Control of virtual object using device touch interface functionality

• US 9,575,594 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2016
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Chen, Ruxin
• Primary Examiner(s): SALOMON, PHENUEL S
• Application Number:
  US15/188,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20160299624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 as a control input.

Claims

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

determining a location for a first touch input on a first touch interface;

determining a location for a second touch input on a second touch interface;

generating a three-dimensional segment 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; and

manipulating the virtual object using the three-dimensional segment as a control input, wherein manipulating the virtual object using the three-dimensional segment as a control input includes generating a new three-dimensional segment in response to a shift in the location for the first input touch and/or the location for the second input touch.

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 or second touch interface includes a curved surface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the manipulated virtual object on a display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second touch interface is on a different device than the first touch interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second touch interface is the same device as the first touch interface.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the manipulated virtual object on a display, wherein displaying the manipulated virtual object on a display 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.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the manipulated virtual object on a display, wherein displaying the manipulated virtual object on a display includes displaying the virtual object on a first touch screen.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein displaying the manipulated virtual object on a display also includes displaying the virtual object on a second touch screen.

11. 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;

b) determine a location of a second touch input on the second touch interface;

c) generate a three-dimensional segment 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;

d) manipulate the virtual object using the three-dimensional segment in c) as a control input, wherein manipulating the virtual object using the three-dimensional segment as a control input includes generating a new three-dimensional segment in response to a shift in the location for the first input touch and/or the location for the second input touch; and

e) display the manipulated virtual object.

12. The apparatus in claim 11, 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.

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

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

15. The apparatus in claim 11, 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.

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

17. The Apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first or second touch interface includes a curved surface.

18. The apparatus in claim 11, further comprising a visual display separate from a device containing the first touch interface and a device containing the second touch interface.

19. 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;

computer readable program code means for determining a location of a first touch input on a first touch interface;

computer readable program code means for determining a location of a second touch input on a second touch interface;

computer readable program code means for generating a three-dimensional segment 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; and

computer readable program code means for manipulating the virtual object using the three-dimensional segment in as a control input, wherein manipulating the virtual object using the three-dimensional segment as a control input includes generating a new three-dimensional segment in response to a shift in the location for the first input touch and/or the location for the second input touch.