Apparatus, methods, and systems for viewing and manipulating a virtual environment
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a camera control input device configured to provide a camera control input device signal in response to a user action;
a movement sensor configured to provide a movement sensor signal in accordance with a movement of the apparatus; and
a control signal generator configured to generate a camera control signal based on the camera control input device signal and the movement sensor signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Components for generating, reviewing, processing, storing, retrieving, analyzing, and optimizing information input to or output from a virtual environment. The components may be a video camera component, a stand-alone or device mountable on a tripod to permit a camera person to select from one or more views within a virtual environment, such as a video game being executed, and to provide alternative views within the confines of the virtual environment. The component permits selection from multiple views and manipulation of the same, including a rotation leftward or rightward, a tilt upward or downward, a zooming inward or outward, a translation (for example, a track movement) leftward, rightward, forward, or backward, a rolling movement, and a camera position adjustment (for example, crane movement) upward or downward.
75 Citations
78 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a camera control input device configured to provide a camera control input device signal in response to a user action;
a movement sensor configured to provide a movement sensor signal in accordance with a movement of the apparatus; and
a control signal generator configured to generate a camera control signal based on the camera control input device signal and the movement sensor signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus comprising:
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a camera control input device configured to provide a camera control input device signal in response to user actions;
a horizontal movement sensor configured to provide a horizontal movement signal in accordance with a horizontal movement of the apparatus;
a vertical movement sensor configured to provide a vertical movement signal in accordance with a vertical movement of the apparatus;
a control signal generator configured to generate a virtual camera control signal based on at least one of a plurality of signals comprising the horizontal movement signal, the vertical movement signal, and the camera control input device signal and interpretable by a software application as an instruction for changing a view within a virtual environment generated by the software application. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A camera simulating device for controlling a virtual camera capturing a view within a virtual environment generated by a video software application, the camera simulating device comprising:
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a horizontal sensor configured to provide a horizontal movement signal in accordance with a horizontal movement of the camera simulating device;
a vertical sensor configured to provide a vertical movement signal in accordance with a vertical movement of the camera simulating device;
a camera control input device configured to provide a camera control input device signal in response to user actions;
a control signal generator configured to generate a virtual camera control signal based on at least one of a plurality of signals comprising the vertical movement signal, the horizontal movement signal, and the camera control input device signal, the virtual camera control signal recognizable by the video software application as at least one of a plurality of commands to change the view captured by the virtual camera of the virtual environment. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method comprising:
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receiving a camera control input device signal from a camera control input device;
receiving a movement sensor signal based on a movement of the user input device; and
generating a camera control signal based on the camera control input device signal and the movement sensor signal. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method comprising:
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receiving a horizontal movement signal in accordance with a horizontal movement of a control apparatus;
receiving a vertical movement signal in accordance with a vertical movement of the control apparatus;
receiving a camera control signal;
generating a virtual camera control signal based on at least one of a plurality of signals comprising the vertical movement signal, the horizontal movement signal, and the camera control signal, the virtual camera control signal interpretable by a software application as an instruction for changing a view within a virtual environment generated by the software application. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method performed in a camera simulating device for generating a virtual camera control signal for controlling a virtual camera capturing a view within a virtual environment generated by a video software application, the method comprising:
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receiving a horizontal movement of the camera simulating device;
receiving a vertical movement signal in accordance with a vertical movement of the camera simulating device;
receiving a camera control signal generated by a camera control input in response to user actions;
generating a virtual camera control signal based on at least one of a plurality of signals comprising the vertical movement signal, the horizontal movement signal, and the camera control signal, the virtual camera control signal recognizable by the video software application as at least one of a plurality of camera commands to change the view captured by the virtual camera within the virtual environment. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A system comprising:
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at least one processor executing a virtual video application and responsive to inputs received from at least one user participant to generate a virtual video environment; and
a plurality of virtual camera components responsive to capture a plurality of views from within said virtual video environment. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. A method of producing a video representation of a virtual environment comprising:
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moving a virtual video camera component to change between views of events within the virtual environment; and
capturing video content of the views within the virtual environment. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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Specification