USER-DRIVEN THREE-DIMENSIONAL INTERACTIVE GAMING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20120038637A1
• Filed: 10/26/2011
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Marks, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 11,010,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• 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 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• 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: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00

Abstract

An invention is provided for affording a real-time three-dimensional interactive environment using a depth sensing device. The invention includes obtaining depth values indicating distances from one or more physical objects in a physical scene to a depth sensing device. The depth sensing device is configurable to be maintained at a particular depth range defined by a plane so that objects between the particular depth range and the depth sensing device are processed by the depth sensing device, wherein the particular depth range establishes active detection by the depth sensing device, as depth values of objects placed through the particular depth range and toward the depth sensing device are detected and depth values of objects placed beyond the particular depth range are not detected. The objects placed through the particular depth range are rendered and displayed in a virtual scene based on geometric characteristics of the object itself.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method having access to memory, the method providing a real-time three-dimensional interactive environment, comprising the operations of:

obtaining depth values indicating distances from one or more physical objects in a physical scene to a depth sensing device, the depth sensing device configurable to be maintained at a particular depth range defined by a plane so that objects between the particular depth range and the depth sensing device are processed by the depth sensing device, wherein the particular depth range establishes active detection by the depth sensing device, as depth values of objects placed through the particular depth range and toward the depth sensing device are detected and depth values of objects placed beyond the particular depth range are not detected, and the objects placed through the particular depth range are rendered and displayed in a virtual scene based on geometric characteristics of the object itself.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising,

initiating tracking of the objects when the objects are placed through the particular depth range and toward the depth sensing device, and terminating tracking of the objects when the objects are placed beyond the particular depth range.

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

inserting at least one virtual object into the virtual scene after obtaining the depth values, the virtual object being computer-generated and configured to be inserted within and beyond the particular depth range.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising,

detecting an interaction between only objects placed through the particular depth range and the virtual object based on coordinates of the virtual object and the obtained depth values of the objects placed through the particular depth range.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the depth sensing device is a depth camera using controlled infrared lighting.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising,

estimating three-dimensional volume information for each physical object within the particular depth range based on the obtained depth values.

7. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for providing a real-time three-dimensional interactive environment, comprising:

program instructions that obtain depth values indicating distances from one or more physical objects in a physical scene to a depth sensing device, the depth sensing device configurable to be maintained at a particular depth range defined by a plane so that objects between the particular depth range and the depth sensing device are processed by the depth sensing device, wherein the particular depth range establishes active detection by the depth sensing device, as depth values of objects placed through the particular depth range and toward the depth sensing device are detected and depth values of objects placed beyond the particular depth range are not detected, and the objects placed through the particular depth range are rendered and displayed in a virtual scene based on geometric characteristics of the object itself.

8. A computer program as recited in claim 7, further comprising,

program instructions that initiate tracking of the objects when the objects are placed through the particular depth range and toward the depth sensing device, and terminate tracking of the objects when the objects are placed beyond the particular depth range.

9. A computer program as recited in claim 7, further comprising,

program instructions that insert at least one virtual object into the virtual scene after obtaining the depth values, the virtual object being computer-generated and configured to be inserted within and beyond the particular depth range.

10. A computer program as recited in claim 9, further comprising,

program instructions that detect an interaction between only objects placed through the particular depth range and the virtual object based on coordinates of the virtual object and the obtained depth values of the objects placed through the particular depth range.

11. A computer program as recited in claim 7, wherein the depth sensing device is a depth camera using controlled infrared lighting.

12. A computer program as recited in claim 7, further comprising, program instructions that estimate three-dimensional volume information for each physical object within the particular depth range based on the obtained depth values.

13. A system for providing a real-time three-dimensional interactive environment, comprising:

a depth sensing device capable of obtaining depth values indicating distances from one or more physical objects in a physical scene to a depth sensing device, the depth sensing device configurable to be maintained at a particular depth range defined by a plane so that objects between the particular depth range and the depth sensing device are processed by the depth sensing device, wherein the particular depth range establishes active detection by the depth sensing device, as depth values of objects placed through the particular depth range and toward the depth sensing device are detected and depth values of objects placed beyond the particular depth range are not detected; and

a console having logic configured to render and display the objects placed through the particular depth range in a virtual scene based on geometric characteristics of the object itself.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, further comprising,

logic that initiates tracking of the objects when the objects are placed through the particular depth range and toward the depth sensing device, and terminates tracking of the objects when the objects are placed beyond the particular depth range.

15. A system as recited in claim 13, further comprising,

logic that inserts at least one virtual object into the virtual scene after obtaining the depth values, the virtual object being computer-generated and configured to be inserted within and beyond the particular depth range.

16. A system as recited in claim 15, further comprising,

logic that detects an interaction between only objects placed through the particular depth range and the virtual object based on coordinates of the virtual object and the obtained depth values of the objects placed through the particular depth range.

17. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein the depth sensing device is a depth camera using controlled infrared lighting.

18. A system as recited in claim 13, further comprising,

logic that estimates three-dimensional volume information for each physical object within the particular depth range based on the obtained depth values.