CONTROLLER CONFIGURED TO TRACK USER'S LEVEL OF ANXIETY AND OTHER MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES

• US 20080098448A1
• Filed: 10/19/2006
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Robinson, David, Mondesir, Marc, Mai, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US11/551,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20080098448A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/126
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games

Abstract

A method for use in an interactive system includes receiving position information for a controller that is being manipulated by a user, analyzing the position information, and estimating a condition of the user based on the analysis of the position information. Another embodiment provides a method for use in an interactive system that includes monitoring a physical condition of the user with a sensor attached to a controller, and receiving information related to the physical condition of the user from the sensor attached to the controller.

Claims

1. A method for use in an interactive system, comprising:

receiving position information for a controller that is being manipulated by a user;

analyzing the position information; and

estimating a condition of the user based on the analysis of the position information.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of estimating a condition of the user comprises estimating an anxiety level of the user.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of estimating a condition of the user comprises estimating a tiredness level of the user.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

using the estimated condition of the user as input to a program being executed by the interactive system.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

altering one or more aspects of a program being executed by the interactive system in response to the estimated condition of the user.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the program comprises a game.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

receiving heart rate information for the user from a sensor attached to the controller.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising:

using the heart rate information for the user as input to a program being executed by the interactive system.

9. A method for use in an interactive system, comprising:

receiving control information from a controller for the interactive system that is being manipulated by a user;

monitoring a physical condition of the user with a sensor attached to the controller; and

receiving information related to the physical condition of the user from the sensor attached to the controller.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the physical condition of the user comprises the user'"'"'s heart rate.

11. A method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

using the information related to the physical condition of the user as input to a program being executed by the interactive system.

12. A method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

altering one or more aspects of a program being executed by the interactive system in response to the information related to the physical condition of the user.

13. A method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

receiving position information for the controller.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising:

estimating a condition of the user based on the position information.