Entertainment System

• US 20100062854A1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Saito, Katsu, Segawa, Hiroyuki, Goto, Teiyu, Ohba, Akio
• Granted Patent: US 8,292,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/06 using player-operated means for controlling the position of a specific area display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6607 for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6623 for animating a group of characters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041

Abstract

Provided is a game system utilizing the LEDs of a controller (20). In a game system (1), an image pickup device (2) takes the image of the controller (20). The controller (20) includes a plurality of input units for performing an operation input to proceed a game, and a plurality of LEDs for expressing a controller number to be set in the controller (20), in a game application to be executed. A game device (10) accepts and reflects the operation input of the controller (20), upon the processing of the game application, acquires the taken image from the image pickup device (2), acquires a position in the taken image of the controller (20) from the positions of the LEDs in the taken image, reflects the acquired position information upon the processing of the game application, and generates an image signal indicating the application processing result based on the operation input and the acquired position information.

Claims

1. An entertainment system, comprising:

an operation input apparatus from which a user makes an operation input;

a processing apparatus which processes an application based on an operation input in the operation input apparatus and generates an image signal for showing the result of processing of the application;

an image pickup apparatus which captures the operation input apparatus; and

an image display apparatus which outputs an image signal generated in the processing apparatus, wherein;

the operation input apparatus includes a plurality of input units from which a user makes an operation input for advancing an application, and a plurality of light emitting elements for indicating a number set for the operation input apparatus in an application executed; and

the processing apparatus accepts an operation input provided to the operation input apparatus and reflects the operation input in the processing of an application, acquires a captured image from the image pickup apparatus, acquires the position of the operation input apparatus in the captured image based on the position of the light emitting element in the captured image and reflects the acquired position information in the processing of the application, and generates an image signal showing the result of application processing performed based on the operation input and acquired position information.

2. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the operation input apparatus only lights a light emitting element corresponding to a number set for the operation input apparatus, among a plurality of light emitting elements, so as to allow the light emitting element to function as an indicator for indicating the number.

3. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein:

the processing apparatus transmits to the operation input apparatus a control signal for controlling the lighting of the light emitting element; and

the operation input apparatus lights the light emitting element according to the control signal.

4. The entertainment system of claim 3, wherein, when the processing apparatus reflects position information of the operation input apparatus in the processing of an application, the processing apparatus transmits to the operation input apparatus either a first control signal for lighting the light emitting element at a low frequency or a second control signal for lighting the light emitting element at a high frequency.

5. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the image pickup apparatus is arranged near the image display apparatus so that its capturing range covers a position from which a user can view the display screen of the image display apparatus.