Safety scheme for gesture-based game

• US 9,823,740 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2015
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Device Company Limited (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Kim, Seungil
• Primary Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOSHI, ANKIT B
• Application Number:
  US14/982,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20160139661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• 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 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/31 Communication aspects specific to video games, e.g. between several handheld game devices at close range
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/34 using peer-to-peer connections
• 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 13/49 Saving the game status; Pausing or ending the game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/71 using secure communication between game devices and game servers, e.g. by encrypting game data or authenticating players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/73 Authorising game programs or game devices, e.g. checking authenticity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/86 Watching games played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• 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 2300/201 Playing authorisation given at platform level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 : the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 : Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/305 : for providing a graphical or textual hint to the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 : Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 : Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 : using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/554 : by saving game or status data
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/577 : for watching a game played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 : generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/643 : by determining the impact between objects, e.g. collision detection
• 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

Abstract

Technologies are generally described for providing a notification to a player playing a gesture-based game of a potentially dangerous condition. In some examples, a safety component of a gesture-based game system includes a gesture range determination unit configured to determine a gesture range associated with a gesture-based game; a detection unit configured to detect a movement of an object; and an alarm unit configured to generate an alarm in response to a determination based on the movement of the object which is within the gesture range.

Claims

1. A method to prevent collision between a player and an object while playing an identified gesture-based game, the method comprising:

receiving first information associated with the identified gesture-based game, wherein the first information includes a type of the identified gesture-based game and a default gesture range associated with the identified gesture-based game, wherein the default gesture range is generated during a training stage associated with the identified gesture-based game, and wherein the training stage is executed prior to the identified gesture-based game being played;

identifying the player of the identified gesture-based game;

detecting a range of motion of the player of the gesture-based game;

receiving the detected range of motion of the player, wherein the detected range of motion is in at least a horizontal plane, and wherein the detected range of range of motion identifies a maximum range of motion for the player;

receiving second information associated with the identified player;

determining a gesture range specific to the identified player based on the default gesture range included in the received first information and based on the received second information associated with the identified player, wherein the gesture range specific to the identified player is associated with a reference position;

storing the gesture range specific to the identified player;

tracking a motion of the player while the gesture-based game is being played; and

updating the stored gesture range specific to the identified player based on the tracked motion of the player while the gesture-based game is being played;

determining, while the identified gesture-based game is being played by the identified player, whether the object is located within the gesture range specific to the identified player; and

generating an alert in response to a determination that the object is located within the updated gesture range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the first information includes receiving some information that indicates that the default gesture range includes a small gesture range.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the first information includes receiving some information that indicates that the default gesture range includes a large gesture range.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the second information includes receiving some information that includes one or more characteristics of the identified player.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more characteristics of the identified player include a physical attribute, gender, or a game playing trait.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference position is determined based on a current position of the identified player.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

stopping execution of the identified gesture-based game.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the alert includes:

generating a visible alert or an auditory alert.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the object is located within the gesture range includes determining whether at least a part of a body of a spectator or another player is located within the gesture range.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting movement of the identified player or of the object; and

detecting that the object is located within the gesture range.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the player of the identified gesture-based game includes identifying the player of the identified gesture-based game based on a face recognition or a user input.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a gesture range determination unit;

an identification unit configured to;

provide first information associated with an identified gesture-based game to the gesture range determination unit, wherein the first information includes a type of the identified gesture-based game and a default gesture range associated with the identified gesture-based game;

identify a player of the identified gesture-based game, and

provide second information associated with the identified player to the gesture range determination unit,

wherein the gesture range determination unit is configured to;

receive the first information and the second information,

detect a range of motion of the player of the gesture-based game, wherein the detected range of motion is in at least a horizontal plane, and wherein the detected range of range of motion identifies a maximum range of motion for the player; and

determine a gesture range specific to the identified player based on the default gesture range included in the received first information and based on the received second information associated with the identified player, wherein the gesture range specific to the identified player is associated with a reference position,

store the gesture range specific to the identified player,

track a motion of the player while the gesture-based game is being played, and

update the stored gesture range specific to the identified player based on the tracked motion of the player while the gesture-based game is being played; and

an alarm unit configured to;

determine, while the identified gesture-based game is being played by the identified player, whether an object is located within the gesture range specific to the identified player; and

generate an alert in response to a determination that the object is located within the updated gesture range.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first information indicates whether the default gesture range includes a small gesture range or a large gesture range.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second information is associated with a face of the identified player, a game player identification (ID), or a game player avatar.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the alarm unit is configured to generate an alert via a visual alarm or audio alarm.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect a movement of the object or a movement of the identified player.

17. A gesture-based game system, comprising:

a game console, a camera, a display, and a speaker,

wherein the game console is configured to execute a gesture-based game, and wherein the game console comprises a safety component configured to;

receive first information associated with an identified gesture-based game, wherein the first information includes a type of the identified gesture-based game and a default gesture range associated with the identified gesture-based game;

identify a player of the identified gesture-based game;

receive second information associated with the identified player;

detect a range of motion of the player of the gesture-based game, wherein the detected range of motion is in at least a horizontal plane, and wherein the detected range of range of motion identifies a maximum range of motion for the player;

determine a gesture range specific to the identified player based on the default gesture range included in the received first information and based on the received second information associated with the identified player, wherein the gesture range specific to the identified player is associated with a reference position;

store the gesture range specific to the identified player,

track a motion of the player while the gesture-based game is being played, and

update the stored gesture range specific to the identified player based on the tracked motion of the player while the gesture-based game is being played;

determine, while the identified gesture-based game is being played by the identified player, whether an object is located within the gesture range specific to the identified player; and

generate an alert in response to a determination that the object is located within the updated gesture range.

18. The gesture-based game system of claim 17, wherein the safety component is configured to generate the alert as a visible warning message displayed on the display or as an audible warning message produced via the speaker.

19. The gesture-based game system of claim 17, wherein the safety component is configured to identify the player of the identified gesture-based game by recognition of a face of the identified player based on a video signal received from the camera, or by use of a user ID or an avatar input.

20. The gesture-based game system of claim 17, wherein the safety component is further configured to determine the default gesture range based on the first information associated with the identified gesture-based game.