Remote control and system and method using the remote control

• US 8,228,293 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Dohta, Takuhiro, Ohta, Keizo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US12/365,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20090203445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 463/20, 463/38, 463 40- 42, 463/47, 705/27, 340/425.5, 455/99
• US Class Current: 345/158
• 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 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/818 Fishing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• 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: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8035 Virtual fishing

Abstract

Example systems and methods described herein relate to a remote control including an image sensor disposed on a front end portion thereof. First and second markers produced by a light source are detected at the image sensor. A first middle point is calculated based on the detected first and second markers and a second middle point is calculated based on the first middle point and a difference in direction between a reference direction and a direction from the first detected marker to the second detected marker. A position pointed to by the remote control is calculated based on a difference between a reference point and the second middle point. An image signal is generated for an image based at least in part on the pointed-to position.

Claims

1. A method of using a remote control comprising an image sensor disposed on a front end portion thereof, the method comprising:

setting a reference point and a reference direction based on a calibration;

detecting at the image sensor first and second markers produced by a light source;

calculating a first middle point based on the detecting of the first and second markers;

calculating a second middle point based on the first middle point and an angle between the reference direction and a direction from the first detected marker to the second detected marker;

calculating a position pointed to by the remote control based on a difference vector between the reference point and the second middle point; and

generating an image signal for an image based at least in part on the pointed-to position,

wherein the calibration comprises detecting at the image sensor the first and second markers when the remote control points to a calibration pointing position and the reference point is a middle point calculated based on the detecting of the first and second markers during the calibration.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light source comprises at least two spaced-apart light-emitting diodes.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the light-emitting diodes are spaced-apart in a substantially horizontal direction.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting signals indicative of the detected first and second markers from the remote control to a computer which performs the first middle point calculating, the second middle point calculating, the pointed-to position calculating and the image signal generating.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the transmitted signals are transmitted wirelessly.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the calibration further comprises determining a direction from the first marker to the second marker when the remote control points to the calibration pointing position and the reference direction corresponds to the determined direction.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in a memory, data indicative of the reference point and the reference direction.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reference direction is substantially horizontal.

9. A method comprising using a remote control according to the method of claim 1 while playing a video game.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the video game comprises a fishing game.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

setting a reference point and a reference direction based on a calibration for a remote control;

receiving data indicative of first and second markers produced by a light source which are detected by an image sensor disposed on a front end portion of the remote control;

calculating a first middle point based on the detecting of the first and second markers;

calculating a second middle point based on the first middle point and an angle between the reference direction and a direction from the first detected marker to the second detected marker;

calculating a position pointed to by the remote control based on a difference vector between the reference point and the second middle point; and

generating an image signal for an image based at least in part on the pointed-to position,

wherein the image sensor detects the first and sensor markers when the remote control points to a calibration pointing position during the calibration and the reference point is a middle point calculated based on the detecting of the first and second markers during the calibration.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory configured to store computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform operations comprising setting a reference point and a reference direction based on a calibration for a remote control;

receiving data indicative of first and second markers produced by a light source which are detected by an image sensor disposed on a front end portion of the remote control;

calculating a first middle point based on the detecting of the first and second markers;

calculating a second middle point based on the first middle point and an angle between the reference direction and a direction from the first detected marker to the second detected marker;

calculating a position pointed to by the remote control based on a difference vector between the reference point and the second middle point; and

generating an image signal for an image based at least in part on the pointed-to position, wherein the image sensor detects the first and second markers when the remote control points to a calibration pointing position during the calibration and the reference point is a middle point calculated based on the detecting of the first and second markers during the calibration.

13. A system comprising:

a remote control configured to be held by a hand and comprising an image sensor for detecting first and second markers produced by a light source arranged in the vicinity of a display screen; and

a processing system configured to set a reference point and a reference direction based on a calibration;

calculate a first middle point based on the detecting of the first and second markers, calculate a second middle point based on the first middle position and an angle between the reference direction and a direction from the first detected marker to the second detected marker, calculate a position pointed to by the pointing device based on the difference vector between the reference point and the second middle point and generate image signals for an image displayed on the display screen based at least in part on the pointed-to position, wherein the image sensor detects the first and second markers when the remote control points to a calibration pointing position during the calibration and the reference point is a middle point calculated based on the detecting of the first and second markers during the calibration.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the remote further comprises a wireless transmitter for transmitting data indicative of the detected first and second markers.