Input position detection device and entertainment system using the same

• US 6,498,860 B1
• Filed: 05/28/1999
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Nobuo, Ohba, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAKHJAVAN, SHERVIN K
• Application Number:
  US09/322,775
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/103, 382/206, 382/276, 382/291, 382/305, 382/311, 382/312, 382/313, 382/320, 340/545.2, 340/870.01, 463/39, 463/51, 345/158, 725/81, 725/123, 250/330, 250/332, 250/334, 250/338.1, 250/339.02, 250/334.14, 250/347, 250/349, 348/164
• US Class Current: 382/103
• 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 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• 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 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6661 for changing the position of the virtual camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6676 by dedicated player input
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042

Abstract

An input position detection device for detecting an input position of an input device, and an entertainment system which can detect the position of a subunit and has a display which displays an image generated by execution of a program loaded into the entertainment system. The entertainment system has a portable game terminal held by the operator. The portable game terminal is equipped with an infrared input/output unit which sends infrared signals corresponding to the commands of the operator to an infrared input/output device which is connected to a monitor device 6. The infrared input/output device and the CCD camera are disposed adjacent each other and point in the direction of the operator holding the portable game terminal. A game machine main unit detects the position of the portable game terminal based on the difference between an input image from the CCD camera taken immediately before the operator, sends an infrared signal from the infrared input/output unit of the portable game terminal toward the infrared input/output device, and the input image at the time that the infrared signal is sent.

Claims

1. An entertainment system comprising:

a main unit which has program execution functions for execution of programs;

a subunit including an interface and first infrared transceiving means for connecting to said main unit

second infrared transceiving means for sending infrared signals to and receiving infrared signals from said first infrared transceiving means of said subunit,

image pickup means for picking up an image in a stipulated direction, disposed adjacently to said second infrared transceiving means and pointing in a stipulated direction, and

display means connected to said unit to display images generated by the execution of programs,

wherein said second wireless transmitting aid receiving means and said image pickup means are disposed near said display means, and

wherein an input position of said subunit in said stipulated direction or vicinity thereof is detected based on a difference between an image picked up by said image pickup means that contains an infrared signal for position detection from said first infrared transceiving means of said subunit in said stipulated direction or vicinity thereof and an immediately previous image that does not contain an infrared signal for position detection so that an image that is generated by the execution of a program is displayed on said display means on a line of sight from the position of the subunit so a point of sight optimized is attributed to a player operating said subunit.

2. The entertainment system recited in claim 1, wherein said subunit has a unique identification number and information about said unique identification number is contained infrared light emitted toward said main unit.

3. The entertainment system recited in claim 1, wherein said subunit has a unique identification number and when an identification number is sent from said main unit to said subunit by mew of infrared signals, a determination is made as to whether or not said identification number is equal to said unique identification number.

4. The entertainment system recited in claim 1, wherein said second infrared transceiving means comprises a plurality of units.

5. The entertainment system recited in claim 4, wherein said plurality of units further comprises light-emitting diodes that are set such that light emission timing of each light-emitting diode is offset.

6. The entertainment system recited in claim 1, wherein in the reception of an infrared signal by said first infrared transceiving means of said subunit, an image that does not contain an infrared signal for detection of said immediately previous position is obtained and at the same time, an image that contains an infrared signal for position detection is obtained in the receipt of an infrared signal at fixed times by said first infrared transceiving means of said subunit.

7. An entertainment system comprising:

a CCD camera;

an infrared input/output device;

two frame buffers;

an A/D converter for converting an image picked up by said CCD camera into a digital signal;

a switch which when an infrared signal for position detection is supplied from said infrared input/output device, provides the output of sad A/D converter to one of said two frame buffers;

a comparator for comparing contents of said two fine buffers; and

an image address computer for estimating actual spatial coordinates from image coordinates of said CCD camera.

8. The entertainment system recited in claim 7, further comprising a monitor device wherein the estimation of the actual spatial coordinates from the image coordinates of said CCD camera is performed by a conversion of said image coordinates to coordinates of said monitor device.

9. An input position detection device for detecting an input position of an input device being operated by a player and for setting a point of view of an image generated on a display means that is optically suited to said player, said detection device comprising:

a first infrared transmitting means provided on said input device,

a first infrared receiving means for receiving infrared signals from said first infrared transmitting means, and

an image pickup means associated with said first infrared receiving means and said display means for picking up an image related to said input device in a stipulated direction,

wherein said image pickup means and said fist infrared receiving means are disposed adjacently each other and point in said stipulated direction,

wherein said image pickup means and said display means are disposed adjacently each other,

and wherein an input position of said input device in said stipulated direction or a vicinity thereof is detected based on a difference between an image picked up by said image pickup means that contains an infrared signal from said first infrared transmitting means in said stipulated direction or the vicinity thereof and an immediately previous image which does not contain an infrared signal from said first infrared transmitting means so that said image that is generated on said display means is displayed on a line of sight from the position of the input device so a point of sight optimized is attributed to a player operating said input device.

10. An input position detecting device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said first infrared receiving means is a first infrared transceiving means that also transmits infrared signals to said input device.

11. An input position detecting device in accordance with claim 10, wherein said first infrared transmitting means is a second infrared transceiving means that receives signals transmitted from said first infrared transceiving means.

12. An input position detecting device in accordance with claim 9, further comprising a first coordinate system associated with said image pickup means and a second coordinate system associated with said display means and wherein said point of sight is determined relative to a distance between said first and second coordinate systems.

13. An input positioning detecting device in accordance with claim 12, further comprising an image processing means for equating said first and second coordinate system data relative to said distance defined therebetween.