Abstract: A method for combining a real space image with a virtual image, includes: causing an imaging unit to capture an image of a real space; generating an image covering a predetermined space based on a plurality of real images in the captured real space; extracting position information of a light source based on the generated image; and adding a light source or a shadow on the virtual image based on the extracted position information of the light source.

Abstract: A CG image having a transparency parameter is superimposed on a shot image, which is an image picked up by an image-pickup device, to obtain a combined image. The combined image is displayed in a combined-image-display region. In the combined image, a mask region of the CG image is set based on parameter information used to extract a region of a hand. The transparency parameter of the CG image is set based on a ratio of the size of the region of the CG image excluding the mask region to the size of the shot image. By checking the combined image, which is displayed in the combined-image-display region, the user can set the parameter information by a simple operation.

Abstract: A CG image having a transparency parameter is superimposed on a shot image, which is an image picked up by an image-pickup device, to obtain a combined image. The combined image is displayed in a combined-image-display region. In the combined image, a mask region of the CG image is set based on parameter information used to extract a region of a hand. The transparency parameter of the CG image is set based on a ratio of the size of the region of the CG image excluding the mask region to the size of the shot image. By checking the combined image, which is displayed in the combined-image-display region, the user can set the parameter information by a simple operation.

Abstract: An image processing method includes the steps of acquiring an image of a physical space, acquiring a position and orientation of a viewpoint of the image, generating an image of a virtual object, detecting an area which consists of pixels each having a predetermined pixel value, and superimposing the image of the virtual object on the image of the physical space. The superimposition step includes calculating a distance between a position of the virtual object and a position of the viewpoint, acquiring an instruction indicating whether or not the virtual object is emphasis-displayed, and setting a flag indicating whether or not the image of the virtual object is to be set as a masked target. The masking process image of the virtual object is superimposed or not on the image of the physical space depending if the image of the virtual object is set as the masked target.

Abstract: A CG image having a transparency parameter is superimposed on a shot image, which is an image picked up by an image-pickup device, to obtain a combined image. The combined image is displayed in a combined-image-display region. In the combined image, a mask region of the CG image is set based on parameter information used to extract a region of a hand. The transparency parameter of the CG image is set based on a ratio of the size of the region of the CG image excluding the mask region to the size of the shot image. By checking the combined image, which is displayed in the combined-image-display region, the user can set the parameter information by a simple operation.

Abstract: A three-dimensional computer graphics model which represents a measurable range of a position and orientation sensor is prepared in advance. A composite image is generated by superimposing an image of a virtual object which represents the measurable range of the position and orientation sensor on an actually-sensed image in real space where the position and orientation sensor is placed. The composite image, when displayed, makes it possible to visually recognize the measurable range of the position and orientation sensor.

Abstract: An image processing method includes an object level acquisition step of acquiring an object level set for each computer graphics object, a display step of displaying a slide bar with a movable cursor to allow a user to set a user level by manipulating the cursor, and a user level acquisition step of acquiring a user level set by the user, based on a position of the cursor of the slide bar. In addition, a rendering step renders a virtual space including each computer graphics object by rendering each computer graphics object to have its visibility attribute depending on its object level acquired in the object level acquisition step and the user level. The rendering step renders a computer graphics object with an object level less than the user level as a visible object and renders a computer graphics object with an object level equal to or larger than the user level as an invisible object, and the rendering step is repeatedly performed in response to the position of the cursor being changed by the user.

Abstract: In a mixed-reality presentation system, a handler for manipulating a virtual object is displayed as a virtual object. Then, manipulation of the handler by the hand(s) of an observer is detected as manipulation of the virtual object associated with the handler, and those detection results are reflected in a display of the manipulated virtual object. By dynamically changing virtual objects displaying the handler according to the size of the virtual objects displayed in a view volume of the observer presented with a mixed reality space, the observer can select a desired virtual object with ease.

Abstract: An information processing method of adjusting the position/orientation of a virtual object combined with a physical object includes steps of: acquiring position information of a virtual index defined on the virtual object; informing a user of the position of the virtual index; acquiring position information of a physical index on the physical object corresponding to the virtual index based on the position information of a pointing unit operated by the user; and defining position/orientation information of the virtual object based on the position information of the virtual index and the position information of the physical index.

Abstract: When a plurality of mixed reality (MR) experiencing persons experience the same mixed reality, there is a possibility that the experiencing persons come into contact with one another. An image processing apparatus capable of reporting to the MR experiencing persons that there is a possibility of contact. Therefore, a real space image that is image captured from the position and orientation of a user's viewpoint is drawn. The position and orientation of the user's viewpoint at this time is detected by a sensor unit. It is determined whether or not the viewpoint position is smaller than or equal to an attention distance at which there is a possibility of contact. If the viewpoint position is smaller than or equal to the attention distance, an attention display for this fact is performed.

Abstract: An acquired real image undergoes conversion based on a first parameter to generate an image corresponding to a designated characteristic. A virtual image is generated on the basis of a second parameter to generate an image corresponding to a designated characteristic. The converted real image is composited with the generated virtual image. The composite image is displayed.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing method for setting the exclusive control right of a data item by a specific process in a system in which a plurality of clients connected via a network share data including a plurality of data items. In this method, when a desired data item is designated so as to set its exclusive control right, data items which belong to layers lower than the designated data and are related to the designated data item are retrieved on the basis of the hierarchical structure information of the plurality of data items. Then, the exclusive control right is set for the designated data item and retrieved data items.

Abstract: An information processing method maintains, 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. The method includes an input step of inputting a manipulation request, a determining step of determining a mode corresponding to the input manipulation request, from a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode, and a processing step of executing a process corresponding to the manipulation request in accordance with the mode determined in the determining step.

Abstract: An image combining method for combining an image obtained by image sensing real space with a computer-generated image and displaying the combined image. Mask area color information is determined based on a first real image including an object as the subject of mask area and a second real image not including the object, and the color information is registered. The mask area is extracted from the real image by using the registered mask area color information, and the real image and the computer-generated image are combined by using the mask area.

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: A video combining apparatus to superimpose a virtual image such a CG image on a video image of the real world or on a see-through type display device. An area in which the virtual image is not to be displayed can be easily designated by a user. If the user holds a frame with markers in his/her sight, the frame is image-sensed in the video image of the real world. The area designated by the user is detected by detecting the position of the marker in the video image, and the virtual image is not superimposed in this area.

Abstract: A CG image having a transparency parameter is superimposed on a shot image, which is an image picked up by an image-pickup device, to obtain a combined image. The combined image is displayed in a combined-image-display region. In the combined image, a mask region of the CG image is set based on parameter information used to extract a region of a hand. The transparency parameter of the CG image is set based on a ratio of the size of the region of the CG image excluding the mask region to the size of the shot image. By checking the combined image, which is displayed in the combined-image-display region, the user can set the parameter information by a simple operation.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is connected to a print unit adapted to print an image, and can output an image to be printed to the print unit. The apparatus includes an image sensing unit adapted to capture a real space image, a generation unit adapted to generate a virtual space image according to a viewpoint position and orientation of the image sensing unit, and a composition unit adapted to obtain a mixed reality space image by combining the real space image captured by the image sensing unit and the virtual space image generated by the generation unit. In addition, a display unit is adapted to display a mixed reality space image obtained by the composition unit, and an output unit is adapted to output a mixed reality space image, which is obtained by the composition unit, to the print unit in response to an input of a print instruction.

Abstract: There is disclosed a marker layout method in a mixed reality space, which can reliably detect markers in units of players, even when a plurality of players share a common mixed reality space. According to this invention, markers to be used by only a given player are laid out at positions that cannot be seen from other players. Real objects used in an application that uses a mixed reality space may be used.

Abstract: An image processing method includes a position/orientation acquisition step of acquiring a position and orientation of a viewpoint, a virtual image creation step of creating a virtual image on the basis of the position and orientation of the viewpoint, and a holding step of holding an environment mapping image. In addition, an image extraction step extracts a mapping image area rotated according to a viewpoint rotation component about an axis in a line-of-sight direction from the environment mapping image on the basis of the line-of-sight direction of the viewpoint and the viewpoint rotation component about the axis in the line-of sight direction, and an environment mapping step executes environment mapping processing for the virtual image created in the virtual image creation step by using an image included in the mapping image area extracted in the image extraction step.