Computer system, computer system control method, program, and information storage medium

• US 8,970,491 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• 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: Morita, Toru, Kawasaki, Takuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yang, Nan-Ying
• Application Number:
  US13/230,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20120068924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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 13/42 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 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

To prevent a user from sensing change in feeling of operation of a pointing device. There is provided a computer system control method for controlling a computer system having a coordinate designation system for producing base data for calculating position coordinates, the method comprising the steps of obtaining the position coordinates calculated based on the base data; when a predetermined application program is activated from another application program, obtaining position coordinates notified by the other application program, and showing a designated position image on a display screen based on the position coordinates obtained; and when the predetermined application program is activated from an operating system, showing the designated position image on the display screen based on the position coordinates obtained at the step of obtaining the position coordinates.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a coordinate designation system for producing base data for calculating position coordinates of a user controlled position image;

at least one memory storing a first application program, a second application program, and an operating system for activating the first and second application programs,

at least one processor operating under the control of the first application program to cause the computer system to function as;

a first position coordinate unit operating to calculate position coordinates of the user controlled position image based on the base data in accordance with a first position coordinate computing algorithm yielding a first feeling of operation to the user when the user controlled position image is displayed,

a first designated position image display unit operating to display the user controlled position image on a display screen based on the position coordinates calculated by the first position coordinate unit,

an activating unit operating to permit the first application program to activate the second application program, and

a notifying unit operating to notify the second application program of the position coordinates calculated by the first position coordinate unit when the second application program is activated from the first application program, and

the at least one processor operating under the control of the second application program to cause the computer system to function as;

a second position coordinate unit operating to calculate position coordinates of the user controlled position image based on the base data in accordance with a second position coordinate computing algorithm, which is different from the first position coordinate computing algorithm, yielding a second feeling of operation to the user when the user controlled position image is displayed, and

a second designated position image display unit operating such that;

(i) when the second application program is activated from the first application program, the user controlled position image on the display screen is based on the position coordinates received from the notifying unit and calculated based on the base data in accordance with the first position coordinate computing algorithm, and (ii) when the second application program is activated from the operating system, the designated position image on the display screen is based on the position coordinates calculated by the second designated position image display unit based on the base data in accordance with the second position coordinate computing algorithm.

2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein

the base data includes 2D coordinate data indicating a position of a pointing device and posture data describing a posture of the pointing device,

the first position coordinate obtaining unit obtains position coordinates indicating a direction designated by the pointing device based on the base data, and

the second position coordinate obtaining unit obtains position coordinates corresponding to a spatial position of a predetermined part of the pointing device, based on the base data.

3. The computer system according to claim 2, wherein the second application program causes the computer to function as determination unit operating to determine whether or not the second application program is activated from the first application or from the operation system.

4. A method for controlling a computer system having a coordinate designation system for producing base data for calculating position coordinates of a user controlled position image, comprising the steps of:

storing a first application program, a second application program, and an operating system for activating the first and second application programs in a memory of the computer system;

receiving the base data at the computer system;

when the computer system is under the control of the first application program;

(i) calculating position coordinates of the user controlled position image based on the base data in accordance with a first position coordinate computing algorithm yielding a first feeling of operation to the user when the user controlled position image is displayed, (ii) displaying the user controlled position image on a display screen based on the position coordinates calculated in accordance with the first position coordinate computing algorithm, (iii) permitting the user to activate the second application program from the first application program, and (iv) notifying the second application program of the position coordinates calculated in accordance with the first position coordinate computing algorithm when the second application program is activated from the first application program; and

when the computer system is under the control of the second application program;

(i) using the position coordinates received from the notifying step and calculated in accordance with the first position coordinate computing algorithm, and displaying the user controlled position image on the display screen, when the second application program is activated from the first application program; and

(ii) calculating position coordinates based on the base data in accordance with a second position coordinate computing algorithm, which is different from the first position coordinate computing algorithm yielding a second feeling of operation to the user when the user controlled position image is displayed, and displaying the user controlled position image on the display screen, when the second application program is activated from the operating system.

5. A non-transient, computer readable storage medium containing a computer program for being executed by a computer system having a coordinate designation system for producing base data for calculating position coordinates of a user controlled position image, the program for causing the computer system to execute actions, comprising:

storing a first application program, a second application program, and an operating system for activating the first and second application programs in a memory of the computer system;

receiving the base data at the computer system;

when the computer system is under the control of the first application program;

(i) calculating position coordinates of the user controlled position image based on the base data in accordance with a first position coordinate computing algorithm yielding a first feeling of operation to the user when the user controlled position image is displayed, (ii) displaying the user controlled position image on a display screen based on the position coordinates calculated in accordance with the first position coordinate computing algorithm, (iii) permitting the user to activate the second application program from the first application program, and (iv) notifying the second application program of the position coordinates calculated in accordance with the first position coordinate computing algorithm when the second application program is activated from the first application program; and

when the computer system is under the control of the second application program;

(i) using the position coordinates received from the notifying step and calculated in accordance with the first position coordinate computing algorithm, and displaying the user controlled position image on the display screen, when the second application program is activated from the first application program; and

(ii) calculating position coordinates based on the base data in accordance with a second position coordinate computing algorithm, which is different from the first position coordinate computing algorithm yielding a second feeling of operation to the user when the user controlled position image is displayed, and displaying the user controlled position image on the display screen, when the second application program is activated from the operating system.