Image processing system

• US 7,713,129 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamada, Yoichi, Yoshinobu, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hotaling, II; John M
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORIMIRO, ADETOKUNBO OLUSEGUN
• Application Number:
  US10/912,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20050007384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,104 Days
• Field of Search: 463/39, 463/40, 463 42- 44
• US Class Current: 463/44
• 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 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/655 by importing photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/695 Imported photos, e.g. of the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]

Abstract

An image processing system includes a fixed-type game machine and a hand-held type game machine. To the hand-held type game machine, an imaging cartridge is attached, and therefore, when an operator photographs a face image of a desired object, for example, face image data corresponding thereto is produced. In addition, by operating an operating switch of the hand-held type game machine, the operator can input feature data representing a feature of the object. The hand-held type game machine transmits the face image data and the feature data to the fixed-type game machine. The fixed-type game machine deforms provisional three-dimensional character data selected by the operator based on the feature data, and attaches the face image data to the deformed provisional three-dimensional feature data so as to compose an image. A composed image is displayed on an image display device by an animation based on the feature data.

Claims

1. An external storage device detachably attached to a hand-held type game machine provided at least with a data transmitter for transmitting data to an image composing apparatus, comprising:

face image fetching programmed logic circuitry for fetching face image data;

feature data fetching programmed logic circuitry for fetching feature data associated with the face image corresponding to said face image data; and

data storing programmed logic circuitry for storing said face image data and said feature data in a manner that the both data are associated with each other,

wherein the feature data is used by the image composing apparatus for image composition processing.

2. An external storage device detachably attached to a hand-held type game machine provided at least with photographing processing programmed logic circuitry for executing a photographing process in accordance with a photographing instruction by an operator, image displaying programmed logic circuitry for displaying at least an image of an object during when the photographing process is being executed by said photographing processing programmed logic circuitry, and object feature data inputting programmed logic circuitry for inputting object feature data representing a feature of the object corresponding to the imaging data fetched as a result of the photographing process by said photographing processing programmed logic circuitry, comprising:

imaging programmed logic circuitry for imaging or photographing the object so as to generate the imaging data; and

data storing programmed logic circuitry for associating, and storing the imaging data generated by said imaging programmed logic circuitry and the object feature data input by said object feature data inputting programmed logic circuitry,

wherein the object feature data is used by the image composing apparatus for image composition processing.

3. An external storage device according to claim 2, further comprising a photographing process executing a program for executing said photographing process, and a program storing medium for storing an imaging index displaying program for displaying on said image displaying programmed logic circuitry an imaging index for setting an image of the object to a desired location when said photographing process is being executed.

4. A hand-held type game machine including an external storage device detachably attached thereto, the hand-held type game machine including at least a data transmitter for transmitting data to an image composing apparatus, the external storage device comprising:

face image fetching programmed logic circuitry for fetching face image data;

feature data fetching programmed logic circuitry for fetching feature data associated with the face image corresponding to said face image data; and

data storing programmed logic circuitry for storing said face image data and said feature data in a manner that the both data are associated with each other,

wherein the feature data is used by the image composing apparatus for image composition processing.

5. A hand-held type game machine including an external storage device detachably attached thereto, the hand-held type game machine comprising:

photographing processing programmed logic circuitry for executing a photographing process in accordance with a photographing instruction by an operator;

image displaying programmed logic circuitry for displaying at least an image of an object during when the photographing process is being executed by said photographing processing programmed logic circuitry; and

object feature data inputting programmed logic circuitry for inputting object feature data representing a feature of the object corresponding to the imaging data fetched as a result of the photographing process by said photographing processing programmed logic circuitry,

wherein said external storage device comprises (1) imaging programmed logic circuitry for imaging or photographing the object so as to generate the imaging data, and (2) data storing programmed logic circuitry for associating, and storing the imaging data generated by said imaging programmed logic circuitry and the object feature data input by said object feature data inputting programmed logic circuitry, and

wherein the object feature data is used by the image composing apparatus for image composition processing.

6. A hand-held type game machine according to claim 5, wherein the external storage device further comprises a photographing process executing a program for executing said photographing process, and a program storing medium for storing an imaging index displaying program for displaying on said image displaying programmed logic circuitry an imaging index for setting an image of the object to a desired location when said photographing process is being executed.

7. In an external storage device detachably attached to a hand-held type game machine provided at least with a data transmitter for transmitting data to an image composing apparatus, a method comprising:

fetching face image data via face image fetching programmed logic circuitry;

fetching feature data associated with the face image corresponding to said face image data via feature data fetching programmed logic circuitry;

storing said face image data and said feature data in a manner that the both data are associated with each other via data storing; and

performing image composition processing using the feature data.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

identifying a visual attribute from within the face image data based on user input; and

storing an association between the attribute and the face image data.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein the feature data represents at least one aspect of the associated face or object, including one or more of:

a gender, a body shape, a personality, and an age.

10. In an external storage device detachably attached to a hand-held type game machine provided at least with photographing processing programmed logic circuitry for executing a photographing process in accordance with a photographing instruction by an operator, image displaying programmed logic circuitry for displaying at least an image of an object during when the photographing process is being executed by said photographing processing programmed logic circuitry, and object feature data inputting programmed logic circuitry for inputting object feature data representing a feature of the object corresponding to the imaging data fetched as a result of the photographing process by said photographing processing programmed logic circuitry, a method comprising:

imaging or photographing the object so as to generate the imaging data;

associating and storing the generated imaging data and the object feature data input by said object feature data inputting programmed logic circuitry; and

performing image composition processing using the feature data.