Directional Interface Object

• US 20170354864A1
• Filed: 09/30/2016
• Published: 12/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Rogers, Mark, Chung, Dana, Bruckbock, Thomas, Sumii, Tetsu, Nokuo, Taichi, Luisi, Seth
• Application Number:
  US15/283,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20170354864A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• 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 13/837 Shooting of targets
• 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 3/0304 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 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• 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

A directional interface object, including: a top tubular portion; a front tubular portion, a top end of the front tubular portion being joined to a first end of the top tubular portion; a bottom tubular portion, a first end of the bottom tubular portion being joined to a bottom end of the front tubular portion; a rear tubular portion, a top end of the rear tubular portion being joined to a second end of the front tubular portion opposite the first end of the front tubular portion, a bottom end of the rear tubular portion being joined to a second end of the bottom tubular portion opposite the first end of the bottom tubular portion; a trackable object disposed at the first end of the top tubular portion.

Claims

1. A directional interface object, comprising:

a top tubular portion;

a front tubular portion, a top end of the front tubular portion being joined to a first end of the top tubular portion;

a bottom tubular portion, a first end of the bottom tubular portion being joined to a bottom end of the front tubular portion;

a rear tubular portion, a top end of the rear tubular portion being joined to a second end of the front tubular portion opposite the first end of the front tubular portion, a bottom end of the rear tubular portion being joined to a second end of the bottom tubular portion opposite the first end of the bottom tubular portion;

a trackable object disposed at the first end of the top tubular portion.

2. The directional interface object of claim 1,

wherein the front tubular portion is aligned along a first axis, and

wherein the rear tubular portion is aligned along a second axis that is substantially not parallel with the first axis.

3. The directional interface object of claim 2,

wherein the bottom tubular portion is aligned along a third axis;

wherein the front tubular portion extends away from the bottom tubular portion along the first axis at a first angle relative to normal to the third axis;

wherein the rear tubular portion extends away from the bottom tubular portion along the second axis at a second angle relative to normal to the third axis, the second angle being less than the first angle.

4. The directional interface object of claim 1,

wherein the top tubular portion is aligned along a first axis;

and

wherein the bottom tubular portion is aligned along a second axis that is substantially not parallel with the first axis.

5. The directional interface object of claim 4,

wherein the top tubular portion extends away from the rear tubular portion along the first axis in a first direction;

and

wherein the bottom tubular portion extends away from the rear tubular portion along the second axis in a second direction that diverges from the first direction.

6. The directional interface object of claim 1, wherein the trackable object has a substantially spherical shape.

7. The directional interface object of claim 1, wherein the trackable object is defined from a translucent material and further includes a light for illuminating the translucent material.

8. The directional interface object of claim 1, further comprising:

a first joystick positioned along the front tubular portion;

a second joystick positioned at the second end of the top tubular portion.

9. The directional interface object of claim 1, further comprising at least one inertial sensor for sensing movement of the directional interface object.

10. The directional interface object of claim 1, further comprising, at least one contact sensor positioned along the front tubular portion or the rear tubular portion for detecting contact of a user'"'"'s hand with the front tubular portion or the rear tubular portion, respectively.

11. A directional interface object, comprising:

a top tubular portion;

a front tubular portion, a top end of the front tubular portion being joined to a first end of the top tubular portion;

a bottom tubular portion, a first end of the bottom tubular portion being joined to a bottom end of the front tubular portion;

a rear tubular portion, a top end of the rear tubular portion being joined to a second end of the front tubular portion opposite the first end of the front tubular portion, a bottom end of the rear tubular portion being joined to a second end of the bottom tubular portion opposite the first end of the bottom tubular portion;

a trackable object disposed at the first end of the top tubular portion;

wherein the front tubular portion is aligned along a first axis;

wherein the rear tubular portion is aligned along a second axis that is substantially not parallel with the first axis;

wherein the bottom tubular portion is aligned along a third axis;

wherein the front tubular portion extends away from the bottom tubular portion along the first axis at a first angle relative to normal to the third axis;

wherein the rear tubular portion extends away from the bottom tubular portion along the second axis at a second angle relative to normal to the third axis, the second angle being less than the first angle;

wherein the top tubular portion is aligned along a first axis;

wherein the bottom tubular portion is aligned along a second axis that is substantially not parallel with the first axis;

wherein the top tubular portion extends away from the rear tubular portion along the first axis in a first direction; and

wherein the bottom tubular portion extends away from the rear tubular portion along the second axis in a second direction that diverges from the first direction.

12. The directional interface object of claim 11, wherein the trackable object has a substantially spherical shape.

13. The directional interface object of claim 11, wherein the trackable object is defined from a translucent material and further includes a light for illuminating the translucent material.

14. The directional interface object of claim 11, further comprising:

a first joystick positioned along the front tubular portion;

a second joystick positioned at the second end of the top tubular portion.

15. The directional interface object of claim 11, further comprising at least one inertial sensor for sensing movement of the directional interface object.

16. The directional interface object of claim 11, further comprising, at least one contact sensor positioned along the front tubular portion or the rear tubular portion for detecting contact of a user'"'"'s hand with the front tubular portion or the rear tubular portion, respectively.

17. A system, comprising:

a directional interface object, the directional interface object including,

a top tubular portion,

a front tubular portion, a top end of the front tubular portion being joined to a first end of the top tubular portion,

a bottom tubular portion, a first end of the bottom tubular portion being joined to a bottom end of the front tubular portion,

a rear tubular portion, a top end of the rear tubular portion being joined to a second end of the front tubular portion opposite the first end of the front tubular portion, a bottom end of the rear tubular portion being joined to a second end of the bottom tubular portion opposite the first end of the bottom tubular portion,

a trackable object disposed at the first end of the top tubular portion, and

at least one inertial sensor configured to generate inertial data indicative of movement of the directional interface object;

an image captured device configured to capture images of an interactive environment in which the directional interface object is disposed;

a computing device configured to execute an interactive application to render a view of a virtual environment to a head-mounted display (HMD), the computing device configured to process the captured images and the inertial data to determine a position of a virtual object that is rendered in the view of the virtual environment.

18. The system of claim 17,

wherein the front tubular portion is aligned along a first axis, and

wherein the rear tubular portion is aligned along a second axis that is substantially not parallel with the first axis;

wherein the bottom tubular portion is aligned along a third axis;

wherein the front tubular portion extends away from the bottom tubular portion along the first axis at a first angle relative to normal to the third axis;

wherein the rear tubular portion extends away from the bottom tubular portion along the second axis at a second angle relative to normal to the third axis, the second angle being less than the first angle.