Video game apparatus, method and recording medium storing program for controlling viewpoint movement of simulated camera in video game

• US 20030017872A1
• Filed: 07/17/2002
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation
• Inventors: Okubo, Toru, Oishi, Toshimitsu, Domitsu, Hideyuki, Yamano, Tomoya
• Granted Patent: US 6,890,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/33
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• 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 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6676 by dedicated player input
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

A 3-dimensional video game apparatus comprises display 40 for displaying an image; image-processing means 16 for creating a 3-dimensional image from the viewpoint of a simulated camera and displaying that image on a display screen; and game controller 14 which conducts the game in response to reactions of the player, responsive to images displayed on display 40. The game apparatus further comprises camera unit 42 which can be arranged in such an orientation that its field of view is the play area in front of the display screen, and which periodically captures images of the play area in the state thus arranged; a position recognizing part which detects the player'"'"'s head from the captured image, and detects the two-dimensional movement of the detected head position; and viewpoint change processor which moves the viewpoint of said simulated camera in conjunction with the change direction and change amount of the position of the detected marked region.

Claims

1. In a video game apparatus including a display having a screen for displaying images, display control means for creating game images as seen from a simulated camera viewpoint and displaying said images on the screen of said display;

and a game control part for conducting the game in response to reactions of a player responsive to the images displayed on said display;

said video game apparatus comprising;

image capture means which can be arranged in such an orientation that its field of view is a play area in front of the display screen, and said image capture means periodically captures an image of the play area in the state arranged;

position detecting means for detecting from the captured images a position of a player'"'"'s marked region;

movement detecting means for detecting two-dimensional movement of said position of the marked region detected by said position detecting means; and

viewpoint changing means for moving the simulated camera viewpoint, in accordance with the change direction and change amount of the position of the detected marked region.

2. A video game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising initial play position setup means for performing initial calibration processing to normalize the player'"'"'s standing position.

3. A video game apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said initial play position setup means displays player standing position guide image on the screen and reference position region at a predetermined position in said player standing position guide image, and present position mark corresponding to a player'"'"'s marked region, obtained from said position detecting means is superimposed on the player standing position guide image.

4. A video game apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when said present position mark is within the reference position region, said reference position region is displayed in a color differently than the color thereof when the present position mark is outside of the reference position region.

5. The video game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the player'"'"'s marked region is the player'"'"'s head.

6. The video game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein operational contents given by a controller capable of external control are reflected in the progress of the game.

7. The video game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image capture means comprises first and second image capture means separated by a specified distance and arranged so that their directions intersect so that 3-dimensional movement of the player'"'"'s marked region is detected from player images obtained by the first and second image capture means.

8. The video game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image capture means is formed in such a manner that it can be mounted on a desired position with respect to the display.

9. A method for controlling movement of a simulated camera viewpoint in a video game that is conducted by creating game images as seen from a simulated camera viewpoint, and displaying the images on said display while moving the simulated camera viewpoint in response to reactions of a player responsive to the images displayed on the display, said method comprising the steps of:

while periodically capturing images of the play area by means of an image capturing means positioned in a desired position so that its orientation is such that its field of view is a play area in front of the display screen, detecting a player'"'"'s marked region from these captured images;

detecting two-dimensional movement of the position of the marked region; and

moving said simulated camera viewpoint in accordance with the direction of change and amount of change of the position of the detected marked region.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the player'"'"'s marked region is the player'"'"'s head.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein operational contents given by a controller capable of external control are reflected in the progress of the game.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the image capture means comprises first and second image capture means separated by a specified distance and arranged so that their directions intersect so that 3-dimensional movement of the player'"'"'s marked region is detected from player images obtained by the first and second image capture means.

13. A recording medium storing a program for controlling movement of a simulated camera viewpoint in a video game that is conducted by creating game images as seen from a simulated camera viewpoint, and displaying the images on said display while moving the simulated camera viewpoint in response to reactions of a player responsive to the images displayed on the display, said program comprising the steps of:

while periodically capturing images of the play area by means of an image capturing means positioned in a desired position so that its orientation is such that its field of view is a play area in front of the display screen, detecting a player'"'"'s marked region from these captured images;

detecting two-dimensional movement of the position of the marked region; and

moving said simulated camera viewpoint in accordance with the direction of change and amount of change of the position of the detected marked region.