Method of calibration for a video gaming system

• US 10,207,178 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2017
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Performance Designed Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Performance Designed Products LLC
• Inventors: Lavache, Steve, Baxter, Richard, Roberts, Thomas John
• Primary Examiner(s): Pierce, Damon
• Application Number:
  US15/585,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20170324952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/208 for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/006 Filter holders
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/23 for the control of the colour G02F1/03 - G02F1/21 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/002 for television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/02 for colour television signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A method of calibration a video game system can include removing an optical filter that filters out visible light from a field of view of a camera to allow the camera to view visible light. The method can also include displaying a calibration image on a display screen located within the field of view of the camera, processing the video output feed from the camera with a computer processor to identify the calibration image, and calculating with the processor coordinates that represent corners of the display screen in the field of view of the camera once the calibration image is identified.

Claims

1. A method of calibrating a video game system, comprising:

sensing a motion of a camera;

after sensing the motion of the camera, removing an optical filter that filters out visible light from a field of view of the camera to allow the camera to view visible light;

displaying a calibration image on a display screen located within the field of view of the camera;

processing a video output feed from the camera with a computer processor to identify the calibration image; and

calculating with the processor coordinates that represent corners of the display screen in the field of view of the camera once the calibration image is identified.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the optical filter includes mechanically moving the optical filter out of the field of view of the camera.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the optical filter includes turning off an electronically switchable optical filter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the video feed from the camera includes continuously processing the video output feed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing is performed at least in part by the camera.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing is performed at least in part by a console of the video game system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the calibration image includes displaying an image with multiple markers and wherein processing includes identifying said markers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the calibration image includes cycling a known sequence of colors on the display screen and processing includes identifying pixels in the video output feed that correspond to the sequence of the calibration image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the motion of the camera includes sensing with one or more sensors that the motion of the camera is above a threshold.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising notifying a user of the video game system when sensed motion is above the threshold.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the removing, displaying, processing and calculating steps automatically occur when the sensed motion of the camera is above the threshold.

12. A method of calibrating a video game system, comprising:

sensing a motion of a camera above a threshold amount;

after sensing the motion of the camera, removing an optical filter that filters out visible light from a field of view of the camera to allow the camera to view visible light;

flashing a calibration image on and off on a display screen located within the field of view of the camera;

processing a video output feed from the camera with a computer processor to identify the calibration image; and

calculating with the processor coordinates that represent corners of the display screen in the field of view of the camera once the calibration image is identified.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein removing the optical filter includes mechanically moving the optical filter out of the field of view of the camera.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein removing the optical filter includes turning off an electronically switchable optical filter.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein flashing the calibration image on and off includes flashing on the calibration image in one frame on the display screen and turning off the calibration image in the next frame on the display screen.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein processing the video feed from the camera includes performing frame subtraction to identify changes in the video output feed when the calibration image is turned on and off and thereby identify the calibration image.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein displaying the calibration image includes displaying an image with multiple markers and wherein processing includes identifying said markers.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the removing, flashing, processing and calculating steps automatically occur when the sensed motion of the camera is above the threshold amount.