INPUT APPARATUS USING CONNECTABLE BLOCKS, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSOR, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD

• US 20140015813A1
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: OSAWA, Hiroshi, YAMAGISHI, Takeshi, NUMAGUCHI, Naoki, TOGAWA, Keiji
• Granted Patent: US 9,229,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• 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 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/16 made of parts that can be put together facial parts only A63H3/365
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/065 Snake robots
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/08 characterised by modular constructions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• 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 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/00 Animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2213/08 Animation software package
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2008 Assembling, disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2021 Shape modification

Abstract

A block tool, which can be assembled by a user, is configured with multiple types of blocks and is shot by a camera for capturing a still image or a moving image. The position coordinates of a marker of the square-pillar block in a three-dimensional space are obtained by image recognition. Also, a connecting position and the type of each block, a gradient vector of the square-pillar block, an angle between two blocks constituting the square-pillar block, and the respective blocks'"'"' lengths are obtained so as to derive the shape, posture, and position of the block tool, and corresponding information processing is then performed.

Claims

1. An input apparatus configured with a plurality of blocks connectable to each other, at least one of the plurality of blocks comprising at least one of:

a position acquisition unit provided with a mechanism to acquire a position in a three-dimensional space;

a connecting part identification unit configured to acquire a position to which another block is connected;

a sensor measurement acquisition unit configured to acquire a measurement of an embedded sensor;

an inclination identification unit configured to acquire an inclination; and

an information transmitting unit configured to transmit information acquired internally to an information processor that uses a signal from the input apparatus as an input value to perform information processing in accordance with the position, posture, and shape of the input apparatus.

2. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of blocks further comprise an inter-block communication unit configured to transmit or receive a signal to or from another block via a connecting part; and

a block provided with the information transmitting unit collectively transmits, to the information processor, pieces of information that have been acquired within the respective blocks and transmitted from another block directly or indirectly connected to the block.

3. The input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of blocks further comprise a block not provided with the inter-block communication unit, and

wherein a block provided with the inter-block communication unit and connected to the other blocks via the block not provided with the inter-block communication unit transmits internally-acquired information directly or indirectly to another block provided with the information transmitting unit.

4. The input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of blocks are connected to each other at a connection terminal used by the inter-block communication unit to establish communication between the blocks.

5. The input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of blocks comprise a memory configured to store an identification number for identifying the size of the each of the plurality of blocks.

6. The input apparatus according to claims 1, wherein one of the plurality of blocks comprises, as the embedded sensor, a mechanism to create a bend angle and an angle acquisition unit configured to acquire the value of the bend angle.

7. An information processing system comprising an input apparatus configured with a plurality of blocks connectable to each other and an information processor configured to perform information processing on the basis of an input signal from the input apparatus,

at least one of the plurality of blocks in the input apparatus including at least one of:

a position acquisition unit provided with a mechanism to acquire a position in a three-dimensional space;

a connecting part identification unit configured to acquire a position to which another block is connected;

a sensor measurement acquisition unit configured to acquire a measurement of an embedded sensor;

an inclination identification unit configured to acquire an inclination; and

an information transmitting unit configured to transmit information acquired internally to the information processor,

the information processor including;

a structural analysis unit configured to calculate a position, posture, and shape of the input apparatus in a three-dimensional space on the basis of information transmitted from the input apparatus; and

an information processing unit configured to perform information processing in accordance with a result calculated by the structural analysis unit.

8. The information processing system according to claim 7, wherein, when an analysis result from the structural analysis unit meets a condition registered in advance, the information processing unit renders an object related to the condition at a position within a display screen corresponding to the position of the input apparatus in a three-dimensional space.

9. The information processing system according to claim 8, wherein, when an analysis result from the structural analysis unit changes from the condition to another pre-registered condition, the information processing unit changes the object to render to an object related to the condition thus changed.

10. The information processing system according to claim 7, wherein the information processing unit renders an object that moves in accordance with a motion of the input apparatus, at a position corresponding to the position of the input apparatus on an image acquired from a camera for shooting a real space within a field of view including the input apparatus.

11. The information processing system according to claim 7, wherein the information processing unit

sequentially stores in a storage apparatus a state of an object displayed in accordance with a position, posture, and shape of the input apparatus in a three-dimensional space, in accordance with a registration instruction input by a user and

displays, in accordance with a reproduction instruction, animation for reproducing the states of the object in the order of being stored in the storage apparatus.

12. The information processing system according to claim 7, wherein, in accordance with a registration instruction input by a user, the information processing unit stores in a storage apparatus an image of an object displayed in accordance with a position, posture, and shape of the input apparatus in a three-dimensional space, and

wherein, upon input of another registration instruction, the information processing unit adds, to the previously-stored image of the object, another object newly related to the difference from the previously-stored state of the input apparatus, thereby updating the image of the object stored in the storage apparatus.

13. An information processor, comprising:

a block information receiving unit configured to receive, from an input apparatus formed by connecting blocks prepared separately, information on a connecting part of a block, the type of a connected block, a measurement of a sensor embedded in a block, and an inclination of a block and to acquire a position of a block in a three-dimensional space;

a structural analysis unit configured to calculate a position, posture, and shape of the input apparatus in a three-dimensional space on the basis of information acquired by the block information receiving unit; and

an information processing unit configured to perform information processing in accordance with a result calculated by the structural analysis unit.

14. An information processing method, comprising processes performed by an information processor of:

receiving, from an input apparatus formed by connecting blocks prepared separately, information on a connecting part of a block, the type of a connected block, a measurement of a sensor embedded in a block, and an inclination of a block;

acquiring a position of a block in a three-dimensional space;

calculating a position, posture, and shape of the input apparatus in a three-dimensional space on the basis of information received in the process of receiving and information acquired in the process of acquiring;

performing information processing in accordance with a calculated result; and

displaying a result of information processing on a display apparatus.

15. A computer program embedded on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, comprising:

a receiving module configured to receive, from an input apparatus formed by connecting blocks prepared separately, information on a connecting part of a block, the type of a connected block, a measurement of a sensor embedded in a block, and an inclination of a block;

an acquiring module configured to acquire a position of a block in a three-dimensional space;

a calculating module configured to calculate a position, posture, and shape of the input apparatus in a three-dimensional space on the basis of information received by the receiving module and information acquired by the acquiring module;

an information processing module configured to perform information processing in accordance with a calculated result; and

an outputting module configured to output a result of information processing to a display apparatus.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program product comprising:

a receiving module configured to receive, from an input apparatus formed by connecting blocks prepared separately, information on a connecting part of a block, the type of a connected block, a measurement of a sensor embedded in a block, and an inclination of a block;

an acquiring module configured to acquire a position, posture, and shape of a block in a three-dimensional space;

a calculating module configured to calculate a position and shape of the input apparatus in a three-dimensional space on the basis of information received by the receiving module and information acquired by the acquiring module;

an information processing module configured to perform information processing in accordance with a calculated result; and

an outputting module configured to output a result of information processing to a display apparatus.