US-12625552-B2 - Information display system

Abstract

An information display system includes a plurality of electronic devices connected to each other via a communication network. The plurality of electronic devices include a first electronic device used by a first user and a second electronic device used by a second user. The first electronic device detects a gaze point of the first user based on an image of the first user captured by a camera, and transmits first user gaze information including information of the gaze point of the first user to the second electronic device. The second electronic device acquires a first user image representing the first user, and executes a gaze emphasis display process that displays the first user image on a display of the second electronic device such that the first user appears to gaze at the gaze point, based on the first user gaze information.

Inventors

• Wataru Kaku

Assignees

• TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20250117

Priority Date

20240129

Claims (4)

1. 1 . An information display system, comprising: a plurality of electronic devices connected to each other via a communication network, wherein the plurality of electronic devices include a first electronic device used by a first user and a second electronic device used by a second user, the first electronic device is configured to: detect a gaze point of the first user based on an image of the first user captured by a camera; and transmit first user gaze information including information of the gaze point of the first user to the second electronic device, the second electronic device is configured to: acquire a first user image representing the first user; and execute a gaze emphasis display process that displays the first user image on a display of the second electronic device such that the first user appears to gaze at the gaze point, based on the first user gaze information, the first electronic device is further configured to: recognize that the first user looks at a first target displayed on a display of the first electronic device, based on the gaze point and a gaze direction of the first user; and transmit the first user gaze information including information of the first target as the information of the gaze point to the second electronic device, and the second electronic device is further configured to: acquire a first target image representing the first target; and in the gaze emphasis display process and based on the first user gaze information, display the first user image and the first target image on the display of the second electronic device such that the first user appears to gaze at the first target.
2. 2 . The information display system according to claim 1 , wherein the gaze emphasis display process includes at least one of: displaying an arrow image representing a direction from the first user image to the gaze point on the display of the second electronic device; and adjusting an orientation of the first user image such that the first user appears to face toward the gaze point.
3. 3 . The information display system according to claim 1 , wherein the first electronic device is further configured to: calculate a gaze degree, which indicates a degree of the first user's gazing at the first target, according to a distance between the gaze point of the first user and a display position of the first target image; and transmit the first user gaze information further including information of the gaze degree to the second electronic device, and the second electronic device is further configured to execute the gaze emphasis display process such that the first user's gazing at the first target is more emphasized as the gaze degree increases.
4. 4 . The information display system according to claim 3 , wherein the gaze emphasis display process includes: displaying an arrow image representing a direction from the first user image to the first target image on the display of the second electronic device; and increasing at least one of a length and a thickness of the arrow image as the gaze degree increases.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION The present disclosure claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-010756, filed on Jan. 29, 2024, the contents of which application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to an information display technique using an electronic device. BACKGROUND ART Patent Literature 1 discloses a communication support system. The communication support system arranges user objects corresponding to a plurality of users in a two dimensional or three dimensional virtual space. LIST OF RELATED ART Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent No. 7150114 SUMMARY An information display technique using a plurality of electronic devices capable of communicating with each other will be considered. A technique is desired that can further enhance realistic sensations when an image representing a user is displayed on an electronic device of another user. An aspect of the present disclosure is directed to an information display system. The information display system includes a plurality of electronic devices connected to each other via a communication network. The plurality of electronic devices include a first electronic device used by a first user and a second electronic device used by a second user. The first electronic device detects a gaze point of the first user based on an image of the first user captured by a camera. Then, the first electronic device transmits first user gaze information including information of the gaze point of the first user to the second electronic device. The second electronic device acquires a first user image representing the first user. Then, the second electronic device executes a gaze emphasis display process that displays the first user image on a display of the second electronic device such that the first user appears to gaze at the gaze point, based on the first user gaze information. According to the present disclosure, the first user image representing the first user is displayed on the second electronic device of the second user. At this time, the gaze emphasis display process is executed such that the first user appears to gaze at the gaze point. Thus, the second user can visually grasp what the first user is gazing at. This enhances the reality and the realistic sensations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an overview of an information display system; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of an electronic device; FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a controller of an electronic device; FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a relative positional relationship between left and right eyes of a user and a display surface; FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an example of a gaze emphasis display process; and FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an example of a gaze emphasis display process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1. Overview of Information Display System FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an overview of an information display system 1 according to the present embodiment. The information display system 1 includes a plurality of electronic devices 100. Examples of the electronic device 100 include a personal computer, a tablet, and a dedicated terminal. The plurality of electronic devices 100 are used by a plurality of users U, respectively. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the electronic devices 100-A, 100-B, 100-C, and 100-D and respective users U-A, U-B, U-C, and U-D are shown. However, the number of electronic devices 100 and the number of users U are arbitrary. The plurality of electronic devices 100 are connected to each other via a communication network and can communicate with each other. The communication network may be a wireless communication network or a wired communication network. The plurality of electronic devices 100 may be connected to a server 10 and may communicate with each other through the server 10. In addition, each of the plurality of electronic devices 100 includes a camera (an imaging device) and a display (display device). The camera is installed so as to be able to capture (take) an image of the user U. Typically, the camera is installed so as to be able to capture the face of the user U. The electronic device 100-i (i=A, B, C, D . . . ) acquires an image IMG-i of the user U-i captured (taken) by the camera. The image IMG-i includes at least the face of the user U-i. The electronic device 100-i transmits the image IMG-i to another electronic device 100-j (j≠i). The electronic device 100-i may extract a feature parameter of the user U-i based on the image IMG-i and transmit information of the feature parameter of the user U-i to another electronic device 100-j. Examples of the feature parameter include line-of-sight information, a