Information processing system and control method for the same

Abstract

To provide a common experience area to multiple users in the same virtual space.SOLUTION: An information processing system that provides a common experience area to multiple users participating in an experience in a virtual space has: an experience area information acquiring unit that acquires information on a first experience area set on a first terminal used by a first user and information on a second experience area set on a second terminal used by a second user; a common experience area generating unit that generates a common experience area in which the first user and the second user can act together on the basis of the information on the first experience area and the information on the second experience area; and a common experience area providing unit that provides information on the common experience area to at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing system that provides experiences in a virtual space.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, XR (Extended Reality) technology that fuses the virtual world and the real world in real time to create new experiences has been known. In XR, a head-mounted device (HMD: Head Mount Display) is used, and the user operates while viewing images. In XR, it is common for the user to define and set the range of the virtual space of the experience area with a controller or gesture before performing an operation. As the controller, for example, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or tablet with which the user is familiar is used.

[0003] When a user shares the same experience (such as a game, experiment, verification, etc.) in the same virtual space with another user existing in a different location (room) at a remote location, it is desirable to secure an experience area that is as wide as possible and as identical as possible. However, the experience area may be subject to the constraints of each location, such as the size, shape, and interior of the actual indoor space, and the arrangement of furniture and objects.

[0004] Conventionally, a method is known in which the setting information of the experience areas set by both users is exchanged, and the experience area is displayed on the user's HMD (for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, even if the information on the experience area is exchanged among users as in the prior art, the experience area of each user is still subject to the constraints of each location such as the size, shape, and interior of the actual indoor space, and the arrangement of furniture and objects. That is, the method of the prior art has a problem that the same experience cannot be provided to all users in the same virtual space.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for providing a common experience area to a plurality of users participating in an experience in a virtual space.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The present disclosure is an information processing system for providing a common experience area to a plurality of users participating in an experience in a virtual space, including an experience area information acquisition unit that acquires information on a first experience area set in a first terminal used by a first user and information on a second experience area set in a second terminal used by a second user, a common experience area generation unit that generates a common experience area in which the first user and the second user can both act based on the information on the first experience area and the information on the second experience area, and a common experience area providing unit that provides the information on the common experience area to at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal.

Effects of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, a common experience area can be provided to a plurality of users participating in an experience in a virtual space.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

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Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] An information processing system (hereinafter also referred to as "this system") according to an embodiment of the present invention is a system for providing an XR experience to a plurality of users. XR content includes VR (Virtual Reality), MR (Mixed Reality), and AR (Augmented Reality), and this system may provide any type of XR content. In the embodiments described below, an example of a composite reality space presentation system that presents an image of a composite reality space, which is a synthetic space of the real space and the virtual space, will be described.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The information processing system 1 is composed of an information processing server (hereinafter simply referred to as "server") 100 and a plurality of head-mounted displays (HMDs) 101, 102, 103. This system 1 provides an XR experience in the same virtual space to a plurality of users (experiencers) U1, U2, U3 wearing the HMDs (101, 102, 103). In FIG. 1, for the sake of illustration, three HMDs 101 to 103 are shown, but the number of HMDs (the number of users) that the server 100 can provide XR experiences to simultaneously may be two, or more than three.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a head-mounted display Since the HMDs 101, 102, 103 have the same configuration, the configuration will be described below taking the HMD 101 as an example.

[0015] The HMD 101 is a user terminal used by the user U1 participating in the virtual space. The user terminal has a function as an imaging unit for acquiring an image of the surroundings (at least the field of view) of user U1, a function as a display unit for showing the user U1 an image of the virtual space, and a function as an input unit for inputting the position, posture, and various operations of user U1. In the present embodiment, a head-mounted display of the type worn on the head of user U1 is exemplified, but as the user terminal, a handheld terminal, smart glasses, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, a game device, etc. may also be used.

[0016] HMD101 has a right-eye / left-eye video camera (imaging unit) 201 and a right-eye / left-eye display (display unit) 202. The right-eye / left-eye video camera 201 is a right-eye video camera and a left-eye video camera for capturing a moving image of the real space, and is for capturing an image of the real space (the image of each frame in the moving image) provided to the right eye and the left eye of the user wearing HMD101. The right-eye / left-eye display 202 is a right-eye display and a left-eye display, and is attached to HMD101 so as to be positioned in front of the right eye and the left eye of user U1. The right-eye / left-eye display 202 displays the image and characters sent from server 100.

[0017] The HMD101 includes a general-purpose bus 203, a CPU 204, a ROM 205, a RAM 206, a system bus 207, a video controller 208, an input controller 209, a memory controller 210, and a communication I / F controller 211. The general-purpose bus 203 is a bus for capturing imaging data of the right-eye and left-eye video cameras 201. The CPU 204 is a central processing unit. The ROM 205 is a read-only memory for data. The RAM 206 is a memory capable of erasing and rewriting data. The system bus 207 is a bus for data exchange within the HMD101. The video controller 208 is a controller for capturing imaging data of the right-eye and left-eye displays 202. The input controller 209 is a controller for receiving data from the input device 214 operated by the user U1. The memory controller 210 is a controller for controlling memories such as the RAM 206 and the ROM 205. The communication I / F controller 211 is a controller for controlling wireless or wired network communication. The optical sensor 212 is a general optical sensor. The input device 214 is a keyboard, a mouse, etc. The optical sensor 212 and the input device 214 are examples of an input unit for inputting the position and posture of the user U and various operations.

[0018] The functions and processes of the HMDs 101 to 103 in each of the embodiments described below are realized by the CPU 204 reading and executing the programs stored in the ROM 205. However, all or part of the functions of the HMDs 101 to 103 may be replaced with a dedicated circuit such as an ASIC. Alternatively, part of the processes of the HMDs 101 to 103 may be executed by a computer connected to the HMDs 101 to 103, a cloud server, or the like.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the server 100 mainly includes an experience area information acquisition unit 11, a shared experience area generation unit 12, a shared experience area provision unit 13, a notification unit 14, an XR processing unit 15, and a memory unit 16. The experience area information acquisition unit 11 has a function of acquiring information on the experience areas set in the HMDS 101 to 103 used by each of the users U1 to U3. The experience area defines the range within which a user can act (move) in the virtual space. Initially, the experience area is set to a size and shape that reflects the physical constraints in the real space where each user is currently located using their own HMD (details will be described later). The shared experience area generation unit 12 has a function of generating a common experience area within which all the users U1 to U3 can act based on the information on the experience areas of the plurality of users U1 to U3. The shared experience area provision unit 13 has a function of providing the information on the shared experience area generated by the shared experience area generation unit 12 to the HMDS 101 to 103 of each of the users U1 to U3. The notification unit 14 has a function of transmitting information such as warning messages to the HMDS 101 to 103 of each of the users U1 to U3 The XR processing unit 15 has a function of handling processes related to XR experiences, such as acquiring the position and orientation information of the HMDS 101 to 103, generating images of the composite reality space, and transmitting the images to the HMDS 101 to 103. The memory unit 16 has a function of storing data for constructing the composite reality space, data received from the HMDS 101 to 103 of each user, and the like.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of the server 100. The server 100 exchanges video and experience area information of virtual space data among the users of the present system 1.

[0021] Server 100 includes a CPU 301, a ROM 302, a RAM 303, a system bus 304, an input controller 305, a memory controller 306, a communication I / F controller 307, and a storage device 308. The CPU 301 is the central processing unit in the server 100. The memory controller 306 is a controller that controls memories such as the ROM 302 and the RAM 303. The communication I / F controller 307 is a controller that controls network communication by wireless or wired means. The storage device 308 is a large-capacity storage that stores data and programs non-temporarily, and is composed of, for example, an HDD, an SSD, etc.

[0022] The configurations 11 to 16 of the server 100 shown in FIG. 1, as well as the functions and processes of the server 100 in each of the embodiments described below, are realized by the CPU 301 reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 302 or the storage device 308. However, all or part of the functions of the server 100 may be replaced with a dedicated circuit such as an ASIC. Although FIG. 3 shows an example in which the server 100 is configured by a single computer, the server 100 may be configured by a plurality of computers.

[0023] <Example 1> Hereinafter, Example 1 will be described. In Example 1, an example will be described in which after a first user wearing the HMD 101 on the head and a second user wearing the HMD 102 on the head perform an initial setting of the experience area in the same virtual space, the experience area of the second user is shared with the first user. As the usage scenario, for example, it can be applied to various virtual experiences such as product assembly work in a factory, training such as operation and inspection work of equipment, and simulation of surgery.

[0024] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the initial setting process of the HMD in this embodiment. Here, as the initial setting of the HMD in Example 1, the initial setting of the boundary lines of the experience areas of HMD101, HMD102, and HMD103 is performed. Hereinafter, the processing flow will be described taking HMD101 as an example, but it is assumed that the same processing is performed for the other HMDs 102 and 103. This initial setting process may be performed in advance as necessary when the user uses this system. (In the following examples, the description of the initial setting process will be omitted.)

[0025] To start the experience in the virtual space, when the user wears HMD101 on the head and presses the power switch of HMD101, at S400, HMD101 is activated. At S401, HMD101 displays the image of the user's field of view and the floor space of the experience area on the display 202. At S402, the user visually checks the floor space through the display 202 of HMD101 to confirm whether the correct floor height is ensured in the virtual space. For example, the user determines whether the floor is arranged at the correct height (not floating in the air or not diving below the floor), whether the floor is horizontal, etc. At S403, the user operates the input device 214 and inputs the judgment result to the user interface of HMD101. If it is determined that the floor is appropriately set, the process proceeds to S404. If the floor is NG, HMD101 adjusts the floor in the virtual space and returns to S402. At S404, the user visually checks the experience area through the display 202 of HMD101 to confirm whether the width of the boundary line of the floor of the experience area in the virtual space is sufficient for the experience. The user adjusts the width as necessary It may be changed. In S405, the user inputs the judgment result to the user interface of the HMD101. If the border width is OK, the process proceeds to S406. If the border width is NG, the HMD101 adjusts the border of the experience area and returns to S404. In S406, the user visually recognizes the experience area through the display 202 of the HMD101 and checks whether the border of the ceiling surface of the experience area in the virtual space is at a sufficient height for the experience. The user may change the height as needed. In S407, the user inputs the judgment result to the user interface of the HMD101. If the border height is OK, the initial setting process ends. If the border height is NG, the HMD101 adjusts the height of the border and returns to S406.

[0026] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a method for securing an experience area of the HMD101 of the first user in this embodiment. Here, the experience area of the HMD101 by the first user of Example 1 is secured.

[0027] In S500, in order for the first user to share the experience in the virtual space with another user registered in the server 100, a desired other HMD user (in this case, HMD102) is selected and the session establishment button is pressed. Then, the HMD101 performs a process of establishing a session with the server 100. In S501, the HMD101 checks whether the session with the server 100 has been established. If the session is established, the process proceeds to S502. If the establishment of the session fails, the HMD101 displays a message indicating the failure to connect to the server 100 on the display 202 and returns to S500.

[0028] In S502, the HMD 101 transmits information on the experience area in the virtual space of the user wearing the HMD 101 to the server 100. A specific example of the experience area information will be described later with reference to FIG. 8. The server 100 (experience area information acquisition unit 11) stores the experience area information received from the HMD 101 in the storage unit 16. In S503, the HMD 101 checks whether the information transmission was successful. If the transmission of the experience area information is OK, the HMD 101 proceeds to S504. If the transmission of the experience area information fails, it returns to S502.

[0029] In S504, the HMD 101 transmits a generation request message for the experience area to the server 100. In S505, the HMD 101 receives the information on the shared experience area generated by the server 100. In S506, the HMD 101 checks whether the information on the shared experience area has been received. If the information on the shared experience area has been received, it proceeds to S507. If the reception of the information on the shared experience area fails, it returns to S504. For example, when the experience area information of the HMD 102 of the second user has not yet been registered in the server 100, or when the server 100 fails to generate the shared experience area, the reception of the information on the shared experience area fails. In S507, the HMD 101 stores the information on the shared experience area in the RAM 206 and displays on the display 202 that the sharing of the experience area with the second user has been successful. Thereby, the setting information of the experience area in the HMD 101 is replaced with the shared experience area.

[0030] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a method for securing the experience area of the HMD 102 of the second user in the present embodiment. It is assumed that the initial setting (FIG. 4) of the experience area boundary line of the HMD 102 by the second user has already been performed. In the first embodiment, the second user provides the information on his / her own experience area to the first user with whom he / she wants to share the experience area.

[0031] In S600, in order for a second user to share the experience in the virtual space with another user registered in server 100, another desired HMD user (in this case, HMD101) is selected, and the session establishment button is pressed. Then, HMD102 performs a process of establishing a session with server 100. In S601, HMD102 checks whether a session with server 100 has been established. If the session is established, the process proceeds to S 602. If the session establishment fails, HMD102 displays a message indicating that the connection to server 100 has failed on display 202 and returns to S600.

[0032] In S602, HMD102 transmits the information of the experience area in the virtual space of the user wearing HMD102 to server 100. A specific example of the experience area information will be described later with reference to FIG. 8. Server 100 (experience area information acquisition unit 11) stores the experience area information received from HMD102 in storage unit 16. In S603, HMD102 checks whether the information transmission was successful. If the transmission of the experience area information is OK, the process ends. If the transmission of the experience area information fails, the process returns to S602.

[0033] FIG. 7(A) is a flowchart of the shared experience area generation process by server 100. FIG. 7(A) shows an example of a process in which server 100 generates a shared experience area with a second user in response to a request from the HMD101 of the first user and transmits it to HMD101. Note that before the process of FIG. 7(A), it is assumed that server 100 has acquired the experience area information from HMD101 and HMD102, and has obtained a request or consent to share the experience area from both HMD101 and HMD102.

[0034] In S700, the server 100 receives a message requesting generation of an experience area from the HMD 101. In S701, the server 100 (experience area information acquisition unit 11) acquires the experience area information of the HMD 101 and the experience area information of the HMD 102 from the storage unit 16. In S702, the server 100 (common experience area generation unit 12) generates a common experience area common to the HMD 101 and the HMD 102 based on the experience area of the HMD 101 and the experience area of the HMD 102. In S703, the server 100 (common experience area providing unit 13) sets the common experience area information defining the common experience area generated in S702 in a transmission message and transmits it to the HMD 101. Thereafter, the experience area in the HMD 101 is updated (S505 to S507 in FIG. 5).

[0035] FIG. 7(B) is a flowchart showing an example of the determination process of the common experience area executed by the common experience area generation unit 12 in S702. In S710, the server 100 reads the coordinate data of the floor surface in the experience area of the first user from the experience area information of the HMD 101. In S711, the server 100 reads the coordinate data of the floor surface in the experience area of the second user from the experience area information of the HMD 102. In the example of FIG. 8, the floor surface of the experience area is a rectangular plane defined by the XYZ coordinates 815 to 818 at the four corners.

[0036] In S712, the server 100 compares two floor surfaces and extracts an overlapping area (common area) between the floor surface of the first user's experience area and the floor surface of the second user's experience area. If each user has correctly performed the initial setting process of the experience area, the heights (Z coordinates) of the floor surfaces are the same (or can be regarded as the same), so the process of S712 may be a process of calculating the overlap of two rectangles in the XY plane. However, if necessary, the server 100 may calculate the overlapping area of the two floor surfaces after performing adjustment processing to align the heights and horizontals of the two floor surfaces. If the two floor surfaces do not have an overlapping area (if they are completely separated), the server 100 does not generate a shared experience area and sends an error message to the HMDs 101 and 102 (not shown).

[0037] When the overlapping area can be extracted, in S713, the server 100 generates a shared experience area with this overlapping area as a new floor surface based on the coordinate data of the four corners of the overlapping area. For example, it may be used as the shared experience area information by replacing the XYZ coordinates 815 to 818 of the floor surface in the experience area information of the HMD 101 with the XYZ coordinates of the four corners of the overlapping area. Also, the coordinates of the ceiling surface may be appropriately adjusted according to the coordinates of the new floor surface.

[0038] According to the process of the first embodiment described above, for the HMD 101, a shared experience area where the second user wearing the HMD 102 can move is automatically set, so the first user can share the same experience area with the second user in the virtual space.

[0039] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a shared experience area generated in Example 1. The left side of FIG. 9 shows the view of the first user (the image displayed on the display 202 of the HMD 101) 910, and the right side shows the view of the second user (the image displayed on the display 202 of the HMD 102) 920. The solid line in the upper part indicates the boundary lines of the experience areas 911 and 921 initially set in each of the HMDs 101 and 102. Due to the constraints of the actual indoor space, the experience area 911 of the first user and the experience area 921 of the second user do not coincide.

[0040] The lower part shows the state where the setting of the experience area of the HMD 101 has been adjusted (updated). The hatched area is the overlapping area between the experience area 911 of the first user and the experience area 921 of the second user, and this overlapping area is set as the shared experience area 930. If the first user performs work or operations within this shared experience area 930, it is guaranteed that the first user can share the experience with the second user.

[0041] Here, the process of sharing the experience areas of two users is exemplified, but the process of this embodiment may be extended and applied to the process of sharing the experience areas of three or more users. The same applies to the embodiments described later.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 8, a configuration example of the experience area information will be described. The experience area information is data that defines the experience area. HMD_ID801 is an identifier uniquely assigned to the HMD registered in this system. The experience area ID802 is an identifier assigned to the experience area set in the HMD. When setting different experience areas for each experience or reading out the experience areas set in the past for one HMD, the experience area ID is used. The experience area generation server IP address 803 is the network address of server 100. The experience type 804 is the type of experience enjoyed in the virtual space, such as games, experiments, verifications, etc. The standing position coordinates 805 are the XYZ coordinates of the user's presence position. The required experience area 806 is the area of the experience area required to fully enjoy the experience. The limited number of experience participants 807 is the upper limit value of the number of people who can participate in the same experience simultaneously. The experience sharing HMD_ID(1)808 and the standing position coordinates 809, the experience sharing HMD_ID(2)810 and the standing position coordinates 811 are information of other users sharing the experience. In the example of FIG. 8, it can be seen that two users are sharing the experience. Depending on the number of users sharing the experience, the items 808 to 811 increase or decrease. The warning message 812 is data of the warning message. The number of coordinates 813 is the number of coordinates defining the boundary of the experience area. In the example of FIG. 8, it is eight points, namely the coordinates 815 to 818 at the four corners of the floor surface and the coordinates 819 to 822 at the four corners of the ceiling surface. The aspect ratio 814 indicates the aspect ratio of the experience area. For example, considering the circumscribed rectangle (bounding box) of the quadrilateral on the floor surface defined by the coordinates 815 to 818, the ratio of the width in the X direction to the width in the Y direction of this circumscribed rectangle is taken as the aspect ratio 814. The items 823 to 830 are information defining the boundary of the specified area, and like the experience area, it is composed of the coordinates of eight points at the four corners of the floor surface and the four corners of the ceiling surface. The specified area is an area set inside the experience area by the user or the server as needed, and represents the area essential for enjoying the experience.

[0043] <Example 2> Next, Example 2 will be described. In Example 1, only the experience area of the second user was shared with the first user. However, in Example 2, a process is performed to match the experience areas of the first user and the second user. The experience area matching process is carried out.

[0044] Similar to Example 1, after the initial setting process in FIG. 4, the HMD 101 executes the experience area securing process in FIG. 5. In Example 2, similarly, after the initial setting process in FIG. 4, the HMD 102 executes the experience area securing process in FIG. 5. By the server 100 providing the same shared experience area information to the HMD 101 and the HMD 102, the experience areas of the first user and the second user can be made to coincide.

[0045] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the shared experience area generation process by the server 100. FIG. 10 shows an example of a process in which the server 100 generates a common shared experience area in response to requests from the HMD 101 of the first user and the HMD 102 of the second user, and transmits it to the HMD 101 and the HMD 102. It should be noted that before the process in FIG. 10, the server 100 has acquired experience area information from the HMD 101 and the HMD 102, and has obtained a request or consent to share the experience area from both the HMD 101 and the HMD 102.

[0046] In S1000, the server 100 receives a message requesting generation of an experience area from the HMD 101. In S1001, the server 100 receives a message requesting generation of an experience area from the HMD 102. Note that either S1000 or S1001 may come first, and the processing may be parallel rather than sequential. In S1002, the server 100 (experience area information acquisition unit 11) acquires the experience area information of the HMD 101 and the experience area information of the HMD 102 from the storage unit 16. In S1003, the server 100 (common experience area generation unit 12) generates a common experience area common to the HMD 101 and the HMD 102 based on the experience area of the HMD 101 and the experience area of the HMD 102. The specific determination process may be the same as in the first embodiment (FIG. 7(B)). In S1004, the server 100 (common experience area providing unit 13) sets the common experience area information defining the common experience area generated in S1003 in a transmission message and transmits it to the HMD 101. In S1005, the server 100 sets the common experience area information defining the common experience area generated in S1003 in a transmission message and transmits it to the HMD 102. Thereafter, in the HMD 101 and the HMD 102, the experience areas are updated respectively (S505 to S507 in FIG. 5).

[0047] According to the processing of the second embodiment described above, an experience area having the same shape and the same area of the floor surface is automatically set for both the HMD 101 and the HMD 102, so that both the first user and the second user can share the same experience area in the virtual space.

[0048] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a shared experience area generated in Example 2. The left side of FIG. 11 shows the visual field 1110 of the first user, and the right side shows the visual field 1120 of the second user. As shown in the upper part, the experience areas 1111 and 1121 initially set in each of the HMDS 101 and 102 do not match. The lower part shows a state in which the settings of the experience areas of the HMDS 101 and 102 are adjusted (updated). The hatched area is the overlapping area between the experience area 1111 of the first user and the experience area 1121 of the second user, and this overlapping area is set as the shared experience area 1130. If both the first user and the second user perform work or operations within this shared experience area 1130, it is guaranteed that they can share the same experience.

[0049] <Example 3> Hereinafter, Example 3 will be described. In Examples 1 and 2, the overlapping area between the floor surface of the experience area of the first user and the floor surface of the experience area of the second user was extracted, and this overlapping area was set as the shared experience area (FIG. 7(B)). In Example 3, a method of maximizing the overlapping area (i.e., the shared experience area) of the two floor surfaces by adjusting the horizontal position of the floor surface will be described. Other configurations may be the same as those in Examples 1 and 2, so only the characteristic content in Example 3 will be described below. Since other configurations may be the same as those in Examples 1 and 2, only the characteristic content in Example 3 will be described below.

[0050] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the determination process of the shared experience area by the shared experience area generation unit 12 in Example 3. In S1210, the server 100 reads the coordinate data of the floor surface in the experience area of the first user from the experience area information of the HMD 101. In S1211, the server 100 reads the coordinate data of the floor surface in the experience area of the second user from the experience area information of the HMD 102. In the example of FIG. 8, the floor surface of the experience area is a rectangular plane defined by the XYZ coordinates 815 to 818 at the four corners.

[0051] In S1212, the server 100 adjusts the relative positions of the two floor surfaces. At this time, the server 100 may horizontally move (i.e., within the XY plane) one or both of the floor surfaces so that the area of the overlapping region between the two floor surfaces becomes the largest. The specific algorithm for the adjustment process in S1212 is not limited. For example, with one of the floor surfaces fixed, while changing the horizontal position (XY coordinates) of the other floor surface by a certain unit amount, the area of the overlapping region between the two floor surfaces at each position is sequentially calculated. Then, by comparing the areas calculated at each position, the horizontal position where the area of the overlapping region is the largest may be obtained. By performing such an exhaustive search (comparative calculations for all cases), even if the floor surfaces have complex or special shapes, the horizontal position where the overlapping region is the largest can be accurately obtained. To reduce the computational amount, the search range may be limited. For example, the circumscribed rectangle (bounding box) of the larger floor surface may be used as the search range, and the horizontal position of the smaller floor surface within this search range may be changed to obtain the horizontal position where the overlapping region is the largest. Alternatively, as a simple method instead of the search, only the horizontal positions of one or both of the floor surfaces may be changed so that the centroid positions of the two floor surfaces coincide. When the shape of the floor surface is a simple rectangle, such a simple method can also maximize the overlapping region. Note that when only changing the experience area of the HMD101 as in Example 1, it is better to adjust the horizontal position of the floor surface of the HMD101 and fix the horizontal position of the floor surface of the HMD102. Although only the adjustment of the horizontal position has been described here, similar to Example 1, adjustment processes for aligning the heights and horizontals of the two floor surfaces may also be performed.

[0052] In S1213, the server 100 extracts the overlapping region between the floor surfaces whose relative positions have been adjusted. In S1214, the server 100 generates a shared experience area with this overlapping region as a new floor surface based on the coordinate data of the four corners of the overlapping region.

[0053] According to the processing of Example 3 described above, the maximization of the experience area shared by the first user and the second user can be achieved.

[0054] Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of a shared experience area generated in Example 3. The left side of Figure 13 shows the view 1310 of the first user, and the right side shows the view 1320 of the second user. As shown in the upper part, the experience areas 1311 and 1321 initially set in each of the HMDS 101 and 102 do not match. The lower part shows a state in which the settings of the experience areas of the HMDS 101 and 102 are adjusted (updated). The horizontal position of the experience area 1311 of the first user is adjusted. The area indicated by hatching is the overlapping area between the experience area 1311 of the first user and the experience area 1321 of the second user, and this overlapping area is set as the shared experience area 1330. It can be seen that a larger shared experience area 1330 is ensured compared to Example 1 (Figure 9) and Example 2 (Figure 11). If both the first user and the second user perform work and operations within this shared experience area 1330, it is guaranteed that they can share the same experience.

[0055] <Example 4> Next, Example 4 will be described. In Example 3, the shared experience area was set to maximize the floor area, whereas in Example 4, the shared experience area is set to maximize the volume of the experience area. Since the other configurations may be the same as those of the foregoing examples, only the characteristic content of Example 4 will be described below.

[0056] Figure 14 is a flowchart showing the determination process of the shared experience area by the shared experience area generation unit 12 of Example 4. In S1410, the server 100 reads the coordinate data of the floor surface and the coordinate data of the ceiling surface in the experience area of the first user from the experience area information of the HMD 101. In S1411, the server 100 reads the coordinate data of the floor surface and the coordinate data of the ceiling surface in the experience area of the second user from the experience area information of the HMD 102. In the example of Figure 8, the floor surface of the experience area is a rectangular plane defined by the XYZ coordinates 815 to 818 at the four corners, and the ceiling surface is a rectangular plane defined by the XYZ coordinates 819 to 822 at the four corners. The experience area is a hexahedral space defined by the floor surface and the ceiling surface. ​

[0057] In S1412, the server 100 adjusts the relative positions of the two experience areas. At this time, the server 100 may translate one or both of the experience areas so that the volume of the overlapping area between the two experience areas is maximized. The specific algorithm for the adjustment process in S1412 is not limited. For example, with one of the experience areas fixed, while changing at least one of the horizontal position (XY coordinates) and the vertical position (Z coordinates) of the other experience area by a certain unit amount, the volume of the overlapping area between the two experience areas at each position is sequentially calculated. Then, the volumes calculated at each position are compared, and the position where the volume is maximum may be obtained. By performing such an exhaustive search (comparative calculations for all cases), even if the experience areas have complex or special shapes, the position where the overlapping area is maximum can be accurately obtained. To reduce the computational amount, the search range may be limited. For example, the heights of the floor surfaces of the two experience areas may be made the same and fixed, and only horizontal direction search may be performed. Alternatively, the circumscribed rectangular parallelepiped of the experience area with the larger volume may be used as the search range. Alternatively, as a simple method instead of search, only the positions of one or both of the experience areas may be changed so that the centroid positions of the two experience areas coincide. When the shapes of the experience areas are simple, such a simple method can also maximize the overlapping area. Note that when only the experience area of the HMD101 is changed as in the first embodiment, it is better to adjust the position of the experience area of the HMD101 and fix the position of the experience area of the HMD102.

[0058] In S1413, the server 100 extracts the overlapping area between the experience areas whose relative positions have been adjusted. In S1414, the server 100 obtains the coordinate data of the four corners of the floor surface and the coordinate data of the four corners of the ceiling surface of the overlapping area, and generates a shared experience area based on these coordinate data.

[0059] According to the processing of the fourth embodiment described above, it is possible to maximize the volume of the experience area shared by the first user and the second user.

[0060] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a shared experience area generated in Example 4. The left side of FIG. 15 shows the view 1510 of the first user, and the right side shows the view 1520 of the second user. As shown in the upper part, the experience areas 1511 and 1521 initially set in each of the HMDS 101 and 102 do not match. The lower part shows a state in which the settings of the experience areas of the HMDS 101 and 102 are adjusted (updated). The position of the experience area 1511 of the first user is adjusted. The hexahedron shown by hatching is the overlapping area between the experience area 1511 of the first user and the experience area 1521 of the second user, and this overlapping area is set as the shared experience area 1530. If both the first user and the second user perform work or operations within this shared experience area 1530, it is guaranteed that they can share the same experience.

[0061] <Example 5> Next, Example 5 will be described. In Example 5, the processing when a designated area is set within the experience area will be described. Since the configuration other than the processing related to the designated area may be the same as that of the foregoing examples, only the characteristic content of Example 5 will be described below.

[0062] The designated area is an area set inside the experience area by the user or the server as needed, and is an essential area for enjoying the experience. For example, in the case of a virtual experience of the operation / inspection work of a certain device, since the user needs to access the target device for operation / inspection, the area including the target device is set as the designated area. When the designated area is set, as shown in FIG. 8, the boundary information (823 to 830) of the designated area is recorded in the experience area information.

[0063] FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the determination process of the shared experience area by the shared experience area generation unit 12 of Example 5. In S1610, the server 100 reads the coordinate data of the floor surface in the experience area of the first user from the experience area information of the HMD 101. In S1611, the server 100 reads the coordinate data of the floor surface in the experience area of the second user from the experience area information of the HMD 102. In the example of FIG. 8, the floor surface of the experience area is a rectangular plane defined by the XYZ coordinates 815 to 818 at the four corners. In S1610 and S1611, when the boundary information of the specified area is included in the experience area information, the server 100 also reads the coordinate data 823 to 826 of the bottom surface of the specified area.

[0064] In S1612, the server 100 checks whether a specified area is set in either the experience area of the HMD 101 or the experience area of the HMD 102. If a specified area is set, the process proceeds to S1613. In S1613, the server 100 determines the adjustable range of the floor surface based on the set specified area. The adjustable range is the range within which the horizontal position (XY coordinates) of the floor surface can be taken when adjusting the relative position of the floor surface in S1614 in the subsequent stage. A limit is set on the adjustable range so that the specified area does not deviate from the floor surface when the floor surface is translated. Note that even if the specified area is set in only one of the experience areas, it is advisable to impose a limit on the adjustable range for both experience areas. This is to allow both users to enjoy the same experience. If no specified area is set in either experience area, there is no need to limit the adjustable range.

[0065] In S1614, the server 100 adjusts the relative positions of the two floor surfaces. The server 100 horizontally translates (i.e., within the XY plane) one or both of the floor surfaces so that the area of the overlapping region between the two floor surfaces is maximized. If a limit on the adjustable range is set in S1613, the horizontal position of the floor surface is adjusted within the adjustable range. For example, within the adjustable range, while fixing one floor surface and changing the horizontal position of the other floor surface by a certain unit amount, the area of the overlapping region between the two floor surfaces at each horizontal position may be sequentially calculated, and the horizontal position at which the area of the overlapping region is maximized may be determined. Note that the processing when no limit on the adjustable range is set (i.e., when there is no specified area) may be the same as in the foregoing embodiments. Also, the processing of S1615 to S1616 may be the same as in the foregoing embodiments.

[0066] According to the processing of the above-described Embodiment 5, it is possible to provide a plurality of users with a specified area that is essential for enjoying the experience and a communal experience area that is as large as possible. Therefore, it is possible to provide a system that also supports the experience of a special virtual space including the setting of the specified area.

[0067] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of the communal experience area generated in Embodiment 5. The left side of FIG. 17 shows the visual field 1710 of the first user, and the right side shows the visual field 1720 of the second user. As shown in the upper part, the experience areas 1711 and 1721 initially set in each of the HMDS 101 and 102 do not match. Also, within the experience area 1721, there is a specified area The area 1740 is set. The lower part shows the state where the settings of the experience areas of the HMDs 101 and 102 are adjusted (updated). The horizontal position of the experience area 1711 of the first user is adjusted. The area indicated by hatching is the overlapping area between the experience area 1711 of the first user and the experience area 1721 of the second user, and this overlapping area is set as the shared experience area 1730. It can be seen that the shared experience area 1730 is secured to include the designated area 1740 and to be the largest. If both the first user and the second user perform work or operations within this shared experience area 1730, it is guaranteed that they can share the same experience.

[0068] <Example 6> Next, Example 6 will be described. In Example 6, when one experience area is horizontally long and the other experience area is vertically long, a process of adjusting the relative position after aligning the longitudinal directions by rotating either experience area by 90 degrees will be described. Since other configurations may be the same as those of the foregoing examples, only the characteristic content of Example 6 will be described below.

[0069] FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing the determination process of the shared experience area by the shared experience area generation unit 12 of Example 6. In S1810, the server 100 reads the coordinate data (815 to 818) of the floor surface and the aspect ratio 814 in the experience area of the first user from the experience area information of the HMD 101. In S1811, the server 100 reads the coordinate data (815 to 818) of the floor surface and the aspect ratio 814 in the experience area of the second user from the experience area information of the HMD 102.

[0070] In S1812, the server 100 determines whether the experience area of the HMD 102 is horizontally long or vertically long based on the aspect ratio 814 of the floor surface acquired in S1811. Also, in S1813 and S1814, the server 100 determines whether the experience area of the HMD 101 is horizontally long or vertically long based on the aspect ratio 814 of the floor surface acquired in S1810.

[0071] When the experience area of HMD102 is horizontally long and the experience area of HMD101 is vertically long, or when the experience area of HMD102 is vertically long and the experience area of HMD101 is horizontally long, proceed to S1815. In S1815, the server 100 performs a 90-degree rotation by swapping the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the experience area of HMD101. Specifically, for example, the values of the X coordinate and the Y coordinate in the experience area information of HMD101 may be swapped. When both the experience area of HMD102 and the experience area of HMD101 are horizontally long, or when both the experience area of HMD102 and the experience area of HMD101 are vertically long, skip S1815 and proceed to S1816. The processing of S1816 to S1818 may be the same as that in the foregoing embodiments.

[0072] According to the processing of the foregoing Example 6, when the longitudinal directions of the experience areas of the first user and the second user are different, the longitudinal directions are aligned and then the relative positions are adjusted, so that an experience area as large as possible can be provided.

[0073] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a shared experience area generated in Example 6. The left side of FIG. 19 shows the visual field 1910 of the first user, and the right side shows the visual field 1920 of the second user. As shown in the upper section, the longitudinal directions of the initially set experience areas 1911 and 1921 in each of the HMDs 101 and 102 do not match. The lower section shows a state where the settings of the experience areas of the HMD101 and the HMD102 are adjusted (updated). After swapping the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the experience area 1911 of the first user, the horizontal position is adjusted. The hatched area is the overlapping area between the experience area 1911 of the first user and the experience area 1921 of the second user, and this overlapping area is set as the shared experience area 1930. If only the horizontal position is adjusted as in Example 3, only a shared experience area smaller than the original experience area 1911 can be obtained, but in this example, the same as the original experience area 1911 It can be seen that a common experience area 1930 of size is secured. If the first user and the second user both perform work and operations within this common experience area 1930, it is guaranteed that they can share the same experience.

[0074] <Example 7> In Example 7, an example of information display of the common experience area in the HMD 101 will be described.

[0075] Figs. 20(A) to 20(D) schematically show images displayed on the display 202 of the HMD 101. Information of the common experience area is superimposed on an image of a composite reality space in which an image of the real space captured by the video camera 201 of the HMD 101 and an image of the virtual space are combined. The HMD 101 may superimpose information of the common experience area on the image of the composite reality space received from the server 100, or the server 100 may generate an image of the composite reality space in which information of the common experience area is combined.

[0076] Fig. 20(A) is an example in which a common experience area 2010 is drawn in CG (computer graphics) on an image of the composite reality space. Only the boundary line (outline) of the common experience area 2010 may be drawn, or the inside of the boundary line of the common experience area 2010 may be drawn with a predetermined color or hatching. The user U1 can regulate his / her own action range by visually recognizing the boundary line of the common experience area 2010. The drawing of the common experience area 2010 may be erased from the screen when a predetermined time has elapsed, when an erase instruction is received from the user U1, or at the timing when the XR experience starts. This is because if the common experience area 2010 remains displayed, it may interfere with the visual field of the user U1 and may also inhibit the sense of immersion in the XR experience. Note that the common experience area 2010 may be redisplayed when a display request is received from the user U1.

[0077] Figure 20(B) is an example in which, in addition to the boundary line of the shared experience area 2010, the boundary line of the original experience area 2020 of the first user U1 and the boundary line of the original experience area 2021 of the second user U2 are also drawn. The three boundary lines may be drawn in different colors or line types so as to be distinguishable. By seeing such a display, the user U1 can grasp the range where he / she can act, the range where the second user U2 can act, and the range that can be shared by the two.

[0078] Figure 20(C) is an example in which the position 2030 where the second user U2 exists is drawn together with the shared experience area 2010. The position where the second user U2 exists can be obtained from the standing position coordinates 811 (see FIG. 8) of the experience area information of the second user U2. By being able to grasp where other users sharing the XR experience are within the shared experience area 2010, it becomes easy to perform joint work and cooperation with other users, and the convenience is high.

[0079] Figure 20(D) is an example in which the designated area 2040 is drawn together with the shared experience area 2010. Since it is possible to visually confirm that the shared experience area 2010 is set to include the designated area 2040 that is essential for enjoying the XR experience, it is excellent in convenience.

[0080] <Example 8> In Example 8, an example of the display of notification information on the HMD 101 will be described.

[0081] Figures 21(A) to 21(E) schematically show the images and notification information displayed on the display 202 of the HMD 101 of the user U1. On the image of the composite reality space in which the image of the real space captured by the video camera 201 of the HMD 101 and the image of the virtual space are synthesized, the information of the shared experience area and the notification information are superimposed. The notification information is generated by the notification unit 14 of the server 100. The HMD 101 may superimpose the notification information received from the notification unit 14 of the server 100 on the image of the composite reality space, or the server 100 may generate an image of the composite reality space in which the notification information is synthesized.

[0082] The notification information 2110 in Fig. 21(A) presents the participants in the shared experience area. In this example, it can be seen that it is a shared experience area generated based on the experience areas of Mr. A and Mr. B. By viewing such notification information 2110, user U1 can easily confirm with whom the user is sharing the experience area.

[0083] The notification information 2120 in Fig. 21(B) presents, in addition to the information of the participants in the shared experience area, the information of the users who could not participate in this shared experience area due to the upper limit of the number of people. Depending on the type of experience and content, there is an upper limit on the number of people who can participate simultaneously (the limited experience number 807 in Fig. 8). For example, when the server 100 receives a generation request message for an experience area from a user (S504 in Fig. 5), it determines whether the number of applicants wishing to participate exceeds the limited experience number. Until the limited experience number is reached, the server 100 (the shared experience area generation unit 12) generates a shared experience area based on the experience areas of all the applicants wishing to participate. After exceeding the limited experience number, the server 100 (the notification unit 14) sends a message to the users who could not participate, stating that "they cannot participate due to the upper limit of the number of people", and sends the notification information 2120 as shown in Fig. 21(B) to the user U1 who could participate.

[0084] The notification information 2130 in Fig. 21(C) is a warning presented when a shared experience area of the required size cannot be generated. Depending on the type of experience and content, the minimum required area of the experience area is set in advance (the required experience area 806 in Fig. 8). For example, after generating the shared experience area, the server 100 (the shared experience area generation unit 12) determines whether its area is greater than or equal to the required experience area. If the generated shared experience area is smaller than the required experience area, the server 100 (the notification unit 14) sends the notification information 2130 as shown in Fig. 21(C) to the user UI.

[0085] The notification information 2140 in FIG. 21(D) is a warning presented when the shared experience area cannot be set to cover the entire specified area. For example, after the server 100 (shared experience area generation unit 12) generates the shared experience area, it determines whether the shared experience area includes the specified area. If the specified area is outside the shared experience area, the server 100 (notification unit 14) sends the notification information 2140 as shown in FIG. 21(D) to the user U1.

[0086] The notification information 2150 in FIG. 21(E) is a warning presented when the user U1 has left the shared experience area. By presenting such a warning, the action range of the user U1 can be restricted. Note that the output method of the warning may be other than the message as shown in FIG. 21(E), such as displaying an icon or an image, or drawing the entire screen in a warning color (such as light transparent red), or notifying by sound or vibration.

[0087] <Others> The above-described embodiments merely illustrate preferred configurations of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations of these embodiments. For example, the configurations of Embodiments 1 to 8 may be combined with each other as long as there is no technical contradiction.

[0088] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and causing one or more processors in the computer of the system or device to read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (for example, ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

[0089] The disclosure of this specification includes the following configurations, methods, and programs. [Configuration 1] An information processing system that provides a shared experience area for a plurality of users participating in an experience in a virtual space, An experience area information acquisition unit that acquires information on a first experience area set in a first terminal used by a first user and information on a second experience area set in a second terminal used by a second user, A shared experience area generation unit that generates a shared experience area in which the first user and the second user can both act based on the information on the first experience area and the information on the second experience area, A shared experience area providing unit that provides the information on the shared experience area to at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal, An information processing system having the above. [Configuration 2] The shared experience area generation unit extracts an overlapping area between the first experience area and the second experience area, and generates the shared experience area based on the extracted overlapping area. The information processing system according to Configuration 1. [Configuration 3] The shared experience area generation unit adjusts the relative positions of the first experience area and the second experience area so that the overlap between the first experience area and the second experience area becomes large, and then extracts an overlapping area between the first experience area and the second experience area. The information processing system according to Configuration 2. [Configuration 4] The information on the first experience area includes information defining the floor surface of the first experience area. The information on the second experience area includes information defining the floor surface of the second experience area. The shared experience area generation unit adjusts the relative positions of the first experience area and the second experience area so that the area of the overlapping area between the floor surface of the first experience area and the floor surface of the second experience area becomes the largest. The information processing system according to Configuration 3. [Configuration 5] The information on the first experience area includes information defining the space of the first experience area. The information on the second experience area includes information defining the space of the second experience area. The co-experience area generation unit adjusts the relative positions of the first experience area and the second experience area so that the volume of the overlapping area between the space of the first experience area and the space of the second experience area is maximized. The information processing system according to Configuration 3. [Configuration 6] A designated area is set in at least one of the first experience area and the second experience area. The co-experience area generation unit adjusts the relative positions of the first experience area and the second experience area so that the designated area is included in the overlapping area. The information processing system according to any one of Configurations 3 to 5. [Configuration 7] When the longitudinal directions of the first experience area and the second experience area are different, the co-experience area generation unit rotates either the first experience area or the second experience area by 90 degrees and then adjusts the relative positions of the first experience area and the second experience area. The information processing system according to any one of Configurations 3 to 6. [Configuration 8] The first terminal has a display unit that presents an image to the first user. The co-experience area is drawn on the image. The information processing system according to any one of Configurations 1 to 7. [Configuration 9] The drawing of the co-experience area is erased at the timing when the experience in the virtual space starts. The information processing system according to Configuration 8. [Configuration 10] The position where the second user exists is drawn on the image together with the co-experience area. The information processing system according to Configuration 8 or Configuration 9. [Configuration 11] The first terminal has a display unit that presents an image to the first user. The designated area is drawn on the image together with the co-experience area. The information processing system according to Configuration 6. [Configuration 12] An upper limit is provided for the number of people who can participate in the experience simultaneously, and information of users who could not participate due to the upper limit of the number of people is superimposed on the image. The information processing system according to any one of Configurations 8 to 11. [Configuration 13] A required area, which is the size of the experience area required for the experience, is set, and when the generated common experience area is smaller than the required area, a warning is superimposed on the image. The information processing system according to any one of Configurations 8 to 12. [Method 14] A control method for an information processing system that provides a common experience area for a plurality of users participating in an experience in a virtual space, the step of obtaining information on a first experience area set in a first terminal used by a first user and information on a second experience area set in a second terminal used by a second user; the step of generating a common experience area in which the first user and the second user can both act based on the information on the first experience area and the information on the second experience area; the step of providing the information on the common experience area to at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal; A control method for an information processing system including the above. [Program 15] A program for causing a computer to execute each step of the control method according to Method 14.

Explanation of Signs

[0090] 1: Information processing system 11: Experience area information acquisition unit 12: Common experience area generation unit 13: Common experience area providing unit 101: HMD (first terminal) 102: HMD (second terminal) U1: First user U2: Second user

Claims

1. An information processing system that provides a common experience area for a plurality of users participating in an experience in a virtual space, comprising: an experience area information acquisition unit that acquires information on a first experience area set in a first terminal used by a first user and information on a second experience area set in a second terminal used by a second user; a common experience area generation unit that generates a common experience area in which the first user and the second user can both act based on the information on the first experience area and the information on the second experience area; a common experience area providing unit that provides the information on the common experience area to at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal; An information processing system having the above.

2. The common experience area generation unit extracts an overlapping area between the first experience area and the second experience area, and generates the common experience area based on the extracted overlapping area. The information processing system according to Claim 1.

3. The common experience area generation unit adjusts the relative positions of the first experience area and the second experience area so that the overlap between the first experience area and the second experience area becomes larger, and then extracts an overlapping area between the first experience area and the second experience area. The information processing system according to Claim 2.

4. The information on the first experience area includes information defining the floor surface of the first experience area. The information on the second experience area includes information defining the floor surface of the second experience area. The common experience area generation unit adjusts the relative positions of the first experience area and the second experience area so that the area of the overlapping area between the floor surface of the first experience area and the floor surface of the second experience area becomes the largest. The information processing system according to Claim 3.

5. The information on the first experience area includes information defining the space of the first experience area. The information on the second experience area includes information defining the space of the second experience area. The common experience area generation unit adjusts the relative positions of the first experience area and the second experience area so that the volume of the overlapping area between the space of the first experience area and the space of the second experience area becomes the largest. The information processing system according to Claim 3.

6. A designated area is set in at least one of the first experience area and the second experience area. The co-experience area generation unit adjusts the relative positions of the first experience area and the second experience area so that the designated area is included in the overlapping area. The information processing system according to claim 3.

7. When the longitudinal directions of the first experience area and the second experience area are different, the co-experience area generation unit rotates either the first experience area or the second experience area by 90 degrees and then adjusts the relative positions of the first experience area and the second experience area. The information processing system according to claim 3.

8. The first terminal has a display unit that presents an image to the first user. The co-experience area is drawn on the image. The information processing system according to claim 1.

9. The drawing of the co-experience area is erased at the timing when the experience in the virtual space starts. The information processing system according to claim 8.

10. On the image, the position where the second user exists is drawn together with the co-experience area. The information processing system according to claim 8.

11. The first terminal has a display unit that presents an image to the first user. On the image, the designated area is drawn together with the co-experience area. The information processing system according to claim 6.

12. There is an upper limit on the number of people who can participate in the experience at the same time. On the image, the information of the users who could not participate due to the upper limit of the number of people is superimposed. The information processing system according to claim 8.

13. A required area, which is the area of the experience area required for the experience, is set. When the generated co-experience area is smaller than the required area, a warning is superimposed on the image. The information processing system according to claim 8.

14. A control method for an information processing system that provides a co-experience area common to a plurality of users participating in an experience in a virtual space, the method comprising: obtaining information on a first experience area set in a first terminal used by a first user and information on a second experience area set in a second terminal used by a second user; generating a co-experience area in which the first user and the second user can both act based on the information on the first experience area and the information on the second experience area. A step of providing information on the co-experience area to at least one of the first terminal and the second terminal; A control method for an information processing system including the above.

15. A program for causing a computer to execute each step of the control method according to Claim 14.

Images