Base Station Movement Detection and Compensation

• US 20100285883A1
• 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: Zalewski, Gary M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,142,288 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 13/215 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 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/422 automatically for the purpose of assisting the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• 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 13/497 Partially or entirely replaying previous game actions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• 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 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6054 by generating automatically game commands to assist the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/634 : for replaying partially or entirely the game actions since the beginning of the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 : Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 : involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 : Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 : with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

Method and systems for processing interactive communication received from input devices, which interface with a computer program that executes at a computer, are provided. The method includes receiving input data from a first input device and a second input device at a base station that is interfaced with the computer. The first and second input devices are movable independently of one another to interactively interface with the computer program. The method tracks a position of the first and second input devices through the base station and identifies a near-identical change in position of the tracked position of the first and second input devices. The method then sets a flag upon identifying the near-identical change in position. The flag is processed by the computer program to set an action to take during interactivity with the computer program. In one example, the base station includes an inertial sensor that can confirm movement. If movement is confirmed, the flag is processed to take the action, as defined within the computer program.

Claims

1. A method for processing interactive communication received from input devices interfacing with a computer program that is executed at a computer, comprising:

receiving input data from a first input device and a second input device at a base station that is interfaced with the computer, the first and second input devices being movable independently of one another to interactively interface with the computer program;

tracking a position of the first and second input devices through the base station;

identifying a near-identical change in position of the tracked position of the first and second input devices; and

setting a flag upon identifying the near-identical change in position, the flag being processed by the computer program to set an action to take during interactivity with the computer program.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the action to take during interactivity with the computer program is preconfigured based on aspects of the computer program.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising,

processing inertial sensing operations at the base station, the inertial sensing operations determining a magnitude of movement of the base station.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein when the magnitude of movement of the base station exceeds a threshold amount, allowing processing of the flag to set the action.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the computer program is a computer game, and wherein the action to take is one of subtracting out the near-identical change in position, apply a correction to both the first and second input devices, pausing the computer game, rewinding the computer game, restarting the computer game, or signaling movement of the base station.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the near-identical change in position has a magnitude, and if the magnitude exceeds a threshold level, the flag is processed to set the action,

wherein the magnitude exceeding the threshold level is indicative of a movement in the base station, as tracking of the position is through the base station.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein tracking the position of the first and second input devices includes one of or a combination of either:

(a) receiving position data from the first and second input devices, (b) calculating position data at the base station from data received from the first and second input devices, (c) calculating position data at the computer based on data received from the first and second input devices or the base station, (d) partially determining position at the first and second input devices and partially determining position at the base station;

or (e) partially determining position data based on data obtained from the first and second input devices, the base station, and the computer.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the position is processed by one or more of image processing, ultrasonic data processing, input joy-stick movement, pitch-roll-yaw data, wired or wireless input, or input button selection.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer is a game console, and the first and second input devices are further interfaced with the game console.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein image processing includes comparing image data from one or more frames that contains both of the first and second input devices to identify the near-identical change in position has occurred.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the base station is interfaced with the game console through either a wired connection or a wireless connection.

12. A system to provide interactive control of a video game, comprising:

a game console;

a base station being positioned at a location that is spaced apart from the game console, the base station having communications circuitry to enable an interface between the base station and the game console, the base station further having a video camera to capture image data within a zone of play; and

a controller being interfaced with one or both the base station and the game console, wherein analysis of image data that includes the controller is used to determine movement of the controller within the zone of play, the movement of the controller being correlated to interactive control of the video game by the game console.

13. A system as described in claim 12, wherein the base station further includes, motion detection circuitry, the motion detection circuitry interfaced with a base station position processor configured to analyze data from the motion detection circuitry.

14. A system as described in claim 13, wherein the base station position processor triggers a recalibration of the base station when data from the motion detection circuitry exceeds a threshold value.

15. A system as described in claim 12, wherein when the controller is interfaced with both the game console and the base station, the base station further includes circuitry to partially analyze the image data to determine movement of the controller.

16. A system as described in claim 15, wherein the image data that has been partially analyzed by the base station is transmitted to the game console, the game console further including circuitry to complete analysis of the image data.

17. A system as described in claim 12, wherein when the controller is interfaced with the base station, the base station further includes circuitry to analyze the image data, the base station.

18. A system as described in claim 12, wherein the video camera is further configured to capture depth data for objects within the zone of play.

19. A system as described in claim 12, wherein the controller and the base station each further includes an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver.

20. A system as described in claim 19, wherein the ultrasonic transmitters and receivers determine a distance of the controller from the base station.

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

a game console;

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

a controller being interfaced with the base station, the controller having hardware to detect 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 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.

22. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the base station is positioned between the game console and the controller, the controller being configured to be hand held by a user.

23. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the base station is positioned on a floor space, and the base station defines a zone of play that enables local ultrasonic capture and transmission.

24. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the base station has a base synchronization circuit that initiates calibration of position of the base station.

25. A system as described in claim 21, wherein the controller has a mobile synchronization circuit to initiate calibration of position of the controller to the base station.

26. A system as described in claim 24, wherein the game console processes calibration of position for the base station.

27. A system as described in claim 26, wherein the game console monitors the position for the base station, and detects if the position for the base station exceeds a threshold change in position.

28. A system as described in claim 27, wherein the game console triggers a recalibration of position of the base stations.