Display control device and display control method

Abstract

To allow many virtual objects to be displayed in a virtual space beyond the entire range surrounding a user.SOLUTION: A determination unit determines a relative angle θr between the direction Df a user U wearing MR glasses 30 is facing and a direction Df0 of a reference position of a virtual space VS as seen from the user U. A display control unit displays virtual objects different from each other in the virtual space VS based on virtual objects and the determined relative angle θr of the user U.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a display control device and a display control method. [Background technology]

[0002] The advantage of AR (Augmented Reality) or VR (Virtual Reality) is the spaciousness of the available space, but depending on the type of content to be displayed, it may not be possible to arrange all of the content in the virtual space. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an image display method in which a large number of images are arranged in a belt-like shape around a user wearing a head-mounted display in a virtual space around the user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-82411 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with conventional image display methods, multiple images are placed all around the user in a virtual space, and the user can rotate in place to view the images placed all around the user, but there is a problem in that it is difficult to place multiple images in an area that exceeds 360 degrees.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to display a large number of virtual objects in a virtual space beyond the entire range surrounding the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A preferred aspect of the present invention provides a display control device that includes a determination unit that determines the relative angle between the direction in which a user wearing a transparent wearable device is facing and the direction of a reference position in a virtual space as seen by the user, and a display control unit that displays different virtual objects in the virtual space according to the determined relative angle.

[0007] A display control method according to a preferred aspect of the present invention determines the relative angle between the direction in which a user wearing a transparent wearable device is facing and the direction of a reference position in a virtual space as seen by the user, and displays different virtual objects in the virtual space according to the determined relative angle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the display control device of the present invention, it is possible to display a large number of virtual objects in a virtual space beyond the entire range surrounding the user. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an information processing system including a display control device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a virtual space displayed by the MR glasses of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a server in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the MR glasses of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the MR glasses of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the terminal device of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between a user and a virtual space. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between a user at an initial position and a virtual space. [Figure 9]FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a reference table that defines the correspondence between the relative angle of the user and each virtual object displayed in a virtual space. [Figure 10] 9 is a diagram showing an example of an image displayed on the display device in the state shown in FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user and the virtual space in a state where the user has rotated clockwise with respect to the initial position. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user and the virtual space in a state immediately before the user makes one rotation from the initial position. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user and the virtual space when the user has made one full rotation from the initial position. [Figure 14] 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the processing device of FIG. 6. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a terminal device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 16] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user and the virtual space in a state in which the virtual space is rotated counterclockwise relative to the initial position. FIG. [Figure 17] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user and the virtual space when the virtual space has rotated once from the initial position. FIG. [Figure 18] 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the processing device of FIG. 13. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between a user and a virtual space at an initial position according to Modification 2. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between a user and a virtual space. [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between a user and a virtual space in an initial state. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a reference table that defines the correspondence between the relative angle of the user and each virtual object displayed in a virtual space. [Figure 23] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between a user and a virtual space when the user rotates clockwise relative to a reference direction. FIG. [Figure 24] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user and the virtual space in a state immediately before the user makes one rotation from the initial state. [Figure 25] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user and the virtual space when the user has made one rotation from the initial state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] 1. First embodiment The configuration of a display control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0011] 1.1. Configuration of the First Embodiment 1.1.1. Overall structure 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an information processing system 1 including a display control device according to the first embodiment. The information processing system 1 includes a server 10, a terminal device 20, MR glasses 30, and a communication network NET.

[0012] The server 10 is a device that provides digital content. The server 10 receives requests from the terminal device 20 via the communication network NET, and distributes various digital contents to the terminal device 20 in response to the requests from the terminal device 20.

[0013] The terminal device 20 is a device carried by the user U. In this embodiment, the terminal device 20 includes devices such as a PC, a tablet terminal, a smartphone, and a smartwatch. In this embodiment, the terminal device 20 will be described assuming that it is a smartphone. The terminal device 20 displays various digital contents distributed from the server 10 on the MR glasses 30 as virtual objects. The terminal device 20 is an example of a display control device.

[0014] The MR glasses 30 are a wearable display device worn on the head of the user U. The MR glasses 30 display virtual objects on display panels provided in each lens corresponding to each eye of the user U. Each lens and display panel of the MR glasses 30 are see-through. Therefore, the user U wearing the MR glasses 30 can view the real space as an external world image through each lens and display panel of the MR glasses 30. The external world image may be a virtual image obtained by capturing an image of the user U's surroundings. A method using a real external world image is called an optical see-through method. A method using a virtual external world image is called a video see-through method. In the following explanation, the MR glasses 30 will be described as employing the optical see-through method. The MR glasses 30 are an example of a see-through wearable device.

[0015] In the information processing system 1, the server 10 and the terminal device 20 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a communication network NET. The MR glasses 30 may be connected to the communication network NET and communicate with the terminal device 20 via the communication network NET.

[0016] The information processing system 1 is a system that provides a service of delivering digital content and the like to be displayed in a virtual space to a user U wearing MR glasses 30 on his / her head.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a virtual space VS displayed by the MR glasses 30 of FIG. 1. The virtual space VS is defined as the space inside a virtual celestial sphere CS centered at the position of the user U's head. If the radius of the celestial sphere CS is R, the virtual space VS can be said to be the space inside a sphere of radius R. In other words, the celestial sphere CS represents the entire range of the virtual space VS. The zenith ZE of the celestial sphere CS is a point above the user U's head on the inner surface of the celestial sphere CS. The inner surface of the celestial sphere CS is hereinafter referred to as the celestial sphere SS. The nadir NA of the celestial sphere CS is a point below the user U's feet on the celestial sphere SS. The equator EQ is the 0-degree latitude line of the celestial sphere CS. A plane including the equator EQ and a line connecting the zenith ZE and the nadir NA are mutually perpendicular. Note that the virtual space VS may also be defined as the space inside a cylinder.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 2, one or more virtual objects VO are placed in the virtual space VS. In this example, the virtual objects VO include five virtual objects VO1 to VO5. In this embodiment, each of the virtual objects VO1 to VO5 is placed on the celestial sphere SS. Note that although a user U is shown in Fig. 2 for convenience, the user U is not actually displayed on the MR glasses 30.

[0019] The one or more virtual objects VO are, for example, virtual objects representing data such as still images, videos, three-dimensional CG models, HTML files, and text files, and virtual objects representing applications. Here, examples of text files include memos and source code. Examples of applications include browsers, applications for using SNS, and applications for generating document files. Note that the number of one or more virtual objects VO in FIG. 2 is merely an example, and the number of one or more virtual objects VO is not limited to the present disclosure.

[0020] 1.1.2. Server Configuration Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the server 10 in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 3, the server 10 includes a processing device 11, a storage device 12, and a communication device 13. The elements included in the server 10 are connected to each other by one or more buses for communicating information. Note that the term "device" in this specification may be replaced with other terms such as circuit, device, unit, etc.

[0021] The processing device 11 is a processor that controls the entire server 10, and is configured using, for example, one or more chips. The processing device 11 is configured using, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) including an interface with peripheral devices, an arithmetic unit, and a register. Note that some or all of the functions of the processing device 11 may be realized by hardware such as a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The processing device 11 executes various processes in parallel or sequentially.

[0022] The storage device 12 is a recording medium that can be read and written by the processing device 11. The storage device 12 includes, for example, a nonvolatile memory and a volatile memory. The nonvolatile memory is, for example, a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). The volatile memory is, for example, a random access memory (RAM).

[0023] The storage device 12 stores a plurality of programs including a control program PR1 to be executed by the processing device 11. The storage device 12 also functions as a work area for the processing device 11. The control program PR1 is a program that controls the entire processing device 11.

[0024] The communication device 13 is hardware serving as a transmitting / receiving device for communicating with other devices. The communication device 13 is also called, for example, a network device, a network controller, a network card, a communication module, etc. The communication device 13 may include a connector for wired connection and an interface circuit corresponding to the connector. The communication device 13 may also include a wireless communication interface. Examples of the connector and interface circuit for wired connection include products that comply with wired LAN, IEEE1394, and USB. Examples of the wireless communication interface include products that comply with wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc.

[0025] 1.1.3.Configuration of MR glasses 4 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the MR glasses 30 of FIG. 1. The MR glasses 30 include temples 94L and 94R, a bridge 96, projection optical systems 98L and 98R, and a sound output device 38. In the following description, when distinguishing between similar elements, a suffix such as "L" for temple 94L and "R" for temple 94R is used. When not distinguishing between similar elements, only a common number without a suffix is ​​used, such as temple 94.

[0026] The temples 94 are rod-shaped components supported by the pinna. The bridge 96 is disposed between the projection optical system 98L and the projection optical system 98R. The projection optical system 98 includes a display device 37, a light guide path 981, and a half mirror 982. The bridge 96 is provided with the imaging device 35. The imaging device 35 captures an image of the external world in front of the user U.

[0027] The display device 37 is disposed within the temple 94. The display device 37 displays an image. The display device 37 has various display panels, such as a liquid crystal panel and an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) panel. When the display device 37 displays an image, light representing the image is emitted from the display device 37. The light emitted from the display device 37 is guided to the half mirror 982 by a light guide path 981. The half mirror 982 reflects the light guided by the light guide path 981. The light reflected by the half mirror 982 is projected onto the retina of the user U. The user U recognizes the image from this light. The half mirror 982 has a surface facing the user. When the display device 37 does not display an image, the user U can see the outside world through the half mirror 982.

[0028] The sound output device 38 is disposed on a side surface of the temple 94. The sound output device 38 outputs sound. In this embodiment, the MR glasses 30 are operated using the terminal device 20 and therefore do not include a particular input device, but may include an input device such as a touch sensor or a sound collection device such as a microphone.

[0029] Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the MR glasses 30 in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 5, the MR glasses 30 include a processing device 31, a storage device 32, a line-of-sight acquisition device 33, a movement detection device 34, an imaging device 35, a communication device 36, a display device 37, and a sound output device 38. The elements of the MR glasses 30 are connected to each other by one or more buses for communicating information.

[0030] The processing device 31 is a processor that controls the entire MR glasses 30, and is configured, for example, using one or more chips. The processing device 31 is configured, for example, using a central processing unit (CPU) including an interface with peripheral devices, an arithmetic unit, and a register. Note that some or all of the functions of the processing device 31 may be realized by hardware such as a DSP, ASIC, PLD, or FPGA. The processing device 31 executes various processes in parallel or sequentially.

[0031] The storage device 32 is a recording medium that can be read and written by the processing device 31. The storage device 32 includes, for example, a nonvolatile memory and a volatile memory. The nonvolatile memory is, for example, a ROM, an EPROM, and an EEPROM. The volatile memory is, for example, a RAM.

[0032] The storage device 32 stores a plurality of programs including a control program PR3 to be executed by the processing device 31. The storage device 32 also functions as a work area for the processing device 31.

[0033] The gaze acquisition device 33 acquires the direction in which the user is looking, i.e., the direction of the user's gaze, by eye tracking, which tracks the movement of the user U's left and right eyeballs, and outputs gaze information indicating the direction of the user U's gaze to the processing device 31 based on the acquired results.

[0034] More specifically, the line-of-sight acquisition device 33 includes a pair of light sources and a pair of cameras. Each of the pair of light sources corresponds to the left eye and the right eye of the user U, and each of the pair of cameras corresponds to the left eye and the right eye of the user U. The light source corresponding to the left eye of the user U irradiates infrared light onto the left eye of the user U, and the camera corresponding to the left eye of the user U captures a corneal reflection image of the left eye of the user U as an image formed by reflection of the irradiated infrared light. Similarly, the light source corresponding to the right eye of the user U irradiates infrared light onto the right eye of the user U, and the camera corresponding to the right eye of the user U captures a corneal reflection image of the right eye of the user U.

[0035] The gaze acquisition device 33 detects the positions of the inner corners of the eyes and the irises of the user U from the acquired corneal reflection images of the left eye and the right eye, and acquires gaze information of the user U based on the detected positions of the inner corners of the eyes and the irises of the user U. Note that the method of acquiring the gaze by the gaze acquisition device 33 is not limited to the above method, and any method may be used.

[0036] The motion detection device 34 detects the motion of the MR glasses 30 and outputs the motion data to the processing device 31. The motion data includes acceleration data indicating the acceleration in each of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and angular acceleration data indicating the angular acceleration about each of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis as the center of rotation. The motion detection device 34 includes an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, an inertial sensor such as a gyro sensor that detects angular acceleration, and a geomagnetic sensor that detects the direction in which the MR glasses 30 are facing.

[0037] The acceleration sensor detects acceleration in each of the mutually orthogonal X-, Y-, and Z-axes. The gyro sensor detects angular acceleration around the X-, Y-, and Z-axes as the center of rotation. The geomagnetic sensor detects geomagnetism in each of the X-, Y-, and Z-axes, and detects the direction in which the MR glasses 30 are facing. The motion detection device 34 generates posture information PI indicating the posture of the MR glasses 30 based on the output information from the gyro sensor. The motion detection device 34 also outputs motion information related to the movement of the MR glasses 30 to the processing device 31.

[0038] The imaging device 35 outputs imaging information obtained by capturing an image of the external world. The imaging device 35 includes, for example, a lens, an imaging element, an amplifier, and an AD converter. Light collected through the lens is converted into an imaging signal, which is an analog signal, by the imaging element. The amplifier amplifies the imaging signal and outputs it to the AD converter. The AD converter converts the amplified imaging signal, which is an analog signal, into imaging information, which is a digital signal. The converted imaging information is output to the processing device 31.

[0039] The communication device 36 is hardware serving as a transmitting / receiving device for communicating with other devices. The communication device 36 is also called, for example, a network device, a network controller, a network card, a communication module, etc. The communication device 36 may include a connector for wired connection and an interface circuit corresponding to the connector. The communication device 36 may also include a wireless communication interface. Examples of the connector and interface circuit for wired connection include products that comply with wired LAN, IEEE1394, USB, etc. Examples of the wireless communication interface include products that comply with wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc.

[0040] The display device 37 is a device that displays images. The display device 37 displays various images under the control of the processing device 31. The display device 37 includes a display panel for the left eye and a display panel for the right eye.

[0041] The sound output device 38 is a device that outputs sound. The sound output device 38 displays various sounds under the control of the processing device 31. The sound output device 38 includes a speaker for the left ear and a speaker for the right ear.

[0042] The processing device 31 functions as an acquisition unit 311, an output unit 312, and a display control unit 313, for example, by reading out a control program PR3 from the storage device 32 and executing it.

[0043] The acquisition unit 311 acquires a control signal and image information from the terminal device 20. The control signal is a signal for controlling display on the display device 37. The control signal is generated by a display control unit 213 (described later) provided in the terminal device 20. The image information is information indicating an image to be displayed on the display device 37. The image information is information including information indicating the virtual objects VO1 to VO5. The image information may be stored in the storage device 22 of the terminal device 20, or may be stored in the storage device 12 of the server 10.

[0044] The acquisition unit 311 also acquires line-of-sight information input from the line-of-sight acquisition device 33, movement information input from the movement detection device , and imaging information input from the imaging device .

[0045] The output unit 312 outputs the line of sight information, movement information, and imaging information acquired by the acquisition unit 311 to the communication device 36.

[0046] The display control unit 313 controls the display on the display device 37 based on the control signal acquired by the acquisition unit 311. Furthermore, the display control unit 313 causes the display device 37 to display the virtual object VO based on the image information acquired by the acquisition unit 311.

[0047] 1.1.4. Terminal Device Configuration Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the terminal device 20 in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the terminal device 20 includes a processing device 21, a storage device 22, a communication device 23, a display device 24, and an input device 25. The elements included in the terminal device 20 are connected to each other by one or more buses for communicating information.

[0048] The processing device 21 is a processor that controls the entire terminal device 20, and is configured using, for example, one or more chips. The processing device 21 is configured using, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) including an interface with peripheral devices, an arithmetic unit, a register, etc. Note that some or all of the functions of the processing device 21 may be realized by hardware such as a DSP, an ASIC, a PLD, or an FPGA. The processing device 21 executes various processes in parallel or sequentially.

[0049] The storage device 22 is a recording medium that can be read and written by the processing device 21. The storage device 22 includes, for example, a nonvolatile memory and a volatile memory. The nonvolatile memory is, for example, a ROM, an EPROM, and an EEPROM. The volatile memory is, for example, a RAM.

[0050] The storage device 22 stores a reference table TBL1 and a plurality of programs including a control program PR2 to be executed by the processing device 21. The storage device 22 also functions as a work area for the processing device 21. The control program PR2 is a program that controls the entire processing device 21.

[0051] The communication device 23 is hardware serving as a transmitting / receiving device for communicating with other devices. The communication device 23 is also called, for example, a network device, a network controller, a network card, a communication module, etc. The communication device 23 may include a connector for wired connection and an interface circuit corresponding to the connector. The communication device 23 may also include a wireless communication interface. Examples of the connector and interface circuit for wired connection include products that comply with wired LAN, IEEE1394, and USB. Examples of the wireless communication interface include products that comply with wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc.

[0052] The display device 24 is a device that displays images and text information. The display device 24 displays various images under the control of the processing device 21. For example, various display panels such as a liquid crystal panel and an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) panel are suitably used as the display device 24.

[0053] The input device 25 receives operations from the user U. For example, the input device 25 includes a keyboard, a touchpad, a touch panel, and a pointing device such as a mouse. Here, if the input device 25 includes a touch panel, it may also serve as the display device 24.

[0054] The processing device 21 functions as an acquisition unit 211, a determination unit 212, and a display control unit 213, for example, by reading and executing a control program PR2 from the storage device 22. Hereinafter, the functions of the acquisition unit 211, the determination unit 212, and the display control unit 213 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 13.

[0055] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between a user U and a virtual space VS. FIG. 7 is a diagram looking down on a plane including the equator EQ of the celestial sphere CS shown in FIG. 2 in a direction from the zenith ZE to the nadir NA. The user U is located at the center O of the circle indicating the equator EQ. In FIG. 7, the direction in which the user U is facing is indicated by an arrow indicating the user direction Df. FIG. 7 also shows the field of view FOV of the user U wearing the MR glasses 30. The field of view FOV varies depending on the structure of the MR glasses 30, but in this embodiment, the angle of the field of view FOV, i.e., the field of view angle, will be described as 70 degrees.

[0056] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between the user U and the virtual space VS at an initial position. The initial position is the position where the user U starts displaying multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, VO1C, etc. In FIG. 8, the direction in which the user U is facing is represented by an arrow indicating the user initial direction Df0. Here, the intersection of the user initial direction Df0 and the equator EQ is defined as the reference position RP0 of the virtual space VS. In other words, the reference position RP0 of the virtual space VS corresponds to the initial position of the user U. In other words, the direction in which the user U is facing corresponds to the direction of the reference position RP0.

[0057] In the first embodiment, for ease of explanation, the multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, VO1C, etc. are arranged in this order clockwise at equal intervals of an angle θa along the equator EQ. In FIG. 8, the multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, VO1C, etc. are represented by "1A," "1B," "1C," etc. In FIG. 8, the multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, VO1C, etc. are arranged in a spiral shape for convenience of explanation. However, the multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, VO1C, etc. are actually arranged at a position spaced a radius R from the user U, that is, on the celestial sphere SS. The multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, VO1C, etc. are, for example, multiple slides of a presentation material.

[0058] 9 is a diagram showing an example of a reference table TBL1 that defines the correspondence between the relative angle θr of the user U and each virtual object displayed in the virtual space VS. FIG. 9 shows that, for example, when the relative angle θr is −20 degrees, the virtual object VO to be displayed in the user direction Df is virtual object VO1A. As shown in FIG. 9, when the relative angle θr is 340 degrees, the display control unit 213 displays virtual object VO2A in the user direction Df. In the virtual space VS, the position where virtual object VO2A is displayed is the same as the position where virtual object VO1A was displayed. In other words, when the user U rotates 360 degrees from the position where virtual object VOi was displayed and the relative angle θr changes by 360 degrees, the display control unit 213 displays a virtual object VOj, which is different from virtual object VOi, at the position where virtual object VOi was displayed.

[0059] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an image displayed on display device 37 in the state of Fig. 8. As shown in Fig. 10, when user U faces the user initial direction Df0, that is, when the relative angle θr is 0 degrees, the display angle range of display device 37 is -35 to 35 degrees, and the central angle of the display is 0 degrees. In this state, virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, and VO1C are displayed from left to right on display device 37. That is, three virtual objects are displayed in the field of view FOV.

[0060] 11 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user U and the virtual space VS when the user U has rotated clockwise by θr relative to the initial position. In the first embodiment, it is assumed that the user U rotates in real space and the orientation of the celestial sphere CS relative to the real space is fixed. When the user U rotates in real space, the relative angle between the user U and the celestial sphere CS changes. The user direction Df changes from the user initial direction Df0. The relative angle θr is the angle between the user direction Df and the user initial direction Df0.

[0061] 11, the relative angle θr is 100 degrees, the display angle range of the display device 37 is 65 to 135 degrees, and the central angle of the display is 100 degrees. In this case, the display device 37 displays virtual objects VO1F, VO1G, and VO1H.

[0062] 12 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user U and the virtual space VS just before the user U makes one rotation from the initial position. The relative angle θr in FIG. 12 is 320 degrees. In other words, the relative angle θr is less than 360 degrees. In this case, the display angle range of the display device 37 is 285 to 355 degrees, and the central angle of the display is 320 degrees. The display device 37 displays virtual objects VO1Q, VO1R, and VO2A. At this time, the virtual object VO1A is not displayed on the display device 37.

[0063] 13 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user U and the virtual space VS when the user U has made one rotation from the initial position. The relative angle θr in FIG. 13 is 360 degrees. In this case, the display angle range of the display device 37 is 325 to 395 degrees, and the central angle of the display is 360 degrees. The display device 37 displays virtual objects VO2A, VO2B, and VO2C. At this time, the display device 37 does not display virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, and VO1C.

[0064] 12 from the state shown in Fig. 13, that is, when the relative angle θr returns to 320 degrees, the display angle range returns to 285 to 355 degrees, and the display central angle returns to 320 degrees, the virtual objects VO1Q, VO1R, and VO2A are again displayed on the display device 37. That is, if the relative angle θr is the same, the same virtual object VO is displayed on the display device 37 even if the rotation direction of the user U is different.

[0065] The acquisition unit 211 acquires image information related to a plurality of virtual objects VO from the server 10 via the communication device 23. The acquisition unit 211 stores the acquired image information in the storage device 22. The acquisition unit 211 acquires the image information stored in the storage device 22 as necessary.

[0066] The acquisition unit 211 acquires posture information PI from the motion detection device 34. The acquisition unit 311 can identify the user direction Df from the posture information PI and obtain the relative angle θr. The acquisition unit 211 acquires initial position information from the storage device 22. The initial position information includes posture information PI of the user U at the initial position.

[0067] The determination unit 212 determines the relative angle θr based on the initial position information and the posture information PI acquired by the acquisition unit 211. Note that the initial position may be, for example, the position of the user U at the time when the MR glasses 30 complete activation, or may be the state at the time when the user U operates the input device 25 to set the initial position of the user U.

[0068] The display control unit 213 displays different virtual objects VO in the virtual space VS according to the determined relative angle θr. More specifically, the display control unit 213 creates a reference table TBL1 that defines a correspondence between the relative angle θr of the user U and each virtual object displayed in the virtual space VS, based on each virtual object and the determined relative angle θr of the user U. The display control unit 213 displays each virtual object in the virtual space VS according to the created reference table TBL1.

[0069] Note that, in this embodiment, the multiple virtual objects VO are arranged at equal intervals along the equator EQ, but the arrangement of the virtual objects VO is not limited to this. For example, the arrangement of the virtual objects VO does not have to be at equal intervals. Furthermore, the virtual objects VO may be arranged along the latitude lines of the celestial sphere CS, not limited to the equator EQ of the celestial sphere CS. Arranging the virtual objects VO along the latitude lines makes it easier for the user U to view the virtual objects VO. However, the virtual objects VO do not necessarily have to be arranged along the latitude lines. Furthermore, the virtual objects VO do not have to be arranged on the celestial sphere SS. In other words, the distances between the user U and each virtual object VO do not have to be equal to each other.

[0070] 1.2. Operation of the display control device according to the first embodiment 1.2.1. Operation of the Processing Device 21 Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the processing device 21 of Fig. 6. Hereinafter, the operation of the processing device 21 will be described with reference to Fig. 14. The routine of Fig. 14 is started, for example, when the processing device 21 is started, and is executed every time a certain time period has elapsed.

[0071] In step S11, the processing device 21 functions as the acquisition unit 211 to acquire the posture information PI from the movement detection device 34 and the initial position information from the storage device 22.

[0072] In step S12, the processing device 21 functions as the determination unit 212 to determine the relative angle θr based on the posture information PI and the initial position information.

[0073] In step S13, the processing device 21 functions as the display control unit 213 to create a reference table TBL1. As shown in Fig. 9, the reference table TBL1 is a table that defines the correspondence between the relative angle θr of the user U and each virtual object displayed in the virtual space VS. Note that the reference table TBL1 may be created in advance before the processing of step S11.

[0074] In step S14, the processing device 21 functions as the display control unit 213 to cause the display device 37 to display the virtual object VO in accordance with the relative angle θr, and then ends this routine.

[0075] 1.3. Advantages of the First Embodiment According to the above description, the terminal device 20 according to the first embodiment includes the determination unit 212 and the display control unit 213. The determination unit 212 determines the relative angle θr. The relative angle θr is the angle formed between the direction Df of the user wearing the MR glasses 30 and the direction of the reference position RP0 in the virtual space VS as seen from the user U. The display control unit 213 displays different virtual objects VO in the virtual space VS according to the determined relative angle θr.

[0076] According to this embodiment, a large number of virtual objects VO can be displayed in the virtual space VS beyond the 360-degree range around the user U.

[0077] Furthermore, the determination unit 212 determines the angle by which the user U has rotated in real space with respect to the direction of the reference position RP0 as the relative angle θr.

[0078] According to this embodiment, by the user U rotating on the spot, a large number of virtual objects VO can be displayed in the virtual space VS beyond the range of 360 degrees all around the user U.

[0079] Furthermore, the reference position RP0 in the virtual space VS corresponds to the initial position of the user U.

[0080] According to this embodiment, the relative position of the user U and the virtual space VS can be easily grasped.

[0081] Furthermore, the display control unit 213 places the virtual object VO on the celestial sphere SS of the virtual space VS.

[0082] According to this aspect, when a large number of virtual objects VO are arranged on the celestial sphere SS, each virtual object VO is arranged at an equal distance from the user U. Therefore, the user U can visually recognize the large number of virtual objects VO without feeling uncomfortable.

[0083] Furthermore, the display control method according to the first embodiment determines a relative angle θr, and displays different virtual objects VO in the virtual space VS according to the determined relative angle θr. The relative angle θr is the angle between the direction Df of the user wearing the MR glasses 30 and the direction of the reference position RP0 in the virtual space VS as seen from the user U.

[0084] According to this embodiment, a large number of virtual objects VO can be displayed in the virtual space VS beyond the 360-degree range around the user U.

[0085] 2. Second embodiment The configuration of a display control device according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figs. 15 to 18. In the following description, for the sake of simplicity, the same components as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description of their functions may be omitted. In addition, in the following description, for the sake of simplicity, differences between the second embodiment and the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0086] 2.1. Configuration of the Second Embodiment 2.1.1. Terminal Device Configuration Fig. 15 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a terminal device 20A according to the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 15, the terminal device 20A includes a processing device 21A, a storage device 22A, a communication device 23, a display device 24, and an input device 25. The elements included in the terminal device 20A are connected to each other by a single bus or multiple buses for communicating information.

[0087] The processing device 21A is a processor that controls the entire terminal device 20A, and is configured, for example, using one or more chips. The processing device 21A is configured, for example, using a central processing unit (CPU) that includes an interface with peripheral devices, an arithmetic unit, and a register. Note that some or all of the functions of the processing device 21A may be realized by hardware such as a DSP, ASIC, PLD, or FPGA. The processing device 21A executes various processes in parallel or sequentially.

[0088] The storage device 22A is a recording medium that can be read and written by the processing device 21A. The storage device 22A includes, for example, a nonvolatile memory and a volatile memory. The nonvolatile memory is, for example, a ROM, an EPROM, and an EEPROM. The volatile memory is, for example, a RAM.

[0089] The storage device 22A stores a plurality of programs, including a control program PR4, to be executed by the processing device 21A, and a reference table TBL2. The storage device 22A also functions as a work area for the processing device 21A.

[0090] The configurations of the communication device 23, the display device 24, and the input device 25 are similar to those of the communication device 23, the display device 24, and the input device 25 according to the first embodiment, and therefore detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0091] The processing device 21A functions as an acquisition unit 211A, a determination unit 212A, and a display control unit 213A, for example, by reading and executing a control program PR4 from the storage device 22A. That is, the processing device 21A differs from the processing device 21 according to the first embodiment in that the processing device 21A functions as the acquisition unit 211A instead of the acquisition unit 211, and functions as the determination unit 212A instead of the determination unit 212. Hereinafter, the functions of the acquisition unit 211A and the determination unit 212A will be mainly described with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17.

[0092] The acquisition unit 211A acquires image information related to a plurality of virtual objects VO from the server 10 via the communication device 23. The acquisition unit 211A stores the acquired image information in the storage device 22A. The acquisition unit 211A acquires the image information stored in the storage device 22A as necessary.

[0093] The acquisition unit 211A acquires operation information from the input device 25. The acquisition unit 211A can identify the reference direction Dr from the operation information and obtain the relative angle θr. The acquisition unit 211A acquires initial position information from the storage device 22A. The initial position information includes operation information at the initial position.

[0094] The determination unit 212A determines the relative angle θr based on the initial position information and operation information acquired by the acquisition unit 211A. The initial position may be, for example, a state at the time when the MR glasses 30 complete activation, or a position at the time when the user U operates the input device 25 to set the initial position of the user U.

[0095] The display control unit 213A displays different virtual objects VO in the virtual space VS according to the determined relative angle θr. Specifically, the display control unit 213A creates a reference table TBL2 that defines a correspondence between the relative angle θr of the user U and each virtual object displayed in the virtual space VS, similar to the reference table TBL1, based on each virtual object and the determined relative angle θr of the user U. The display control unit 213A displays each virtual object in the virtual space VS according to the created reference table TBL2.

[0096] 16 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user U and the virtual space VS when the virtual space VS is rotated counterclockwise relative to its initial position. The user U can rotate the virtual space VS by operating the input device 25. The positional relationship between the user U and the virtual space VS at the initial position is the same as the positional relationship shown in FIG.

[0097] For example, if the input device 25 is configured as a touch panel, when the user U swipes the input device 25 from right to left, the entire celestial sphere CS rotates counterclockwise around the center O when viewed from the zenith ZE, as shown in FIG. 16. In the example shown in FIG. 16, the intersection of the user initial direction Df0 and the equator EQ is set to the reference position RP0 of the virtual space VS. In other words, the reference position RP0 of the virtual space VS corresponds to the initial position of the user U. In other words, the direction in which the user U is facing corresponds to the direction of the reference position RP0. The swipe operation by the user U moves the reference position RP0 to the point RP. As a result, the user U visually recognizes within the display device 37 that the virtual object VO arranged on the celestial sphere SS is moving leftward.

[0098] Conversely, when the user U swipes the input device 25 from left to right, the entire celestial sphere CS rotates clockwise around the center O as viewed from the zenith ZE. As a result, the user U can visually recognize within the display device 37 that the virtual object VO placed on the celestial sphere SS is moving to the right.

[0099] 16, the relative angle θr is 100 degrees, the display angle range of the display device 37 is 65 to 135 degrees, and the central angle of the display is 100 degrees. In this case, the display device 37 displays virtual objects VO1F, VO1G, and VO1H.

[0100] FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user U and the virtual space VS when the virtual space VS has rotated once from the initial position. In the example shown in FIG. 17, if the intersection of the user initial direction Df0 and the equator EQ is defined as point RP, a swipe operation by the user U causes point RP to make one revolution around the equator EQ and return to the same position. The relative angle θr in FIG. 17 is 360 degrees. In this case, the display angle range of the display device 37 is 325 to 395 degrees, and the central angle of the display is 360 degrees. Virtual objects VO2A, VO2B, and VO2C are displayed on the display device 37. At this time, virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, and VO1C are not displayed on the display device 37.

[0101] 17, the user U can see the virtual object VO1R again. That is, if the relative angle θr is the same, the same virtual object VO is displayed on the display device 37 even if the rotation direction of the virtual space VS is different.

[0102] 2.2. Operation of the display control device according to the second embodiment 2.2.1. Operation of the Processing Device 21A Fig. 18 is a flowchart showing the operation of the processing device 21A of Fig. 15. Hereinafter, the operation of the processing device 21A will be described with reference to Fig. 18. The routine of Fig. 18 is started, for example, when the processing device 21A is started, and is executed every time a certain time period has elapsed.

[0103] In step S21, the processing device 21A functions as the acquiring unit 211A to acquire operation information from the input device 25 and initial position information from the storage device 22A.

[0104] In step S22, the processing device 21A functions as the determination section 212A to determine the relative angle θr based on the operation information and the initial position information.

[0105] In step S23, the processing device 21A functions as the display control unit 213A to create a reference table TBL2. Similar to the reference table TBL1 shown in Fig. 9, the reference table TBL2 is a table that defines the relationship between the relative angle θr and the virtual object VO displayed in the user direction Df. Note that the reference table TBL2 may be created in advance before the processing of step S23.

[0106] In step S24, the processing device 21A functions as the display control unit 213A to cause the display device 37 to display the virtual object VO in accordance with the relative angle θr, and then temporarily ends this routine.

[0107] 2.3. Advantages of the Second Embodiment According to the above description, in the display control device according to the second embodiment, the determination unit 212A determines the angle at which the user U rotates the virtual space VS with respect to the reference direction Dr as the relative angle θr.

[0108] According to this aspect, when the user U performs a rotation operation on the virtual space VS, a large number of virtual objects VO can be displayed in the virtual space VS beyond the range of 360 degrees all around the user U.

[0109] 3. Variations The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments. Specific modified embodiments are exemplified below. Two or more embodiments selected from the following examples may be combined. Furthermore, the above-described exemplary embodiments and the following modified embodiments may be combined in any combination as long as they are not mutually inconsistent.

[0110] 3.1. Variation 1 In each of the above embodiments, the terminal device 20 or the terminal device 20A functions as a display control device, but the MR glasses 30 may function as a display control device instead of the terminal device 20 or the terminal device 20A, or a control server (not shown) may function as a display control device. The control server is connected to the server 10 and the MR glasses 30 via the communication network NET so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0111] 3.2. Variation 2 19 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between a user U and a virtual space VS in an initial state according to Modification Example 2. In the first embodiment, the multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, . . . , VO1Q, VO1R, VO2A, VO2B, . . . were arranged clockwise within the virtual space VS, but as shown in Fig. 19, the multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, . . . , VO1Q, VO1R, VO2A, VO2B, . . . may be arranged counterclockwise within the virtual space VS. In this case, when the user U rotates counterclockwise on the spot, the user U can view the multiple virtual objects VO1 in order, starting with the leading virtual object VO1A.

[0112] Also in the second embodiment, the multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, . . . , VO1Q, VO1R, VO2A, VO2B, . . . may be arranged counterclockwise within the virtual space VS. In this case, when the user U rotates the virtual space VS clockwise, the user U can view the multiple virtual objects in order starting from the leading virtual object VO1A.

[0113] 3.3. Variation 3 The processing device 21 of the first embodiment displays the virtual object VO on the display device 37 according to the angle at which the user U rotates, and the processing device 21A of the second embodiment displays the virtual object VO on the display device 37 according to the angle at which the user U rotates the virtual space VS. That is, the functions of the processing device 21 are realized by the control program PR2, and the functions of the processing device 21A are realized by the control program PR4. However, the functions of the processing device 21 and the functions of the processing device 21A may be realized by a single control program.

[0114] 3.4. Variation 4 In the first embodiment, it has been described that the reference position of the virtual space VS is determined by the initial position of the user U. However, the reference position of the virtual space VS may be determined in advance. FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between the user U and the virtual space VS. FIG. 20 is a diagram looking down on the plane including the equator EQ of the celestial sphere CS shown in FIG. 2 in a direction from the zenith ZE to the nadir NA. The user U is located at the center O of the circle indicating the equator EQ. For example, in FIG. 20, the direction in which the user U is facing is represented by an arrow indicating the user direction Df. A reference position RP is defined in the virtual space VS as an absolute reference for the position of the virtual space VS. The direction of the reference position RP as seen from the user U is represented by an arrow indicating the reference direction Dr. The angle between the user direction Df and the reference direction Dr is defined as a relative angle θr.

[0115] Fig. 21 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between a user U and a virtual space VS in an initial state. In Fig. 21, the direction in which the user U is facing is represented by an arrow indicating a user initial direction Df0. The angle between the user initial direction Df0 and the reference direction Dr is defined as an initial relative angle θr0.

[0116] In this modification, for ease of explanation, the multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, VO1C, etc. are arranged in this order clockwise at equal intervals of an angle θa along the equator EQ. In FIG. 21, the multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, VO1C, etc. are represented by "1A," "1B," "1C," etc. In FIG. 21, the multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, VO1C, etc. are arranged in a spiral shape for convenience of explanation. However, the multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, VO1C, etc. are actually arranged at a position away from the user U by a radius R, that is, on the celestial sphere SS. The multiple virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, VO1C, etc. are, for example, multiple slides of a presentation material.

[0117] FIG. 22 is a diagram showing an example of a reference table TBL3 that defines the correspondence between the relative angle θr of the user U and each virtual object displayed in the virtual space VS. FIG. 22 shows that, for example, when the relative angle θr is 40 degrees, the virtual object VO to be displayed in the user direction Df is virtual object VO1A. As shown in FIG. 22, the display control unit 213 displays the virtual object VO2A in the user direction Df when the relative angle θr is 400 degrees. The position in the virtual space VS where the virtual object VO2A is displayed is the same as the position where the virtual object VO1A was displayed. In other words, when the angle formed by the user initial direction Df0 and the user direction Df exceeds 360 degrees, the display control unit 213 displays a virtual object VOj in the virtual space VS that is different from the virtual object VOi that is displayed in the virtual space VS when the angle formed by the user initial direction Df0 and the user direction Df is 360 degrees or less.

[0118] The following description will be given assuming that the viewing angle of the MR glasses 30 is 70 degrees, as in the above embodiments. In this case, the initial relative angle θr0 is 60 degrees. The display angle range of the display device 37 of the MR glasses 30 is 25 to 95 degrees, and the central angle of the display is 60 degrees. Virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, and VO1C are displayed on the display device 37.

[0119] 23 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user U and the virtual space VS when the user U has rotated clockwise by θr relative to the reference direction Dr. In the first embodiment, it is assumed that the user U rotates in real space and the orientation of the celestial sphere CS relative to the real space is fixed. When the user U rotates in real space, the relative angle between the user U and the celestial sphere CS changes. The user direction Df changes from the user initial direction Df0. The relative angle θr changes from the initial relative angle θr0.

[0120] In this case, the relative angle θr is 180 degrees, the display angle range of the display device 37 is 145 to 215 degrees, and the central angle of the display is 180 degrees. On the display device 37, virtual objects VO1F, VO1G, and VO1H are displayed.

[0121] FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user U and the virtual space VS in a state immediately before the user U makes one rotation from the initial state. The relative angle θr in FIG. 24 is 380 degrees. The angle formed by the user initial direction Df0 and the user direction Df is less than 360 degrees. In this case, the display angle range of the display device 37 is 345 to 415 degrees, and the central angle of the display is 380 degrees. The display device 37 displays virtual objects VO1Q, VO1R, and VO2A. At this time, the virtual object VO1A is not displayed on the display device 37.

[0122] FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the user U and the virtual space VS when the user U has rotated once from the initial state. The relative angle θr in FIG. 25 is 420 degrees. The angle formed by the user initial direction Df0 and the user direction Df exceeds 360 degrees. In this case, the display angle range of the display device 37 is 385 to 455 degrees, and the central angle of the display is 420 degrees. The display device 37 displays virtual objects VO2A, VO2B, and VO2C. At this time, the display device 37 does not display virtual objects VO1A, VO1B, and VO1C.

[0123] 24 from the state shown in Fig. 25 counterclockwise, that is, when the relative angle θr returns to 380 degrees, the display angle range returns to 345 to 415 degrees, and the display central angle returns to 380 degrees, the virtual objects VO1Q, VO1R, and VO2A are again displayed on the display device 37. That is, if the relative angle θr is the same, the same virtual object VO is displayed on the display device 37 even if the rotation direction of the user U is different.

[0124] The acquisition unit 211 acquires image information related to a plurality of virtual objects VO from the server 10 via the communication device 23. The acquisition unit 211 stores the acquired image information in the storage device 22. The acquisition unit 211 acquires the image information stored in the storage device 22 as necessary.

[0125] The acquisition unit 211 acquires posture information PI from the movement detection device 34. The acquisition unit 311 can identify the user direction Df from the posture information PI and obtain the relative angle θr. The acquisition unit 211 acquires initial state information from the storage device 22. The initial state information includes posture information PI in the initial state.

[0126] The determination unit 212 determines an initial relative angle θr0 between the MR glasses 30 and the virtual space VS in the initial state based on the initial state information acquired by the acquisition unit 211. The initial state may be, for example, a state at the time when the MR glasses 30 complete their startup, or a state at the time when the user U performs settings related to the initial position of the user U by operating the input device 25. The determined initial relative angle θr0 is stored in the storage device 22. The determination unit 212 determines a relative angle θr between the user direction Df and the reference direction Dr of the virtual space VS as seen from the user U based on the posture information PI acquired by the acquisition unit 211.

[0127] The display control unit 213 displays different virtual objects VO in the virtual space VS according to the determined relative angle θr. More specifically, the display control unit 213 creates a reference table that defines a correspondence between the relative angle θr of the user U and each virtual object displayed in the virtual space VS, based on each virtual object included in the acquired image information and the determined relative angle θr of the user U. The display control unit 213 displays each virtual object in the virtual space VS according to the created reference table.

[0128] 3.5. Variation 5 In each of the above embodiments, the MR glasses 30 are provided with the line of sight acquisition device 33 and the sound output device 38, but the line of sight acquisition device 33 and the sound output device 38 are not essential components. Even in a configuration that does not include the line of sight acquisition device 33 and the sound output device 38, the functions of the processing device 31 according to the present invention can be realized.

[0129] 3.6. Variation 6 In each of the above embodiments, the acquisition unit 211 and the acquisition unit 211A may acquire gaze information from the gaze acquisition device 33. The relative angle θr may take into consideration the gaze direction of the user U. For example, the arrangement of the image displayed on the display device 37 may be corrected in consideration of the gaze direction of the user U.

[0130] 3.7. Variation 7 In the first embodiment, the acquisition unit 211 may acquire imaging information from the imaging device 35. The relative angle θr may take into consideration an image of real space included in the imaging information. For example, the relative angle θr may be corrected based on an image of the surroundings of the user U included in the imaging information.

[0131] 3.8. Variation 8 In the above embodiments, each virtual object VO is placed on the celestial sphere SS, but if the virtual space VS is defined as the space inside a cylinder, each virtual object VO may be placed on the inner surface of the cylinder.

[0132] 3.9. Variation 9 In the first embodiment, a wearable display device employing an optical see-through system has been described as an example of the MR glasses 30, but the MR glasses 30 may employ a wearable display device employing a video see-through system.

[0133] 4.Other (1) In the above-described embodiment, storage device 12, storage device 22, storage device 22A, and storage device 32 are exemplified by ROM and RAM, but may be a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk (e.g., a compact disk, a digital versatile disk, a Blu-ray (registered trademark) disk), a smart card, a flash memory device (e.g., a card, a stick, a key drive), a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-ROM), a register, a removable disk, a hard disk, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a magnetic strip, a database, a server, or any other suitable storage medium. The program may also be transmitted from a network via a telecommunications line. The program may also be transmitted from a communications network NET via a telecommunications line.

[0134] (2) In the above-described embodiments, the described information, signals, etc. may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, chips, etc. that may be referred to throughout the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, optical fields or photons, or any combination thereof.

[0135] (3) In the above-described embodiment, input and output information may be stored in a specific location (for example, a memory) or may be managed using a management table. Input and output information may be overwritten, updated, or added to. Output information may be deleted. Input information may be transmitted to another device.

[0136] (4) In the above-described embodiment, the determination may be made by a value (0 or 1) represented using one bit, by a Boolean value (true or false), or by a comparison of numerical values ​​(e.g., comparison with a predetermined value).

[0137] (5) The order of the process procedures, sequences, flowcharts, etc. illustrated in the above-described embodiments may be rearranged unless inconsistent. For example, the methods described in this disclosure present elements of various steps using an example order, and are not limited to the particular order presented.

[0138] (6) Each function illustrated in Figures 1 to 25 is realized by any combination of at least one of hardware and software. Furthermore, the method for realizing each functional block is not particularly limited. That is, each functional block may be realized by using one device that is physically or logically coupled, or may be realized by using two or more devices that are physically or logically separated and connected directly or indirectly (for example, by wire, wirelessly, etc.). A functional block may also be realized by combining software with the one device or the multiple devices.

[0139] (7) The programs exemplified in the above-described embodiments should be broadly construed to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, execution threads, procedures, functions, etc., regardless of whether they are called software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or by other names.

[0140] Software, instructions, information, etc. may also be transmitted or received over a transmission medium. For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using wired technologies (such as coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)), and / or wireless technologies (such as infrared, microwave), then these wired and / or wireless technologies are included within the definition of transmission media.

[0141] (8) In each of the foregoing embodiments, the terms "system" and "network" are used interchangeably.

[0142] (9) The information, parameters, etc. described in this disclosure may be expressed using absolute values, relative values ​​from a predetermined value, or corresponding other information.

[0143] (10) In the above-described embodiments, the server 10 may be a mobile station (MS). A mobile station may also be referred to by those skilled in the art as a subscriber station, mobile unit, subscriber unit, wireless unit, remote unit, mobile device, wireless device, wireless communication device, remote device, mobile subscriber station, access terminal, mobile terminal, wireless terminal, remote terminal, handset, user agent, mobile client, client, or some other appropriate terminology. In this disclosure, terms such as "mobile station," "user terminal," "user equipment (UE)," and "terminal" may be used interchangeably.

[0144] (11) In the above-described embodiments, the terms "connected," "coupled," or any variations thereof refer to any direct or indirect connection or coupling between two or more elements, and may include the presence of one or more intermediate elements between two elements that are "connected" or "coupled" to each other. The coupling or connection between elements may be a physical coupling or connection, a logical coupling or connection, or a combination thereof. For example, "connected" may be read as "access." As used in this disclosure, two elements may be considered to be "connected" or "coupled" to each other using at least one of one or more wires, cables, and printed electrical connections, as well as electromagnetic energy having wavelengths in the radio frequency range, microwave range, and optical (both visible and invisible) range, as some non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples.

[0145] (12) In the above embodiments, the phrase "based on" does not mean "based only on," unless otherwise specified. In other words, the phrase "based on" means both "based only on" and "based at least on."

[0146] (13) As used in this disclosure, the terms "determining" and "determining" may encompass a wide variety of actions. "Determining" and "determining" may include, for example, judging, calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up, searching, inquiring (e.g., searching in a table, database, or other data structure), ascertaining, and the like. "Determining" and "determining" may also include receiving (e.g., receiving information), transmitting (e.g., sending information), input, output, accessing (e.g., accessing data in memory), and the like. Furthermore, "judgment" and "decision" can include regarding resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, comparing, etc. as having been "judged" or "decided." In other words, "judgment" and "decision" can include regarding some action as having been "judged" or "decided." Furthermore, "judgment (decision)" can be interpreted as "assuming," "expecting," "considering," etc.

[0147] (14) In the above embodiments, when "include," "including," and variations thereof are used, these terms are intended to be inclusive, similar to the term "comprising." Furthermore, the term "or" as used in this disclosure is not intended to be an exclusive or.

[0148] (15) In this disclosure, where articles are added by translation, such as a, an, and the in English, this disclosure may include that the nouns following these articles are plural.

[0149] (16) In this disclosure, the term "A and B are different" may mean "A and B are different from each other." The term may also mean "A and B are each different from C." Terms such as "separate" and "combined" may also be interpreted in the same way as "different."

[0150] (17) Each aspect / embodiment described in this disclosure may be used alone, in combination, or switched depending on the implementation. Notification of predetermined information (e.g., notification that "X is true") is not limited to explicit notification, but may be implicit (e.g., not notifying the predetermined information).

[0151] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail above, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present disclosure can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims. Therefore, the description of the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative and does not have any limiting meaning on the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0152] 20, 20A...terminal device, 30...MR glasses, 212...determination unit, 213...display control unit, CS...celestial sphere, Df...user direction, RP0...reference position, SS...celestial sphere, U...user, VO, VOi, VOj...virtual object, VS...virtual space, θr...relative angle.

Claims

1. a determination unit that determines a relative angle between a direction in which a user wearing the see-through wearable device is facing and a direction of a reference position in the virtual space as seen by the user; a display control unit that displays different virtual objects in the virtual space according to the determined relative angle; A display control device comprising:

2. the determination unit determines an angle by which the user has rotated in real space with respect to a direction of the reference position as the relative angle; The display control device according to claim 1 .

3. the determination unit determines, as the relative angle, an angle by which the user rotates the virtual space with respect to a direction of the reference position. The display control device according to claim 1 .

4. the reference position in the virtual space corresponds to an initial position of the user; The display control device according to claim 1 .

5. the display control unit places the virtual object on a celestial sphere in the virtual space. The display control device according to claim 1 .

6. determining a relative angle between a direction in which a user wearing the see-through wearable device is facing and a direction of a reference position in the virtual space as seen by the user; displaying different virtual objects in the virtual space according to the determined relative angle; Display control method.

Images