Locational node device

• US 9,597,587 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2011
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Bathiche, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): LARSEN, CARL VICTOR
• Application Number:
  US13/155,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20120315965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,113 Days
• Field of Search: 348/135, 348/136, 463/34
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• 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 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00646 with illumination of playing field or playing piece
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2402 Input by manual operation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2438 Multiple input devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2452 as a signal
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/246 Computer generated or synthesized image
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2461 Projection of a two-dimensional real image
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2486 the computer being an accessory to a board game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2492 Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/18 Use of resilient or deformable elements
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00529 Board game without game board
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 : Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 : in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects

Abstract

A node device in a distributed virtual environment captures locational signals projected by another node device into a capture area of the node device and reflected from the capture area to a capture device of the node device. The location of the node device relative to the other node device is determined based on the captured locational signals. The determined location can be based on an angular relationship determined between the node device and the other node device based on the captured locational signals. The determined location can also be based on a relative distance determined between the node device and the other node device based on the captured locational signals. Topology of the capture area can also be detected by the node device, and topologies of multiple capture areas can be combined to define one or more surfaces in a virtual environment.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing, by a first node device, locational signals projected by a second node device, wherein the locational signals are captured by the first node device from a capture area and projected by the second node device into a projection area bordered by an arc and having an overlapping region with the capture area, wherein both the capture area and the projection area extend beyond the overlapping region;

analyzing the locational signals within the overlapping region to determine a portion of the arc of the projection area that is included within the overlapping region;

using the determined portion of the arc of the projection area within the overlapping region to determine an angular relationship between the first node device and the second node device and a relative distance between the first node device and the second node device; and

using the angular relationship and the relative distance to determine a location of the first node device relative to the second node device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the locational signals include structured light.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the locational signals include angularly unique signals projected into the overlapping region by the second node device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the locational signals include coordinates.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining depth information about points in the overlapping region, the depth information defining respective distances between the first node device and the points in the overlapping region.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the depth information defines an irregular topology for the overlapping region.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the depth information defines a first topology of the overlapping region, and further comprising:

combining the first topology with a second topology of the overlapping region to form a combined topology of a portion of a virtual environment, wherein the second topology is determined from second locational signals captured by the second node device.

8. A first node device comprising:

a capture device configured to capture locational signals projected by a second node device into a capture area of the capture device; and

control logic configured to;

determine a part of a shape of a projection area of the second node device that coincides with the capture area of the first node device,

determine a location of the first node device relative to the second node device based on the captured locational signals and the determined part of the shape of the projection area,

determining depth information about points in the capture area based on the captured locational signals and the determined part of the shape of the projection area, the depth information defining respective distances between the first node device and the points in the capture area, wherein the depth information defines an irregular topology of the capture area, and

cause the first node device to perform projection of visual aspects of a virtual environment and adjust the projection of the visual aspects to account for the irregular topology.

9. The first node device of claim 8 wherein the control logic is further configured to determine the location by:

determining an angular relationship between the first node device and the second node device based on the captured locational signals; and

determining the location based on the angular relationship.

10. The first node device of claim 8 wherein the control logic further configured to determine the location by:

determining a relative distance between the first node device and the second node device based on the captured locational signals; and

determining the location based on the relative distance.

11. The first node device of claim 8 wherein the shape of the projection area is an ellipse and the determined part of the shape of the projection area is bounded by a section of the ellipse and another section of the capture area, the section of the ellipse being an arc.

12. The first node device of claim 8 wherein the control logic is further configured to:

capture movement as part of a multimedia experience; and

cause the first node device to further adjust the projection of the visual aspects based on the captured movement.

13. The first node device of claim 8 wherein the control logic is further configured to:

capture sound as part of a multimedia experience,

cause the first node device to further adjust the projection of the visual aspects based on the captured sound.

14. The first node device of claim 8 wherein the control logic is further configured to:

combine the irregular topology of the capture area of the first node device with a second topology of a second capture area of the second node device to form a combined topology of a portion of the virtual environment.

15. A first node device comprising:

a capture device configured to capture locational signals projected by a second node device into a capture area of the capture device; and

a processor and memory, the memory storing processor-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

determine a part of a shape of a projection area of the second node device that coincides with the capture area of the first node device,

determine a location of the first node device relative to the second node device based on the captured locational signals and the

determined part of the shape of the projection area, determine depth information about points in the capture area based on the captured locational signals and the determined part of the shape of the projection area, the depth information defining respective distances between the first node device and the points in the capture area, wherein the depth information defines an irregular topology of the capture area, and

cause the first node device to perform projection of visual aspects of a virtual environment and adjust the projection of the visual aspects to account for the irregular topology.

16. The first node device of claim 15, further comprising a housing configured to screw into a standard light bulb fixture.

17. The first node device of claim 16, wherein the capture device is disposed within the housing.

18. The first node device of claim 16, further comprising:

a projection device disposed within the housing, the projection device configured to project other locational signals into at least a portion of another capture area of a third node device.

19. The first node device of claim 15, wherein the first node device is configured to operate in multiple modes, the multiple modes comprising two or more of:

visible light projection,

invisible light projection,

sound projection,

visible light capture,

invisible light capture, and

sound capture.

20. The first node device of claim 15, wherein the first node device is a component of a system that also includes the second node device.