Virtual reality system and head-mounted display used therein

Abstract

In a non-anonymous virtual reality system, this system provides a virtual space photography function that takes privacy protection measures into consideration. [Solution] A virtual reality system comprising a server providing virtual reality services, a head-mounted display (HMD) receiving virtual reality services, and a network connecting the server and the HMD, wherein the server holds user information including first object data for generating a first avatar image for display, second object data for generating a second avatar image for photography, and a subject attribute that sets the conditions for photography when the user is photographed by another user, and transmits either the first object data or the second object data to the HMD according to the subject attribute, and the HMD generates and displays either the first or second avatar image from the received first or second object data.

Claims

1. A virtual reality system comprising a server that provides virtual reality services, a head-mounted display that receives virtual reality services, and a network connecting the server and the head-mounted display, The server holds, as user information, first object data for generating a first avatar image for display, second object data for generating a second avatar image for photography, and a photographed attribute that sets the conditions for when the user is photographed by another user. The server transmits the first object data or the second object data to the head-mounted display according to the subject attributes. The head-mounted display is characterized by generating and displaying the first avatar image or the second avatar image from the received first object data or the second object data.

2. A virtual reality system according to claim 1, A virtual reality system characterized in that the server transmits first object data for generating the first avatar image for display as display object data to the head-mounted display if the subject's attributes permit identification of the person, and transmits second object data for generating the second avatar image for shooting as shooting object data to the head-mounted display if the subject's attributes do not permit identification of the person.

3. A virtual reality system according to claim 2, When the head-mounted display captures a virtual space, it transmits to the server as capture information the user's position and gaze direction within the virtual reality space, or the position, direction, and field of view of the shooting point within the virtual reality space. The virtual reality system is characterized in that the server recognizes other users present within the shooting range based on the shooting information and sends the display object data or the shooting object data to the head-mounted display according to the shooting attributes of the other users.

4. A virtual reality system according to claim 3, The virtual reality system is characterized in that the server obtains capability information from the head-mounted display, further recognizes other users within its field of view, and sends the other users' display object data or capture object data to the head-mounted display according to the capability information and the other users' attributes of being captured.

5. A virtual reality system according to claim 4, The aforementioned capability information is characterized by being information about the capability to distinguish and generate images for display and images for capture, or the capability to output images for display externally.

6. A virtual reality system according to claim 2, The head-mounted display transmits a shooting notification to the server indicating whether or not it is capturing images in a virtual space. The virtual reality system is characterized in that the server sends the display object data or the shooting object data to the head-mounted display according to the shooting notification information and the attributes of other users being photographed.

7. A virtual reality system according to claim 6, The virtual reality system is characterized in that, if the server fails to receive the shooting notification information, it sends the object data for shooting to the head-mounted display.

8. A virtual reality system according to claim 1, The first avatar image for display is an avatar image that allows for the identification of the user. The virtual reality system is characterized in that the second avatar image used for photography is an avatar image that makes it difficult to identify the user.

9. A head-mounted display that communicates with a server providing a virtual reality service, It has a control unit that performs virtual reality processing, a communication unit, and a display unit. The communication unit receives from the server first object data or second object data corresponding to the subject attribute that sets the shooting conditions when a user is photographed by another user, The head-mounted display is characterized in that the control unit generates a first avatar image for display or a second avatar image for capture using the received first object data or the second object data, and displays it on the display unit.

10. A head-mounted display according to claim 9, The head-mounted display is characterized in that the first object data is display object data that generates the first avatar image for display when the subject's attributes permit identification of the person, and the second object data is shooting object data that generates the second avatar image for shooting when the subject's attributes do not permit identification of the person.

11. A head-mounted display according to claim 10, The head-mounted display is characterized in that, when capturing images of a virtual space, the control unit transmits to the server, via the communication unit, viewpoint parameters such as the user's position and gaze direction within the virtual reality space, or shooting parameters such as the position, direction, and field of view of the shooting point within the virtual reality space, as shooting information.

12. A head-mounted display according to claim 11, The control unit transmits the capability information of the head-mounted display to the server via the communication unit. A head-mounted display characterized by receiving from the server the capability information and the display object data or shooting object data of other users corresponding to the attributes of other users who are within the viewing range based on the viewpoint parameters.

13. A head-mounted display according to claim 12, The head-mounted display is characterized in that the capability information is information about the capability to distinguish and generate images for display and images for capture, or the capability to output images for display to an external source.

14. A head-mounted display according to claim 10, The control unit transmits a shooting notification information to the server via the communication unit indicating whether or not it is taking a picture of the virtual space. A head-mounted display characterized by receiving the aforementioned display object data or the aforementioned shooting object data of another user in accordance with the aforementioned shooting notification information.

15. A head-mounted display according to claim 9, It includes a data storage unit that stores user attributes consisting of personal data and image data, The aforementioned personal data includes authentication data and photographed attributes, The attributes of the person being photographed include information on permission to photograph and information on conditional permission to photograph. The image data includes display object data and shooting object data used in conditional shooting. The head-mounted display is characterized in that the control unit transmits the user attributes to the server via the communication unit.

16. A head-mounted display according to claim 10, A head-mounted display characterized by displaying an indication of being photographed on the display image when the user is the subject of the photograph.

17. A head-mounted display according to claim 9, The first avatar image for display is an avatar image that allows for the identification of the user. The head-mounted display is characterized in that the second avatar image used for shooting is an avatar image that makes it difficult to identify the user.

Images