Methods and apparatus for using illumination marks for spatial pointing

• US 9,364,755 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Shin, Ashida, Kenichiro, Takamoto, Junji, Goto, Yoshitomo, Suetake, Fumiyoshi, Ikeda, Akio, Inoue, Susumu, Ito, Kuniaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Milap
• Application Number:
  US13/230,953
• Time in Patent Office: 1,736 Days
• Field of Search: 463/47, 463 36- 39, 463/46, 362/85, 362/240, 36224902-24906
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• 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 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

An elongated member such as a bar includes spaced-apart infrared light illumination ports at opposite ends thereof. Exemplary spacing between the two spaced-apart light ports may be 20 centimeters or more. Each light port comprises an array of plural light sources. The plural light sources in each array may be directionally aimed to as to provide different illumination directions. The plural light sources in each array may emit different colors or frequencies of light. Example applications include targeting or marking capabilities for a video game or other system handheld pointing device.

Claims

1. A gaming system, comprising:

an infrared light emitting bar configured to transmit infrared light, the bar comprising;

an elongated linear-shaped housing having first and second ends, at least a portion of said housing being infrared-light transmissive;

a first plurality of infrared light emitters disposed within the housing substantially at the housing first end;

a second plurality of infrared light emitters disposed within the housing substantially at the housing second end and spaced apart from the first plurality of infrared light emitters, the first and second pluralities of infrared light emitters being arranged to transmit infrared light through the infrared-light transmissive housing portion towards a player of a videogame being displayed on a display device coupled to the gaming system; and

an electrically-conductive wire entering the housing and connected to commonly activate the first and second pluralities of the infrared light emitters;

a handheld videogame controller comprising;

an optical detector configured to detect infrared light emitted by the first and second pluralities of infrared light emitters; and

a wireless transmitter operatively coupled to the optical detector and configured to wirelessly transmit indications based on the infrared light detected by the optical detector; and

a videogame main unit comprising;

a wireless receiving device configured to wirelessly receive the transmitted indications from the wireless transmitter;

a non-transitory memory device configured to store a software algorithm; and

a processor, which upon executing the software algorithm, is configured to (i) ascertain real-time continuous aspects of at least a position and a pointing orientation of the optical detector relative to the light emitting bar based on the transmitted indications, and (ii) based on the real-time continuous aspects of at least the position and the pointing orientation, operate a game object of the videogame being displayed on the display device coupled to the gaming system;

wherein the housing is configured so that the optical detector can sense infrared light emitted by the first and second pluralities of infrared light emitters even when the optical detector is substantially off axis with respect to a direction perpendicular to the housing light-transmissive portion.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the wire is configured to connect the bar to the videogame main unit and videogame main unit is structured to supply power to the bar via the wire when the wire is connected thereto.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, further including an elongated printed circuit board disposed within the housing, the printed circuit board having first and second ends with the first plurality of infrared light emitters disposed at the printed circuit board first end and the second plurality of infrared light emitters disposed at the printed circuit board second end.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the videogame main unit is configured to turn the bar on and off at specified encodings.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the bar is configured to radiate the infrared light at a frequency of 940 nanometers.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the housing is dimensioned to space apart first and second infrared filtering windows by at least 20 centimeters.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a rectangular trough defining a side that is at least partially open, the infrared-light transmissive housing portion being planar and disposed to cover one or more open parts of the trough side.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second pluralities of light emitters comprises at least three discrete light emitters.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of light emitters is arrayed in the same orientation as the second plurality of light emitters.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of light emitters are directional.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, further including an activation circuit coupled to the electrically-conductive wire, the activation circuit being structured to supply encoded information for selectively activating said first and second pluralities of light emitters to emit encoded infrared signaling.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the light emitters of the first plurality are disposed adjacent one another along an axis, and the light emitters of the second plurality are disposed adjacent one another along the same axis but spaced apart from the light emitters of the first plurality.

13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter transmits coordinates of the optical detector to the wireless receiving device.

14. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured, by the software algorithm, to determine, based on the transmitted indications, an aspect of distance between the optical detector and the infrared light emitting bar.

15. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured, by the software algorithm, to determine, based on the transmitted indications, an aspect of twist orientation of the optical detector relative to the infrared light emitting bar.

16. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising a stand for supporting the infrared light emitting bar.

17. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the first and second pluralities of infrared light emitters mark spatial positions, and the optical detector detects said marked spatial positions.

18. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein display device is selected from the group consisting of a first display device and a second display device, wherein the second display device is sized differently than the first display device.

19. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the light-transmissive housing portion comprises a plastic faceplate infrared filter.

20. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to radiate modulated infrared waves toward the display device, wherein the display device is an infrared-controlled television that can be controlled by said modulated waves.

21. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the light emitters of the first plurality of light emitters are comprised of aluminum-gallium-arsenide (AIGaAs) semiconductor material.

22. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the handheld videogame controller further comprises a vibration generator coupled to the wireless transmitter, the vibration generator providing a tactile sensation.

23. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising a keyboard for text entry applications.

24. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising an element that is sensitive to touch input by the player.

25. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising a device that is responsive to voice input.

26. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the optical detector and wireless transmitter are disposed in an expansion module that modularly connects to an additional handheld device providing at least one user input button and a touchpad, the expansion module and additional handheld device sharing an electrical power source.