Three-dimensional image processing apparatus

• US 5,973,704 A
• Filed: 05/15/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Koshima, Kazuo, Nishiumi, Satoshi, Kawagoe, Takumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harrison, Chante'
• Application Number:
  US08/836,739
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 345/427, 345/473, 345/437, 345/438, 345/474, 345/475, 345/156-158, 345/161-162, 345/172, 345/184, 463/32, 463/34, 463/37, 463/38
• US Class Current: 345/475
• 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 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• 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 13/5252 using two or more virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character changes room or displaying a rear-mirror view in a car-driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/643 by determining the impact between objects, e.g. collision detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6653 for altering the visibility of an object, e.g. preventing the occlusion of an object, partially hiding an object
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 : for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6669 : using a plurality of virtual cameras concurrently or sequentially, e.g. automatically switching between fixed virtual cameras when a character change rooms
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8005 : Athletics
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/0474 : characterised by means converting mechanical movement into electric signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04759 : Light-sensitive detector, e.g. photoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04777 : with additional push or pull action on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 : the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/20 : using active fault-masking, e.g. by switching out faulty elements or by switching in spare elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/013 : Force feedback applied to a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/015 : Force feedback applied to a joystick
• 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 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 : Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0383 : Signal control means within the pointing device
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 : Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30244 : Camera pose
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 : Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80

Abstract

A three-dimension image processing apparatus includes a CPU. When the CPU detects by collision determination that another object, e.g., a wall, is existent between an operable object and a camera, it calculates such a moving angle of the camera that an eye of the camera to the operable object is not obstructed by the other object. The camera is moved in accordance with the moving angle to a position where the operable object and the other object existing in a photographed three-dimensional space are displayed on a display.

Claims

1. A video game system comprising:

a detachably connectable external memory for storing a video game program and for storing image data representative of a player controllable object whose apparent movement is controllable by a player;

a connector for receiving said connectable external memory;

a game program executing processing system for executing said video game program to generate a three-dimensional world display;

at least one player controller coupled to said game program executing processing system and operable by a player including a plurality of control keys for generating video game control signals for controlling the position of said player controlled object;

said external memory including point of view modifying instructions for determining in response to a player'"'"'s control key actuation whether to modify the displayed three-dimensional world point of view, said at least one player controller further including;

an operation member which, in use, is tilted by an operator through a predetermined angular range, said operation member being capable of generating operation member position data for controlling movement of said player controlled object; and

controller processing circuitry for receiving at least one command from said game program executing processing system and for transferring operation member position data to said game program processing system in response to said command.

3. A portable storage device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said video game instructions include a further player controller related command instructing the controller to send data to the game program executing processing system.

4. A portable storage device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said controller includes a removable memory, and wherein said video game instructions include a further player controller command for accessing said removable memory.

6. A portable storage device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said video game instructions include a further player controller command instructing said controller to transfer controller data to said game program executing processing system and said processing system being operable to generate video data based upon said transferred controller data.

7. A portable storage device in accordance with claim 6, wherein said controller includes a joystick mechanism having position indicating circuitry and wherein said controller data includes joystick position information.

2. For use with a video game system console having a game program executing processing system for executing said video game program to generate a three-dimensional world display, and at least one player controller coupled to said game program executing processing system and operable by a player to generate video game control signals and including command processing circuitry;

a portable storage device for controlling the operation of said video game system console comprising;

a memory media for storing video game instructions and graphics data;

a connector for coupling said video game instructions and said graphics data retrieved from said memory media to said video game system console;

said video game instructions including at least one player controller related instruction for causing said game program executing processing system to send a command to said player controller for decoding and processing, said video game instructions further including point of view modifying instructions for determining in response to a player'"'"'s operation of said player controller whether to modify the displayed three-dimensional world point of view, wherein said command is a request for the controller to send data to the game program executing processing system identifying its controller type.

5. For use with a video game system console having a game program executing processing system for executing said video game program to generate a three-dimensional world display, and at least one player controller coupled to said game program executing processing system and operable by a player to generate video game control signals and including command processing circuitry;

a portable storage device for controlling the operation of said video game system console comprising;

a memory media for storing video game instructions and graphics data;

a connector for coupling said video game instructions and said graphics data retrieved from said memory media to said video game system console;

said video game instructions including at least one player controller related instruction for causing said game program executing processing system to send a command to said player controller for decoding and processing, said video game instructions further including point of view modifying instructions for determining in response to a player'"'"'s operation of said player controller whether to modify the displayed three-dimensional world point of view, wherein said controller includes a memory and wherein said command is a request for the controller to send data stored in the controller memory.

8. For use with a video game system console having a game program executing processing system for executing said video game program to generate a three-dimensional world display, and at least one player controller coupled to said game program executing processing system and operable by a player to generate video game control signals and including command processing circuitry;

a portable storage device for controlling the operation of said video game system console comprising;

a memory media for storing video game instructions and graphics data;

a connector for coupling said video game instructions and said graphics data retrieved from said memory media to said video game system console;

said video game instructions including at least one player controller related instruction for causing said game program executing processing system to send a command to said player controller for decoding and processing, said video game instructions further including point of view modifying instructions for determining in response to a player'"'"'s operation of said player controller whether to modify the displayed three-dimensional world point of view, wherein said controller includes a joystick mechanism having position indicating circuitry and wherein said command causes the controller to reset the position indicating circuitry.