Information processing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing system, information processing method, and program for further improving the experience value of a user who views a display object.SOLUTION: In an information processing system 1 in which a server 10 and multiple user terminals 20-1 to 20-n can communicate via a network 30, the server includes a control unit configured to execute processing for generating a display object by arranging one or more pieces of content posted by one or more users and processing for controlling the display of the display object in a virtual space.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, various processes have been proposed that are executed in association with displaying a display object to a user. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that determines whether or not a user comes into contact with a virtual object, which is a display object in a virtual space, based on a positional relationship between the user and the virtual object, and presents a tactile sensation according to the determination result. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2021-157517 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there is a demand for technology that further improves the experience value of a user viewing a display object.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure proposes a technique for further improving the experience value of a user viewing a display object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, an information processing system is provided that includes a control unit that executes a process of generating a display object by arranging one or more pieces of content posted by one or more users, and a process of controlling the display of the display object in a virtual space.

[0007] In addition, according to the present disclosure, an information processing method is provided that includes a processor generating a display object by arranging content, the content being one or more pieces of content posted by one or more users, and controlling the display of the display object in a virtual space.

[0008] In addition, according to the present disclosure, a program is provided that causes a computer to function as a control unit that generates a display object by arranging content, which is one or more pieces of content posted by one or more users, and controls the display of the display object in a virtual space. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overall configuration of an information processing system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a server 10 according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a display screen including a virtual banner according to embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining another example of a content highlighting method. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an example of an area corresponding to a virtual banner 411. [Figure 6] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining another example of the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411A shown in FIG. [Figure 7] 13 is a diagram for explaining an example in which content P included in a virtual banner 411 displayed on a user terminal 20 is switched based on an operation by a user U. FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow of operational processing of the server 10 according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen including a virtual monument according to a first modified example. [Figure 10]1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing device 900 that realizes the server 10 and the user terminal 20 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an overall configuration of an information processing system 2 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a server 40 according to the present embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining templates stored in a template DB 431. [Figure 14] 13 is a diagram for explaining an example of a process for combining a user content placement object and design content. FIG. [Figure 15] 13 is a diagram for explaining the process of generating a plurality of virtual banners by the object generating unit 422. FIG. [Figure 16] 13 is a diagram for explaining dynamic switching of a plurality of virtual banners 4110 by a virtual space management unit 421. FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 41 is a diagram for explaining generation of a virtual banner 4110 using pseudo content. [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram showing an example of the operational processing flow of the server 40 in generating and displaying a virtual banner 4110 according to this embodiment. [Figure 19] 13 is a diagram for explaining an example of distribution of a virtual banner 4110 by a distribution control unit 424. FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram showing an example of the flow of operation processing of the server 40 in distributing a virtual banner 4110 according to this embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a case where the content acceptance control unit 423 determines whether or not to accept posting of user content based on whether or not the user content includes prohibited words. [Figure 22] 10 is a flow diagram showing an example of the flow of operational processing of the server 40 in accepting user content submission according to this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0011] In addition, in this specification and drawings, multiple components having substantially the same functional configuration may be distinguished by adding different alphabets after the same reference numeral. However, when there is no particular need to distinguish between multiple components having substantially the same functional configuration, only the same reference numerals are used.

[0012] The explanation will be given in the following order. 1. First embodiment 1-1. Overview 1-2. Example of Server 10 configuration 1-3. Example of operation processing 1-4.Modifications 1-5.Hardware configuration 1-6. Supplementary Information 2. Second embodiment 2-1. Overview 2-2. Example of Server 40 configuration 2-3.Function details 2-4. Supplementary Information

[0013] <1. First embodiment> <1-1. Overview> First, the overall configuration of an information processing system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a diagram for explaining the overall configuration of an information processing system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, an information processing system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure includes a server 10 and a user terminal 20 (user terminals 20-1 to 20-n). As shown in FIG. 1, the server 10 and the user terminal 20 are configured to be able to communicate with each other via a network 30. Here, n is an integer equal to or greater than 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the user terminals 20-1 to 20-n are used by users U (users U1 to Un). For example, the user terminal 20-1 is used by user U1. Hereinafter, when it is not necessary to particularly distinguish between the user terminals 20-1 to 20-n, they will be collectively referred to as user terminal 20. Furthermore, when it is not necessary to particularly distinguish between the users U1 to Un, they will be collectively referred to as user U.

[0015] (Server 10) The server 10 has a function of providing a virtual space. The server 10 provides virtual space information relating to the generated virtual space to one or more user terminals 20 that are communicatively connected via a network 30.

[0016] Virtual space information includes, for example, information about virtual objects placed in the virtual space, map information about the virtual space, information about events taking place in the virtual space (hereinafter also referred to as "virtual events"), and information about the position corresponding to each user U in the virtual space.

[0017] In the virtual space, virtual objects formed by, for example, 3DCG models are placed. The virtual space may be a space in which the actions of the user U are restricted to a prepared action scenario, like a game, or a space in which the user U can freely act without being restricted by an action scenario. The virtual space may also be a space in which the user U can interact with other users U by bidirectionally transmitting and receiving voice or text, etc.

[0018] The virtual space may be a space designed based on an original worldview, or may be a so-called mirror world in which buildings, facilities, roads, cities, streetscapes, etc. existing in real space are faithfully reproduced. More specifically, the virtual space may be a virtual stadium in which a stadium existing in real space is reproduced. In this embodiment, an example in which the server 10 provides a virtual stadium as a virtual space will be mainly described.

[0019] In such a virtual space, a virtual event may be held. The virtual event may be, for example, an event held in conjunction with an event held in the real space. For example, the virtual event may be held in conjunction with a game held in a stadium existing in the real space.

[0020] In the virtual space, an avatar of the user U, which is an alter ego of the user U, may exist. Such an avatar is also called a "user avatar." The user avatar is one of the virtual objects placed in the virtual space. The user avatar is generated, for example, by a character 3D model. The user avatar may move within the virtual space based on the operation of the user terminal 20 by the user U. The position of the user avatar in the virtual space is an example of a position corresponding to the user U in this embodiment.

[0021] Information on each user avatar is shared as virtual space information by a large number of user terminals 20 communicatively connected to the server 10. Furthermore, each user U can communicate in the virtual space by voice, text, or images.

[0022] The virtual space may include avatars other than the user avatar that are not operated by the user U. Such avatars are also called "non-user avatars." The actions, comments, etc. of the non-user avatars are controlled by the server 10. The non-user avatars may be able to converse with the user avatars in the virtual space, and may, for example, encourage the user avatar with whom they are conversing (i.e., the user U) to participate in a virtual event.

[0023] The virtual space further includes a virtual object (an example of a display object) including one or more contents. In this embodiment, an example in which a virtual banner is included in the virtual space as such a virtual object will be mainly described. Hereinafter, the virtual banner will also be referred to as a "virtual banner."

[0024] The virtual banner may be placed in the virtual space in accordance with a virtual event. In this case, the virtual banner may be placed in a virtual event held in conjunction with a match to cheer on a team or players participating in the match. Here, posting of content on the virtual banner by user U is also an example of a virtual event.

[0025] The virtual banner may be, for example, a hanging banner object that is installed so as to cross above the seats inside the virtual stadium. The position where the virtual banner is placed in the virtual space is not particularly limited, and it may be placed, for example, outside the virtual stadium. A plurality of virtual banners may be placed in the virtual space. One or more virtual banners may be placed at a plurality of positions in the virtual space.

[0026] The virtual banner includes content posted by the user U. The user U may post, for example, an image (still image or moving image), text, or a combination of an image and text, as content. More specifically, the user U may post an image of the virtual space (i.e., capturing a virtual space image drawn by the user terminal 20) as content. More specifically, the user U may post an image of the user's user avatar in the virtual space, such as a so-called selfie image, as content. The user U may post an image of the user's user avatar in the virtual space taken (selfie) in any pose, as content, or may post an image of the user's user avatar taken (selfie) together with a specific virtual object such as a virtual banner, a player, or a player's statue, as content. The user U may also post an image taken in real space as content.

[0027] Furthermore, the characters included in the content may include a message supporting a team or a player, or may include the name, avatar name (a pseudonym for the user used in the virtual space), or user ID of the user U who posted the content. The user ID is a character string used to identify the user U (or the user avatar) for using the virtual space. The name, avatar name, or user ID of the user U may be automatically included in the content by the server 10 or the user terminal 20.

[0028] In addition, the virtual banner may include objects other than the content posted by user U, such as an image of the player being supported, the team emblem, the team name, the player names, the team slogan, etc.

[0029] In addition, when multiple virtual banners are placed in the virtual space, the same content may be posted to multiple virtual banners in common based on an operation by the user U.

[0030] Furthermore, the virtual object included in the virtual space is not limited to a virtual banner, and may be, for example, an object representing a virtual wall. In this case, content such as images or messages collected from the user U to support a team or players participating in a match may be arranged like wall art on the object representing the virtual wall.

[0031] The server 10 accepts content posted to the virtual banner by the user U. The server 10 also associates the content posted by the user U with the user avatar of the user U and stores the content.

[0032] The posting of content is accepted based on the operation of the user terminal 20 by the user U. More specifically, a content posting acceptance screen may be displayed on the user terminal 20 as a result of the user U operating a user avatar in the virtual space to talk to a non-user avatar. The content posted by the user U by operating such a reception screen may be linked to the user avatar of the user U who spoke to the non-user avatar. The server 10 may store the content posted by the user U in association with the login ID (i.e., user ID) of the user U.

[0033] The posting of content does not have to be accepted based on the operation of a user avatar in the virtual space, but may be accepted by a platform such as a separately provided website or application. The content posted to the platform may be linked to a user avatar corresponding to the user ID of the user U input to the platform. The content posted and accepted by the platform may be transmitted to the server 10 together with information indicating the link with the user avatar. Such a platform may be managed by the same administrator as the server 10 that provides the virtual space, or may be managed by a different administrator. For example, the platform that accepts the posting of content may be managed by a club that manages a team that participates in a match held in a stadium that exists in the real space.

[0034] Note that an upper limit may or may not be set for the number of content posts accepted for the virtual banner. The server 10 determines the content to be placed on the virtual banner from among the accepted posted content. The server 10 then generates a virtual banner including the content posted by one or more users U.

[0035] Here, the server 10 generates the virtual banner by determining the content to be placed on the virtual banner based on the position corresponding to the user U. More specifically, the server 10 determines the content to be placed on the virtual banner based on the relationship between the position of a user avatar, which is the avatar of the user U, in the virtual space and the area corresponding to the virtual banner. The area corresponding to the virtual banner is an area in the virtual space that is set according to the position of the virtual banner in the virtual space.

[0036] More specifically, when the position of the user avatar is within the above-mentioned area, the server 10 may preferentially arrange the content posted by the user U on the virtual banner. In this embodiment, an example in which the relationship between the position of the user avatar in the virtual space and the above-mentioned area is that the position of the user avatar is within the above-mentioned area will be mainly described, but the above relationship may also be, for example, that the position of the user avatar is outside the above-mentioned area. In addition, the position, size, shape, etc. of the area corresponding to the virtual banner may be set appropriately, but in this embodiment, an example in which the area corresponding to the virtual banner is an area located near the virtual banner will mainly be described.

[0037] Here, as a comparative example of this embodiment, it is possible to determine the contents to be placed on the virtual banner in the chronological order of posting or randomly. However, when the contents to be placed on the virtual banner are determined by the method of the comparative example, the more the number of posted contents, the less likely it is that the contents posted by the user U viewing the virtual banner will be placed on the virtual banner. As a result, even if the user U operates a user avatar to approach the virtual banner in the virtual space and searches for the content posted by the user U himself from the many contents included in the virtual banner, the content posted by the user U is not placed, and it is highly likely that the user U will not be able to enjoy the content.

[0038] On the other hand, the server 10 according to this embodiment preferentially arranges the content posted by the user U based on the relationship between the position of the user avatar operated by the user U (an example of a position corresponding to the user U) and the area corresponding to the virtual banner. More specifically, when the position of the user avatar is included in an area set near the virtual banner, that is, when the user avatar approaches the virtual banner, the server 10 according to this embodiment preferentially arranges the content posted by the user U associated with the user avatar on the virtual banner. This increases the possibility that the content posted by the user U can be seen on the virtual banner, allowing the user U to enjoy the experience in the virtual space. Details of such a virtual banner generation process by the server 10 will be described later.

[0039] The overview of the server 10 has been described above. Here, while FIG. 1 shows an example in which the information processing system 1 includes one server 10, the information processing system 1 may include multiple servers 10 in order to distribute the processing load of the server 10. That is, the server 10 may be multiplexed according to the number of user terminals 20 connected to the server 10. In this case, the virtual spaces provided by the respective servers 10 are roughly synchronized in terms of elements such as the flow of time and the execution of virtual events, but interactions between users U may take place for each virtual space.

[0040] (User terminal 20) The user terminal 20 is a terminal used by a user U. For example, the user terminal 20 is realized by a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a PC (personal computer), an HMD (Head Mounted Display) that covers the entire field of view, a glasses-type device, a projector, a console game machine, or the like.

[0041] The user terminal 20 reproduces the virtual space provided by the server 10 based on the information of the virtual space received from the server 10. For example, the user terminal 20 arranges virtual objects based on the map information of the virtual space, and draws a virtual space image from the viewpoint of the user U. Then, the user terminal 20 displays and outputs the drawn virtual space image. Here, the viewpoint of the user U in the virtual space may be the viewpoint of a user avatar, or may be a viewpoint that includes the user avatar within the angle of view. The viewpoint of the user U can be arbitrarily switched by the user U's operation on the user terminal 20. The user terminal 20 may receive from the server 10 an image from the viewpoint of the user U generated by the server 10, and display and output it.

[0042] The user terminal 20 may control virtual objects arranged in a virtual space in response to a user operation. For example, the user terminal 20 controls the position, gesture (pose), facial expression, etc. of a user avatar in response to the user operation. The user terminal 20 transmits information on the virtual object that has changed in response to the user operation (for example, the position, gesture, facial expression, etc. of the user avatar) to the server 10 in real time.

[0043] Furthermore, the user terminal 20 may store an image captured from a virtual space video in response to a user operation.

[0044] Furthermore, the user terminal 20 may post content on the virtual banner in response to a user operation. The user terminal 20 transmits content information indicating the content specified by the user U to the server 10. The content may be, for example, an image (a still image or a moving image) or text.

[0045] Furthermore, in response to a user operation, the user terminal 20 may transmit various information to the server 10 or to another user terminal 20. For example, the user terminal 20 may transmit login information to the server 10 to request user authentication.

[0046] <1-2. Example of Server 10 Configuration> Next, a description will be given of an example of the configuration of the server 10. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the server 10 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the server 10 has a communication unit 110, a control unit 120, and a storage unit 130.

[0047] (Communication unit 110) The communication unit 110 transmits and receives data to and from an external device via a wired or wireless connection. The communication unit 110 communicates with the user terminal 20 using, for example, a wired / wireless LAN (Local Area Network), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), a mobile communication network (LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G (fourth generation mobile communication method), or 5G (fifth generation mobile communication method)), etc.

[0048] (Control unit 120) The control unit 120 functions as an arithmetic processing device and a control device, and controls the overall operation of the server 10 in accordance with various programs. The control unit 120 is realized by electronic circuits such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a microprocessor. The control unit 120 may also include a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores the programs to be used and arithmetic parameters, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores parameters that change as appropriate.

[0049] The control unit 120 performs appropriate processing based on the data received from the external device, controls storage in the storage unit 130, and controls transmission of data to the external device.

[0050] The control unit 120 also functions as a virtual space management unit 121, an object generation unit 122, and a content selection unit 123.

[0051] (Virtual Space Management Unit 121) The virtual space management unit 121 manages the virtual space. Specifically, the virtual space management unit 121 generates, acquires, adds, and updates various information for constructing (generating) the virtual space. The various information is, for example, virtual space information such as information on virtual objects arranged in the virtual space and virtual event information.

[0052] The information on the virtual object includes information on the user avatar of each user U placed in the virtual space. The information on the user avatar is, for example, information on the appearance of the user avatar, information on the position of the user avatar in real time, and the like.

[0053] The information on the virtual object also includes information on a virtual banner placed in the virtual space. The information on the virtual banner is, for example, information for drawing the virtual banner generated by the object generating unit 122 and information on the position of the virtual banner.

[0054] The virtual event information includes information related to the time, progress, and direction of the virtual event. The virtual space management unit 121 may notify the user terminal 20 to carry out a predetermined virtual event at a preset time, or may notify the user terminal 20 to carry out a corresponding virtual event when a predetermined trigger is detected in the virtual space. The virtual event information includes information required to carry out the virtual event. The notification of the virtual event to the user terminal 20 may be based on information instructing to carry out a predetermined content at a predetermined place in the virtual space.

[0055] As a more specific example, the virtual space management unit 121 may notify the user terminal 20 of a virtual event when the user avatar of the user U talks to a specific non-user avatar. For example, the virtual space management unit 121 may notify the user terminal 20 to hold a virtual event of posting to a virtual banner by controlling the specific non-user avatar to prompt the user avatar to post to a virtual banner. The specific non-user avatar may be placed near a predefined event announcement location, for example, a virtual stadium.

[0056] The virtual event information may also include information such as tickets consumed by participating in a virtual event and rewards granted by participating in a virtual event. Tickets may be distributed to the user U in advance, and a predetermined number of tickets may be consumed when the user U participates in a virtual event. The user U may also be able to obtain, for example, items that can be used in a virtual space or the right to participate in a virtual event by using rewards granted when participating in a virtual event.

[0057] The virtual space management unit 121 also functions as a display control unit that controls the communication unit 110 so as to appropriately transmit virtual space information to the user terminal 20. As a result, the user terminal 20 is controlled so as to display virtual objects arranged in the virtual space.

[0058] The virtual space management unit 121 can also realize communication between users sharing a virtual space by transmitting communication information such as text, voice, or images received from a user terminal 20 to another user terminal 20. The virtual space management unit 121 controls the communication unit 110 so that the communication unit 110 transmits information on user operations received from the user terminal 20 to the other user terminal 20 as virtual space information in real time.

[0059] (Object generation unit 122) The object generation unit 122 generates a virtual object such as a virtual banner. More specifically, the object generation unit 122 generates a virtual banner on which content posted by the user U is arranged. In addition, the object generation unit 122 outputs information for displaying the generated virtual banner to the virtual space management unit 121.

[0060] Here, a display example of the virtual banner will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen including a virtual banner according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the display screen 410 displayed on the user terminal 20 is a display screen showing an image reproducing the inside of the virtual stadium S from the viewpoint of the user U. The display screen 410 includes a user avatar u1 of the user U1. In the following, the user avatars corresponding to the users U1 to Un will be distinguished from the user avatars u1 to un, respectively, and when there is no particular need to distinguish between the user avatars u1 to un, they will be collectively referred to as the user avatar u.

[0061] Moreover, the display screen 410 includes a virtual banner 411A (an example of the virtual banner 411). In the example shown in FIG. 3, the virtual banner 411A is placed above the seats of the virtual stadium S, and displays content on the field side in the virtual stadium S. The virtual banner 411A includes a predetermined number of pieces of content P (P1, P2, P3, . . . ) up to a predetermined number. When the number of pieces of content P posted by each user U exceeds the predetermined number, a content selection unit 123 described later may select the content P to be placed on the virtual banner 411A. FIG. 3 shows an example in which the virtual banner 411A includes 18 pieces of content P. Here, in the example described in FIG. 3, the content P1 is the content P posted by the user U1 corresponding to the user avatar u1.

[0062] When the position of the user avatar u1 is within the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411A, the content P1 posted by the user U1 is preferentially arranged on the virtual banner 411A. Therefore, by moving the user avatar u1 into the area corresponding to the virtual banner, the user U1 is more likely to be able to view the virtual banner 411A including the content P1 posted by the user U1, as shown in FIG.

[0063] The user U1 can photograph the user avatar u1 posing in front of the virtual banner 411A by posing the user avatar u1 and capturing the display screen 410 including the virtual banner 411A. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, when the virtual banner 411A includes the content P1 posted by the user U1, the user U1 can capture the display screen 410 including the content P1 posted by the user U1 and the user avatar u1 to take a commemorative photograph at the virtual event. In this way, the content P posted by the user U is preferentially arranged on the virtual banner 411A according to the position of the user avatar u, so that such a commemorative photograph can be taken, thereby further improving the experience value of the user U.

[0064] In addition, if a user avatar u (hereinafter referred to as "user avatar uo") of another user U (hereinafter referred to as "other user Uo") is also present in the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411A, the user U will be more likely to view the content P posted by the other user Uo corresponding to that user avatar uo, which will lead to the creation of an opportunity for communication with the other user Uo.

[0065] Furthermore, when the position of the user avatar u is within the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411, the object generating unit 122 generates a virtual banner to highlight the content P posted by the user U corresponding to the user avatar u. For example, when the position of the user avatar u1 is within the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411A, the object generating unit 122 may highlight the content P1 posted by the user U1 corresponding to the user avatar u1 by lighting up the periphery of the content P1, as shown in FIG. 3. This makes it easier for the user U1 viewing the display screen 410 to find the content P1 posted by the user U1 when the position of the user avatar u1 is within the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411A. Furthermore, when the user avatar uo of another user Uo is further present within the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411A, the user U1 also makes it easier to find the content P posted by the other user Uo corresponding to the user avatar uo.

[0066] Note that there is no particular limitation on the method of highlighting the content P. Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining another example of the method of highlighting the content P. When the position of the user avatar u1 is within the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411B, the object generating unit 122 may highlight the content P1 posted by the user U1 by placing it larger than the other contents P (P2, P3, ...) as shown in Fig. 4.

[0067] Furthermore, when the position of the user avatar u1 is within the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411, the object generating unit 122 may emphasize the content P1 posted by the user U1 by displaying the content P1 in a frame of a different shape or color from other contents P. Furthermore, the object generating unit 122 may display a plurality of contents P in an overlapping manner on the virtual banner 411. When the position of the user avatar u1 is within the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411, the object generating unit 122 may emphasize the content P1 posted by the user U1 by arranging the content P1 on the virtual banner 411 so that the content P1 overlaps with the other contents P.

[0068] Furthermore, when the position of the user avatar u1 is within the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411 and the content P1 posted by the user U1 corresponding to the user avatar u1 is placed on the virtual banner 411, the object generating unit 122 may generate information for emphasizing the user avatar u1. For example, the user avatar u1 may be emphasized by lighting up the periphery of the user avatar u1 or surrounding the user avatar u1 with a frame. The color of the frame surrounding the user avatar u1 may be set to be linked to the color of the frame in which the content P1 associated with the user avatar u1 is displayed for emphasis on the virtual banner 411 (the frames are associated with each other by using the same color, similar colors, or the same pattern, etc.).

[0069] In this way, by highlighting the user avatar u1, other users Uo in the vicinity can recognize that the content P1 displayed on the virtual banner 411A was posted by the user avatar u1 (user U1). Furthermore, if the content P1 is a selfie image of the user avatar u1, the image of the user avatar u1 is displayed on the virtual banner 411A, thereby attracting more attention. The user U1 feels satisfied, and the experience value of the user U1 can be further improved.

[0070] Furthermore, the object generating unit 122 may generate information for displaying a line or the like connecting the content P1 and the user avatar u1 arranged on the virtual banner 411A. This makes the correspondence between the content P1 and the user avatar u1 clearer to other users Uo.

[0071] (Content selection unit 123) The content selection unit 123 determines the content P to be placed on the virtual banner 411 based on the relationship between the position of the user avatar u and the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411. When the number of pieces of content P posted by one or more users U exceeds a predetermined number, the content selection unit 123 may execute a selection process to select the content P to be placed on the virtual banner 411 from the multiple pieces of content P.

[0072] In this embodiment, when the position of a user avatar u is within the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411, the content selection unit 123 selects content P so as to preferentially display content P posted by a user U corresponding to the user avatar u.

[0073] First, a detailed description will be given of the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411. Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411. Fig. 5 shows an image of the arrangement of the virtual banner 411A when the virtual stadium S in Fig. 3 is viewed from above in a direction perpendicular to the ground.

[0074] Here, the greater the distance between the display surface (the surface on the field side) of the content P of the virtual banner 411A, the greater the angle between the user U's viewpoint and the display surface of the virtual banner 411A, and the more the content P included in the virtual banner 411A can be viewed from the viewpoint of the user U. On the other hand, the greater the distance between the user avatar u and the display surface of the content P of the virtual banner 411A, the smaller the size of the virtual banner 411A (i.e., the size of the content P) relative to the entire display screen becomes, and therefore the more difficult it becomes to see the content P included in the virtual banner 411A from the viewpoint of the user U. Therefore, taking these factors into consideration, the area A1 corresponding to the virtual banner 411A shown in FIG. 5 may be set to an area having a shape that allows the content P included in the virtual banner 411A to be viewed at a sufficient size from any position within the area A1.

[0075] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining another example of the area corresponding to virtual banner 411A shown in FIG. 5. The area corresponding to virtual banner 411A may be area A2 consisting of a range of a certain distance from virtual banner 411A as shown in the left of FIG. 6. More specifically, area A2 represents a semicircular range on the display surface side of virtual banner 411A within a range of a circle with a radius R centered on the position of virtual banner 411A and an axis perpendicular to the ground. In the example shown in the left of FIG. 6, the position of virtual banner 411A is represented by the center point of the display surface of virtual banner 411A. Note that when content P is displayed on both sides of virtual banner 411A, the entire range of a circle with a radius R centered on the position of virtual banner 411A may be included in the area corresponding to virtual banner 411A.

[0076] The area corresponding to the virtual banner 411A may be an area A3 formed of a rectangular range with one side being the display surface of the virtual banner 411A, as shown on the right side of FIG.

[0077] Although an example in which the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411 is set on a two-dimensional plane has been described so far, the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411 may be a range in a three-dimensional space. Furthermore, although an example in which the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411 is an area located near the virtual banner 411 has been described so far, the present embodiment is not limited to this. The area corresponding to the virtual banner 411 may be set arbitrarily as long as the content P displayed on the virtual banner 411 is easily visible from the viewpoint of the user U corresponding to the user avatar u present in the area. For example, if the distance between the virtual banner 411 and the user avatar u is too close, it is possible that the virtual banner 411 will not fit within the display screen, and therefore the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411 may be set at a location at least a certain distance away from the virtual banner 411.

[0078] The above describes an example of the area corresponding to virtual banner 411. Hereinafter, the area corresponding to virtual banner 411 will also be simply referred to as "area." Next, the selection process of content P to be placed on virtual banner 411A by content selection unit 123 will be described in detail.

[0079] In the selection process, the content selection unit 123 may set a priority for the user U who posted the content P on the virtual banner 411. The content selection unit 123 may then select the content P to be placed on the virtual banner 411 according to the priority of the user U. The content selection unit 123 may preferentially select the content P posted by the user U with a high priority as the content P to be placed on the virtual banner 411.

[0080] More specifically, the priority may be set in three stages, "High", "Middle", and "Low", in descending order. The content selection unit 123 may select the contents P in descending order of the priority of the users U, with the number of contents P that can be arranged on the virtual banner 411 being the upper limit. When selecting a number of contents P less than the number of the users U from the contents P of multiple users U with the same priority, the content selection unit 123 may select the contents P in descending order of the posting date and time of the contents P, or may select the contents P randomly.

[0081] When the user avatar u is located within the area, the content selection unit 123 sets a higher priority for the user U than when the user avatar u is located outside the area. As a result, when the user avatar u is located within the area, the content P posted by the user U corresponding to the user avatar u is preferentially displayed on the virtual banner 411.

[0082] More specifically, when the user avatar u is located within the area, the content selection unit 123 may set the priority for the user U to "High," which is the highest priority among the priorities that can be set.

[0083] Furthermore, when the user U is not logged in to the server 10, the content selection unit 123 may set a priority for the user U lower than that for a user U who is logged in to the server 10.

[0084] More specifically, when the user U is not logged in to the server 10, the content selection unit 123 may set the priority for the user U to "Low," which is the lowest priority among the priorities that can be set.

[0085] The content selection unit 123 may repeatedly execute the selection process. For example, the content selection unit 123 may execute the selection process every predetermined time (for example, every 5 to 10 seconds). This allows the content P arranged on the virtual banner 411 to be switched every predetermined time, so that the user U can view various contents P.

[0086] Here, when the number of times that the content P posted by the user U has been selected in the selection process within a predetermined number of times in the past exceeds a threshold, the content selection unit 123 may set a priority for the user U lower than when the number of times is below the threshold. As a result, when the same content P has been displayed for a certain period of time or more within a certain period of time in the past, the priority set for the user U who posted the content P is set lower than when the number of times is below the threshold.

[0087] For example, even if the user avatar u is located within the area, if the number of times that the content P posted by the user U has been selected in a predetermined number of past selection processes exceeds a threshold, the content selection unit 123 may set the priority set for the user U to "Middle." This prevents other contents P from being hidden due to the same content P being continuously displayed, allowing the user U to view a variety of contents P.

[0088] Here, when the user avatar u is located within the area and the priority becomes "Middle", it is possible that the content P posted by the user U corresponding to the user avatar u will no longer be displayed. Even in such a case, if the selection process is performed again multiple times, the priority of the user U will be set to "High" again, and the content P posted by the user U will likely be displayed again. In other words, the user U will likely be able to see the content P posted by the user U being displayed on the virtual banner 411 again by waiting for some time to pass, so that the user U can view various contents P and his / her own content P at the same time.

[0089] Furthermore, the content selection unit 123 may set a priority according to the number of times the user U has participated in a virtual event in the past. For example, the content selection unit 123 may set a priority according to the number of times the content P was posted to another virtual banner 411 that was held in the past (i.e., the number of virtual banners 411 to which the content P was posted in the past).

[0090] The content selection unit 123 may set a higher priority for the user U as the user U has participated in more virtual events in the past. This can encourage the user U, who has participated in many virtual events in the past, to post content P to the virtual banner 411.

[0091] Furthermore, the content selection unit 123 may set a higher priority for a user U who has participated in fewer virtual events in the past. This can encourage users U who have participated in few or no virtual events in the past to post content P to the virtual banner 411.

[0092] The content selection unit 123 may set a priority according to the content of an image included in the content P. More specifically, the content of the image may be a pose or facial expression of the user avatar u or the user U, an object appearing together with the user avatar u or the user U, or the like. More specifically, the content selection unit 123 may recognize a pose taken by the user avatar u or the user U from an image included in the content P, and determine a relevance to a predetermined pose. The content selection unit 123 may determine whether or not the pose of the user avatar u or the user U matches a predetermined pose, or may calculate the degree of match. The predetermined pose may be, for example, a pose taken by a player depicted in an image included in the virtual banner 411. The predetermined pose may be a pose taken by a virtual monument (virtual player image) of a player scheduled to participate in a match to be held in a stadium in the real space corresponding to the virtual stadium, which is arranged in the virtual space. The predetermined pose may be a pose taken by a virtual player image appearing together with the user avatar u in an image included in the content P. The predetermined pose may be presented to the user U in advance when the post is received.

[0093] When the pose of the user avatar u or user U in an image included in the content P matches a predetermined pose, the content selection unit 123 may set a higher priority for the user U compared to a user U whose pose does not match the predetermined pose. Furthermore, the content selection unit 123 may set a higher priority for the user U as the degree of matching between the pose of the user avatar u or user U in an image included in the content P and the predetermined pose increases. This allows the user U to enjoy the mission of taking a predetermined pose or making the user avatar u take a predetermined pose when posting. Furthermore, since many user avatars u or users U taking the same pose are displayed on the virtual banner 411, a sense of unity is created on the virtual banner 411, which creates a sense of unity in the support.

[0094] The content selection unit 123 may set the priority according to the relationship between the multiple users U. More specifically, when a user avatar uo of another user Uo who is in a friend relationship with the user U in the virtual space exists in the area, the content selection unit 123 may set the priority of the user U higher than when the user avatar uo of the other user Uo who is in a friend relationship with the user U does not exist. When user avatars u of multiple users U who are in a friend relationship exist in the area, the content selection unit 123 may set the priority of all of the multiple users U according to the user U who has the highest priority among the multiple users U. This is expected to invite the other user Uo who is in a friend relationship to post content to the virtual banner 411 or visit the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411 during the period when the virtual banner 411 is placed in the virtual space. That is, according to this configuration, communication between the users U in the virtual space is promoted. In addition, it is expected that the participation rate of each user U in a virtual event will be improved.

[0095] The conditions for setting the priority of the content selection unit 123 are not limited to the examples described above, and may be set according to, for example, the duration of stay in an area or the charge made by the user U.

[0096] Furthermore, the content selection unit 123 may determine the location of each piece of content P on the virtual banner 411. The content selection unit 123 may determine the location of the selected content P randomly, or in order of the posting date and time. Furthermore, the content selection unit 123 may determine to place the content P in a prominent location on the virtual banner 411 (for example, a location closer to the center) in order of the priority of the user U who posted it.

[0097] The content selection unit 123 may also determine the placement location of each content P based on the color tone of the content P. More specifically, the content selection unit 123 may reproduce the target image in a so-called photomosaic manner by arranging the content P having a color tone similar to the RGB (Red, Green, Blue) value of each pixel of the image to be reproduced so as to join together. The target image may be, for example, a photo of players participating in a match held in a stadium in real space. In this case, the content selection unit 123 may select the content P to be placed on the virtual banner 411 based on the color tone of the content P. For example, the content selection unit 123 may classify the content P by color tone after analyzing the color tone of the content P posted in advance. Then, the content selection unit 123 may select the number of contents P determined for each color tone according to the RGB value of each pixel of the target image in order of the priority of the user U.

[0098] Furthermore, when content P posted by the same user U is consecutively selected in successive selection processes as content P to be placed on virtual banner 411, content selection unit 123 may determine to continuously place the content P in the same location on virtual banner 411. This allows user U to keep track of the content P posted by user U even if the content P to be placed on virtual banner 411 is changed by the selection process. Furthermore, if content P posted by user U is continually placed in the same location on virtual banner 411, user U can easily take a commemorative photo of his / her own content P displayed on virtual banner 411 at a virtual event, further improving the experience value of user U.

[0099] The content selection unit 123 may further execute an additional selection process (second selection process) for selecting a content P from the contents P that were not selected in the selection process. Then, the content P included in the virtual banner 411 displayed on the user terminal 20 may be switched to the content P selected by the additional selection process based on an operation of the user U.

[0100] The content selection unit 123 may execute the additional selection process in the same manner as the selection process. That is, the content selection unit 123 may select the content P to be placed on the virtual banner 411 according to the priority of the user U corresponding to the content P.

[0101] 7 is a diagram illustrating an example in which content P included in virtual banner 411 displayed on user terminal 20 is switched based on an operation by user U. For example, display screen 412 shown in Fig. 7 includes virtual banner 411C that is an enlarged version of virtual banner 411A included in display screen 410 shown in Fig. 3, and NEXT button 413.

[0102] The display screen 412 may be displayed on the user terminal 20 in response to a pressing operation by the user U on the virtual banner 411A included in the display screen 410 displayed on the user terminal 20 as shown in FIG.

[0103] Then, in response to user U pressing NEXT button 413, display screen 412 switches to a display screen including virtual banner 411 on which content P selected by the additional selection process is newly arranged. Note that, although an example in which content P included in virtual banner 411C is switched has been described here, content P included in virtual banner 411A may also be switched based on a user operation on virtual banner 411A shown in FIG.

[0104] Furthermore, the content selection unit 123 may separately select the content P to be placed on a virtual banner 411 (referred to as a "sub virtual banner 411") different from the virtual banner 411 displayed as a main. The content selection unit 123 may select the content P to be placed on the sub virtual banner 411 in order of the earliest posting date and time of the content P, or may select randomly. Then, based on an operation of the user terminal 20 by the user U, the displayed virtual banner 411 may be switched from the main virtual banner 411 to the sub virtual banner 411. This allows the user U to switch the method of arranging the content P, further improving the user U's experience value.

[0105] (Storage unit 130) The storage unit 130 is realized by a ROM that stores programs and calculation parameters used in the processing of the control unit 120, and a RAM that temporarily stores appropriately changing parameters, etc. For example, the storage unit 130 stores virtual space information.

[0106] <1-3. Operation processing example> Next, an example of the flow of the operational processing of the server 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flow diagram showing an example of the flow of the operational processing of the server 10 according to this embodiment.

[0107] First, the content selection unit 123 sets priorities for multiple users Un (n is 1 to the number of users U who have posted content P to the virtual banner 411). First, the content selection unit 123 determines whether or not the user Un for which the priority is to be set is logged in to the server 10 (S102). For example, the content selection unit 123 first performs the determination for user U1.

[0108] If the user Un for whom the priority is to be set is not logged in to the server 10 (S102 / NO), the content selection unit 123 sets the priority of the user Un to "Low" (S104).

[0109] If the user Un for whom priority is to be set is logged in to the server 10 (S102 / YES), the content selection unit 123 determines whether or not the user avatar u of the user Un is present within the area corresponding to the virtual banner 411 (S106).

[0110] If the user avatar u of the user Un for whom priority is to be set is not present within the area (S106 / NO), the content selection unit 123 sets the priority of the user Un to "Middle" (S108).

[0111] If the user avatar u of the user Un for whom the priority is to be set is present within the area (S106 / YES), the content selection unit 123 determines whether or not the content P posted by the user Un has been selected and placed on the virtual banner during the past t selection processes (S110). Note that the value of t may be specified in advance.

[0112] If content P posted by a user Un for whom priority is to be set has been placed on a virtual banner during the past t selection processes (S110 / YES), the content selection unit 123 sets the priority of the user Un to “Middle” (S108).

[0113] If the content P posted by the user Un for whom the priority is to be set has not been placed on the virtual banner 411 during the past t selection processes (S110 / NO), the content selection unit 123 sets the priority of the user Un to “High” (S112).

[0114] If the content selection unit 123 has not yet determined the priorities of all users Un (S114 / NO), the process returns to S102, and the processes of S102 to S112 are repeated until the priorities of all users Un are determined.

[0115] When the priorities of all users Un have been determined (S114 / YES), the content selection unit 123 selects a predetermined number of pieces of content P in descending order of priority of the user U who posted the content (S116).

[0116] The object generation unit 122 arranges the content P selected by the content selection unit 123 to generate a virtual banner 411. Then, the virtual space management unit 121 outputs the virtual banner 411 by controlling the communication unit 110 to output virtual space information including information for displaying the virtual banner 411 to the user terminal 20 (S118).

[0117] Then, when a predetermined time has elapsed since the object generation unit 122 generated the virtual banner 411 (S120 / YES), the process returns to S102, and the processes of S102 to S118 are repeated to again set the priority of the user Un and select content P according to the priority, thereby generating the virtual banner 411.

[0118] On the other hand, if the predetermined time has not elapsed since the object generation unit 122 generated the virtual banner 411 (S120 / NO), the virtual space management unit 121 judges whether or not to end the display of the virtual banner 411 (S122). If the virtual space management unit 121 does not end the display of the virtual banner 411 (S122 / NO), the process returns to S118, and the processes of S118 to S120 are repeated, and the virtual banner 411 continues to be output. On the other hand, if the display of the virtual banner 411 is to be ended (S122 / YES), the process ends. Note that the display of the virtual banner 411 may be ended, for example, when the virtual event or the match held in the real space ends, or may be ended based on an operation by the administrator of the virtual space.

[0119] <1-4. Modifications> Next, a modification of this embodiment will be described.

[0120] (First Modification) So far, an example has been described in which the display object on which the content P is displayed is the virtual banner 411. However, the display object on which the content P is displayed is not limited to this.

[0121] First, in the first modified example, an example will be described in which the display object on which the content P is displayed is a virtual monument (hereinafter, referred to as a "virtual monument"), which is an example of a virtual object.

[0122] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen including a virtual monument according to the first modified example. As shown in Fig. 9, a display screen 510 displayed on the user terminal 20 is a display screen showing an image outside the virtual stadium S from the viewpoint of a user U1. The display screen 510 includes a user avatar u1 of the user U1.

[0123] The display screen 510 also includes a virtual monument 511. The virtual monument 511 may be, for example, a monument of a player who is scheduled to participate in a match held in a stadium in real space corresponding to the virtual stadium S. The virtual monument 511 includes a content display unit 512 as a picture of a uniform worn by the player represented by the virtual monument 511. When a user avatar u1 exists in an area corresponding to the virtual monument 511, as shown in FIG. 9, the content P1 posted by the user U1 corresponding to the user avatar u1 is preferentially displayed in the content display unit 512. In this way, the content P posted by the user U1 is displayed on the uniform worn by the player the user is supporting, thereby increasing the enthusiasm of the user U in supporting the match.

[0124] (Second Modification) So far, an example has been described in which the display object on which the content P is displayed is a virtual object in a virtual space. However, the display object on which the content P is displayed is not limited to being a virtual object.

[0125] For example, the display object may be a real object such as a display device such as a digital signage installed in a real space. In this case, the area corresponding to the display device may be inside the stadium when the display device is installed in the stadium in the real space, or outside the stadium when the display device is installed outside the stadium in the real space. In addition, in this case, the position corresponding to the user U may be the position of the user U in the real space. More specifically, the server 10 according to this modification may preferentially arrange the content P posted by the user U on the display device when the user U is inside or outside the stadium.

[0126] For example, the server 10 according to this modification may determine that the user U is in the stadium when a signal transmitted from the user terminal 20 at the entrance / exit of the stadium is received within a predetermined time range. The server 10 according to this modification may also determine that the user U is in the stadium when an admission ticket associated with the user U is read at the entrance / exit of the stadium. The admission ticket may be an electronic ticket downloaded to the user terminal 20.

[0127] Furthermore, when the content P is displayed on a display device arranged in the real space, the position of the user avatar u in the virtual space may be used as the position corresponding to the user U. For example, when the user avatar u of the user U enters a virtual stadium S in the virtual space corresponding to a stadium in the real space, the server 10 may preferentially place the content P posted in advance by the user U on a digital signage (an example of a display device) arranged in the stadium in the real space. Furthermore, the server 10 may display the content displayed on the virtual banner 411 arranged in the virtual stadium S on an electronic banner (an example of a display device) arranged in the stadium or outside the stadium in the real space.

[0128] Furthermore, posting of content P to a display device installed in the real space and posting of content P to the virtual banner 411 may be accepted in common. That is, a single operation of the user terminal 20 by the user U enables posting of the same content P to the display device and the virtual banner 411 at the same time. For example, the display device installed in the real space may be installed at a position in the real space that corresponds to the position of the virtual banner 411 in the virtual space. With this configuration, the real space and the virtual space are linked, further improving the experience value of the user U.

[0129] <1-5. Hardware configuration> The first embodiment and the modified example according to the present disclosure have been described above. Next, a hardware configuration example of the server 10 and the user terminal 20 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG.

[0130] The above-described processes by the server 10 and the user terminal 20 can be realized by one or more information processing devices. Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing device 900 that realizes the server 10 and the user terminal 20 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Note that the information processing device 900 does not necessarily have to have all of the hardware configuration shown in Fig. 10. Also, part of the hardware configuration shown in Fig. 10 may not be present in the server 10 or the user terminal 20.

[0131] 10, the information processing device 900 includes a CPU 901, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 903, and a RAM 905. The information processing device 900 may also include a host bus 907, a bridge 909, an external bus 911, an interface 913, an input device 915, an output device 917, a storage device 919, a drive 921, a connection port 923, and a communication device 925. Instead of or in addition to the CPU 901, the information processing device 900 may have a processing circuit such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

[0132] The CPU 901 functions as an arithmetic processing device and a control device, and controls all or part of the operations in the information processing device 900 according to various programs recorded in the ROM 903, the RAM 905, the storage device 919, or the removable recording medium 927. The ROM 903 stores programs and arithmetic parameters used by the CPU 901. The RAM 905 temporarily stores programs used in the execution of the CPU 901 and parameters that change appropriately during the execution. The CPU 901, the ROM 903, and the RAM 905 are connected to each other by a host bus 907 that is constituted by an internal bus such as a CPU bus. Furthermore, the host bus 907 is connected to an external bus 911 such as a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect / Interface) bus via a bridge 909.

[0133] The input device 915 is a device operated by a user, such as a button. The input device 915 may include a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, a switch, a lever, and the like. The input device 915 may also include a microphone that detects the user's voice. The input device 915 may be, for example, a remote control device that uses infrared rays or other radio waves, or an external connection device 929 such as a mobile phone that supports the operation of the information processing device 900. The input device 915 includes an input control circuit that generates an input signal based on information input by the user and outputs it to the CPU 901. The user operates the input device 915 to input various data to the information processing device 900 and instruct the information processing device 900 to perform processing operations.

[0134] The input device 915 may also include an imaging device and a sensor. The imaging device is a device that captures real space using an imaging element such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), and various members such as a lens for controlling the formation of a subject image on the imaging element, to generate a captured image. The imaging device may capture a still image or a moving image.

[0135] The sensor is, for example, various sensors such as a distance measurement sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, a vibration sensor, a light sensor, a sound sensor, etc. The sensor acquires information on the state of the information processing device 900 itself, such as the attitude of the housing of the information processing device 900, and information on the surrounding environment of the information processing device 900, such as the brightness and noise around the information processing device 900. The sensor may also include a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor that receives a GPS signal and measures the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the device.

[0136] The output device 917 is configured with a device capable of visually or audibly notifying the user of acquired information. The output device 917 may be, for example, a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, or a sound output device such as a speaker or a headphone. The output device 917 may also include a PDP (Plasma Display Panel), a projector, a hologram, a printer device, or the like. The output device 917 outputs the results obtained by the processing of the information processing device 900 as a video such as text or an image, or as a sound such as voice or audio. The output device 917 may also include a lighting device that brightens the surroundings.

[0137] The storage device 919 is a data storage device configured as an example of a storage unit of the information processing device 900. The storage device 919 is configured, for example, with a magnetic storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a semiconductor storage device, an optical storage device, or a magneto-optical storage device. This storage device 919 stores programs and various data executed by the CPU 901, and various data acquired from the outside.

[0138] The drive 921 is a reader / writer for a removable recording medium 927 such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, and is built into or externally attached to the information processing device 900. The drive 921 reads out information recorded on the attached removable recording medium 927 and outputs the information to the RAM 905. The drive 921 also writes information onto the attached removable recording medium 927.

[0139] The connection port 923 is a port for directly connecting a device to the information processing device 900. The connection port 923 may be, for example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, an IEEE 1394 port, a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) port, or the like. The connection port 923 may also be an RS-232C port, an optical audio terminal, an HDMI (registered trademark) (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) port, or the like. By connecting an external connection device 929 to the connection port 923, various types of data may be exchanged between the information processing device 900 and the external connection device 929.

[0140] The communication device 925 is, for example, a communication interface configured with a communication device for connecting to the network 30. The communication device 925 may be, for example, a wired or wireless LAN (Local Area Network), Bluetooth (registered trademark), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or a communication card for WUSB (Wireless USB). The communication device 925 may also be a router for optical communication, a router for ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), or a modem for various communications. The communication device 925 transmits and receives signals, for example, between the Internet and other communication devices using a predetermined protocol such as TCP / IP. The network 30 connected to the communication device 925 is a network connected by wire or wirelessly, for example, the Internet, a home LAN, infrared communication, radio wave communication, or satellite communication.

[0141] <1-6. Supplementary Information> Although the preferred first embodiment of the present disclosure has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to such an example. It is clear that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field of the present disclosure can conceive of various modified or amended examples within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0142] For example, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the content selection process and the virtual banner 411 generation process are performed by the server 10, but the content selection process and the virtual banner 411 generation process may be executed by an external server. More specifically, the content selection process and the virtual banner 411 generation process may be executed by a server that provides a platform for accepting submissions of content P and is managed by a club that manages a team participating in a match. The server may display the virtual banner 411 to the user U by outputting information for drawing the generated virtual banner 411 to the server 10. Such a server is also an example of an information processing device.

[0143] In the above embodiment, the same virtual banner 411 is displayed on each user terminal 20, but a different virtual banner 411 may be displayed on each user terminal 20. For example, the user terminal 20 may determine the placement location on the virtual banner 411 of the content P selected by the server 10 and generate the virtual banner 411 according to the determined placement location.

[0144] Furthermore, the content P posted by a user U using the user terminal 20 may always be arranged on the virtual banner 411 displayed on the user terminal 20. For example, the communication unit 110 of the server 10 may output to the user terminal 20-1 information on the content P other than the content P1 posted by the user U1 using the user terminal 20-1, which is selected by the content selection unit 123 and is to be arranged on the virtual banner 411. Furthermore, the communication unit 110 may output to the user terminal 20-1 information for drawing parts of the virtual banner 411 other than the part where each piece of content P is arranged. Then, the user terminal 20-1 may draw the virtual banner 411 based on the information received from the server 10 and pre-stored information on the content P1 posted by the user U1 using the user terminal 20-1.

[0145] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the object generating unit 122 of the server 10 generates the virtual banner 411 to emphasize the content P posted by the user U corresponding to the user avatar u when the position of the user avatar u is within the area. However, the process for emphasizing the content P may be executed by the user terminal 20. For example, the object generating unit 122 of the server 10 may generate the virtual banner 411 without emphasizing a specific content P. Then, the user terminal 20-1 may control the virtual banner 411 to be drawn so that the content P1 posted by the user U1 using the user terminal 20-1 is emphasized. In this case, even if many contents P posted by other users Uo whose user avatars uo exist within the area are arranged on the virtual banner 411, only the content P1 posted by the user U1 using the user terminal 20-1 is emphasized, so that the user can more easily find the content P1 posted by himself.

[0146] The server 10 may transmit information indicating which user U each piece of content P arranged on the virtual banner 411 is associated with (for example, the correspondence between the arrangement position and the user ID, etc.) to each user terminal 20 together with information for drawing the virtual banner 411. When drawing the virtual banner 411, the user terminal 20-1 can identify and highlight the content P1 posted by the user U1 who uses the user terminal 20-1 by referring to the information indicating which user U each piece of content P is associated with.

[0147] Furthermore, the user terminal 20 may display a partially modified virtual banner 411, which is generated by the server 10 and in which the content P posted by the user U corresponding to the user avatar u present in the area is highlighted, as described in the above embodiment. For example, the user terminal 20-1 may change the display so that, among the content P set to be highlighted in the virtual banner 411, only the content P1 posted by the user U1 using the user terminal 20-1 is displayed in a different highlighting method. This makes it easier for the user U1 to find the content P1 posted by himself, and also allows him to recognize the content P posted by another user Uo whose user avatar uo is present in the area.

[0148] It is also possible to create a computer program for causing hardware such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM built into the above-mentioned server 10 or user terminal 20 to perform the functions of the server 10 or the user terminal 20. Also provided is a computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program.

[0149] In addition, the effects described in this specification are merely descriptive or exemplary and are not limiting. In other words, the technology according to the present disclosure may achieve other effects that are apparent to a person skilled in the art from the description of this specification, in addition to or in place of the above effects.

[0150] <2. Second embodiment> <2-1. Overview> Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. In the above-described first embodiment, an example has been described in which content is arranged on a virtual object based on the relationship between the position of a user avatar in a virtual space and an area corresponding to the virtual object. With this configuration, the user U is more likely to be able to see the content he or she posted, and can enjoy an experience in the virtual space.

[0151] However, it is also anticipated that there will be needs from users U who want to enjoy searching for content that they have posted among the content placed on virtual objects, and that there will be needs from server administrators who want to reduce the processing load.

[0152] Therefore, in a second embodiment according to the present disclosure, a process for generating and displaying a virtual object, which is performed in a different manner from that in the first embodiment, will be described. In the second embodiment as well, an example in which the virtual object is a virtual banner will be mainly described.

[0153] Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining an overall configuration of an information processing system 2 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 11, the information processing system 2 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure includes a server 40 instead of the server 10 of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 11, the server 40 and the user terminal 20 are configured to be able to communicate with each other via a network 30.

[0154] The server 40 generates a virtual banner in a manner different from that of the server 10 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. In the following description, the functions of the server 40 that are different from those of the server 10 will be mainly described, and detailed descriptions of other functions common to the server 10 and the server 40 will be omitted.

[0155] <2-2. Example of Server 40 Configuration> Next, an example of the configuration of the server 40 will be described. Fig. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the server 40 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 12, the server 40 has a communication unit 410, a control unit 420, and a storage unit 430. The communication unit 410 has substantially the same functions as the communication unit 110, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0156] (Storage unit 430) The storage unit 430 is realized by a ROM that stores programs and calculation parameters used in the processing of the control unit 420, and a RAM that temporarily stores appropriately changing parameters, etc. For example, the storage unit 430 stores virtual space information.

[0157] The storage unit 430 also includes a template DB 431 , a content DB 432 , an object DB 433 , and a filtering DB 434 .

[0158] (Template DB431) The template DB 431 stores one or more templates used to generate a virtual banner. The details of the templates will be described later.

[0159] (Content DB432) The content DB 432 stores various contents to be arranged on the virtual banner. The content DB 432 includes a user content DB that stores contents posted by the user U. In the following, the contents posted by the user U according to this embodiment are also referred to as "user contents". The user contents may be the same as the contents in the first embodiment, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0160] The content DB 432 further includes a pseudo content DB for storing pseudo posted content. The pseudo posted content will be described in detail later.

[0161] (Object DB433) The object DB 433 stores objects generated by the object generation unit 422 described below. More specifically, the object DB 433 stores generated virtual banners. The object DB 433 stores each virtual banner in association with user identification information identifying a user U associated with user content placed on the virtual banner. The user U associated with the user content may be, for example, a user U who posted the user content. For example, the object DB 433 stores user identification information identifying a user U who posted the user content placed on each virtual banner as tag information of the virtual banner.

[0162] (Filtering DB434) The filtering DB 434 stores filtering information for analyzing the contents included in the user contents. The filtering information will be described in detail later.

[0163] (Control unit 420) The control unit 420 functions as an arithmetic processing unit and a control unit, and controls the overall operation of the server 10 in accordance with various programs. The control unit 420 is realized by electronic circuits such as a CPU and a microprocessor. The control unit 420 may also include a ROM for storing the programs to be used and arithmetic parameters, and a RAM for temporarily storing parameters that change as appropriate.

[0164] The control unit 420 also functions as a virtual space management unit 421, an object generation unit 422, a content reception control unit 423, and a delivery control unit 424. The virtual space management unit 421 has substantially the same functions as the virtual space management unit 121, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0165] (Object generation unit 422) The object generation unit 422 generates virtual objects such as a virtual banner. The object generation unit 422 generates a virtual banner on which user content stored in a user content DB included in a content DB 432 is arranged, with the reception of posts being controlled by a content reception control unit 423. The details of the process of generating the virtual banner will be described in detail later.

[0166] (Content reception control unit 423) The content reception control unit 423 controls the reception of user content received by the communication unit 410 from the user terminal 20. The content reception control unit 423 determines whether or not to accept the posting of user content by using filtering information stored in the filtering DB 434. The details of the determination process will be described in detail later.

[0167] When the content reception control unit 423 does not accept the posting of the user content, the content reception control unit 423 controls the communication unit 410 to transmit, to the user terminal 20, a notification to the user U who posted the user content.

[0168] When the content reception control unit 423 receives a user content posting, the content reception control unit 423 stores the user content in a user content DB included in the content DB 432. Here, the content reception control unit 423 stores the user content in association with user identification information that identifies the user U who posted the user content.

[0169] (Distribution control unit 424) The distribution control unit 424 controls the distribution of the virtual banner stored in the object DB 433 in response to a request received by the communication unit 410. The details of the distribution process will be described later in detail.

[0170] <2-3.Function details> Next, the functions of the server 40 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail.

[0171] <2-3-1. Generation and display of virtual banners> First, the process of generating a virtual banner by the object generating section 422 and the process of displaying the virtual banner by the virtual space managing section 421 will be described.

[0172] (User content placement) In the process of generating a virtual banner, the object generating unit 422 first arranges the user content according to a template selected from one or more templates that indicate the arrangement of the user content on the virtual banner. The template is stored in the template DB 431.

[0173] Fig. 13 is a diagram for explaining templates stored in template DB 431. One or more templates are stored in template DB 431. Fig. 13 shows an example in which a plurality of templates T (T1, T2, T3, ...) are stored in template DB 431.

[0174] Each template T includes a placement portion F that indicates a portion of the virtual banner where user content is to be placed. For example, template T1 includes 18 placement portions F, including placement portions F1 and F2 of user content. Note that the number of placement portions F in template T (the number that can be placed) is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the object generating unit 422 may change the number of placement portions F by performing a process of further dividing the placement portion F, etc., depending on the number of user contents to be placed on the virtual banner.

[0175] Furthermore, the size of each placement portion F in the template T is not particularly limited, and each placement portion F may have a different size. Furthermore, each template T may have a different shape.

[0176] The object generating unit 422 may generate an object by, for example, arranging user content stored in the content DB 432 in an arrangement portion F of a template T selected from templates T stored in the template DB 431 by the organizer of the virtual event. Hereinafter, such an object is also referred to as a "user content arrangement object."

[0177] The selection of the template T may be performed, for example, by the organizer of the virtual event. In this case, the selection operation may be performed by a terminal used by the organizer of the virtual event. Then, selection information indicating the selected template T may be acquired by the communication unit 410.

[0178] Furthermore, the template T used to generate the user content arrangement object does not have to be selected from among those stored in the template DB 431, and may be newly created by the organizer of the virtual event. Furthermore, the template T may be selected randomly.

[0179] The object generation unit 422 selects the number of user contents that can be arranged in the selected template T from the user contents stored in the content DB 432. For example, when the template T1 is selected, the object generation unit 422 selects 18 pieces of user content.

[0180] The method of selecting user content by object generating unit 422 is not particularly limited, and object generating unit 422 may select user content in order of earliest posting date and time, in order of user name, or randomly.

[0181] The object generating unit 422 arranges the selected user content according to a preselected template T. The order in which the user content is arranged is not particularly limited, and the object generating unit 422 may arrange the user content in a predetermined order in each arrangement portion F, starting from the earliest posted date and time. The object generating unit 422 may also arrange the user content in order of the names of the users who posted the user content or randomly.

[0182] Furthermore, the object generating unit 422 may analyze the content of user content and place objects having common content close to or far from each other.

[0183] Furthermore, the object generating unit 422 may determine the placement portion F in which to place the user content, according to a priority set for each user U. The priority may be determined according to, for example, the frequency with which the user U logs in to the server 40, the number of times the user U has participated in past virtual events, the billing status of the user U, and the like.

[0184] The object generating unit 422 stores the generated user content arrangement object in the content DB 432 .

[0185] (Content Combining) The above describes the generation of a user content placement object by the object generation unit 422. The object generation unit 422 may execute a process of generating a virtual banner by a process of synthesizing the user content placement object with other content prepared in advance. Since such content is content related to the design of the virtual banner, the other content will be referred to as a "design content" below. The design content may be a still image or an animation. The design content is stored in the content DB 432.

[0186] The design content may include, for example, an image provided by the organizer of the virtual event. If the virtual event is a match held in conjunction with an event held in the real space, the design content may be an image provided by the team, such as an official image of the team's players participating in the match, an emblem of the team, a slogan of the team, an image of a character of the team, etc. The organizer of the virtual event may generate the design content by arranging such images according to the shape of the portion of the selected template T where the user content is not arranged.

[0187] Furthermore, the object generating unit 422 may automatically determine design content to be placed on the virtual banner in accordance with the selected template T. The object generating unit 422 may select an image to be the design content to be placed on the virtual banner from images prepared in advance in the storage unit 430 based on the team playing the match or the players scheduled to participate in the match. Furthermore, the object generating unit 422 may perform processing such as image selection and trimming so that the main part of the prepared image is placed in the shape of a part of the selected template T where no user content is placed. The main part may be, for example, a part showing the face of a player.

[0188] Although it has been described above that the object generating unit 422 generates a user content placement object using an arbitrarily selected template T, the object generating unit 422 may automatically select a template T based on the relationship with the design content. For example, the object generating unit 422 may select a template T in which the user content can be placed so as to avoid the player's face, depending on the position and size of the player's face in the image included in the design content.

[0189] Here, an example of a process of combining a user content arrangement object and design content will be described. Fig. 14 is a diagram for explaining an example of a process of combining a user content arrangement object and design content.

[0190] 14, first, the object generating unit 422 selects 18 pieces of user content, which is the number of pieces of user content that can be arranged in the template T1, from the user content stored in the user content DB 4321 included in the content DB 432. Note that the user content DB 4321 may store user content posted for each of a plurality of virtual banners, each of which corresponds to a different virtual event.

[0191] The object generation unit 422 may be triggered by the end of a period for collecting user content posted on a virtual banner, and select as many user contents as can be placed from the user contents posted on the virtual banner for which the collection period has ended.

[0192] The object generating unit 422 generates a user content arrangement object by arranging the selected user content along the template T1. For example, the object generating unit 422 arranges the user content P4 in the arrangement portion F1 and the user content P5 in the arrangement portion F2.

[0193] The object generating unit 422 generates the virtual banner 4110A by combining the generated user content placement object with previously prepared design content D. Here, as an example, the design content D in which a player image Pd is placed, avoiding the placement portion F of the template T1, is shown. Note that the image placed in the design content D does not have to be one piece, and multiple images may be placed, or text may be placed.

[0194] The design content D may be prepared by the organizer of the virtual event or the like before the end of the period for collecting user content contributions, and stored in the content DB 432. In this case, the object generating unit 422 may automatically execute the synthesis process when the period for collecting user content ends.

[0195] The object generation unit 422 outputs information for displaying the generated virtual banner 4110A to the virtual space management unit 421. Then, the virtual space management unit 421 displays the virtual banner 4110A in the virtual space by controlling the communication unit 410 to output virtual space information including information for displaying the virtual banner 4110A to the user terminal 20. The virtual space management unit 421 may perform control so that the virtual banner 4110A is displayed at a presentation location in the virtual space that has been set in advance when a presentation period set for the virtual banner 4110A starts.

[0196] Furthermore, object generation unit 422 stores the generated virtual banner 4110A in object DB 433. Here, object generation unit 422 stores user identification information identifying user U who posted the user content placed on virtual banner 4110A, linked to virtual banner 4110A. Note that the user identification information identifying user U who posted the user content is stored in user content DB 4321, linked to the user content.

[0197] (Toggle virtual banner display) Here, it is assumed that the number of user content submissions during the collection period will exceed the number of possible placements. Therefore, the object generation unit 422 may generate multiple virtual banners according to the number of user content submissions. Then, the virtual space management unit 421 may switch the virtual banners displayed in the virtual space.

[0198] 15 is a diagram for explaining the process of generating a plurality of virtual banners by object generating unit 422. In generating a plurality of virtual banners, object generating unit 422 selects each of the user contents to be stored in user content DB 4321 so that the posted user contents are not duplicated.

[0199] Then, the object generation unit 422 generates a plurality of user content arrangement objects by arranging each selected user content along the template T. The object generation unit 422 generates a plurality of virtual banners 4110 (virtual banner 4110A, virtual banner 4110B, ...) by a synthesis process of each of the plurality of user content arrangement objects and the design content D.

[0200] More specifically, the object generation unit 422 first generates a virtual banner 4110A by selecting the number of user contents (user content P4, user content P5, etc.) that can be placed from among multiple user contents, as described using Figure 14.

[0201] Next, the object generation unit 422 generates the virtual banner 4110B by excluding the user content already selected from the user content stored in the user content DB 4321 and further selecting the number of user contents (user content P6, user content P5, etc.) that can be arranged. The object generation unit 422 may repeat the process of generating the virtual banner 4110 until all user contents posted within the collection period have been arranged.

[0202] The object generation unit 422 outputs information for displaying the generated multiple virtual banners 4110 to the virtual space management unit 421. The virtual space management unit 421 controls the communication unit 410 to output virtual space information including information for displaying each virtual banner 4110 to the user terminal 20, thereby displaying the virtual banners 4110 in the virtual space.

[0203] Virtual space management unit 421 controls so that virtual banners 4110 displayed at preset presentation locations in the virtual space are dynamically switched. Fig. 16 is a diagram for explaining dynamic switching of a plurality of virtual banners 4110 by virtual space management unit 421. Fig. 16 shows a display screen 4100 displayed on user terminal 20.

[0204] The display screen 4100 is a display screen showing an image in which the inside of the virtual stadium S is reproduced from the viewpoint of the user U. The display screen 4100 includes a user avatar u1 of the user U1. The display screen 4100 also includes a virtual banner 4110.

[0205] Virtual space management unit 421 controls so that multiple virtual banners 4110 displayed on display screen 4100 are dynamically switched at predetermined time intervals. For example, when a predetermined time has elapsed since virtual banner 4110A began to be displayed, virtual space management unit 421 controls so that the virtual banner 4110 to be displayed is switched from virtual banner 4110A to virtual banner 4110B. Virtual space management unit 421 repeats the switching process until all of the generated multiple virtual banners 4110 are displayed. Furthermore, virtual space management unit 421 repeats switching and displaying the multiple virtual banners 4110 until the presentation period ends.

[0206] This allows a user who has posted user content to be able to see virtual banner 4110 including the user content that he or she has posted by waiting for virtual banner 4110 to be switched.

[0207] (Pseudo post content placement) The above describes the process of generating a plurality of virtual banners 4110 by the object generating unit 422. Here, it is assumed that the number of user contents to be arranged becomes insufficient while repeatedly selecting the number of user contents that can be arranged. More specifically, it is assumed that the number of user contents stored in the user content DB 4321 excluding the already selected user contents falls below the number that can be arranged in the template T.

[0208] In this case, object generation unit 422 may generate virtual banner 4110 by using content prepared in advance. In the following, an example in which the content prepared in advance is pseudo posted content will be described, and the pseudo posted content will also be referred to as "pseudo content." The pseudo content may be, for example, an image that can be used generically in virtual banner 4110. For example, when virtual banner 4110 is expected to be placed in a virtual space in conjunction with a virtual event held in conjunction with a match in which a specific team participates, the pseudo content may be an image of a pseudo avatar supporting that team.

[0209] 17 is a diagram for explaining the generation of a virtual banner 4110 using pseudo content. Here, it is assumed that the number of templates T that can be arranged for use in generating each virtual banner 4110 is 18.

[0210] Object generation unit 422 generates virtual banners 4110A-X using user content stored in user content DB 4321 until the number of user contents to be arranged falls below the number that can be arranged in template T. Here, the number of arrangements in virtual banner 4110Y that is subsequently generated, i.e., the number of user contents to be arranged (user content P6 and user content P7), is two. Because the number of arrangements, two, falls short of the number that can be arranged, 18, object generation unit 422 uses pseudo content DP (DP1, DP2,...) stored in pseudo content DB 4322 included in content DB 432 to make up for the lack of arrangements.

[0211] More specifically, the object generation unit 422 generates a virtual banner 4110Y based on generating a user content placement object by placing pseudo content DP in a placement portion F of the template T where no user content is placed.

[0212] By using the pseudo content DP, the virtual banner 4110 that conforms to the design of the template T is always displayed to the user U, which makes it possible to avoid giving a sense of incongruity to the user U. Furthermore, the appearance of the virtual banner 4110 is improved compared to when the virtual banner 4110 is generated without using the pseudo content DP and leaving blank spaces.

[0213] Although the case where pseudo content is placed in a portion where user content is lacking has been described here, the content placed in the lacking portion may be user content to be placed in another virtual banner 4110. For example, the content to be placed in the lacking portion may be user content included in a previously generated virtual banner 4110. Here, the lacking portion may be maintained as it is, without pseudo content or user content to be placed in another virtual banner 4110 being placed in the lacking portion.

[0214] (Example of operation of server 40 in generating and displaying a virtual banner) Next, a description will be given of the operational processing of the server 40 in generating and displaying the virtual banner 4110. Fig. 18 is a flow diagram showing an example of the flow of the operational processing of the server 40 in generating and displaying the virtual banner 4110 according to this embodiment.

[0215] First, the object generation unit 422 acquires selection information of the template T used to generate the virtual banner 4110 (S202). The object generation unit 422 may acquire selection information indicating a template T selected from the templates T stored in the template DB 431, which is received by the communication unit 410 from an external terminal, for example.

[0216] The object generating unit 422 acquires the design content D of the virtual banner 4110 (S204). The object generating unit 422 may acquire the design content D that the communication unit 410 receives from an external terminal, for example.

[0217] The content reception control unit 423 accepts the posting of user content received by the communication unit 410 from the user terminal 20 (S206). The content reception control unit 423 stores the accepted user content in the user content DB 4321. The content reception control unit 423 accepts the posting of user content until the period for collecting user content ends (S208 / NO).

[0218] When the period for collecting user contents has ended (S208 / YES), the object generating unit 422 determines whether the number of user contents accepted during the period for collection on the template T is less than the number of contents that can be placed on the template T (S210).

[0219] If the number of arrangements is not less than the number that can be arranged (S210 / NO), the object generation unit 422 selects the number of user contents that can be arranged, and generates a user content arrangement object by arranging the selected user contents along the template T (S212).

[0220] If the number of placements is less than the number of placements possible (S210 / NO), the object generation unit 422 places the user content and places pseudo content stored in the pseudo content DB 4322 in the missing part according to the template T, thereby generating a user content placement object (S214).

[0221] The object generating unit 422 generates a virtual banner 4110 by a synthesis process of the generated user content placement object and the design content D (S216). If all the user contents have not been used to generate the virtual banner 4110 (S218 / NO), the object generating unit 422 returns the process to S210 and repeats the processes of S210 to S216 to generate a plurality of virtual banners 4110 so that the contents used to generate each virtual banner 4110 do not overlap.

[0222] When all user contents have been used to generate virtual banner 4110 (S218 / YES), object generation unit 422 outputs information for displaying generated virtual banner 4110 to virtual space management unit 421. Virtual space management unit 421 controls the multiple virtual banners 4110 to be displayed so as to be dynamically switched at predetermined time intervals (S220).

[0223] <2-3-2. Distribution of virtual banners> Next, a description will be given of the distribution process of the virtual banner 4110 by the distribution control unit 424. The distribution control unit 424 controls the distribution of the virtual banner 4110 stored in the object DB 433 in response to a request received by the communication unit 410.

[0224] The request includes user identification information. The request may be transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the server 40. The request may be automatically transmitted by an application that provides the virtual space to the user U and runs on the user terminal 20 when the posting period of the virtual banner 4110 in the virtual space ends, or may be transmitted based on an operation of the user terminal 20 by the user U.

[0225] The delivery control unit 424 delivers the virtual banner 4110 linked to the user identification information included in the request to the user terminal 20 corresponding to the user identification information. Specifically, the delivery control unit 424 extracts the virtual banner 4110 linked to the user identification information included in the request from the object DB 433, and delivers the extracted virtual banner 4110.

[0226] The delivery control unit 424 may transmit the virtual banner 4110 linked to the user identification information included in the request to the user terminal 20. Furthermore, the delivery control unit 424 may store the virtual banner 4110 linked to the user identification information included in the request in an area on the cloud or the like corresponding to the user U corresponding to the user identification information.

[0227] 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of distribution of a virtual banner 4110 by distribution control unit 424. User terminal 20-1 and user terminal 20-2 transmit requests including user identification information (User ID) “AAAA” and “BBBB”, respectively, to server 40.

[0228] The delivery control unit 424 extracts, from the object DB 433, virtual banner 4110 linked to the user identification information included in the request. More specifically, the delivery control unit 424 extracts virtual banner 4110A linked to user identification information "AAAA" as tag information (User ID tag). The delivery control unit 424 also extracts virtual banner 4110B linked to user identification information "BBBB" as tag information. Then, the delivery control unit 424 controls the delivery of virtual banner 4110A to user terminal 20-1 and the delivery of virtual banner 4110B to user terminal 20-2.

[0229] When the virtual banner 4110 is dynamically switched and displayed in the virtual space, the user U needs to wait for the switching in order to see the virtual banner 4110 on which the user content posted by the user U is arranged. The more user content is posted, the more virtual banners 4110 are presented, so that depending on the timing of viewing the virtual banner 4110, the user U is more likely not to be able to see the virtual banner 4110 on which the user content posted by the user U is arranged. Thus, by distributing the virtual banner 4110 as described above, the user U can later view the virtual banner 4110 on which the user content posted by the user U is arranged, so that the user U can further enjoy the event posted on the virtual banner 4110.

[0230] (Example of operation of server 40 in distributing virtual banners) Next, a description will be given of the operational processing of server 40 in distributing virtual banner 4110. Fig. 20 is a flow diagram showing an example of the flow of the operational processing of server 40 in distributing virtual banner 4110 according to this embodiment.

[0231] First, the distribution control unit 424 acquires a request for distribution of the virtual banner 4110, including the user identification information (S302). The distribution control unit 424 extracts the virtual banner 4110 linked to the user identification information included in the request from the object DB 433, and distributes it (S304).

[0232] <2-3-3. Acceptance of User Content Submissions> Next, a description will be given of a process for accepting user content posting by the content acceptance control unit 423. The content acceptance control unit 423 controls the acceptance of user content posting received by the communication unit 410 from the user terminal 20.

[0233] When the content reception control unit 423 acquires user content, the content reception control unit 423 determines whether or not to accept the posting of the user content, using the filtering information stored in the filtering DB 434. More specifically, the content reception control unit 423 analyzes the content included in the user content. Then, the content reception control unit 423 determines whether or not to accept the posting of the user content, depending on whether or not the analysis result satisfies a predetermined condition related to the filtering information.

[0234] The predetermined condition determined by the content reception control unit 423 may be, for example, whether or not the user content includes prohibited words. In this case, the filtering information includes prohibited words. Prohibited words are words that are prohibited from being included in the user content to be placed on the virtual banner 4110. Prohibited words may be set, for example, by the organizer of the virtual event. When the virtual event is held in conjunction with a match, words that are inappropriate for cheering on the match, such as "lose" and "defeat," may be set as prohibited words and stored in the filtering DB 434 as filtering information. Prohibited words may be morally inappropriate words, etc., and may be set arbitrarily according to the design.

[0235] The content reception control unit 423 may determine whether the user content includes a prohibited phrase based on whether the supplementary information of the user content includes character information indicating a prohibited phrase set in advance. In this case, the communication unit 410 receives the character information from the user terminal 20 together with the user content.

[0236] The character information may be generated in response to an operation on the user terminal 20 by the user U. For example, the user terminal 20 may receive an operation from the user U instructing to generate user content by arranging the characters input by the user U on an image. The user terminal 20 then generates a new image with the characters arranged on the image as the user content. The user terminal 20 attaches character information representing the characters arranged on the user content to the generated user content, and stores the user content in a storage unit of the user terminal 20 or in a storage area such as a cloud that provides an application that provides a virtual space.

[0237] Then, in response to an operation by the user U, the user terminal 20 transmits the user content stored in the storage area as user content to be posted to the virtual banner 4110. Here, the user terminal 20 transmits the user content to the server 40 by attaching character information to the user content.

[0238] If the character information accompanying the user content does not correspond to the filtering information stored in the filtering DB 434, that is, if it is determined that the user content does not contain prohibited words, the content acceptance control unit 423 accepts the posting of the user content.

[0239] On the other hand, if the character information accompanying the user content corresponds to the filtering information stored in the filtering DB 434, that is, if it is determined that the user content contains prohibited words, the content acceptance control unit 423 does not accept the posting of the user content. When not accepting the posting of the user content, the content acceptance control unit 423 controls the communication unit 410 to transmit a notification to the user U who posted the user content to the user terminal 20.

[0240] More specifically, the notification may include a notification that the posting of the user content is not accepted. The notification may also include a notification that prompts the user U to repost the user content. Furthermore, a process may be performed in which the posted user content is replaced with appropriate content that has been set in advance.

[0241] Since the contents of the user content are determined and notified at the timing of accepting the posting of the user content, the user U can repost user content with appropriate content during the posting period, improving the experience value of the user U. In addition, since there is no prohibition on using the user content for purposes other than posting to the virtual banner 4110, such as sharing with friends, it is possible to protect the worldview of the virtual event without interfering with the user U's personal enjoyment.

[0242] Fig. 21 is a diagram for explaining an example of a case where the content acceptance control unit 423 determines whether or not to accept posting of user content based on whether or not the user content contains prohibited words. Fig. 21 shows an example in which user content P41 containing the letter L "LOSE" is generated by an operation of a user U on the user terminal 20-1.

[0243] Based on a user operation, the user terminal 20-1 transmits the user content P41, which is to be posted to the virtual banner 4110, to the server 40 together with character information representing the letter L. The content reception control unit 423 determines whether the character information attached to the user content P41 corresponds to the filtering information stored in the filtering DB 434.

[0244] Here, an example is shown in which the prohibited word "lose" is included in the filtering information stored in the filtering DB 434. In this case, the content acceptance control unit 423 determines that the user content P41 includes a prohibited word, and does not accept the posting of the user content P41. Then, the content acceptance control unit 423 controls the communication unit 410 to transmit a notification to the user U that the posting is not accepted to the user terminal 20-1.

[0245] By setting prohibited words as filtering information and deciding whether or not to accept the posting of user content based on whether the text information accompanying the user content corresponds to the filtering information, it is possible to reuse filtering information used in other services, making it possible to implement the decision-making process more easily.

[0246] Although the example in which the content reception control unit 423 determines whether or not the user content includes prohibited words based on the character information attached to the user content has been described here, the determination method is not limited to this method. For example, the content reception control unit 423 may determine whether or not the user content includes prohibited words based on recognizing characters included in an image by image analysis.

[0247] Furthermore, the predetermined condition determined by the content reception control unit 423 is not limited to whether the user content contains prohibited words and phrases, and may include, for example, that an object contained in the user content is prohibited.

[0248] In this case, the filtering information includes a prohibited object. A prohibited object is an object that is prohibited from being included in user content to be placed on the virtual banner 4110. The prohibited object may be an object that has been determined in the past to be inappropriate for placement on the virtual banner 4110. For example, the filtering DB 434 may include, as filtering information, an object that was included in user content whose placement on the virtual banner 4110 was canceled in the past and that caused the cancellation of the placement. The cancellation of the placement may be performed at the discretion of the administrator of the virtual space. Furthermore, the cancellation of the placement may be performed based on a report from the user U that the placement causes discomfort.

[0249] The content reception control unit 423 may determine whether or not the user content includes a prohibited object by analyzing, using AI, whether or not the filtering information includes content similar to the user content.

[0250] Also, in the above, an example has been described in which the content of the user content is determined at the timing of accepting the posting of the user content, but the determination may be made at the timing of arranging the user content on virtual banner 4110. In this case, if the content contained in the user content is inappropriate, the user content may not be arranged on virtual banner 4110. Also, the portion including the inappropriate content may be replaced with other characters or objects.

[0251] (Example of operation of server 40 in accepting user content submission) Next, an operational process of the server 40 when accepting a user content submission will be described. Fig. 22 is a flow diagram showing an example of the flow of an operational process of the server 40 when accepting a user content submission according to this embodiment.

[0252] First, the communication unit 410 receives user content from the user terminal 20 (S402). The content reception control unit 423 uses filtering information stored in the filtering DB 434 to determine whether the user content corresponds to the filtering information (S403).

[0253] When it is determined that the user content corresponds to the filtering information (S404 / YES), the content acceptance control unit 423 controls the communication unit 410 to transmit an NG notice indicating that the posting is not accepted to the user terminal 20 (S406).

[0254] When it is determined that the user content does not correspond to the filtering information (S404 / NO), the content acceptance control unit 423 accepts the posting of the user content and performs control to store the user content in the user content DB 4321 (S408). Here, the content acceptance control unit 423 may control the communication unit 410 to transmit an OK notification to the user terminal 20 indicating that the posting of the user content has been accepted.

[0255] <2-4. Supplementary Information> Although the second preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to such an example. It is clear that a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field of the present disclosure can conceive of various modified or amended examples within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0256] For example, the server 40 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure may be realized by the hardware configuration example of the information processing device 900 illustrated in FIG. 10, similar to the server 10 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0257] It is also possible to create a computer program for causing hardware such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM built into the above-mentioned server 40 to perform the functions of the server 40. Also provided is a computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program.

[0258] In each embodiment of the present disclosure, an example has been described in which the information processing systems (information processing systems 1 and 2) are each configured with a plurality of information processing devices (server 10, user terminal 20, and server 40), but each information processing system may be realized by a single information processing device. For example, information processing system 1 may be configured only with server 10 or user terminal 20, and information processing system 2 may be configured only with server 40 or user terminal 20. Furthermore, in each information processing system, the functions of each information processing device may be further separated and realized in a plurality of information processing devices. Moreover, the configuration of the information processing system may be realized by any of all other conceivable embodiments.

[0259] In addition, the effects described in this specification are merely descriptive or exemplary and are not limiting. In other words, the technology according to the present disclosure may achieve other effects that are apparent to a person skilled in the art from the description of this specification, in addition to or in place of the above effects.

[0260] Note that the following configurations also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. (1) generating a display object by arranging one or more pieces of content posted by one or more users; A process of controlling display of the display object in a virtual space; An information processing system comprising a control unit that executes the above. (2) The information processing system described in (1), wherein the control unit determines one or more of the contents to be placed on the display object based on a relationship between a position of an avatar in a virtual space corresponding to the user and an area corresponding to the display object. (3) The information processing system according to (2), wherein the control unit preferentially places content posted by the user in the object when a location corresponding to the user is within the area. (4) The information processing system according to (2) or (3), wherein the area is within a certain distance range from the display object. (5) The information processing system according to (3), wherein the control unit performs display control to highlight content posted by the user when the location corresponding to the user is within the area. (6) The information processing system according to (3) or (5), wherein the control unit sets a priority for the user and executes a selection process for selecting content to be placed on the display object in accordance with the priority of the user. (7) The information processing system described in (6), wherein the control unit sets a priority for the user higher when the location corresponding to the user is within the area than when the location corresponding to the user is outside the area. (8) The control unit repeatedly executes the selection process, and when the number of times that the content posted by the user has been selected in a predetermined number of past selection processes exceeds a threshold, sets the priority set for the user lower than when the number of times the content has been selected is below the threshold. (9) The information processing system according to any one of (6) to (8), wherein the control unit repeats the selection process in response to switching of the display object, and when the same content is selected consecutively, controls so that the content is placed in the same location within the display object as before the switching. (10) The information processing system according to (9), wherein the control unit controls display of the display object on a user terminal used by the user so as to display the display object on the user terminal. (11) the control unit, when repeating the selection process, executes a process of selecting, with priority, content to be arranged on the display object from among unselected content that has not yet been selected; the display object displayed on the user terminal is switched to a display object on which the content selected by repeating the selection process is arranged, based on an operation by the user; The information processing system according to (10) above. (12) The information processing system according to any one of (6) to (11), wherein the content includes an image showing the avatar corresponding to the user who posted the content. (13) The information processing system described in (12), wherein the control unit sets the priority such that the higher the degree of similarity between a pose taken by the avatar in an image included in the content and a predetermined pose, the higher the priority set for the user. (14) The information processing system according to any one of (1) to (13), wherein the display object is a banner displayed in a virtual space. (15) the control unit executes a process of generating the display object by a process of arranging the content along a template selected from one or more templates indicating an arrangement of the content in the display object. The information processing system according to any one of (1) to (14). (16) The information processing system according to (15), wherein the control unit executes a process of generating the display object by combining the object on which the content is placed with other content that has been prepared in advance. (17) The control unit is generating a plurality of the display objects according to the number of posts of the content; The information processing system according to any one of (1) to (16), further comprising: switching the display object displayed in the virtual space. (18) The information processing system described in (17), wherein the control unit, in generating the plurality of display objects, generates the display objects in which the selected contents are arranged so that the plurality of posted contents do not overlap. (19) when the number of the contents to be arranged on the display object is insufficient, the control unit further generates the display object by using the contents different from the contents prepared in advance. The information processing system according to (18) above. (20) The information processing device according to any one of (1) to (19), wherein the control unit further executes a process of storing the generated display object in association with identification information that identifies a user related to the content placed on the display object. (twenty one) The information processing system includes: A communication unit that receives a request including the identification information, the control unit executes a process of storing the display object associated with the identification information included in the request received by the communication unit in an area corresponding to the user corresponding to the identification information. The information processing system according to (20) above. (twenty two) The information processing device according to any one of (1) to (21), wherein the control unit further executes a process of transmitting a notification to a user who posted the content when the content satisfies a predetermined condition. (twenty three) The information processing system described in (22), wherein the specified condition is that the content's additional information contains information indicating predetermined prohibited words, or that the content contains content similar to content that was previously determined to be inappropriate for placement on the display object. (twenty four) The information processing system according to any one of (1) to (23), wherein the user is a user who will be a spectator of an event held in the virtual space. (twenty five) The information processing system according to any one of (1) to (24), wherein the content is posted by the user within a set period of time. (26) The processor: generating a display object by arranging content, the content being one or more pieces of content posted by one or more users; performing display control of the display object in a virtual space; and An information processing method comprising: (27) generating a display object by arranging content, the content being one or more pieces of content posted by one or more users; A process of controlling display of the display object in a virtual space; A program that causes a computer to function as a control unit that executes the above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0261] 1, 2 Information Processing System 10 Server 110 Communications Department 120 Control section 121 Virtual Space Management Department 122 Object Generation Unit 123 Content Selection Section 130 Storage section 20 User terminal 30 Network 40 Servers 410 Communications Department 420 Control section 421 Virtual Space Management Department 422 Object Generation Unit 423 Content reception control unit 424 Distribution control section 430 Storage section

Claims

1. generating a display object by arranging one or more pieces of content posted by one or more users; A process of controlling display of the display object in a virtual space; An information processing system comprising a control unit that executes the above.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines the one or more pieces of content to be placed on the display object based on a relationship between a position of an avatar in a virtual space corresponding to the user and an area corresponding to the display object.

3. The information processing system according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit, when a position corresponding to the user is within the area, preferentially arranges the content posted by the user in the display object.

4. The information processing system according to claim 2 , wherein the area is within a certain distance from the display object.

5. The information processing system according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit performs display control such that, when a position corresponding to the user is within the area, the content posted by the user is displayed in an emphasized manner.

6. The information processing system according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit executes a selection process of setting a priority for the user and selecting content to be arranged on the display object in accordance with the priority of the user.

7. The information processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the control unit sets a priority for the user higher when the location corresponding to the user is within the area than when the location corresponding to the user is outside the area.

8. The information processing system of claim 6, wherein the control unit repeatedly executes the selection process, and when the number of times that the content posted by the user has been selected in a predetermined number of past selection processes exceeds a threshold, the control unit sets a priority for the user lower than when the number of times that the content posted by the user has been selected is below the threshold.

9. The information processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the control unit repeats the selection process in response to switching of the display object, and when the same content is selected consecutively, controls so that the content is arranged in the same location within the display object as before the switching.

10. The information processing system according to claim 9 , wherein the control unit controls display of the display object on a user terminal used by the user so as to display the display object on the user terminal.

11. the control unit, when repeating the selection process, executes a process of selecting, with priority, content to be arranged on the display object from among unselected content that has not yet been selected; the display object displayed on the user terminal is switched to a display object on which the content selected by repeating the selection process is arranged, based on an operation by the user; The information processing system according to claim 10.

12. The information processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the content includes an image showing the avatar corresponding to the user who posted the content.

13. The information processing system according to claim 12, wherein the control unit sets the priority such that the higher the degree of similarity between a pose taken by the avatar in an image included in the content and a predetermined pose, the higher the priority set for the user.

14. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the display object is a banner displayed in the virtual space.

15. the control unit executes a process of generating the display object by a process of arranging the content along a template selected from one or more templates indicating an arrangement of the content in the display object. The information processing system according to claim 1 .

16. The information processing system according to claim 15 , wherein the control unit executes a process of generating the display object by a process of synthesizing the object on which the content is arranged with other content that is prepared in advance.

17. The control unit is generating a plurality of the display objects according to the number of posts of the content; The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the display object displayed in the virtual space is switched.

18. The information processing system according to claim 17 , wherein the control unit, in generating the plurality of display objects, generates the display objects in which the selected pieces of content posted are arranged so that the plurality of pieces of content posted do not overlap each other.

19. when the number of the contents to be arranged on the display object is insufficient, the control unit further generates the display object by using the contents different from the contents prepared in advance.

20. The information processing system according to claim 18.

20. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit further executes a process of storing the generated display object in association with identification information for identifying a user related to the content arranged on the display object.

21. The information processing system includes: A communication unit that receives a request including the identification information, the control unit executes a process of storing the display object associated with the identification information included in the request received by the communication unit in an area corresponding to the user corresponding to the identification information.

21. The information processing system according to claim 20.

22. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit further executes a process of sending a notification to a user who posted the content when the content satisfies a predetermined condition.

23. The information processing system of claim 22, wherein the specified condition is that the content's supplementary information includes information indicating a predetermined prohibited phrase, or that the content includes content similar to content that has previously been determined to be inappropriate for placement on the display object.

24. The processor: generating a display object by arranging content, the content being one or more pieces of content posted by one or more users; performing display control of the display object in a virtual space; and An information processing method comprising:

25. generating a display object by arranging content, the content being one or more pieces of content posted by one or more users; A process of controlling display of the display object in a virtual space; A program that causes a computer to function as a control unit that executes the above.

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