Image perspective control for video game images

• US 6,295,064 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1998
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Cliff N.
• Application Number:
  US09/052,336
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 345/121, 345/123, 345/124, 345/145, 345/157, 345/327, 345/355, 345/341, 345/427, 345/974, 345/419, 348/36, 348/169
• US Class Current: 345/419
• 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 2300/6684 by dynamically adapting its position to keep a game object in its viewing frustrum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation

Abstract

The perspective of a displayed video game image is moved in order to bring an attentional subject into a hypothetical focus frame, and the focus frame is moved back to a rear position on an extension opposite to the direction in which the attentional subject moves, for providing a wide area in front of the attentional subject in the direction in which it moves, and the attentional subject is brought into the moved focus frame. The rear position is a position in which a central reference point of the focus frame is located on a boundary line of the circular center movement range when the central reference point is moved opposite and parallel to the direction in which the attentional subject moves. The wide area provided in front of the attentional subject in the direction in which it moves, provides enough room for maneuver for the game player to take an action easily even when an opponent game character suddenly pops up in the displayed video game image.

Claims

1. An apparatus for displaying a video image, comprising:

image display means for displaying an attentional subject in an attentional area in the video image;

control means for moving the perspective of the video image in the direction in which the attentional subject moves in the video image, and moving the perspective of the video image and the attentional area so that said attentional subject will be located in a rear position opposite to said direction in which the attentional subject moves when said attentional subject is about to move out of said attentional area;

coordinate transforming means for transforming coordinates of the attentional subject in a three-dimensional coordinate system into coordinates thereof in a plane field-of-view coordinate system;

coordinate holding means for holding coordinates of the attentional subject transformed by said coordinate transforming means before and after the attentional subject moves;

image display control means for displaying the attentional subject according to the coordinates transformed by said coordinate transforming means, together with a predetermined image, in the video image;

decision means for deciding whether the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area in the video image; and

calculating means for calculating a direction in which the attentional subject has moved based on the coordinates held by said coordinate holding means, if the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area; and

image perspective moving means for controlling said image display control means to move the perspective of the video image and the attentional area so that the attentional subject will be located in the rear position opposite to the direction calculated by said calculating means.

2. An apparatus for displaying a video image to move a perspective of the image in a direction in which an attentional subject moves for displaying the attentional subject in an attentional area in the video image, comprising:

image display means for displaying the attentional subject in the attentional area in the video image; and

control means for moving the perspective of the video image in the direction in which the attentional subject moves in the video image, and moving the perspective of the video image and the attentional area, when a reference point of said attentional area has reached a first position in a reference point movement range, in which said reference point is movable, at the time said attentional subject is about to move out of said attentional area, so that said attentional subject will be located in the attentional area that is moved to a second position in the reference point movement range which is in point-symmetry relation to said first position across a center of said reference point movement range.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means comprises:

coordinate transforming means for transforming coordinates of the attentional subject in a three-dimensional coordinate system into coordinates thereof in a plane field-of-view coordinate system;

decision means for deciding whether the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area in the video image; and

image perspective moving means for moving said attentional subject into said attentional area which is moved, when said reference point of the attentional area has reached said first position at the time the attentional subject is about to move out of said attentional area, so that said reference point will be located in said second position which is in point-symmetry relation to said first position across the center of the reference point movement range.

4. An apparatus for displaying a video image to move a perspective of the image in a direction in which an attentional subject moves for displaying the attentional subject in an attentional area in the video image, comprising:

image display means for displaying the attentional subject in the attentional area in the video image; and

control means for moving the perspective of the video image in the direction in which the attentional subject moves in the video image, and moving the perspective of the video image and the attentional area, when a reference point of said attentional area has reached a boundary position of a reference point movement range, in which said reference point is movable, at the time said attentional subject is about to move out of said attentional area, so that said attentional subject will be located in the attentional area that is moved with the reference point thereof located in a first one of divided radial areas of the reference point movement range other than a second one of the divided radial areas that is closest to said attentional subject.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control means comprises:

coordinate transforming means for transforming coordinates of the attentional subject in a three-dimensional coordinate system into coordinates thereof in a plane field-of-view coordinate system;

decision means for deciding whether the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area in the video image; and

image perspective moving means for moving said attentional subject into said attentional area which is moved, when said reference point of the attentional area has reached said boundary position at the time the attentional subject is about to move out of said attentional area, so that said reference point will be located in the attentional area that is moved with the reference point thereof located in said first one of divided radial areas of the reference point movement range other than said second one of the divided radial areas that is closest to said attentional subject.

6. A method of displaying a video image comprising:

transforming coordinates of an attentional subject in a three-dimensional coordinate system into coordinates thereof in a plane field-of-view coordinate system;

holding transformed coordinates of the attentional subject before and after the attentional subject moves;

displaying the attentional subject according to the transformed coordinates, together with a predetermined image, in the video image;

deciding whether the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area in the video image;

calculating a direction in which the attentional subject has moved based on the coordinates which are held if the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area; and

moving the perspective of the video image and the attentional area so that the attentional subject will be located in a rear position opposite to the calculated direction,

wherein a perspective of the image is moved in a direction in which the attentional subject moves for displaying the attentional subject in the attentional area in the video image.

7. A method of displaying a video image to move a perspective of the image in a direction in which an attentional subject moves for displaying the attentional subject in an attentional area in the video image, comprising the steps of:

transforming coordinates of the attentional subject in a three-dimensional coordinate system into coordinates thereof in a plane field-of view coordinate system;

deciding whether the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area in the video image; and

moving the perspective of the video image in the direction in which the attentional subject moves in the video image, and moving the perspective of the video image and the attentional area, when a reference point of said attentional area has reached a first position in a reference point movement range, in which said reference point is movable, at the time said attentional subject is about to move out of said attentional area, so that said attentional subject will be located in the attentional area that is moved to a second position in the reference point movement range which is in point-symmetry relation to said first position across a center of said reference point movement range.

8. A method of displaying a video image to move a perspective of the image in a direction in which an attentional subject moves for displaying the attentional subject in an attentional area in the video image, comprising the steps of:

transforming coordinates of the attentional subject in a three-dimensional coordinate system into coordinates thereof in a plane field-of-view coordinate system;

deciding whether the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area in the video image; and

moving said attentional subject into said attentional area which is moved, when a reference point of said attentional area has reached a boundary position of a reference point movement range, in which said reference point is movable, at the time said attentional subject is about to move out of said attentional area, so that said attentional subject will be located in the attentional area that is moved with the reference point thereof located in a first one of divided radial areas of the reference point movement range other than a second one of the divided radial areas that is closest to said attentional subject.

9. A recording medium which stores a control program for displaying a video image comprising:

transforming coordinates of the attentional subject in a three-dimensional coordinate system into coordinates thereof in a plane field-of-view coordinate system;

holding transformed coordinates of the attentional subject before and after the attentional subject moves;

displaying the attentional subject according to the transformed coordinates, together with a predetermined image, in the video image;

deciding whether the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area in the video image;

calculating a direction in which the attentional subject has moved based on the coordinates which are held if the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area; and

moving the perspective of the video image and the attentional area so that the attentional subject will be located in a rear position opposite to the calculated direction,

wherein a perspective of the image is moved in a direction in which the attentional subject moves for displaying the attentional subject in the attentional area in the video image.

10. A recording medium which stores a control program for displaying a video image to move a perspective of the image in a direction in which an attentional subject moves for displaying the attentional subject in an attentional area in the video image, said control program comprising the steps of:

transforming coordinates of the attentional subject in a three-dimensional coordinate system into coordinates thereof in a plane field-of-view coordinate system;

deciding whether the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area in the video image; and

moving the perspective of the video image in the direction in which the attentional subject moves in the video image, and moving the perspective of the video image and the attentional area, when a reference point of said attentional area has reached a first position in a reference point movement range, in which said reference point is movable, at the time said attentional subject is about to move out of said attentional area, so that said attentional subject will be located in the attentional area that is moved to a second position in the reference point movement range which is in point-symmetry relation to said first position across a center of said reference point movement range.

11. A recoding medium which stores a control program for displaying a video image to move a perspective of the image in a direction in which an attentional subject moves for displaying the attentional subject in an attentional area in the video image, said control program comprising the steps of:

transforming coordinates of the attentional subject in a three-dimensional coordinates system into coordinates there of in a plane field-of-view coordinate system;

deciding whether the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area in the video image; and

moving said attentional subject into said attentional area which is moved, when reference point of said attentional area has reached a boundary position of a reference point movement range, in which said reference point is movable, at the time said attentional subject is about to move out of said attentional area, so that said attentional subject will be located in the attentional area that is moved with the reference point there-of located in a first one divided radial areas of the reference point movement range other than a second one of the divided radial areas that is closet to said attentional subject.

12. An apparatus for displaying a video image, comprising:

image display means for displaying in the video image an attentional subject, an attentional area in which said attentional subject can freely move, said attentional area having a reference point fixed with respect to said attentional area, and a reference point movement range in which said reference point can move freely, the attentional subject being movable within a total movement range effected by a combined movement of said reference point within said reference point movement range and movement of the attentional subject within the attentional area, said total movement range thereby being defined by a sum of the attentional area and the reference point movement range; and

control means for moving the perspective of said video image in a direction along which said attentional subject moves and moving the perspective of the video image and said attentional area so that said attentional subject will be located in a rear position which is opposite to said direction when said attentional subject is about to move out of said attentional area and said reference point is at a boundary position of said reference point movement range in said direction.

13. An apparatus for displaying a video image, comprising:

an image display device for displaying in the video image an attentional subject, an attentional area in which said attentional subject can freely move, said attentional area having a reference point fixed with respect to said attentional area, and a reference point movement range in which said reference point can move freely, the attentional subject being movable within a total movement range effected by a combined movement of said reference point within said reference point movement range and movement of the attentional subject within the attentional area, said total movement range thereby being defined by a sum of the attentional area and the reference point movement range; and

a control device for moving the perspective of said video image in a direction along which said attentional subject moves and moving the perspective of the video image and said attentional area so that said attentional subject will be located in a rear position which is opposite to said direction when said attentional subject is about to move out of said attentional area and said reference point is at a boundary position of said reference point movement range in said direction.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

an image display device for displaying an attentional subject in an attentional area in the video image; and

a control device for moving the perspective of the video image in the direction in which the attentional subject moves in the video image, and moving the perspective of the video image and the attentional area so that said attentional subject will be located in a rear position opposite to said direction in which the attentional subject moves, when said attentional subject is about to move out of said attentional area, wherein said control device includes;

coordinate transforming means for transforming coordinates of the attentional subject in a three-dimensional coordinate system into coordinates thereof in a plane field-of-view coordinate system;

coordinate holding means for holding coordinates of the attentional subject transformed by said coordinate transforming means before and after the attentional subject moves;

image display control means for displaying the attentional subject according to the coordinates transformed by said coordinate transforming means, together with a predetermined image, in the video image;

decision means for deciding whether the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area in the video image;

calculating means for calculating a direction in which the attentional subject has moved based on the coordinates held by said coordinate holding means if the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area; and

image perspective moving means for controlling said image display control means to move the perspective of the video image and the attentional area so that the attentional subject will be located in the rear position opposite to the direction calculated by said calculating means.

15. A method of displaying a video image, comprising:

transforming coordinates of an attentional subject in a three-dimensional coordinate system into coordinates thereof in a plane field-of-view coordinate system;

holding transformed coordinates of the attentional subject before and after the attentional subject moves;

displaying the attentional subject according to the transformed coordinates, together with a predetermined image, in the video image;

deciding whether the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area in the video image;

calculating a direction in which the attentional subject has moved based on the coordinates which are held, if the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area; and

moving the perspective of the video image and the attentional area so that the attentional subject will be located in a rear position opposite to the calculated direction,

wherein a perspective of the image is moved in a direction in which the attentional subject moves when the attentional subject is about to move out of the attentional area.

16. A recording medium which stores a control program for displaying a video image, comprising:

transforming coordinates of an attentional subject in a three-dimensional coordinate system into coordinates thereof in a plane field-of-view coordinate system;

holding transformed coordinates of the attentional subject before and after the attentional subject moves;

displaying the attentional subject according to the transformed coordinates, together with a predetermined image, in the video image;

deciding whether the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area in the video image;

calculating a direction in which the attentional subject has moved based on the coordinates which are held, if the attentional subject has moved out of said attentional area; and

moving the perspective of the video image and the attentional area so that the attentional subject will be located in a rear position opposite to the calculated direction,

wherein a perspective of the image is moved in a direction in which the attentional subject moves when the attentional subject is about to move out of the attentional area.