Information processing device, game device, image generation method, and game image generation method

• US 20050202870A1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega
• Inventors: Kawamura, Mitsuru
• Granted Patent: US 7,637,817 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• 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 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• 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

Provided is technology enabling the generation of images of high realistic sensation upon accurately reflecting the operator'"'"'s behavior. The information processing device has a controller to be used for inputting an operational instruction, and having a function of outputting a detectable wave to be used for detecting its own position and direction; a plurality of sensors for detecting the intensity of the detectable wave transmitted from the controller at mutually different positions; a position/direction calculation unit for calculating the position and direction of the controller in a real space based on the ratio of the intensity of the detectable wave detected with each of the plurality of sensors; an image generation unit for generating an image reflecting the operational instruction input with the controller, and the position and direction of the controller calculated with the position/direction calculation unit; and a display unit for displaying the image generated with the image generation unit.

Claims

1. An information processing device, comprising:

operational means to be used for inputting an operational instruction, and having a function of outputting a detectable wave to be used for detecting its own position and direction;

plurality of detection means for detecting the intensity of said detectable wave transmitted from said operational means at mutually different positions;

position/direction calculation means for calculating the position and direction of said operational means in a real space based on the ratio of the intensity of said detectable wave detected with each of said plurality of detection means;

image generation means for generating an image reflecting said operational instruction input with said operational means, and the position and direction of said operational means calculated with said position/direction calculation means; and

display means for displaying said image generated with said image generation means.

2. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein each of said detection means has three detector planes disposed toward three mutually different directions.

3. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein said operational means has detectable wave control means for changing the state of said detectable wave according to the content of said operational instruction;

and

said position/direction calculation means determines the content of said operational instruction based on the state of said detectable wave detected with said detection means, and outputs the content of said operational instruction to said image generation means.

4. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein said image generation means generates a two-dimensional image viewed from a virtual viewpoint in a virtual space by disposing an object in said virtual space, and changing the state of said object according to the position and direction of said operational means.

5. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein said image generation means generates a two-dimensional image viewed from a virtual viewpoint in a virtual space by disposing an object in said virtual space, and changes the position and visual direction of said virtual viewpoint according to the position and direction of said operational means.

6. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein said image generation means employs the calculation result of said position/direction calculation means to determine whether a bullet virtually fired from said operational means hit an object in said virtual space, and generates said two-dimensional image according to the determination result.

7. An information processing device according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of said operational means, wherein said position/direction calculation means transmits an identifying signal for selecting one among said plurality of operational means in each prescribed timing and identifying the selected operational means;

and

said detectable wave control means provided to each of said plurality of operational means outputs said detectable wave based on said identifying signal when its own operational means is being selected.

8. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein said detectable wave control means controls the characteristics of said detectable wave such that the self-transmitted said detectable wave and the detectable wave employed in other devices are mutually identifiable;

and

said position/direction calculation means identifies said operational means employed in its own device by determining the characteristics of said detectable wave from the detection result of said detection means.

9. A game device constituted by including the information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A game device which detects the relative positional relationship of the display means for displaying a game image viewable from the position and direction of a virtual viewpoint in a virtual space and the operational means operated by a player, and advances the game based on the detected positional relationship, said game device comprising:

position detection means for detecting the position of the longitudinal direction and lateral direction of said operational means in relation to the display surface of said display means;

orientation detection means for detecting the orientation of said operational means in relation to said display surface;

position/direction calculation means for calculating the operational position and operational direction of said operational means based on the detection information obtained respectively from said position detection means and said orientation direction means; and

image generation means for calculating the position of the virtual viewpoint based on said operational position calculated with said position/direction calculation means, calculating the visual direction of said virtual viewpoint based on said operational direction calculated with said position/direction calculation means, and generating a game image based on said viewpoint position and said visual direction.

11. An image generation method which detects the relative positional relationship of the display means for displaying a game image viewable from the position and direction of a virtual viewpoint in a virtual space and the operational means operated by a player, and generates an image based on the detected positional relationship, said image generation method comprising:

a first step of the detection means detecting the intensity of a detectable wave transmitted from said operational means at a plurality of mutually different positions;

a second step of the position/direction calculation means calculating the position and direction of said operational means in a real space based on the ratio of the intensity of said detectable wave detected at said first step; and

a third step of the image generation means generating a two-dimensional image reflecting said operational instruction input with said operational means, and the position and direction of said operational means calculated at said second step.

12. An image generation method according to claim 11, wherein said first step detects the intensity of said detectable wave in three mutually different directions in each of said plurality of positions;

and

said second step seeks the direction vector from the intensity of said detectable wave in said three directions regarding each of said plurality of positions, and calculates the position and direction of said operational means by synthesizing said direction vectors.

13. An image generation method according to claim 11 further comprising a fourth step of the detectable wave control means changing the state of said detectable wave so as to contain the content of said operational instruction input with said operational means.

14. An image generation method according to claim 11, wherein said third step generates a two-dimensional image viewed from a virtual viewpoint in a virtual space by disposing an object in said virtual space, and changing the state of said object, or changing the position and visual direction of said virtual viewpoint according to the calculation result at said second step.

15. An image generation method according to claim 11 further comprising a fifth step of said position/direction calculation means transmitting an identifying signal for selecting one among said plurality of operational means in each prescribed timing and identifying the selected operational means;

and

a sixth step of said detectable wave control means transmitting said detectable signal only to said selected controller based on said identifying signal.

16. An image generation method according to claim 11 further comprising a seventh step of said detectable wave control means variably setting the characteristics of said detectable wave such that said controller to be the calculation target of said position and direction and other said controllers are identifiable;

and

an eighth step of said position/direction calculation means identifying said controller to be the calculation target of said position and direction by determining the characteristics of said detectable wave.

17. A game image generation method which detects the relative positional relationship of the display means for displaying a game image viewable from the position and direction of a virtual viewpoint in a virtual space and the operational means operated by a player, and generates a game image based on the detected positional relationship, said game image generation method comprising:

a first step of the position detection means detecting the position of the longitudinal direction and lateral direction of said operational means in relation to the display surface of said display means;

a second step of the orientation direction means detecting the orientation of said operational means in relation to said display surface;

a third step of the position/direction calculation means calculating the operational position and operational direction of said operational means based on the detection result obtained at said first step and said second step; and

a fourth step of the image generation means calculating the virtual viewpoint based on said operational position calculated at said third step, calculating the visual direction of said virtual viewpoint based on said operational direction calculated at said third step, and generating a game image based on said viewpoint position and said visual direction.