Patent ID: 6317151
Filing Date: 2001-11-13
Classification: A63F,G06T,G09B

Abstract:
An image reproducing system comprising:image storage means for storing a plurality of stationary-viewpoint images each of which was converted from a natural scene which was captured using an image generating device which was placed at each of a plurality of predetermined shooting points and was held at rest, and for storing a plurality of moving-viewpoint images each of which was converted from a natural scene which was captured using the image generating device as it was moved on the way from each of the plurality of shooting points to a next shooting point, so as to provide a virtual reality environment for a user, the plurality of shooting points starting from a shooting start point being arranged on a path along which the user will move in the virtual reality environment, and each of the plurality of shooting points starting from the shooting start point which corresponds to a start point from which the user will start to move in the virtual reality environment being referred to as the Nth shooting point (N=1 to n, and n is the number of the plural shooting points), an interval between said shooting points being controlled in accordance with a length of said user's step,movement detecting means for detecting a movement of the user in the virtual reality environment; andreproducing means for reproducing the plurality of stationary-viewpoint images and the plurality of moving-viewpoint images stored in said image storage means in turn according to user's movements detected by said movement detecting means;wherein said moving viewpoint images are captured using a video camera in a video mode so that said stored moving viewpoint images appear as natural motion to a viewer.