Drawing apparatus operable to display a motion path of an operation article

• US 20050140645A1
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SSD Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: SSD Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ueshima, Hiromu
• Granted Patent: US 7,554,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

The drawing apparatus images the operation article by intermittently emitting light to the operation article to derive a location of the operation article on the screen. The cursor is displayed at the location of the operation article on the screen. Therefore, the cursor follows movement of the operation article. Then, the star images are displayed on the motion path of the cursor. In this way, a motion path of the operation article can be displayed by operating the operation article in the air.

Claims

1. A drawing apparatus comprising;

a stroboscope operable to direct light onto an operation article at a predetermined interval;

an image capturing device operable to capture an image of said operation article with and without light emitted from said stroboscope, and generate a lighted image signal and a non-lighted image signal which represent image signals corresponding to said operation article with and without light emitted from said stroboscope;

a differential signal generating unit operable to generate a differential signal between said lighted image signal and said non-lighted image signal;

a state information calculating unit operable to calculate state information of said operation article on the basis of said differential signal;

a following object control unit operable to control display of a following object in accordance with said state information of said operation article so that said following object follows motion of said operation article; and

a drawing control unit operable to control drawing on a display device on the basis of a motion path of said following object.

2. The drawing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drawing control unit displays the motion path of said following object with a plurality of predetermined images.

3. The drawing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said drawing control unit performs animation of each predetermined image.

4. The drawing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drawing control unit displays the motion path of said following object by a line.

5. The drawing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drawing control unit controls drawing operation and undrawing operation on the basis of an area information obtained as one of said state information.

6. The drawing apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said drawing control unit performs the drawing operation when said area information exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and does not perform the drawing operation when said area information falls below the predetermined threshold value.

7. The drawing apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said drawing control unit does not perform the drawing operation when said area information falls below a first predetermined threshold value, and once said area information falls below the first predetermined threshold value, said drawing control unit does not perform the drawing operation until said area information exceeds a second predetermined threshold value, and

wherein said first predetermined threshold value is smaller than said second predetermined threshold value.

8. The drawing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said state information calculated by said state information calculation unit is location information of said operation article on said display device.

9. An operation article operated by a user of said drawing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising;

a stick gripper held by said user; and

a reflecting portion which is attached to one end of said stick gripper and retroreflects light.

10. A drawing system comprising;

an operation article operated by a user;

a stroboscope operable to direct light onto said operation article at a predetermined interval;

an image capturing unit operable to capture an image of said operation article with and without light emitted from said stroboscope, and generate a lighted image signal and a non-lighted image signal which represent image signals corresponding to said operation article with and without light emitted from said stroboscope;

a differential signal generating unit operable to generate a differential signal between said lighted image signal and said non-lighted image signal;

a state information calculating unit operable to calculate state information of said operation article on the basis of said differential signal;

a following object control unit operable to control display of a following object in accordance with said state information of said operation article so that said following object follows motion of said operation article; and

a drawing control unit operable to control drawing on a display device on the basis of a motion path of said following object.

11. A drawing program which enables a computer to perform a process, said process comprising:

a step of directing light onto an operation article at a predetermined interval;

a step of capturing an image of said operation article with and without light emitted from a stroboscope and generating a lighted and a non-lighted image signal which represent image signals corresponding to said operation article with and without light emitted from said stroboscope;

a step of generating a differential signal between said lighted image signal and said non-lighted image signal;

a step of calculating state information of said operation article based on said differential signal;

a step of controlling display of a following object which moves as said operation article moves in accordance with said state information of said operation article; and

a step of controlling drawing on a display device on the basis of a motion path of said following object.

12. A drawing method comprising;

a step of directing light onto an operation article at a predetermined interval;

a step of capturing an image of said operation article with and without light emitted from a stroboscope and generating a lighted and a non-lighted image signal which represent image signals corresponding to said operation article with and without light emitted from said stroboscope;

a step of generating a differential signal between said lighted image signal and said non-lighted image signal;

a step of calculating state information of said operation article based on said differential signal;

a step of controlling display of a following object which moves as said operation article moves in accordance with said state information of said operation article; and

a step of controlling drawing on a display device on the basis of a motion path of said following object.