METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR APPLYING GEARING EFFECTS TO ACTIONS BASED ON INPUT DATA

• US 20080220867A1
• Filed: 05/15/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Zalewski, Gary M., Mao, Xiadong, Marks, Richard
• Application Number:
  US12/121,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20080220867A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• 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 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/424 involving acoustic input signals, e.g. by using the results of pitch or rhythm extraction or voice recognition
• 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 13/60 Generating or modifying game content before or while executing the game program, e.g. authoring tools specially adapted for game development or game-integrated level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• 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 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6072 of an input signal, e.g. pitch and rhythm extraction, voice recognition
• 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 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

Methods and systems for interactive interfacing with a computer gaming system are provided. The method includes providing a controller, where the controller is configured to convey input data that is to be interpreted by the computer gaming system. The method includes identifying an action to be performed by the computer gaming system, and the action is mapped to the input data provided by the controller. Then, a gearing is applied between the action to be performed by the computer gaming system and the input data received from the controller. The gearing scales an adjustment to impact the action to be performed by the computer gaming system. The gearing can be set dynamically by the game, by the user, or can be preset or set by software, user configured, or in accordance with a gearing algorithm.

Claims

1. A method for interactive interfacing with a computer gaming system, comprising:

providing a game controller, the game controller conveying input data that is to be interpreted by the computer gaming system;

identifying an action to be performed by the computer gaming system, the action being mapped to the input data provided by the game controller; and

applying a gearing to the action to be performed by the computer gaming system based on the input data received from the game controller;

wherein the gearing defines a scaled adjustment to impact the action to be performed by the computer gaming system, the gearing is dynamically adjustable based on user settings, or dynamically adjustable over time by a program executed by the computer gaming system.

2. A method for interactive interfacing with a computer gaming system as recited in claim 1, wherein the action includes one of, (a) setting for an amount of movement by an object of the program executed by the computer gaming system, (b) setting a variable for executing a process, (c) setting a rate of change to a process that then affects a sound or vibration, or (d) setting a rate of change in movement of a graphical object.

3. A method for interactive interfacing with a computer gaming system as recited in claim 1, further comprising,

at least periodically analyzing the input data;

at least periodically re-applying the action with changes as updated by the gearing.

4. A method for interactive interfacing with a computer gaming system as recited in claim 3, further comprising,

if it is determined that the gearing has been updated, the updated gearing is applied while resuming processing of the action, before a next action or gradually over time.

5. A method for interactive interfacing with a computer gaming system as recited in claim 3, wherein when the gearing has been adjusted, the adjusted gearing is applied (a) in steps, (b) gradually or (c) smoothly, so as to impact the action.

6. A method for interactive interfacing with a computer gaming system as recited in claim 1, wherein the input data is analyzed to identify coordinate information of the game controller and the coordinate information is converted by the mapping into vector data that is applied to the action.

7. A method for interactive interfacing with a computer gaming system as recited in claim 6, wherein the vector data is scaled in response to adjustments in the gearing.

8. A method for interactive interfacing with a computer gaming system as recited in claim 6, wherein the vector data is scaled by multiplying the vector data with a gearing amount defined by the gearing.

9. A method for interactive interfacing with a computer gaming system as recited in claim 6, wherein the game controller includes a plurality of lights that are to be used to detect a positioning of the game controller and communication data.

10. A system for enabling dynamic user interactivity between user actions and actions to be performed by a computer program, comprising:

a computing system,

an input analyzer being coupled to or executed by the computing system;

a controller for interfacing with the computer program that is to be executed by the computing system, the controller having a gearing control for establishing a scaling between input data produced at the controller and actions to be applied by the computer program as analyzed by the input analyzer, wherein changes in the gearing are set before, during or after interactivity with an object of the computer program, the changes act to impart a different response by the object from moment-to-moment during execution of the actions to be applied by the computer program.

11. A system for enabling dynamic user interactivity between user actions and actions to be performed by a computer program as recited in claim 10, wherein the computer program is an interactive application.

12. A system for enabling dynamic user interactivity between user actions and actions to be performed by a computer program as recited in claim 11, wherein the interactive application is a video game.

13. A system for enabling dynamic user interactivity between user actions and actions to be performed by a computer program as recited in claim 12, wherein the controller is a game controller or a hand interfaceable object.

14. A system for enabling dynamic user interactivity between user actions and actions to be performed by a computer program as recited in claim 13, wherein the controller or hand interfaceable object includes one or more light emitters for detecting position.

15. A system for enabling dynamic user interactivity between user actions and actions to be performed by a computer program as recited in claim 13, wherein the controller or hand interfaceable object includes a speaker for communicating sound or ultrasonic signals to cause the computing system to trigger, resume or continue the action.

16. A system for enabling dynamic user interactivity between user actions and actions to be performed by a computer program as recited in claim 13, wherein the controller or hand interfaceable object includes a microphone for receiving input from a user for communicating with the computing system or to trigger, retrigger, resume, continue or stop the action by the computer program.

18. A apparatus for enabling dynamic user interactivity between user actions and actions to be performed by an object of a computer program as recited in claim 16, wherein the controller is a game controller or hand-held object that includes light emitting diodes for detecting position.

17. An apparatus for enabling dynamic user interactivity between user actions and actions to be performed by a computer program, the apparatus comprising:

a controller for interfacing with the computer program that is to be executed by a computing system, the controller having a gearing control for establishing a scaling between input data of the controller as mapped to an action to be applied by the computing system, the gearing control defining a gearing amount that is allowed to dynamically change from moment-to-moment in response changes triggered from buttons on the controller or changes triggered by the computer program before, during or after interactivity with the computer program.