Information notification device, information notification method, and program

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to limit communication to a user wearing a HMD in accordance with the situation. This information notifying device includes: a situation information setting unit (34) for setting situation information indicating whether a user utilizing a head-mounted display can accept communication that is not via the head-mounted display; and a notification control unit (36) for causing information indicating that it is prohibited to communicate with the user to be notified to the surroundings if the situation information is information to the effect that the user cannot accept communications.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information notification device, an information notification method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the development of VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality) content and the realization of inexpensive devices, HMD (Head Mount Display) has become widespread. A user can easily experience being in another space just by wearing an HMD on their head and playing content. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technique for detecting whether a situation requires notification to a user of an HMD and notifying the user when notification is necessary.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0004] Here, when a user wearing an HMD is playing content while wearing the HMD, the user cannot recognize the surrounding situation. Therefore, when communicating with the user, it is common to touch the user's body, such as tapping the user's shoulder. However, depending on the situation in which the user is placed, it may not be desirable to receive communication from others. Therefore, it is required to limit communication to a user wearing an HMD according to the situation.

[0005] An object of the present embodiment is to provide an information notification device, an information notification method, and a program that can limit communication to a user wearing an HMD according to the situation.

[0006] An information notification device according to one aspect of this embodiment includes a status information setting unit that sets status information indicating whether or not a user using a head-mounted display can receive communication without going through the head-mounted display, and a notification control unit that, when the status information indicates that the user cannot receive communication, causes the device to notify those around it of information indicating that communication with the user is prohibited.

[0007] An information notification method according to one aspect of this embodiment includes the steps of: setting status information indicating whether a user using a head-mounted display can receive communication without going through the head-mounted display; and, if the status information indicates that the user cannot receive communication, notifying those around the user that communication is prohibited.

[0008] A program according to one aspect of this embodiment causes a computer to perform the following steps: set status information indicating whether a user using a head-mounted display can receive communication without going through the head-mounted display; and, if the status information indicates that the user cannot receive communication, notify the surroundings of information indicating that communication with the user is prohibited.

[0009] According to this embodiment, communication with the user wearing the HMD can be restricted depending on the situation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the display device according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the display device according to this embodiment. [Figure 3]Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the process for selecting the information used to set the status information. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the notification process in auto mode. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The embodiments described below will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0012] (display device) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the display device according to this embodiment. The display device 1, as an information notification device according to this embodiment, is a display device that displays images. As shown in Figure 1, the display device 1 is a so-called HMD (Head Mount Display) that is worn on the head of user U. For example, the display device 1 has a display unit 12 mounted in front of user U's eyes and an audio output unit 14 mounted on the user's ears. The display device 1 then provides content to user U by displaying an image on the display unit 12 and outputting sound from the audio output unit 14. Note that the configuration of the display device 1 shown in Figure 1 is just one example.

[0013] By wearing the display device 1 and viewing content, user U is blocked from external visual and auditory information, allowing them to immerse themselves in the VR or AR space and enjoy the content. On the other hand, user U may not notice when they receive communication from the outside without going through the display device 1, such as when someone speaks to them directly. Therefore, when communicating with user U while they are wearing the display device 1, physical contact, such as tapping them on the shoulder, is often necessary. However, depending on user U's situation, receiving communication without going through the display device 1 may be undesirable. For example, if user U is concentrating on the content and does not want to be interrupted, or if they are performing precise actions within the content, or if they are encountering a tense scene within the content, receiving communication would be undesirable.

[0014] Thus, depending on User U's situation, receiving communication may be undesirable. Therefore, it is necessary to restrict communication to User U according to User U's circumstances. However, since others cannot understand User U's situation, it can be difficult to restrict communication to User U. In response to this, the display device 1 of this embodiment notifies those around User U whether it is acceptable to communicate with User U, thereby encouraging others to restrict communication to User U. As a result, it is possible to restrict communication to User U according to User U's circumstances. The configuration and processing details of the display device 1 will be described in detail below.

[0015] (Display device configuration) Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the display device according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 2, the display device 1 according to this embodiment includes an input unit 10, a display unit 12, an audio output unit 14, a user state detection unit 16, a notification unit 18, a storage unit 20, and a control unit 22.

[0016] The input unit 10 is a device that receives input from user U. The method of operation of the display device 1 by user U can be arbitrary, but examples include at least one of the following: touch operation, voice operation, and eye-tracking operation. If touch operation is performed, the input unit 10 may be a touch panel or physical buttons. If voice operation is performed, the input unit 10 may be a microphone that detects user U's voice. If eye-tracking operation is performed, the input unit 10 may be a display.

[0017] The display unit 12 is a display that shows images, and in this embodiment, it is worn on the user U's eye. The audio output unit 14 is a speaker that outputs sound, and in this embodiment, it is worn on the user U's ear.

[0018] The user state detection unit 16 is a sensor that detects the user state, which is the state of user U. The user state is information that indicates the state of the user. The user state may be any information, but in this embodiment, it is information that indicates the degree of user U's concentration on the content. For example, the user state may include at least one of the following: user U's gaze, user U's facial expression, and the voice that user U makes. When detecting user U's gaze, the user state detection unit 16 may be an imaging device that detects user U's gaze. When detecting user U's facial expression, the user state detection unit 16 may be an imaging device that detects user U's facial expression. When detecting voice that user U makes, the user state detection unit 16 may be a microphone that detects user U's voice. Note that if the user state detection unit 16 and other devices (input unit 10 and display unit 12) have the same function, the same device can be used for both. Note that the user state may also be user U's biometric information. Preferably, user U's biometric information is information related to user U's autonomic nervous system, that is, information whose value changes regardless of user U's will. Examples of biometric information include the heart rate of user U. When detecting the heart rate of user U, the user state detection unit 16 may be a microphone that detects the heart rate of user U.

[0019] The notification unit 18 is an output device that notifies the surroundings of information indicating the situation of the user U. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the notification unit 18 may be a light source such as an LED provided so as to be exposed outside the display device 1. In this case, for example, the notification unit 18 notifies the surroundings of the information by irradiating light. However, the notification unit 18 may notify the information to the public in any method. For example, the notification unit 18 may be a speaker that outputs sound toward the surroundings, or may be a display device that displays characters, images, or the like.

[0020] The storage unit 20 is a memory that stores various information such as the calculation content and programs of the control unit 22, and includes, for example, at least one of a main storage device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read Only Memory), and an external storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The program for the control unit 22 stored by the storage unit 20 may be stored in a recording medium readable by the display device 1. Further, the data of the content provided by the display device 1 may be stored in the storage unit 20, or may be stored in a device different from the display device 1 and provided to the display device 1 by wired or wireless communication.

[0021] The control unit 22 is an arithmetic device, that is, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 22 includes a display control unit 30, a detection information acquisition unit 32, a situation information setting unit 34, and a notification control unit 36. The control unit 22 reads out a program (software) from the storage unit 20 and executes it to realize the display control unit 30, the detection information acquisition unit 32, the situation information setting unit 34, and the notification control unit 36, and executes their processes. Note that the control unit 22 may execute these processes by one CPU, or may include a plurality of CPUs and execute the processes by these plurality of CPUs. Further, at least a part of the display control unit 30, the detection information acquisition unit 32, the situation information setting unit 34, and the notification control unit 36 may be realized by hardware.

[0022] The display control unit 30 controls the display unit 12 to display an image on the display unit 12. The display control unit 30 acquires the image data among the content data, and based on the image data, causes the display unit 12 to display an image related to the content. Further, the display control unit 30 controls the audio output unit 14 to output audio from the audio output unit 14. The display control unit 30 acquires the audio data among the content data, and based on the audio data, causes the audio output unit 14 to output audio related to the content. Note that the display control unit 30 may acquire the content data stored in the storage unit 20 in advance, or may acquire the content data from an external device via a communication unit (not shown).

[0023] The detection information acquisition unit 32 controls the user state detection unit 16 to detect the user state in the user state detection unit 16. The detection information acquisition unit 32 acquires the user state detected by the user state detection unit 16. Details of the processing of the detection information acquisition unit 32 will be described later.

[0024] The situation information setting unit 34 sets situation information. The situation information is information indicating the situation of the user U. More specifically, the situation information is information indicating whether the user U using the display device 1 can receive communication without going through the display device 1. In other words, it can be said that the situation information setting unit 34 determines whether the user U is in a state where communication can be received without going through the display device 1. Details of the processing of the situation information setting unit 34 will be described later.

[0025] The notification control unit 36 ​​controls the notification unit 18 to notify the surroundings of information indicating the status of user U. If the status information indicates that user U is unable to receive communication, the notification control unit 36 ​​notifies the surroundings (people other than user U) that communication with user U is prohibited. In other words, if the status information setting unit 34 determines that user U is not in a state to receive communication without going through the display device 1, the notification control unit 36 ​​notifies the surroundings that communication with user U is prohibited. Details of the processing of the notification control unit 36 ​​will be described later.

[0026] (Processing of the display device) Next, the process of notifying the surroundings of information indicating the status of user U will be described. Based on the status information set by the status information setting unit 34, the notification control unit 36 ​​causes the notification unit 40 to notify the surroundings of information indicating whether or not people in the surroundings are allowed to communicate with user U, as information indicating the status of user U. For example, if the status information indicates that user U cannot receive communication, the notification control unit 36 ​​causes the surroundings to notify prohibition information indicating that people are prohibited from communicating with user U. On the other hand, if the status information indicates that user U can receive communication, the notification control unit 36 ​​causes the surroundings to notify permission information indicating that people are allowed to communicate with user U. The prohibition information may be of any content as long as it indicates content different from the permission information. For example, the notification control unit 36 ​​may notify prohibition information by flashing a red light and permission information by lighting a blue light. Alternatively, the notification control unit 36 ​​may output audio, text, images, etc., indicating prohibition information or permission information.

[0027] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the flow for selecting the information to be used to set the status information. The status information setting unit 34 determines, depending on the setting mode, whether to set the status information based on the user U's settings (set the status information manually) or to set the status information based on the content information and the user's state (set the status information automatically). As shown in Figure 3, if the setting mode is set to manual mode, where the user U sets the status information (step S10; Yes), the status information setting unit 34 sets the status information based on the user U's settings (step S12). On the other hand, if the setting mode is not set to manual mode (step S10; No), that is, if the setting mode is set to auto mode, where the status information is set automatically, the status information is set automatically based on the content information and the user's state without using the user U's settings (step S14). The setting mode may be set by any method, but in this embodiment, it is set by the user U. In other words, for example, if user U inputs to the input unit 10 that the user should use manual mode, the display device 1 sets the setting mode to manual mode, and if user U inputs to the input unit 10 that the user should use auto mode, the display device 1 sets the setting mode to auto mode.

[0028] (Notification processing in manual mode) When the system is in manual mode, the status information setting unit 34 acquires the status information set by user U. In this case, for example, user U sets the status information by inputting information indicating that user U can receive communication, or information indicating that user U cannot receive communication, into the input unit 10. If user U has set information indicating that user U can receive communication, the status information setting unit 34 sets that user U can receive communication as the status information. In this case, the notification control unit 36 ​​notifies the surroundings of the permission information. On the other hand, if user U has set information indicating that user U cannot receive communication, the status information setting unit 34 sets that user U cannot receive communication as the status information. In this case, the notification control unit 36 ​​notifies the surroundings of the prohibition information. When the system is set to manual mode, it is preferable not to change the content of the notifications sent to the surroundings until the status information setting is updated by user U. However, the display device 1 may, for example, provide user U with a notification that the status information will be reset at predetermined intervals.

[0029] (Notification processing in auto mode) Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the notification process in auto mode. When in auto mode, the status information setting unit 34 sets status information based on content information and user status. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the status information setting unit 34 acquires content information (step S20) and determines whether user U can receive communication based on the content information of the content being played (step S22). Content information is information indicating the content of the content being played by the display device 1. If the content information indicates that communication is possible, the status information setting unit 34 determines that user U can receive communication with the content being played. On the other hand, if the content information indicates that communication is not possible, the status information setting unit 34 determines that user U cannot receive communication with the content being played. For example, if the content being played includes a tense scene, user U may be startled if they receive communication while the content is being played, so the content is considered unsuitable for communication.

[0030] In this embodiment, content information is pre-set and included in the content data. That is, in this embodiment, the content data includes data (flags) indicating content information in addition to image data and audio data. For example, if the content includes tense scenes, such as in a horror movie, the flag indicating content information is set to indicate that communication is not possible. The situation information setting unit 34 reads the content information from the content data, and if the content information is a flag indicating that communication is possible, it determines that the content being played is content that user U can communicate with. On the other hand, if the read content information is a flag indicating that communication is not possible, the situation information setting unit 34 determines that the content being played is content that user U cannot communicate with.

[0031] Furthermore, content information is not limited to a flag indicating whether or not the content is uncommunicable; any information indicating the content is acceptable. For example, content information may be an index indicating the degree of urgency of the content. If the index indicating the degree of urgency included in the read content information is higher than a predetermined threshold, the situation information setting unit 34 may determine that the content being played is uncommunicable for user U. If the index indicating the degree of urgency is below a predetermined threshold, the situation information setting unit 34 may determine that the content being played is uncommunicable for user U. In summary, for example, content may include a flag indicating whether or not the content contains a tense scene, or an index indicating the degree of urgency of the content. The situation information setting unit 34 may set situation information indicating that communication is uncommunicable if the content includes the flag or if the index included in the content is higher than a predetermined threshold.

[0032] For example, if the content is a video, the content will change depending on the playback time. In such cases, content information may be set at predetermined playback time intervals. Alternatively, content information (flags or indicators in the above example) may be set for each scene of the content. The status information setting unit 34 reads the content information corresponding to the current playback time and scene and determines whether the content is suitable for communication. That is, the status information setting unit 34 sets status information for each piece of content if content information is set on a per-content basis, sets status information for each playback time if content information is set on a per-playback time basis, and sets status information for each scene if content information is set on a per-scene basis.

[0033] Furthermore, the status information setting unit 34 may acquire at least one of the image data and audio data of the content as content information, and based on at least one of the image data and audio data of the content, detect the content being played and determine whether or not the content is such that user U cannot receive communication. The status information setting unit 34 may acquire image data and audio data by detecting the image and audio currently being played, or it may acquire image data and audio data of content that has been previously stored in the storage unit 20.

[0034] If it is determined that the content being played is suitable for communication (Step S22; Yes), the detection information acquisition unit 32 acquires the user state information detected by the user state detection unit 16 (Step S24). Then, the status information setting unit 34 determines whether user U is in a state where they can receive communication based on the latest user state of user U acquired by the detection information acquisition unit 32 (Step S26). More specifically, the status information setting unit 34 determines from the user state whether user U is concentrating on the content, and if user U is concentrating on the content, it determines that user U is in a state where they cannot receive communication. On the other hand, if user U is not concentrating on the content, the status information setting unit 34 determines that user U is in a state where they can receive communication.

[0035] The status information setting unit 34 may determine whether user U is concentrating on the content in any way based on the user state. For example, if the user state is information indicating user U's gaze, the status information setting unit 34 may determine that user U is concentrating on the content if user U's gaze is focused on the same object in the content or if the number of blinks per unit time is below a predetermined value. Alternatively, if the user state is information indicating user U's facial expression, the unit may determine that user U is concentrating on the content if the degree of change in user U's facial expression is small. Alternatively, if the user state is the voice emitted by user U, the unit may determine that user U is concentrating on the content if the voice emitted by user U matches the content. Alternatively, if the user state is information indicating user U's biometric information, the unit may determine that user U is concentrating on the content if user U's heart rate per unit time is above a predetermined value.

[0036] If user U is determined to be able to receive communication (step S26; Yes), the status information setting unit 34 sets status information indicating that communication is possible (step S28), meaning that communication is possible, and the notification control unit 36 ​​instructs the notification unit 40 to notify permission information (step S30). The notification unit 40 continues to notify permission information. On the other hand, if user U is determined to be unable to receive communication (step S26; No), the status information setting unit 34 sets status information indicating that communication is not possible (step S32), meaning that communication is not possible, and the notification control unit 36 ​​instructs the notification unit 40 to notify prohibition information (step S34). Also, if the content being played is determined to be unsuitable for communication (step S22; No), the process proceeds to step S32, where the status information setting unit 34 sets status information indicating that communication is not possible, and the notification control unit 36 ​​instructs the notification unit 40 to notify prohibition information (step S34). The notification unit 40 continues to notify prohibition information.

[0037] If the process does not end after executing the process in step S30 or step S34 (step S36; No), in other words, if user U does not stop using the display device 1, the process returns to step S20, and the process from step S20 is repeated each time a predetermined amount of time has elapsed to update the information to be notified to the notification unit 40. On the other hand, if the process is completed (step S36; Yes), in other words, if user U stops using the display device 1, this process is terminated.

[0038] As described above, the display device 1 according to this embodiment determines whether or not it is permissible to communicate with user U based on the content and the state of user U, and notifies an external party of information indicating whether or not it is permissible to communicate with user U (prohibition information or permission information) according to the determination result. Therefore, the display device 1 according to this embodiment can appropriately notify an external party of information regarding whether or not it is permissible to communicate with user U, depending on the situation of user U. Accordingly, the display device 1 according to this embodiment makes it possible to encourage others to restrict communication with user U and to restrict communication with user U according to the situation of user U.

[0039] (Other examples) In the above explanation, the notification control unit 36 ​​notified permission information when the status information setting unit 34 set status information indicating that communication could be received (when the status information setting unit 34 determined that communication could be received). However, notifying permission information is not mandatory. The notification control unit 36 ​​only needs to notify prohibition information when the status information setting unit 34 sets status information indicating that communication cannot be received (when the status information setting unit 34 determined that communication could not be received). Even without notifying permission information, notifying prohibition information can restrict communication from other people to user U.

[0040] Furthermore, in step S22 shown in Figure 4, the status information setting unit 34 may determine whether the content is suitable for communication based on the content information and user information indicating the user's attributes. User information refers to information about a pre-set user U, and can be said to be information indicating the user U's attributes. User information may include, for example, information on at least one of the user U's gender and age. The detection information acquisition unit 32 may acquire user information by any method. For example, user information may be stored in the storage unit 20 in advance, and the detection information acquisition unit 32 may read it. Alternatively, for example, the detection information acquisition unit 32 may acquire user information from an external device (for example, a device that stores game save data containing user information) via communication. Alternatively, for example, the display device 1 may be provided with a sensor to detect user U, and the detection information acquisition unit 32 may set user information based on the detection result of user U by that sensor. The sensor used to detect user U can be arbitrary, but it may be, for example, a camera that images user U. In this case, for example, the detection information acquisition unit 32 estimates user information of user U from the captured image of user U and sets the user information. Whether content is suitable for communication may vary depending on the attributes of user U. Therefore, the accuracy of the judgment can be improved by determining whether content is suitable for communication based on content information and user information. For example, even if the content information indicates that it is suitable for communication, the situation information setting unit 34 may determine that it is not suitable for communication if user U's age is lower than a predetermined value. Furthermore, the threshold of the indicator showing the degree of tension may be changed according to the user attributes. In addition, as the content progresses, the degree of surprise may be accumulated or updated as a user attribute based on the user's heart rate, etc., and the threshold of the indicator showing the degree of tension may be changed. By doing so, an appropriate threshold can be set for each user, thereby improving the accuracy of the judgment.In summary, the detection information acquisition unit 32 acquires information on at least one of user U's gender or age as user information, and the situation information setting unit 34 may set situation information indicating that communication cannot be received if the age is lower than a predetermined value, or may change a predetermined threshold for comparing an index indicating the urgency of the content based on the user information.

[0041] Furthermore, as explained above, if the content is determined to be unsuitable for communication (step S22; No), prohibition information will be notified regardless of the user state, as shown in step S22 of Figure 4, but this is not the only case. For example, even if the display device 1 determines that the content is unsuitable for communication, it may notify permission information if the user state is determined to be in a state where communication is possible. In this case, the display device 1 notifies prohibition information only if the content is determined to be unsuitable for communication AND the user state is determined to be in a state where communication is not possible.

[0042] Furthermore, although the above description states that the status information setting unit 34 sets status information based on the user U settings, content information, and user status, it is not limited to this, and may set status information in any way using at least one of the user U settings, content information, and user status.

[0043] Furthermore, in the above description, the HMD (Head-Mounted Display) display device 1 provides content while executing the processes described in Figures 3 and 4. That is, the display device 1 has the function of an HMD that provides content and the function of an information notification device that executes the processes described in Figures 3 and 4. However, the information notification device that executes the processes described in Figures 3 and 4 may be a separate device from the HMD display device 1. In this case, for example, the information notification device may include the user state detection unit 16, notification unit 18, storage unit 20, detection information acquisition unit 32, status information setting unit 34, and notification control unit 36 ​​shown in Figure 2.

[0044] (effect) As described above, the information notification device according to this embodiment includes a status information setting unit 34 and a notification control unit 36. The status information setting unit 34 sets status information indicating whether or not user U, who is using the HMD (display device 1), can receive communication without going through the HMD. If the status information indicates that user U cannot receive communication, the notification control unit 36 ​​notifies those around (people other than user U) that communication with user U is prohibited. According to the information notification device according to this embodiment, it is possible to appropriately notify external parties of whether or not it is permissible to communicate with user U, depending on user U's situation. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to encourage others to restrict communication with user U and to restrict communication with user U according to user U's situation.

[0045] The status information setting unit 34 sets status information based on at least one of the following: settings by user U, information about the content being played on the HMD (display device 1) (content information), and the state of user U (user state). According to the information notification device of this embodiment, it is determined from at least one of the user settings, content information, and user state whether user U is in a state where they can receive communication. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to appropriately reflect the status of user U and restrict communication to user U.

[0046] The status information setting unit 34 sets status information indicating that the content is not eligible for communication, as content information. According to this embodiment, it is possible to appropriately restrict communication to user U depending on the content that user U is viewing.

[0047] The status information setting unit 34 sets status information indicating that communication cannot be received when the user status indicates that user U is concentrating. According to this embodiment, it is possible to appropriately restrict communication to user U according to the degree to which user U is concentrating on the content.

[0048] The status information setting unit 34 sets status information indicating that communication is unavailable if it determines that the content is such that communication is possible, but user U is unable to receive it. According to this embodiment, it is possible to appropriately restrict communication to user U according to the content that user U is viewing and the degree to which user U is concentrating on the content.

[0049] Although this embodiment has been described above, the embodiments are not limited by the content of these embodiments. Furthermore, the aforementioned components include those that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that fall within the so-called equivalent range. Moreover, the aforementioned components can be combined as appropriate, and the configurations of each embodiment can also be combined. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the gist of the embodiments described above. [Industrial applicability]

[0050] The information notification device, information notification method, and program of this embodiment can be used, for example, for image display. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0051] 1 Display device (information notification device) 12 Display section 14. Audio output section 16 User State Detection Unit 18 Notification Department 32 Detection Information Acquisition Unit 34. Situation Information Setting Unit 36 Notification Control Unit

Claims

1. A status information setting unit sets status information indicating whether a user using a head-mounted display can receive communication without going through the head-mounted display, The aforementioned situation information includes a notification control unit that, when the information indicates that the user is unable to receive communication, notifies those around the user that communication is prohibited, and A detection information acquisition unit acquires information indicating the attributes of the aforementioned user as user information, Includes, The status information setting unit sets status information indicating whether the content allows the user to receive external communications, based on the information of the content being played on the head-mounted display and the user information. The detection information acquisition unit acquires information on at least one of the user's gender or age as user information. The aforementioned content includes an indicator showing the degree of urgency of the content, The status information setting unit sets status information indicating that communication cannot be received if the age is lower than a predetermined value, or changes a predetermined threshold based on the user information and sets status information indicating that communication cannot be received if the indicator is higher than the predetermined threshold.

2. The aforementioned content includes a flag indicating whether or not the content contains a tense scene. The information notification device according to claim 1, wherein the status information setting unit sets the status information indicating that communication cannot be received when the flag is included.

3. The information notification device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the status information setting unit sets the status information based on the user's status.

4. The information notification device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the status information setting unit sets the status information indicating that communication cannot be received when the user is busy.

5. A step of setting status information indicating whether a user using a head-mounted display can receive communication without going through the head-mounted display, If the situation information indicates that the user is unable to receive communication, the step is to notify those around the user that communication is prohibited. The steps include: obtaining information indicating the user's attributes as user information; Includes, In the step of setting the status information, based on the information of the content being played on the head-mounted display and the user information, status information is set to indicate whether the content allows the user to receive external communications. In the step of setting the status information, information on at least one of the user's gender or age is obtained as the user information. The aforementioned content includes an indicator showing the degree of urgency of the content, An information notification method comprising the step of setting the status information, which includes setting the status information that communication cannot be received if the age is lower than a predetermined value, or changing a predetermined threshold based on the user information and setting the status information that communication cannot be received if the indicator is higher than the predetermined threshold.

6. A step of setting status information indicating whether a user using a head-mounted display can receive communication without going through the head-mounted display, If the situation information indicates that the user is unable to receive communication, the step is to notify those around the user that communication is prohibited. The steps include: obtaining information indicating the user's attributes as user information; Have the computer execute it, In the step of setting the status information, based on the information of the content being played on the head-mounted display and the user information, status information is set to indicate whether the content allows the user to receive external communications. In the step of setting the status information, information on at least one of the user's gender or age is obtained as the user information. The aforementioned content includes an indicator showing the degree of urgency of the content, In the step of setting the status information, either the status information is set indicating that communication cannot be received if the age is lower than a predetermined value, or a predetermined threshold is changed based on the user information, and the status information is set indicating that communication cannot be received if the indicator is higher than the predetermined threshold. program.

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