Portable game machine having image capture, manipulation and incorporation

• US 20020082082A1
• Filed: 05/15/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation), Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Rare Ltd. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Stamper, Timothy David Joseph, Chesluk, Beau Ner, Stamper, Christopher Timothy John, Edmonds, Mark Alexis, Irwin, Russell William, Onho, Takashi, Koshima, Kazuo, Shimizu, Takao, Tanaka, Hirokazu, Miyamoto, Shigeru, Nishiumi, Satoshi, Teramoto, Noriaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,894,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/695 Imported photos, e.g. of the player

Abstract

A video/computer game machine is disclosed that maps external images onto animated game players in a game program. An image of a person'"'"'s face may be mapped onto the head of an animated game player. The person may then play the game using the animated game player having a face that appears to be that of the person. Similarly, images of other persons can be mapped on other animated game players that appear in the video game program. Accordingly, the invention improves the realism of video games by enabling individuals to create animated game players that have features, e.g., a facial image, of the individual or that were selected and imported by the individual.

Claims

1. A video game system for playing interactive games using a controller and generating game images, including an animated three-dimensional player, for display during game play, the system comprising:

a console including a processor receiving game control signals from the controller, generating the animated three-dimensional player, and accessing a memory storing a game program, a still image editor program, wherein the editor program includes processor instructions for mapping an imported two-dimensional image onto the three-dimensional player prior to game play.

2. A video game system as in claim 1 wherein the imported two-dimensional image is an image of a face.

3. A video game system as in claim 1 further comprising a digital camera coupled to said processor system, and said digital camera captures the two-dimensional image.

4. A video game system as in claim 1 wherein the digital camera is included in a removable cartridge insertable into the console.

5. A video game system as in claim 1 wherein the processor comprises a microcontroller and a graphics processor.

6. A video game system as in claim 1 wherein the memory storing the game program and the video editor is included in a game cartridge insertable into the console.

7. A video game system as in claim 1 further comprising a player memory electrically coupled to said processor and storing data indicative of the two-dimensional image as painted on the three-dimensional player in the player memory.

8. A video game system as in claim 7 wherein the player memory is separable from the console.

9. A video game system as in claim 8 wherein the player memory is a removable player cartridge.

10. A video game system as in claim 9 wherein the player cartridge physically connects to the controller.

11. A video game system as in claim 10 wherein the controller is a hand controller separate from the console.

12. A video game system as in claim 1 wherein said hand controller comprises a first and second hand controller each having a player cartridge storing indicative of different two-dimensional images.

13. A video game system as in claim 1 further comprising a display coupled to said console and showing the three-dimensional player during game play.

14. A video game system as in claim 13 wherein said display is a television.

Additional Elements to be Claimed

Identifying coordinates on 2D image to be mapped to triangles that for a 3D face.

Still image editor for user of a video game.

Image editor that allows editing of image in 2D and 3D modes.

image editing while 3D mapped image is being displayed in real time to show effect of editing;

Selection of various 3D heads on which to map a 2D image, and manipulation of those 3D heads to improve appearance of 2D face mapped on the head.

3D head manipulation of both front view shape and front-to-back distance of head.

Portable storage of a personalized game player;

Random placement of personalized game player faces onto computer controlled players, such as guards.

Mapping of 2D image on 3D face.

Using a digital camera mounted on a hand controller to take pictures for a game console.

Using a digital camera mounted on one hand controller where a 2D image capture memory resides in the digital camera, and a memory for storing a 3D head mapped with the 2D image is attached to the same or another hand controller.

Personalize game player having a face of the user.