Fictitious virtual centripetal calculation and simulation system

• US 6,322,448 B1
• Filed: 08/20/1998
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Inventors: Ono, Takashi, Sugimoto, Tetsuya, Yoshida, Shigeru, Yamaguchi, Takayuki, Osaki, Makoto, Uchida, Masumi, Yui, Ryoya, Haga, Norio, Sekine, Norihiro, Mine, Yuichiro, Nakatani, Manabu, Nishikawa, Saori, Kaku, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Assistant Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US09/011,023
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 463/30-36, 463/40-45, 463/2-4, 463/7, 345/419, 273/148.B
• US Class Current: 463/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• 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 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6607 for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6692 using special effects, generally involving post-processing, e.g. blooming
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/20 3D [Three Dimensional] animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings

Abstract

This image processing device for games is a device whereby a prescribed number of models (characters) are set up in virtual space, these models are controlled such that they move in prescribed directions in the virtual space, and images of this virtual space from a virtual viewpoint are displayed on means for display. In order to display the movement of the models that are arranged in virtual space more realistically, in one construction thereof, this device is provided with means for image processing that apply virtual centripetal force to the models. Furthermore, in order to display the movement of the models more realistically and to heighten the dramatic effect, in one construction thereof, this device is equipped with means for processing residual image presentation in order to represent the track of movement of a model as residual images. This means for processing is equipped with means for storage that store without modification motion data of the model prior to the current motion and with means for display control that display this stored data together with the current motion data.

Claims

1. A game device for performing image processing comprising:

a processor for providing a prescribed number of models in a virtual space; and

a display for displaying images of the virtual space from a virtual viewpoint,

wherein the processor simulates actual forces acting on the models and a fictitious virtual centripetal force acting between at least two of the models such that the models move in prescribed directions in the virtual space.

2. An image processing device for games comprising:

a processor for providing a prescribed number of models in a virtual space; and

a display for displaying images of the virtual space from a virtual viewpoint,

wherein the processor calculates movement of the models such that the models move in prescribed directions in the virtual space, the calculation including simulating actual forces acting on the models and a fictitious virtual centripetal force acting between at least two of the models.

3. An image processing device for games comprising:

a processor for providing a prescribed number of models in a virtual space; and

a display for displaying images of the virtual space from a virtual viewpoint,

wherein the processor calculates movement of the models such that the models move in prescribed directions in the virtual space, the calculation including simulating frictional forces acting on the models, the frictional forces varying depending on whether the models are moving or stationary.

4. An image processing device for games comprising:

a processor for providing a prescribed number of models in a virtual space; and

a display for displaying images of the virtual space from a virtual viewpoint,

wherein the processor calculates movement of the models such that they move in prescribed directions in the virtual space, and

wherein a projection image of the models is displayed matching a surface shape of a stage on which the models are placed.

5. An image processing device for games comprising:

a processor for providing a prescribed number of models in a virtual space; and

a display for displaying images of the virtual space from a virtual viewpoint,

wherein the processor calculates movement of the models such that they move in prescribed directions in the virtual space, and

wherein the processor performs a determination of overlap of the field of view created by the virtual viewpoint with respect to a first model that is the subject of display and at least a second model that is not the subject of display, and, if the result of this determination is affirmative, the at least a second model is not displayed.

6. An image processing device for games comprising:

a processor for providing a prescribed number of models in a virtual space; and

a display for displaying images of the virtual space from a virtual viewpoint,

wherein the processor calculates movement of the models such that they move in prescribed directions in the virtual space, the calculation including determining, with respect to a predetermined end-point of a predetermined movement track of a model, a target point that is different from the predetermined end-point, and

wherein the processor interpolates the movement track such that an interpolated end-point of the interpolated movement track coincides with the target point.

7. An image processing device for games comprising:

a processor for providing a prescribed number of models in a virtual space, and

a display for displaying images of the virtual space from a virtual viewpoint,

wherein the processor calculates movement of the models such that the models move in prescribed directions in the virtual space, the calculation including determining a difference of level at which a model is positioned in the virtual space, and

wherein an action that is applied to the model is interpolated in accordance with the determined level difference.

8. An image processing device for games comprising:

a processor for providing a prescribed number of models in a virtual space; and

a display for displaying images of the virtual space from a virtual viewpoint,

wherein the processor calculates movement of the models such that the models move in prescribed directions in the virtual space, and

wherein the processor performs residual image representation processing for representing a track of movement of a model as residual images, the processor having access to a storage whereby motion data of the model before a current motion is stored without modification whereby the stored data is displayed together with current motion data of the model.

9. The image processing device for games according to claim 8, wherein the the processor produces dramatic effects for effecting display with addition of dramatic effects to the data of the storage.

10. The image processing device for games according to claim 9, wherein the processor performs semi-transparent image processing.

11. An image processing device for games comprising:

a processor for providing a prescribed number of models in a virtual space; and

a display for displaying images of the virtual space from a virtual viewpoint,

wherein the processor calculates movement of the models such that the models move in prescribed directions in the virtual space, and

wherein the processor applies dramatic effects to the movement characteristics of the model and wherein the dramatic effects includes causing flying material to be present in the virtual space and controlling a series of movements of the flying material in accordance with the results of the dramatic effects calculations of the processor.

12. An image processing device for games comprising:

a processor for calculating free-fall movement of a model in a virtual space, wherein the processor simulates overall movement of the model and applies a circulating movement to the model.

13. An image processing device for games comprising:

a processor for providing a prescribed number of models in a virtual space; and

a display for displaying images of the virtual space from a virtual viewpoint,

wherein the processor calculates movement of the models such that they move in prescribed directions in the virtual space, the calculations including calculating a zone in the virtual calculating a vector between the zone and a model, and, if the model tries to move beyond the zone, the processor calculates a vector for controlling the movement of the model such that the model does not go beyond the zone.

14. A recording medium on which is recorded an image processing program for providing instructions to a processor, the program comprising:

instructions to the processor for providing a prescribed number of models in a virtual space; and

instructions for controlling a display for displaying images of the virtual space from a virtual viewpoint,

wherein the processor simulates actual forces acting on the models and a fictitious virtual centripetal force acting between at least two of the models such that the models move in prescribed directions in the virtual space.