Control of virtual object using device touch interface functionality

• US 9,092,135 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2010
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Chen, Ruxin
• Primary Examiner(s): SALOMON, PHENUEL S
• Application Number:
  US12/917,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20120110447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,730 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702, 345/173, 345/419
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00

Abstract

A virtual object can be controlled using one or more touch interfaces. A location for a first touch input can be determined on a first touch interface. A location for a second touch input can be determined on a second touch interface. A three-dimensional segment can be generated using the location of the first touch input, the location of the second touch input, and a pre-determined spatial relationship between the first touch interface and the second touch interface. The virtual object can be manipulated using the three-dimensional segment in c) as a control input. The manipulated virtual object can be displayed on a display.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a virtual object, comprising:

a) determining a location for a first touch input on a first touch interface, wherein determining the location of the first touch input involves using pre-touch to determine a position of the first touch input on the first touch interface and a perpendicular distance between that position and a point of application of touch;

b) determining a location for a second touch input on a second touch interface, wherein determining the location of the second touch input involves using pre-touch to determine a position of the second touch input on the second touch interface and a perpendicular distance between that position and a point of application of touch;

c) generating a three-dimensional segment having an orientation determined by the location of the first touch input, the location of the second touch input, and a pre-determined spatial relationship between the first touch interface and the second touch interface; and

d) manipulating the virtual object using the three-dimensional segment in c) as a control input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first touch interface is a touch screen.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second touch interface is a touch pad.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first touch interface in a) is situated on a first device and the second touch interface in b) is situated on a second device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first device and the second device are connected over a wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

e) displaying the manipulated virtual object on a display.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein e) includes displaying the virtual object on a display separate from a device containing the first touch interface and a device containing the second touch interface.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein e) includes displaying the virtual object on a first touch screen.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein e) also includes displaying the virtual object on a second touch screen.

10. An apparatus for controlling a virtual object, comprising:

a first touch interface;

a second touch interface;

a processor operably coupled to the first touch interface; and

instructions executable by the processor configured to;

a) determine a location of a first touch input on the first touch interface, wherein determining the location of the first touch input involves using pre-touch to determine a position of the first touch input on the first touch interface and a perpendicular distance between that position and a point of application of touch;

b) determine a location of a second touch input on the second touch interface, wherein determining the location of the second touch input involves using pre-touch to determine a position of the second touch input on the second touch interface and a perpendicular distance between that position and a point of application of touch;

c) generate a three-dimensional segment having an orientation determined by the location of the first touch input, the location of the second touch input, and a pre-determined spatial relationship between the first touch interface and the second touch interface; and

d) manipulate the virtual object using the three-dimensional segment in c) as a control input.

11. The apparatus in claim 10, wherein the processor is further operably coupled to the second touch interface;

and the first touch interface and the second touch interface are both situated on a case having first and second major surfaces.

12. The apparatus in claim 11, wherein the first touch interface is a touch screen located on the first major surface.

13. The apparatus in claim 12, wherein the second touch interface is a touch pad located on the second major surface.

14. The apparatus in claim 10, wherein the first touch interface in a) is situated on a first device and the second touch interface in b) is situated on a second device.

15. The apparatus in claim 14, wherein the first device and the second device are connected over a wireless network.

16. The apparatus in claim 10, further comprising a visual display separate from a device containing the first touch interface and a device containing the second touch interface.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the instructions executable by the processor are further configured to:

e) display the manipulated virtual object.

18. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium for controlling a virtual object using two touch interfaces, said computer program product having;

a) computer readable program code means for determining a location of a first touch input on a first touch interface, wherein determining the location of the first touch input involves using pre-touch to determine a position of the first touch input on the first touch interface and a perpendicular distance between that position and a point of application of touch;

b) computer readable program code means for determining a location of a second touch input on a second touch interface, wherein determining the location of the second touch input involves using pre-touch to determine a position of the second touch input on the second touch interface and a perpendicular distance between that position and a point of application of touch;

c) computer readable program code means for generating a three-dimensional segment having an orientation determined by the location of the first touch input, the location of the second touch input, and a pre-determined spatial relationship between the first touch interface and the second touch interface; and

d) computer readable program code means for manipulating the virtual object using the three-dimensional segment in c) as a control input.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

e) computer readable program code means for displaying the manipulated virtual object.