Method and system for video-based navigation in an application on a handheld game device

• US 7,435,177 B1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Ford, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones; Scott E
• Application Number:
  US10/987,333
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463 30- 33, 463/36, 463/39, 463/40, 463/42, 463/46, 345156-184, 455/566, 715863-865
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• 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 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device

Abstract

A handheld game device includes a processing element that executes a game application, such as for example a car-racing application or other interactive game which is viewed on a screen display provided in the game device. The game device also contains a camera, preferably taking the form of an electronic video camera, capturing image frames at a suitable frame rate, such as 10 or 20 frames per second or more. The game device uses movement information obtained from a sequence of images obtained from the camera as a basis to navigate the user through a game that the user is playing on the device. For example, if the user tilts the device to the left, the tilting action results in image movement. The image movement is interpreted as user input of movement commands for the video game application, just as joystick movement is interpreted as movement commands for the video game application.

Claims

1. A video game apparatus, comprising, in combination:

(1) a hand-held game playing device comprising

a) a memory storing an interactive video game application;

b) a processing unit for executing the interactive video game application;

c) a camera adapted to capture a sequence of images during the execution of the video game application;

d) an image analysis module for processing the sequence of images to detect movement of the game playing device during the execution of the video game application;

wherein information as the movement detected by the image analysis module is supplied to the processing unit and interpreted by the video game application as user input of movement commands to the video game application; and

(2) a special optical target for placement in the field of view of the camera when the game playing device is held in the hands of the user during execution of the video game application;

wherein the movement of the game playing device in 1 d) is detected by processing the position of the target in the sequence of images.

2. The video game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises an electronic video camera.

3. The video game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the game playing device includes a housing and wherein elements a), b), c) and d) are incorporated into the housing.

4. The video game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the game playing device further comprises a cellular telephone.

5. A method of user interaction with a video game application executing on a video game device, comprising the steps of:

capturing a sequence of images by a camera incorporated into the video game device;

processing the sequence of images to detect movement in the sequence of images;

supplying information as to the detected movement to a processor executing the video game application, wherein the detected movement is interpreted as user input of movement commands to the video game application, and

providing a special optical target for the camera, applying the target to the game player so as to be in the field of view of the camera when the video game devices is held by the player, and wherein the camera images the target in at least one image in the sequence of images.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the camera comprises an electronic video camera.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the video game device incorporates cellular telephony functionality.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the video game application comprises a vehicle racing application.