Dynamic Selection Of Sensor Sensitivity In A Game Input System

• US 20090325705A1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Reas, Loren Douglas, Tom, Dennis W., Filer, Eric P., Rubio, Vasco
• Granted Patent: US 10,729,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/39
• 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 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/535 for monitoring, e.g. of user parameters, terminal parameters, application parameters, network parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

Sensor parameters in a remote game peripheral are dynamically. The remote game peripheral may contain one or more sensors that measure the motion of the remote game peripheral via at least one sensor. This information is communicated to a game server. The game server then determines if the sensor sensitivity setting is appropriate for the expected motion of the remote game peripheral at that point in the game. The game server may, at any time during game play, transmit a sensor sensitivity adjustment to adjust the sensor sensitivity level setting to one that is likely to capture the motion of the game peripheral with minimal loss of data. The dynamic adjustment of the sensitivity level may also be used to provide corrective feedback to a game player.

Claims

1. A system configured to dynamically adjust sensor parameters in a remote game peripheral, the system comprising:

the remote game peripheral comprising at least one sensor, the remote game peripheral configured to transmit sensor measurements to a game server;

the game server configured to transmit command and sensor setting data to said remote game peripheral, wherein said sensor setting data is operative to adjust a sensor sensitivity level within the remote game peripheral based upon received sensor measurements from the remote game peripheral.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the remote game peripheral in communication with the game server comprises a wireless communication channel.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein the remote game peripheral in communication with the game server comprises a wired communication channel.

4. A system as in claim 1, further comprising:

the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors;

the plurality of sensors may comprise any of an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, or optical sensors.

5. A system as in claim 1, further comprising:

the sensor measurements are operative to provide measurements consistent for each of said plurality of sensors indicative of tracking remote game peripheral motion;

transmitting the tracking sensor measurements to the game server.

6. A system as in claim 5, wherein the game server calculates position, distance, and velocity for the remote game peripheral and compares these values against a library of motion parameters stored within a database in the game server.

7. A system as in claim 6, further comprising:

the game server returns a command indicative of reward if the calculated motion parameters exceed the values for said library motion parameters;

or

the game server returns a command indicative of reprimand if the calculated motion parameters are below the values for said library motion parameters by more than a pre-determined amount; and

wherein the remote game peripheral is operative to display the reward or reprimand to a user as a dynamic indicator of game progress.

8. A system as in claim 1, wherein a sensitivity parameter for any sensor within the remote game controller may be increased or decreased dynamically in response to user manipulation of the remote game controller.

9. A method for dynamically adjusting sensor parameters in a remote game peripheral, the method comprising:

measuring motion of the remote game peripheral via at least one sensor of the remote game peripheral;

providing an indication of the measured motion to a game server;

determining, by the game server, sensitivity information for the remote game peripheral using the provided indication of measured motion; and

transmitting, from the game server to the remote game peripheral, sensitivity adjustment data for at least one of the at least one sensor, wherein the sensitivity adjustment data is operative to adjust a sensor sensitivity level setting of the remote game peripheral.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein the communication channel comprises a wired or wireless communication channel.

11. A method as in claim 9, further comprising:

the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors;

the plurality of sensors may comprise any of an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, or optical sensors.

12. A method as in claim 9, further comprising:

providing sensor measurements for each of said plurality of sensors indicative of tracking remote game peripheral motion;

transmitting the tracking sensor measurements to the game server; and

calculating position, distance, and velocity for the remote game peripheral within the game server and comparing these values against a library of motion parameters stored within a database in the game server.

13. A method as in claim 12, further comprising:

returning a command from the game server indicative of reward if the calculated motion parameters exceed the values for said library motion parameters;

or

returning a command from the game server indicative of reprimand if the calculated motion parameters are below the values for said library motion parameters by more than a pre-determined amount; and

wherein the remote game peripheral is operative to display the reward or reprimand to a user as a dynamic indicator of game progress.

14. A method as in claim 9, wherein a sensitivity parameter for any sensor within the remote game controller may be increased or decreased dynamically in response to user manipulation of the remote game controller.

15. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions for performing a method for dynamically adjusting sensor parameters in a remote game peripheral, comprising:

measuring motion of the remote game peripheral via at least one sensor of the remote game peripheral;

providing an indication of the measured motion to a game server;

determining, by the game server, sensitivity information for the remote game peripheral using the provided indication of measured motion; and

transmitting, from the game server to the remote game peripheral, sensitivity adjustment data for at least one of the at least one sensor, wherein the sensitivity adjustment data is operative to adjust a sensor sensitivity level setting of the remote game peripheral.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the communication channel comprises a wired or wireless communication channel.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors;

the plurality of sensors may comprise any of an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, or optical sensors.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

providing sensor measurements for each of said plurality of sensors indicative of tracking remote game peripheral motion;

transmitting the tracking sensor measurements to the game server; and

calculating position, distance, and velocity for the remote game peripheral within the game server and comparing these values against a library of motion parameters stored within a database in the game server.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising:

returning a command from the game server indicative of reward if the calculated motion parameters exceed the values for said library motion parameters;

or

returning a command from the game server indicative of correction if the calculated motion parameters are below the values for said library motion parameters by more than a pre-determined amount; and

wherein the remote game peripheral is operative to display the reward or correction to a user as a dynamic indicator of game progress.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein a sensitivity parameter for any sensor within the remote game controller may be increased or decreased dynamically in response to user manipulation of the remote game controller.