Projection of an interactive environment

• US 9,550,124 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ulyte, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MEP Tech, Inc.
• Inventors: Davis, Mark L., Tabor, Timothy Alan, Hoole, Roger H., Taylor, Jeffrey, Black, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dulka, John P
• Application Number:
  US14/462,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20140354603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/00 Card games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00; card games played on a gaming machine G07F17/32
• 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 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/008 adapted for being playable on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2425 Scanners, e.g. for scanning regular characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2463 on a screen, e.g. using a video projector
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/30 with a three-dimensional image
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/04 Dice dice tops A63F5/04 D; Dice-boxes; Mechanical dice-throwing devices casino or betting games played on boards A63F3/00157
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0468 Electronic dice; electronic dice simulators
• 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 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An interactive environment image may be projected onto one or more surfaces, and interaction with the projected environment image may be detected within a three-dimensional space over the one or more surfaces. The interactive environment image may be a three-dimensional image, or it may be two-dimensional. An image is projected onto a surface to provide a visual environment representation of a virtual space including one or more of the virtual objects, which may be spatially positioned. User interaction with the projected visualized representation of the virtual environment space may be detected and, in response to user interaction, the projected visualized representation may be changed.

Claims

1. A method for projecting an interactive environment image on at least one surface, the method comprising:

projecting an environment image on a surface, the environment image comprising a visualized representation of at least part of a virtual environment space, the visualized representation including a visualized representation of a plurality of virtual objects; and

detecting user interaction with the surface onto which the visualized representation is projected, including;

scanning a three-dimensional space over the surface onto which the visual representation is projected for movement of a manipulating element into and within the three-dimensional space; and

detecting virtual interaction of the manipulating element with a location over the surface corresponding to a location of a virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects over the surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the user interaction comprises detecting a physical movement or manipulation of a physical object within the three-dimensional space.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting user interaction with the surface onto which the visualized representation is projected is based on extension of the manipulating element between a first location outside of the three-dimensional space and a second location within the three-dimensional space.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein detecting user interaction comprises distinguishing between a plurality of elements simultaneously extending between first locations outside of the three-dimensional space and second locations within the three-dimensional space.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing the visualized representation in response to interaction between the manipulating element and the surface onto which the visualized representation is projected.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein changing the visualized representation comprises affecting the visualized object with which the manipulating element has interacted.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein affecting the visualized object comprises moving, manipulating or changing the visualized object.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein changing the visualized representation comprises adding a new visualized object to the visualized representation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein projecting the interactive environment image on the surface includes projecting at least a portion of the interactive environment image on a substantially horizontal surface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein projecting the interactive environment image also includes projecting the interactive environment image on a substantially vertical surface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein projecting the interactive environment image comprises projecting a prepared image tailored to a topography of the surface onto which the interactive environment image is projected to ensure that features of the interactive environment image are proportionately displayed on the surface.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting user interaction with the surface includes detecting user interaction with a topography of the surface.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment image includes three-dimensional information viewable by a user as a three-dimensional image.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein projecting the interactive environment image on the surface comprises projecting a plurality of sub-images on the surface from a plurality of discrete locations, the method further comprising:

an act of formulating data representing the plurality of sub-images prior to projecting the plurality of sub-images.

15. A computing system, comprising:

a projection element configured to project an interactive environment image on a surface; and

a scanning mechanism configured to detect a user interaction with an interactive environment image that is projected on a surface, the interactive environment image including a visual representation of at least part of a virtual environment space in which a plurality of virtual objects are spatially positioned by;

scanning a three-dimensional space over the surface onto which the visual representation is projected for movement of a manipulating element into, and within the three-dimensional space; and

detecting a virtual interaction of the manipulating element with a location over the surface corresponding to a location of a virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects over the surface.

16. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the scanning mechanism is further configured to detect a user interaction with an interactive environment image that is projected on the surface by:

detecting extension of the manipulating element into the three-dimensional space from a location outside of the three-dimensional space.

17. The computing system of claim 15, further comprising:

at least one processing element programmed to change the visual representation in response to the user interaction with the visual representation.

18. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the scanning mechanism comprises the at least one processing element and at least one camera.

19. A portable projection system, comprising:

at least one projector configured to project an interactive environment image representing a plurality of virtual objects that are spatially positioned in a virtual environment space; and

a scanning mechanism configured to scan an area onto which the interactive environment image is projected to determine one or more positions of a contact-based interactivity, the scanning mechanism configured to;

scan a three-dimensional space over the area onto which the interactive environment image is projected for movement of a manipulating element relative to the interactive environment image; and

detect virtual interaction between a manipulating element and a location over the surface corresponding to a location of a virtual object of the plurality of virtual objects over.

20. The portable projection system of claim 19, wherein the scanning mechanism is further configured to:

detect extension of the manipulating element into the three-dimensional space from a location outside of the three-dimensional space.