Three-dimensional image processing system having dynamically changing character polygon number

• US 20010008847A1
• Filed: 02/12/2001
• Published: 07/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Koizumi, Yoshiaki, Miyamoto, Shigeru, Nishida, Yasunari, Kawagoe, Takumi
• Granted Patent: US 6,346,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/33
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5258 by dynamically adapting the position of the virtual camera to keep a game object or game character in its viewing frustum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/0474 characterised by means converting mechanical movement into electric signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04759 Light-sensitive detector, e.g. photoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 Geometric effects

Abstract

A video game system includes a game cartridge which is pluggably attached to a main console having a main processor, a coprocessor, and player controllers. A multifunctional peripheral processing subsystem external to the game microprocessor and coprocessor is described which executes commands for handling player controller input/output to thereby lessen the processing burden on the graphics processing subsystem. The video game system and methodology features a unique player controller. A player controlled character may be controlled in a multitude of different ways utilizing the combination of the joystick and/or cross-switch and/or control keys. The controlled character'"'"'s pace may be varied between walking by slight controller joystick movement or running through a greater angular displacement of the joystick, while at the same time controlling the direction of the character'"'"'s movement over 360 degrees in the three-dimensional world. the number of polygons utilized to display a player-controlled character is modified depending upon the speed of movement of the character, whereby the number of polygons is reduced at higher speed. At low level speeds, the character is drawn with a predetermined number of polygons and at higher level speeds the character is drawn with a reduced number of polygons, except that the polygons used for drawing the face remains the same as at the first level speed. In this fashion, the character is simulated in a manner designed to appear to be most realistic to the user, who is more likely to focus on the character face, rather than the body during animated character motion.

Claims

1. For use with a video game system console having a game program executing processing system to execute said video game program to create a display simulating a player controlled character in a three-dimensional world, and at least one player controller having a operation control member and a plurality of control keys and operable by a player to generate video game control signals, a portable storage device for controlling the operation of said video game system console comprising:

a memory media for storing video game instructions and graphics data;

a connector for coupling said video game instructions and said graphics data retrieved from said memory media to said video game system console;

said video game instructions including instructions for causing said game program executing processing system to display a player-controlled character and to detect the speed of the character'"'"'s movement and in response to the detected speed to generate the character display with one of a first predetermined number of polygons and a second predetermined number of polygons.

2. A portable storage device according to

claim 1

, wherein said character is displayed with a first predetermined number of polygons which is greater than said second predetermined number of polygons, if said speed of the character'"'"'s movement is below a predetermined speed.

3. A portable storage device according to

claim 1

, wherein said character is displayed with a second predetermined number of polygons which is less than said first predetermined number of polygons, if said speed of the character'"'"'s movement is above a predetermined speed.

4. A portable storage device according to

claim 1

, wherein the character'"'"'s face is not drawn with a substantially reduced number of polygons when either said first or second predetermined number of polygons is used to draw the character.

5. A portable storage device according to

claim 1

, further including instructions for for causing said game program executing processing system to generate said character with a third predetermined number of polygons if the character'"'"'s speed is detected as exceeding a predetermined high moving speed.

6. In an image processing system having an image processing program executing system to create a display simulating a character in a three-dimensional world, and at least one operation controller having a operation control member and a plurality of control keys and, a portable storage device for storing a program for controlling the operation of said image processing system comprising the steps of:

detecting when the character is moving in the three-dimensional world at no faster than a first predetermined speed;

displaying said character with a first predetermined number of polygons;

detecting when the character is moving in the three-dimensional world at no faster than a second predetermined speed which is higher than said first predetermined speed; and

displaying said character with a second predetermined number of polygons which is less than said first predetermined number.

7. A method according to

claim 6

, wherein said step of displaying said character with a second predetermined number of polygons includes the step of decreasing the number of polygons used to generate the body of the character.

8. A method according to

claim 6

, wherein said step of displaying said character with a second predetermined number of polygons is performed without reducing the number of polygons used to generate the character'"'"'s face.

9. A method according to claim according to

claim 6

, further including the steps of:

detecting when the character is moving in the three-dimensional world in excess of said second predetermined speed; and

displaying said character with a third predetermined number of polygons which is less than said second predetermined number.

10. A method according to claim according to

claim 6

, wherein said image processing system is a video game system.

11. A method according to claim according to

claim 6

, wherein said image processing system is a video game system including a player controlling having a joystick, and wherein said steps of detecting each include the step of monitoring the angular rotation of said joystick.