METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING AN IMAGE OF A REFLECTIVE OBJECT

• US 20100285874A1
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cheung Chuen Hing, Hiromu Ueshima, Shuhei Kato
• Original Assignee: Cheung Chuen Hing, Hiromu Ueshima, Shuhei Kato
• Inventors: UESHIMA, HIROMU, HING, CHEUNG CHUEN, KATO, SHUHEI
• Application Number:
  US12/606,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20100285874A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/05 Image processing for measuring physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/04 Table games physically beneficial for the human body, modelled on outdoor sports, e.g. table tennis other table games A63F
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3614 using electro-magnetic, magnetic or ultrasonic radiation emitted, reflected or interrupted by the golf club
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3676 for putting A63B69/3608, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3697 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/68 : using optical means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light G01P3/80 takes precedence ; by reflection of waves G01S17/58
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 : for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 : Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/28 : Recognition of hand or arm movements, e.g. recognition of deaf sign language static hand signs G06V40/113

Abstract

A method of detecting an image of a reflective object includes the steps of: capturing an exposure image by an image sensor while an LED is ON; down-sampling an exposure image signal from the image sensor to a first digital signal by comparing the level of the first image signal with a first reference level; capturing a dark image by the image sensor while the LED is OFF; down-sampling a second image signal from the image sensor to a second digital signal by comparing the level of the second image signal with a second reference level; computing an image of difference between the exposure image and the dark image by subtracting the second digital signal from the first digital signal; and specifying the image of the reflective object by locating a bright point remaining in the image of difference.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A computer game program product comprising:

a computer readable recording medium storing a computer executable game program thereon,

wherein the game program includes;

a first computer readable program code unit operable to cause the computer to generate an image of an imaginary object to be moved by a user in a game and a direction indicator indicating a target direction in which the imaginary object is to be moved by the user in the game;

a second computer readable program code unit operable to cause the computer to generate time-series position data items of a controller of the game, wherein the position data item indicates a position of a representative point of the controller with reference to a predetermined coordinate system; and

a third computer readable program code unit operable to cause the computer to compute a trajectory of the imaginary object such that a direction of movement of the imaginary object is determined using the target direction as a reference based on the time-series position data items.

14. The computer game program product as recited in claim 13 wherein the controller has a representative surface for virtually hitting the imaginary object in the game,

wherein the game program further includes:

a fourth computer readable program code unit operable to cause the computer to generate angle data which indicates an angle of the representative surface of the controller,

wherein the third computer readable program code unit computes the trajectory of the imaginary object such that the direction of movement of the imaginary object is determined using the target direction as the reference based on the position data items and the angle data.

15. The computer game program product as recited in claim 13 wherein the position data item is generated based on an image data by an image sensor having an image plane for capturing a series of images of the controller,

wherein the image plane has a predetermined reference axis that defines a direction of one axis of the coordinate system, and

wherein when a direction of movement of the representative point of the controller is in the direction of the predetermined reference axis, the trajectory is computed such that the imaginary object will go in the direction of the target direction.

16. The computer game program product as recited in claim 15 wherein the position data item is generated based on a differential image between an image by the image sensor while a light emitting element is turned on and an image by the image sensor while the light emitting element is turned off.

17. The computer game program product as recited in claim 16 wherein the controller has a retroreflective member and the position data item is generated based on an image of the retroreflective member contained in the differential image.

18. The computer game program product as recited in claim 14 wherein the position data item and the angle data are generated based on a differential image between an image by an image sensor while a light emitting element is turned on and an image by the image sensor while the light emitting element is turned off.

19. The computer game program product as recited in claim 18 wherein the controller has a retroreflective member, and the position data item and the angle data are generated based on an image of the retroreflective member contained in the differential image.

20. The computer game program product as recited in claim 13 wherein an obstacle is located between a target indicated by the direction indicator and the imaginary object.

21. The computer game program product as recited in claim 14 wherein an obstacle is located between a target indicated by the direction indicator and the imaginary object.

22. The computer game program product as recited in claim 13 wherein the game is a golf game.

23. A game apparatus comprising:

an image generating unit operable to generate an image of an imaginary object to be moved by a user in a game and a direction indicator indicating a target direction in which the imaginary object is to be moved by the user in the game;

a controller of the game;

a position generating unit operable to generate time-series position data items of said controller, wherein the position data item indicates a position of a representative point of the controller with reference to a predetermined coordinate system; and

a trajectory computing unit operable to compute a trajectory of the imaginary object such that a direction of movement of the imaginary object is determined using the target direction as a reference based on the time-series position data items.

24. The game apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein the controller has a representative surface for virtually hitting the imaginary object in the game,

wherein said game apparatus further comprising:

an angle generating unit operable to an angle data which indicates an angle of the representative surface of the controller, and

wherein said trajectory computing unit computes the trajectory such that the direction of movement of the imaginary object is determined using the target direction as the reference based on the time-series position data items and the angle data.

25. The game apparatus as claimed in claim 23 further comprising:

an image sensor,

wherein said position generating unit generates the position data item based on an image data by said image sensor having an image plane for capturing a series of images of the controller,

wherein the image plane has a predetermined reference axis that defines a direction of one axis of the coordinate system, and

wherein when a direction of movement of the representative point of the controller is in the direction of the predetermined reference axis, the trajectory computing unit computes the trajectory such that the imaginary object will go in the direction of the target direction.

26. The game apparatus as recited in claim 25 further comprising:

a light emitting element operable to emit light,

wherein the position generating unit generates the position data item based on a differential image between an image by the image sensor while the light emitting element emits the light and an image by the image sensor while the light emitting element does not emit the light.

27. The game apparatus as recited in claim 26 wherein the controller has a retroreflective member, and

wherein said position generating unit generates the position data item based on an image of the retroreflective member contained in the differential image.

28. The game apparatus as recited in claim 24 further comprising:

an image sensor; and

a light emitting element operable to emit light,

wherein the position generating unit generates the position data item based on a differential image between an image by the image sensor while the light emitting element emits the light and an image by the image sensor while the light emitting element does not emit the light, and

wherein the angle generating unit generates the angle data based on the differential image.

29. The game apparatus as recited in claim 28 wherein the controller has a retroreflective member,

wherein the position generating unit generates the position data item based on an image of the retroreflective member contained in the differential image, and

wherein the angle generating unit generates the angle data based on the image of the retroreflective member contained in the differential image.

30. The game apparatus as recited in claim 23 wherein an obstacle is located between a target indicated by the direction indicator and the imaginary object.

31. The game apparatus as recited in claim 24 wherein an obstacle is located between a target indicated by the direction indicator and the imaginary object.

32. The game apparatus as recited in claim 23 wherein the game is a golf game.