Method of selectively retrieving video images from a video reproducer for simulating movement

• US 4,873,585 A
• Filed: 11/13/1987
• Issued: 10/10/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IVEX Corporation
• Original Assignee: IVEX Corporation
• Inventors: Sinclair, Michael J., Finlay, William M., Blanton, Keith A., Tumblin, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCELHENY JR, DONALD E
• Application Number:
  US07/120,917
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 358/310, 358/335, 358/342, 358/104, 364/518, 364/521, 364/410, 340/728, 340/731, 340/747, 340/723, 360/33.1, 434/43
• US Class Current: 386/353
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/47 involving branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible scenarios at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/632 by branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible story developments at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/301 by computer-processed or -generated image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects

Abstract

A method and apparatus for simulating movement within a multi-dimensional space by selecting and reproducing a particular one of a plurality of selectable sequences of video images subsequent to a given sequence of video images. The apparatus comprises an interactive random access video disc system for storing the sequences of video images. Video image windowing means provides as a video output only a predetermined "window" portion of each retrieved video image. The window portion of an ending image of a given retrieved sequence substantially duplicates the window portion of a starting image of a retrieved sequence reproduced immediately subsequent to the given sequence, thereby providing a relatively imperceptible transition between sequences. A method for numbering frames on the video disc ensures that a jump between images in any sequence or to an image in a subsequent sequence can be accomplished within a predetermined number of tracks and within a predetermined time, in order to prevent pauses or blankings of the output video images.

Claims

1. A method of identifying and storing a plurality of video images in a plurality of selectable sequences for use in a video image reproducing apparatus in order to simulate movement within a multi-dimensional space,

said reproducing apparatus including video image storage means for retrievably storing said video images in addressable locations on a storage medium,

each of said video images being associated with an identifying number corresponding to one of said addressable locations,

said reproducing apparatus having an operable capability of jumping at least a predetermined number k of said addressable locations to access a subsequent addressable location within a predetermined time period t,

said reproducing apparatus being operative to reproduce any image within k addressable locations of a given image subsequent to reproducing said given image, comprising the steps of:

(1) arranging a plurality of images representing said multi-dimensional space into an array comprising a plurality of rows and columns of branches and a plurality of nodes, wherein;

each of said branches comprises a pair of sequences of images comprising a first sequence corresponding to movement in one direction along said branch and a second sequence corresponding to movement in the opposite direction along said branch,

each of said sequences beginning at one of said nodes and ending at an adjacent one of said nodes,

said rows and said columns intersecting at said nodes, and

the ending image of each one of said sequences ending at a given node being associated with the beginning image of a predetermined number b of said sequences beginning at said given node;

(2) selecting a base jump increment j less than k;

(3) assigning a progressively varying row first sequence identifying number to each of said images in each of said first sequences in each of said rows,

said row first sequence identifying numbers varying by j in one horizontal direction along each of said rows and varying by at least one least significant digit m between adjacent rows;

(4) assigning a progressively varying row second sequence identifying number to each of said images in each of said second sequences in each of said rows,

said row second sequence identifying numbers varying by j in the opposite horizontal direction along each of said rows and varying by one from the corresonding least significant digit m of said row;

(5) assigning a progressively varying column first sequence identifying number to each of said images in each of said first sequences in each of said columns,

said column first sequence identifying numbers varying along each of said columns connecting adjacent rows by incrementing by j for a first count, varying a predetermined number i for a second count, and then varying by decrementing by j for a third count;

(6) assigning a progressively varying column second sequence identifying number to each of said images in each of said second sequences in each of said columns,

said column second sequence identifying numbers varying along each of said columns connecting adjacent rows by incrementing by j for a first count, varying said predetermined number i for a second count, and then varying by decrementing by j for a third count; and

(7) the difference between the sequence identifying number at the end of each sequence ending at a given node and the sequence identifying number of each of said b sequences beginning at said given node always being less than k,

whereby said reproducing apparatus, after reproducing the last image of a given sequence ending at a given node can jump fewer than k addressable locations from said last image of said given sequence ending at said given node to the beginning image of any one of said b sequences beginning at said given node within said time period t.