Information processing apparatus and method

An information processing method comprising steps of:

• calculating view information in accordance with a user instruction from an operation unit, the view information including view position information and view direction information;
• storing path information of a plurality of pre-stored panorama images;
• calculating advancable path information at a next dividing point in accordance with the view information and the path information;
• and
• generating a cut-out image from the panorama image in accordance with the view information, generating a sign figure representative of the advancable path in accordance with the advancable path information, and synthesizing the cut-out image and the sign figure to generate a display image.

A computer readable storage medium storing a program for performing an information processing method, the program comprising steps of:

• calculating view information in accordance with a user instruction from an operation unit, the view information including view position information and view direction information;
• storing path information of a plurality of pre-stored panorama images;
• calculating advancable path information at a next dividing point in accordance with the view information and the path information;
• and
• generating a cut-out image from the panorama image in accordance with the view information, generating a sign figure representative of the advancable path in accordance with the advancable path information, and synthesizing the cut-out image and the sign figure to generate a display image.

An information processing apparatus comprising:

• control means for controlling a view position and a view direction;
• view position and view direction determining means for determining a next view position and a next view direction in accordance with an output from said control means;
• and
• reproducing means for acquiring an image corresponding to the view position from an image group including a plurality of images corresponding to a plurality of dividing points or a position on a path interconnecting the dividing points, and reproducing a partial image corresponding to the view direction.

An information processing method for an information processing apparatus for realizing walk-through in a virtual space expressed by a panorama image group, the method comprising steps of:

• inputting a motion parameter and a rotation parameter from an operation unit;
• obtaining a view position and a view direction of an observer from the motion parameter and the rotation parameter;
• and
• generating a display image from a panorama image based on the view position and the view direction, wherein:
• at a position other than a dividing point capable of selecting a plurality of advance directions, a present advance direction is maintained irrespective of the rotation parameter and the view direction is obtained from the rotation parameter, if a view position continues moving;
• and
• at a dividing point capable of selecting a plurality of advance directions, an advance direction is selected in accordance with the rotation parameter.

A computer readable storage medium storing a program for performing an information processing method for an information processing apparatus for realizing walk-through in a virtual space expressed by a panorama image group, the program comprising steps of:

• inputting a motion parameter and a rotation parameter from an operation unit;
• obtaining a view position and a view direction of an observer from the motion parameter and the rotation parameter;
• and
• generating a display image from a panorama image based on the view position and the view direction, wherein:
• at a position other than a dividing point capable of selecting a plurality of advance directions, a present advance direction is maintained irrespective of the rotation parameter and the view direction is obtained from the rotation parameter, if a view position continues moving;
• and
• at a dividing point capable of selecting a plurality of advance directions, an advance direction is selected in accordance with the rotation parameter.