BACKGROUND

Field

The present disclosure relates to a system for generating a virtual viewpoint image.

Background Art

Conventionally, a technique has been proposed to generate a virtual viewpoint image such that images of a subject are captured in synchronization from a plurality of directions by a plurality of image capturing apparatuses set a different positions, and a virtual viewpoint image is formed using a plurality of captured images (multiple viewpoint images) obtained as a result of capturing the images. The virtual viewpoint image generated in this way is an image representing a view seen from a virtual viewpoint that is not limited to the installation positions of the image capturing apparatuses.

PTL 1 discloses a technique in which a user selects a desired viewpoint based on one or more images, and a virtual viewpoint image is generated from the images and information on the selected viewpoint. PTL 1 also discloses a UI (user interface) for allowing a user to select a desired viewpoint.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

PTL 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-215828

In various systems including a plurality of apparatuses, when one of components thereof is in an abnormal state, information regarding the component in the abnormal state may be displayed to inform a user of the state of the system state. However, in a system for generating a virtual viewpoint image, a situation may occur in which it is not sufficient to simply display information regarding a component in an abnormal state.

For example, when at least one of a plurality of image capturing apparatuses included in the system is in an abnormal state in which a malfunction occurs or it is not capable of normally capturing an image or outputting a captured image, a problem may occur such as a deterioration in the quality of a generated virtual viewpoint image. In such a situation, depending on the position relationship or the connection relationship between the image capturing apparatus in the abnormal state and other image capturing apparatuses, it may be allowed or not allowed to continue the generation of the virtual viewpoint image, or there may be a difference in the number of image capturing apparatuses that are to be adjusted. That is, there are cases where simply indicating the apparatus in the abnormal state does not allow the user to easily know the degree of the influence of the abnormality on the quality of the virtual viewpoint image, the number of processes required to recover from the abnormal state, and the like. On the other hand, if the user can easily know the degree of the influence of the abnormality, for example, the user can quickly take appropriate measures such as repair or adjustment of the image capturing apparatus, which makes it possible to suppress a problem such as a reduction in quality of the virtual viewpoint image.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a technique for more appropriately informing a user of a state of a system for generating a virtual viewpoint image.

SUMMARY

In order to solve the above problems, a display control apparatus according to the present disclosure is configured, for example, as described below. That is, the display control apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain information regarding states of a plurality of apparatuses for obtaining a plurality of images captured from a plurality of directions for use in generating a virtual viewpoint image, an identification unit configured to identify, among the plurality of apparatuses, an apparatus that is in an abnormal state, based on the information obtained by the obtaining unit, a display control unit configured to perform control to cause a display unit to display information indicating one or a plurality of apparatuses, among the plurality of apparatuses, that are in a predetermined relationship with the apparatus identified by the identification unit as being in the abnormal state.

Further features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

