Object display system in a virtual world

Abstract

An apparatus for displaying an object such as a billboard in a virtual world is provided. An input history of a user's operation for moving a character in the virtual world is obtained. The movement track of the character in the virtual world is also obtained. The position and direction of the billboard are changed according to the input history and the movement track so that the billboard is visible to the user. For instance, on a street where the user is expected to move at a high speed, the direction of the billboard is changed so that its display surface can face the front of the character and the billboard is displayed in a position far away from the user's viewing position.

1 . An object display apparatus comprising: 
 a selecting unit which selects individual information for each user who logs into a virtual world, the information being displayed in the virtual world and recognized by the each user,    wherein when a plurality of users log into the virtual world as a group, the selecting unit selects common information having a same content for the plurality of the users who form the group instead of selecting the individual information for each of the users.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a display control unit which displays a display object on which the information selected by the selecting unit is displayed.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the display control unit displays information having a different content selected by the selecting unit on the display object for a user of a different group, even when the same display object is one on which the common information having the same content is displayed for a plurality of users which form one group.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the display control unit displays the individual information having a different content selected by the selecting unit on the display object for a user who logs into the virtual world alone, even when the same display object is one on which the common information having the same content is displayed for a plurality of users which form one group.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a visibility range judging unit which judges a range of visibility of a user who see the virtual world based on a direction of movement and a speed of movement of an operational object which the user operates in the virtual world, and wherein the display control unit displays the display object within the judged visibility range.  
   
   
       6 . An object display system comprising a terminal and a server which are connected to a network, wherein the terminal comprises: 
 a communication unit which receives from the server data of an object in a virtual world; and    a display unit which displays an image of the virtual world using the data of the object, and    wherein the server comprises:    a selecting unit which selects individual information for each user who logs into a virtual world, the information being recognized by the each user in the virtual world; and    a display control unit which displays on the terminal a display object on which the information selected by the selecting unit is displayed, and    wherein when a plurality of users log into the virtual world as a group, the selecting unit selects common information having a same content for the plurality of the users who form the group instead of selecting the individual information for each of the users.    
   
   
       7 . An object display method comprising: 
 selecting individual information for each user who logs into a virtual world, the information being recognized by the each user in the virtual world; and    displaying a display object on which the selected information is displayed, and    wherein when a plurality of users log into the virtual world as a group, common information having a same content for the plurality of the users who form the group is selected instead of the individual information for each of the users being selected.