Systems and methods for determining functionality of a display device based on position, orientation or motion

• US 9,545,572 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mao, Xiaodong, Rimon, Noam
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US14/810,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20150328540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 463 35- 39, 345156-158
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• 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 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• 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 3/0317 in co-operation with a patterned surface, e.g. absolute position or relative movement detection for an optical mouse or pen positioned with respect to a coded surface
• 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

Abstract

A system for interfacing with an interactive program is provided, including: a computing device for executing the interactive program; a display device for enabling user control and input to the interactive program, the display device being configured to be attached to the user; wherein the computing device is configured to receive data from an image capture device to determine and track a position of the display device; wherein the computing device is configured to define interactive zones, each interactive zone being defined by a spatial region having an associated specified function for an action of the display device when the display device is positioned within that interactive zone; and, wherein the computing device is configured to set the functionality of the action of the display device to the specified function associated with the interactive zone within which the display device is located.

Claims

1. A system for interfacing with an interactive program, comprising:

a computing device for executing the interactive program, the interactive program being stored on a memory;

a display device for enabling user control and input to the interactive program, the display device being configured to be attached to the user;

wherein the computing device is configured to receive data from an image capture device to determine and track a position of the display device;

wherein the computing device is configured to define interactive zones, each interactive zone being defined by a spatial region having an associated specified function for an action of the display device when the display device is positioned within that interactive zone; and

wherein the computing device is configured to set the functionality of the action of the display device to the specified function associated with the interactive zone within which the display device is located.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the display device includes a harness for attaching the display device to the user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the interactive zones are dynamically determined according to a state of the interactive program.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each specified function is operable for causing an action or selecting an option within the interactive program.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the specified functions associated with two or more of the interactive zones are similar functions which vary by degree.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the specified functions associated with two or more of the interactive zones are dissimilar functions.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the action of the display device is an input received from the user of the display device and communicated from the display device to the interactive program.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the input received from the user is entered via an input device of the display device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the input device is selected from a group consisting of a button, joystick, trigger, touchpad, trackball, or pressure sensor.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the input received from the user is entered via movement of the display device.

11. The system of claim 1,

wherein the image capture device is integrated with the display device and configured to capture images of an interactive environment;

and

wherein determining the position of the display device is based on a perspective distortion in the captured images.

12. A display device for enabling user control and providing input to an interactive program, the interactive program being stored on a memory, the interactive program being executed by a computing device, the display device comprising:

a harness for attaching the display device to the user;

a communications module for communications with the computing device;

at least one sensor for detecting position or motion of the display device;

a display screen;

wherein the display device is configured to be operated within interactive zones, each interactive zone being defined by a spatial region having an associated specified function for an action of the display device when the display device is positioned within that interactive zone; and

wherein the functionality of the action of the display device is set to the specified function associated with the interactive zone within which the display device is positioned as determined from data processed from the at least one sensor.

13. The display device of claim 12, wherein the action of the display device is defined by a change in the display device'"'"'s location or orientation.

14. The display device of claim 12, wherein the interactive zones are dynamically determined according to a state of the interactive program.

15. The display device of claim 12, wherein each specified function is operable for causing an action or selecting an option within the interactive program.

16. The display device of claim 12, wherein the action of the display device is an input received from the user of the display device and communicated from the display device to the interactive program.

17. The display device of claim 12, further comprising:

an image capture device configured to capture images of an interactive environment; and

wherein the position of the display device is determined based on a perspective distortion in the captured images.

18. The display device of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one inertial sensor for detecting position or motion of the display device.

19. A method for determining a functionality of an action of a display device, the display device configured for interfacing with an interactive program, the interactive program being stored on a memory, the method comprising:

defining interactive zones, each interactive zone being defined by a spatial region having an associated specified function for the action of the display device when the display device is located within that interactive zone;

continuously determining a position of the display device, the display device being configured to be attached to a user; and

setting the functionality of the action of the display device to have the specified function associated with the interactive zone within which the display device is located.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the action of the display device is a movement of the display device, the movement of the display device being defined by a change in location and/or orientation of the display device.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the interactive zones are dynamically determined according to a state of the interactive program.