Systems and methods for reducing jitter associated with a control device

• US 20080051197A1
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Rabin, Steve, Jawad, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,096,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying

Abstract

An example system and method is provided for filtering input values associated with movement of a hand-held control device. A current input value is compared with an average input value and, based on the comparing, an output value is generated in a range between the current input value and a prior output value.

Claims

1. A method for filtering input values associated with movement of a handheld control device comprising:

comparing a current input value with an average input value;

based on the comparing, generating an output value in a range between the current input value and a prior output value.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the average input value is determined by averaging input values stored in a ring buffer.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the averaging comprises a weighted averaging.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input value is associated with an accelerometer output indicative of movement or orientation of the handheld control device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input value is associated with a pointing direction indicative of a direction in which the handheld control device is pointed.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

applying hysteresis to the output value.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the average input value is determined by averaging a dynamically varying number of input values.

2. The method according to claim 2, wherein the output value is generated based on whether a scaled difference between the current input value and the average input value exceeds a specified value.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer program code embodied thereon which, when executed, causes a processor to perform a method of filtering input values associated with movement of a hand-held control device, the method comprising:

comparing a current input value with an average input value; and

based on the comparing, generating an output value in a range between the current input value and a prior output value.

11. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the input value is associated with an accelerometer output indicative of movement or orientation of the handheld control device.

12. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the input value is associated with a pointing direction indicative of a direction in which the handheld control device is pointed.

13. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein hysteresis is applied to the output value.

14. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the average input value is determined by a weighted averaging.

15. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the average input value is determined by averaging a dynamically varying number of input values.

16. A computer data signal embedded in a carrier wave comprising program code for causing a computer to execute steps for filtering input values associated with movement of a hand-held control device, the steps comprising:

comparing a current input value with an average input value; and

based on the comparing, generating an output value in a range between the current input value and a prior output value.

17. The computer data signal according to claim 16, wherein the input value is associated with an accelerometer output indicative of movement or orientation of the handheld control device.

18. The computer data signal according to claim 16, wherein the input value is associated with a position of a detected image.

19. The computer data signal according to claim 16, wherein hysteresis is applied to the output value.

20. The computer data signal according to claim 16, wherein the average input value is determined by averaging a dynamically varying number of input values.

21. A system for filtering input values associated with movement of controller for a video game system, the system comprising:

a ring buffer for storing a plurality of input values; and

a processing system for determining an average of the input values in the ring buffer, comparing a current input value with the average input value, generating, based on the comparing, an output value in a range between the current input value and a prior output value and using the output value as an input to a video game program executed by the processing system.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the output value is generated based on whether a scaled difference between the current input value and the average input value exceeds a specified value.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein the average is determined as a weighted average.

24. The system according to claim 21, wherein the input value is associated with an accelerometer output indicative of movement or orientation of the controller.

25. The system according to claim 21, wherein the input value is associated with a pointing direction indicative of a direction in which the controller is pointed.

26. The system according to claim 21, wherein the processing system applies hysteresis to the output value.

27. The system according to claim 21, wherein the average input value is determined by averaging a dynamically varying number of input values in the ring buffer.

28. The system according to claim 21, wherein the processing circuitry is part of the controller.

29. The system according to claim 21, wherein the processing circuitry is part of a console of the video game system.