Game controller spatial detection

• US 7,427,980 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Partridge, Ian, Pilkington, Adam J., Rowland, Simon C. E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US12/059,698
• Time in Patent Office: 176 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-158, 345/161, 345/163, 345/167, 345418-427, 463/1, 463/7, 463 40- 43, 463/51, 434/307.R, 434/365, 273/460, 273/461, 273/148.B, 273/148.R
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 25/04 of buildings

Abstract

A method of identifying a specific object representation in a computer simulation is presented. A computer simulation of a physical room is generated and displayed by a game console. A game controller is integrated with a laser rangefinder to create a laser-integrated game controller that is capable of determining and transmitting, to the game console, a real-time location and spatial orientation of a real physical object that is represented by a computer-generated object representation in the computer simulation. The game controller and laser-integrated game controller are able to identify a specific object representation, which corresponds with the real physical object, based on the real-time location of the laser-integrated game controller, the spatial orientation of the laser-integrated game controller, and the range signal from the laser rangefinder in the laser-integrated game controller to the real physical object.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a specific object representation in a computer simulation, the method comprising:

generating and displaying a computer simulation of a physical room, wherein the physical room comprises real objects that comprise a wall and a furnishing, and wherein the computer simulation comprises object representations that comprise a wall representation of the wall and a furnishing representation of the furnishing;

integrating a laser rangefinder into a game controller to create a laser-integrated game controller;

signal-coupling the laser-integrated game controller to a game console, wherein the laser-integrated game controller is capable of determining and transmitting, to the game console, a real-time location and spatial orientation of the laser-integrated game controller within the physical room, and wherein the laser rangefinder is capable of determining and transmitting, to the game console, a range signal that describes a distance from the laser-integrated game controller to one of the real objects in the physical room;

receiving, at the game console, the real-time location and spatial orientation of the laser-integrated game controller;

receiving, at the game console, the range signal from the laser rangefinder, wherein the range signal is generated when the laser rangefinder is pointed at a specific real object selected from the real objects in the physical room;

identifying, by the game console, the specific real object in the physical room based on the real-time location of the laser-integrated game controller, the spatial orientation of the laser-integrated game controller, and the range signal from the laser rangefinder in the laser-integrated game controller; and

identifying a specific object representation, from the object representations in the computer simulation, that corresponds with the specific real object identified by the game console.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an appearance feature selection for the specific object representation; and

altering, according to the appearance feature selection, an appearance of a specific object representation.