Orientation calculation apparatus, storage medium having orientation calculation program stored therein, game apparatus, and storage medium having game program stored therein

• US 20090326847A1
• Filed: 07/08/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Keizo
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/93
• 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 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• 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

Abstract

An orientation calculation apparatus obtains data from an input device comprising at least a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an image pickup means, so as to calculate an orientation of the input device. Firstly, the orientation calculation apparatus calculates an orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyro sensor. Secondly, the orientation is corrected in accordance with acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor. Further, the orientation is corrected in accordance with an image of a predetermined subject to be taken by the image pickup means.

Claims

1. An orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from an input device comprising at least a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an image pickup means, so as to calculate an orientation of the input device, the orientation calculation apparatus comprising:

orientation calculation means for calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyro sensor;

first correction means for correcting the first orientation in accordance with acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor; and

second correction means for correcting the first orientation in accordance with an image of a predetermined subject to be taken by the image pickup means.

2. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first correction means corrects the first orientation so as to approach a second orientation of the input device, the second orientation being an orientation in which a direction of an acceleration represented by the acceleration data is a vertically downward direction.

3. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first correction means corrects the first orientation such that the closer a magnitude of the acceleration is to a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration, the more closely the first orientation approaches the second orientation.

4. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first correction means corrects the first orientation only when a difference between a magnitude of an acceleration represented by the acceleration data and a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration is smaller than a predetermined reference value.

5. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second correction means corrects the first orientation so as to approach a third orientation of the input device at a predetermined rate, the third orientation being an orientation which is calculated from a direction and/or a position of the predetermined subject in an image taken by the image pickup means.

6. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second correction means calculates, among the third orientation, an orientation, associated with a roll direction, relative to an imaging direction of the image pickup means, based on the direction of the predetermined subject in the image taken by the image pickup means.

7. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second correction means calculates, among the third orientation, an orientation, associated with a pitch direction or/and a yaw direction, relative to an imaging direction of the image pickup means, based on the position of the predetermined subject in the image taken by the image pickup means.

8. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second correction means determines, based on the first orientation, whether or not the image pickup means is facing toward a direction in which the image pickup means is allowed to take the image of the predetermined subject, and corrects the first orientation only when the image pickup means is facing toward the direction in which the image pickup means is allowed to take the image of the predetermined subject.

9. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second correction means corrects the first orientation having been corrected by the first correction means.

10. A game apparatus for performing a game process by using, as the orientation of the input device, the first orientation corrected by the orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 1.

11. An orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from an input device comprising at least a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor, so as to calculate an orientation of the input device, the orientation calculation apparatus comprising:

orientation calculation means for calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyro sensor; and

correction means for correcting the first orientation such that the first orientation approaches a second orientation of the input device, the second orientation being an orientation in which a direction of an acceleration represented by acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor is a vertically downward direction.

12. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the correction means corrects the first orientation such that the closer a magnitude of the acceleration is to a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration, the more closely the first orientation approaches the second orientation.

13. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the correction means corrects the first orientation only when a difference between a magnitude of the acceleration and a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration is smaller than a predetermined reference value.

14. A game apparatus for performing a game process by using, as the orientation of the input device, the first orientation corrected by the orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 11.

15. An orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from-an input device comprising at least a gyro sensor and an image pickup means, so as to calculate an orientation of the input device, the orientation calculation apparatus comprising:

orientation calculation means for calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyro sensor; and

correction means for correcting the first orientation so as to approach a second orientation of the input device at a predetermined rate, the second orientation being an orientation which is calculated from a direction and/or a position of a predetermined subject in an image taken by the image pickup means.

16. A game apparatus for performing a game process by using, as the orientation of the input device, the first orientation corrected by the orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 15.

17. An orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from an input device comprising at least a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an image pickup means, so as to calculate an orientation of the input device, the orientation calculation apparatus comprising:

orientation calculation means for calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyro sensor;

first correction means for correcting the first orientation such that the closer a magnitude of an acceleration represented by acceleration data which is detected by the acceleration sensor is to a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration, the more closely the first orientation approaches a second orientation of the input device, the second orientation being an orientation in which a direction of the acceleration represented by the acceleration data which is detected by the acceleration sensor is a vertically downward direction; and

second correction means for correcting the first orientation so as to approach a third orientation of the input device at a predetermined rate, the third orientation being an orientation which is calculated from a direction and/or a position of a predetermined subject in an image taken by the image pickup means,

wherein the first correction means corrects the first orientation only when a difference between the magnitude of the acceleration and the magnitude of the gravitational acceleration is smaller than a predetermined reference value, and

wherein the second correction means calculates, among the third orientation, an orientation, associated with a roll direction, relative to an imaging direction of the image pickup means, based on the direction of the predetermined subject in the image taken by the image pickup means, and calculates, among the third orientation, an orientation, associated with a pitch direction or/and a yaw direction, relative to the imaging direction of the image pickup means, based on the position of the predetermined subject in the image taken by the image pickup means.

18. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the second correction means determines, based on the first orientation, whether or not the image pickup means is facing toward a direction in which the image pickup means is allowed to take an image of the predetermined subject, and corrects the first orientation only when the image pickup means is facing toward the direction in which the image pickup means is allowed to take the image of the predetermined subject.

19. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the second correction means corrects the first orientation having been corrected by the first correction means.

20. A game apparatus for performing a game process by using, as the orientation of the input device, the first orientation 90 corrected by the orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 17.

21. A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an orientation calculation program executed by a computer of an orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from an input device comprising at least a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an image pickup means, so as to calculate an orientation of the input device, the computer being caused to function as:

orientation calculation means for calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyro sensor;

first correction means for correcting the first orientation in accordance with acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor; and

second correction means for correcting the first orientation in accordance with an image of a predetermined subject to be taken by the image pickup means.

22. The storage medium according to claim 21, wherein the first correction means corrects the first orientation so as to approach a second orientation of the input device, the second orientation being an orientation in which a direction of an acceleration represented by the acceleration data is a vertically downward direction.

23. The storage medium according to claim 22, wherein the first correction means corrects the first orientation such that the closer a magnitude of the acceleration is to a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration, the more closely the first orientation approaches the second orientation.

24. The storage medium according to claim 21, wherein the first correction means corrects the first orientation only when a difference between a magnitude of an acceleration represented by the acceleration data and a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration is smaller than a predetermined reference value.

25. The storage medium according to claim 21, wherein the second correction means corrects the first orientation so as to approach a third orientation of the input device at a predetermined rate, the third orientation being an orientation which is calculated from a direction and/or a position of the predetermined subject in an image taken by the image pickup means.

26. The storage medium according to claim 25, wherein the second correction means calculates, among the third orientation, an orientation, associated with a roll direction, relative to an imaging direction of the image pickup means, based on the direction of the predetermined subject in the image taken by the image pickup means.

27. The storage medium according to claim 25, wherein the second correction means calculates, among the third orientation, an orientation, associated with a pitch direction or/and a yaw direction, relative to an imaging direction of the image pickup means, based on the position of the predetermined subject in the image taken by the image pickup means.

28. The storage medium according to claim 25, wherein the second correction means determines, based on the first orientation, whether or not the image pickup means is facing toward a direction in which the image pickup means is allowed to take the image of the predetermined subject, and corrects the first orientation only when the image pickup means is facing toward the direction in which the image pickup means is allowed to take the image of the predetermined subject.

29. The storage medium according to claim 21, wherein the second correction means corrects the first orientation having been corrected by the first correction means.

30. A storage medium having stored therein a game program for performing a game process by using, as the orientation of the input device, the first orientation corrected by the orientation calculation program according to claim 21.

31. A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an orientation calculation program executed by a computer of an orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from an input device comprising at least a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor, so as to calculate an orientation of the input device, the computer being caused to function as:

orientation calculation means for calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyro sensor; and

correction means for correcting the first orientation such that the first orientation approaches a second orientation of the input device, the second orientation being an orientation in which a direction of an acceleration represented by acceleration data detected by the acceleration, sensor is a vertically downward direction.

32. The storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the correction means corrects the first orientation such that the closer a magnitude of the acceleration is to a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration, the more closely the first orientation approaches the second orientation.

33. The storage medium according to claim 31, wherein the correction means corrects the first orientation only when a difference between a magnitude of the acceleration and a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration is smaller than a predetermined reference value.

34. A storage medium having stored therein a game program for performing a game process by using, as the orientation of the input device, the first orientation corrected by the orientation calculation program according to claim 31.

35. A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an orientation calculation program executed by a computer of an orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from an input device comprising at least a gyro sensor and an image pickup means, so as to calculate an orientation of the input device, the computer being caused to function as:

orientation calculation means for calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyro sensor; and

correction means for correcting the first orientation so as to approach a second orientation of the input device at a predetermined rate, the second orientation being an orientation which is calculated from a direction and/or a position of a predetermined subject in an image taken by the image pickup means.

36. A storage medium having stored therein a game program for performing a game process by using, as the orientation of the input device, the first orientation corrected by the orientation calculation program according to claim 35.

37. A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an orientation calculation program executed by a computer of an orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from an input device comprising at least a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an image pickup means, so as to calculate an orientation of the input device, the computer being caused to function as:

orientation calculation means for calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyro sensor;

first correction means for correcting the first orientation such that the closer a magnitude of an acceleration represented by acceleration data which is detected by the acceleration sensor is to a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration, the more closely the first orientation approaches a second orientation of the input device, the second orientation being an orientation in which a direction of the acceleration represented by the acceleration data which is detected by the acceleration sensor is a vertically downward direction; and

second correction means for correcting the first orientation so as to approach a third orientation of the input device at a predetermined rate, the third orientation being an orientation which is calculated from a direction and/or a position of a predetermined subject in an image taken by the image pickup means, wherein the first correction means corrects the first orientation only when a difference between the magnitude of the acceleration and the magnitude of the gravitational acceleration is smaller than a predetermined reference value, and

wherein the second correction means calculates, among the third orientation, an orientation, associated with a roll direction, relative to an imaging direction of the image pickup means, based on the direction of the predetermined subject in the image taken by the image pickup means, and calculates, among the third orientation, an orientation, associated with a pitch direction or/and a yaw direction, relative to the imaging direction of the image pickup means, based on the position of the predetermined subject in the image taken by the image pickup means.

38. The storage medium according to claim 37, wherein the second correction means determines, based on the first orientation, whether or not the image pickup means is facing toward a direction in which the image pickup means is allowed to take an image of the predetermined subject, and corrects the first orientation only when the image pickup means is facing toward the direction in which the image pickup means is allowed to take the image of the predetermined subject.

39. The storage medium according to claim 37, wherein the second correction means corrects the first orientation having been corrected by the first correction means.

40. A storage medium having stored therein a game program for performing a game process by using, as the orientation of the input device, the first orientation corrected by the orientation calculation program according to claim 37.