Position detecting system and position detecting program

• US 8,115,699 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Shigeru, Sawano, Takao, Yamazaki, Hitoshi, Kawada, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): MANDEVILLE, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US11/450,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20070080831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,073 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-158, 345/162, 345/169, 345 11- 13, 345 21- 23, 345/3.1
• US Class Current: 345/2.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/10 Special adaptations of display systems for operation with variable images
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/00 Aspects of data communication
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players

Abstract

A plurality of positional information transmitters 100, each of which transmits positional information to which a plurality of unit spaces are each uniquely assigned, are disposed on a ceiling. A mobile terminal 10 receives the positional information transmitted from each of the positional information transmitters 100 and changes a terminal-side image in accordance with the received positional information. Furthermore, the mobile terminal 10 transmits to a server 300 current positional information and operation information indicating an instruction inputted by a user. The server 300 changes, in accordance with the current positional information and the operation information received by the mobile terminal 10, a floor image displayed on a plurality of floor displays 200 disposed on a floor. Thus, it becomes possible to provide a highly interesting and novel position detecting system.

Claims

1. A position detecting system comprising:

a positional information transmission device for transmitting positional information;

a mobile terminal for receiving the positional information; and

a control device capable of communicating with the mobile terminal,

the positional information transmission device including;

a plurality of positional information transmitters arranged in an array on a ceiling for transmitting the positional information to a plurality of unit spaces which are each uniquely assigned to the plurality of positional information transmitters,

wherein each of the positional information transmitters include a plurality of infrared emitters which emit the positional information through a modulated infrared signal,

the mobile terminal carried by a user and including;

first display unit for displaying a first image;

first receiving programmed logic circuitry for receiving the positional information transmitted from the positional information transmitters;

first image processing programmed logic circuitry for changing the first image in accordance with the positional information received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry;

operation elements for accepting an instruction inputted by a user; and

transmission programmed logic circuitry for transmitting, to the control device, current positional information corresponding to the positional information received by the receiving programmed logic circuitry, said current positional information generated by current positional information generating programmed logic circuitry, and operation information indicating the instruction inputted by the user through the operation elements,

the control device arranged separately from the mobile terminal and the positional information transmission device and including;

second display unit arranged on a floor for displaying a second image;

second receiving programmed logic circuitry for receiving the current positional information and the operation information transmitted from the mobile terminal; and

second image processing programmed logic circuitry for changing the second image in accordance with the current positional information and the operation information received by the second receiving programmed logic circuitry, wherein

each of the positional information transmitters transmits the positional information for a predetermined number of times at an interval of a predetermined period of time, and

the current positional information generating programmed logic circuitry of the mobile terminal measures, for the predetermined period of time, the number of times each piece of the positional information was received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry, and generates the current positional information based on said measured number of times each piece of the positional information was received and the predetermined number of times each of the positional information transmitters transmitted the positional information.

2. The position detecting system according to claim 1, wherein

the current positional information generating programmed logic circuitry generates the current positional information indicating a position which is more accurate than that indicated by the positional information, based on a ratio of the number of times each piece of the positional information is successfully received, for the predetermined period of time, by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry, to the total number of times each piece of the positional information is transmitted for the predetermined period of time.

3. The position detecting system according to claim 2, wherein the current positional information generating programmed logic circuitry calculates a weighted average of the positional information by averaging the positional information received for the predetermined period of time by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry, in accordance with the receiving frequency of the positional information, such that the current positional information generating programmed logic circuitry generates the current positional information.

4. A position detecting system comprising:

a positional information transmission device for transmitting positional information;

a mobile terminal for receiving the positional information; and

a control device capable of communicating with the mobile terminal,

the positional information transmission device including;

a plurality of positional information transmitters arranged in an array on a ceiling for transmitting the positional information to a plurality of unit spaces which are each uniquely assigned to the plurality of positional information transmitters,

wherein each of the positional information transmitters include a plurality of infrared emitters which emit the positional information through a modulated infrared signal,

the mobile terminal carried by a user and including;

first display unit for displaying a first image;

first receiving programmed logic circuitry for receiving the positional information transmitted from the positional information transmitters;

first image processing programmed logic circuitry for changing the first image in accordance with the positional information received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry;

operation elements for accepting an instruction inputted by a user; and

transmission programmed logic circuitry for transmitting, to the control device, current positional information corresponding to the positional information received by the receiving programmed logic circuitry, said current positional information generated by current positional information generating programmed logic circuitry, and operation information indicating the instruction inputted by the user through the operation elements,

and the control device arranged separately from the mobile terminal and the positional information transmission device and including;

second display unit arranged on a floor for displaying a second image;

second receiving programmed logic circuitry for receiving the current positional information and the operation information transmitted from the mobile terminal; and

second image processing programmed logic circuitry for changing the second image in accordance with the current positional information and the operation information received by the second receiving programmed logic circuitry, wherein

the current positional information generating programmed logic circuitry of the mobile terminal measures, for a predetermined period of time, the number of times each piece of the positional information was received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry, and generates the current positional information based on said measured number of times each piece of the positional information was received and a number of times each of the positional information transmitters transmitted the positional information, wherein

the first image includes a button image, and

the first image processing programmed logic circuitry changes a display mode of the button image between a first display mode indicating the button image is selectable by the user and a second display mode indicating the button image is not selectable by the user in accordance with the positional information received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable physical storage medium having tangibly recorded thereon a position detecting program executed by a computer of a mobile terminal and a computer of a control device in a position detecting system comprising:

a positional information transmission device including a plurality of positional information transmitters arranged in an array on a ceiling for transmitting positional information to a plurality of unit spaces which are each uniquely assigned to the plurality of positional information transmitters;

the mobile terminal carried by a user for receiving the positional information; and

the control device arranged separately from the mobile terminal and the positional information transmission device and capable of communicating with the mobile terminal,

the position detecting program instructing the computer of the mobile terminal to perform;

first display control for causing a first display unit of the mobile terminal to display a first image;

first receiving control for causing first receiving programmed logic circuitry of the mobile terminal to receive the positional information transmitted from the positional information transmitters;

first image processing for changing the first image in accordance with the positional information received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry; and

transmission control for causing transmission programmed logic circuitry of the mobile terminal to transmit to the control device current positional information corresponding to the positional information received by the receiving programmed logic circuitry and operation information, inputted by operation elements of the mobile terminal, which indicates an instruction of a user, and

the position detecting program instructing the computer of the control device to perform;

second display control for causing a second display unit of the control device arranged on a floor to display a second image;

second receiving control for causing second receiving programmed logic circuitry of the control device to receive the current positional information and the operation information transmitted from the mobile terminal; and

second image processing for changing the second image in accordance with the current positional information and the operation information received by the second receiving programmed logic circuitry, wherein

each of the positional information transmitters transmits the positional information for a predetermined number of times at an interval of a predetermined period of time, and

the current positional information generating programmed logic circuitry of the mobile terminal measures, for the predetermined period of time, the number of times each piece of the positional information was received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry, and generates the current positional information based on said measured number of times each piece of the positional information was received and the predetermined number of times each of the positional information transmitters transmitted the positional information.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable physical storage medium having tangibly recorded thereon a position detecting program executed by a computer of a mobile terminal and a computer of a control device in a position detecting system comprising:

a positional information transmission device including a plurality of positional information transmitters arranged in an array on a ceiling for transmitting positional information to a plurality of unit spaces which are each uniquely assigned to the plurality of positional information transmitters;

the mobile terminal carried by a user for receiving the positional information; and

the control device arranged separately from the mobile terminal and the positional information transmission device and capable of communicating with the mobile terminal,

the position detecting program instructing the computer of the mobile terminal to perform;

first display control for causing a first display unit of the mobile terminal to display a first image;

first receiving control for causing first receiving programmed logic circuitry of the mobile terminal to receive the positional information transmitted from the positional information transmitters;

first image processing for changing the first image in accordance with the positional information received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry; and

transmission control for causing transmission programmed logic circuitry of the mobile terminal to transmit to the control device current positional information corresponding to the positional information received by the receiving programmed logic circuitry and operation information, inputted by operation elements of the mobile terminal, which indicates an instruction of a user, and

the position detecting program instructing the computer of the control device to perform;

second display control for causing a second display unit of the control device arranged on a floor to display a second image;

second receiving control for causing second receiving programmed logic circuitry of the control device to receive the current positional information and the operation information transmitted from the mobile terminal; and

second image processing for changing the second image in accordance with the current positional information and the operation information received by the second receiving programmed logic circuitry, wherein

the current positional information generating programmed logic circuitry of the mobile terminal measures, for a predetermined period of time, the number of times each piece of the positional information was received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry, and generates the current positional information based on said measured number of times each piece of the positional information was received and a number of times each of the positional information transmitters transmitted the positional information, wherein

the first image includes a button image, and

the first image processing programmed logic circuitry changes a display mode of the button image between a first display mode indicating the button image is selectable by the user and a second display mode indicating the button image is not selectable by the user in accordance with the positional information received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry.

7. A position detecting system comprising:

a positional information transmission device for transmitting positional information;

a mobile terminal for receiving the positional information; and

a control device capable of communicating with the mobile terminal,

the positional information transmission device including;

a plurality of positional information transmitters arranged in an array on a ceiling for transmitting the positional information to a plurality of unit spaces which are each uniquely assigned to the plurality of positional information transmitters,

wherein each of the positional information transmitters include a plurality of infrared emitters which emit the positional information through a modulated infrared signal,

the mobile terminal carried by a user and including;

first display unit for displaying a first image;

first receiving programmed logic circuitry for receiving the positional information transmitted from the positional information transmitters;

first image processing programmed logic circuitry for changing the first image in accordance with the positional information received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry;

operation elements for accepting an instruction inputted by a user; and

transmission programmed logic circuitry for transmitting, to the control device, current positional information corresponding to the positional information received by the receiving programmed logic circuitry, said current positional information generated by current positional information generating programmed logic circuitry, and operation information indicating the instruction inputted by the user through the operation elements,

the control device arranged separately from the mobile terminal and the positional information transmission device and including;

second display unit arranged on a floor for displaying a second image;

second receiving programmed logic circuitry for receiving the current positional information and the operation information transmitted from the mobile terminal; and

second image processing programmed logic circuitry for changing the second image in accordance with the current positional information and the operation information received by the second receiving programmed logic circuitry, wherein

the current positional information generating programmed logic circuitry of the mobile terminal measures, for a predetermined period of time, the number of times each piece of the positional information was received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry, and generates the current positional information based on said measured number of times each piece of the positional information was received and a predetermined number of times each of the positional information transmitters transmitted the positional information, wherein

when positional information is emitted to a unit space, positional information for adjacent unit spaces is not emitted.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable physical storage medium having tangibly recorded thereon a position detecting program executed by a computer of a mobile terminal and a computer of a control device in a position detecting system comprising:

a positional information transmission device including a plurality of positional information transmitters arranged in an array on a ceiling for transmitting positional information to a plurality of unit spaces which are each uniquely assigned to the plurality of positional information transmitters;

the mobile terminal carried by a user for receiving the positional information; and

the control device arranged separately from the mobile terminal and the positional information transmission device and capable of communicating with the mobile terminal,

the position detecting program instructing the computer of the mobile terminal to perform;

first display control for causing a first display unit of the mobile terminal to display a first image;

first receiving control for causing first receiving programmed logic circuitry of the mobile terminal to receive the positional information transmitted from the positional information transmitters;

first image processing for changing the first image in accordance with the positional information received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry; and

transmission control for causing transmission programmed logic circuitry of the mobile terminal to transmit to the control device current positional information corresponding to the positional information received by the receiving programmed logic circuitry and operation information, inputted by operation elements of the mobile terminal, which indicates an instruction of a user, and

the position detecting program instructing the computer of the control device to perform;

second display control for causing a second display unit of the control device arranged on a floor to display a second image;

second receiving control for causing second receiving programmed logic circuitry of the control device to receive the current positional information and the operation information transmitted from the mobile terminal; and

second image processing for changing the second image in accordance with the current positional information and the operation information received by the second receiving programmed logic circuitry, wherein

the current positional information generating programmed logic circuitry of the mobile terminal measures, for a predetermined period of time, the number of times each piece of the positional information was received by the first receiving programmed logic circuitry, and generates the current positional information based on said measured number of times each piece of the positional information was received and a predetermined number of times each of the positional information transmitters transmitted the positional information, wherein

when positional information is emitted in a unit space, positional information for adjacent spaces is not emitted.