Abstract: When an image in a virtual space in which a virtual object is arranged is generated using a ray tracing method, and when it is determined that a ray which is generated in accordance with the ray tracing method successively intersected an approximate virtual object such as a hand which is a real object at lest twice, an image corresponding to a first intersection is generated in accordance with the ray emitted to the first intersection.

Abstract: Upon generation of an image of a virtual space on which a virtual object is laid out using a ray tracing method, an approximate virtual object, which is configured by at least one virtual element to approximate the shape of a physical object, is laid out on the virtual space. Then, intersect determination between a ray generated based on the ray tracing method and an object on the virtual space is executed. As a result of the intersect determination, when the ray and the approximate virtual object have a predetermined intersect state, a pixel corresponding to the ray is generated based on a ray before the predetermined intersect state is reached.

Abstract: A CPU (201) updates scene data (206) by changing the management order of the data of virtual objects in the scene data (206) based on the processing result of a search of the scene data (206), which is executed upon generating an image of virtual space viewed from a first viewpoint. The CPU (201) sets the updated scene data (206) as scene data (206) to be used to generate an image viewed from a second viewpoint different from the first viewpoint.

Abstract: An information processing method for maintaining, in a system in which each of a plurality of client processes, connected via an information transmission medium, holds and uses shared data to be shared by the plurality of client processes, consistency of shared data held by the respective plurality of client processes, includes a holding step of holding the shared data, and a first issuance step of issuing, in response to a manipulation event request, a manipulation event that represents the manipulation to the shared data to the server process. In addition, a first manipulation execution step executes a manipulation to the shared data in response to a manipulation event received from the server process, and a second issuance step issues an issuance inhibition event to the server process.

Abstract: An information processing method and information processing apparatus facilitate selection of components which form a geometric model. Of a plurality of components which form a three-dimensional geometric mode, components which satisfy predetermined geometrical search criteria are searched for. The obtained components are set in a rendering mode different from that of other components. Therefore, even an occluded-component, which cannot be directly seen from outside a three-dimensional model, can be visually recognized and selected.

Abstract: Real space image including a simple prototype created based on three-dimensional CAD data is captured by an image input apparatus. A position/orientation measuring apparatus measures positions and orientations of the image input apparatus and simple prototype. An information processor captures position/orientation information representing the position and orientation of the simple prototype in the image captured by the image input apparatus 102. The information processor further extracts a hand area from an image, renders a three-dimensional computer graphic image on the simple prototype, excluding the extracted hand area, in the image based on the position/orientation information and the three-dimensional CAD data, and synthesizes the image and the three-dimensional computer graphic image. Here, the simple prototype has a different color from a color of the hand area.

Abstract: Provided is a technique for limiting association of a process to a system where a plurality of processes share data. It is determined whether or not a device itself satisfies a specific condition, and, depending on a result thereof, an instruction to set or release the specific condition is issued to all client devices sharing the data. Further, when the instruction is received, if the received instruction is the instruction to set or release the specific condition, it is then determined whether or not the specific condition is breached. If the device itself breaches the specific condition, then a communication path to a server device is disconnected. If the device itself is not breaching the specific condition, then information relating to the device satisfying the specific condition is updated in accordance with the instruction.

Abstract: A shadow body generation unit 1711 generates a shadow model defined by a limited numbers of lines extending from a position of a light source to an outline of a hand. If the virtual object is partially or fully included in the shadow model and a position of the virtual object is further away from the position of the light source, the shadow body generation unit 1711 generates a shadow for partially obscured area included in the shadow model.

Abstract: When a message indicating that a hand that wears a glove (21) is laid out in accordance with a hand-shaped virtual object is detected, the position and orientation relationship between a magnetic receiver (203) and the hand-shaped virtual object is calculated using the position and orientation relationship between the magnetic receiver (203) and a magnetic receiver (202) and that of the hand-shaped virtual object and the magnetic receiver (202).

Abstract: When a command is a command which requests to establish a communication path with a server apparatus, the communication path with the server apparatus is established (S603), and a sharing mode is set in a public mode (S604). When a command is a command which requests to disconnect the communication path with the server apparatus, the communication path with the server apparatus is disconnected (S606), and the sharing mode is set in a private mode (S607). When a command is a database manipulation command, an event indicating the contents of the manipulation command is generated (S608). If the sharing mode is a public mode, the event is input to a transceiver queue (S610). If the sharing mode is a private mode, the event is input to a receiver queue (409) (S611).

Abstract: An information presentation apparatus comprises an input unit, a measurement unit to measure a user's viewpoint position and pose, a model data storage unit to store virtual world model data, real world model data, and data necessary to generate a virtual world image, an annotation data storage unit to store data added to real and virtual worlds and displayed, a generation unit to generate an image of the virtual world by using information in the measurement unit, the model data storage unit and the annotation data storage unit, a user viewpoint image input unit to capture a real-world image viewed from the user's viewpoint, and an image display unit to display an image obtained by synthesizing the image from the generation unit and the image from the user viewpoint image input unit or the image from the user viewpoint image input unit, on a user's image display.

Abstract: In a system in which a plurality of processes connected via a network hold and use shared data to be shared by these processes, when a manipulation request of the shared data is generated, a manipulation event that represents the manipulation request is issued (T2501). Also, a flushing event is issued in response to a predetermined user's manipulation (T2503). When a manipulation event that responds to the issued manipulation event is received from a server, manipulation of the shared data is executed in accordance with this manipulation event. At this time, issuance of manipulation events based on manipulation requests is inhibited after the flushing event is issued until a flushing event corresponding to the issued flushing event is received (T2506). With this control, in manipulations which are made for the shared data to be shared by the plurality of processes, a subsequent manipulation command is issued after the previously issued manipulation is executed.

Abstract: In an information processing method for maintaining, in a system in which each of a plurality of processes connected via a network holds and uses shared data to be shared by the processes, consistency of shared data held by the respective processes, when a manipulation request for the shared data is generated, an event indicating that manipulation request is output onto the network. An event as a reply to the event output onto the network is received from the network. A manipulation for the shared data is executed in accordance with the received event. In this way, the manipulation execution timings for shared data to be shared by a plurality of processes can be accurately matched.

Abstract: This invention relates to an information processing method and information processing apparatus, which facilitate selection of components which form a geometric model. Of a plurality of components which form a three-dimensional geometric mode, components which satisfy predetermined geometrical search criteria are searched for. The obtained components are set in a rendering mode different from that of other components. Therefore, even an occluded-component, which cannot be directly seen from outside a three-dimensional model, can be visually recognized and selected.

Abstract: An information presentation apparatus comprises an input unit, a measurement unit to measure a user's viewpoint position and pose, a model data storage unit to store virtual world model data, real world model data, and data necessary to generate a virtual world image, an annotation data storage unit to store data added to real and virtual worlds and displayed, a generation unit to generate an image of the virtual world by using information in the measurement unit, the model data storage unit and the annotation data storage unit, a user viewpoint image input unit to capture a real-world image viewed from the user's viewpoint, and an image display unit to display an image obtained by synthesizing the image from the generation unit and the image from the user viewpoint image input unit or the image from the user viewpoint image input unit, on a user's image display.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus for describing a real image as a virtual object using space data formed based on a photo image of the real object, and generating a virtual image of the virtual object using the space data. The image processing apparatus captures the photo image of the real object from a real camera viewpoint position while illuminating the real object by an illumination light source placed at a real illumination position. The captured photo image is converted into space data in the form of an object for each pixel, and the space data is stored in a memory together with various illumination conditions at the real illumination position to allow a search at a later time.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus for describing a real image as a virtual object using space data formed based on a photo image of the real object, and generating a virtual image of the virtual object using the space data. The image processing apparatus captures the photo image of the real object from a real camera viewpoint position while illuminating the real object by an illumination light source placed at a real illumination position. The captured photo image is converted into space data in the form of an object for each pixel, and the space data is stored in a memory together with various illumination conditions at the real illumination position to allow a search at a later time.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus for describing a real image as a virtual object using space data formed based on a photo image of the real object, and generating a virtual image of the virtual object using the space data. The image processing apparatus captures the photo image of the real object from a real camera viewpoint position while illuminating the real object by an illumination light source placed at a real illumination position. The captured photo image is converted into space data in the form of an object for each pixel, and the space data is stored in a memory together with various illumination conditions at the real illumination position to allow a search at a later time.

Abstract: An object level is set as an attribute that specifies a virtual object, and a user level is set for an application program, user, or the like that uses this virtual object, and the attribute of the virtual object is determined in accordance with the object and user levels. For example, a virtual attribute is determined in accordance with the magnitude relationship between the two levels. In this way, when the attribute of the virtual object is to be changed, the user need not select virtual objects to be changed one by one to perform change processes, and can easily change the attributes.

Abstract: Real space image including a simple prototype created based on three-dimensional CAD data is captured by an image input apparatus. A position/orientation measuring apparatus measures positions and orientations of the image input apparatus and simple prototype. An information processor captures position/orientation information representing the position and orientation of the simple prototype in the image captured by the image input apparatus 102. The information processor further extracts a hand area from an image, renders a three-dimensional computer graphic image on the simple prototype, excluding the extracted hand area, in the image based on the position/orientation information and the three-dimensional CAD data, and synthesizes the image and the three-dimensional computer graphic image. Here, the simple prototype has a different color from a color of the hand area.