Camera based man machine interfaces

• US 20050129273A1
• Filed: 07/19/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Timothy R. Pryor
• Original Assignee: Timothy R. Pryor
• Inventors: Pryor, Timothy R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,401,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• 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 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/27 characterised by a large display in a public venue, e.g. in a movie theatre, stadium or game arena
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• 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 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2435 using a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8023 the game being played by multiple players at a common site, e.g. in an arena, theatre, shopping mall using a large public display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• 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 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 : Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 : using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 : using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10021 : Stereoscopic video; Stereoscopic image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 : Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 : Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 : using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/593 : from stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 : using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/143 : Sensing or illuminating at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 : Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16

Abstract

Disclosed herein are new forms of computer inputs particularly using TV Cameras, and providing affordable methods and apparatus for data communication with respect to people and computers using optically inputted information from specialized datum'"'"'s on objects and/or natural features of objects. Particular embodiments capable of fast and reliable acquisition of features and tracking of motion are disclosed, together with numerous applications in various fields of endeavor.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A board game apparatus comprising:

a board on which play takes place, said board containing information relating to the game;

markers used for the play of the game, said markers resting on said board and being moved by one or more persons during play of the game;

at least one TV Camera positioned to view said board and said markers; and

,

computer means to determine from an output of said TV camera a position of said markers with respect to the information on said board.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said computer means also identifies at least one marker from the output of said TV camera.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9, further including means to display video imagery or audio information to augment the game play experience.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said computer means also determines information concerning other objects used in the game or persons playing the game.

13. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said board is stiff so as to not easily be deformed during transport or play.

14. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said board is information provided on a computer generated video display.

15. A board game apparatus comprising:

a substantially horizontal TV display capable of displaying video images;

computer means for generating images on said substantially horizontal TV display relating to a game; and

at least one marker resting on a top surface of said TV display, said marker being positioned by a person as part of a game play.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, further including means to position said display at a convenient height for game play.

17. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said image is similar to that of an existing conventional board game.

18. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said display is physically located on a table at which players can be seated.

19. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said display is a flat panel display.

20. Apparatus according to claim 15, in which video data augmenting the game experience is also shown on said display.

21. A method for board game play comprising the steps of:

providing a board on which markers are moved by one or more persons during play of the game, said board containing information relating to said game;

providing at least one TV Camera positioned to view said board and said markers;

determining, using a computer, a position of at least one of said markers with respect to information provided on said board; and

,

using a result of said position determination, providing further video or audio information to persons playing said game.

22. A method according to claim 21, including the further step of establishing a reference coordinate system for the board and markers.

23. A method according to claim 21, including the further step of identifying at least one of the markers.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said identification pertains to the player associated with a particular marker.

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein at least one of said markers has a specialized datum to aid position determination or identification by said TV camera.

26. A method according to claim 21, wherein said further video or audio information can be selected to correspond to one of a plurality of choices for a given game.

27. A method according to claim 26, in which a MONOPOLY®

game is enhanced by using local or otherwise familiar scenes or sounds to represent the various properties and other features in the game.

28. A method according to claim 21, wherein said further information is downloaded by said computer from remote sources, using the internet or other means.