Advanced video gaming methods for education and play using camera based inputs

• US 20080122786A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motion Games LLC
• Original Assignee: Motion Games LLC
• Inventors: Pryor, Timothy R., Smith, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,405,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• 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 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• 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 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• 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: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• 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: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 : Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 : by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 : using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0428 : by sensing at the edges of the touch surface the interruption of optical paths, e.g. an illumination plane, parallel to the touch surface which may be virtual sensing beam interruptions in a planar beam grid of an optical touch-screen G06F3/0421
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 : Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2016 : Rotation, translation, scaling
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2021 : Shape modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 : using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 : Associated control or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/321 : Garment sensors, i.e. musical control means with trigger surfaces or joint angle sensors, worn as a garment by the player, e.g. bracelet, intelligent clothing vital parameter sensing G10H2220/371; wearable interfaces in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 : for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

This application discloses active movement based and other video games which may be played over the internet as well in the home or elsewhere. One or two or more persons can play, generally using one or more cameras to determine the relation of an object or a part of a person to a video display on which game related graphics are displayed. Determination of object position and orientation in up to 6 degrees of freedom is disclosed, at data rates sufficient to make game play rewarding.

Claims

1. A method for a person to control an element in a 3D computer game by moving a 3D object that represents the said element within a space in front of one or more electro-optical sensors, comprising the steps of:

providing one or more targets on the said 3D object;

using at least one electro-optical sensor, to track the physical interaction of said person with said object;

analyzing the output of at least one of said sensors to determine the target location to arrive at a location and orientation of said object and its component parts;

identifying the 3D object by a unique combination of targets of given color, size, shape, and optical intensity; and

sending the computer game instructions to make corresponding movement and orientation changes of the said game element;

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein multiple players can interact with each other over internet linked systems each with their own electro-optical sensors and displays.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein a database of natural motions associated with the said 3D object are applied once the said object and its path motion are identified.