Virtual Camera Image Switching for Realistic Object Display

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional virtual object displaying techniques struggle to provide a realistic viewing experience due to the visual difference between the actual object and its virtual representation, making it difficult to offer a realistic feeling to the user when observing from various angles.

Innovation Solution

A program that renders a virtual object image using a virtual camera in a virtual space, allowing for parameter setting and switching between the virtual object image and a high-definition image of the actual object based on predetermined shooting angles and positions, ensuring a more realistic output by approximating the virtual object to the actual object's image.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a virtual object is used to represent a predetermined object, then the object can be observed from various directions, but the visual difference between the object and virtual object reduces realistic feeling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewing angleVSAvoidrealistic feeling
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches between virtual object images and actual object images based on the camera's shooting angle. When the virtual camera is positioned within a predetermined range (first position to third position), the system transitions from displaying the virtual object to displaying the actual object, creating a dynamic adaptation that maintains realistic feeling while enabling multi-angle viewing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the display parameter (image source) based on the camera position parameter. By monitoring the virtual camera's position and comparing it against predetermined ranges, the system switches between different image sources (virtual object image and actual object image), thereby adapting the display to maintain visual consistency with the viewing angle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If a virtual object is rendered to allow observation from various angles, then viewing flexibility is improved, but visual discrepancy between virtual and actual object increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewing flexibilityVSAvoidvisual accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The viewing space is segmented into different regions based on camera position. The system divides the possible camera positions into ranges (first position to second position, second position to third position, and within predetermined range) and applies different display strategies to each segment, ensuring visual accuracy is maintained where needed while preserving viewing flexibility overall.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the actual object image as an intermediary to bridge the gap between the virtual object and the user's expectation of reality. When the virtual camera enters the predetermined range, the actual object image serves as an intermediary that replaces the virtual object image, thereby reducing visual discrepancy while maintaining the flexibility of multi-angle viewing through the virtual camera system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If virtual object imaging is used, then the object can be displayed from multiple perspectives, but the realism of the display deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-angle displayVSAvoiddisplay realism
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The display system dynamically adapts between virtual and actual object images based on camera position. The system continuously monitors the virtual camera's position and switches image sources accordingly, creating a dynamic display that maintains realism while providing multi-angle viewing capability through the virtual camera system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2565848B1Program, information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method
Publication Date: 2021.07.07 NINTENDO CO LTD
  • EP2565848B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2565848B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2565848B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A program causes a computer connected to a display device to function as: a rendering unit rendering a virtual object image by imaging a virtual object mimicking an object to be displayed with a virtual camera; a virtual camera setting unit setting parameters for the virtual camera; a switching condition determination unit determining that the switching conditions are satisfied when a shooting angle of the virtual camera relative to the virtual object becomes within a predetermined range; an output control unit outputting an image to the display device; and a switching unit switching the output image to be output by the output control unit from the virtual object image to an image for switching which is preliminarily obtained by imaging the object to be displayed from a shooting angle corresponding to the predetermined range according to the switching conditions, when it is determined that the switching conditions are satisfied.