Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer readable storage medium for determining a moving path of virtual viewpoint

An information processing method comprising:

• setting a plurality of key frames that each indicate a position of a virtual viewpoint that corresponds to a virtual viewpoint image generated based on images of an image capture region captured by a plurality of image capturing apparatuses from different directions;
• determining, as a method for determining a moving path of a virtual viewpoint between a first key frame set in the setting and a second key frame set in the setting, a first method in a case where a position of a virtual viewpoint indicated by the first key frame and a position of a virtual viewpoint indicated by the second key frame meet a predetermined condition, and determining, as the method, a second method different from the first method in a case where the position of the virtual viewpoint indicated by the first key frame and the position of the virtual viewpoint indicated by the second key frame do not meet the predetermined condition;
• and
• outputting viewpoint information that indicates the determined moving path of the virtual viewpoint determined based on the method determined in the determining.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method comprising:

• setting a plurality of key frames that each indicate a position of a virtual viewpoint that corresponds to a virtual viewpoint image generated based on images of an image capture region captured by a plurality of image capturing apparatuses from different directions;
• determining, as a method for determining a moving path of a virtual viewpoint between a first key frame set in the setting and a second key frame set in the setting, a first method in a case where a position of a virtual viewpoint indicated by the first key frame and a position of a virtual viewpoint indicated by the second key frame meet a predetermined condition, and determining, as the method, a second method different from the first method in a case where the position of the virtual viewpoint indicated by the first key frame and the position of the virtual viewpoint indicated by the second key frame do not meet the predetermined condition;
• and
• outputting viewpoint information that indicates the determined moving path of the virtual viewpoint determined based on the method determined in the determining.