Patent ID: 8378997

Claim:
An information processing method to allow a user to utilize a real space haptic device in conjunction with a real space object, wherein the real space haptic device includes a real space tip, the information processing method comprising: generating real space images, including a real space haptic device image of the real space haptic device and a real space object image of the real space object; generating virtual space images including a virtual space haptic device image of the real space haptic device image, a virtual space object image of the real space object image, and a virtual space element image, wherein generating virtual space images includes setting a virtual space tip image of the virtual space haptic device image with a virtual space extending shape image such that the real space tip and a real space tip image are equal in length and the virtual space tip image is longer than both the real space tip and the real space tip image by a distance equal to a length of the virtual space extending shape image, and wherein each real space image has an exterior surface that is identical to an exterior surface of a corresponding real space item and, except for the virtual space element image and the virtual space extending shape image, each virtual space image has an exterior surface that is identical to an exterior surface of a corresponding real space image, wherein the virtual space element image is positioned inside the virtual space object image to be surrounded by the exterior surface of the virtual space object image; creating a haptic scene by superimposing the virtual space haptic device image and the real space haptic device image so that, except for the virtual space extending shape image, they occupy the same space, and superimposing the virtual space object image and the real space object image so that the virtual space object image and the real space object image occupy the same space; presenting the haptic scene to the user; and controlling to one of (i) allow passing the virtual space extending shape image through the exterior surface of the virtual space object image, while at least not generating haptics, to generate haptics from contact between the virtual space extending shape image and the virtual space element image, while preventing the real space tip image from being passed through the exterior surface of the real space object image and (ii) allow preventing the virtual space extending shape image from extending through the exterior surface of the virtual space object image to generate haptics from contact between the virtual space extending shape image and the exterior surface of the virtual space object image.