Virtual reality game method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A virtual reality game method for use by at least one human player who wears at least one identifiable object having a unique color, said game comprising the steps of:
- (a) scanning a background and creating a first color table of background colors;
(b) scanning said identifiable object;
(c) creating a second color table with colors distinctive only to said identifiable object by deleting all colors that said identifiable object has in common with said background;
(d) repeatedly scanning said player wearing said identifiable object against said background and creating frames of pixels in a frame buffer representative of said colors in said scan;
(e) identifying said colors in said frames that are unique to said identifiable objects;
(f) predicting an area, less than a full frame, where said identifiable object will be located in subsequent frames;
(g) scanning said predicted area to locate said identifiable object; and
,(h) using said identifiable object to manipulate a virtual object toward a virtual goal.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A one or two player virtual reality game efficiently detects and tracks a distinctively colored glove. According to the preferred basketball embodiment, a single player equipped with the distinctively colored glove is matched up against a virtual opponent. The object of the game is for the real player to put a virtual basketball into a virtual basketball hoop before his/her virtual opponent steals the ball. Initially, the background site is scanned, and then the operator with the glove is scanned. A table of colors is then established which are unique only to the glove. A player is then scanned against the background to identify which color glove will have the least conflict with colors worn by the player. During play, the player is scanned at 30 frames a second and the information is stored in a frame buffer. A prediction is made of the location of the glove in subsequent frames based upon its previously known location and velocity. Therefore, a search for the glove can be made of only a limited portion of the full frame, thereby increasing the speed of acquisition. Gestures made by the player such as a flick shot, a dribble or a roundhouse shot can be distinguished so as to automatically cause the basketball to be released from the player'"'"'s hand. If the velocity and direction of the ball are substantially in the direction of the virtual basketball hoop, then the player will be credited with a score.
741 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A virtual reality game method for use by at least one human player who wears at least one identifiable object having a unique color, said game comprising the steps of:
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(a) scanning a background and creating a first color table of background colors; (b) scanning said identifiable object; (c) creating a second color table with colors distinctive only to said identifiable object by deleting all colors that said identifiable object has in common with said background; (d) repeatedly scanning said player wearing said identifiable object against said background and creating frames of pixels in a frame buffer representative of said colors in said scan; (e) identifying said colors in said frames that are unique to said identifiable objects; (f) predicting an area, less than a full frame, where said identifiable object will be located in subsequent frames; (g) scanning said predicted area to locate said identifiable object; and
,(h) using said identifiable object to manipulate a virtual object toward a virtual goal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A virtual reality game apparatus for use by at least one player having on his person an identifiable object having a distinctive color, said apparatus comprising:
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scanning means for scanning said player and for storing said information in a frame buffer; color identifying means for determining which of said colors of said identifiable object is most accurately identifiable and, for locating said identifiable object from the information in said frame buffer based upon its distinctive color when said player is wearing said identifiable object; and
,display means for displaying said player and said identifiable object having said most accurately identifiable color in a virtual reality setting, wherein said player is correctly positioned within said virtual reality setting based upon the location of said identifiable object with said most accurately identifiable color.
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Specification