Patent ID: 7626596
Filing Date: 2009-12-01
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. An image reproducing method for displaying an image of a virtual space corresponding to a viewpoint and displaying an annotation relating to an object in the virtual space, said method comprising: a storing step of storing an image in association with a road defined in the virtual space; a first acquisition step of acquiring definition information used for controlling a display position of an annotation, wherein the definition information indicates, with respect to each annotation, an object, the road in the virtual space, and a mode of controlling a display position of an annotation when a viewpoint is in the road; a second acquisition step of acquiring a viewpoint position; a decision step of deciding, based on the viewpoint position, an object for which an annotation is displayed; a determination step of, with reference to the definition information, determining one of a plurality of modes corresponding to the object decided in said decision step, based on a road in which the viewpoint position acquired in said second acquisition step exists; a calculation step of calculating a display position of an annotation corresponding to the object decided in said decision step in accordance with the mode determined in said determination step, and a selecting step of selecting an image corresponding to the viewpoint position from images and superimposing the annotation on the calculated display position of the selected image; wherein the plurality of modes include: a first mode for displaying the annotation at a predetermined display position that does not correspond to a location of an object; a second mode for displaying the annotation at a display position that corresponds to the location of the object; and a third mode for displaying the annotation at a display position corresponding to the viewpoint position which is interpolated based on a display position of the annotation when the viewpoint position is at a start point on the road, a display position of the annotation when the viewpoint position is at an end point on the road, and a current position of the viewpoint position is in the road, wherein each of the steps is implemented on a computer.