Information processing device, information processing system, information processing method and program

Abstract

To provide a device for accurately and simultaneously displaying overall behavior of multiple objects and behavior and features of an object of interest among the multiple objects.SOLUTION: An information processing device provided herein is configured to separate multiple objects into an object of interest and objects of non-interest, integrate the objects of non-interest consisting of multiple objects to generate a projection image, and display an image obtained by merging the projection image of the object of interest with the projection image on a display device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The disclosure of this specification relates to an information processing device, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In devices that build three-dimensional models of multiple objects in a computer and display them in three dimensions, a common method is to form a single image that can be seen from the observer's point of view and display it on a display. An example of this type of display of multiple objects is the display of particles in a powder simulation.

[0003] Non-Patent Document 1 discloses that in particle simulation, particles to be displayed and particles not to be displayed are determined based on the value of each particle, such as the particle diameter. Patent Document 1 also discloses a method for distinguishing between a target object and a non-target object by setting transparency for each object and displaying it, thereby grasping the position and orientation of the target object among multiple objects. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2000-149062 [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] J.Soc Powder Technol.Japan 51,823-836(2014) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] To solve powder handling problems such as powder mixing processes, it is necessary to understand the detailed behavior of the powder inside the equipment. However, simply displaying only the object of interest or making non-interest objects semi-transparent makes it difficult to simultaneously evaluate the overall behavior of multiple objects and the behavior and characteristics of the object of interest. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a setting unit that sets an object of interest among a plurality of objects as an object of interest; and a setting unit that creates a first image representing the object of interest; Based on ID data or attribute data unique to the plurality of objects Among the plurality of objects, a plurality of objects that are not the target object Unattractive Object Integrate The image processing device is characterized by comprising a creating means for creating a second image that represents the first image as one object, a combining means for combining the first image and the second image, and an output means for outputting the combined image. do. In addition, an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a setting means for setting an object of interest among a plurality of objects as the object of interest; a means for creating a first 3D video representing the object of interest; and a second 3D video that integrates a plurality of non-objects among the plurality of objects that are not the object of interest and represents them as a single object based on ID data or attribute data unique to the plurality of objects; a means for creating a first projection video that is a projection image of the first 3D video from a first viewpoint; a means for creating a second projection video that is a projection image of the second 3D video from the first viewpoint; a means for synthesizing the first projection video with a first transparency and the second projection video with a second transparency; and a display means for displaying the synthesized videos. In addition, the information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized by having a setting means for setting an object of interest among a plurality of objects as the object of interest, a creation means for creating a first image representing the object of interest and creating a second image representing a single object by integrating a plurality of non-interest objects among the plurality of objects that are not the object of interest based on ID data or attribute data unique to the plurality of objects, a synthesis means for synthesizing the first image and the second image, and an output means for outputting the synthesized image. Furthermore, an information processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized by comprising a setting step of setting an object of interest among a plurality of objects as the object of interest; a creation step of creating a first image representing the object of interest and creating a second image that integrates a plurality of non-objects among the plurality of objects that are not the object of interest based on ID data or attribute data unique to the plurality of objects and represents them as a single object; a synthesis step of synthesizing the first image and the second image; and an output step of outputting the synthesized image. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] By combining and displaying an image of a target object with an image of a plurality of objects that are not the target object, when observing the behavior of a number of objects such as powder, it becomes possible to simultaneously and accurately observe the overall behavior of the number of objects and the behavior and characteristics of the target object. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating a method for creating a display screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of a display method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of a display method according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] [First embodiment] 2. Description of the Related Art Manufacturing processes for products that use powder, such as pharmaceuticals and toner, may include processes for transporting the powder and mixing the powder to make the product uniform.

[0012] For example, the manufacturing process for tablets includes a step of mixing a small-diameter drug substance with a large-diameter excipient. In order to ensure a uniform amount of drug contained in the tablet, it is preferable that the two types of powders are uniformly distributed throughout the powder layer during the mixing step. Particle simulation is used to analyze mixing phenomena in manufacturing processes, etc. In this specification, in a simulation that observes the behavior of multiple (large numbers of) objects, the object of interest among the multiple objects is referred to as the object of interest, and the other objects are referred to as non-objects of interest. Hereinafter, when a specific particle is selected as the object of interest, the particle may be referred to as the particle of interest.

[0013] For example, one powder handling technique is a mixing process that creates a uniform mixture of multiple powder types. If the degree of mixing is insufficient, the shape of the container or agitator must be modified. However, because it is not known the trajectory of the target particle within the device or the mixed state within the powder bed, it is difficult to determine which part of the container or agitator's shape should be modified to improve mixing performance. Thus, in powder handling, it is important to understand the location of the target particle within the entire powder bed. However, since most powders are not transparent and multiple mixed powders are the same color, it is impossible to confirm the position of the target particle within the powder bed, which changes from moment to moment. Therefore, particle simulation has been used to analyze the behavior of any particle within a powder bed.

[0014] Previously proposed methods for displaying the behavior of a target object among multiple objects have several issues. For example, in methods that determine which particles to display and which to hide based on the value of each particle, such as particle diameter, all particles except the target particle are hidden, making it impossible to identify the particle's location within the entire powder layer.

[0015] In addition, in a method that displays the location of a particle of interest within the entire powder layer by assigning transparency to non-target particles (particles other than the target particle), all transparent particles are displayed overlapping each other. Because the color displayed on a display screen is determined by the object's transparency and thickness (optical path length), the transparency of non-target particles changes depending on the number of particles overlapping in the depth direction when viewed from the observer's perspective. Therefore, areas with less powder in the depth direction, particularly interfaces and container edges, are more transparent than the interior. As a result, interfaces, which are important characteristics of the overall powder layer behavior, appear blurred. Furthermore, the display color of the target particle changes depending on whether the transparent non-target particle is in front of or behind the target particle from the observer's perspective. When displaying the results of a powder particle behavior simulation, the color information of the powder particles is important information that indicates the particle's characteristics. For example, if the color of a particle represents the particle's temperature, the color of the target particle must be displayed appropriately, but this cannot be achieved by simply assigning transparency to non-target particles.

[0016] In view of these problems, the inventors of the present invention have discovered a way to observe the behavior of multiple objects, such as powder, simultaneously and accurately the overall behavior of the multiple objects and the behavior and characteristics of an object of interest.

[0017] (Functional configuration for displaying the behavior of an object of interest among multiple objects) 1 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an information processing device for displaying the behavior of multiple objects. A control unit 100 controls the overall process of dividing multiple objects into target objects and non-target objects, integrating the non-target objects made up of multiple objects to create a projected image, and displaying the image synthesized with the projected image of the target object on a display unit. The control unit 100 includes a target object setting unit 111, a display condition setting unit 112, a display object information reading unit 113, an individual image creating unit 114, an image synthesizing unit 115, and an image display unit 116.

[0018] The target object setting unit 111 sets information on an ID associated with the target object, attributes of the object, and a threshold value for determining the target object as target object data 201b in memory. The target object data 201b may be set by user input, or may be set based on information predetermined according to the material of the object, etc., or data from a simulation performed in the past. The target object is, for example, a plurality of particles of interest among a large number of particles. The target object setting unit 111 acquires information indicating the target object among the plurality of objects, and sets it as the target object.

[0019] The display condition setting unit 112 sets conditions for displaying the target object and non-target objects as display condition data 201c in memory. The display condition data 201c includes data related to the content to be displayed on the display unit, such as attribute information that determines the display order, transparency, and display color of each of the target object and non-target object. The display condition data 201c may be set by user input, or may be set based on information determined according to the material of the object, etc., or data from a simulation performed in the past. The display condition setting unit 112 sets conditions for acquiring information indicating how to display the target object and non-target objects.

[0020] The display object information reading unit 113 sets in memory information indicating a value related to an ID, which is a number unique to each object, as object ID data 201d, information indicating the shape of the object as object shape data 201e, information indicating the orientation of the object as object orientation data 201f, information indicating the position of the object as object coordinate data 201g, and information indicating the attributes of the object as object attribute data 201h. The object ID data 201d includes data related to an ID for numerically identifying each object. The object shape data 201e includes data related to the shapes of particles, containers, stirring members, etc. The object shape data 201e may be set by user input, based on CAD data, or based on data from a previous simulation. The object orientation data 201f includes data indicating the direction and degree of tilt of the object relative to the shape registered in the object shape data 201e. The object coordinate data 201g includes coordinate information indicating the current location in space of the coordinates of the vertices and center of gravity included in the object shape data 201e. The object posture data 201f and the object coordinate data 201g may be set by the CPU 200 performing a simulation (a process of predicting the behavior of an object and acquiring the coordinates and posture of the object), or by acquiring the results of calculations performed by a workstation (not shown) connected via the bus 205 or a LAN interface (not shown). The object attribute data 201h includes values ​​related to the shape and physical properties of the object, such as particle diameter, specific gravity, and rigidity, and data on physical quantities, such as the object's speed, acting force, temperature, charge amount, and magnetization amount. The object attribute data 201h may be set by user input, or may be set based on information predetermined depending on the object's material, etc., or data from a previous simulation. The display object information reading unit 113 is an example of an acquisition unit that acquires information indicating the shape, posture, and coordinates indicating the position of an object.

[0021] The individual image creation unit 114 creates images of the target object and the non-target object based on the target object condition data 201b set by the target object setting unit 111, the display condition data 201c set by the display condition setting unit 112, and the object ID data 201d, object shape data 201e, object orientation data 201f, object coordinate data 201g, and object attribute data 201h set by the display object information reading unit 113. The individual image creation unit 114 creates a projected image from a certain viewpoint. The individual image creation unit 114 is an example of a creation means for creating a first image representing the target object. The individual image creation unit 114 is also an example of a creation means for creating a second image representing multiple objects that are not the target object as a single object. In creating the first and second images, the individual image creation unit 114 can be said to accept settings regarding the manner in which the objects are displayed in the images to be created from a perspective based on the various data described above.

[0022] The image composition unit 115 creates a composite image based on the images of the target object and non-target object set by the individual image creation unit 114 and the display condition data 201c. The image composition unit 115 may combine the images of the target particle and the non-target particle in different display modes to effectively display the behavior of the target particle within the overall behavior. The display mode may be, for example, the transparency of each image, and the image composition unit 115 may combine the images of the target particle and the non-target particle in different transparency modes. Furthermore, the image composition unit 115 combines the images of the target particle and the non-target particle in a predetermined display order based on the display condition data 201c. The image composition unit 115 is an example of a composition unit that combines a first image and a second image. Furthermore, when combining images, the image composition unit 115 can be said to accept settings for the composition mode based on the display condition data 201c. Details of the processing by the individual image creation unit 114 and the image composition unit 115 will be described later.

[0023] The image display unit 116 displays the image created by the image synthesis unit 115 on the display unit. The image display unit 116 simultaneously displays the overall behavior of the plurality of objects and the behavior and characteristics of the target object on the display unit. The image display unit 116 is an example of an output means that outputs the synthesized image by displaying it on the display unit.

[0024] The output unit 117 outputs a file including the composite image created by the image composition unit 115 to the external storage device 204 or a device connected to the information processing device via a bus 205 or a LAN interface (not shown). The data structure of the file is not limited to this, and may include, for example, some or all of the various programs and data 201a to 201h stored in the RAM 201. The output unit 117 is an example of an output means that outputs a file including a composite image.

[0025] (Hardware configuration of an information processing device for displaying the behavior of an object of interest among multiple objects) 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device for displaying the behaviors of multiple objects. The information processing device includes at least a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 200 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 201, and is connected to a display device 202, an input unit 203, and an external storage device 204 via a bus 205. The information processing device may also include a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a LAN (Local Area Network) interface, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), etc., all of which are not shown.

[0026] The RAM 201 stores, for example, a program 201a for creating an image displaying the behavior of multiple objects, target object data 201b, display condition data 201c, object ID data 201d, object shape data 201e, object posture data 201f, object coordinate data 201g, and object attribute data 201h.

[0027] The CPU 200 and the GPU are examples of processors. The RAM 201, ROM, HDD, and SSD are examples of memory. The information processing device may have multiple processors. In the information processing device, various processes are performed by the processor executing a program stored in the memory. The information processing device may also have a CPU, GPU, or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) dedicated to a specific process. The information processing device may also have an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) in which a specific process or all processes are programmed. The information processing device may have multiple components as memory. The information processing device may also have multiple components for communication, such as the bus 205 and a LAN interface.

[0028] The display device 202 is configured to display an interface for inputting various information indicating a method for displaying the overall behavior of multiple objects and the behavior and characteristics of a target object, and to display images indicating the overall behavior of multiple objects and the behavior and characteristics of a target object. The display device 202 is, for example, a liquid crystal display. The input unit 203 is configured to allow a user to input information to the information processing device, and is, for example, a keyboard or a mouse. The display device 202 and the input unit 203 may be integrated as a touch panel display. The display device 202 is an example of a display unit. Another example of a display unit is an external display device (not shown) that displays the overall behavior of multiple objects and the behavior and characteristics of a target object based on an image file output from the information processing device via the bus 205 or a LAN interface.

[0029] In the first embodiment, the CPU 200 performs particle simulation (processing for calculating the behavior of particles contained in powder) based on various conditions stored in the RAM 201. The particle simulation may be performed by a GPU (not shown), or by a workstation (not shown) connected via a bus 205 or a LAN interface, or may be performed by these configurations in cooperation with the CPU 200.

[0030] (Process of creating and displaying an image showing the behavior of a target object among multiple objects) Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for creating an image showing the behavior of a target object among a plurality of objects and displaying it on a display unit. Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of a process for creating an image to be displayed on a display unit. Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of a screen to be displayed on a display unit. Below, a process for creating an image showing the behavior of a target object among a plurality of objects and displaying it on a display unit will be explained using Figs. 3 to 5.

[0031] In step S301, the target object setting unit 111 sets target object data 201b in the RAM 201. In the first embodiment, an example will be described in which a cylindrical container is filled with a large number of particles, and some of the particles are displayed. In the first embodiment, the target particle is specified by a particle ID associated with each particle as a number unique to the object. The information set here is saved as target object condition data 201b.

[0032] In step S302, the display condition setting unit 112 sets the display condition data 201c in the RAM 201. In the first embodiment, an example will be described in which particles of interest are displayed in the same color in the foreground, and non-interest particles are displayed in a color different from that of the particles of interest in the background. The information set here is saved as the display condition data 201c. In some cases, it may be easier to see non-interest particles by making them transparent and displaying them in the foreground. The user can appropriately set the display order and transparency of the particles of interest and non-interest particles depending on the content and purpose of the problem. This makes it possible to evaluate the behavior of a large number of objects depending on the problem and purpose.

[0033] In step S303, the display object reading unit 113 reads information about the object to be displayed, and sets in the RAM 201 the object ID data 201d, object shape data 201e, object orientation data 201f, object coordinate data 201g, and object attribute data 201h.

[0034] In step S304, the individual image creation unit 114 creates images of the target object and non-target object based on the settings made in steps S301, S302, and S303.

[0035] In step S305, the image synthesis unit 115 generates an image to be displayed on the display device 202 based on the images of the target object and non-target object generated in step S304 and the display condition data 201c. Details of the processing in steps S304 and S305 will be described later.

[0036] In step S306, the image display unit 116 displays the image created by the image synthesis unit 115 on the display device 202. At this time, the output unit 117 may output the file, in response to an instruction from an operator or automatically, to the external storage device 204 or to a different device connected to the information processing device via the bus 205 or a LAN interface (not shown). The file includes, for example, the synthesized image created in step S305.

[0037] Here, the details of the processing in steps S304 and S305 will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method for creating a display screen for displaying a particle of interest in the first embodiment. Here, a method for displaying a particle of interest contained in powder filled in a cylindrical container will be described as an example. FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) show the particle-filled state in a cylindrical container. FIG. 4(a) is a top view of the cylindrical container observed from above, and FIG. 4(b) is a side view of the cylindrical container observed from the 6 o'clock direction in FIG. 4(a). In the figure, reference numeral 401 denotes a particle, and reference numeral 402 denotes the cylindrical container. In this example, the container is colorless and transparent, and the particles filled inside are completely visible from the side of the container. FIGS. 4(c) and 4(d) are diagrams showing only the particle of interest in the cylindrical container. FIG. 4(c) is a top view of the cylindrical container observed from above, and FIG. 4(d) is a side view of the cylindrical container observed from the 6 o'clock direction in FIG. 4(c). Reference numeral 403 in the figure denotes a particle of interest, which exists within the powder layer. Among the particles of interest 403, some are close to the wall of the container 402, while others are far away. In Figures 4(c) and 4(d), the outline and shape of the cylindrical container are depicted so that they can be seen for the sake of explanation, but the cylindrical container does not have to be displayed in the image of the particle of interest.

[0038] The information processing device according to the first embodiment classifies a plurality of objects to be displayed into target objects and non-target objects, creates images of each of them, and then synthesizes the images to create an image to be displayed on the display device 202. Specifically, an example will be described in which the target particle 403 is set as the target object, and particles other than the target particle 403 among the particles 401 and the container are set as non-target objects, and an image observed from the 6 o'clock direction in FIG. 4(a) is displayed.

[0039] In step S304, the individual image creation unit 114 designates the particle of interest 403 as the object of interest based on the conditions set in steps S301, S302, and S303. The other particles and the container are designated as non-objects of interest. Figures 4(e) and 4(f) are diagrams showing the separation of the object of interest and the non-objects of interest from among the multiple objects constituting a powder, etc. Reference numeral 404 denotes particles other than the particle of interest. Figure 4(g) is a diagram showing a projection image of the non-object of interest, and reference numeral 405 in the figure indicates an image of the non-object of interest. In Figure 4(f), the non-object of interest is composed of multiple particles 404 and a container 402. However, in this example, a projection image 405 is created in which the particle 404 and the container 402 are treated as a single object, and this is designated as the image of the non-object of interest. Furthermore, Figure 4(f) can be said to be a projection image in which all of the multiple objects other than the object of interest (particle of interest) are represented as a single object.

[0040] In step S305, the image synthesis unit 115 creates an image to be displayed on the display device 202 based on the images of the target object and non-target object created in step S304 and the display condition data 201c. FIG. 4(h) is a diagram showing the image finally displayed on the display device 202, and reference numeral 406 denotes a synthesized image of the target object and non-target object images. In this embodiment, the non-target object image 404 is set as the rearmost image, and target particles 403 are projected in front of it in order from the back in the observation direction. In this way, a synthesized image 405 of the target object and non-target objects is created.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows an example of the display of target particles. FIG. 5(a) shows an example of a conventional method, and FIG. 5(b) shows an example of a display method according to the first embodiment. In the conventional example shown in FIG. 5(a), a common method of displaying non-target particles transparently is described. In the figure, reference numerals 501 and 502 indicate target particles, and reference numeral 503 indicates a non-target particle near the wall. In the conventional method, transparent non-target particles are displayed overlapping each other, causing the display intensity of the non-target particles to vary depending on their position within the container. This poses two problems. The first is that the appearance of the target particle changes depending on the number of non-target particles in front of it. For example, a particle located in the foreground of the observation direction, such as target particle 501, is displayed in its original color. However, in the case of target particle 502, which is located at the back of the observation direction and surrounded by many non-target particles, the displayed color changes from the original color, making it virtually invisible. The second issue is that particles 503 near the side of the container are displayed lighter than particles in the center, impairing the visibility of the interface, which provides important information about the overall particle distribution. This makes it difficult for users to simultaneously observe the overall particle flow and the movement of particles of interest within it. Figure 5(b) shows an example of the display results obtained using this embodiment. Using this method, the color and position of particles of interest can be accurately confirmed, and the distribution of particles of interest near the container can also be clearly confirmed. This allows users to simultaneously and accurately observe the overall behavior of multiple objects and the behavior and characteristics of the object of interest.

[0042] (Modification of the first embodiment) The method of displaying the target object among a plurality of objects is not limited to the above example.

[0043] FIG. 5(c) shows an image in which the image 405 of the non-target object, which was the rearmost image in the first embodiment, is made semi-transparent by applying transparency to it, and is placed in the foreground and composited with the image of the target particle 403. As a result, although the color of the target particle 403 differs from the color of the original target particle shown in FIG. 5(b), the positions of all particles can be clearly seen. When displaying the behavior of a target object among many target objects, this method may be more intuitively understandable. As such, the display order and transparency of the target object and non-target objects are not limited to those in the above-described embodiment, and the user may select a method appropriate for the purpose of display and visibility.

[0044] Figure 5(d) shows an example where the physical quantity of a particle of interest is reflected in the display color. For example, if particle temperature information is important, the particle temperature determined by a simulation or the like can be saved in the object attribute data 201h, and the particle temperature can be displayed in color as the display color of the particle of interest. The display color of the object of interest can be based on values ​​related to the shape and physical properties of the object, such as the particle diameter, specific gravity, and rigidity, or physical quantities such as the velocity, acting force, temperature, charge amount, and magnetization amount determined during the object's behavior. Furthermore, if you want to display vector values ​​such as velocity, you can simultaneously display the vector in addition to the object color for the object of interest.

[0045] Figure 5(e) shows an example in which not only the particle of interest but also the positional relationship between the particle and the agitator is displayed. In the figure, reference numeral 504 denotes the agitator, and reference numeral 505 denotes particles subjected to strong shearing forces. The particles in the container 402 are mixed by the agitator 504, and this example shows how the particle 505, subjected to strong shearing forces, changes over time. While the previously described example focused only on particles, in this example, where the positional relationship with components other than particles is important, the desired display can be achieved by setting the particle of interest 505 and the agitator 504 as the objects of interest and adjusting the transparency of the agitator, as shown in Figure 5(d). In this way, there is no need to restrict the object of interest to particles; all objects of interest can be selected. Furthermore, while transparency is set only for the agitator in this example, the transparency and display order can be set individually for each object of interest, allowing for a method appropriate for the user's purpose and visibility. Furthermore, if the particle of interest is a particle subjected to a strong shear force, as in this example, the shear force of the particle determined by simulation or the like may be saved in the object attribute data 201h, a threshold may be set for that value, and the object of interest may be changed for each frame of the image (video). The method of specifying the object of interest may be based on values ​​related to the shape and physical properties of the object, such as the particle diameter, specific gravity, and rigidity. It may also be based on physical quantities such as the coordinates of the object at each time, the path the object traveled, and the velocity, acting force, temperature, charge amount, and magnetization amount determined during the object's behavior.

[0046] Although the above example describes a case where a composite image is displayed on the display device 202, this is not limiting. For example, the image display unit 116 may display a moving image composed of a composite image of multiple frames on the display device 202. The image display unit 116 may display, side by side, different composite images with different display orders or different composite images with different transparency of at least one of the target object or non-target object on the display device 202. When the image display unit 116 displays multiple different types of composite images or moving images on the display device 202, it may switch between the images or moving images at predetermined intervals. When displaying multiple different types of moving images side by side on the display device 202, the image display unit 116 may synchronize the times of these moving images when displaying them. This makes it possible to display a display that allows the behavior of multiple objects to be observed from various perspectives.

[0047] From the viewpoint of creating a moving image, displaying it, or outputting it to a file, an image representing the particle of interest can be considered a first 3D moving image. Similarly, an image representing an object that is not the object of interest as a whole among multiple objects can be considered a second 3D moving image. The individual image creation unit 114 creates a moving image (which can be considered a first projected moving image) that is a projected image of the moving image representing the particle of interest from a first viewpoint. Similarly, the individual image creation unit 114 creates a moving image (which can be considered a second projected moving image) that is a projected image of the moving image representing the non-object of interest from the first viewpoint. The composite image is created by combining the moving image representing the particle of interest with a first transparency and the moving image representing the non-object of interest with a second transparency. Furthermore, the image display unit 116 may switch the viewpoint of the projected image based on a user instruction or at predetermined time intervals to display it on the display device 202.

[0048] [Second embodiment] The first embodiment has shown a method of displaying all objects other than the target object as non-target objects. In the second embodiment, a method of classifying and displaying objects other than the target object as multiple non-target objects will be described. The method of creating an image showing the behavior of multiple objects is the same as in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0049] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the second embodiment. FIG. 6(a) is a diagram showing a side view of a cylindrical container filled with powder, which is the display target. Reference numeral 601 denotes particles, and 602 denotes the container. While FIG. 6(a) shows a view in which the container 602 is transparent, as in the first embodiment, this embodiment shows a display method in which the container 602 is opaque. In this case, when observed from the side, the particles 601 inside the container are completely invisible, and only the container 602 is visible. Therefore, if particles other than the particle of interest, which are non-target objects, and the container are displayed transparently, problems arise, such as the behavior of the powder as a whole being unclear. Therefore, in the second embodiment, an example in which multiple non-target objects are set is shown, with particles other than the particle of interest set as non-target object 1 and the container set as non-target object 2. 6(b) to 6(d) show images created by the individual image creation unit 114, where FIG. 6(b) shows a projection image 603 of the particle of interest, FIG. 6(c) shows a projection image 604 of a particle other than the particle of interest, which is non-target object 1, and FIG. 6(d) shows a projection image 605 of the container, which is non-target object 2. The projection image 603 is an example of an image of the particle of interest (first image). The image of non-target object 1 is an example of a second image. The image of non-target object 2 is an example of a third image, which is an image of a non-target object not included in the second image. In this way, the individual image creation unit 114 creates three images, which are then combined by the image synthesis unit 115. FIG. 6(e) shows an example of the processing result of the image synthesis unit 115, and reference numeral 606 denotes an image obtained by combining the image 603 of the target object, the image 604 of the non-target object 1, and the image 605 of the non-target object 2. In this example, the image synthesis unit 115 sets transparency to make the non-target object 1 image 604 semi-transparent in the background, then the target object image 603, and then the non-target object 2 image 606 in the foreground, and overlays them all together. This method makes it possible to objectively evaluate the behavior of the target object among multiple objects when various types of objects are mixed among the non-target objects other than the target object.

[0050] [Other embodiments] 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 having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

[0051] The information processing device in each of the above-described embodiments may be realized as a single device, or may be realized as a combination of multiple devices that can communicate with each other to execute the above-described processing, and both are included in the embodiments of the present invention. The above-described processing may be executed by a common server device or server group. The multiple devices that make up the information processing device and the information processing system only need to be able to communicate at a predetermined communication rate, and do not need to be located in the same facility or the same country.

[0052] Embodiments of the present invention include a form in which a software program that realizes the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments is supplied to a system or device, and the computer of the system or device reads and executes the code of the supplied program.

[0053] Therefore, the program code itself installed on a computer to implement the processes according to the embodiments is also an embodiment of the present invention. Also, the OS running on the computer may perform some or all of the actual processing based on instructions contained in the program read by the computer, and the functions of the above-described embodiments may also be implemented by this processing.

[0054] Appropriate combinations of the above-described embodiments are also included in the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. a setting means for setting an object of interest among the plurality of objects as the object of interest; a creating means for creating a first image representing the target object, and for creating a second image representing a single object by integrating a plurality of non-target objects that are not the target object among the plurality of objects based on ID data or attribute data unique to the plurality of objects; a synthesis means for synthesizing the first image and the second image; an output means for outputting the synthesized image; An information processing device comprising:

2. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combining means combines the first image and the second image by superimposing them in a predetermined display order.

3. The method further includes a display condition setting unit that sets at least one display condition of transparency, display color, and display order for the first image and the second image; 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combining means combines the first image and the second image by changing the display conditions of the first image and the second image.

4. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said combining means combines said first image and said second image with different degrees of transparency.

5. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target objects are a plurality of objects to be targeted among the plurality of objects.

6. 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second image is an image that represents all of the non-target objects that are not the target object among the plurality of objects as a single object.

7. the second image is an image representing at least some of the non-target objects, which are not the target object, among the plurality of objects as a single object; the creating means creates a third image, which is an image of at least some of the non-target objects among the plurality of objects that are not the target object and are not included in the second image; 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combining means combines the first image, the second image, and the third image.

8. 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the creating means creates the first image and the second image as projected images from a certain viewpoint.

9. 8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said creating means creates the first image, the second image, and the third image as projected images from a certain viewpoint.

10. The apparatus further includes an acquisition means for acquiring information indicating coordinates that indicate the shape, orientation, and position of an object; 10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the creating means creates a first image and a second image based on the acquired information.

11. 11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the creating unit accepts settings regarding a manner in which an object is to be displayed in the image to be created.

12. 12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combining means accepts a setting for the combining mode.

13. 13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output means outputs the composite image by displaying the composite image on a display unit.

14. 14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs a file including the composite image.

15. A setting means for setting an object of interest among a plurality of objects as an object of interest; means for generating a first three-dimensional video representing the target object, and a second three-dimensional video representing a single object by integrating a plurality of non-target objects that are not the target object among the plurality of objects based on ID data or attribute data unique to the plurality of objects; means for generating a first projected video, which is a projected image of the first three-dimensional video from a first viewpoint; means for generating a second projected video, which is a projected image of the second three-dimensional video from the first viewpoint; means for combining the first projected moving image with a first transparency and the second projected moving image with a second transparency; a display means for displaying the composite moving image; An information processing device having the above.

16. a setting means for setting an object of interest among the plurality of objects as the object of interest; a creating means for creating a first image representing the target object, and for creating a second image representing a single object by integrating a plurality of non-target objects that are not the target object among the plurality of objects based on ID data or attribute data unique to the plurality of objects; a synthesis means for synthesizing the first image and the second image; an output means for outputting the synthesized image; An information processing system comprising:

17. a setting step of setting an object of interest among the plurality of objects as the object of interest; a creating step of creating a first image representing the target object, and creating a second image representing a single object by integrating a plurality of non-target objects that are not the target object among the plurality of objects based on ID data or attribute data unique to the plurality of objects; a combining step of combining the first image and the second image; an output step of outputting the composite image; An information processing method comprising:

18. A program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method according to claim 17.

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