Apparatus and a method for more realistic interactive video games on computers or similar devices using visible or invisible light and an input computing device

• US 20040063481A1
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xiaoling Wang
• Original Assignee: Xiaoling Wang
• Inventors: Wang, Xiaoling
• Application Number:
  US10/457,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20040063481A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• 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 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• 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 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• 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 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• 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 2300/61 Score computation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/643 by determining the impact between objects, e.g. collision detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/69 Involving elements of the real world in the game world, e.g. measurement in live races, real video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/80 specially adapted for executing a specific type of game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8005 : Athletics
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 : Ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 : Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 : Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 : Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed comprising an input computing device, a game computing device, a screen device, and a first marking device comprised of a lighting device. The lighting device is comprised of one or more light sources that emit light visible to video cameras but not necessarily visible to human eyes. The input computing device uses the light emitted from the one or more light sources to determine a pose of an object attached to the first marking device and passes the pose information to the game computing device. The game computing device uses the pose of the object to determine and control the pose and the action of a virtual object in the game computing device or on the screen device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising

a game computing device;

an input computing device;

a screen device;

a first marking device comprised of a lighting device;

wherein the lighting device is comprised of one or more light sources which emit light visible to video cameras;

wherein the input computing device uses the light emitted from the one or more light sources to determine a pose of a real object attached to the first marking device; and

wherein the input computing device send the determined pose to the game computing device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the input computing device uses the pose of the real object to determine and control a pose of a virtual object in the game computing device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the input computing device uses the pose of the real object to determine and control a pose of a virtual object on the screen device via the game computing device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the input computing device uses the pose of the object to determine and control movement of a virtual object in the game computing device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the input computing device uses the pose of the object to determine and control movement of a virtual object on the screen device via the game computing device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising

a video camera that captures video images of the one or more light sources;

wherein the video camera provides data relating to the video images to the game computing device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the one or more light sources are comprised of at least three point light sources and the three point light sources are not located in a single line segment.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

wherein at least one of the one or more light sources is an area light source.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein

the area light source is a polygonal light source.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the one or more of light sources are comprised of at least one point light source and at least one area light source.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the one or more light sources are comprised of a first light source which has a first characteristic and a second light source which has a second characteristic;

and

wherein the first and the second characteristics are different.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein

the first characteristic is comprised of a first color of light which is emitted from the first light source;

the second characteristic is comprised of a second color of light which is emitted from the second light source; and

wherein the first color of light and the second color of light are different.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising

a second marking device comprised of a lighting device;

wherein the lighting device of the second marking device is comprised of one or more light sources that emit light visible to video cameras;

wherein each of the one or more light sources of the first marking device has a first characteristic;

wherein each of the one or more light sources of the second marking device has a second characteristic; and

wherein the first characteristic and the second characteristic are different.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein

the first characteristic is comprised of a first color of light which is emitted from the one or more light sources of the first marking device;

the second characteristic is comprised of a second color of light which is emitted from the one or more light sources of the second marking device; and

wherein the first color is different from the second color.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein

the first characteristic is comprised of a first spatial configuration of the one or more light sources on the first marking device;

the second characteristic is comprised of a second spatial configuration of the one or more light sources on the second marking device;

and wherein the first spatial configuration and the second spatial configuration are different.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein

the first characteristic is comprised of a first combination color of light from a plurality of light sources of the first marking device;

and

the second characteristic is comprised of a second combination color of light from a plurality of light sources of the second marking device; and

wherein the first combination color is different from the second combination color.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the first marking device is comprised of a flexible member;

and

wherein the flexible member is adapted for attaching the first marking device to objects of variable width.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising

a handle;

wherein the handle is connected to the lighting device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising

a switch device;

wherein the switch device turns on and off the lighting device.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising

a power source comprised of batteries;

wherein the power source powers the lighting device.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a first marking device comprised of a lighting device;

wherein the lighting device is comprised of one or more light sources which emit light visible to video sensors but invisible to human eyes; and

wherein the first marking device includes a first attachment device and a second attachment device which can be attached together to attach the first marking device to a real object.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a first marking device is comprised of a lighting device;

wherein the lighting device is comprised of one or more light sources which emit lightvisible to video sensors but invisible to human eyes; and

wherein the first marking device includes a glove and the lighting device is attached to the glove.

23. A method comprising the steps of

using light visible to video cameras but invisible to human eyes emitted from one or more light sources of a first marking device to determine a pose of the first marking device in space.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising

capturing an image of the light through the use of a video camera.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein

the one or more light sources are comprised of at least three light sources which are not located along a single line segment.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein

the image captured by the video camera is used to determine whether the first marking device is hitting a first spatial location.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein

the one or more light sources are comprised of an area light source;

and

using the light emitted by the area light source to determine whether the first marking device is hitting a first spatial location.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein

the area light source is comprised of a polygonal area light source.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein

the one or more light sources are comprised of a first light source and a second light source and

wherein light emitted from the first light source and the second light source is used to determine whether the first marking device is hitting a first spatial location;

and wherein the first light source is a point light source and the second light source is an area light source.

30. The method of claim 26 further comprising

using light emitted from one or more light sources fixed to a second marking device to determine whether the second marking device is hitting a second spatial location;

and

wherein the one or more light sources fixed to the first marking device emit light of a first color and the one or more light sources fixed to the second marking device emit light of a second color and wherein the first color and the second color are different.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein

the one or more light sources fixed to the first marking device emit light with a first set of characteristics

the one or more light sources fixed to the second marking device emit light with a second set of characteristics;

and wherein the first set of characteristics and the second set of characteristics are different.