Position calculation apparatus, storage medium storing position calculation program, game apparatus, and storage medium storing game program

• US 20070222750A1
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Keizo
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/525 Changing parameters of virtual cameras
• 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 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: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• 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 position calculation apparatus calculates a positional relationship between an image pickup device, which is for taking an image of first and second imaging targets, and at least one of the first and second imaging targets. The position calculation apparatus obtains a first size, which indicates a size of a target image of the first imaging target in the image taken by the image pickup device, and a second size which indicates a size of a target image of the second imaging target in the image taken by the image pickup device. Then, based on the first and second sizes, the position calculation apparatus calculates the positional relationship between the image pickup device and the first and second imaging targets.

Claims

1. A position calculation apparatus for calculating a positional relationship between an image pickup device, which is for taking an image of first and second imaging targets, and at least one of the imaging targets, the position calculation apparatus comprising:

target image size obtaining means for obtaining a first size, which indicates a size of a target image of the first imaging target in the image taken by the image pickup device, and a second size, which indicates a size of a target image of the second imaging target in the image taken by the image pickup device; and

positional relationship calculation means for, based on the first and second sizes, calculating the positional relationship between the image pickup device and the at least one of the imaging targets.

2. The position calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the positional relationship calculation means includes imaging target distance calculation means for, based on the first size and an actual size of the first imaging target which corresponds to the first size, calculating a first distance between the image pickup device and the first imaging target, and for, based on the second size and an actual size of the second imaging target which corresponds to the second size, calculating a second distance between the image pickup device and the second imaging target, and

based on the first and second distances and an actual setting distance between the first and second imaging targets, the positional relationship calculation means calculates, as the positional relationship between the image pickup device and the at least one of the imaging targets, a positional relationship between the image pickup device and a predetermined point between the first and second imaging targets.

3. The position calculation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the positional relationship calculation means calculates, as the positional relationship, a distance between the image pickup device and a middle point between the first and second imaging targets.

4. The position calculation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the positional relationship calculation means calculates, as the positional relationship, a placement direction which is a direction from the image pickup device to a middle point between the first and second imaging targets.

5. The position calculation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the positional relationship calculation means calculates, as the positional relationship, a placement direction which is a direction from the image pickup device to one of the first and second imaging targets.

6. The position calculation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the positional relationship calculation means includes angle calculation means for, based on the first and second distances and the actual setting distance, calculating an angle between a line connecting the first and second imaging targets and a line connecting the first imaging target and the image pickup device, and

based on the angle, the first distance and a half length of the actual setting distance, the positional relationship calculation means calculates a distance between the middle point and the image pickup device.

7. The position calculation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein based on the first distance, the half length of the actual setting distance, and the distance between the middle point and the image pickup device, the positional relationship calculation means further calculates, as the positional relationship, a placement angle which is an angle between the line connecting the first and second imaging targets and a line connecting the middle point and the image pickup device.

8. A game apparatus comprising:

the position calculation apparatus according to claim 1;

game processing means for, based on the positional relationship calculated by the positional relationship calculation means, performing a predetermined game process for a virtual game world; and

a display control means for sequentially causing a display device to display at least a portion of the virtual game world.

9. The game apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the game processing means determines, based on the positional relationship, a position of a virtual camera placed in the virtual game world, and

the display control means sequentially causes the display device to display at least the portion of the virtual game world whose image is taken by the virtual camera.

10. The game apparatus according to claim 8, wherein based on the positional relationship, the game processing means determines a position of a predetermined object appearing in the virtual game world.

11. The game apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the image pickup device is provided in a single case together with a vibration generator for, when actuated, generating predetermined vibration, and

the game processing means controls, based on the positional relationship, the vibration generated by the vibration generator.

12. A game apparatus comprising:

the position calculation apparatus according to claim 4;

game processing means for performing a predetermined game process for a virtual game world; and

display control means for sequentially causing a display device to display at least a portion of the virtual game world, wherein

the positional relationship calculation means calculates placement directions for a plurality of image pickup devices, respectively, and

the display control means divides a display area of the display device into a plurality of display areas, and based on the placement directions, allocates the plurality of display areas to the plurality of image pickup devices, respectively.

13. A game apparatus comprising:

the position calculation apparatus according to claim 5;

game processing means for performing a predetermined game process for a virtual game world; and

display control means for sequentially causing a display device to display at least a portion of the virtual game world, wherein

the positional relationship calculation means calculates placement directions for a plurality of image pickup devices, respectively, and

the display control means divides a display area of the display device into a plurality of display areas, and based on the placement directions, allocates the plurality of display areas to the plurality of image pickup devices, respectively.

14. A game apparatus comprising:

the position calculation apparatus according to claim 7;

game processing means for performing a predetermined game process for a virtual game world; and

display control means for sequentially causing a display device to display at least a portion of the virtual game world, wherein

the positional relationship calculation means calculates placement angles for a plurality of image pickup devices, respectively, and

the display control means divides a display area of the display device into a plurality of display areas, and based on the placement angles, allocates the plurality of display areas to the plurality of image pickup devices, respectively.

15. A game apparatus comprising:

the position calculation apparatus according to claim 1;

game processing means for performing a predetermined game process for a virtual game world;

display control means for sequentially causing a display device to display at least a portion of a virtual game world; and

sound control means for causing a plurality of speakers to output sound in accordance with the predetermined game process performed by the game processing means, wherein

the sound control means controls, based on the positional relationship, volume of the sound outputted from the speakers.

16. A storage medium storing a position calculation program to be executed by a computer which calculates a positional relationship between an image pickup device, which is for taking an image of first and second imaging targets, and at least one of the imaging targets, the position calculation program causing the computer to perform:

a target image size obtaining step of obtaining a first size, which indicates a size of a target image of the first imaging target in the image taken by the image pickup device, and a second size, which indicates a size of a target image of the second imaging target in the image taken by the image pickup device; and

a positional relationship calculation step of, based on the first and second sizes, calculating the positional relationship between the image pickup device and the at least one of the imaging targets.

17. The storage medium storing the position calculation program according to claim 16, wherein

the positional relationship calculation step includes an imaging target distance calculation step of, based on the first size and an actual size of the first imaging target which corresponds to the first size, calculating a first distance between the image pickup device and the first imaging target, and, based on the second size and an actual size of the second imaging target which corresponds to the second size, calculating a second distance between the image pickup device and the second imaging target, and

based on the first and second distances and an actual setting distance between the first and second imaging targets, the positional relationship calculation step calculates, as the positional relationship between the image pickup device and the at least one of the imaging targets, a positional relationship between the image pickup device and a predetermined point between the first and second imaging targets.

18. The storage medium storing the position calculation program according to claim 17, wherein at the positional relationship calculation step, a distance between the image pickup device and a middle point between the first and second imaging targets is calculated as the positional relationship.

19. The storage medium storing the position calculation program according to claim 17, wherein at the positional relationship calculation step, a placement direction which is a direction from the image pickup device to a middle point between the first and second imaging targets is calculated as the positional relationship.

20. The storage medium storing the position calculation program according to claim 17, wherein at the positional relationship calculation step, a placement direction which is a direction from the image pickup device to one of the first and second imaging targets is calculated as the positional relationship.

21. The storage medium storing the position calculation program according to claim 18, wherein

the positional relationship calculation step includes an angle calculation step of, based on the first and second distances and the actual setting distance, calculating an angle between a line connecting the first and second imaging targets and a line connecting the first imaging target and the image pickup device, and

at the positional relationship calculation step, a distance between the middle point and the image pickup device is calculated based on the angle, the first distance, and a half length of the actual setting distance.

22. The storage medium storing the position calculation program according to claim 21, wherein at the positional relationship calculation step, a placement angle, which is an angle between the line connecting the first and second imaging targets and a line connecting the middle point and the image pickup device, is further calculated, as the positional relationship, based on the first distance, the half length of the actual setting distance, and the distance between the middle point and the image pickup device.

23. A storage medium storing a game program for causing the computer according to claim 16 to perform:

the steps which the position calculation program according to claim 16 causes the computer to perform;

a game processing step of, based on the positional relationship calculated at the positional relationship calculation step, performing a predetermined game process for a virtual game world; and

a display control step of sequentially causing a display device to display at least a portion of the virtual game world.

24. The storage medium storing the game program according to claim 23, wherein

at the game processing step, a position of a virtual camera placed in the virtual game world is determined based on the positional relationship, and

at the display control step, the display device is sequentially caused to display at least the portion of the virtual game world whose image is taken by the virtual camera.

25. The storage medium storing the game program according to claim 23, wherein at the game processing step, a position of a predetermined object appearing in the virtual game world is determined based on the positional relationship.

26. The storage medium storing the game program according to claim 23, wherein

the image pickup device is provided in a single case together with a vibration generator for, when actuated, generating predetermined vibration, and

at the game processing step, the vibration generated by the vibration generator is controlled based on the positional relationship.

27. A storage medium storing a game program for causing the computer according to claim 19 to perform:

the steps which the position calculation program according to claim 19 causes the computer to perform;

a game processing step of performing a predetermined game process for a virtual game world; and

a display control step of sequentially causing a display device to display at least a portion of the virtual game world, wherein

at the positional relationship calculation step, placement directions are calculated for a plurality of image pickup devices, respectively, and

at the display control step, a display area of the display device is divided into a plurality of display areas, and based on the placement directions, the plurality of display areas are allocated to the plurality of image pickup devices, respectively.

28. A storage medium storing a game program for causing the computer according to claim 20 to perform:

the steps which the position calculation program according to claim 20 causes the computer to perform;

a game processing step of performing a predetermined game process for a virtual game world; and

a display control step of sequentially causing a display device to display at least a portion of the virtual game world, wherein

at the positional relationship calculation step, placement directions are calculated for a plurality of image pickup devices, respectively, and

at the display control step, a display area of the display device is divided into a plurality of display areas, and based on the placement directions, the plurality of display areas are allocated to the plurality of image pickup devices, respectively.

29. A storage medium storing a game program for causing the computer according to claim 22 to perform:

the steps which the position calculation program according to claim 22 causes the computer to perform;

a game processing step of performing a predetermined game process for a virtual game world; and

a display control step of sequentially causing a display device to display at least a portion of the virtual game world, wherein

at the positional relationship calculation step, placement angles are calculated for a plurality of image pickup devices, respectively, and

at the display control step, a display area of the display device is divided into a plurality of display areas, and based on the placement angles, the plurality of display areas are allocated to the plurality of image pickup devices, respectively.

30. A storage medium storing a game program for causing the computer according to claim 16 to perform:

the steps which the position calculation program according to claim 16 causes the computer to perform;

a game processing step of performing a predetermined game process for a virtual game world;

a display control step of sequentially causing a display device to display at least a portion of a virtual game world; and

a sound control step of causing a plurality of speakers to output sound in accordance with the predetermined game process performed at the game processing step, wherein

at the sound control step, volume of the sound outputted from the speakers is controlled based on the positional relationship.