Game device for performing operation object control and non-operation object control

• US 8,721,444 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2010
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mizutani, Takashi, Yamada, Yuji, Takahashi, Tomoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEN, JASON TAHAI
• Application Number:
  US13/382,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20120157201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 463/6, 463 30- 33, 463 36- 37, 463/39, 345/419
• US Class Current: 463/37
• 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 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• 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 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/643 by determining the impact between objects, e.g. collision detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

A frame image acquiring unit acquires a captured image of an input device that is provided with an illuminator. A device information deriving unit derives position information of the input device from the captured image. An input receiving unit acquires attitude information of the input device. An operation object control unit controls the motion of an operation object in accordance with the position information and the attitude information of the input device. A non-operation object control unit controls the motion of a non-operation object. A collision control unit determines the motion of at least one of the operation object and the non-operation object in accordance with a collision mode for the collision between the operation object and the non-operation object.

Claims

1. A game device, comprising:

an image acquiring unit operative to acquire a captured image of an input device that is provided with a handle having at least one manipulation button and an illuminator having an outer spherical body;

a device information deriving unit operative to derive position information of the input device based on a position and a size of the illuminator within the captured image, where the device information deriving unit derives the position information including position coordinates and distance information, the position coordinates are derived based on the position of the illuminator within the captured image, and the distance information is derived based on the size of the illuminator within the captured image;

a receiving unit operative to acquire attitude information of the input device and status information regarding a user'"'"'s manipulation of the at least one manipulation button;

an operation object control unit operative to control the motion of an operation object in accordance with the position information and the attitude information of the input device;

a non-operation object control unit operative to control the motion of a non-operation object;

an image generating unit operative to generate a display screen image in accordance with the motion of the operation object and the motion of the non-operation object; and

a collision control unit operative to detect a collision between the operation object and the non-operation object, where the collision control unit determines the motion of the non-operation object in accordance with a collision mode for the collision between the operation object and the non-operation object,

wherein the non-operation object control unit controls the motion of the non-operation object to move in accordance with the motion determined by the collision control unit and in accordance with the status information regarding the at least one manipulation button, where the status information includes information as to the user'"'"'s desired motion of the operational object that effects;

(i) the motion of the operational object, (ii) whether the collision control unit determines that the motion of the operational object and the motion of the non-operation object result in the collision between the operation object and the non-operation object, and (iii) the collision mode.

2. The game device according to claim 1, wherein the collision control unit determines the collision mode based on the motion of the operation object at the time of the collision.

3. The game device according to claim 1, wherein the collision control unit determines the collision mode based on the velocity or the acceleration of the operation object at the time of the collision.

4. The game device of claim 1, further comprising:

a searching direction determining unit operative to determine a direction for searching for the non-operation object based on the position of the operation object and attitude information of the input device;

a determining unit operative to determine whether the non-operation object exists in the searching direction, and to acquire, upon determining that a non-operation object exists, status information of the non-operation object, wherein the status information of the non-operation object represents whether one or more characteristics of the operation object relative to the non-operation object meet one or more conditions; and

a lighting control unit operative to control the lighting of the illuminator if the determining unit determines that a non-operation object exists and based on whether the one or more conditions are met.

5. The game device according to claim 4, wherein the one or more characteristics and conditions include at least one of:

(i) whether the operation object is within a view angle of the non-operation object; and

(ii) whether a distance between the operation object and the non-operation object is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing a computer program, which when executed on a processing device causes the processing device to exhibit functional modules, comprising:

a module operative to acquire a captured image of an input device that is provided with a handle having at least one manipulation button and an illuminator having an outer spherical body;

a module operative to derive position information of the input device based on a position and a size of the illuminator within the captured image, where the device information deriving unit derives the position information including position coordinates and distance information, the position coordinates are derived based on the position of the illuminator within the captured image, and the distance information is derived based on the size of the illuminator within the captured image;

a module operative to acquire attitude information of the input device and status information regarding a user'"'"'s manipulation of the at least one manipulation button;

a module operative to control the motion of an operation object in accordance with the position information and the attitude information of the input device;

a module operative to control the motion of a non-operation object;

a module operative to generate a display screen image in accordance with the motion of the operation object and the motion of the non-operation object;

a module operative to detect a collision between the operation object and the non-operation object;

a module operative to determine a collision mode for the collision between the operation object and the non-operation object; and

a module operative to determine the motion of the non-operation object in accordance with the collision mode,

wherein the module operative to control the non-operation object controls the motion of the non-operation object to move in accordance with the motion determined by the module operative to determine the motion of the non-operation object in accordance with the collision mode and in accordance with the status information regarding the at least one manipulation button, where the status information includes information as to the user'"'"'s desired motion of the operational object that effects;

(i) the motion of the operational object, (ii) whether the collision control unit determines that the motion of the operational object and the motion of the non-operation object result in the collision between the operation object and the non-operation object, and (iii) the collision mode.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 6, further comprising:

a module operative to determine a direction for searching for the non-operation object based on the position of the operation object and attitude information of the input device;

a module operative to determine whether the non-operation object exists in the searching direction, and operative to acquire, upon determining that a non-operation object exists, status information of the non-operation object, wherein the status information of the non-operation object represents whether one or more characteristics of the operation object relative to the non-operation object meet one or more conditions; and

a module operative to control the lighting of the illuminator if it is determined that a non-operation object exists and based on whether the one or more conditions are met.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 7, wherein the one or more characteristics and conditions include at least one of:

(i) whether the operation object is within a view angle of the non-operation object; and

(ii) whether a distance between the operation object and the non-operation object is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.