Touchpad control of character actions in a virtual environment using gestures

• US 20070159468A1
• Filed: 01/10/2007
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cirque Corporation (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Cirque Corporation (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Woolley, Richard, Saxby, Don
• Application Number:
  US11/652,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20070159468A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A touchpad that shows a representation of at least a portion of a virtual or real object, wherein the touchpad can be used to select a portion of the virtual or real object, such as an appendage or appendages, or the entire virtual or real object, and wherein the touchpad can then be used to give a command regarding an action and/or movement that is to be performed by or on the virtual or real object by using a gesture or combination of gestures on the touchpad surface.

Claims

1. A method of sending commands to control a virtual character in a virtual environment using gestures on a touchpad, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a touchpad that receives input by detecting and tracking touchdown and movement of a pointing object on a surface thereof;

(2) performing a gesture on a touchpad surface;

(3) identifying which gesture was performed on the touchpad surface;

(4) correlating the identified gesture to a command for controlling a virtual character.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of executing the command corresponding to the identified gesture for the virtual character.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of selecting the command from the groups of commands comprised of actions and movements that can be performed by the virtual character.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of selecting the gesture from the group of gestures on a touchpad surface comprised of touchdown, liftoff, tap, double tap, touchdown and movement, a single movement, a combination of taps and movements, and a combination of movements interrupted by liftoff and touchdown.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of providing a visual overlay on the touchpad surface that corresponds to the virtual character.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of disposing the touchpad on a display screen, wherein the display screen is visible through the touchpad.

7. The method as defined in claim 6 wherein the method further comprises the step of displaying the virtual character on the display screen.

8. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the method further comprises the step of causing the virtual character on the display screen to reflect actions or movements being performed by or on the virtual character.

10. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of executing the command corresponding to the identified gesture for the virtual object.

11. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of selecting the command from the groups of commands comprised of selecting a portion of the virtual object, selecting the virtual object, performing an action by the virtual object, performing an action on the virtual object, performing movement by a selected portion of the virtual object and performing movement by all of the virtual object.

12. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of selecting the virtual object from the groups of virtual objects comprised of characters, vehicles, and weapons.

14. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of executing the command corresponding to the identified gesture for remotely controlling the device.

15. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of selecting the command from the groups of commands comprised of actions and movements that can be performed by the device.

9. A method of controlling a virtual object in a virtual environment using gestures on a touchpad, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a touchpad that receives input by detecting and tracking touchdown and movement of a pointing object on a surface thereof;

(2) performing a gesture on a touchpad surface;

(3) identifying which gesture was performed on the touchpad surface;

(4) correlating the identified gesture to a command for controlling a virtual object.

13. A method of remotely operating a device using gestures on a touchpad, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a touchpad that receives input by detecting and tracking touchdown and movement of a pointing object on a surface thereof;

(2) performing a gesture on a touchpad surface;

(3) identifying which gesture was performed on the touchpad surface;

(4) correlating the identified gesture to a command for remotely operating a device.

16. A system for remotely controlling a virtual object using gestures on a touchpad, said system comprised of:

a touchpad that receives input by detecting and tracking touchdown and movement of a pointing object on a surface thereof;

means for identifying a gesture that is performed on a surface of the touchpad; and

means for correlating the identified gesture to a command for controlling a virtual object.

17. A system for remotely controlling a real object using gestures on a touchpad, said system comprised of:

a touchpad that receives input by detecting and tracking touchdown and movement of a pointing object on a surface thereof;

means for identifying a gesture that is performed on a surface of the touchpad; and

means for correlating the identified gesture to a command for controlling a real object.