Information processing method for designating an arbitrary point within a three-dimensional space

• US 20040021663A1
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Akira, Enomoto, Shigeru
• Application Number:
  US10/460,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20040021663A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04801 Cursor retrieval aid, i.e. visual aspect modification, blinking, colour changes, enlargement or other visual cues, for helping user do find the cursor in graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A three dimensional space is displayed on a two-dimensional display screen, a coordinate value, and a pressing force value of the point within the two-dimensional display screen designated by a user are detected, and a position within the three-dimensional space is specified according to the coordinate value and passing force value. This means it is possible for a user to easily designate an arbitrary point within a three-dimensional space by designating a point on a two-dimensional display screen. Namely, it is possible to easily designate an arbitrary point within a three-dimensional space by natural operation that is close to the operation in the real world with high accuracy.

Claims

1. An information processing method, compromising the steps of:

displaying a three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional display scrcen;

detecting a coordinate value and a depth value of a point within the two-dimensional display screen designated by a user, and

recognizing a position within three-dimensional space designated by the user according to the coordinate value and the depth value.

2. An information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a cursor on the point on the point on the two-dimensional display screen designated by the user, and

displaying the cursor that moves in depth direction of the two-dimensional display screen according to a change of the depth value.

3. An information processing method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of:

specifying the position at which the cursor stops as a position within a three-dimensional space designated by the use.

4. An information processing method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of:

changing at least one of size, color, and brightness of the cursor according to the movement of the cursor.

5. An information processing method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of:

executing a predetermined processing according to contact between the cursor and a object within the three dimensional space.

6. An information processing method according to claim 5, wherein:

the predetermined processing is a processing in which at least one of vibration and sound is produced.

7. An information processing method, comprising the steps of:

displaying at least one object on a two-dimensional display screen;

detecting a coordinate value and a depth value of a point on the two-dimensional display screen designated by a user; and

executing processing to the object designated by the coordinate value according to the depth value.

8. An information processing method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

selecting the processing by determining whether the depth value is over a predetermined threshold value or not.

9. An information processing method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

generating at least one of vibration and sound according to the change of the coordinate values and depth value.

10. A recording medium having recorded therein an information processing program to be executed on a computer, wherein the information processing program comprises the steps of:

displaying a three dimensional space on a two dimensional display screen;

detecting a coordinate value and a depth value of a point within the two-dimensional display screen designated by a user, and

recognizing a position within the three-dimensional space designated by the user according to the coordinate value and the depth value.

11. A recording medium having recorded therein an information processing program according to claim 10, wherein the information processing program further comprises the steps of:

displaying a cursor on the point on the two-dimensional display screen designated by the user, and

displaying the cursor that moves in depth direction of the two-dimensional display screen according to a change of the depth value.

12. A recording medium having recorded therein an information processing program according to claim 11, wherein the information processing program further comprises the steps of:

specifying the position at which the cursor stops as a position within a three-dimensional space designated by the user.

13. A recording medium having recorded therein an information processing program according to claim 11, wherein the information processing program further comprises the step of:

changing at least one of size, color, and brightness of the cursor according to the movement of the cursor.

14. A recording medium having recorded therein an information processing program according to claim 11, wherein the information processing program further comprises the step of:

executing a predetermined processing according to contact between the cursor and a object within the three dimensional space.

15. A recording medium having recorded therein an information processing program according claim 14, wherein

the predetermined processing is a processing in which at least one of vibration and sound is produced.

16. A recording medium having recorded therein an information processing program to be executed on a computer, wherein the information processing program comprises the steps of:

displaying at least one object on a two-dimensional display screen;

detecting a coordinate value and a depth value of a point on the two-dimensional display screen designated by a user, and

executing processing to the object designated by the coordinate value according to the depth value.

17. A recording medium having recorded therein an information processing program according to claim 16, wherein the information processing program further comprises the step of:

selecting the processing by determining whether the depth value is over a predetermined threshold value or not.

18. A recording medium having recorded therein an information processing program according to claim 16, wherein the information processing program further comprises the step of:

generating at least one of vibration and sound according to the change of the coordinate values and depth value.

19. An information processing program to be executed on a computer, comprising the steps of:

displaying a tree-dimensional space on a two-dimensional display screen;

detecting a coordinate value and a depth value of a point within the two-dimensional display screen designated by a user; and

recognizing a position within the three dimensional space designated by the user according to the coordinate value and the depth value.

20. An information processing program to be executed on a computer, comprising the steps of:

displaying at least one object on a two-dimensional display screen;

detecting a coordinate value and a depth value of a point on the two-dimensional display screen designated by a user, and

executing processing to be object designated by the coordinate value according to the depth value.

21. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a display section for displaying a dimensional space on a two-dimensional display screen;

a coordinate value detector for detecting a coordinate value of a point on the two-dimensional display screen designated by a user;

a depth value detector for detecting depth value of the point on the two-dimensional display screen; and

a controller for recognizing a position witin the three-dimensional space designated by the user according to the detected coordinate value and depth value.

22. An information processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein

the controller displays a cursor on the point on the two-dimensional display screen and moves the cursor in depth direction to the two-dimensional display screen according to a change of the depth value.

23. An information processing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein

the controller specifies a position at which the cursor stops as a position within a three-dimensional space designated by the user.

24. An information processing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein

the controller changes at least one of size, color, and brightness of the cursor according to the movement of the cursor.

25. An information processing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein

the controller executes predetermined processing according to contact between the cursor and a object within the three dimensional space.

26. An information processing apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the predetermined processing is a processing in which at least one of vibration and sound is produced.

27. An information processing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein

the coordinate value detector and the depth value detector are a touch panel and a pressure-sensitive element respectively.

28. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a display section for displaying at least one object on a two dimensional display screen;

a coordinate value detector for detecting a coordinate value of a point on the two-dimensional display screen designated by a user;

a depth value for detecting a depth value of the point on the two-dimensional display user; and

a controller for executing processing to the object designated by the coordinate value according to the depth value.

29. An information processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein

the controller selects the processing by determining whether the depth value is over a predetermined threshold value or not.

30. An information processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein

the controller generates at least one of vibration and sound according to change of the coordinate values and depth value.

31. An information processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein

the coordinate value detector and the depth value detector are a touch panel and a pressure-sensitive element respectively.