Target interface

• US 8,210,943 B1
• Filed: 01/04/2007
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Woodard, Bruce, Jobe, Dylan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pandya, Sunit
• Application Number:
  US11/650,311
• Time in Patent Office: 2,007 Days
• Field of Search: 463/2, 463/5, 463/1, 463/8, 463/31, 463 33- 34
• US Class Current: 463/31
• 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 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/422 automatically for the purpose of assisting the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5372 for tagging characters, objects or locations in the game scene, e.g. displaying a circle under the character controlled by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/306 for displaying a marker associated to an object or location in the game field
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6054 by generating automatically game commands to assist the player, e.g. automatic braking in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

A system for targeting and attack of one or more enemies in a game environment is provided. A player may designate an enemy or enemies on a display screen as a target and subsequently initiate an attack of the targeted enemy or enemies. The display allows for flexibility in choosing which enemies to attack.

Claims

1. A targeting system, comprising:

a computing device that executes software to display a game environment and automatically generate a target display within the game environment, the target display operating independent of manipulation of a character object associated with the target display, the target display indicating a plurality of candidate objects detected in the game environment, a size of the target display indicating a target range of a selected weapon and a color of the target display indicating an attack range of the selected weapon; and

an actuator on a controller device, the controller device communicatively coupled to the computing device, the actuator on the controller device associated with the manipulation of the target display, wherein;

actuation commences identifying each candidate object in the game environment subject to attack by the character object, wherein each candidate object is identified as being subject to attack when each of the candidate objects is within the target range and the attack range indicated by the size and color of the target display, and

termination of actuation followed by a fire command automatically commences attack of all the candidate objects identified by the target display as subject to attack by the character object.

2. The targeting system of claim 1, wherein manipulation of the target display in the game environment occurs in response to commands generated by a joystick at the controller device.

3. The targeting system of claim 1, wherein manipulation the target display in the game environment occurs in response to commands generated by motion of the controller device, the commands including vector data.

4. The targeting system of claim 3, wherein the vector data generated by motion of the controller device comprises data generated by an accelerometer.

5. The targeting system of claim 3, wherein the vector data generated by motion of the controller device comprises data generated by a tilt sensor.

6. The targeting system of claim 3, wherein the vector data generated by motion of the controller device comprises data generated by a gyroscope.

7. The targeting system of claim 1, wherein manipulation the target display in the game environment occurs in response to commands generated by motion of the controller device, the motion of the controller device indicated by a series of light emitting diode (LED) indicators at the controller device and tracked by an image capture device.

8. The targeting system of claim 1, wherein manipulation the target display in the game environment occurs in response to commands generated by motion of the controller device, the motion of the controller device indicated by audio pulses emitted at the controller device and tracked by an audio receiver.

9. The targeting system of claim 1, wherein manipulation the target display in the game environment occurs in response to commands generated by tracking and mapping control gestures from multi-channel input.

10. The targeting system of claim 1, wherein the target range and attack range of the target display vary as a function of the selected weapon.

11. The targeting system of claim 1, further comprising an indicator of a charge status for the selected weapon, wherein the indicator is generated by execution of software at the computing device.

12. The targeting system of claim 1, further comprising an indicator of accuracy with respect to the selected weapon and attacks commenced against candidate objects in the game environment, wherein the indicator is generated by execution of software at the computing device.

13. The targeting system of claim 1, further comprising a weapons indicator reflecting a weapon available for targeting in conjunction with the target display and an ammunition indicator.

14. The targeting system of claim 1, further comprising an overview map indicating a position of an objective target in the game environment with respect to a position of the character object in the game environment, wherein the objective target includes a candidate object, and wherein the overview map is generated by execution of software at the computing device.

15. The targeting system of claim 14, wherein the shape and size of a target indicator associated with the objective target varies on the nature of the objective target.

16. The targeting system of claim 14, wherein the shape and size of a target indicator associated with the objective target varies on the importance of the objective target.

17. The targeting system of claim 14, wherein the color of a target indicator associated with the objective target varies with the status of the objective target.

18. The targeting system of claim 14, wherein the objective target comprises a series of objective targets and wherein the series of objective targets are displayed in the target display as a single target indicator at a first distance of the character object from the series of objective targets and wherein the single target indicator breaks into a series of individual target indicators each of the series of individual target indicators associated with one of the series of objective targets at a second distance of the character object from the series of objective targets.

19. The targeting system of claim 1, wherein a target indicator associated with a candidate object indicates whether the candidate object is at least partially occluded by a non-candidate object in the game environment with respect to the character object.

20. The targeting system of claim 19, wherein at least partial occlusion is determined by extending a ray from a point on the character object to a point on the candidate object and if the ray is intersected by non-candidate object in the game environment, the candidate object is at least partially occluded.

21. The targeting system of claim 1, wherein manipulation of the target display in the game environment is independent of manipulation of the character object in the game environment.