Base Station for Position Location

• US 20100285879A1
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Huang, Ennin, Zalewski, Gary M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,393,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• 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 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• 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 13/24 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 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/30 characterized by output arrangements for receiving control signals generated by the game device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 : using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 : specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 : Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/50 : characterized by details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 : generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 : involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system to interface with a game console to control a video game is disclosed. The system includes a game console and a base station that is interfaced with the game console. The base station has processing circuitry that is configured to send and receive data between the base station and the game console. The base station is also configured to process position data. The system also includes a controller that is interfaced with the base station. The controller has hardware to process movement data of the controller and communicate the movement data to the base station. The base station processes the position data of the controller, and relays the position data from the base station to the game console to determine a relative position of the controller to the base station. Wherein changes in the relative position of the controller facilitate interactive control with the video game.

Claims

1. A system to interface with a game console to control a video game, comprising:

a game client;

a base station being interfaced with the game client, the base station having processing circuitry, the processing circuitry configured to send and receive data between the base station and the game client, the base station further configured to process position data; and

a controller being interfaced with the base station, the controller having hardware to process movement data of the controller and communicate the movement data to the base station, the base station processing the position data of the controller, the position data being relayed from the base station to the game client to determine a relative position of the controller to the base station, wherein changes in the relative position of the controller facilitate interactive control with the video game.

2. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the controller is further interfaced directly with the game client.

3. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the controller further communicates the movement data to the game client.

4. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the base station further includes,

light emitting circuitry, the light emitting circuitry projecting light from the base station.

5. The system as described in claim 4, wherein the base station further includes,

alignment circuitry, the alignment circuitry configured to define a reference plane that is used to determine the position of the controller relative to the reference plane.

6. The system as described in claim 5, wherein the light emitting circuitry projects a reference light to visually illustrate the reference plane of the base station.

7. The system as described in claim 4, wherein the light emitting circuitry provides visual feedback based on the relative position of the controller to the base station.

8. The system as described in claim 4, wherein the light emitting circuitry provides visual feedback based on events within the video game.

9. A system to determine position of a controller relative to a base station during game play, comprising:

a game console for facilitating the game play;

a controller having controller hardware, the controller hardware includes motion sensing devices and a radio to send motion data from the motion sensing devices; and

a base station in communication with the controller and the game console, the base station having a radio to receive the motion data from the motion sensing devices, the base station further having circuitry to define a reference plane, the circuitry including a light emitter to project a reference line that visually extends from and away from the base station, the reference line being representative of the reference plane, the base station having adjustable features that allow the reference line to be approximately leveled relative to a supporting surface,

wherein the reference plane is used to determine the position of the controller relative to the base station.

10. The system as defined in claim 9, wherein the base station further includes a light array, the light array controlled by a light controller to provide visual feedback based on the position of the controller relative to the base station.

11. The system as defined in claim 9, wherein the support surface is a floor, a table, a chair, a base, or ground.

12. The system as defined in claim 9, wherein the base station is defined by a spherical ball that is connected to a support by an adjustable arm.

13. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the spherical ball has elements arranged as a band where the light emitter projects the reference line.

14. The system as defined in claim 13, wherein the band further includes a light array to signal user position feedback relative to the base station.

15. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the base station is a cube having the light arrays configured at the corners of the cube.

16. The system as defined in claim 15, wherein the corners of the cube have translucent elements that diffuse light from the light arrays to signal user status feedback or user position during the game play.

17. The system as defined in claim 14, wherein the user position is illustrated on the light array by different light configurations, so as to provide visual feedback to the user during game play.

18. The system as defined in claim 16, wherein user status is illustrated by different light configurations, as to provide visual feedback to the user during game play.

19. A method for interacting with a game console to control a video game, comprising:

(a) establishing communications between the game console and a base station;

(b) calibrating the base station, the calibration establishing a reference plane to determine a position relative to the base station;

(c) establishing communication between a controller and the base station, the communications between the controller and the base station transmitting motion detection data from the controller to the base station;

(d) determining a first position of the controller relative to the base station using the reference plane and a first sample of the motion detection data;

(e) determining a second position of the controller relative to the base station using a second sample of the motion detection data;

(f) controlling the video game based on changes between the first position and the second position; and

(f) periodically repeating (d)-(f).

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the reference plane is a visible light emitted from and away from the base station.

21. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the light emitted illustrates visual position data to users, such that users are provided with relative position feedback of each users position relative to the base station during game play of the video game.