Control of data processing

• US 20060035710A1
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Marshall, Peter John, Festejo, Ronald Jonas
• Granted Patent: US 7,586,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• 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 13/428 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 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• 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 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• 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: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30196 Human being; Person
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/254 involving subtraction of images

Abstract

Data processing apparatus arranged to receive successive images from a video camera comprises means for detecting inter-image motion in an image region associated with a control function of the data processing apparatus; and means for initiating the control function if inter-image motion is detected in the image region in respect of at least a threshold number of the images within a test group of the images.

Claims

1. Data processing apparatus arranged to receive successive images from a video camera;

the apparatus comprising;

means for detecting inter-image motion in an image region associated with a control function of the data processing apparatus; and

means for initiating the control function if inter-image motion is detected in the image region in respect of at least a threshold number of the images within a test group of the images.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a video camera for supplying the successive images.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising:

means for incrementing a detection variable by an increment amount at each image in which inter-image motion is detected in the image region;

means for decrementing the detection variable by a decrement amount at each image in which inter-image motion is not detected in the image region;

means for detecting whether the detection variable has exceeded a threshold amount and, if so, for activating the control function.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which:

the increment amount is of a greater magnitude than the decrement amount.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 or claim 4, in which the decrementing means is arranged to decrement the detection variable subject to a predetermined minimum allowable value for the detection variable.

6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5, comprising:

a display screen;

means for displaying on the display screen a screen icon at the image region under test, the screen icon being indicative of the control function to be initiated by motion at that image region.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which the displaying means is operable to change the display appearance of the screen icon in dependence on a current state of the detection variable.

8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, the apparatus being operable to vary the threshold number of images and/or the size of the test group of images in dependence on a previously initiated control function.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, the apparatus being operable to decrease the threshold number of images in respect of a control function for a predetermined period after initiation of that control function.

10. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claim, in which the means for detecting inter-image motion in an image region comprises means for detecting pixel differences between corresponding pixels in a current image and a preceding image.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, in which the means for detecting inter-image motion in an image region comprises means for detecting whether at least a threshold number of pixels in the image region are different from corresponding pixels in a preceding image by at least a threshold amount of pixel difference.

12. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, the apparatus being a games machine;

and the control function being a game control function.

13. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the image region represents a subset of a displayed image.

14. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the image region is at a predetermined position within a displayed image.

15. Data processing apparatus arranged to receive successive images from a video camera;

the apparatus comprising;

a detector to detect inter-image motion in an image region associated with a control function of the data processing apparatus; and

logic to initiate the control function if inter-image motion is detected in the image region in respect of at least a threshold number of the images within a test group of the images.

16. A data processing method comprising the steps of:

receiving successive images from a video camera;

detecting inter-image motion in an image region associated with a control function of the data processing apparatus; and

initiating the control function if inter-image motion is detected in the image region in respect of at least a threshold number of the images within a test group of the images.

17. Computer software having program code for carrying out a method according to claim 16.

18. A providing medium for providing software according to claim 17.

19. A medium according to claim 18, the medium being a transmission medium.

20. A medium according to claim 18, the medium being a storage medium.