Game live streaming system, game live streaming method, and game live streaming program

Abstract

To achieve high-quality live streaming without requiring the introduction of specialized software or equipment, while reducing the burden on the broadcaster. [Solution] The game live streaming system of this disclosure is a game live streaming system that realizes live streaming via a web browser using the streamer's terminal, and comprises: a screen information acquisition unit that acquires screen information specified by the streamer's terminal; a storage unit that stores the streamer's avatar information; an avatar information acquisition unit that acquires the streamer's avatar information from the storage unit; a synthesis control unit that controls the web browser to synthesize the screen information and the streamer's avatar information to generate synthesized information; and a distribution control unit that distributes the synthesized information generated by the synthesis control unit to the viewer's terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a game live distribution system, a game live distribution method, and a game live distribution program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, a technology has been widely spread in which an individual (hereinafter referred to as a "distributor") shoots a live video of a game or a video using an avatar which is the distributor's alter ego in real time and distributes it to viewers via the Internet. In general live distribution, the distributor has to synthesize the video of the game screen and the video of the avatar using dedicated distribution software typified by, for example, OBS (Open Broadcaster Software), and then encode it to generate distribution data. For distribution using OBS, various setting operations such as addition and arrangement of video sources, encoding settings, and connection settings to a stream server are required. However, these setting operations have not been easy for distributors who do not have such advanced IT (Information Technology) knowledge.

[0003] Under such circumstances, in Patent Document 1, a technique has been proposed to reduce the labor required for preparing a background image by visually editing a background image for live distribution on a browser and registering the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) corresponding to the background image data as a browser source of distribution software such as OBS.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, although the background image preparation process is simplified, the video synthesis of the game screen and avatar and the generation of the streaming stream still require the preparation of multiple software programs and complex capture settings, and the complexity of the streaming process has been one of the factors that hinders the streamer's freedom of expression. Furthermore, incorporating comments and audio effects in real time during live streaming also required separate dedicated streaming software, special equipment, and settings.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a game live streaming system, a game live streaming method, and a game live streaming program that do not require the introduction of dedicated software and special equipment, and that can achieve high-quality live streaming while reducing the burden on the streamer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A game live streaming system according to the first embodiment is a game live streaming system that realizes live streaming via a web browser using a streamer's terminal, comprising: a screen information acquisition unit that acquires screen information specified by the streamer's terminal; a storage unit that stores the streamer's avatar information; an avatar information acquisition unit that acquires the streamer's avatar information from the storage unit; a synthesis control unit that controls the web browser to synthesize the screen information and the streamer's avatar information to generate synthesized information; and a distribution control unit that distributes the synthesized information generated by the synthesis control unit to the viewer's terminal.

[0008] A game live streaming method according to a second embodiment is a live streaming method that realizes live streaming via a web browser using a streamer's terminal, and includes: a screen information acquisition step in which a computer equipped with a storage unit for storing the streamer's avatar information acquires screen information specified by the streamer's terminal; an avatar information acquisition step in which the computer acquires the streamer's avatar information from the storage unit; a synthesis control step in which the computer controls the computer to synthesize the screen information and the streamer's avatar information on the web browser to generate synthesized information; and a distribution control step in which the computer distributes the generated synthesized information to the viewer's terminal.

[0009] A game live streaming program according to a third embodiment is a game live streaming program that realizes live streaming via a web browser using a streamer's terminal, and the computer equipped with a storage unit for storing the streamer's avatar information is configured to function as a computer that includes a screen information acquisition unit for acquiring screen information specified by the streamer's terminal, an avatar information acquisition unit for acquiring the streamer's avatar information from the storage unit, a synthesis control unit for controlling the synthesis of the screen information and the streamer's avatar information on the web browser to generate synthesized information, and a distribution control unit for distributing the synthesized information generated by the synthesis control unit to the viewer's terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, a game live streaming system, a game live streaming method, and a game live streaming program can be provided that do not require the introduction of dedicated software and special equipment, and can realize high-quality live streaming while reducing the burden on the streamer. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a system configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of a game live streaming system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This block diagram shows an example configuration of a distribution server according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This flowchart shows an example of the procedure for starting a live game streaming system according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the overall configuration of the streaming interface displayed in the web browser on the streamer's device. [Figure 5] This figure shows the display state of the streaming interface when the streaming time reaches a long duration. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] A live streaming system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The live streaming system is a system for live streaming games among multiple users, including broadcasters and viewers. In the drawings, identical or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals.

[0013] (1) System Configuration Figure 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of the game live streaming system 1 according to this embodiment. The game live streaming system 1 realizes a game live streaming service that provides viewers with live commentary videos, which are gameplay videos in which a streamer plays and provides commentary while playing. In the illustrated example, there is one viewer watching the live commentary video by the streamer, but there may be multiple viewers watching the live commentary video by the streamer. When the streamer and viewers are not distinguished, they will simply be referred to as "users". Users are users of the game live streaming service. Users are assumed to have an account for the game live streaming service.

[0014] The game live streaming system 1 includes a video streaming platform 300, which includes a streaming server 100, and a number of terminals 200a and 200b. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between terminals 200a and 200b, they will also be referred to as "terminal 200". The streaming server 100 may be independent of the video streaming platform 300. The video streaming platform 300, which includes the streaming server 100, and the terminals 200 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a communication network 10. The communication network 10 includes the Internet. The communication network 10 may also include a LAN (Local Area Network). The game live streaming system 1, for example, uses the live streaming function of the video streaming platform 300 to stream live game commentary videos from the streaming server 100 to at least one terminal 200, as described later.

[0015] The distribution server 100 is an information processing device for a business operator providing game live streaming services, and is composed of one or more computers. The distribution server 100 may also be called a game live streaming server. The distribution server 100 may be a general-purpose computer such as a workstation or PC (Personal Computer), or it may be logically implemented by cloud computing (distributed computing). In other words, the distribution server 100 may be composed of one computer or multiple computers.

[0016] Multiple terminals 200 each have a broadcaster's terminal 200a and at least one viewer's terminal 200b. Note that when there is no need to distinguish between broadcasters and viewers, they may simply be referred to as "users." In a game live streaming service, a user becomes a broadcaster by selecting a game and starting a live stream of their gameplay video. Conversely, a user becomes a viewer by selecting one of the broadcasters and starting to watch their gameplay video. In other words, a single user can be both a broadcaster and a viewer. A single user does not need to be both a broadcaster and a viewer simultaneously. The streaming server 100 accepts access from each terminal 200 and distributes the gameplay video (including audio) provided by the broadcaster's terminal 200a to the viewer's terminal 200b.

[0017] Users can also enjoy online games provided by the game live streaming system 1 on their own. On the other hand, during live streaming of gameplay videos, a group consisting of multiple users is formed by the streamer and one or more viewers watching the streamer's gameplay videos.

[0018] (2) Terminal Configuration Description The terminal 200 is, for example, a PC, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a wearable terminal, or the like. The terminal 200 has an interface with the user and an interface with the communication network 10. The interface with the user includes, for example, at least one of a display, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch pad, a touch panel display, a microphone, and a speaker. The interface with the communication network 10 includes at least one of a wired communication interface and a wireless communication interface. In the following description of the embodiments, it is mainly assumed that each terminal 200 is a smartphone. It is assumed that an application program (hereinafter sometimes also referred to as an "application" or a "program") for using the game live distribution service is installed in each terminal 200. However, each terminal 200 may be able to use the game live distribution service provided as a web service by a general-purpose web browser. The terminal 200 can play various games provided by the distribution server 100 and distribute or view the live video by accessing the distribution server 100 via the installed application program.

[0019] In the game live distribution system 1, a live video of a game (specifically, video data and audio data) is transmitted from the terminal 200a of the distributor to the distribution server 100. The distribution server 100 performs various information processes on the live video and transmits (distributes) the live video to the terminal 200b of the viewer. The terminal 200b of the viewer displays the live video received from the distribution server 100.

[0020] In the game live distribution system 1, various communication functions are implemented to enable communication between the distributor who distributes the actual play video of the game and the viewer who watches the actual play video. For example, in the game live distribution system 1, the actual play video of the game is displayed on the viewer's terminal 200b, and a comment area (chat area) is also displayed, enabling the viewer to communicate with the distributor through comments (chat). Furthermore, it is possible for the viewer to give a gift (also referred to as a "support gift") to the distributor on the game live distribution service. By the viewer giving such a gift to the distributor, the viewer can support a favorite distributor or use it as an opportunity to communicate. In the game live distribution service, the distributor distributes the actual play video of the game being played to the viewer, and the viewer provides comments and gifts to the distributor while watching the actual play video.

[0021] In the game live distribution system 1, the viewer can register (follow) a favorite distributor. Generally, the viewer forms the fans of the distributor they follow and has the motivation to support their favorite distributor. The distributor has the motivation to conduct live distribution to increase their own fans.

[0022] (3) Configuration of the distribution server FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the distribution server 100 in the game live distribution system 1 according to the present embodiment. The distribution server 100 realizes live distribution through a web browser operating on the distributor's terminal 200a. The distribution server 100 is a server that constitutes the video distribution platform 300 and realizes live distribution on the viewer's terminal 200b. The distribution server 100 includes a communication unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a processing unit 130.

[0023] The communication unit 110 is a network interface connected to the communication network 10. Communication by the communication unit 110 may be wired communication or may include wireless communication. Under the control of the processing unit 130, the communication unit 110 sends and receives data to and from the terminal 200 via the communication network 10. For example, the communication unit 110 receives video data and audio data transmitted from the broadcaster's terminal 200a, and also transmits the synthesized information 128 generated by the processing unit 130 to the viewer's terminal 200b.

[0024] The memory unit 120 includes, for example, auxiliary storage devices such as ROM (Read Only Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and SSD (Solid State Drive). A game live streaming program, as an example of a program executed by the processing unit 130, is stored, for example, in the ROM and / or auxiliary storage devices of the memory unit 120. The memory unit 120 has various databases related to the game live streaming service, including a user information database 121, a game information database 122, a gift information database 123, and a predicted result database 124.

[0025] The memory unit 120 stores at least the broadcaster's avatar information 127. Furthermore, as will be described later, the memory unit 120 can further store screen information 126, which is the broadcaster's video source data acquired by the screen information acquisition unit 136; avatar information 127, which is the broadcaster's avatar data acquired by the avatar information acquisition unit 137; composite information 128, which is the composite video data for distribution generated by the composite control unit 138; comment information 129, which is the text data of viewer comments acquired by the comment information acquisition unit 141; and / or design information 129A, which is design template data relating to the layout frame of the distributed video.

[0026] The user information database 121 stores information for each user of the game live streaming service, including user ID, nickname, avatar information, medal information, owned game currency information, and information on special rewards earned. The user ID includes a unique ID for the game live streaming service and / or a unique ID within the game (e.g., a betting game). The nickname is the name used for the user in the game live streaming service. The avatar information is information about the model data and customization parameters of the avatar used by the user on the game live streaming service (e.g., a 3D avatar character customized by the user), and is managed in association with each user's user ID. The avatar information acquisition unit 137, described later, reads the avatar information from the user information database 121 and expands it into the storage unit 120 as avatar information 127.

[0027] Medal information is a value usable only in betting games and refers to information about the medals a user possesses. Medals have no monetary value and cannot be exchanged for cash. Medal information includes information about the number of medals a user possesses and information about the number of medals a user has received as winnings.

[0028] The in-game currency information represents the value (coins) usable in betting games and other games, and cannot be exchanged for cash. Some coins can be obtained by fulfilling certain conditions (e.g., logging in) on the game live streaming service. Support gifts from viewers to streamers are sent by viewers purchasing gifts using coins. Coins may also be usable to purchase avatars and their costumes used on the game live streaming service.

[0029] The game information database 122 stores information related to betting games. Specifically, it stores drawing data for each character, ability parameters for each character (e.g., stamina, attack power, defense power, speed, skills, etc.), information related to bets and odds, as well as the ID of each competition and information of participating users. The game information database 122 may also store information about characters developed by each user, associated with the user ID.

[0030] The gift information database 123 stores information about support gifts given to support streamers. For example, the gift information database 123 stores information for each type of gift, including the gift name, gift image data (icon), gift animation data (animation, etc.), and the number of coins required to purchase the gift. The gift information acquisition unit 140, described later, reads the corresponding animation data from the gift information database 123 when a viewer sends a gift to a streamer and uses it for animation synthesis by the synthesis control unit 138.

[0031] The prediction results database 124 stores, for each competition in the betting game, information identifying the competition (match ID) or information identifying the broadcast in which the competition is taking place (broadcast ID), information of each user who placed a vote, the content of each user's vote (prediction), information on whether each user's prediction was correct or not, and information on each user's payout. This makes it possible to distinguish and manage which broadcast and which competition a viewer voted for, even if they are participating in matches from multiple broadcasters simultaneously.

[0032] Screen information 126 is dynamic video data acquired in real time via the web browser's standard screen sharing interface from a selected video source (the entire desktop, a specific application window, or a specific web browser tab) on the broadcaster's terminal 200a. For example, if the broadcaster specifies a game application window, the video from that game window is acquired frame by frame and stored as screen information 126. Avatar information 127 is 3D avatar model data associated with the broadcaster's user account, and includes customized character shape, texture, animation data, etc., read from the user information database 121.

[0033] The composite information 128 is video and audio data for distribution generated by the composite control unit 138 by integrating screen information 126, avatar information 127, comment information 129, sound information, and / or performance information. The comment information 129 is data of text comments sent in real time from the viewer's terminal 200b during distribution. The comment information 129 is acquired sequentially by the comment information acquisition unit 141 in synchronization with the chat system of the distribution platform. The design information 129A is data of design templates that define the layout of the distributed video. The design information 129A includes multiple templates such as a "main game screen + bottom right avatar" layout, a "centered avatar + left and right comment fields" layout, and a "casual chat style (room background + avatar)" layout, which are pre-stored in the storage unit 120.

[0034] The processing unit 130 is composed of one or more processors and RAM (Random Access Memory) used as the processor's work area. In this embodiment, the processing unit 130 functions as a game provision unit 131, a distribution control unit 132, a group processing unit 133, a game control unit 134, a display control unit 135, a screen information acquisition unit 136, an avatar information acquisition unit 137, a synthesis control unit 138, an acoustic information acquisition unit 139, a gift information acquisition unit 140, and a comment information acquisition unit 141 by loading the game live distribution program stored in the memory unit 120 into the RAM and executing it. Each of these units performs information processing using the information stored in the memory unit 120.

[0035] The game provider unit 131 provides users with, for example, betting games (social betting games). A betting game is a game in which users (broadcasters, viewers) predict the outcome of a competition held in the game space, and if their bets meet the conditions for success, they are awarded a payout.

[0036] The game provider unit 131 accepts votes (bets) from streamers and / or viewers in betting games. For example, the game provider unit 131 accepts the streamer's selection of a predicted character on the streaming screen, as well as the selection of the number of medals to bet on that character on the streaming screen.

[0037] The game provider unit 131 accepts character selections and betting medal selections from viewers on the viewing screen. The game provider unit 131 accepts votes from both the streamer and viewers using medals, which are a value used exclusively for the game and cannot be exchanged for cash.

[0038] The game provider unit 131 awards medals as payouts, determined according to the medals used in the vote and the odds. At this time, considering that viewers can participate in multiple broadcasts simultaneously, the game provider unit 131 identifies which broadcast room the viewer used to cast their vote, obtains the match ID corresponding to the broadcast in which the operation was performed, and links it to the vote.

[0039] The distribution control unit 132 controls live streaming to the viewer's terminal 200b via the video streaming platform 300. The distribution control unit 132 transmits the gameplay video of the game being played by the streamer to the viewer's terminal 200b via the video streaming platform 300. Specifically, it transmits the gameplay video data and audio data received from the streamer's terminal 200a directly from the streaming server 100 to the viewer's terminal 200b in real time. The distribution control unit 132 manages the streaming start and stop processes so that users can become streamers by starting to stream gameplay videos on their own web browsers. The automatic live streaming setting function by the distribution control unit 132 will be described later.

[0040] The group processing unit 133 includes a comment processing unit 133a that enables viewers to post and view comments via their terminals 200b only within a group consisting of the streamer and one or more viewers watching the streamer's live commentary video during the live broadcast of the commentary video, and a gift processing unit 133b that enables viewers to send support gifts to the streamer only within the group. The comment processing unit 133a can enhance the sense of unity between the streamer and viewers by enabling comments within the group during the period the competition is being held and the voting period. The gift processing unit 133b may accept requests from viewers to send special gifts and may grant the streamer a predetermined reward in response to the gift.

[0041] The game control unit 134 controls the progress of the game that the streamer is live-streaming using the streamer's terminal 200a. For example, the game control unit 134 performs calculation processing for automatic battles between characters in a betting game and generates battle video data in real time based on character data obtained from the game information database 122.

[0042] The display control unit 135 controls the display content on the broadcaster's terminal 200a and the viewer's terminal 200b, respectively. For example, the display control unit 135 manages the display state of each UI element of the broadcast interface 800, which will be described later, such as the broadcast video area, comment area, and avatar setting section, and provides the viewer's terminal 200b with a screen layout for viewing.

[0043] (4) Browser avatar synthesis live streaming function Furthermore, the processing unit 130 includes a screen information acquisition unit 136, an avatar information acquisition unit 137, a synthesis control unit 138, an acoustic information acquisition unit 139, a gift information acquisition unit 140, and / or a comment information acquisition unit 141. By the cooperation of these functional units, the broadcaster can achieve live streaming of game screens and avatars synthesized on a web browser via terminal 200a, without using any external streaming software such as OBS or any special hardware equipment. In particular, the synthesis control unit 138 operates, for example, as a function of a web application implemented on the rendering engine and JavaScript execution environment of the web browser running on the broadcaster's terminal 200a. That is, the synthesis process is completed and executed within the web browser of the broadcaster's terminal 200a.

[0044] The screen information acquisition unit 136 acquires screen information specified by the broadcaster's terminal 200a. The screen information acquisition unit 136 acquires screen information 126 from the video source specified by the broadcaster via a standard screen sharing interface (e.g., the W3C standard getDisplayMedia API) provided by the web browser running on the broadcaster's terminal 200a. For example, when the getDisplayMedia API is called, the web browser presents the broadcaster with a dialog box for selecting the sharing target and returns a MediaStream object corresponding to the video source selected by the broadcaster. This MediaStream contains a video track (VideoTrack). The screen information acquisition unit 136 acquires video data for each frame from this video track in real time and stores it as screen information 126.

[0045] If the streamer allows sharing of system audio, the MediaStream will also include an audio track. The audio track is passed to the sound information acquisition unit 139 as game audio. The acquired screen information 126 is stored on the storage unit 120 as dynamic video frame stream data and used for synthesis processing by the synthesis control unit 138. The acquisition of screen information by the screen information acquisition unit 136 is triggered when the streamer operates the "Start Streaming" button on the streaming interface.

[0046] The screen information acquisition unit 136 may acquire screen information 126 from the computer's desktop screen, a specific application window, or a specific web browser tab. For example, if the broadcaster specifies a game window, only the video of that game screen will be acquired as screen information 126. On the other hand, if the entire desktop is specified, all video displayed on the desktop will be acquired. This selection operation can usually be completed with a simple 2-3 clicks.

[0047] The screen information acquisition unit 136 can extract screen information 126, including dynamic video data, from one of the options presented by the web browser of the broadcaster's terminal 200a, namely the entire desktop screen, a specific application window (hereinafter also abbreviated as "window"), or a specific web browser tab ("Chrome tab," etc.).

[0048] The avatar information acquisition unit 137 acquires avatar information 127 stored in the user information database 121 of the storage unit 120. Specifically, when a streamer is logged into the game live streaming service, the processing unit 130 refers to the user information database 121 based on the streamer's user ID, thereby acquiring the avatar information 127.

[0049] The avatar information acquisition unit 137 may also acquire avatar information 127 associated with the streamer's account. When a streamer logs into the game live streaming service, the avatar information acquisition unit 137 automatically reads the avatar information 127 (for example, a character that is a customized 3D model data created by the streamer) associated with the streamer's user account from the storage unit 120. At this time, the streamer does not need to separately launch external avatar software or manually set the avatar video source. For example, simply by accessing the game live streaming service website with a browser and logging in, the streamer's customized avatar (reflecting hair color, clothing, accessories, etc.) is automatically ready to be incorporated into the streamed video.

[0050] The synthesis control unit 138 synthesizes the acquired screen information 126 and avatar information 127 on the web browser to generate synthesized information 128. One of the features of the present invention is that this synthesis process is completed and executed within the web browser on the broadcaster's terminal 200a without going through the backend processing of the distribution server 100. That is, the game video acquired by the screen information acquisition unit 136 via a screen capture API (e.g., getDisplayMedia API) and the avatar information 127 automatically read from the storage unit 120 by the avatar information acquisition unit 137 are both drawn on the same canvas (composite canvas described later) on the web browser of the broadcaster's terminal 200a, thereby achieving synthesis. Since this process is entirely implemented by a web application that runs on the browser's JavaScript execution environment, no external distribution software or capture hardware is required. The synthesis control unit 138 may use a rendering engine provided by the web browser on the broadcaster's terminal 200a (for example, HTML5 Canvas API, WebGL, etc.) to layer (superimpose) the acquired screen information 126 and avatar information 127 as a single video frame without using special broadcasting software or additional hardware equipment.

[0051] Specifically, the composite control unit 138 generates a drawing canvas (hereinafter also referred to as the "composite canvas") on the browser of the broadcaster's terminal 200a, first draws the screen information 126 as the base layer, and then superimposes the avatar information 127 on top of it as the foreground layer at predetermined coordinates and size, thereby generating a composite image in which the avatar is displayed on the game screen as a single composite image. In this way, the two video materials, the screen information 126 and the avatar information 127, are combined by being written to the same composite canvas on the browser of the broadcaster's terminal 200a, and video compositing processing by a backend server is not required.

[0052] The composite control unit 138 acquires the composite drawing content on the composite canvas as a real-time video stream (MediaStream) by calling the stream capture function (e.g., the captureStream() method) provided by the web browser on the composite canvas. The acquired video MediaStream is combined with the audio MediaStream generated by the sound processing described later and passed to the encoding process by the distribution control unit 132. In this way, the composite control unit 138 can generate a composite video stream integrating multiple video layers, entirely on the browser of the broadcaster's terminal 200a, without using any external video capture equipment or dedicated software, and using only the canvas drawing function and stream capture function that are standardly provided by the web browser of the broadcaster's terminal 200a. In other words, the entire process of sequentially writing and layering two video materials, game video and avatar video, onto the same canvas, and capturing the canvas itself as a stream, is completed entirely within the browser of the broadcaster's terminal 200a. This makes it possible for the browser on the broadcaster's terminal 200a to take over the video compositing and encoding roles that were previously handled by external distribution software such as OBS.

[0053] The distribution server 100 further includes a comment information acquisition unit 141 that acquires comment information 129 sent from the viewer's terminal 200b, and the synthesis control unit 138 may synthesize screen information 126, avatar information 127, and comment information 129. The comment information acquisition unit 141 may sequentially acquire text data of comments posted by viewers as comment information 129 by synchronizing in real time with the chat system provided by the distribution server 100 of the video distribution platform 300 (for example, bidirectional communication using WebSocket). The synthesis control unit 138 may further synthesize the acquired comment information 129 with the screen information 126 and avatar information 127. Specifically, the synthesis control unit 138 may draw the comment text in a predetermined area of ​​the video frame (for example, in a scrolling text format from the bottom left to the right of the screen) and display it directly in the distributed video. This allows the broadcaster to incorporate viewer comments into the distributed video using the broadcaster's terminal 200a without having to use external comment display tools or perform complex URL settings.

[0054] The distribution server 100 further includes an audio information acquisition unit 139 that acquires specified audio information from the broadcaster's terminal 200a, and the synthesis control unit 138 may synthesize the screen information 126, avatar information 127, and audio information. The audio information includes game audio associated with the screen information 126 (audio track of MediaStream acquired as system audio when screen sharing), microphone audio input of the broadcaster's voice (audio MediaStream acquired by the getUserMedia API), and sound effects (hereinafter also abbreviated as "SE") that the broadcaster can operate from the sound board area on the distribution interface 800, and background music that can be operated from the BGM control area.

[0055] The audio information acquisition unit 139 constructs an audio processing graph using the audio processing functions provided by the web browser (for example, the AudioContext of the Web Audio API). Specifically, it connects the game audio track to the audio processing graph as a MediaStreamAudioSourceNode, and similarly connects the microphone audio track as another MediaStreamAudioSourceNode. Audio data for sound effects (SE) and background music (BGM) are connected to the audio processing graph as AudioBufferSourceNodes. A GainNode is inserted into each sound source node, allowing the volume of each to be adjusted independently according to the slider operation in the volume adjustment area 805. Each of these nodes is connected to a common output destination (MediaStreamDestinationNode) within the AudioContext, and the mixed audio is output as a single audio MediaStream.

[0056] The synthesis control unit 138 synthesizes the mixed audio MediaStream output from the audio information acquisition unit 139 with the video data of the screen information 126 and avatar information 127, while synchronizing it with the video frames. For example, when a broadcaster operates a sound effect button located in the sound board area on the broadcast interface 800, the corresponding SE's AudioBufferSourceNode is activated, and it is mixed in real time with the game audio and microphone audio and output as broadcast audio.

[0057] By selecting the desired background music (BGM) from the BGM control area, the BGM is added and synthesized into the streamed audio. This eliminates the need for dedicated BGM playback equipment or mixers, allowing sound effects (SE) and BGM to be incorporated into live streams with a single click on the browser screen.

[0058] The distribution control unit 132 distributes the composite information 128 generated by the composite control unit 138 to the viewer's terminal 200b. The distribution control unit 132 may also be configured to automatically perform settings related to distribution. For example, the distribution control unit 132 receives the composite video MediaStream generated by the composite control unit 138 and the audio MediaStream generated by the audio information acquisition unit 139, combines them, encodes them, and distributes them to the viewer's terminal 200b. In the encoding process, the media encoding function provided by the web browser (e.g., MediaRecorder API or WebCodecs API) is used to encode the video in H.264 format and the audio in AAC format.

[0059] The encoded data (chunks) are pushed in real time to the RTMP relay endpoint of the distribution server 100 via the network communication function provided by the web browser (for example, full-duplex communication using WebSocket), and the distribution server 100 delivers them to the viewer's terminal 200b.

[0060] At this time, the distribution control unit 132 automatically optimizes and executes various settings necessary for distribution, such as resolution, bitrate, encoding method (e.g., H.264+AAC), and push destination URL to the stream server, on the distribution platform side. For example, when a broadcaster starts broadcasting while logged in with a game live streaming service account, the distribution control unit 132 automatically obtains the distribution destination information for that account and completes the encoding and push settings, so the broadcaster does not need to manually perform complex settings such as "communication settings," "video settings," "audio settings," and "output settings" required by external software such as OBS. Since the web browser is always kept up-to-date with the latest media processing functions through automatic updates, broadcasters can also enjoy updates to encoding methods and support for new distribution protocols without having to manually update their client software.

[0061] The composite control unit 138 may change the display mode of the avatar information 127 in the avatar display area if at least a portion of the display area displayed on the broadcaster's terminal 200a based on the screen information 126 overlaps with the avatar display area displayed on the broadcaster's terminal 200a based on the avatar information 127. That is, the composite control unit 138 may perform an overlap detection process to determine whether a specific area in the video based on the screen information 126 (for example, an area where major UI such as the game score display, operation UI, and minimap are displayed) and the avatar display area based on the avatar information 127 overlap on the screen. In this detection process, for example, the coordinate information of the major UI in the game video is compared with the display coordinates of the avatar, and if the rectangular areas of the two overlap by a certain percentage or more, it is determined that there is an overlap. If it is determined that there is an overlap, the composite control unit 138 performs a process to change the display mode of the avatar information 127. Specifically, the synthesis control unit 138 performs at least one of the following: transparency processing to increase the transparency (e.g., alpha value) of the avatar, reduction of the display size of the avatar, or movement of the display position of the avatar, in order to ensure the visibility of screen information important for gameplay. As a result, even if the avatar overlaps with important UI elements of the game, for example, the avatar becomes semi-transparent, preventing the user from missing important information in the game.

[0062] The distribution server 100 further includes a gift information acquisition unit 140 that acquires gift information indicating a gift sent from the viewer's terminal 200b, and the synthesis control unit 138 may synthesize the performance information generated based on the gift information with the screen information 126 and avatar information 127. Specifically, the viewer selects and sends a gift by operating the gift button on the distribution interface via terminal 200b. The gift information acquisition unit 140 then receives gift information including the type of gift and sender information, and reads performance data (animation, special effects, etc.) corresponding to the gift from the gift information database 123. The synthesis control unit 138 superimposes the performance information generated based on the performance data (for example, an animated video of the gift, a particle effect that spreads across the entire screen, etc.) onto the screen information 126 and avatar information 127 in real time. As a result, the viewer's gift action is directly reflected in the distributed video, which enhances the sense of unity between the broadcaster and the viewer and fosters excitement in the live broadcast.

[0063] The synthesis control unit 138 may further acquire design information 129A (for example, information for arranging the game screen, comment section, and avatar on one screen) that indicates some of the distribution frame designs selected from among a plurality of distribution frame designs, and synthesize the selected portion of distribution frame designs to be applied to the screen information 126 and avatar information 127 based on the design information 129A. That is, the synthesis control unit 138 may synthesize each piece of information based on the design information 129A selected by the broadcaster from among a plurality of design templates stored in the storage unit 120. The design information 129A may be, for example, design information for arranging the game screen, comment section, and avatar on one screen. More specifically, for example, the design information 129A may include a "game commentary style" that displays the game screen as the main element and places the avatar in a small size in the lower right corner, a "comment section style" that displays the comment section as a separate window outside the screen, and a "chat style" that displays a background image of the room and specializes in chatting with the avatar. Before starting a broadcast, broadcasters simply select their preferred design frame, and the desired broadcast screen style is automatically applied without the need for complex video layout settings.

[0064] The synthesis control unit 138 may further synthesize at least one of the following with the synthesized information 128: digital watermark information and / or icon information for electronically identifying the provider of the synthesized information 128. That is, the synthesis control unit 138 can further synthesize digital watermark information or / or icon information for identifying the provider of the game live streaming service with the streamed video. For example, the synthesis control unit 138 can overlay the provider's logo icon at a predetermined position (e.g., the lower left corner) of the streamed video with a predetermined level of transparency, for example, always. This allows viewers to identify that the stream was delivered through the game live streaming service, regardless of which terminal or video streaming platform they view the stream on, and is also expected to have a deterrent effect against unauthorized use of content.

[0065] (5) Example of operation The distribution server 100 according to this embodiment has the configuration described above, and next, an example of a game live distribution method according to this embodiment will be described. First, an overview of the game live distribution method according to this embodiment will be described. The game live distribution method according to this embodiment is a live distribution method that realizes live distribution via a web browser using a distributor's terminal 200a, and includes a screen information acquisition step in which a computer equipped with a storage unit 120 that stores the distributor's avatar information 127 acquires screen information 126 specified by the distributor's terminal 200a, an avatar information acquisition step in which the computer acquires the distributor's avatar information 127 from the storage unit 120, a synthesis control step in which the computer synthesizes the screen information 126 and the distributor's avatar information 127 on a web browser to generate synthesized information 128, and a distribution control step in which the computer distributes the generated synthesized information 128. The game live distribution program according to this embodiment causes the computer to function as the game live distribution system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0066] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for starting a live game streaming system according to this embodiment. Each step shown in this flowchart is mainly performed by the coordinated operation of a web browser running on the streamer's terminal 200a and the processing unit 130 of the streaming server 100. The start of the flowchart corresponds to the point when the streamer, using terminal 200a, displays the streaming interface described later and operates the "Start Streaming" button.

[0067] In step S1, the screen information acquisition unit 136 starts the process of specifying the video source in response to the broadcaster operating the "Start Broadcasting" button. Specifically, the web browser on the broadcaster's terminal 200a displays, for example, a screen sharing selection dialog, presenting the broadcaster with three options for video sources: "Chrome tab," "window," and "entire screen" (corresponding to the source selection operation of the broadcasting video area 801 in Figure 4, which will be described later). The broadcaster uses their terminal 200a to select the desired video source, for example, a game window, from this screen sharing selection dialog and presses the "Share" button. In response, the screen information acquisition unit 136 starts acquiring the real-time video stream of the specified video source as screen information 126.

[0068] In step S2, the avatar information acquisition unit 137 automatically reads the avatar information 127 associated with the streamer's user account currently logged in via terminal 200a from the storage unit 120. For example, if the streamer changed the avatar's hair color in the previous session using the streamer's terminal 200a, the avatar data reflecting that change is automatically read. At this point, the streamer does not need to launch any separate software for the avatar or configure the avatar connection settings.

[0069] In step S3, the composite control unit 138 applies design information 129A, such as a design frame, that has been previously selected by the broadcaster via terminal 200a. For example, if the broadcaster has selected a layout suitable for game streaming, such as "game screen + bottom right avatar," the composite control unit 138 expands the layout template onto the composite canvas in the browser of the broadcaster's terminal 200a and determines the size and coordinates of the area where the screen information 126 will be placed and the area where the avatar information 127 will be placed. If no design frame is selected, the default layout is applied.

[0070] In step S4, the synthesis control unit 138 determines whether there is any overlap (duplication) on the screen between the area where the screen information 126 acquired in step S1 is displayed and the avatar display area where the avatar information 127 acquired in step S2 is displayed. In this determination, the synthesis control unit 138 compares, for example, a specific area where the game UI of the screen information 126 is concentrated, such as the upper area where the game's HP gauge and score are displayed, with the display coordinates of the avatar, and determines whether the overlapping area of ​​the two areas exceeds a predetermined threshold. If it is determined that there is no overlap (determination: none), the synthesis control unit 138 executes step S6.

[0071] On the other hand, if it is determined that there is an overlap (determination: yes), in step S5, the composite control unit 138 executes a process to change the display mode of the avatar information 127. For example, the composite control unit 138 performs a transparency process that reduces the alpha value of the avatar from 100% to about 50%, making the avatar semi-transparent to ensure the visibility of important UI elements in the game. Alternatively, the display position of the avatar may be automatically moved to coordinates that do not overlap with important areas of screen information. After executing such a transparency process, the composite control unit 138 executes step S6.

[0072] In step S6, the synthesis control unit 138 sequentially synthesizes various information generated in real time onto the composite image of video sources on the composite canvas, such as screen information 126 and avatar information 127. Specifically, the synthesis control unit 138 performs mixing processing of comment information 129 acquired by the comment information acquisition unit 141 (e.g., display of viewer comments as text overlays), sound information acquired by the sound information acquisition unit 139 (e.g., game audio, microphone audio, sound effects, background music), gift effects (gift animations) based on gift information acquired by the gift information acquisition unit 140, and overlay synthesis of platform-specific digital watermarks (e.g., service logos). All of these synthesis processes are processed integrally, for example, within a single composite context in a web browser.

[0073] In step S7, the distribution control unit 132 combines the video MediaStream obtained by calling the captureStream() method of the composite canvas generated by the synthesis control unit 138 with the audio MediaStream obtained from the AudioContext MediaStreamDestinationNode of the audio information acquisition unit 139, and inputs it to the media encoding function provided by the web browser (e.g., the MediaRecorder API). The MediaRecorder API, for example, encodes the input MediaStream in real time and sequentially generates encoded data chunks.

[0074] The generated data chunks are pushed in real time to the RTMP relay endpoint of the distribution server 100, for example, via the WebSocket communication function of a web browser. The distribution control unit 132 automatically completes the necessary settings on the platform side, such as the resolution, bitrate, encoding settings, and push destination endpoint settings, so that the broadcaster can start live streaming immediately without having to check a complex stream settings screen via terminal 200a. After steps S1 to S7 described above, the live stream video, in which the game screen, avatar, comments, audio, gift effects, and digital watermark are integrated, is delivered to the viewer's terminal 200b.

[0075] (6) Screen display example Figure 4 shows an example of the overall configuration of the distribution interface 800 displayed in a web browser on the distributor's terminal 200a. The example shown omits the lower part. The distribution interface 800 is configured as an operation screen for a web application that runs on a web browser and can be used directly in the browser without installing any external distribution software. For example, the distribution interface 800 has a distribution video area 801 on the upper left side and a comment area 802 and a distribution control area on the upper right side.

[0076] Furthermore, the streaming interface 800 has an avatar setting area 803, a soundboard area, a volume adjustment area 805, a background music control area, and a live game area located at its bottom. The control area on the right side includes a "end streaming" button 808, a record button 810, and a temporary display button 809.

[0077] The streaming video area 801 is an area that displays a preview of the composite canvas generated in real time by the composite control unit 138, for example, using the Canvas API of a web browser. In the streaming video area 801, a composite image is displayed in real time as a preview, with the game video based on the screen information 126 acquired by the screen information acquisition unit 136 as the background layer, and the streamer's avatar video based on the avatar information 127 acquired by the avatar information acquisition unit 137 superimposed as the foreground layer.

[0078] The broadcaster can broadcast while checking a preview in this area that is identical to the video that viewers will actually receive. The comment area 802 is an area that displays viewer comments acquired by the comment information acquisition unit 141 in list format. The comment area 802 displays the latest comments posted by viewers in chronological order.

[0079] The avatar setting area 803 is a UI element located on the lower left side of the distribution interface 800, and may be configured to display the avatar of the broadcaster that the avatar information acquisition unit 137 has automatically read. For example, in the avatar setting area 803, the broadcaster can switch between avatars from among multiple avatar characters they own using a dropdown menu (the "Avatar V" section of the avatar setting area described later). When an avatar is switched, the avatar information acquisition unit 137 may re-read the corresponding avatar information 127 from the user information database 121, and the composite control unit 138 may update the avatar image on the composite canvas in real time.

[0080] The soundboard area is a UI element located at the bottom of the distribution interface 800 and may provide a function that allows the broadcaster to instantly add pre-registered sound effects (SE) to the broadcast audio. The soundboard area may have multiple sound effect buttons (e.g., "drum roll"), and when the broadcaster clicks any of these buttons via the terminal 200a, the sound information acquisition unit 139 acquires the data for the corresponding SE, and the synthesis control unit 138 may mix the SE into the broadcast audio in real time and output it.

[0081] The BGM control area is a UI element for selecting and controlling background music (BGM) to be played during streaming. The streamer selects a BGM from a list of registered BGMs via terminal 200a and presses the play button, mixing the selected BGM with the streamed audio. The volume adjustment area 805 is a UI element for individually adjusting the gain of microphone audio and system audio (game audio) using sliders. These SE / BGM functions operate entirely within the browser, eliminating the need for physical sound boards or mixers, and can be implemented with a single click.

[0082] The live game area is a UI element located, for example, on the lower right side of the streaming interface 800, and displays a list of streaming tiles (e.g., thumbnail, title, streamer name, etc.) of other streamers who are currently live streaming. Streamers can use terminal 200a to view other streams from this list and utilize integration features with their own streams.

[0083] In the distribution interface 800, comment information 129 acquired by the comment information acquisition unit 141 during normal game distribution is displayed in the composite video. In the illustrated example, some parts are omitted, and it shows an example of the display state during a relatively short distribution period in normal game distribution. In the distribution video area 801, a composite video is displayed in real time, for example, in which the avatar management screen from the game screen in the background and the avatar are combined.

[0084] The bottom of the streaming video area 801 may display streaming status indicators such as "Connecting," "Dropped Frames 0.0%," "Bitrate 1287 kbps," and "Streaming Time 00:02:43." The comment area 802 displays viewer comments entered by viewers via terminal 200b. The control area on the right displays the "End Stream" button 808.

[0085] The avatar settings area 803 and volume adjustment area 805 are displayed at the bottom of the screen, allowing users to switch avatars and adjust the volume in real time during streaming.

[0086] Figure 5 shows the display state of the distribution interface 800 when the distribution time reaches a long period of time. The example shown omits the lower part.

[0087] If the comment information acquisition unit 141 described above acquires a notification text as a platform system notification, for example, "In 3 minutes, the broadcast time will reach 10 hours. Please note that the broadcast will automatically turn off," the synthesis control unit 138 may superimpose the notification text onto the synthesized image of the screen information 126 and avatar information 127.

[0088] In the streaming video area 801, this notification text is overlaid on the game screen and avatar. The same system message is also displayed in Japanese and English in the comment area 802. In this way, all comment information, including the system notification acquired by the comment information acquisition unit 141 described above, is reflected in the composite video in real time, creating an environment where the streamer and viewers can share the same information.

[0089] The game live streaming system 1 according to this embodiment is a game live streaming system that realizes live streaming via a web browser using a streamer's terminal 200a, and comprises a screen information acquisition unit 136 that acquires screen information 126 specified by the streamer's terminal 200a, a storage unit 120 that stores the streamer's avatar information 127, an avatar information acquisition unit 137 that acquires the streamer's avatar information 127 from the storage unit 120, a synthesis control unit 138 that synthesizes the screen information 126 and the streamer's avatar information 127 on a web browser to generate synthesized information 128, and a distribution control unit 132 that distributes the synthesized information 128 generated by the synthesis control unit 138 to the viewer's terminal 200b. The game live streaming program according to this embodiment is configured to function as the game live streaming system 1 on a computer equipped with a storage unit 120 that stores the streamer's avatar information 127.

[0090] The game live streaming method according to this embodiment is a live streaming method that realizes live streaming via a web browser using a streamer's terminal 200a, and includes: a screen information acquisition step in which a computer equipped with a storage unit 120 that stores the streamer's avatar information 127 acquires screen information 126 specified by the streamer's terminal 200a; an avatar information acquisition step in which the computer acquires the streamer's avatar information 127 from the storage unit 120; a synthesis control step in which the computer synthesizes the screen information 126 and the streamer's avatar information 127 on a web browser to generate synthesized information 128; and a distribution control step in which the computer distributes the generated synthesized information 128.

[0091] In this way, the screen information acquisition unit 136 acquires the video source specified by the broadcaster via the web browser's screen sharing interface during the screen information acquisition step. The avatar information acquisition unit 137 automatically reads the avatar information 127 associated with the broadcaster's account from the storage unit 120 during the avatar information acquisition step. The synthesis control unit 138, during the synthesis control step, sequentially writes the screen information 126, such as frame data which is the acquired game video, and the avatar information 127 to a composite canvas generated on the broadcaster's terminal 200a's browser and layers them, thereby superimposing them in real time using the rendering function of the broadcaster's terminal 200a's web browser. This synthesis process is completed and executed within the broadcaster's terminal 200a's browser without going through the backend processing of the distribution server 100. The distribution control unit 132, during the distribution control step, completes a series of processes, including distribution to the viewer's terminal 200b, within the web browser. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to achieve high-quality live streaming while reducing the burden on the streamer by eliminating the need to introduce dedicated distribution software or special equipment, and by directly exporting game video and avatar video to the same canvas with only simple operations on a web browser, thereby synthesizing screen sharing information and avatar information, and automating the incorporation of comments and audio.

[0092] In this embodiment, the screen information acquisition unit 136 may acquire screen information 126 from either the computer's desktop screen, a specific application window, or a specific web browser tab. In this way, the broadcaster can specify any video source, such as the entire desktop, a specific game window, or a specific browser tab, with a simple operation of two or three clicks.

[0093] In this embodiment, the avatar information acquisition unit 137 may acquire avatar information 127 associated with the streamer's account. In this case, the avatar information 127 associated with the streamer's account is automatically read simply by the streamer logging into the game live streaming service, eliminating the need to separately launch external avatar software or manually configure connection settings.

[0094] The game live streaming system 1 according to this embodiment further includes a comment information acquisition unit 141 that acquires comment information 129 transmitted from the viewer's terminal 200b, and the synthesis control unit 138 may be configured to synthesize screen information 126, avatar information 127, and comment information 129. In this way, comments posted by viewers are synthesized and displayed in the streamed video in real time, so the streamer can automatically incorporate viewers' comments into the streamed video without having to use external comment display tools or configure complex URLs.

[0095] The game live streaming system 1 according to this embodiment further includes an audio information acquisition unit 139 that acquires specified audio information from the streamer's terminal 200a, and the synthesis control unit 138 may synthesize screen information 126, avatar information 127, and audio information. In this way, game audio, microphone audio, sound effects (SE), and background music are mixed in real time on the web browser and synthesized into the streamed audio, so that SE and BGM can be incorporated into the live stream with a single click without requiring physical mixer equipment or sound board equipment.

[0096] In this embodiment, the distribution control unit 132 may be configured to automatically perform settings related to distribution. In this case, various settings such as resolution, bitrate, encoding method, and push destination URL required for distribution are automatically optimized on the platform side, so the distributor does not need to manually perform the complex distribution settings required by external software such as OBS.

[0097] In this embodiment, the synthesis control unit 138 may change the display mode of the avatar information 127 in the avatar display area if at least a portion of the display area displayed on the broadcaster's terminal 200a based on the screen information 126 overlaps with the avatar display area displayed on the broadcaster's terminal 200a based on the avatar information 127. In this way, if the avatar based on the avatar information 127 visually overlaps with the main screen (game screen), the avatar may be displayed, for example, by making it faint so that it does not stand out.

[0098] The game live streaming system 1 according to this embodiment further includes a gift information acquisition unit 140 that acquires gift information indicating a gift sent from the viewer's terminal 200b, and the synthesis control unit 138 may synthesize the performance information generated based on the gift information with the screen information 126 and avatar information 127. That is, the display mode is changed to show performances / effects in response to gifting (items sent as gifts, etc.). In this way, when a viewer sends a gift, the corresponding performance information (animation, special effects, etc.) is superimposed and synthesized on the streamed video in real time, so the viewer's gift action is directly reflected in the streamed video, which can enhance the sense of unity between the streamer and the viewer.

[0099] In this embodiment, the synthesis control unit 138 may further acquire design information 129A indicating some of the selected distribution frame designs from among a plurality of distribution frame designs, and synthesize the selected distribution frame designs to be applied to the screen information 126 and avatar information 127 based on the design information 129A. In this way, the broadcaster can simply select their preferred layout from among the plurality of distribution frame designs, and the arrangement and size of the game screen, avatar, and comment section will be automatically applied based on the design information 129A, thus enabling the broadcaster to instantly realize the desired broadcast style without having to perform complex video layout settings.

[0100] In this embodiment, the synthesis control unit 138 may further synthesize at least one of the following with the synthesized information 128: digital watermark information and icon information for electronically identifying the provider of the synthesized information 128. In this way, even if any part of the distributed video is cut out and reused / redistributed, the digital watermark information or icon information for identifying the provider is always embedded in the synthesized video, thus providing a deterrent effect against unauthorized use of content and a source identification function.

[0101] (7) Other embodiments In the above embodiment, if neither the user (broadcaster nor viewer) makes a correct prediction, a function may be introduced that accumulates the bet points, and allows the user who makes a correct prediction in a subsequent competition to win all of the accumulated points.

[0102] The operation flows and operation examples in the embodiments described above do not necessarily have to be executed chronologically in the order shown in the flow diagram or sequence diagram. For example, the steps in the operation may be executed in a different order than that shown in the flow diagram or sequence diagram, or they may be executed in parallel. Also, some steps in the operation may be deleted, or further steps may be added to the process. Furthermore, the operation flows and operation examples in the embodiments described above may be implemented separately and independently, or two or more operation flows and operation examples may be combined and implemented. For example, some steps of one operation flow may be added to another operation flow, or some steps of one operation flow may be replaced with some steps of another operation flow.

[0103] A program may be provided that causes a computer to perform the operations according to the above embodiment. The program may be recorded on a computer-readable medium. Using a computer-readable medium, it is possible to install the program on a computer. Here, the computer-readable medium on which the program is recorded may be a non-transient storage medium. The non-transient storage medium is not particularly limited, but may be a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM.

[0104] As used in this disclosure, the phrases “based on” and “according to” do not mean “based solely on” or “according solely to” unless otherwise specified. The phrase “based on” means both “based solely on” and “based at least partially on.” Similarly, the phrase “according to” means both “based solely on” and “according at least partially to.” Furthermore, the terms “include,” “comprise,” and variations thereof do not mean that they include only the listed items, but may include only the listed items or may include additional items in addition to the listed items. Also, the term “or” as used in this disclosure is not intended to mean exclusive OR. In this disclosure, where articles are added by translation, such as a, an, and the in English, these articles are intended to include multiple items unless it is clearly indicated otherwise from the context.

[0105] (Variation 1) Multi-avatar collaboration function by multiple streamers Another embodiment is a "collaborative streaming function" in which multiple streamers can share avatars on the same browser. Specifically, the avatar information acquisition unit 137 may acquire avatar information 127 from the storage unit 120 not only for the main streamer but also for guest streamers invited via the network, based on the shared screen acquired by the screen information acquisition unit 136. The synthesis control unit 138 may layer these multiple avatar data on the same composite canvas and generate composite information in real time. The audio information acquisition unit 139 may also remotely acquire the voice of the guest streamer and perform mixing processing. As a result, collaborative streaming, which previously required advanced external tool settings, can now be completed solely through browser operations. Furthermore, the synthesis control unit 138 may perform dynamic layout control to highlight the avatar that is speaking.

[0106] (Variation 2) Dynamic display optimization function Other embodiments include dynamic UI avoidance and layout optimization through artificial intelligence analysis, and further, a "dynamic display optimization function" using artificial intelligence. Specifically, the composite control unit 138 may analyze the acquired screen information 126 in real time and identify in-game text, characters, and important objects (e.g., enemies, items). In the overlap detection process, in addition to simple coordinate comparison, the artificial intelligence may determine the "importance of the information," and if the avatar overlaps with an area of ​​high importance, in addition to transparency processing, control may be performed to temporarily move the avatar off-screen or automatically shrink it to the smallest size that does not obstruct visibility. This eliminates the need for the broadcaster to manually adjust the display position of the avatar using the terminal 200a, while ensuring optimal game visibility for viewers at all times.

[0107] (Variation 3) Interactive participation function Other embodiments include a dynamic projection and participatory performance function for viewer avatars, and a "two-way participation function" that makes viewer avatars appear in the streamed video. Specifically, when the gift information acquisition unit 140 detects the sending of a specific gift (for example, a "support participation gift"), it may acquire the avatar information 127 of the viewer who sent the gift from the storage unit 120. The synthesis control unit 138 may temporarily synthesize the viewer's avatar at a display position adjacent to the streamer's avatar, or in a designated performance area of ​​the background layer. In this case, performance information such as "applauding" or "dancing" in response to the streamer's actions may be added to the viewer's avatar. This allows viewers to participate in the streamed video using visual methods other than comments, dramatically increasing two-way engagement between the streamer and viewers.

[0108] Although the embodiments have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to those described above, and various design changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0109] (8) Note The features of the above-described embodiment are noted below. (Note 1) A game live streaming system that enables live streaming via a web browser using the streamer's device, A screen information acquisition unit that acquires screen information specified by the distributor's terminal, A memory unit that stores the avatar information of the aforementioned broadcaster, An avatar information acquisition unit that acquires the avatar information of the broadcaster from the memory unit, A synthesis control unit that controls the web browser to synthesize the aforementioned screen information and the broadcaster's avatar information to generate synthesized information, A distribution control unit that distributes the synthesized information generated by the synthesis control unit to the viewer's terminal, A game live streaming system equipped with [features / equipment]. (Note 2) The screen information acquisition unit acquires the screen information from either the computer's desktop screen, a specific application window, or a specific web browser tab. The game live streaming system described in Appendix 1. (Note 3) The avatar information acquisition unit acquires avatar information associated with the broadcaster's account. A game live streaming system as described in either Appendix 1 or Appendix 2. (Note 4) The system further includes a comment information acquisition unit that acquires comment information transmitted from the aforementioned viewer's terminal. The synthesis control unit synthesizes the screen information, the avatar information, and the comment information. A game live streaming system as described in any of the appendices 1 through 3. (Note 5) The system further includes an acoustic information acquisition unit that acquires specified acoustic information from the aforementioned broadcaster's terminal. The synthesis control unit synthesizes the screen information, the avatar information, and the sound information. A game live streaming system as described in any of the appendices 1 through 4. (Note 6) The distribution control unit automatically performs the settings related to distribution by the distribution control unit. A game live streaming system as described in any of the appendices 1 through 5. (Note 7) The synthesis control unit, when at least a portion of the display area displayed on the broadcaster's terminal based on the screen information overlaps with the avatar display area displayed on the broadcaster's terminal based on the avatar information, changes the display mode of the avatar information in the avatar display area. A game live streaming system as described in any of the appendices 1 through 6. (Note 8) The system further includes a gift information acquisition unit that acquires gift information indicating a gift sent from the viewer's terminal, The synthesis control unit synthesizes the performance information generated based on the gift information with the screen information and the avatar information. A game live streaming system as described in any of the appendices 1 through 7. (Note 9) The aforementioned synthesis control unit further acquires design information indicating some of the distribution frame designs selected from among a plurality of distribution frame designs, Based on the design information, the selected portion of the distribution frame design is combined and applied to the screen information and the avatar information. A game live streaming system as described in any of the appendices 1 through 8. (Note 10) The synthesis control unit further synthesizes at least one of digital watermark information and icon information for electronically identifying the provider of the synthesis information with the synthesis information. A game live streaming system as described in any of the appendices 1 through 9. (Note 11) A live streaming method that enables live streaming via a web browser using the streamer's device, A computer equipped with a memory unit that stores the avatar information of the broadcaster performs a screen information acquisition step in which it acquires screen information specified by the broadcaster's terminal, An avatar information acquisition step of acquiring the avatar information of the broadcaster from the memory unit, A synthesis control step in which the computer is controlled to synthesize the screen information and the broadcaster's avatar information on the web browser to generate synthesized information, The computer performs a distribution control step in which it distributes the generated composite information to the viewer's terminal, Game live streaming methods, including those mentioned above. (Note 12) A game live streaming program that enables live streaming via a web browser using the streamer's device, A computer equipped with a memory unit that stores the streamer's avatar information, A screen information acquisition unit that acquires screen information specified by the distributor's terminal, An avatar information acquisition unit that acquires the avatar information of the broadcaster from the memory unit, A synthesis control unit that controls the web browser to synthesize the aforementioned screen information and the broadcaster's avatar information to generate synthesized information, A game live streaming program that causes a computer to function as a distribution control unit that distributes the synthesized information generated by the synthesis control unit to the viewer's terminal. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0110] 1: Game live streaming system 10: Communication Network 100: Distribution Server 110: Communications Department 120: Storage section 121: User Information Database 122: Game Information Database 123: Gift Information Database 124: Prediction Results Database 126: Screen Information 127: Avatar Information 128: Synthesis Information 129: Comment Information 129A: Design Information 130: Processing Unit 131: Game Provision Department 132: Distribution Control Unit 133: Group Processing Unit 133a: Comment Processing Section 133b: Gift Processing Section 134: Game Control Department 135: Display Control Unit 136:Screen information acquisition section 137: Avatar Information Acquisition Unit 138: Synthesis Control Unit 139: Acoustic information acquisition section 140: Gift Information Acquisition Department 141: Comment Information Acquisition Unit 200a: Streamer's device 200b: Viewer's device 300: Video streaming platform 800: Distribution Interface 801: Streaming video area 802: Comment Area 803: Avatar settings area 805: Volume adjustment area 808: "End Stream" button 809: Temporary display button 810: Record button

Claims

1. A game live streaming system that enables live streaming via a web browser using the streamer's device, A screen information acquisition unit that acquires screen information specified by the distributor's terminal, A memory unit that stores the avatar information of the aforementioned broadcaster, An avatar information acquisition unit that acquires the avatar information of the broadcaster from the memory unit, A synthesis control unit that controls the web browser to synthesize the aforementioned screen information and the broadcaster's avatar information to generate synthesized information, A distribution control unit that distributes the synthesized information generated by the synthesis control unit to the viewer's terminal, A game live streaming system equipped with [features / equipment].

2. The screen information acquisition unit acquires the screen information from either the computer's desktop screen, a specific application window, or a specific web browser tab. The game live streaming system according to claim 1.

3. The avatar information acquisition unit acquires avatar information associated with the broadcaster's account. The game live streaming system according to claim 1.

4. The system further includes a comment information acquisition unit that acquires comment information transmitted from the aforementioned viewer's terminal. The synthesis control unit synthesizes the screen information, the avatar information, and the comment information. The game live streaming system according to claim 1.

5. The system further includes an acoustic information acquisition unit that acquires specified acoustic information from the aforementioned broadcaster's terminal. The synthesis control unit synthesizes the screen information, the avatar information, and the sound information. The game live streaming system according to claim 1.

6. The distribution control unit automatically performs the settings related to distribution by the distribution control unit. The game live streaming system according to claim 1.

7. The synthesis control unit, when at least a portion of the display area displayed on the broadcaster's terminal based on the screen information overlaps with the avatar display area displayed on the broadcaster's terminal based on the avatar information, changes the display mode of the avatar information in the avatar display area. The game live streaming system according to claim 1.

8. The system further includes a gift information acquisition unit that acquires gift information indicating a gift sent from the viewer's terminal, The synthesis control unit synthesizes the performance information generated based on the gift information with the screen information and the avatar information. The game live streaming system according to claim 1.

9. The aforementioned synthesis control unit further acquires design information indicating some of the distribution frame designs selected from among a plurality of distribution frame designs, Based on the design information, the selected portion of the distribution frame design is combined and applied to the screen information and the avatar information. The game live streaming system according to claim 1.

10. The synthesis control unit further synthesizes at least one of digital watermark information and icon information for electronically identifying the provider of the synthesis information with the synthesis information. The game live streaming system according to claim 1.

11. A live streaming method that enables live streaming via a web browser using the streamer's device, A computer equipped with a memory unit that stores the avatar information of the broadcaster performs a screen information acquisition step in which it acquires screen information specified by the broadcaster's terminal, An avatar information acquisition step of acquiring the avatar information of the broadcaster from the memory unit, A synthesis control step in which the computer is controlled to synthesize the screen information and the broadcaster's avatar information on the web browser to generate synthesized information, The computer performs a distribution control step in which it distributes the generated composite information to the viewer's terminal, Game live streaming methods, including those mentioned above.

12. A game live streaming program that enables live streaming via a web browser using the streamer's device, A computer equipped with a memory unit that stores the streamer's avatar information, A screen information acquisition unit that acquires screen information specified by the distributor's terminal, An avatar information acquisition unit that acquires the avatar information of the broadcaster from the memory unit, A synthesis control unit that controls the web browser to synthesize the aforementioned screen information and the broadcaster's avatar information to generate synthesized information, A game live streaming program that causes a computer to function as a distribution control unit that distributes the synthesized information generated by the synthesis control unit to the viewer's terminal.

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