Coordinates detecting device, method for same and game device

• US 6,012,980 A
• Filed: 12/11/1997
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Inventors: Yoshida, Hiroyuki, Nagashima, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US08/875,623
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/2, 463/49, 463/51, 463/52, 463/53, 434/16, 434/19, 434/21, 434/22, 313/471, 250/330, 250/338.1, 250/221, 250/222.1, 345/180-183, 348/61, 356/141.2, 356/152.1, 356/154, 356/435, 356/218, 356/222, 356/256, 356/389, 389/152, 389/242, 389/278, 389/454, 389/459
• US Class Current: 463/2
• 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 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

The coordinates detecting device comprises a plurality of sensors (LS1, LS2: photosensors, or the like,) located in prescribed positions in a coordinates detecting region for detecting coordinates set on an image display surface (4) which displays images by means of scanning lines; a counter which counts the number of clock inputs with respect to the horizontal direction of the image display surface and the number of scans in the vertical direction, on the basis of the scan timing of the scanning lines as detected by the sensors; and a coordinates identifying circuit which, when a desired trigger signal (LP3) is input from an external source, outputs the count values of the counters at the time that this trigger signal is input as relative coordinates on the image display surface. The coordinates of any position can be determined accurately even when the display uses a special television format, such as HDTV, or the like, and regardless of differences in the scanning system.

Claims

1. A coordinates detecting device characterized in that it comprises:

a plurality of sensors located at prescribed positions in a coordinates detecting region for detecting coordinates set on an image display surface (4) which displays images by means of scanning lines;

counters for counting the number of clock inputs with respect to the horizontal direction of said image display surface and counting the number of scans in the vertical direction, based on the scan timing of said scanning lines detected by said sensors; and

a coordinates determining circuit which, when a desired trigger signal is input from an external source, outputs the count values of said counters at the time that this trigger signal is input in the form of relative coordinates on said image display surface.

4. In a coordinates detecting device according to any of claims 1 to 3, a coordinates detecting device characterized in that it comprises light-detecting means for receiving light emitted from a desired position (PO) on said image display surface, detecting the scan timing of said scanning lines, and outputting a detection signal relating to the detected scan timing in the form of a trigger signal.

5. In a game device comprising a coordinates detecting device according to claim 4, a game device characterized in that said light-detecting means are provided in a shooting device for shooting at targets in a game program represented on said image display surface.

2. A coordinates detecting device characterized in that it comprises:

an initial position detecting sensor for detecting the scan timing of scanning lines, which is located at the initial scanning position in a coordinates detecting region for detecting coordinates set on an image display surface which displays images by means of said scanning lines;

a horizontal direction counter for counting the number of inputs of a prescribed clock;

a scanning cycle determining circuit for initiating a counting operation of said horizontal direction counter when a scan timing of said scanning lines is initially detected by said initial position detecting sensor, and setting the value counted by said horizontal direction counter until the scan timing of the next of said scanning lines is detected by the said initial position detecting sensor as the scanning cycle count value;

a reset circuit for resetting the count value of said horizontal direction counter each time said count value reaches said scanning cycle count value; and

a horizontal coordinate determining circuit which, when a desired trigger signal is input from an external source, takes the count value of said horizontal direction counter at the time that this trigger signal is input and sets it as a relative coordinate in the horizontal direction from said initial scanning position on said image display surface.

3. In a coordinates detecting device according to claim 2, a coordinates detecting device characterized in that it comprises a final position detecting sensor for detecting the scan timing of said scanning lines, which is located at a desired final scanning position on said image display surface;

a vertical direction counter for counting the number of times that the count value of said horizontal direction counter reaches said scanning cycle count value;

a horizontal limit determining circuit for setting the count value of said horizontal direction counter when a scan timing of said scanning lines is detected by said final position detecting sensor as a horizontal limit value;

a vertical limit determining circuit for setting the count value of said vertical direction counter when a scan timing of said scanning lines is detected by the final position detecting sensor as a horizontal limit value; and

a vertical coordinate determining circuit which, when a desired trigger signal is input from an external source, takes the count value of said vertical direction counter at the time that this trigger signal is input and sets it as a relative coordinate in the vertical direction from said initial scanning position on said image display surface (4).

6. A coordinates detecting device characterized in that it comprises:

light-detecting means for detecting light beamed from an external source onto a desired position on an image display surface for displaying images by means of scanning lines, and outputting detection signals corresponding to this beamed light, which is transparent to light and is positioned such that it covers said image display surface; and

coordinates identifying means for detecting the position at which said light is beamed onto said light-detecting means on the basis of the detection signals supplied by said light-detecting means, and outputting the detected position as relative coordinates on said image display surface.

7. In a coordinates detecting device according to claim 6, a coordinates detecting device characterized in that said light-detecting means comprises light-detecting elements for detecting light beamed onto divisions of a prescribed size, arranged in the shape of a matrix;

and said coordinates identifying means comprises;

a horizontal coordinate identifying section for identifying the column containing the light-detecting element where said beamed light is detected, from a plurality of columns each constituted by a collection of said light-detecting elements aligned extending in the vertical direction of said image display surface; and

a vertical coordinate identifying section for identifying the row containing the light-detecting element where said beamed light is detected, from a plurality of rows each constituted by a collection of said light-detecting elements aligned extending in the horizontal direction of said image display surface.

8. In a coordinates detecting device according to claim 6, a coordinates detecting device characterized in that said coordinates identifying means comprises a filter for removing frequency components corresponding to the display cycle of said images from the detection signals supplied by said light-detecting means.

9. In a coordinates detecting device according to claim 6, a coordinates detecting device characterized in that said coordinates identifying means comprises a filter for removing commercial power supply frequency components from the detection signals supplied by said light-detecting means.

10. In a game device comprising a coordinates detecting device according to claim 6, a game device characterized in that it comprises a shooting device for emitting said beamed light when shooting at targets in a game program represented on the image display surface.

11. A coordinates detecting method comprising the steps of:

arranging a plurality of sensors for detecting the scan timing of scanning lines in a coordinates detecting region for detecting coordinates set on an image display surface for displaying images by means of said scanning lines;

starting a horizontal direction count for counting the number of inputs of a prescribed clock from the time that said scanning lines are initially detected by one of said sensors located at an initial scanning position in said coordinates detecting region;

setting the value counted by said horizontal direction count up to the time that the next of said scanning lines is detected as the scanning cycle count value;

resetting this count value and reinitiating a count in the horizontal direction each time said count value reaches said scanning cycle count value, and simultaneously conducting a count in the vertical direction to count the number of times said count value reaches said scanning cycle count value;

setting the count values according to said count of clock inputs for the horizontal direction and said count for the vertical direction, respectively, as a horizontal limit value and a vertical limit value, when said scanning lines are detected by one of said sensors located at a final scanning position in said image detection region; and

when a desired trigger signal is input from an external source, outputting the count value according to said count in the horizontal direction and the count value according to said count in the vertical direction at the time that this trigger signal is input as relative coordinate values on said image display surface.