Method and apparatus for video game simulations using motion capture

• US 9,358,455 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pillar Vision Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pillar Vision Incorporated
• Inventors: Marty, Alan W., Carter, John
• Primary Examiner(s): LIDDLE, JAY TRENT
• Application Number:
  US13/780,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20130172058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0037 Basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball
• 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 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• 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 13/573 using trajectories of game objects, e.g. of a golf ball according to the point of impact
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8011 Ball
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/20 3D [Three Dimensional] animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2215/16 Using real world measurements to influence rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports

Abstract

A method in a video gaming system including a processor, a memory and a sensor system for capturing body motion is described. In one embodiment, the body motion can be associated with a person pretending to hit or launch an object, such as an object used in a sporting activity. In general, body motion can be associated with any activity involving similar body motions that are repeated during the activity. In a video game generated by the video gaming system, a consistency with which the repeated body motions are made over time can be used to determine an outcome for a single instance of the body motion. In a particular embodiment, a probability of a more desirable outcome resulting from the single instance of the body motion can increase as the consistency with which the repeated body motions are made increases.

Claims

1. An apparatus for capturing body motion associated with a person pretending to hit or launch an object, comprising:

a processor, coupled to a memory and a sensor interface, the processor configured to;

receive a motion consistency parameter wherein the motion consistency parameter is generated from data captured during a plurality of different instances of the person attempting to repeat the body motion and wherein a determining of the motion consistency parameter includes determining a position of at least one point on a body of the person during each of the plurality of different instances of the body motion and determining a standard deviation using the determined positions;

receive, via the sensor interface data from a sensor system, the data from the sensor system for a single instance of the person attempting to repeat the body motion while pretending to hit or launch the object;

based upon the data from the single instance, in the processor, predict a magnitude of a force and a direction of the force that would be imparted to a simulated object having a shape and mass of the object if it was actually hit or launched;

based upon the predicted magnitude of the force and the predicted direction of the force, determine whether a desired outcome for the simulated object is possible;

when the desired outcome is determined to be possible, determine whether the desired outcome or a non-desired outcome is to occur for the simulated object wherein a probability of the desired outcome occurring increases as the standard deviation associated with the motion consistency parameter decreases; and

control output to a display including one or more images of a simulated trajectory of the simulated object for the single instance, wherein the simulated trajectory shows the determined desired outcome or the determined non-desired outcome occurring for the simulated object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor system includes a camera.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor system includes a device worn or held by the person.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor system includes an accelerometer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is a component of a video gaming system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a network interface for communicating with a remote device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the simulated trajectory is output as part of a video game.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to control output to the display images of an avatar of the person making the body motion.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the predicted magnitude of the estimated force and the predicted direction of the force are within acceptable ranges for a valid body motion associated with the person pretending to hit or launch the object;

when the predicted magnitude of the estimated for and the predicted direction of the force are not within the acceptable ranges the valid body motion, determine the desired outcome is not possible and control output to the display one or more images of a non-desired outcome associated with an non-valid body motion.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the desired outcome is the simulated object stopping within a defined area and the non-desired outcome is the simulated object stopping outside of a defined area.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the object the person is pretending to hit or launch is a ball.

12. A method for capturing body motion associated with a person pretending to hit or launch an object, comprising:

determining positions of at least one point on a body of the person during a plurality of instances of the person attempting to repeat the body motion;

determining a value indicative of an amount of variation in the positions of the at least one point during the plurality of instances;

determining, based on the value, a motion consistency parameter indicative of a consistency of the body motion during the plurality of instances;

receiving the motion consistency parameter at a processor;

receiving, at the processor, sensor interface data from a sensor system, the sensor interface data indicative of movement of the person during a single instance of the person attempting to repeat the body motion;

based on the sensor interface data, predicting by the processor a magnitude of a force and a direction of the force that would be imparted to a simulated object if it was actually hit or launched;

determining by the processor whether the desired outcome or a non-desired outcome is to occur for the simulated object based on the predicted magnitude and the predicted direction of the force and based on the motion consistency parameter, wherein a probability of the desired outcome occurring is greater when the value indicates a smaller amount of variation in the positions of the at least one point; and

controlling by the processor output to a display including one or more images of a simulated trajectory of the simulated object, wherein the simulated trajectory shows the determined desired outcome or the determined non-desired outcome occurring for the simulated object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor interface data defines images captured by a camera of the sensor system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor interface data is based on a device of the sensor system worn or held by the person.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor interface data is based on an accelerometer of the sensor system.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the output includes an avatar of the person in a video game.

17. A method for capturing body motion associated with a person pretending to hit or launch an object, comprising:

determining positions of at least one point on a body of the person during a plurality of instances of the person attempting to repeat the body motion;

determining a value indicative of an amount of variation in the positions of the at least one point during the plurality of instances;

determining, based on the value, a motion consistency parameter indicative of a consistency of the body motion during the plurality of instances;

receiving the motion consistency parameter at a processor;

receiving, at the processor, sensor interface data from a sensor system, the sensor interface data indicative of movement of the person during a single instance of the person attempting to repeat the body motion;

determining by the processor whether a desired outcome or a non-desired outcome is to occur for a simulated object based on the sensor interface data and the motion consistency parameter, wherein a probability of the desired outcome occurring is greater when the value indicates a smaller amount of variation in the positions of the at least one point; and

controlling by the processor output to a display including one or more images of a simulated trajectory of the simulated object, wherein the simulated trajectory shows the determined desired outcome or the determined non-desired outcome occurring for the simulated object.