Orientation calculation apparatus, storage medium having orientation calculation program stored therein, game apparatus, and storage medium having game program stored therein

• US 8,437,971 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Ichiro, Ohta, Keizo
• Primary Examiner(s): Richards, N Drew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dulka, John P
• Application Number:
  US12/473,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20090325703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 463/37, 702/94, 702/141, 702/150
• US Class Current: 702/94
• 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 13/428 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 13/98 Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers
• 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 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• 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 game apparatus obtains data from an input device including at least a gyroscope and an acceleration sensor, and calculates an orientation of the input device. The game apparatus includes orientation calculation means and correction means. The orientation calculation means calculates a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyroscope. The correction means corrects the first orientation so as to approach a second orientation of the input device as the angular rate decreases, the second orientation being an orientation in which a direction of an acceleration represented by acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor is a vertically downward direction.

Claims

1. An orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from an input device including at least a gyroscope and an acceleration sensor, and calculating an orientation of the input device, the apparatus comprising:

an orientation calculation unit for calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyroscope; and

a first correction unit for correcting the first orientation so as to approach a second orientation of the input device as the angular rate decreases, wherein the second orientation is an orientation in which a direction of an acceleration represented by acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor is a vertically downward direction.

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

the input device further includes an image pickup unit, and

the orientation calculation apparatus further comprises a second correction unit for correcting the first orientation in accordance with an image of a predetermined subject taken by the image pickup unit.

3. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first correction unit further corrects the first orientation such that the closer a magnitude of the acceleration is to a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration, the more closely the first orientation approaches the second orientation.

4. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first correction unit corrects the first orientation only when a difference between a magnitude of the acceleration and a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration is smaller than a predetermined reference value.

5. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first correction further corrects the first orientation so as to approach the second orientation as an amount of change per unit time for the acceleration decreases.

6. A game apparatus for performing a game process using, as the orientation of the input device, the first orientation corrected by the orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a degree at which the first orientation is corrected varies based on the detected angular rate.

8. An orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from an input device including at least a gyroscope and an acceleration sensor, and calculating an orientation of the input device, the apparatus comprising:

an orientation calculation unit for calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyroscope; and

a first correction means unit for correcting the first orientation so as to approach a second orientation of the input device as an amount of change per unit time for an acceleration decreases, wherein the second orientation is an orientation in which a direction of the acceleration is a vertically downward direction, and the acceleration is represented by acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor.

9. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein,

the input device further includes an image pickup unit, and

the orientation calculation apparatus further comprises a second correction unit for correcting the first orientation in accordance with an image of a predetermined subject taken by the image pickup unit.

10. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first correction unit further corrects the first orientation such that the closer a magnitude of the acceleration is to a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration, the more closely the first orientation approaches the second orientation.

11. The orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first correction unit corrects the first orientation only when a difference between a magnitude of the acceleration and a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration is smaller than a predetermined reference value.

12. A game apparatus for performing a game process using, as the orientation of the input device, the first orientation corrected by the orientation calculation apparatus according to claim 8.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an orientation calculation program to be executed by a computer of an orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from an input device including at least a gyroscope and an acceleration sensor, and calculating an orientation of the input device, the program causing the computer to execute instructions comprising:

calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyroscope; and

correcting the first orientation so as to approach a second orientation of the input device as the angular rate decreases, wherein the second orientation is an orientation in which a direction of an acceleration represented by acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor is a vertically downward direction.

14. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 13, wherein,

the input device further includes an image pickup unit, and

the orientation calculation program further causes the computer to execute instructions comprising correcting the first orientation in accordance with an image of a predetermined subject taken by the image pickup unit.

15. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the first orientation is corrected such that the closer a magnitude of the acceleration is to a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration, the more closely the first orientation approaches the second orientation.

16. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the first orientation is corrected only when a difference between a magnitude of the acceleration and a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration is smaller than a predetermined reference value.

17. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the first orientation is further corrected so as to approach the second orientation as an amount of change per unit time for the acceleration decreases.

18. A non-transitory storage medium having stored therein a game program for performing a game process using, as the orientation of the input device, the first orientation corrected by the orientation calculation program according to claim 13.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an orientation calculation program to be executed by a computer of an orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from an input device including at least a gyroscope and an acceleration sensor, and calculating an orientation of the input device, the program causing the computer to execute instructions comprising:

calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyroscope; and

correcting the first orientation so as to approach a second orientation of the input device as an amount of change per unit time for an acceleration decreases, wherein the second orientation is an orientation in which a direction of the acceleration is a vertically downward direction, and the acceleration is represented by acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor.

20. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 19, wherein,

the input device further includes an image pickup unit, and

the orientation calculation program further causes the computer to execute instructions comprising correcting the first orientation in accordance with an image of a predetermined subject taken by the image pickup unit.

21. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the first orientation is corrected such that the closer a magnitude of the acceleration is to a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration, the more closely the first orientation approaches the second orientation.

22. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 19, wherein the first orientation is corrected only when a difference between a magnitude of the acceleration and a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration is smaller than a predetermined reference value.

23. A non-transitory storage medium having stored therein a game program for performing a game process using, as the orientation of the input device, the first orientation corrected by the orientation calculation program according to claim 19.

24. A method implemented in an information processing apparatus having one or more processors and for obtaining data from an input device including at least a gyroscope and an acceleration sensor, and calculating an orientation of the input device, the method comprising:

calculating, via the one or more processors, a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyroscope; and

correcting the first orientation so as to approach a second orientation of the input device as the angular rate decreases, wherein the second orientation is an orientation in which a direction of an acceleration represented by acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor is a vertically downward direction.

25. An orientation calculation system, comprising:

an input device including at least a gyroscope and an acceleration sensor; and

an orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from the input device and calculating an orientation of the input device, the apparatus comprising;

an orientation calculation unit for calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyroscope; and

a first correction unit for correcting the first orientation so as to approach a second orientation of the input device as the angular rate decreases, wherein the second orientation is an orientation in which a direction of an acceleration represented by acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor is a vertically downward direction.