Device and method for processing virtual worlds

• US 9,612,737 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2011
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Han, Seung Ju, Han, Jae Joon, Bang, Won Chul, Kim, Do Kyoon
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, JENNIFER T
• Application Number:
  US13/640,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20130088424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,190 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-169, 463 32, 463 42, 463 7, 463 40, 463 36, 463 43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• 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 13/65 automatically by game devices or servers from real world data, e.g. measurement in live racing competition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2215/16 Using real world measurements to influence rendering

Abstract

A device and method for processing virtual worlds. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, information which is measured from the real world using characteristics of a sensor is transferred to a virtual world, to thereby implement an interaction between the real world and the virtual world. The disclosed device and method for processing virtual worlds involve selectively transferring information, from among the measured information, which is different from previously measured information. The disclosed device and method for processing virtual worlds involve transferring the entire measured information in the event that the measured information is significantly different from the previously measured information and for selectively transferring information, from among the measured information, which is different from the measured information in the event that the difference is not significant.

Claims

1. A virtual world processing apparatus, comprising:

a sensor configured to output information relating to sensed information; and

an encoder configured to output metadata of a binary format, based on the output information,

wherein the encoder outputs the metadata of the binary format that is encoded into first metadata or second metadata, depending on an operating mode, the first metadata comprises items in the information, and the second metadata comprises an item of which a value is different from a previous value of the item, among the items in the information, the encoder outputting the metadata into the first metadata in response to the operating mode being a normal mode in which all received information is outputted, and the encoder outputting the metadata into the second metadata in response to the operating mode being an update mode in which only a portion and not all of the received information is outputted.

2. The virtual world processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the encoder comprises:

a switch configured to receive the information outputted from the sensor, and to output the information to one of output ports of the switch, depending on the operating mode;

a first encoding unit connected to the one of the output ports of the switch to output the first metadata; and

a second encoding unit connected to another of the output ports of the switch to output the second metadata.

3. The virtual world processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

each item in the information comprises a flag, and data corresponding to the flag,

the second metadata comprises a bit indicating whether a value of each of the flag and the data corresponding to the flag is changed,

the flag has a first value in response to the data corresponding to the flag being present, or has a second value in response to the data corresponding to the flag being absent,

the bit has a third value in response to the value of the corresponding flag or the value of the data corresponding to the flag being changed, or has a fourth value in response to the value of the corresponding flag or the value of the data corresponding to the flag remaining unchanged, and

the second metadata further comprises the flag for which the corresponding bit has the third value, and the data for which the corresponding bit has the third value and the corresponding flag has the first value.

4. The virtual world processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein

each item in the information comprises a flag, and data corresponding to the flag,

the flag has a first value in response to the data corresponding to the flag being present, or has a second value in response to the data corresponding to the flag being absent,

the second metadata comprises the flag, and a bit corresponding to data, among the data, for which the flag of the second metadata has the first value,

the bit has a third value in response to a value of the data corresponding to the flag being changed, or has a fourth value in response to the value of the data corresponding to the flag remaining unchanged, and

the second metadata further comprises data, among the data, for which the corresponding bit has the third value.

5. The virtual world processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein in response to the operating mode being the update mode, a portion of current information which differs from past information is transferred.

6. The virtual world processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein in response to the operating mode being the update mode, only information that differs from past information is outputted.

7. A virtual world processing apparatus, comprising:

a decoder configured to output information, based on metadata of a binary format; and

a processor configured to generate other information to be applied to a virtual world, based on the output information,

wherein the decoder outputs the metadata of the binary format that is decoded into first metadata or second metadata depending on an operating mode, the first metadata comprises items in the outputted information, and the second metadata comprises an item of which a value is different from a previous value of the item, among the items in the outputted information, the metadata being decoded into the first metadata in response to the operating mode being a normal mode in which all received information is outputted, and the metadata being decoded into the second metadata in response to the operating mode being an update mode in which only a portion and not all of the received information is outputted.

8. The virtual world processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the decoder comprises:

a first decoding unit to receive the metadata of the binary format, to decode the received metadata of the binary format into the first metadata, and to output the metadata of the binary format that is decoded into the first metadata;

a second decoding unit to receive the metadata of the binary format, to decode the received metadata of the binary format into the second metadata, and to output the metadata of the binary format that is decoded into the second metadata; and

a switch to receive an output of the first decoding unit and an output of the second decoding unit, and to output one of the two outputs, depending on the operating mode.

9. The virtual world processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein

each item in the information comprises a flag, and data corresponding to the flag,

the second metadata comprises a bit indicating whether a value of each of the flag and the data corresponding to the flag is changed,

the flag has a first value in response to the data corresponding to the flag being present, or has a second value in response to the data corresponding to the flag being absent,

the bit has a third value in response to the value of the corresponding flag or the value of the data corresponding to the flag being changed, or has a fourth value in response to the value of the corresponding flag or the value of the data corresponding to the flag remaining unchanged, and

the second metadata further comprises the flag for which the corresponding bit has the third value, and the data for which the corresponding bit has the third value and the corresponding flag has the first value.

10. The virtual world processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein

each item in the information comprises a flag, and data corresponding to the flag,

the flag has a first value when the data corresponding to the flag is present, or has a second value when the data corresponding to the flag is absent,

the second metadata comprises the flag, and a bit corresponding to data, among the data, for which the flag corresponding to the second metadata has the first value,

the bit has a third value in response to a value of the data corresponding to the flag being changed, or has a fourth value in response to the value of the data corresponding to the flag remaining unchanged, and

the second metadata further comprises data, among the data, for which the corresponding bit has the third value.

11. A virtual world processing method, comprising:

outputting information about sensed information; and

outputting metadata of a binary format, based on the output information,

wherein the outputting of the metadata of the binary format comprises outputting the metadata of the binary format that is encoded into first metadata or second metadata depending on an operating mode, the first metadata comprises items in the information, and the second metadata comprises an item of which a value is different from a previous value of the item, among the items in the information, and

wherein the second metadata comprises flags corresponding to the items,

each of the flags has a first value in response to the corresponding item being present, or has a second value in response to the corresponding item being absent,

the second metadata further comprises at least one bit corresponding to at least one item, among the items, for which the corresponding flag has the first value,

each of the at least one bit has a third value in response to a value of the corresponding item being changed, or has a fourth value in response to the value of the corresponding item remaining unchanged, and

the second metadata further comprises the value of the item, among the items, for which the corresponding bit has the third value.

12. The virtual world processing method of claim 11, wherein the outputting of the metadata of the binary form comprises:

receiving the information, and outputting the information to one of output ports of the switch depending on the modes;

outputting the first metadata to the one of the output ports based on the output information; and

outputting the second metadata to another of the output ports based on the output information.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a program for instructing a computer to perform the method of claim 11.

14. A virtual world processing method, comprising:

outputting information based on metadata of a binary format; and

generating other information to be applied to a virtual world, based on the outputted information,

wherein the outputting of the information comprises outputting the metadata of the binary format that is decoded into first metadata or second metadata depending on an operating mode, the first metadata comprises items in the outputted information, and the second metadata comprises an item of which a value is different from a previous value of the item, among the items in the outputted information, and

wherein the second metadata comprises flags corresponding to the items,

each of the flags has a first value in response to the corresponding item being present, or has a second value in response to the corresponding item being absent,

the second metadata further comprises at least one bit corresponding to at least one item, among the items, for which the corresponding flag has the first value,

each of the at least one bit has a third value in response to a value of the corresponding item being changed, or has a fourth value in response to the value of the corresponding item remaining unchanged, and

the second metadata further comprises the item, among the items, for which the corresponding bit has the third value.

15. The virtual world processing method of claim 14, wherein the outputting of the information comprises:

receiving the metadata of the binary format, decoding the received metadata of the binary format into the first metadata, and outputting the metadata of the binary format that is decoded into the first metadata;

receiving the metadata of the binary format, decoding the received metadata of the binary format into the second metadata, and outputting the metadata of the binary format that is decoded into the second metadata; and

receiving an output of the first decoding unit and an output of the second decoding unit, and outputting one of the received two outputs, depending on the operating mode.

16. A method for interacting between a real world and a virtual world, the method comprising:

transferring, by a processor, information from the real world to the virtual world, the information being sensed in the real world using a sensor; and

processing the transferred information, and applying the transferred information to the virtual world, thereby controlling an object of the virtual world,

wherein the transferring of information comprises transferring an entirety of the information being sensed or a selective portion of the information being sensed, based on an operating mode, and

wherein the selective portion of the information being sensed is transferred in response to the transferred information being scarcely different from previously transferred information and in response to an operating being an update mode, in which only a portion and not all of the received information is outputted.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the operating mode is one of a normal mode and an updating mode.