Patents Assigned to Dwango Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 11367260
    Abstract: A rear-facing camera captures a live-action video image while a front-facing camera captures an image of a distributor. The avatar controller controls an avatar based on the image of the distributor captured by the front-facing camera, and move the position of the avatar in the real space coordinate system according to the position of the video synthesis device in the real space coordinate system. A synthesizer arranges the avatar in a predetermined position of a real space coordinate system and synthesizes the avatar with the live-action video image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Kawakami, Shinnosuke Iwaki, Takashi Kojima, Toshihiro Shimizu, Hiroaki Saito
  • Publication number: 20220180791
    Abstract: A display medium 1 capable of displaying different sets of contents with light beams in a plurality of directions, includes a first layer L1 and a second layer L2 each having a color region to which a color is given. The light beams in the plurality of directions display a plurality of sets of contents corresponding to the plurality of directions, on a basis of parts of the first layer L1 and the second layer L2 through which the light beams pass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kaisei SAKURAI
  • Publication number: 20220180601
    Abstract: A VR snapshot broadcasting distribution system, a distribution server, a control method for the distribution server, a program for the distribution server, and a data structure of a VR snapshot data, whereby a 3D space is kept in a 3D form and data of the 3D space is made compact are disclosed. An example distribution server includes: a shooting instruction input unit, to which unit a VR snapshot shooting instruction is input by a distributor or a viewer, an exterior appearance data constructor configured to construct exterior appearance data of the entire 3-dimensional space including the avatar, based on a VR snapshot shooting instruction; a VR snapshot data distribution unit configured to distribute, as VR snapshot data, the exterior appearance data of the entire 3-dimensional space including the avatar, which is constructed by the exterior appearance data constructor, and a display unit configured to display the VR snapshot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinnosuke IWAKI
  • Publication number: 20220165032
    Abstract: A content distribution system according to an embodiment is provided with at least one processor. The at least one processor: specifies a real image region and a farthest region in a space represented with a content image showing a first virtual object; disposes a second virtual object in the farthest region; and displays, on a user terminal, a content image representing a space in which the second virtual object is disposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo KAWAKAMI, Takashi KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20220084243
    Abstract: A rear-facing camera captures a live-action video image while a front-facing camera captures an image of a distributor. An avatar controller controls an avatar based on the image of the distributor captured by the front-facing camera. A synthesizer arranges the avatar in a predetermined position of a real space coordinate system and synthesizes the avatar with the live-action video image. The face of the distributor captured by the front-facing camera is tracked and reflected on the avatar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo KAWAKAMI, Shinnosuke IWAKI, Takashi KOJIMA, Toshihiro SHIMIZU, Hiroaki SAITO
  • Publication number: 20220086396
    Abstract: This video distribution server which receives moving images from an originating terminal and distributes these moving images to a viewer terminal implements a questionnaire within the broadcast on the basis of commands from the originating terminal and provides the same questionnaire to a Web server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo KAWAKAMI, Hiroki SHIMOMURA, Takashi KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20220083126
    Abstract: When cheering of a distributor avatar by virtual avatars has been detected and the distributor avatar reacts to the cheering, a reaction motion is performed for the virtual avatars that cheered, and a normal motion that is not a reaction motion is performed for the viewer avatars that did not cheer. The motion performed for the virtual avatars that cheered differs from the motion performed for the viewer avatars that did not cheer based on timing indicated by the distributor. Either the motion performed for the virtual avatars that cheered or the motion performed for the viewer avatars that did not cheer is a predetermined motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinnosuke IWAKI
  • Publication number: 20220075454
    Abstract: A data replacement apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes an acquisition unit, a determination unit, and a replacement unit. The acquisition unit acquires first control data having a value based on the position of a first device which can be mounted on a user's head and the position of a second device which can be gripped by a user. The determination unit determines whether or not a prescribed condition is satisfied. The replacement unit replaces the first control data with second control data when it is determined that the condition is satisfied. The second control data has a value not based on the position of the first device and/or the position of the second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo KAWAKAMI, Kentarou MATSUI, Shinnosuke IWAKI, Takashi KOJIMA, Naoki YAMAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 11240541
    Abstract: The present invention provides: a virtual processing server with which comments are randomly posted to the content which has a small number of viewers and comment posts, thereby liven up the content, a control method for a virtual processing server, a content delivery system, and an application program for a terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Saito
  • Patent number: 11240546
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides a server for controlling a camera video image to be distributed to an audience terminal for multi-camera video image distribution service for cyclic distribution of camera video images in a plurality of points of view to audience. The server includes a selector and a decider. The selector selects a plurality of candidates in each of selection opportunities that allow each audience member to select the camera video image to be distributed to the audience terminal. The decider decides the camera video image to be distributed to the audience terminal based on information indicating one of a plurality of options selected by each audience member. At least one of the plurality of candidates selected in at least one of the selection opportunities includes a common camera video image regardless of camera video images viewed by the audience when the plurality of candidates are selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Kawakami, Hiroaki Saito, Takashi Kojima
  • Patent number: 11212569
    Abstract: Provided is a content distribution server or the like capable of limiting undesirable behavior of viewers. This content distribution server 100 comprises: an information acquisition unit 141 which acquires character information indicating a virtual character used by a distributor in a virtual space, additional information added to the character information, and/or limit information set by the distributor; a distribution unit 143 which distributes live content according to an image in the virtual space in which the movement of the distributor is synthesized as the movement of the virtual character, on the basis of the character information acquired by the information acquisition unit 141; and a behavior limiting unit 144 which limits the behavior of a viewer who watches the live content, on the basis of the additional information and/or the limit information set by the distributor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Kawakami, Kentarou Matsui, Shinnosuke Iwaki, Takashi Kojima, Naoki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11209911
    Abstract: A data replacement apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes an acquisition unit, a determination unit, and a replacement unit. The acquisition unit acquires first control data having a value based on the position of a first device which can be mounted on a user's head and the position of a second device which can be gripped by a user. The determination unit determines whether or not a prescribed condition is satisfied. The replacement unit replaces the first control data with second control data when it is determined that the condition is satisfied. The second control data has a value not based on the position of the first device and/or the position of the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Kawakami, Kentarou Matsui, Shinnosuke Iwaki, Takashi Kojima, Naoki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11205293
    Abstract: An avatar display system in virtual space, an avatar display method in virtual space, and a computer program in which avatar motion data is thinned out within a certain time due to the circumstances of a system and is intermittently distributed. Accordingly, when avatars try to high-touch with each other, the avatars go too far before the hands touch each other in the transmission of coarse motion data, and thus a natural avatar operation cannot be performed. When avatars are intended to perform an operation with contact, such as a high touch operation between the avatars, as the avatars approach each other, a transmission interval in which data required for rendering avatars such as motion data, or rendered avatar data is transmitted from a server to a client terminal is made smaller, and a more natural avatar contact operation can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: DWANGO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Kojima, Hiroaki Saito, Shinnosuke Iwaki
  • Publication number: 20210389625
    Abstract: A display medium comprises a flat member that reflects light, in which the flat member is divided into a plurality of unit cells, and each of the plurality of unit cells is divided into a predetermined number of subcells corresponding to a predetermined number of azimuth angles. Projecting members having a light-blocking surface are formed perpendicular to the flat member on top of the flat member and parallel to a predetermined azimuth angle in each subcell corresponding to the predetermined azimuth angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kaisei SAKURAI
  • Patent number: 11195302
    Abstract: A rear-facing camera captures a live-action video image while a front-facing camera captures an image of a distributor. An avatar controller controls an avatar based on the image of the distributor captured by the front-facing camera. A synthesizer arranges the avatar in a predetermined position of a real space coordinate system and synthesizes the avatar with the live-action video image. The face of the distributor captured by the front-facing camera is tracked and reflected on the avatar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Kawakami, Shinnosuke Iwaki, Takashi Kojima, Toshihiro Shimizu, Hiroaki Saito
  • Patent number: 11190736
    Abstract: This video distribution server which receives moving images from an originating terminal and distributes these moving images to a viewer terminal implements a questionnaire within the broadcast on the basis of commands from the originating terminal and provides the same questionnaire to a Web server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Kawakami, Hiroki Shimomura, Takashi Kojima
  • Publication number: 20210321061
    Abstract: Provided is a content distribution server that is configured to improve the convenience of virtual space sharing formats. The content distribution server comprises: a participation accepting unit that accepts a participation request from another individual to participate in a virtual space used for distribution by a distributor; an information acquiring unit that acquires motion information indicating movement by the distributor and a participant participating on the basis of a participation request, as well as information on the virtual characters of the distributor and the participant; and a distribution unit that distributes live content based on video in virtual space obtained by synthesizing motion information acquired by the information acquiring unit with movement by the virtual characters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicant: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo KAWAKAMI, Kentarou MATSUI, Shinnosuke IWAKI, Takashi KOJIMA, Naoki YAMAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20210289251
    Abstract: Provided is a content distribution server that is configured to distribute live content according to additional information set for a virtual character. The content distribution server comprises: an information acquiring unit that acquires character information indicating a virtual character used by a distributor in a virtual space, and first additional information added to the character information; and a distribution unit that distributes live content for synthesis with video in virtual space converting movement by the distributor to movement by the virtual character based on the character information and the first additional information acquired by the information acquiring unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo KAWAKAMI, Kentarou MATSUI, Shinnosuke IWAKI, Takashi KOJIMA, Naoki YAMAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 11122303
    Abstract: A content distribution server (111), includes: a communicator (112) that receives live contents transmitted through a network NW from a distributor terminal (121) used by a distributor of a live content; a designator (115) that designates an area in the live content, where another content is superimposed and played; a selector (116) that selects the other content to be played in the area designated; and a controller (113) that generates a distribution content by superimposing the other content selected by the selector (116) in the area designated by the designator (115) in the live content, wherein the communicator (112) distributes the distribution content to a viewer terminal (131) through the network NW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: DWANGO, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Kawakami, Hiroaki Saito, Takashi Kojima
  • Publication number: 20210258539
    Abstract: A server includes a storage unit, a determination unit, and a notification unit. The storage unit stores content identification information and interrupted spot information in association with user identification information in a case where the viewing of a content during live distribution is interrupted in a first terminal logged in using the user identification information. The determination unit determines whether or not the content identification information and/or the interrupted spot information that are associated with the user identification information are stored in the storage unit in a case where the server is accessed from a second terminal logged in using the user identification information after the viewing is interrupted. In a case where such information is stored in the storage unit, the notification unit notifies the second terminal that the viewing of the content can be restarted from a viewing interrupted spot by time shift reproduction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicant: DWANGO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohei MORIYAMA, Yuji YASUDA, Shota SAKURAGI