INCLINATION CALCULATION APPARATUS AND INCLINATION CALCULATION PROGRAM, AND GAME APPARATUS AND GAME PROGRAM

• US 20080275667A1
• Filed: 06/18/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Keizo
• Granted Patent: US 7,877,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/154
• 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 13/426 involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun
• 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 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/38 using photographic means
• 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

An inclination calculation apparatus sequentially calculates an inclination of an input device operable in terms of a posture thereof. The input device includes acceleration detection means and imaging means. The inclination calculation apparatus sequentially calculates first inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from positions of two imaging targets in a taken image obtained by the imaging means. The inclination calculation apparatus also sequentially calculates second inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from an acceleration detected by the acceleration detection means. The inclination calculation apparatus calculates an inclination of the input device using the first inclination information and the second inclination information.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon an inclination calculation program executable by a computer of an inclination calculation apparatus for sequentially calculating an inclination of an input device operable in terms of a posture thereof, wherein the input device includes an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration in at least two axial directions and an imaging element for taking an image of two imaging targets, the inclination calculation program causing the computer to execute:

an image information processing step of sequentially calculating first inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from positions of the two imaging targets in a taken image obtained by the imaging element;

an acceleration information processing step of sequentially calculating second inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from an acceleration detected by the acceleration detector; and

an inclination calculation step of calculating an inclination of the input device using the first inclination information and the second inclination information.

13. A storage medium according to claim 12, wherein in the inclination calculation step, the computer selects one of a calculation method using the first inclination information and a calculation method using the second inclination information, and calculates the inclination of the input device by the selected calculation method.

14. A storage medium according to claim 13, wherein:

the inclination calculation program further causes the computer to execute a first determination step of determining whether or not calculation of the first inclination information in the image information processing step was successful; and

in the inclination calculation step, the computer calculates the inclination of the input device using at least the first inclination information when it is determined in the first determination step that the calculation of the first inclination information was successful, and calculates the inclination of the input device using the second inclination information without using the first inclination information when it is determined in the first determination step that the calculation of the first inclination information was unsuccessful.

15. A storage medium according to claim 13, wherein:

the inclination calculation program further causes the computer to execute a second determination step of determining whether or not the inclination of the input device is within a range in which the imaging element is assumed to be capable of taking an image of the two imaging targets; and

in the inclination calculation step, the computer calculates the inclination of the input device using at least the first inclination information when it is determined in the second determination step that the inclination of the input device is within the range, and calculates the inclination of the input device using the second inclination information without using the first inclination information when it is determined in the second determination step that the inclination of the input device is outside the range.

16. A storage medium according to claim 15, wherein:

the acceleration detector is capable of detecting an acceleration in three axial directions including one axial direction parallel to an imaging direction of the imaging element; and

in the second determination step, the computer determines whether or not the inclination of the input device is within the range in accordance with whether or not a magnitude of the acceleration in the one axial direction along the imaging direction is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value.

17. A storage medium according to claim 15, wherein:

the acceleration detector is capable of detecting an acceleration in at least two axial directions which are not parallel to an imaging direction of the imaging element; and

in the second determination step, the computer determines whether or not the inclination of the input device is within the range in accordance with whether or not a magnitude of the acceleration in the two axial directions which are not parallel to the imaging direction is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.

18. A storage medium according to claim 12, wherein the inclination calculation step includes:

a comparison step of comparing the first inclination information and the second inclination information; and

a correction step of setting, as the inclination of the input device, an inclination obtained by correcting the inclination represented by the first inclination information in accordance with the comparison result obtained in the comparison step.

19. A storage medium according to claim 18, wherein:

in the comparison step, the computer compares a direction of the inclination represented by the first inclination information and a direction of the inclination represented by the second inclination information, and determines whether the two directions are closer to being identical to each other or closer to being opposite to each other; and

in the correction step, the computer performs a correction for making the direction of the inclination represented by the first inclination information opposite when the two directions are determined to be closer to being opposite to each other.

20. A storage medium according to claim 18, wherein:

the inclination calculation program further causes the computer to execute a third determination step of determining whether or not a change amount of a direction of the acceleration detected by the acceleration detector is equal to or less than a predetermined value; and

in the correction step, the computer performs a correction only when the determination result of the third determination step is positive.

21. A storage medium according to claim 18, wherein:

the inclination calculation program further causes the computer to execute a fourth determination step of determining whether or not a difference between a magnitude of the acceleration detected by the acceleration detector and a magnitude of an acceleration of gravity is equal to or less than a predetermined value; and

in the correction step, the computer performs a correction only when the determination result of the fourth determination step is positive.

22. A storage medium according to claim 18, wherein:

the inclination calculation program further causes the computer to execute a fifth determination step of determining whether or not a change amount of a value of the acceleration detected by the acceleration detector is equal to or less than a predetermined value; and

in the correction step, the computer performs a correction only when the determination result of the fifth determination step is positive.

23-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a game program executable by a computer of a game apparatus for sequentially calculating an inclination of an input device operable in terms of a posture thereof and using the calculated inclination as an operation input for a game, wherein the input device includes an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration in at least two axial directions and an imaging element for taking an image of two imaging targets, the game program causing the computer to execute:

an image information processing step of sequentially calculating first inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from positions of the two imaging targets in a taken image obtained by the imaging element;

an acceleration information processing step of sequentially calculating second inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from an acceleration detected by the acceleration detector; and

an inclination calculation step of calculating an inclination of the input device using the first inclination information and the second inclination information.

35. A storage medium according to claim 34, wherein in the inclination calculation step, the computer selects one of a calculation method using the first inclination information and a calculation method using the second inclination information, and calculates the inclination of the input device by the selected calculation method.

36. A storage medium according to claim 35, wherein:

the game program further causes the computer to execute a first determination step of determining whether or not calculation of the first inclination information in the image information processing step was successful; and

in the inclination calculation step, the computer calculates the inclination of the input device using at least the first inclination information when it is determined in the first determination step that the calculation of the first inclination information was successful, and calculates the inclination of the input device using the second inclination information without using the first inclination information when it is determined in the first determination step that the calculation of the first inclination information was unsuccessful.

37. A storage medium according to claim 35, wherein:

the game program further causes the computer to execute a second determination step of determining whether or not the inclination of the input device is within a range in which the imaging element is assumed to be capable of taking an image of the two imaging targets; and

in the inclination calculation step, the computer calculates the inclination of the input device using at least the first inclination information when it is determined in the second determination step that the inclination of the input device is within the range, and calculates the inclination of the input device using the second inclination information without using the first inclination information when it is determined in the second determination step that the inclination of the input device is outside the range.

38. A storage medium according to claim 37, wherein:

the acceleration detector is capable of detecting an acceleration in three axial directions including one axial direction parallel to an imaging direction of the imaging element; and

in the second determination step, the computer determines whether or not the inclination of the input device is within the range in accordance with whether or not a magnitude of the acceleration in the one axial direction along the imaging direction is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value.

39. A storage medium according to claim 37, wherein:

the acceleration detector is capable of detecting an acceleration in at least two axial directions which are not parallel to an imaging direction of the imaging element; and

in the second determination step, the computer determines whether or not the inclination of the input device is within the range in accordance with whether or not a magnitude of the acceleration in the two axial directions which are not parallel to the imaging direction is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.

40. A storage medium according to claim 34, wherein the inclination calculation step includes:

a comparison step of comparing the first inclination information and the second inclination information; and

a correction step of setting, as the inclination of the input device, an inclination obtained by correcting the inclination represented by the first inclination information in accordance with the comparison result obtained in the comparison step.

41. A storage medium according to claim 40, wherein:

in the comparison step, the computer compares a direction of the inclination represented by the first inclination information and a direction of the inclination represented by the second inclination information, and determines whether the two directions are closer to being identical to each other or closer to being opposite to each other; and

in the correction step, the computer performs a correction for making the direction of the inclination represented by the first inclination information opposite when the two directions are determined to be closer to being opposite to each other.

42. A storage medium according to claim 40, wherein:

the game program further causes the computer to execute a third determination step of determining whether or not a change amount of a direction of the acceleration detected by the acceleration detector is equal to or less than a predetermined value; and

in the correction step, the computer performs a correction only when the determination result of the third determination step is positive.

43. A storage medium according to claim 40, wherein:

the game program further causes the computer to execute a fourth determination step of determining whether or not a difference between a magnitude of the acceleration detected by the acceleration detector and a magnitude of an acceleration of gravity is equal to or less than a predetermined value; and

in the correction step, the computer performs a correction only when the determination result of the fourth determination step is positive.

44. A storage medium according to claim 40, wherein:

the game program further causes the computer to execute a fifth determination step of determining whether or not a change amount of a value of the acceleration detected by the acceleration detector is equal to or less than a predetermined value; and

in the correction step, the computer performs a correction only when the determination result of the fifth determination step is positive.

45. An inclination calculation apparatus for calculating an inclination of an input device operable in terms of a posture thereof, wherein the input device includes an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration and imaging element for taking an image of imaging targets, the inclination calculation apparatus comprising:

an image information processor for calculating first inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from positions of the imaging targets in a taken image obtained by the imaging element;

an acceleration information processor for calculating second inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from an acceleration detected by the acceleration detector; and

an inclination calculator for calculating an inclination of the input device using the first inclination information and the second inclination information.

46. A game apparatus for calculating an inclination of an input device operable in terms of a posture thereof and using the calculated inclination as an operation input for a game, wherein the input device includes an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration and imaging element for taking an image of imaging targets, the game apparatus comprising:

an image information processor for calculating first inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from positions of the imaging targets in a taken image obtained by the imaging element;

an acceleration information processor for calculating second inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from an acceleration detected by the acceleration detector; and

an inclination calculator for calculating an inclination of the input device using the first inclination information and the second inclination information.

47. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon an inclination calculation program executable by a computer of an inclination calculation apparatus for calculating an inclination of an input device operable in terms of a posture thereof, wherein the input device includes an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration and imaging element for taking an image of imaging targets, the inclination calculation program causing the computer to execute steps of:

calculating first inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from positions of the imaging targets in a taken image obtained by the imaging element;

calculating second inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from an acceleration detected by the acceleration detector; and

calculating an inclination of the input device using the first inclination information and the second inclination information.

48. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a game program executable by a computer of a game apparatus for calculating an inclination of an input device operable in terms of a posture thereof and using the calculated inclination as an operation input for a game, wherein the input device includes an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration and imaging element for taking an image of imaging targets, the game program causing the computer to execute steps of:

calculating first inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from positions of the imaging targets in a taken image obtained by the imaging element;

calculating second inclination information representing an inclination of the input device from an acceleration detected by the acceleration detector; and

calculating an inclination of the input device using the first inclination information and the second inclination information.