Entertainment system

• US 8,292,737 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Goto, Teiyu, Saito, Katsu, Ohba, Akio, Segawa, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): SKAARUP, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US12/067,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20100062854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,069 Days
• Field of Search: 463 30- 33, 463 36- 40, 341/20, 700 90-931, 273/148.B, 345/169
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/06 using player-operated means for controlling the position of a specific area display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• 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 13/26 having at least one additional display device, e.g. on the game controller or outside a game booth
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• 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 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6607 for animating game characters, e.g. skeleton kinematics
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6623 for animating a group of characters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041

Abstract

The present invention provides a game system using LEDs in a controller 20. In a game system of the present invention, an image pickup apparatus captures the controller. The controller includes multiple input units for making an operation input to advance a game, and multiple LEDs for indicating a controller number set for the controller in a game application executed. A game apparatus accepts an operation input provided to the controller and reflects the operation input in the processing of a game application, acquires a captured image from the image pickup apparatus, acquires the position of the controller in the captured image based on the position of the LED in the captured image and reflects the acquired position information in the processing of the game application, and generates an image signal showing the result of application processing performed based on the operation input and acquired position information.

Claims

1. An entertainment system, comprising:

an operation input apparatus from which a user makes an operation input;

a processing apparatus which processes an application based on the operation input and generates an image signal for showing a result of processing of the application;

an image pickup apparatus which captures an image of the operation input apparatus; and

an image display apparatus which outputs the image signal generated in the processing apparatus, wherein;

the operation input apparatus includes;

(i) a case having a top surface oriented upwards towards the user when in use, and a rear surface oriented away from the user toward the image pickup apparatus when in use;

(ii) a plurality of input units disposed on the case from which a user makes the operation input for advancing the application; and

(iii) a plurality of light emitting elements, disposed on the rear surface of the case, operable in two modes;

a first mode in which one or more of the plurality of light emitting elements are configured to indicate a number assigned to the operation input apparatus by the processed application, and a second mode in which one or more of the plurality of light emitting elements are configured to provide positions of the light emitting elements to the processing apparatus; and

the processing apparatus;

(i) accepts the operation input provided to the operation input apparatus and reflects the operation input in the processing of the application, (ii) acquires a captured image comprising the image of the operation input apparatus from the image pickup apparatus, (iii) acquires a position of the operation input apparatus in the captured image based on the positions of the light emitting elements operating in the second mode in the captured image and reflects the acquired position information in the processing of the application, and (iv) generates the image signal showing the result of application processing performed based on the operation input and the acquired position information.

2. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the operation input apparatus only lights one or more of the light emitting elements corresponding to the number assigned to the operation input apparatus when operating in the first mode, from among the plurality of light emitting elements, so as to allow the one or more light emitting elements to function as an indicator configured to indicate the number.

3. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein:

the processing apparatus transmits to the operation input apparatus a control signal for controlling lighting of the light emitting elements; and

the operation input apparatus lights the light emitting elements according to the control signal.

4. The entertainment system of claim 3, wherein, when the processing apparatus reflects position information of the operation input apparatus in the processing of the application, the processing apparatus transmits to the operation input apparatus either a first control signal for lighting the light emitting elements at a first frequency or a second control signal for lighting the light emitting elements at a second frequency higher than the first frequency.