, it can be determined whether the user's location is within a specific marked area. If it is determined that the user's location is within the specific marked area, prompts associated with a set of physical objects in that marked area can be provided. Using the exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the virtual reality application can automatically guide the user 120 to walk along a predetermined route, thereby leading the user 232 to obtain rich information about the property 132.

[0050] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the prompt information can be presented to the instance used by user 120. For the staff of sales office 130, the staff can familiarize themselves with various aspects of the property 132 along a pre-designed route and practice the explanation process.

[0051] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the virtual entity model presented in a virtual reality application may include virtual objects corresponding to various entity objects. For example, the virtual reality application may present virtual subway station objects, virtual residential objects, virtual garden objects, and so on. Either user 120 or user 232 can interact with the aforementioned virtual objects to present prompts related to each virtual object, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 6 Describe more details about the interaction.

[0052] Figure 6 A block diagram 600 illustrates how, according to some implementations of this disclosure, prompting information is provided in a virtual application. For example... Figure 6 As shown, user 120 can select a virtual housing object (e.g., the floor plan corresponding to physical object 610 in physical model 110) in a virtual reality application. At this time, prompts 620 about the floor plan can be presented in various instances of the virtual reality application. Alternatively and / or additionally, user 232 can also select the object they wish to view to obtain the desired information. It will be understood that the prompts 620 can include various aspects, such as a 3D model of the floor plan, images, and text. Specifically, a walkthrough effect of the floor plan can be presented, and real photos and text descriptions of the model unit can be provided, etc. In this way, various aspects of information related to the physical object can be provided to user 232 in a visual manner, thereby improving the efficiency of user 120 in obtaining information.

[0053] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, controls for controlling physical objects can be presented in various instances of a virtual reality application. For example, when user 120 selects a virtual house object in the virtual reality application, controls for illuminating the corresponding physical object can be presented. User 120 can operate the controls to turn the indicator lights illuminating the physical object 610 on or off. For example, indicator lights can be installed in each physical object in the physical model 110, and upon receiving user 120's interaction with the controls, indication information can be sent to the physical model 110 to control the physical objects.

[0054] Specifically, when user 120 activates the control, the entity object 610 can be illuminated; and when user 120 closes the control, the entity object 610 can be turned off. According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, indicator lights, spotlights, and other electronic devices can be deployed at various objects (e.g., apartment layouts, roads, etc.) in the entity model 110. In this way, the virtual reality application can serve as a control interface for controlling various entity objects in the entity model 110, thereby allowing user 210 to experience the spatial layout of various physical objects in the building 132 in a more intuitive way. Alternatively and / or additionally, user 232 can also perform similar operations. In this way, user 120 at the sales office and user 232 at other locations can both operate the entity model 110 based on the control, thereby enabling user 232 to obtain more information.

[0055] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, either user 210 or 232 can use a virtual reality application to select multiple entity objects in entity model 110 and interact with the multiple entity objects. Figure 7 A block diagram 700 illustrating how navigation paths are provided in an entity model according to some implementations of this disclosure is shown. For example... Figure 7 As shown, user 120 can select virtual entity objects corresponding to entity objects 610 and 710 respectively via a virtual reality application. Furthermore, corresponding controls can be used to present a path 720 between the two entity objects in entity model 110. Specifically, instruction information can be sent to entity model 110 to illuminate indicator lights in the road between the two entity objects in entity model 110, thereby presenting the path 720 from entity object 610 to entity object 710. Alternatively and / or additionally, user 232 can also perform similar operations. Using the exemplary implementation of this disclosure, entity model 110 can act as an intermediary between the virtual reality application and the property 132, thereby presenting more information to user 232 in a more intuitive way.

[0056] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, users 120 and 232 can communicate via the virtual reality application. For example, environmental data (such as at least one of voice data and image data) in a first physical environment and a third physical environment can be detected respectively, and the detected data can be presented to the instance of the virtual reality application used by the other user. For example, the two users 120 and 232 can use microphones on their own terminal devices to collect audio data and cameras to collect image data. A real-time communication channel can be provided in the virtual reality application (e.g., a video display window is provided in the upper right corner of the application), thereby facilitating communication between users 120 and 232. In this way, richer communication methods can be provided between the two users, thereby enabling user 232 to obtain the information they wish to know more quickly.

[0057] It will be understood that, although the above only illustrates the scenario where user 120 guides one user 232 to visit the sales office, alternatively and / or additionally, user 120 may guide multiple users 232 to visit the sales office. This approach improves display efficiency, allowing information to be presented to multiple users simultaneously.

[0058] It will be understood that although the above example uses a sales office for selling buildings as the first physical environment and the surrounding building complex as the second physical environment, the technical solutions described above can be used in other application environments. For example, the technical solutions described above can be used in museums, where physical models of ancient palaces can be presented. Museum visitors can use handheld devices and learn about detailed information about the ancient palaces through virtual reality applications presented on the devices. Specifically, when a user approaches the physical model, a brief introduction to the ancient palace can be provided in the virtual reality application. When a user approaches the city walls in the physical model, information such as the height and width of the walls can be introduced in the virtual reality application. In this way, it is convenient to combine the advantages of physical models and virtual reality applications in various application environments to provide users with more information of interest.

[0059] Example process

[0060] Figure 8A flowchart of a method 800 for providing prompt information according to some implementations of this disclosure is shown. At block 810, a virtual environment model corresponding to a first physical environment is generated. The first physical environment includes an entity model corresponding to a second physical environment, the entity model being generated based on building and surrounding information in the second physical environment. The virtual environment model includes virtual entity models corresponding to the entity models. At block 820, the virtual environment model is presented in a first instance of a virtual reality application initiated by a first user of the virtual reality application and in a second instance of the virtual reality application used by a second user of the virtual reality application. At block 830, an interaction between the first user and the first physical environment is detected. At block 840, if the determination result at block 830 is "yes", prompt information associated with the second physical environment is provided in the second instance of the virtual reality application.

[0061] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the interaction detection includes: detecting the user's position in a first physical environment; and providing prompt information includes: providing prompt information about a second physical environment based on the positional relationship between the user's position and the entity position of the entity model in the first physical environment.

[0062] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, providing prompt information includes: obtaining a labeled area associated with an entity model, the labeled area corresponding to a set of entity objects in the entity model, and the set of entity objects respectively corresponding to a set of physical objects in a second physical environment; and in response to determining that the user's location is within the labeled area, providing prompt information associated with the set of physical objects.

[0063] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, providing prompt information associated with a set of physical objects includes: selecting a first entity object from a set of entity objects based on at least one of the following: the orientation of a first user in a first physical environment, the action of the first user, the length of time the first user uses the virtual reality application, the first entity object corresponding to a first physical object in a set of physical objects; and providing prompt information associated with the first physical object.

[0064] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the method 800 further includes: providing, in a first instance of a virtual reality application, a virtual navigation path for guiding a first user to move along a physical navigation path in a first physical environment, the physical navigation path passing through a marked area.

[0065] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the method 800 further includes: in response to detecting that a first user is moving along a physical navigation path in a first physical environment, determining whether the user's location is within a marked area; and in response to determining that the user's location is within the marked area, providing prompt information associated with a set of physical objects.

[0066] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the virtual entity model includes a first virtual object corresponding to a first entity object, and the method further includes: in response to receiving an interaction from either a first user or a second user with respect to the first virtual object, presenting prompt information associated with the first physical object, the prompt information including at least one of the following: a model, an image, or text of the first physical object.

[0067] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the method 800 further includes: presenting a control for controlling a first entity object in a first instance and a second instance of a virtual reality application; and in response to receiving an interaction with the control from either a first user or a second user, sending instruction information to the entity model to control the first entity object.

[0068] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the virtual entity model includes a second virtual object corresponding to a second entity object in the entity model, and the method further includes: in response to receiving an interaction from either a first user or a second user with respect to the second virtual object, sending instruction information to the entity model to display a path from the first entity object to the second entity object in the entity model.

[0069] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the first physical environment is a sales office for selling the building, and the second physical environment is the environment in which the building is located.

[0070] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the first physical environment is a museum, and the second physical environment is the environment of the items exhibited in the museum.

[0071] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the method 800 further includes: providing prompt information in a second instance of the virtual reality application.

[0072] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the second user is located in a third physical environment, which is different from the first and second physical environments.

[0073] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the method 800 further includes: in response to detecting at least one of the voice data and image data in a given physical environment of a first physical environment and a third physical environment, providing the detected data to an instance of a virtual reality application used by a user in another physical environment of the first physical environment and the third physical environment.

[0074] Example devices and equipment

[0075] Figure 9 A block diagram of an apparatus 900 for providing prompt information according to some implementations of the present disclosure is shown. The apparatus 900 includes: a generation module 910 for generating a virtual environment model corresponding to a first physical environment, the first physical environment including an entity model corresponding to a second physical environment, the entity model being generated based on building and surrounding information in the second physical environment, and the virtual environment model including virtual entity models corresponding to the entity models; a presentation module 920 configured to present the virtual environment model in a first instance of a virtual reality application used by a first user of the virtual reality application and in a second instance of a virtual reality application initiated by a second user of the virtual reality application; and a providing module 930 configured to provide prompt information associated with the second physical environment in the second instance of the virtual reality application in response to detecting an interaction between the first user and the first physical environment.

[0076] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the providing module 930 further includes: a detection module configured to detect the user location of the first user in a first physical environment; and a location-based providing module configured to: provide prompt information about a second physical environment based on the positional relationship between the user location and the entity location of the entity model in the first physical environment.

[0077] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the location-based providing module further includes: an acquisition module configured to acquire a labeled region associated with an entity model, the labeled region corresponding to a set of entity objects in the entity model, the set of entity objects respectively corresponding to a set of physical objects in a second physical environment; and a region-based providing module configured to provide prompt information associated with a set of physical objects in response to determining that the user's location is within the labeled region.

[0078] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the region-based providing module includes: a selection module configured to select a first entity object from a set of entity objects based on at least one of the following: the orientation of a first user in a first physical environment, the action of the first user, the length of time the first user uses the virtual reality application, and the first entity object corresponding to a first physical object in a set of physical objects; and an object-based providing module configured to provide prompt information associated with the first physical object.

[0079] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the device 900 further includes: a path providing module configured to provide, in a first instance of a virtual reality application, a virtual navigation path for guiding a first user to move along a physical navigation path in a first physical environment, the physical navigation path passing through a marked area.

[0080] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the device 900 further includes: a location detection module configured to determine whether the user's location is within a marked area in response to detecting that a first user is moving along a physical navigation path in a first physical environment; and a mark-based providing module configured to provide prompt information associated with a set of physical objects in response to determining that the user's location is within the marked area.

[0081] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, wherein the virtual entity model includes a first virtual object corresponding to the first entity object, the apparatus 900 further includes: an interaction-based providing module configured to, in response to receiving an interaction from either a first user or a second user with respect to the first virtual object, present prompt information associated with the first physical object, the prompt information including at least one of the following: a model, an image, or text of the first physical object.

[0082] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the device 900 further includes: a control presentation module configured to present controls for controlling a first entity object in a first instance and a second instance of a virtual reality application; and a control-based providing module configured to send instruction information to an entity model to control the first entity object in response to receiving an interaction with the controls from either a first user or a second user.

[0083] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the virtual entity model includes a second virtual object corresponding to a second entity object in the entity model. The apparatus 900 further includes: in response to receiving an interaction from either a first user or a second user with respect to the second virtual object, a path display module is configured to send instruction information to the entity model to display a path from the first entity object to the second entity object in the entity model.

[0084] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the first physical environment is a sales office for selling the building, and the second physical environment is the environment in which the building is located.

[0085] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the first physical environment is a museum, and the second physical environment is the environment of the items exhibited in the museum.

[0086] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the module is further configured to provide prompting information in a second instance of the virtual reality application.

[0087] According to one exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the second user is located in a third physical environment, which is different from the first and second physical environments.

[0088] According to an exemplary implementation of this disclosure, the device 900 further includes: in response to detecting at least one of voice data and image data in a given physical environment of a first physical environment and a third physical environment, providing the detected data to an instance of a virtual reality application used by a user in another physical environment of the first physical environment and the third physical environment.

[0089] Figure 10 A block diagram of a device 1000 capable of implementing various implementations of the present disclosure is shown. It should be understood that... Figure 10 The computing device 1000 shown is merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the functionality and scope of the implementation described herein. Figure 10 The computing device 1000 shown can be used to implement the method described above.

[0090] like Figure 10 As shown, computing device 1000 is in the form of a general-purpose computing device. Components of computing device 1000 may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units 1010, memory 1020, storage device 1030, one or more communication units 1040, one or more input devices 1050, and one or more output devices 1060. Processing unit 1010 may be a physical or virtual processor and is capable of performing various processes according to programs stored in memory 1020. In a multiprocessor system, multiple processing units execute computer-executable instructions in parallel to improve the parallel processing capability of computing device 1000.

[0091] Computing device 1000 typically includes multiple computer storage media. Such media can be any available media accessible to computing device 1000, including but not limited to volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. Memory 1020 can be volatile memory (e.g., registers, cache, random access memory (RAM)), non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory), or some combination thereof. Storage device 1030 can be removable or non-removable media and may include machine-readable media, such as flash drives, disks, or any other media capable of storing information and / or data (e.g., training data for training) and accessible within computing device 1000.

[0092] The computing device 1000 may further include additional removable / non-removable, volatile / non-volatile storage media. Although not explicitly stated... Figure 10 As shown, disk drives for reading from or writing to removable, non-volatile disks (e.g., "floppy disks") and optical disk drives for reading from or writing to removable, non-volatile optical disks can be provided. In these cases, each drive can be connected to a bus (not shown) via one or more data media interfaces. Memory 1020 may include computer program product 1025 having one or more program modules configured to perform various methods or actions of various implementations of this disclosure.

[0093] The communication unit 1040 enables communication with other computing devices via a communication medium. Additionally, the components of the computing device 1000 can function as a single computing cluster or multiple computing machines capable of communicating via communication connections. Therefore, the computing device 1000 can operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more other servers, network personal computers (PCs), or another network node.

[0094] Input device 1050 can be one or more input devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, trackball, etc. Output device 1060 can be one or more output devices, such as a monitor, speaker, printer, etc. Computing device 1000 can also communicate with one or more external devices (not shown) via communication unit 1040 as needed. These external devices include storage devices, display devices, etc., and can communicate with one or more devices that enable user interaction with computing device 1000, or with any device (e.g., network card, modem, etc.) that enables computing device 1000 to communicate with one or more other computing devices. Such communication can be performed via input / output (I / O) interface (not shown).

[0095] According to exemplary implementations of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores computer-executable instructions thereon, wherein the computer-executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the methods described above. According to exemplary implementations of this disclosure, a computer program product is also provided, which is tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and includes computer-executable instructions, which are executed by a processor to implement the methods described above. According to exemplary implementations of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided that stores a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the methods described above.

[0096] Various aspects of this disclosure are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatuses, devices, and computer program products implemented according to this disclosure. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0097] These computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processing unit of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine such that, when executed by the processing unit of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, they create means for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that causes a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other device to operate in a particular manner. Thus, the computer-readable medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions for implementing aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0098] Computer-readable program instructions can be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby causing the instructions that execute on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to perform the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0099] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of an instruction, which contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0100] Various implementations of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed implementations. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described implementations. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical applications, or improvements to technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the various implementations disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for providing prompt information, comprising: A virtual environment model corresponding to a first physical environment is generated, the first physical environment including an entity model corresponding to a second physical environment, the entity model being generated based on building and surrounding information in the second physical environment, and the virtual environment model including a virtual entity model corresponding to the entity model; The virtual environment model is presented in a first instance of the virtual reality application launched by a first user of the virtual reality application, and in a second instance of the virtual reality application used by a second user of the virtual reality application, respectively. In response to detecting an interaction between the first user and the first physical environment, a prompt message associated with the second physical environment is provided in the second instance of the virtual reality application, wherein the prompt message is adjusted based on the distance between the first user and the entity model; In the first instance and the second instance, a control is presented, which is used to control a first entity object, and the entity model includes the first entity object; as well as In response to receiving an interaction with the control, an instruction is sent to the entity model to control the first entity object, wherein the interaction originates from either the first user or the second user. The detection of the interaction includes detecting the user's location in the first physical environment.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the prompt information includes: Based on the positional relationship between the user's location and the entity model's location in the first physical environment, information about the second physical environment is provided.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the prompt information includes: Obtain the labeled region associated with the entity model, the labeled region corresponding to a set of entity objects in the entity model, the set of entity objects respectively corresponding to a set of physical objects in the second physical environment; as well as In response to determining that the user's location is within the marked area, a prompt message associated with the set of physical objects is provided.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein providing the prompt information associated with the set of physical objects comprises: The first entity object is selected from the set of entity objects based on at least one of the following: the orientation of the first user in the first physical environment, the action of the first user, the length of time the first user uses the virtual reality application, and the first entity object corresponding to a first physical object in the set of physical objects; and Provide a prompt message associated with the first physical object.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: In the first instance of the virtual reality application, a virtual navigation path is provided to guide the first user to move along a physical navigation path in the first physical environment, the physical navigation path passing through the marked area.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: In response to detecting that the first user is moving along the physical navigation path in the first physical environment, it is determined whether the user's location is within the marked area; as well as In response to determining that the user's location is within the marked area, a prompt message associated with the set of physical objects is provided.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the virtual entity model includes a first virtual object corresponding to the first entity object, the method further comprising: In response to receiving an interaction from either the first user or the second user with respect to the first virtual object, a prompt message associated with the first physical object is presented, the prompt message including at least one of the following: a model, image, or text of the first physical object.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the virtual entity model includes a second virtual object corresponding to a second entity object in the entity model, the method further comprising: In response to receiving an interaction from either the first user or the second user regarding the second virtual object, an instruction message is sent to the entity model to display the path from the first entity object to the second entity object in the entity model.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first physical environment is a sales office for selling the building, and the second physical environment is the environment in which the building is located.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first physical environment is a museum, and the second physical environment is the environment of an item exhibited in the museum.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The prompt information is provided in the second instance of the virtual reality application.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second user is located in a third physical environment, the third physical environment being different from the first physical environment and the second physical environment.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: In response to detecting at least one of the voice data and image data in a given physical environment of the first physical environment and the third physical environment, the detected data is provided to an instance of the virtual reality application used by a user in another physical environment of the first physical environment and the third physical environment.

14. A device for providing prompt information, comprising: A generation module is configured to generate a virtual environment model corresponding to a first physical environment, the first physical environment including an entity model corresponding to a second physical environment, the entity model being generated based on building and surrounding information in the second physical environment, and the virtual environment model including a virtual entity model corresponding to the entity model; The presentation module is configured to present the virtual environment model in a first instance of the virtual reality application launched by a first user of the virtual reality application and in a second instance of the virtual reality application used by a second user of the virtual reality application, respectively. A module is configured to provide, in a second instance of the virtual reality application, a prompt message associated with the second physical environment in response to detecting an interaction between the first user and the first physical environment, wherein the prompt message is adjusted based on the distance between the first user and the entity model; A control rendering module is configured to render controls in the first instance and the second instance, the controls being used to control a first entity object, the entity model including the first entity object; and A control-based providing module is configured to send instruction information to the entity model in response to receiving an interaction with the control, in order to control the first entity object, wherein the interaction originates from either the first user or the second user. The detection of the interaction includes detecting the user's location in the first physical environment.

15. An electronic device comprising: At least one processing unit; as well as At least one memory, coupled to the at least one processing unit and storing instructions for execution by the at least one processing unit, which, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the electronic device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

16. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program causing the processor to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 when executed by a processor.

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