Information processing program

• US 20070072674A1
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Kenta, Ohta, Keizo
• Granted Patent: US 8,157,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/37
• 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: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• 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 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands

Abstract

A game system comprises image obtaining means, direction calculation means, first rotation means, and display control means. The image obtaining means obtains an image taken by an imaging device. The direction calculation means calculates a direction originally determined from the image of an imaging target included in the image taken by the imaging device. The first rotation means rotates an operation target in accordance with the calculated direction. The display control means generates an image in accordance with the rotation of the operation target performed by the first rotation means and displays the generated image on a screen of a display device.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon an information processing program executable by a computer of an information processing apparatus for receiving operation data from an operation device including imaging means for taking an image of an imaging target and for displaying, on a display device, a virtual space obtained by performing calculation processing on a predetermined operation target using the operation data, the information processing program causing the computer to execute:

an obtaining step of obtaining a taken image taken by the imaging means of the operation device as the operation data;

a vector calculation step of calculating a two-dimensional vector using a position of the imaging target in the taken image;

a first rotation step of rotating the operation target in accordance with a calculated value of the two-dimensional vector; and

a display step of displaying the virtual space, changed in accordance with the rotation of the operation target in the first rotation step, on a display area of the display device.

2. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the vector calculation step includes:

a first calculation step of calculating coordinate sets of two predetermined points in the image of the imaging target in a coordinate system corresponding to the taken image; and

a second calculation step of calculating the two-dimensional vector connecting the coordinate sets of the two predetermined points.

3. A storage medium according to claim 2, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an indicated coordinate set calculation step of calculating a predetermined indicated coordinate set which corresponds to a position on the display area, in correspondence with a coordinate set of an intermediate point between the two predetermined points; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the indicated coordinate set.

4. A storage medium according to claim 3, wherein the indicated coordinate set calculation step calculates the indicated coordinate set which corresponds to the position on the display area, in correspondence with a position of the image of the imaging target in the case where the image taken by the imaging means is rotated around the center of the image as an axis and the two-dimensional vector is directed in one certain direction by the rotation.

5. A storage medium according to claim 3, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step of calculating a three-dimensional coordinate set in the virtual space which corresponds to the indicated coordinate set calculated in the indicated coordinate set calculation step and setting the three-dimensional coordinate set as a three-dimensional indicated coordinate set; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target in the three-dimensional space by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set.

6. A storage medium according to claim 5, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

an object moving step of moving the object to the three-dimensional coordinate set calculated in the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step; and

a step of rotating the object.

7. A storage medium according to claim 5, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a central coordinate set setting step of setting the three-dimensional coordinate set calculated in the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step as a central coordinate set of rotation; and

a step of rotating the object in the three-dimensional space around the central coordinate set as the center of rotation.

8. A storage medium according to claim 5, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a virtual camera setting step of setting a virtual camera directed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined position in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step rotates the virtual camera as the operation target around the three-dimensional coordinate set calculated in the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step as the center of rotation.

9. A storage medium according to claim 3, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating at least one object in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a determination step of determining whether or not any one of the at least one object is displayed at the position on the display area which corresponds to the indicated coordinate set;

an operation target setting step of, when it is determined that one of the at least one object is displayed at the position which corresponds to the indicated coordinate set, setting the one object as the operation target; and

a step of rotating the one object which is set in the operation target setting step.

10. A storage medium according to claim 3, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

an object moving step of moving the object so as to be displayed at a position of the indicted coordinate set calculated in the indicated coordinate set calculation step; and

a step of rotating the object.

11. A storage medium according to claim 3, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a central coordinate set setting step of setting the indicated coordinate set calculated in the indicated coordinate set calculation step as a central coordinate set of rotation; and

a step of rotating the object around the central coordinate set as the center of rotation.

12. A storage medium according to claim 2, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an indicated coordinate set calculation step of setting a predetermined indicated coordinate set which corresponds to a position on the display area as an indicated coordinate set; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the indicated coordinate set.

13. A storage medium according to claim 2, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a length calculation step of calculating data representing a length of a distance between the coordinate sets of the two predetermined points; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the data calculated in the length calculation step.

14. A storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the first rotation step includes:

a step of calculating distance data representing a distance between the imaging means and the imaging target from the data calculated in the length calculation step; and

a step of rotating the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the distance data.

15. A storage medium according to claim 14, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating at least one object in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a depth setting step of determining a coordinate in a depth direction of the virtual space in correspondence with the distance data;

a determination step of determining whether or not there is any one of the at least one object at a position of the coordinate in the depth direction calculated in the depth setting step; and

an operation target setting step of, when it is determined in the determination step that there is one of the at least one object, setting the one object as the operation target.

16. A storage medium according to claim 14, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a depth setting step of determining a coordinate in a depth direction of the virtual space in correspondence with the distance data;

a moving step of moving a position of the operation target in the depth direction to the coordinate in the depth direction calculated in the depth setting step; and

a step of rotating the operation target in accordance with the two-dimensional vector.

17. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an indicated coordinate set calculation step of calculating a predetermined indicated coordinate set which corresponds to a position on the display area, in correspondence with a position of the image of the imaging target in the taken image obtained in the obtaining step; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the indicated coordinate set.

18. A storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the indicated coordinate set calculation step calculates the indicated coordinate set which corresponds to the position on the display area, in correspondence with a position of the image of the imaging target in the case where the image taken by the imaging means is rotated around the center of the image and the two-dimensional vector is directed in one certain direction by the rotation.

19. A storage medium according to claim 17, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step of calculating a three-dimensional coordinate set in the virtual space which corresponds to the indicated coordinate set calculated in the indicated coordinate set calculation step and setting the three-dimensional coordinate set as a three-dimensional indicated coordinate set; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target in the three-dimensional space by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set.

20. A storage medium according to claim 19, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

an object moving step of moving the object to the three-dimensional coordinate set calculated in the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step; and

a step of rotating the object.

21. A storage medium according to claim 19, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a central coordinate set setting step of setting the three-dimensional coordinate set calculated in the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step as a central coordinate set of rotation; and

a step of rotating the object in the three-dimensional space around the central coordinate set as the center of rotation.

22. A storage medium according to claim 19, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a virtual camera setting step of setting a virtual camera directed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined position in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step rotates the virtual camera as the operation target around the three-dimensional coordinate set calculated in the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step as the center of rotation.

23. A storage medium according to claim 17, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating at least one object in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a determination step of determining whether or not any one of the at least one object is displayed at the position on the display area which corresponds to the indicated coordinate set;

an operation target setting step of, when it is determined that one of the at least one object is displayed at the position which corresponds to the indicated coordinate set, setting the one object as the operation target; and

a step of rotating the one object which is set in the operation target setting step.

24. A storage medium according to claim 17, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

an object moving step of moving the object so as to be displayed at a position of the indicted coordinate set calculated in the indicated coordinate set calculation step; and

a step of rotating the object.

25. A storage medium according to claim 17, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a central coordinate set setting step of setting the indicated coordinate set calculated in the indicated coordinate set calculation step as a central coordinate set of rotation; and

a step of rotating the object around the central coordinate set as the center of rotation.

26. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an indicated coordinate set calculation step of setting a predetermined indicated coordinate set which corresponds to a position on the display area as an indicated coordinate set; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the indicated coordinate set.

27. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating at least one object in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step rotates any one of the at least one object located in the virtual space as the operation target.

28. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a virtual camera setting step of setting a virtual camera directed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined position in the virtual space;

the first rotation step rotates the virtual camera as the operation target; and

the display step displays an image of the virtual space seen from the virtual camera on the display area.

29. A storage medium according to claim 28, wherein the first rotation step rotates the virtual camera around a position of a point of attention of the virtual camera as the center of rotation.

30. A storage medium according to claim 28, wherein the first rotation step rotates the virtual camera such that a viewing direction of the virtual camera changes.

31. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the first rotation step changes a posture of the operation target by the rotation.

32. A storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the first rotation step determines the posture or the position of the operation target in accordance with a calculated direction of the two-dimensional vector.

33. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the first rotation step moves a position of the operation target by rotating the operation target around a predetermined position as the center of rotation.

34. A storage medium according to claim 33, wherein the first rotation step determines the posture or the position of the operation target in accordance with a calculated direction of the two-dimensional vector.

35. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the first rotation step includes:

a determination step of determining whether or not a direction of the two-dimensional vector has exceeded a predetermined range; and

a step of, when it is determined in the determination step that the direction of the two-dimensional vector has exceeded the predetermined range, rotating the operation target.

36. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an inclination calculation step of obtaining a difference between a direction of the two-dimensional vector and a predetermined reference direction as an angle or a vector; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target in accordance with the difference calculated in the inclination calculation step.

37. A storage medium according to claim 36, wherein the first rotation step includes:

a rotation amount setting step of setting a rotation amount in accordance with a magnitude of the difference calculated in the inclination calculation step; and

a step of rotating the operation target by the rotation amount.

38. A storage medium according to claim 36, wherein the first rotation step includes:

a determination step of determining whether or not the difference calculated in the inclination calculation step has exceeded a predetermined value; and

a step of, when it is determined in the determination step that the difference has exceeded the predetermined value, rotating the operation target.

39. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a size calculation step of calculating data representing a size of the image of the imaging target in the taken image obtained in the obtaining step from the operation data; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the data calculated in the size calculation step.

40. A storage medium according to claim 39, wherein the first rotation step includes:

a step of calculating distance data representing a distance between the imaging means and the imaging target from the data calculated in the size calculation step; and

a step of rotating the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the distance data.

41. A storage medium according to claim 40, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating at least one object in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a depth setting step of determining a coordinate in a depth direction of the virtual space in correspondence with the distance data;

a determination step of determining whether or not there is any one of the at least one object at a position of the coordinate in the depth direction calculated in the depth setting step; and

an operation target setting step of, when it is determined in the determination step that there is one of the at least one object, setting the one object as the operation target.

42. A storage medium according to claim 40, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a depth setting step of determining a coordinate in a depth direction of the virtual space in correspondence with the distance data;

a moving step of moving a position of the operation target in the depth direction to the coordinate in the depth direction calculated in the depth setting step; and

a step of rotating the operation target in accordance with the two-dimensional vector.

43. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a distance calculation step of calculating data corresponding to a distance between the imaging means and the imaging target; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the data calculated in the distance calculation step.

44. A storage medium according to claim 1, wherein:

the operation device comprises inclination determining means for determining an inclination of the operation device; and

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute;

a determination step of determining whether or not a two-dimensional vector can be calculated from the taken image in the vector calculation step; and

a second rotation step of, when it is determined in the determination step that the two-dimensional vector cannot be calculated, rotating the operation target in accordance with the inclination determined by the inclination determining means.

45. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon an information processing program executable by a computer of an information processing apparatus for receiving operation data from an operation device, which includes imaging means for taking an image of an imaging target and first calculation means for calculating coordinate sets of two predetermined points in the image of the imaging target included in a taken image taken by the imaging means, and for displaying, on a display device, a virtual space obtained by performing calculation processing on a predetermined operation target using the operation data, the information processing program causing the computer to execute:

an obtaining step of obtaining the coordinate sets of the two predetermined points as the operation data;

a vector calculation step of calculating a two-dimensional vector connecting the coordinate sets of the two predetermined points;

a first rotation step of rotating the operation target in accordance with a calculated value of the two-dimensional vector; and

a display step of displaying the virtual space, changed in accordance with the rotation of the operation target in the first rotation step, on a display area of the display device.

46. A storage medium according to claim 45, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an indicated coordinate set calculation step of calculating a predetermined indicated coordinate set which corresponds to a position on the display area, in correspondence with a coordinate set of an intermediate point between the two predetermined points; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the indicated coordinate set.

47. A storage medium according to claim 46, wherein the indicated coordinate set calculation step calculates the indicated coordinate set which corresponds to the position on the display area, in correspondence with a position of the image of the imaging target in the case where the image taken by the imaging means is rotated around the center of the image as an axis and the two-dimensional vector is directed in one certain direction by the rotation.

48. A storage medium according to claim 46, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step of calculating a three-dimensional coordinate set in the virtual space which corresponds to the indicated coordinate set calculated in the indicated coordinate set calculation step and setting the three-dimensional coordinate set as a three-dimensional indicated coordinate set; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target in the three-dimensional space by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set.

49. A storage medium according to claim 48, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

an object moving step of moving the object to the three-dimensional coordinate set calculated in the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step; and

a step of rotating the object.

50. A storage medium according to claim 48, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a central coordinate set setting step of setting the three-dimensional coordinate set calculated in the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step as a central coordinate set of rotation; and

a step of rotating the object in the three-dimensional space around the central coordinate set as the center of rotation.

51. A storage medium according to claim 48, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a virtual camera setting step of setting a virtual camera directed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined position in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step rotates the virtual camera as the operation target around the three-dimensional coordinate set calculated in the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step as the center of rotation.

52. A storage medium according to claim 46, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating at least one object in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a determination step of determining whether or not any one of the at least one object is displayed at the position on the display area which corresponds to the indicated coordinate set;

an operation target setting step of, when it is determined that one of the at least one object is displayed at the position which corresponds to the indicated coordinate set, setting the one object as the operation target; and

a step of rotating the one object which is set in the operation target setting step.

53. A storage medium according to claim 46, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

an object moving step of moving the object so as to be displayed at a position of the indicted coordinate set calculated in the indicated coordinate set calculation step; and

a step of rotating the object.

54. A storage medium according to claim 46, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a central coordinate set setting step of setting the indicated coordinate set calculated in the indicated coordinate set calculation step as a central coordinate set of rotation; and

a step of rotating the object around the central coordinate set as the center of rotation.

55. A storage medium according to claim 45, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an indicated coordinate set calculation step of setting a predetermined indicated coordinate set which corresponds to a position on the display area as an indicated coordinate set; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the indicated coordinate set.

56. A storage medium according to claim 45, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating at least one object in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step rotates any one of the at least one object located in the virtual space as the operation target.

57. A storage medium according to claim 45, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a virtual camera setting step of setting a virtual camera directed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined position in the virtual space;

the first rotation step rotates the virtual camera as the operation target; and

the display step displays an image of the virtual space seen from the virtual camera on the display area.

58. A storage medium according to claim 57, wherein the first rotation step rotates the virtual camera around a position of a point of attention of the virtual camera as the center of rotation.

59. A storage medium according to claim 57, wherein the first rotation step rotates the virtual camera such that a viewing direction of the virtual camera changes.

60. A storage medium according to claim 45, wherein the first rotation step changes a posture of the operation target by the rotation.

61. A storage medium according to claim 60, wherein the first rotation step determines the posture or the position of the operation target in accordance with a calculated direction of the two-dimensional vector.

62. A storage medium according to claim 45, wherein the first rotation step moves a position of the operation target by rotating the operation target around a predetermined position as the center of rotation.

63. A storage medium according to claim 62, wherein the first rotation step determines the posture or the position of the operation target in accordance with a calculated direction of the two-dimensional vector.

64. A storage medium according to claim 45, wherein the first rotation step includes:

a determination step of determining whether or not a direction of the two-dimensional vector has exceeded a predetermined range; and

a step of, when it is determined in the determination step that the direction of the two-dimensional vector has exceeded the predetermined range, rotating the operation target.

65. A storage medium according to claim 45, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an inclination calculation step of obtaining a difference between a direction of the two-dimensional vector and a predetermined reference direction as an angle or a vector; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target in accordance with the difference calculated in the inclination calculation step.

66. A storage medium according to claim 65, wherein the first rotation step includes:

a rotation amount setting step of setting a rotation amount in accordance with a magnitude of the difference calculated in the inclination calculation step; and

a step of rotating the operation target by the rotation amount.

67. A storage medium according to claim 65, wherein the first rotation step includes:

a determination step of determining whether or not the difference calculated in the inclination calculation step has exceeded a predetermined value; and

a step of, when it is determined in the determination step that the difference has exceeded the predetermined value, rotating the operation target.

68. A storage medium according to claim 45, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a size calculation step of calculating data representing a size of the image of the imaging target in the taken image obtained in the obtaining step from the operation data; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the data calculated in the size calculation step.

69. A storage medium according to claim 68, wherein the first rotation step includes:

a step of calculating distance data representing a distance between the imaging means and the imaging target from the data calculated in the size calculation step; and

a step of rotating the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the distance data.

70. A storage medium according to claim 69, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating at least one object in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a depth setting step of determining a coordinate in a depth direction of the virtual space in correspondence with the distance data;

a determination step of determining whether or not there is any one of the at least one object at a position of the coordinate in the depth direction calculated in the depth setting step; and

an operation target setting step of, when it is determined in the determination step that there is one of the at least one object, setting the one object as the operation target.

71. A storage medium according to claim 69, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a depth setting step of determining a coordinate in a depth direction of the virtual space in correspondence with the distance data;

a moving step of moving a position of the operation target in the depth direction to the coordinate in the depth direction calculated in the depth setting step; and

a step of rotating the operation target in accordance with the two-dimensional vector.

72. A storage medium according to claim 45, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a distance calculation step of calculating data corresponding to a distance between the imaging means and the imaging target; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the data calculated in the distance calculation step.

73. A storage medium according to claim 45, wherein:

the operation device comprises inclination determining means for determining an inclination of the operation device; and

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute;

a determination step of determining whether or not a two-dimensional vector can be calculated from the taken image in the vector calculation step; and

a second rotation step of, when it is determined in the determination step that the two-dimensional vector cannot be calculated, rotating the operation target in accordance with the inclination determined by the inclination determining means.

74. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon an information processing program executable by a computer of an information processing apparatus for receiving operation data from an operation device, which includes imaging means for taking an image of an imaging target and vector calculation means for calculating a two-dimensional vector using a position of the imaging target in a taken image taken by the imaging means, and for displaying, on a display device, a virtual space obtained by performing calculation processing on a predetermined operation target using the operation data, the information processing program causing the computer to execute:

an obtaining step of obtaining the two-dimensional vector as the operation data;

a first rotation step of rotating the operation target in accordance with an obtained value of the two-dimensional vector; and

a display step of displaying the virtual space, changed in accordance with the rotation of the operation target in the first rotation step, on a display area of the display device.

75. A storage medium according to claim 74, wherein:

the operation data further includes a coordinate set of one point corresponding to a position of the image of the imaging target;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an indicated coordinate set calculation step of calculating a predetermined indicated coordinate set which corresponds to a position on the display area, in correspondence with the coordinate set of the one point; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the indicated coordinate set.

76. A storage medium according to claim 75, wherein the indicated coordinate set calculation step calculates the indicated coordinate set which corresponds to the position on the display area, in correspondence with a position of the image of the imaging target in the case where the image taken by the imaging means is rotated around the center of the image as an axis and the two-dimensional vector is directed in one certain direction by the rotation.

77. A storage medium according to claim 75, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step of calculating a three-dimensional coordinate set in the virtual space which corresponds to the indicated coordinate set calculated in the indicated coordinate set calculation step and setting the three-dimensional coordinate set as a three-dimensional indicated coordinate set; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target in the three-dimensional space by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set.

78. A storage medium according to claim 77, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

an object moving step of moving the object to the three-dimensional coordinate set calculated in the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step; and

a step of rotating the object.

79. A storage medium according to claim 77, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a central coordinate set setting step of setting the three-dimensional coordinate set calculated in the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step as a central coordinate set of rotation; and

a step of rotating the object in the three-dimensional space around the central coordinate set as the center of rotation.

80. A storage medium according to claim 77, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a virtual camera setting step of setting a virtual camera directed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined position in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step rotates the virtual camera as the operation target around the three-dimensional coordinate set calculated in the three-dimensional indicated coordinate set setting step as the center of rotation.

81. A storage medium according to claim 75, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating at least one object in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a determination step of determining whether or not any one of the at least one object is displayed at the position on the display area which corresponds to the indicated coordinate set;

an operation target setting step of, when it is determined that one of the at least one object is displayed at the position which corresponds to the indicated coordinate set, setting the one object as the operation target; and

a step of rotating the one object which is set in the operation target setting step.

82. A storage medium according to claim 75, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

an object moving step of moving the object so as to be displayed at a position of the indicted coordinate set calculated in the indicated coordinate set calculation step; and

a step of rotating the object.

83. A storage medium according to claim 75, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating an object as the operation target in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a central coordinate set setting step of setting the indicated coordinate set calculated in the indicated coordinate set calculation step as a central coordinate set of rotation; and

a step of rotating the object around the central coordinate set as the center of rotation.

84. A storage medium according to claim 74, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an indicated coordinate set calculation step of setting a predetermined indicated coordinate set which corresponds to a position on the display area as an indicated coordinate set; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the indicated coordinate set.

85. A storage medium according to claim 74, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating at least one object in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step rotates any one of the at least one object located in the virtual space as the operation target.

86. A storage medium according to claim 74, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a virtual camera setting step of setting a virtual camera directed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined position in the virtual space;

the first rotation step rotates the virtual camera as the operation target; and

the display step displays an image of the virtual space seen from the virtual camera on the display area.

87. A storage medium according to claim 86, wherein the first rotation step rotates the virtual camera around a position of a point of attention of the virtual camera as the center of rotation.

88. A storage medium according to claim 86, wherein the first rotation step rotates the virtual camera such that a viewing direction of the virtual camera changes.

89. A storage medium according to claim 74, wherein the first rotation step changes a posture of the operation target by the rotation.

90. A storage medium according to claim 89, wherein the first rotation step determines the posture or the position of the operation target in accordance with a calculated direction of the two-dimensional vector.

91. A storage medium according to claim 74, wherein the first rotation step moves a position of the operation target by rotating the operation target around a predetermined position as the center of rotation.

92. A storage medium according to claim 91, wherein the first rotation step determines the posture or the position of the operation target in accordance with a calculated direction of the two-dimensional vector.

93. A storage medium according to claim 74, wherein the first rotation step includes:

a determination step of determining whether or not a direction of the two-dimensional vector has exceeded a predetermined range; and

a step of, when it is determined in the determination step that the direction of the two-dimensional vector has exceeded the predetermined range, rotating the operation target.

94. A storage medium according to claim 74, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an inclination calculation step of obtaining a difference between a direction of the two-dimensional vector and a predetermined reference direction as an angle or a vector; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target in accordance with the difference calculated in the inclination calculation step.

95. A storage medium according to claim 94, wherein the first rotation step includes:

a rotation amount setting step of setting a rotation amount in accordance with a magnitude of the difference calculated in the inclination calculation step; and

a step of rotating the operation target by the rotation amount.

96. A storage medium according to claim 94, wherein the first rotation step includes:

a determination step of determining whether or not the difference calculated in the inclination calculation step has exceeded a predetermined value; and

a step of, when it is determined in the determination step that the difference has exceeded the predetermined value, rotating the operation target.

97. A storage medium according to claim 74, wherein:

the operation data further includes data representing a length of a distance between the coordinate sets of the two predetermined points in the image of the imaging target included in the taken image taken by the imaging means; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the data representing the length of the distance between the coordinate sets of the two predetermined points.

98. A storage medium according to claim 97, wherein the first rotation step includes:

a step of calculating distance data representing a distance between the imaging means and the imaging target from the data representing the length of the distance between the coordinate sets of the two predetermined points; and

a step of rotating the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the distance data.

99. A storage medium according to claim 98, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating at least one object in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a depth setting step of determining a coordinate in a depth direction of the virtual space in correspondence with the distance data;

a determination step of determining whether or not there is any one of the at least one object at a position of the coordinate in the depth direction calculated in the depth setting step; and

an operation target setting step of, when it is determined in the determination step that there is one of the at least one object, setting the one object as the operation target.

100. A storage medium according to claim 98, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a depth setting step of determining a coordinate in a depth direction of the virtual space in correspondence with the distance data;

a moving step of moving a position of the operation target in the depth direction to the coordinate in the depth direction calculated in the depth setting step; and

a step of rotating the operation target in accordance with the two-dimensional vector.

101. A storage medium according to claim 74, wherein:

the operation data further includes distance data representing a distance between the imaging means and the imaging target; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the distance data.

102. A storage medium according to claim 101, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space;

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute an object location step of locating at least one object in the virtual space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a depth setting step of determining a coordinate in a depth direction of the virtual space in correspondence with the distance data;

a determination step of determining whether or not there is any one of the at least one object at a position of the coordinate in the depth direction calculated in the depth setting step; and

an operation target setting step of, when it is determined in the determination step that there is one of the at least one object, setting the one object as the operation target.

103. A storage medium according to claim 101, wherein:

the virtual space is a virtual three-dimensional space; and

the first rotation step includes;

a depth setting step of determining a coordinate in a depth direction of the virtual space in correspondence with the distance data;

a moving step of moving a position of the operation target in the depth direction to the coordinate in the depth direction calculated in the depth setting step; and

a step of rotating the operation target in accordance with the two-dimensional vector.

104. A storage medium according to claim 74, wherein:

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute a distance calculation step of calculating data corresponding to a distance between the imaging means and the imaging target; and

the first rotation step rotates the operation target by a calculation using the two-dimensional vector and the data calculated in the distance calculation step.

105. A storage medium according to claim 74, wherein:

the operation device comprises inclination determining means for determining an inclination of the operation device; and

the information processing program further causes the computer to execute;

a determination step of determining whether or not a two-dimensional vector can be calculated from the taken image in the vector calculation step; and

a second rotation step of, when it is determined in the determination step that the two-dimensional vector cannot be calculated, rotating the operation target in accordance with the inclination determined by the inclination determining means.