VIRTUAL WORLD PROCESSING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20120188237A1
• Filed: 06/23/2010
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Han, Seung Ju, Han, Jae Joon, Kim, Do Kyoon, Bang, Won Chul
• Granted Patent: US 9,566,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• 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 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/217 using environment-related information, i.e. information generated otherwise than by the player, e.g. ambient temperature or humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• 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 13/44 involving timing of operations, e.g. performing an action within a time slot
• 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 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• 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: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00

Abstract

A virtual world processing apparatus and method. Sensed information, which is information collected by a sensor is inputted. The sensed information is adapted, based on a sensor capability, which is information on capability of the sensor. Accordingly, interoperability between a real world and a virtual world or interoperability between virtual worlds may be achieved.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing a virtual world to enable interoperability between the virtual world and a real world or interoperability between virtual worlds, the apparatus comprising:

an input unit to be inputted with sensed information collected by a sensor from the real world; and

an adapting unit to adapt the sensed information, based on sensor capability related to the sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an output unit to output the sensed information to control the virtual world.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an output unit to output the sensed information to control virtual world object information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from:

a unit of a value measured by the sensor;

a maximum value and a minimum value measured by the sensor;

an offset representing a value added to a base value to obtain an absolute value;

a number of levels measurable by the sensor between the maximum value and the minimum value measured by the sensor;

a sensitivity representing a minimum limit of an input signal for generating an output signal;

a signal to noise ratio (SNR); and

an accuracy representing a degree of closeness of a measured quantity with respect to an actual value.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensed information comprises at least one selected from:

identifier (ID) information to recognize individual identity of the sensed information;

group ID information to recognize individual identity of a multi-sensor structure to which the sensor belongs;

sensor ID reference information referencing the sensor;

linked list information which represents elements of a link data structure for grouping the sensor; and

activation state information to determine whether the sensor is in operation; and

priority information related to another sensed information sharing the same point at an adapting time of the sensed information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input unit is further inputted with a sensor adaptation preference for manipulating the sensed information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a position sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a range, a range type, an x maximum value, an x minimum value, a y maximum value, a y minimum value, a z maximum value, and a z minimum value of the position sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is an orientation sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from an orientation range, an orientation range type, an x maximum value, an x minimum value, a y maximum value, a y minimum value, a z maximum value, and a z minimum value of the orientation sensor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a velocity sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value and a minimum value of the velocity sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is an acceleration sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value and a minimum value of the acceleration sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is an angular velocity sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value and a minimum value of the angular velocity sensor.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is an angular acceleration sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value and a minimum value of the angular acceleration sensor.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a motion sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from position capability, velocity capability, acceleration capability, orientation capability, angular velocity capability, and angular acceleration capability.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a position sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, a position, a unit, a 3-dimensional (3D) position vector, a position on an x-axis, a position on a y-axis, and a position on a z-axis.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a velocity sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, a velocity, a unit, a 3D velocity vector, a velocity on an x-axis, a velocity on a y-axis, and a velocity on a z-axis.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is an acceleration sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, an acceleration, a unit, a 3D acceleration vector, an acceleration on an x-axis, an acceleration on a y-axis, and an acceleration on a z-axis.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is an orientation sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, an orientation, a unit, a 3D orientation vector, an orientation of an x-axis, an orientation of a y-axis, and an orientation of a z-axis.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is an angular velocity sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, an angular velocity, a unit, a 3D angular velocity vector, an angular velocity on an x-axis, an angular velocity on a y-axis, and an angular velocity on a z-axis.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is an angular acceleration sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, an angular acceleration, a unit, a 3D angular acceleration vector, an angular acceleration on an x-axis, an angular acceleration on a y-axis, and an angular acceleration on a z-axis.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a motion sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a position, a velocity, an acceleration, an orientation, an angular velocity, and an angular acceleration.

21. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is a position sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a range and a number of levels of the position sensor.

22. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is an orientation sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from an orientation range and a number of levels of the orientation sensor.

23. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is a velocity sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a number of levels of the velocity sensor.

24. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is an acceleration sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a number of levels of the acceleration sensor.

25. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is an angular velocity sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a number of levels of the angular velocity sensor.

26. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is an angular acceleration sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a number of levels of the angular acceleration sensor.

27. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is a motion sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from position preference, velocity preference, acceleration preference, orientation preference, angular velocity preference and angular acceleration preference.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an intelligent camera sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a feature tracking status, an expression tracking status, a body movement tracking status, a maximum body feature point, a maximum face feature point, a tracked feature, tracked facial feature points, tracked body feature points, a feature type, a facial feature mask, and a body feature mask of the intelligent camera sensor.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is an intelligent camera sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one of a facial animation ID, a body animation ID, a face feature, a body feature, and a timestamp.

30. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a face feature tracking on, a body feature tracking on, a facial expression tracking on, a gesture tracking on, a face tracking map, and a body tracking map of the intelligent camera sensor.

31. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a light sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, a color, and a location of the light sensor.

32. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is an ambient noise sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a location of the ambient noise sensor.

33. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a temperature sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a location of the temperature sensor.

34. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a humidity sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a location of the humidity sensor.

35. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a length sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a location of the length sensor.

36. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is an atmospheric pressure sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a location of the atmospheric pressure sensor.

37. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a force sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value and a minimum value of the force sensor.

38. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a torque sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a location of the torque sensor.

39. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a pressure sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a location of the pressure sensor.

40. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a sound sensor, the sensor capability comprises at least one selected from a maximum value and a minimum value of the sound sensor.

41. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a light sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, a value, a unit, and a color of the light sensor.

42. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is an ambient noise sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, a lifespan, a unit, and a value of the ambient noise sensor.

43. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a temperature sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, a unit, and a value of the temperature sensor.

44. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a humidity sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, a unit, and a value of the humidity sensor.

45. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a length sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, a unit, and a value of the length sensor.

46. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is an atmospheric pressure sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, a unit, and a value of the atmospheric pressure sensor.

47. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a force sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, a force, a unit, a 3D force vector, a force on an x-axis, a force on a y-axis, and a force on a z-axis of the force sensor.

48. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a torque sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, a torque, a unit, a 3D torque vector, a torque on an x-axis, a torque on a y-axis, and a torque on a z-axis of the torque sensor.

49. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a pressure sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a timestamp, a unit, and a value of the pressure sensor.

50. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the sensor is a sound sensor, the sensed information comprises at least one selected from a maximum value and a minimum value of the sound sensor.

51. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is a light sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, a number of levels, and an unfavorable color of the light sensor.

52. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is an ambient noise sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a number of levels of the ambient noise sensor.

53. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is a temperature sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a number of levels of the temperature sensor.

54. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is a humidity sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a number of levels of the humidity sensor.

55. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is a length sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a number of levels of the length sensor.

56. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is an atmospheric pressure sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a number of levels of the atmospheric pressure sensor.

57. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is a force sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a number of levels of the force sensor.

58. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is a torque sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a number of levels of the torque sensor.

59. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is a pressure sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value, a minimum value, and a number of levels of the pressure sensor.

60. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the sensor is a sound sensor, the sensor adaptation preference comprises at least one selected from a maximum value and a minimum value of the sound sensor.