INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, PROGRAM, AND TOY SYSTEM

• US 20150080125A1
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Andre, Alexis, Takeda, Yasuhiro, Natsume, Tetsu, Okada, Kenichi, Nakamura, Takatoshi, Tanaka, Akichika
• Granted Patent: US 9,737,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• 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 13/42 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00583 with pin and hole
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00646 with illumination of playing field or playing piece
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00662 with an electric sensor for playing pieces A63F2009/2444 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00678 with circuits closed by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• 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 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00075 War games
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/16 made of parts that can be put together facial parts only A63H3/365
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/50 Frames, stands, or wheels for dolls or toy animals
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/042 Mechanical, electrical, optical, pneumatic or hydraulic arrangements; Motors

Abstract

There is provided an information processing apparatus including an attribute management unit configured to manage a variable attribute value associated with each one or more characters existing in a real space, a detection unit configured to detect an interaction event between a first character and a real object by using an image captured by a camera that captures the real space, and a setting unit configured to set a rule for changing the attribute value of the first character depending on the interaction event. In a case where the detection unit has detected the interaction event, the attribute management unit changes the attribute value of the first character in accordance with the rule set by the setting unit.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an attribute management unit configured to manage a variable attribute value associated with each one or more characters existing in a real space;

a detection unit configured to detect an interaction event between a first character and a real object by using an image captured by a camera that captures the real space; and

a setting unit configured to set a rule for changing the attribute value of the first character depending on the interaction event,

wherein, in a case where the detection unit has detected the interaction event, the attribute management unit changes the attribute value of the first character in accordance with the rule set by the setting unit.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the attribute management unit decreases the attribute value of the first character or an enemy character depending on the interaction event between the first character and the enemy character set by the setting unit.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the attribute management unit decreases the attribute value of the first character depending on the interaction event between the first character and a real object other than a friend character set by the setting unit.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the attribute management unit changes the attribute value of the first character depending on the interaction event between the first character and a known item shown in the captured image.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the attribute management unit decreases the attribute value of the first character in a case where the item is a damage item, or the attribute management unit restores the attribute value of the first character in a case where the item is a healing item.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the real object includes a body of a user shown in the captured image, and

wherein the attribute management unit decreases the attribute value of the first character depending on the interaction event between the first character and the body of the user.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the attribute management unit does not decrease the attribute value of the first character in a case where the body of the user makes a certain gesture or a certain pose.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the interaction event includes physical contact between the first character and the real object.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein each of the characters is formed by assembling modularized blocks, and

wherein the attribute management unit decides an amount of change of the attribute value depending on a kind of a block involved in the interaction event.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the camera is provided on a housing of the enemy character, and

wherein the interaction event includes a remote-attack event that is detected when a certain user input is sensed in a state where the first character is shown in the captured image.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein each of the characters is formed by assembling modularized blocks, and

wherein the remote-attack event is detected in a case where the enemy character includes a kind of a modularized block that is associated with the remote-attack event.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the setting unit classifies each of the characters into an enemy character and a friend character on the basis of a gesture of each of the characters recognized using the captured image.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein each of the characters is formed by assembling modularized blocks, and

wherein the setting unit classifies each of the characters into an enemy character and a friend character on the basis of an appearance feature of each of the blocks included in each of the characters shown in the captured image.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control unit configured to, in a case where the attribute value of the first character has been changed, drive the first character in a manner that the first character performs reaction related to the change.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the detection unit detects the interaction event by using the image captured by at least one of a character camera and a non-character camera, the character camera being provided on a housing of the character.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display control unit configured to output an augmented reality image to a display, the augmented reality image being generated by overlaying an augmented reality object on the captured image.

17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the camera includes a mechanism for limiting image capturing of a real object that is not involved in a battle in which the one or more characters participate.

18. An information processing method executed by a computer that controls a system for a battle in which one or more characters existing in a real space participate, the method comprising:

setting a rule for changing a variable attribute value which is associated with a first character depending on an interaction event between the first character and a real object;

detecting the interaction event by using an image captured by a camera that captures the real space; and

changing the attribute value of the first character in accordance with the set rule in a case where the interaction event has been detected.

19. A program for causing a computer that controls a system for a battle in which one or more characters existing in a real space participate, to function as:

an attribute management unit configured to manage a variable attribute value associated with each of the one or more characters;

a detection unit configured to detect an interaction event between a first character and a real object by using an image captured by a camera that captures the real space; and

a setting unit configured to set a rule for changing the attribute value of the first character depending on the interaction event,

wherein, in a case where the detection unit has detected the interaction event, the attribute management unit changes the attribute value of the first character in accordance with the rule set by the setting unit.

20. A toy system comprising:

housings of one or more characters each of which is formed by assembling modularized blocks; and

a control module configured to manage a variable attribute value associated with each of the one or more characters,

wherein the control module detects an interaction event between a first character and a real object by using an image captured by a camera that captures a real space, and the control module changes the attribute value of the first character in accordance with a rule that is different depending on a kind of a modularized block involved in the interaction event.