Dynamically-activated optical instrument for producing control signals having a self-calibration means

• US 5,442,168 A
• Filed: 01/06/1993
• Issued: 08/15/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Global VR
• Original Assignee: Interactive Light Inc.
• Inventors: Gurner, Asaf, Zur, Oded Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, QUE TAN
• Application Number:
  US08/001,058
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 250/221, 250/222.1, 340/556, 340/555, 340/557, 364/410, 364/709.02, 364/189, 345/167, 345/157, 345/145, 345/158, 84/639
• US Class Current: 463/36
• 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 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• 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 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/40 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/487 Extracting wanted echo signals , e.g. pulse detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52004 Means for monitoring or calibrating short-range imaging G01S7/5205
• 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 3/0308 comprising a plurality of distinctive and separately oriented light emitters or reflectors associated to the pointing device, e.g. remote cursor controller with distinct and separately oriented LEDs at the tip whose radiations are captured by a photo-detector associated to the screen
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0553 using optical or light-responsive means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/026 for games, e.g. videogames
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/411 Light beams
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/415 Infrared beams
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/421 : Laser beams
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/431 : Use of microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/435 : Ultrasound, i.e. input or control device involving inaudible pressure waves, e.g. focused as a beam
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/055 : Spint toy, i.e. specifically designed for children, e.g. adapted for smaller fingers or simplified in some way; Musical instrument-shaped game input interfaces with simplified control features

Abstract

An optical controller is capable of surrounding a player with a radiation screen from a plurality of panels, and enables the player to produce control signals for interface with a controlled instrument such as a musical instrument, a video game processor, etc. The insertion of the appendage of the player can produce a functional control signal. The relative position of the insertion of the appendage can be determined, for example, as a result of the intensity of reflected radiation in the dispersing radiation screen. The video game processing unit can play either a conventional video game that usually accepts eight functional control signals, or it can utilize the full capacities of the control signals available from the optical controller. The player can simulate the movements of the video character to experience a more realistic game play action.

Claims

1. A self-calibratable controller for controlling a device upon detecting an object in an environment, comprising:

a) activatable radiation means for sensing radiation in the environment and generating an output indicative of the sensed radiation; and

b) control means responsive to the output of the activatable radiation means and having a regulatable sensitivity, said control means including;

i) self-calibration means for calibrating the controller to operate in the environment, including means for activating the radiation means to sense radiation in the environment in a self-calibration state in which the object is absent from the environment;

ii) means for determining a reference paramenter indicative of the radiation sensed in the self-calibration state;

iii) operating means for maintaining the radiation means activated to sense radiation in the environment in an operating state in which the object is present in the environment;

iv) said determining means being further operative for determining a sensing paramenter indicative of the radiation sensed in the operating state;

v) means for comparing the reference and sensing parameters, and for responsively generating an output control signal to control the device; and

vi) means for regulating the sensitivity of the control means to the output of the radiation means during the self-calibration state.

2. The controller according to claim 1, and further comprising a support for supporting the radiation means, and wherein the radiation means includes emitter means for emitting a light beam into an emission space, and sensor means for sensing light over a sensing space, said spaces extending away from the support and at least partially overlapping each other in an overlapping region.

3. The controller according to claim 2, wherein the emitter means includes an infrared light source, and wherein the sensor means includes an infrared sensor.

4. The controller according to claim 2, wherein the radiation means includes means for shaping at least one of said spaces to have a generally thin, screen-like volume having a cross-sectional width and a cross-sectional thickness less than said width substantially throughout its volume.

5. The controller according to claim 4, wherein the shaping means includes a cylindrical lens.

6. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the radiation means includes sensor means for receiving the radiation having a variable intensity, and wherein the determining means includes means for measuring the intensities of the received radiation as the parameters in both states.

7. The controller according to claim 6, wherein the radiation means is pulsatable, and further comprising means for pulsing the radiation means to generate radiation pulses, and wherein the determining means is operative for counting how many of the radiation pulses are generated in each state over a measuring cycle.

8. The controller according to claim 6, wherein the radiation means is pulsatable, and further comprising means for pulsing the radiation means to generate radiation pulses having pulse widths, and wherein the determining means is operative for measuring the pulse widths in each state over a measuring cycle.

9. The controller according to claim 1, and further comprising means for periodically updating the reference parameter.

10. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the control means includes means for establishing a predetermined operating parameter, and for generating the output control signal when the sensing parameter exceeds the predetermined operating parameter.

11. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the control means includes means for establishing two predetermined operating parameters, and for generating an actuating signal for actuating the device when the sensing parameter is greater than one of the operating parameters, and for generating a deactuating signal for deactuating the device when the sensing parameter is less than the other of the operating parameters, and for generating a no-change signal when the sensing parameter is intermediate the operating parameters.

12. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the control means includes means for processing the output control signal to be indicative of a relative distance between the object and the radiation means.

13. The controller according to claim 1, and further comprising a support for the radiation means, the support including a plurality of housings;

and wherein the radiation means includes a plurality of radiation assemblies, one on each housing; and

wherein the control means is operative for activating the radiation assembly on each housing to determine the reference parameter for each radiation assembly.

14. The controller according to claim 13, wherein the housings are arranged adjacent one another, and wherein each radiation means includes means for shaping at least one of said spaces to have a generally thin, screen-like volume having a cross-sectional width and a cross-sectional thickness less than said width substantially throughout its volume, and wherein the volumes are arranged adjacent one another to form a curtain.

15. The controller according to claim 1, and further comprising a support for the radiation means, the support being mounted on a floor of a room in front of a human player having an appendage that serves as the object;

and wherein the device is a video game associated with a display; and

wherein the control means includes means for processing the output control signal to change a position of an image on the display.

16. A method of controlling a device upon detecting an object in an environment, comprising the steps of:

a) calibrating a controller to operate in the environment by initially receiving radiation from the environment in a self-calibration state in which the object is absent from the environment, and determining a reference parameter indicative of the radiation received from the environment in the self-calibration state;

b) placing an object in the environment;

c) subsequently receiving radiation from the object in an operating state, and determining a sensing parameter indicative of the radiation received from the object in the environment in the operating state;

d) comparing the reference and sensing parameters, and responsively generating an output control signal to control the device; and

e) regulating the sensitivity of the controller to the radiation received.

17. The method according to claim 16, and further comprising the step of transmitting a light beam into an emission space in each state, and wherein the receiving steps are performed by sensing light over a sensing space that at least partially overlaps the emission space.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the transmitting and receiving steps include the step of shaping at least one of said spaces to have a generally thin, screen-like volume having a cross-sectional width and a cross-sectional thickness less than said width substantially throughout its volume.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the determining steps are performed by determining the intensities of the received radiation as the parameters.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the determining steps are performed by generating radiation pulses and counting how many of the radiation pulses are generated over a measuring cycle.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the determining steps are performed by generating radiation pulses having pulse widths and measuring the pulse widths over a measuring cycle.

22. The method according to claim 16, and further comprising the step of periodically updating the reference parameter.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein the comparing and generating steps are performed by establishing a predetermined operating parameter, and generating the output control signal when the sensing parameter exceeds the predetermined operating parameter.

24. The method according to claim 16, Wherein the comparing and generating steps are performed by establishing two predetermined operating parameters, and generating an actuating signal for actuating the device when the sensing parameter is greater than one of the operating parameters, and generating a deactuating signal for deactuating the device when the sensing parameter is less than the other of the operating parameters, and generating a no-change signal when the sensing parameter is intermediate the operating parameters.

25. The method according to claim 16, and further comprising the step of processing the output control signal to be indicative of a relative distance between the object and a support.

26. The method according to claim 16, wherein the device is a video game having a display;

and further comprising the step of processing the output control signal to change the position of an image on the display.

27. A video game system, comprising:

A) a display;

B) a game processor means for processing game data and displaying the processed data on the display; and

C) a self-calibratable, video game controller for interactively controlling the game processor means in response to detection of a player in an environment, said controller including

a) activatable radiation means for sensing radiation in the environment,

b) means for activating the radiation means to sense radiation in the environment in a self-calibration state in which the player is absent from the environment,

c) means for determining a reference parameter indicative of the radiation sensed in the self-calibration state,

d) operating means for maintaining the radiation means activated to sense radiation in the environment in an operating state in which the player is present in the environment,

e) said determining means being further operative for determining a sensing parameter indicative of the radiation sensed in the operating state, and

f) control means for comparing the parameters, and for responsively generating an output control signal to control the game processor means.

28. The system according to claim 27, and further comprising a support for supporting the radiation means, and wherein the radiation means includes emitter means for emitting a light beam into an emission space, and sensor means for sensing light over a sensing space, said spaces extending away from the support and at least partially overlapping each other in an overlapping region.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the radiation means includes means for shaping at least one of said spaces to have a generally thin, screen-like volume having a cross-sectional width and a cross-sectional thickness less than said width substantially throughout its volume.

30. The system according to claim 27, and further comprising a support for the radiation means, the support including a plurality of housings;

and wherein the radiation means includes a plurality of radiation assemblies, one on each housing; and

wherein the control means is operative for activating the radiation assembly on each housing to determine the reference parameter for each radiation assembly.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein the housings are arranged adjacent one another, and wherein each radiation means includes means for shaping at least one of said spaces to have a generally thin, screen-like volume having a cross-sectional width and a cross-sectional thickness less than said width substantially throughout its volume, and wherein the volumes are arranged adjacent one another to form a curtain.

32. A self-calibratable instrument for determining the presence or absence of a dynamic stimulus in a sensing space, comprising:

sensing means for sensing radiation from said sensing space and for generating output sensing signals in response thereto, said radiation having a characteristic indicative of the presence or absence of said dynamic stimulus in said sensing space, said sensing signals having a sensing parameter which comprises a measure of said characteristic of said radiation; and

processing means for receiving and processing said sensing signals;

said processing means including self-calibration means for adapting said instrument to operate properly in various and changing environments of use in such a manner that said processing means distinguishes between those sensing signals having a sensing parameter representative of the presence of said dynamic stimulus and those sensing signals whose sensing parameters are representative solely of electronic noise or optical noise indigenous to said environment of use;

said self-calibration means including means for initially setting the sensitivity of said processing means such that said processing means is responsive to said noise signals in the absence of a dynamic stimulus and for adjusting the sensitivity of said processing means until said responsiveness to said noise signals diminishes to a predetermined level.

33. A self-calibratable controller for controlling a device upon detecting an object in an environment, comprising:

a) activatable radiation means including a plurality of radiation assemblies, each operative for sensing radiation in the environment;

b) self-calibration means for calibrating the controller to operate in the environment, including means for sequentially activating each radiation assembly to sense radiation in the environment in a self-calibration state in which the object is absent from the environment;

c) means for determining a reference parameter indicative of the radiation sensed in the self-calibration state for each radiation assembly;

d) operating means for sequentially activating each radiation assembly to sense radiation in the environment in an operating state in which the object is present in the environment;

e) said determining means being further operative for determining a sensing parameter indicative of the radiation sensed in the operating state for each radiation assembly; and

f) control means for comparing the parameters for each radiation assembly, and for responsively generating an output control signal to control the device.

34. A self-calibratable, dynamically activated optical instrument for producing control signals, comprising:

sensor means for generating sensor output signals in response to radiation received from a sensing space;

processor means for generating control signals in response to said sensor output signals;

said processor means including self-calibration means for automatically calibrating said processor means to inhibit control signals when a dynamic stimulus is absent from said sensing space and to permit said processor means to generate control signals when a dynamic stimulus is present in said sensing space, said self-calibrating means initially increasing the sensitivity of said processor means until control signals are generated in the absence of said dynamic stimulus in said sensing space and subsequently decreasing said sensitivity of said processor means at least until no control signals are generated in the absence of said dynamic stimulus in said sensing space.

35. The instrument of claim 34 further comprising emission means for emitting radiation into an emission space, said sensing space and said emission space at least partially overlapping, and said instrument generating control signals in response to that portion of the emitted radiation which is reflected from said dynamic stimulus and received by said sensor.

36. The instrument of claim 35 wherein said sensor output signals include a sensing parameter which is a measure of a characteristic of said received radiation.

37. The instrument of claim 36 wherein said characteristic is the intensity of the radiation.

38. The instrument of claim 37 wherein said emitted radiation is emitted as pulses, said sensor output signal is a pulse generated by sensor reception of one of said emission pulses, and said sensing parameter is the length of the sensor output pulse.

39. The instrument of claim 38 wherein said self-calibration means effects self-calibration by sampling, during a sampling cycle, a predetermined number of sensor output pulses a predetermined time period after the emission of the corresponding emitted pulse, and said sensitivity is adjusted by initially sampling said sensor output pulses virtually immediately after the emission of said emitted pulse and thereafter incrementally increasing the delay time for sampling said sensor output pulses until the number of sensor output pulses sensed is below a predetermined minimum.

40. The instrument of claim 36 wherein said characteristic and said sensing parameter comprises the intensity of the received radiation.