Virtual reality simulation of a live-action sequence

• US 10,456,690 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2019
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Centurion DK A/S
• Original Assignee: Centurion DK A/S
• Inventors: Ghanchi, Muhammad Yasser
• Primary Examiner(s): Galka, Lawrence S
• Application Number:
  US16/381,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20190232173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 201 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/20 Cricket
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/833 Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/50 Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0015 for cricket
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• 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 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/573 using trajectories of game objects, e.g. of a golf ball according to the point of impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 : Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 : Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/20 : 3D [Three Dimensional] animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 : of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to virtual reality simulation, and more specifically, in some implementations, to devices, systems, and methods for use in a virtual reality sports simulation. A system for virtual reality simulation may include an accessory (e.g., one or more of a bat, a glove, or a helmet) for interacting with a virtual reality environment. The accessory may provide the user with haptic feedback that emulates sensations that the user would experience when playing a live-action sport to provide the user with a more meaningful and realistic experience when playing a virtual reality game. Further, virtual reality simulations disclosed herein may include incorporating data from a live-action event (e.g., a live-action sporting event) into a virtual reality environment to provide a user with a realistic experience.

Claims

1. A virtual reality simulation method, the method comprising:

generating a virtual reality environment including a virtual player in a setting;

receiving projectile data indicative of movement of a projectile launched by a player in a live-action sequence;

based on the projectile data, identifying a release point of the projectile by the player in the live-action sequence, wherein identifying the release point includes calculating the release point based on a trajectory of the projectile included in the projectile data and identifying a release angle of the projectile launched by the player in the live-action sequence;

determining a motion of the virtual player in the virtual reality environment based on the projectile data and the release point; and

on a display of the virtual reality environment viewable by a user, displaying the virtual player moving according to the motion and a graphical representation of the projectile moving according to a temporal series of locations of the projectile.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the projectile data includes a spin of the projectile.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the spin is estimated from a trajectory and a speed of the projectile.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the spin is estimated from contact between the projectile and a playing surface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a path of the graphical representation of the projectile in the virtual reality environment from a trajectory included in the projectile data based on one or more predetermined parameters that differ between the live-action sequence and the setting of the virtual reality environment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of a playing surface, weather, a lighting condition, a physical attribute of the user, and a physical attribute of the virtual player.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the virtual player moving according to the motion includes presenting a first-person view of the virtual player on the display.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the virtual player moving according to the motion includes presenting video data of the player from the live-action sequence.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the virtual player moving according to the motion includes presenting an avatar.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the motion of the virtual player includes selecting one of a plurality of motions stored in a database.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one of the plurality of motions is selected to most closely match attributes of the projectile data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the attributes of the projectile data are weighted.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual reality environment is configured for use in a virtual reality cricket simulation, wherein the projectile is a cricket ball and the player in the live-action sequence is a bowler in a cricket match.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the live-action sequence is a recording of a completed sporting event.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the projectile data includes a speed of the projectile launched by the player in the live-action sequence.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the motion of the virtual player in the virtual reality environment accounts for the speed of the projectile such that the motion of the virtual player corresponds to a speed of release of the projectile by the player in the live-action sequence.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing a parameter of the projectile data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the parameter includes one or more of a release point of the projectile, a release angle of the projectile, an initial speed of the projectile when released by the player, and a location of the projectile downstream from the player in the live-action sequence.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising altering the motion of the virtual player in the virtual reality environment based on the changed parameter of the projectile data.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising altering the graphical representation of the projectile based on the changed parameter of the projectile data.