Coordinate calculation apparatus and storage medium having coordinate calculation program stored therein

• US 9,772,694 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2014
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Keizo
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Au, Scott
• Application Number:
  US14/170,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20140145952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 345157-167
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• 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 13/5255 according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1018 Calibration; Key and button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• 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 2300/6676 by dedicated player input
• 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 coordinate calculation apparatus calculates a coordinate point representing a position on a display screen based on an orientation of an input device. The coordinate calculation apparatus includes direction acquisition means, orientation calculation means, first coordinate calculation means, and correction means. The direction acquisition means acquires information representing a direction of the input device viewed from a predetermined position in a predetermined space. The orientation calculation means calculates the orientation of the input device in the predetermined space. The first coordinate calculation means calculates a first coordinate point for determining the position on the display screen based on the orientation of the input device. The correction means corrects the first coordinate point such that the first coordinate point calculated when the input device is directed in a predetermined direction takes a predetermined reference value.

Claims

1. A coordinate calculation apparatus having a processor for calculating a coordinate point, representing a position on a display screen, based on an orientation of an input device, the processor performing:

calculating the orientation of the input device in a predetermined space; and

calculating a first coordinate point representing a position on the display screen at a point in time, wherein the first coordinate point takes a predetermined reference value when the input device takes a reference orientation, and the first coordinate point is calculated in accordance with a direction and an amount of change from the reference orientation to the orientation of the input device calculated at the point in time, the first coordinate point being calculated based on the orientation of the input device calculated at the point in time and the reference value, the reference orientation being an orientation of the input device calculated at a point in time when the predetermined condition is satisfied, wherein,

the first coordinate point is a coordinate point representing an intersectional position between a line extending from a predetermined reference point toward a direction of a vector indicating the orientation of the input device and a predetermined plane,

the processor sets a coordinate system within the predetermined plane such that the first coordinate point takes the reference value in the case of the reference orientation,

the first coordinate point is represented by the set coordinate system, and

the processor calculates the position on the display screen based on the calculated first coordinate point.

2. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the processor repeatedly calculates the first coordinate point based on the orientation of the input device,

the processor stores, as information representing the reference orientation, reference information representing the first coordinate point calculated based on the orientation of the input device calculated at a point in time when the predetermined condition is satisfied, and

when the first coordinate point is calculated based on the orientation of the input device, the processor corrects the calculated first coordinate point such that the first coordinate point represented by the reference information takes a predetermined reference value.

3. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the processor obtains a direction of the input device as viewed from a predetermined position in the predetermined space, and calculates a second coordinate point on the display screen based on the direction of the input device,

the reference orientation is determined such that a position on the display screen that corresponds to the reference value matches a position represented by the second coordinate point calculated at a point in time when the predetermined condition is satisfied.

4. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the processor determines a correction amount in accordance with a difference between a position determined by the first coordinate point calculated at a point in time when the predetermined condition is satisfied and a position represented by the second coordinate point calculated at the point in time, and

the processor corrects the first coordinate point in accordance with the correction amount.

5. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein,

the processor performs predetermined information processing in which the position on the display screen is used as an input, the processor determines the correction amount prior to the predetermined information processing in response to satisfaction of the predetermined condition,

the processor calculates the first coordinate point while the predetermined information processing is being repeatedly performed, and

the processor corrects the first coordinate point in accordance with the correction amount each time the first coordinate point is calculated.

6. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein,

the processor displays a predetermined instruction image in a position represented by the second coordinate point on the display screen, and

when the instruction image is placed within a predetermined range on the screen, the processor determines the correction amount based on the first coordinate point calculated at the time of placement of the instruction image within the predetermined range and the second coordinate point corresponding to a predetermined position within the predetermined range.

7. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein,

the processor displays a button image within the predetermined range on the screen allowing the user to give a predetermined instruction, and

the processor performs a process for determining the correction amount only when the button image is displayed.

8. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein,

the input device includes an image pickup device, and

the processor acquires, as the information representing the direction of the input device, information representing a position of a predetermined imaging target within an image taken by the image pickup device.

9. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the first coordinate point is a two-dimensional coordinate point, and

the processor corrects the first coordinate point only for one component.

10. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the input device includes an acceleration sensor and/or an angular rate sensor, and

the processor calculates the orientation of the input device based on a detection result or results by the acceleration sensor and/or the angular rate sensor.

11. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 10, wherein,

the processor calculates the orientation of the input device based on an angular rate detected by the angular rate sensor, and corrects the orientation based on an acceleration rate detected by the acceleration sensor.

12. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 10, wherein,

the input device includes an image pickup device, and

the processor calculates the orientation of the input device based on an angular rate detected by the angular rate sensor, and corrects the orientation at least for a rotation about a gravitational direction based on a position of a predetermined imaging target within an image taken by the image pickup device.

13. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor sets the predetermined plane within a plane set to be fixed with respect to the reference point.

14. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor sets the predetermined plane to be maintained at a constant distance from the reference point.

15. A coordinate calculation apparatus having a processor for calculating a coordinate point, representing a position on a display screen, based on an orientation of an input device, the input device including a sensor for outputting a value according to a change of orientation, wherein the processor:

sets an initial orientation of the input device by using an output value of the sensor in response to a user performing a predetermined operation;

calculates the orientation of the input device by using the initial orientation of the input device and the output value of the sensor after the initial orientation of the input device is set; and

calculates the coordinate point based on the orientation of the input device, wherein,

the coordinate point is a coordinate point representing an intersectional position between a line extending from a predetermined reference point toward a direction of a vector indicating the orientation of the input device and a predetermined plane,

the processor sets a coordinate system within the predetermined plane such that the coordinate point takes the reference value in the case of the reference orientation,

the coordinate point is represented by the set coordinate system, and

the processor calculates the position on the display screen based on the calculated coordinate point.

16. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 15, wherein,

the processor performs a game process using the coordinate position as an input, and

the initial orientation is set before start of the game process.

17. The coordinate calculation apparatus according to claim 15, wherein,

the processor performs a game process using the coordinate position as an input, and

the initial orientation is set during the game process.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a coordinate calculation program to be executed by a computer in a coordinate calculation apparatus for calculating a coordinate point, representing a position on a display screen, based on an orientation of an input device, the program causing the computer to perform:

calculating an orientation of the input device in a predetermined space; and

calculating a first coordinate point for determining the position on the display screen at a point in time, wherein the first coordinate point takes a predetermined reference value when the input device takes a reference orientation, and the first coordinate point is in accordance with a direction and an amount of change from the reference orientation to the orientation of the input device calculated at the point in time, the first coordinate point being calculated based on the orientation of the input device calculated at the point in time and the reference value, the reference orientation being an orientation of the input device calculated at a point in time when a predetermined condition is satisfied, wherein,

the first coordinate point is a coordinate point representing an intersectional position between a line extending from a predetermined reference point toward a direction of a vector indicating the orientation of the input device and a predetermined plane,

the program causes the computer to perform setting a coordinate system within the predetermined plane such that the first coordinate point takes the reference value in the case of the reference orientation,

the first coordinate point is represented by the set coordinate system, and

the program causes the computer to perform calculating the position on the display screen based on the calculated first coordinate point.

19. A coordinate calculation system having at least one processor for calculating a coordinate point, representing a position on a display screen, based on an orientation of an input device, wherein the at least one processor:

calculates an orientation of the input device in a predetermined space; and

calculates a first coordinate point for determining the position on the display screen at a point in time, wherein the first coordinate point takes a predetermined reference value when the input device takes a reference orientation, and the first coordinate point is in accordance with a direction and an amount of change from the reference orientation to the orientation of the input device calculated at the point in time, the first coordinate point being calculated based on the orientation calculated at the point in time and the reference value, the reference orientation being an orientation of the input device calculated at a point in time when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and wherein,

the first coordinate point is a coordinate point representing an intersectional position between a line extending from a predetermined reference point toward a direction of a vector indicating the orientation of the input device and a predetermined plane,

the processor sets a coordinate system within the predetermined plane such that the first coordinate point takes the reference value in the case of the reference orientation,

the first coordinate point is represented by the set coordinate system, and

the processor calculates the position on the display screen based on the calculated first coordinate point.

20. A coordinate calculation method for calculating a coordinate point, representing a position on a display screen, based on an orientation of an input device, the coordinate calculation method comprising:

calculating an orientation of the input device in a predetermined space;

calculating a first coordinate point for determining the position on the display screen at a point in time, wherein the first coordinate point takes a predetermined reference value when the input device takes a reference orientation, and the first coordinate point is in accordance with a direction and an amount of change from the reference orientation to the orientation of the input device calculated at the point in time, the first coordinate point being calculated based on the orientation calculated at the point in time and the reference value, the reference orientation being an orientation of the input device calculated at a point in time when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the first coordinate point being a coordinate point representing an intersectional position between a line extending from a predetermined reference point toward a direction of a vector indicating the orientation of the input device and a predetermined plane,

setting a coordinate system within the predetermined plane such that the first coordinate point takes the reference value in the case of the reference orientation, wherein the first coordinate point is represented by the set coordinate system, and

calculating the position on the display screen based on the calculated first coordinate point.