JP2009279281A - Information processor and operation object - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a new game machine detecting the motion of a subject, based on the image of the subject appearing on a picked-up image, and adopting the motion as an input, and to provide the new subject suitable for the game machine. <P>SOLUTION: A game system includes: means for receiving from an image sensor 31, the picked-up image obtained by picking-up a simulation gun 73 with a sponge bullet 7 charged therein; image analyzing means for analyzing the picked-up image and detecting the position of a recursive reflection sheet 9 which is attached to the warhead of the sponge bullet 7; means for determining a coordinate ont a game screen according to the position of the recursive reflection sheet 9; trigger generating means for generating a trigger when a photographing state is changed into a non-photographing state in the recursive reflection sheet 9; and object control means for displaying a bullet object shot toward the coordinate when the trigger is generated. When the sponge bullet 7 is shot, a muzzle of the simulation gun 73 has no recursive reflection sheet 9, thereby changing the photographing state into the non-photographing state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that displays an image on a display device and related technology.

  The golf game system disclosed in Patent Document 1 by the applicant of the present application includes a game machine and a golf club type input device, and an imaging unit is housed inside the housing of the game machine. It is composed of an infrared light emitting diode or the like. Infrared light is intermittently irradiated to a predetermined range in front of the imaging unit by the infrared light emitting diode, and therefore the image sensor intermittently applies a reflector provided in the golf club type input device moving within the range. Take a picture. By processing such a strobe image of the reflector, the speed of the input device serving as an input of the game machine is calculated. In this way, an input can be given in real time to a computer or game machine using a stroboscope.

JP 2004-85524 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a novel information processing apparatus and related technology for detecting a motion of a subject based on the image of the subject reflected in a captured image and inputting the motion.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus is an information processing apparatus that generates an image and displays the image on a display device, and images an operation article operated by a player in real space from an imaging unit. Means for receiving a captured image; image analyzing means for analyzing the captured image and detecting a position of a subject attached to the operation article; and coordinate determination for determining coordinates on the video according to the position of the subject. Means, target object control means for controlling a target object displayed in the video, and a trigger for generating a trigger when the captured image transitions from a state where the image of the subject is captured to a state where it is not captured Generating means; object control means for displaying a bullet object flying toward the coordinates when the trigger is generated; the coordinates when the trigger is generated; and the target object. Depending on the positional relationship between the bets, the bullet object and means for determining whether hits the target object.

  According to this configuration, the player adjusts the position of the subject by moving the operation article, aims at the position where the target object is displayed in the video, and hides the subject from the imaging means by some method from there. Thus, it is possible to enjoy a shooting game in which a bullet object is shot at the desired coordinates and applied to the target object.

The operation article is a simulated gun that fires a simulated bullet loaded in the muzzle,
The subject is provided in a warhead portion of the simulated bullet.

  According to this configuration, since the subject appears at the muzzle portion of the simulated gun when the simulated bullet is loaded, the player can specify the desired coordinates of the image displayed on the display device by changing the direction of the muzzle of the simulated gun. can do. Further, when the simulated bullet is fired, the subject disappears from the muzzle portion of the simulated gun, and the subject is not reflected on the imaging means, so that the same effect as hiding the subject can be obtained. In other words, if you shoot a simulated gun, you can make the bullet object appear to fly even in the video.

  The simulated bullet is made of a material or shape that is susceptible to air resistance, and the direction of the warhead portion changes immediately after firing.

  According to this configuration, since only the warhead portion on which the subject is provided is provided, if the orientation of the warhead portion is changed, the subject is not captured on the imaging means. If the orientation of the warhead changes immediately after firing, the time from when the simulated bullet is fired until the subject is hidden from the imaging means is shortened. Can appear to fly.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, an information processing apparatus is an information processing apparatus that generates an image and displays the image on a display device, and images an operation article operated by a player in real space from an imaging unit. Means for receiving a captured image; image analyzing means for analyzing the captured image and detecting a position of a subject attached to the operation article; and coordinate determination for determining coordinates on the video according to the position of the subject. Means for controlling a first object moving in the video according to the coordinates; means for controlling a second object displayed in the video; and an image of the subject in the captured image. A trigger generating means for generating a trigger when a transition is made from a captured state to a non-photographed state, and when the first object and the second object overlap at the time of the trigger, Object comprises a determining means for determining and caught the second object.

  According to this configuration, the player adjusts the position of the subject by moving the operation article, moves the first object to the position of the second object, and then hides the subject in some way from the imaging unit. The second object can be caught by the first object.

  The second object is displayed in a layer below the first object, and when the first object and the second object overlap when the trigger is generated, the second object is moved from the first object. Is also displayed on the upper layer.

  According to this configuration, the player can see the second object as if it was caught by scooping up the second object.

  The operation article has a front surface and a back surface, and is an operation object for switching input / non-input to the information processing apparatus by turning it over, and the subject is provided only on either the front surface or the back surface. It is characterized by being.

  According to this configuration, the player can switch between input and non-input only by turning over the operation article.

  The information processing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention can realize, for example, a goldfish scooping game in which the first object is a net and the second object is a goldfish. If this operation thing is used, goldfish can be caught by operation which turns an operation object inside out so that an actual goldfish scoop may return a net.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the information processing apparatus is an information processing apparatus that generates an image and displays the image on a display device, and images an operation article operated by a player in real space from an imaging unit. Means for receiving a captured image; image analyzing means for analyzing the captured image to determine whether or not a subject attached to the operation article is captured; and an image of the subject in the captured image. Means for determining whether or not the state has continued for a predetermined time; trigger generation means for generating a trigger when the captured image transitions from a state where the image of the subject is captured to a state where it is not captured; and the trigger And an event generating means for generating a predetermined event when the state in which the image of the subject is photographed continues for a predetermined time.

  According to this configuration, the player adjusts the subject so that the subject appears on the imaging unit by moving the operation article, and generates an event by hiding the subject in some way with respect to the imaging unit in anticipation of timing. it can.

  The operation article is provided with a gripping portion that is gripped by a player at one end and the subject at the other end.

  According to this configuration, when the player grips the grip portion and moves the operation article, the subject side moves greatly, so that the subject can be moved instantaneously outside the imaging range of the imaging means. That is, the subject can be easily hidden from the imaging means.

  For example, if a subject is photographed for a while on the imaging means, a fish can be caught on the needle in the video, and a game can be implemented in which an event that causes fish to catch occurs when the grip is raised, the subject is pulled up and hidden from the imaging means.

  The operation article has a structure in which when the player holds the grip portion, the subject becomes a weight and is on the ground side.

  According to this configuration, since the operation article becomes like a fishing rod, it is most suitable for the fishing game as described above.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the information processing apparatus is an information processing apparatus that is used by being connected to a display device, and is an imaged image of an operation article operated by a player in real space from an imaging unit. An inclination of the operation article is calculated by means for receiving an image, a detection means for detecting two objects arranged at a predetermined interval of the operation article, and an angle formed by the images of the two objects from the captured image. And a moving direction determining means for determining a moving direction of the operation character in the screen displayed on the display device in accordance with the inclination of the operation article.

  According to this configuration, since the operation character moves in the direction in which the operation article is tilted, the operation method is intuitive and easy to understand.

  The operation character is a vehicle having a virtual handle or a character riding on the vehicle, and the moving direction determining means determines the tilt of the virtual handle according to the tilt, and the operation character's Determine the direction of movement.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to feel that the operating character is actually moved by tilting the handle. A similar game can be performed by using an inclination sensor or the like, but in that case, the sensor or the like needs to be built in the operation article from the beginning. On the other hand, according to this configuration, since the subject may be attached to the operation article later, the versatility is high.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the information processing apparatus is an information processing apparatus that generates an image and displays the image on a display device, and images an operation article operated by a player in real space from an imaging unit. Means for receiving an image; image analyzing means for analyzing the captured image and detecting a position of a subject attached to the operation article; storage means for storing a history of the position of the subject; Object control means for controlling the predetermined object; means for generating a trigger when the position of the subject satisfies a predetermined condition; history reading means for reading a history of the position of the subject in response to the trigger; State calculation means for calculating the state information of the operation article from the history of the position of the subject, the object control means according to the state information when the trigger occurs, Mutate the serial object.

  The state information is a concept including the tilt, movement amount, movement speed, movement direction, acceleration, and the like of the operation article, and can be said to be information obtained as a result of detecting how the player handles the operation article. . According to this configuration, the player can mutate the object in the video by moving the subject position so that the predetermined condition is satisfied. Furthermore, since the object mutation is in accordance with the movement of the operation article, it is possible to realize the object mutation that matches the intention of the player. Object mutation includes movement of an object, change in shape / color, change in parameters set for the object, and the like.

When the player operates the operation article at a speed or strength exceeding a predetermined threshold using various sensors and cameras as in the cited document 1, the player performs an input operation (for example, golf, tennis, baseball swing, bowling, baseball) In this method, it is difficult to set a threshold value. This is because the speed and strength of swings and pitches vary from person to person. If the threshold value is set too low, a casual action of the player may be detected as an input action. If the threshold value is set too high, a player who cannot perform a strong exercise cannot be operated.
In this regard, according to the information processing apparatus according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the object is mutated under a condition common to all people that the operation article comes to a position that satisfies the predetermined condition. It is easy to detect whether or not the condition is satisfied, and it is less likely that an image that does not match the player's intention is displayed.

  It further includes coordinate determining means for determining coordinates on the video according to the position of the subject, and the predetermined condition is that the coordinates on the video and the display position with the object satisfy a predetermined positional relationship. That is.

  According to this configuration, the player can mutate the object by moving the subject so as to satisfy the predetermined positional relationship while viewing the position of the object in the video. In this respect, it can be said that the display position of the object is a standard for the predetermined positional relationship for the player.

  It further includes means for setting a predetermined hit area in the video according to the coordinates on the video, and the predetermined condition is that all or a part of the hit area and the object overlap.

  According to this configuration, for the purpose of mutating the object, the object can be mutated only when the operation object is moved based on the position of the object. It is rare to mutate. That is, the variation of the object that matches the player's intention can be displayed.

  In the above case, a cursor linked to the coordinates on the video and the hit area may be displayed. In this way, it is easy for the player to visually understand whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied.

  The state information includes a movement amount or movement speed of the operation article, and the object control means moves the object in the video when the trigger is generated, and the object according to the movement amount or movement speed of the operation article. The amount of movement or the speed of movement is determined.

  According to this configuration, the player can move the object in the video quickly (largely) by moving the operation article quickly (largely).

  The state information includes a moving direction of the operation article, and the object control unit moves the object in the video when the trigger is generated, and changes the movement direction of the object according to the movement direction of the operation article. .

  According to this configuration, the player can adjust the moving direction of the object in the video by adjusting the direction in which the operation article is moved.

  The object control means moves the object in the video when the trigger occurs, determines the trajectory of the object according to the position of the object when the trigger occurs, and then according to the moving direction of the operation article The trajectory is corrected.

  The state information includes a movement amount of the operation article in a predetermined axial direction, and the object control unit corrects the trajectory according to the movement direction of the operation article, when the predetermined axis of the operation article is obtained. The correction amount is changed according to the amount of movement in the direction.

  According to this configuration, the correction amount can be increased as the movement amount of the operation article in the axial direction increases. Further, even if the player cannot move the operation article greatly, the trajectory of such an object is displayed according to a predetermined trajectory.

  The operation article has a front surface and a back surface, and the subject is provided on each of the front surface, the back surface, and a side surface formed by the front surface and the back surface.

  According to this configuration, even if the player tilts, twists, moves the object in front, back, left, or right, the subject on either side appears in the imaging means, and the position of the subject is detected by the information processing device. The state information of the object can be acquired. This increases the degree of freedom of movement of the player. All surfaces of the operation article may be subjects.

  The information processing apparatus according to the first to fifth aspects of the present invention described above may further include means for controlling an apparatus that irradiates the subject with light, and the subject may be a retroreflective sheet.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the operation article is an operation article including a subject for giving an input to an information processing apparatus that executes processing according to a program and an imaging result from the imaging unit. , A simulated bullet and a simulated gun that fires the simulated bullet loaded in the muzzle, and the subject is provided at a warhead portion of the simulated bullet.

  According to this configuration, since the subject appears in the muzzle portion of the simulated gun when the simulated bullet is loaded, the player changes the direction of the muzzle of the simulated gun to give information corresponding to the position of the subject to the information processing apparatus. be able to. Furthermore, when the simulated bullet is fired, the subject disappears from the muzzle portion of the simulated gun, and the subject is not reflected on the imaging means, so that the subject can be switched from the shooting state to the non-shooting state. That is, when a simulated gun is shot, input / non-input to the information processing apparatus can be switched.

  The simulated bullet is made of a material or shape that is susceptible to air resistance, and the direction of the warhead portion changes immediately after firing.

  According to this configuration, since only the warhead portion on which the subject is provided is provided, if the orientation of the warhead portion is changed, the subject is not captured on the imaging means. If the orientation of the warhead changes immediately after firing, the time from when the simulated bullet is fired until the subject is hidden from the imaging means is shortened. / Non-input can be switched.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the operation article is an operation article including a subject for giving an input to an information processing apparatus that executes processing according to a program and an imaging result from the imaging means. And the subject is provided only on either the front surface or the back surface.

  According to this configuration, the player can switch between input and non-input only by turning over the operation article.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operation article including a subject for giving an input to an information processing apparatus that executes processing according to a program and a result of imaging from an imaging unit. A grip portion that the player grips is provided, and the subject is provided at the other end.

  According to this configuration, when the player grips the grip portion and moves the operation article, the subject side moves greatly, so that the subject can be moved instantaneously outside the imaging range of the imaging means. That is, the subject can be easily hidden from the imaging means.

  This operation article has a structure in which when the player holds the grip portion, the subject becomes a weight and is on the ground side.

  According to this configuration, since the operation article becomes like a fishing rod, it is suitable as an operation article for a fishing game.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operation article including a subject for providing an input to an information processing apparatus that executes processing according to an imaging result from a program and an imaging unit. And the subject is provided on each of the front surface, the back surface, and a side surface formed by the front surface and the back surface.

  According to this configuration, even if the player tilts, twists, moves the object in front, back, left, or right, the subject on either side appears in the imaging means, and the position of the subject is detected by the information processing device. The state information of the object can be acquired. All surfaces of the operation article may be subjects.

  In the sixth to ninth operation objects of the present invention, the subject may be a retroreflective sheet.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is incorporated.

  (Embodiment 1)

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a game system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the game system includes an adapter 1, a cartridge 3 having an imaging unit 5, a sponge bullet 7, a cord 71, a simulation gun 73, and a television monitor 11. A cartridge 3 is attached to the adapter 1. The adapter 1 is connected to the television monitor 11 by an AV cable 13.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the adapter 1 and the cartridge 3 of FIG. Referring to FIG. 2, adapter 1 has a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape having an upper surface, a lower surface, left and right side surfaces, a front surface, and a back surface. A power switch 19 and a reset switch 21 are provided on the left front side of the adapter 1, and an infrared filter 29 is provided on the right front side. The infrared filter 29 is a filter that cuts light other than infrared rays and transmits only infrared rays. On the back side of the infrared filter 29, an IR receiver 141 (see FIG. 14) is arranged. Also, four direction keys 27 are provided in the vicinity of the front edge of the upper surface of the adapter 1. Further, a cancel key 23 is provided on the left side of the left end direction key 27, and an enter key 25 is provided on the right side of the right end direction key 27.

The cartridge 3 is provided with an imaging unit 5 at the rear of the upper surface thereof. The imaging unit 5 is provided with an infrared filter 17, and four infrared light emitting diodes 15 are provided so as to surround it. The infrared filter 17 is a filter that cuts light other than infrared rays and transmits only infrared rays. On the back side of the infrared filter 17, an image sensor 31 (see FIG. 4) described later is disposed.
3A is an explanatory diagram of the sponge bullet 7, the cord 71, and the simulated gun 73 of FIG. With reference to FIG. 3A, the sponge bullet 7 is packed in the muzzle portion of the simulated gun 73. When the trigger of the simulated gun 73 is pulled by the player, the sponge bullet 7 is ejected forward by the air pressure. It should be noted that any method may be used for launching the sponge bullet 7. The sponge bullet 7 and the simulated gun 73 are connected by the cord 71, and the sponge bullet 7 does not fly far away.

  FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the sponge bullet 7. A retroreflective sheet 9 that retroreflects light is attached to the warhead of the sponge bullet 7 so that the retroreflective sheet 9 comes to the front when the sponge bullet 7 is packed in the muzzle portion of the simulated gun 73.

Returning to FIG. 1, when the player stuffs the sponge bullet 7 into the muzzle portion of the simulated gun 73 and then points the simulated gun 73 toward the imaging unit 5, the retroreflective sheet 9 appears. 5 is taken.
When the player triggers the simulated gun 73 and the sponge bullet 73 is fired, the sponge bullet 7 is ejected toward the imaging unit 5 and then immediately changes its direction due to air resistance and is attracted by gravity and falls. While the sponge bullet 7 is falling, the retroreflective sheet 9 is not photographed because it faces the ground instead of the image pickup unit 5. Accordingly, when the player shoots the sponge bullet 7, the retroreflective sheet 9 that has been photographed until then is not photographed. By this switching, input / non-input to the multimedia processor 33 (see FIG. 4) of the cartridge 3 is performed. Switching can be controlled. In the present embodiment, the case where the retroreflective sheet is photographed by the image sensor 31 is referred to as a photographing state, and the state where the image sensor 31 is not photographed is referred to as a non-photographing state.

  Referring to FIG. 2 again, the four infrared light emitting diodes 15 intermittently emit infrared light. The infrared light from the infrared light emitting diode 15 is reflected by the retroreflective sheet 9 attached to the sponge bullet 7 and is input to the image sensor 31 provided on the back side of the infrared filter 17. In this way, the retroreflective sheet 9 at the tip of the simulated gun 73 loaded with the sponge bullet 7 is photographed by the image sensor 31.

  When infrared light is irradiated intermittently, photographing processing by the image sensor 31 is performed even when infrared light is not irradiated. The multimedia processor 33 of the cartridge 3 obtains the difference between the image signal at the time of infrared light irradiation and the image signal at the time of non-irradiation, and loads the sponge bullet 7 based on the difference signal DI (difference image DI). The position of the muzzle (that is, the retroreflective sheet 9) of the simulated gun 73 is calculated. Thus, by obtaining the difference, noise due to light other than the reflected light from the retroreflective sheet 9 can be removed as much as possible, and the retroreflective sheet 9 can be detected with high accuracy.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an electrical configuration of the adapter 1 and the cartridge 3 of FIG. Referring to FIG. 4, the cartridge 3 electrically connected to the adapter 1 includes a multimedia processor 33, an image sensor 31, an infrared light emitting diode 15, an external memory 35, and a bus 37. The external memory 35 is provided with necessary ones according to system specifications, such as ROM, RAM, and / or flash memory.

  The multimedia processor 33 can access the external memory 35 through the bus 37. Therefore, the multimedia processor 33 can execute the program stored in the external memory 35 and can read and process the data stored in the external memory 35. The external memory 35 stores in advance an application program for performing various processes such as screen control, position detection of the retroreflective sheet 9, and input determination, image data, audio data, and the like.

  Although not shown, the multimedia processor 33 includes a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as “CPU”), a graphics processing unit (hereinafter referred to as “GPU”), and a sound processing unit (hereinafter referred to as “SPU”). ), A geometry engine (hereinafter referred to as “GE”), an external interface block, a main RAM, an A / D converter (hereinafter referred to as “ADC”), and the like.

  The CPU executes programs stored in the external memory 35 to perform various calculations and control of the entire system. As processing of the CPU related to the graphics processing, a program stored in the external memory 35 is executed, and parameters of enlargement / reduction, rotation, and / or translation of each object, viewpoint coordinates (camera coordinates), and line-of-sight vector are calculated. Perform calculations. Here, a unit composed of one or a plurality of polygons or sprites and applied with the same transformation of enlargement / reduction, rotation, and translation is referred to as an “object”.

  The GPU generates a three-dimensional image composed of polygons and sprites in real time and converts it into an analog composite video signal. The SPU generates PCM (pulse code modulation) waveform data, amplitude data, and main volume data, and analog-multiplies them to generate an analog audio signal. The GE performs a geometric operation for displaying a three-dimensional image. Specifically, the GE performs operations such as matrix product, vector affine transformation, vector orthogonal transformation, perspective projection transformation, vertex brightness / polygon brightness calculation (vector inner product), and polygon back surface culling processing (vector outer product).

  The external interface block is an interface with peripheral devices (in this embodiment, the image sensor 31 and the infrared light emitting diode 15), and includes a 24-channel programmable digital input / output (I / O) port. The ADC is connected to four-channel analog input ports, and converts an analog signal input from an analog input device (in this embodiment, the image sensor 31) into a digital signal via these. The main RAM is used as a CPU work area, a variable storage area, a virtual storage mechanism management area, and the like.

  The retroreflective sheet 9 is irradiated with the infrared light of the infrared light emitting diode 15 and reflects the infrared light. Reflected light from the retroreflective sheet 9 is input to the image sensor 31, and accordingly, an image signal including an image of the retroreflective sheet 9 is output from the image sensor 31. As described above, the multimedia processor 33 intermittently blinks the infrared light emitting diode 15 for flash photography, so that an image signal when the infrared light is extinguished is also output. These analog image signals from the image sensor 31 are converted into digital data by an ADC built in the multimedia processor 33.

  The multimedia processor 33 generates the difference signal DI (difference image DI) from the digital image signal input from the image sensor 31 via the ADC, and based on this, the transition from the shooting state to the non-shooting state, That is, the input determination by firing the sponge bullet 7, the position of the retroreflective sheet 9 and the like are detected, the calculation, the graphic processing, the sound processing, etc. are executed, and the video signal VD and the audio signal AU are output. The video signal VD and the audio signal AU are given to the television monitor 11 through the adapter 1 via the AV cable 13, and accordingly, video is displayed on the television monitor 11, and audio is output from the speaker (not shown). Is done.

  Next, the processing contents by the multimedia processor 33 will be described with reference to the drawing showing the game screen displayed on the television monitor 11 by the multimedia processor 33.

5 to 8 are illustrations of game screens.
Referring to FIG. 5, the game screen displayed on the television monitor 11 by the multimedia processor 33 includes a cursor 41 and a target object 43.
In the first embodiment, the position of the retroreflective sheet 9 is treated as information indicating the direction of the simulated gun 73 with the sponge bullet 7 attached. The multimedia processor 33 controls the movement of the cursor 41L according to the detected position of the retroreflective sheet 9L, and controls the movement of the cursor 41R according to the detected position of the retroreflective sheet 9R.

  That is, the multimedia processor 33 extracts the image of the retroreflective sheet 9 from the difference image DI, and calculates the coordinates of the point of interest on the difference image DI. Then, the multimedia processor 33 obtains the position of the attention point on the screen of the television monitor 11 by converting the coordinates on the difference image DI of the attention point into the screen coordinates. The multimedia processor 33 displays the cursor 41 at a position corresponding to the screen coordinates of this attention point (corresponding to the retroreflective sheet 9). The screen coordinate system is a coordinate system used when displaying an image on the television monitor 11. In this embodiment, a horizontal coordinate axis (hereinafter referred to as X axis) and a vertical coordinate axis (hereinafter referred to as Y axis) on the difference image DI are respectively a horizontal coordinate axis (hereinafter referred to as x axis) and a vertical coordinate axis of screen coordinates. (Hereinafter referred to as the y-axis).

  When the player changes the direction of the simulated gun 73 with the sponge bullet 7 loaded, the multimedia processor 33 detects the change in the position of the retroreflective sheet 9 from the difference image DI acquired by the imaging unit 5 and the cursor. 41 is moved. When the player points the simulated gun 73 loaded with the sponge bullet 7 to an arbitrary position on the screen of the television monitor 11, the cursor 41 is adjusted to move to that position.

  Next, when the player triggers and the sponge bullet 7 is fired, the shooting state is changed to the non-shooting state as described above, and this transition is used as a trigger (hereinafter, this trigger is referred to as a firing trigger). Reference numeral 33 denotes an animation in which a bullet object (not shown) flies toward the center of the cursor object 41. When the firing trigger occurs, the multimedia processor 33 determines whether or not the bullet object hits the target object 43 based on the positional relationship between the center of the cursor object 41 and the target object 43 in the screen coordinate system. It is determined according to the program whether 43 falls down or not.

When the multimedia processor 33 determines that the target object 43 does not hit the bullet object 43 when the firing trigger occurs, or hits the target object 43 but does not fall down, it displays the characters “displaced” and decrements the remaining bullet parameter. Then, the screen of FIG. 5 is displayed again. When the remaining bullet parameter becomes “0”, the multimedia processor 33 displays a game over character and ends the game.
If it is determined that the bullet object hits the target object 43 and the target object 43 falls, a premium acquisition scene (not shown) is displayed, and the fallen target object 43 is enlarged and displayed in the center of the screen. The screen shown in FIG. 5 is displayed again in a state where the object 43 is acquired, the player's score is added, and the display of the fallen target object 43 is erased.
In the player's space, after firing, the sponge bullet 7 is hung on the simulated gun 73 by the cord 71 with the retroreflective sheet 9 facing the ground, not the television monitor 11. When the player again loads the sponge bullet 7 into the muzzle portion of the simulated gun 73 and points the simulated gun 73 toward the television monitor 11, the player can shift to the shooting state again. When the multimedia processor 33 shifts to the shooting state again, the multimedia processor 33 displays the cursor 41 according to the position of the point of interest on the difference image DI.

  When the player repeats the above operation and determines that all the target objects arranged in a horizontal row have fallen, the multimedia processor 33 displays the target object 43 that moves along the row. Since the target moves, it becomes difficult for the player to hit the bullet object and defeat the target object 43.

FIG. 6 is a screen diagram of a game arranged so that the game of FIG. 5 can be played by a large number of people. The game in FIG. 6 describes a mode in which four players play. When the game of FIG. 6 is performed, the sponge bullets 7 and the simulated guns 73 of FIG. In the difference image DI, retroreflective sheets 9 for the number of persons are photographed, and attention points are respectively detected. The multimedia processor 33 equally divides the difference image DI by the number of people on a straight line parallel to the Y axis, and divides the difference image DI into four in FIG. If there is, the cursors 41 </ b> A to 41 </ b> D are respectively displayed according to the attention points, and a bullet object is fired when each attention point disappears. Theoretically, any number of players can play, but as the number of people increases, the screen becomes harder to see and the detection of the retroreflective sheet becomes more difficult.
In the game of FIG. 6, the four players each have a simulated gun 73 loaded with sponge bullets 7 and are arranged in a row in front of the camera unit 5, aiming at target objects 43 </ b> A to 43 </ b> D corresponding to their cursor positions.

  FIG. 7 is a screen view of a game using clay shooting as a motif. The operation method of the player and the processing performed by the multimedia processor 33 are almost the same as those described with reference to FIG. The multimedia processor 33 controls display / non-display and display position of the cursor 41 and the bullet object according to the imaging result. At the same time, the multimedia processor 33 displays the clay object 45 so as to fly in a parabola from one end of the screen to the other end. When the multimedia processor 33 determines that the bullet object has hit the clay object 45, the multimedia processor 33 displays the clay object 45 so as to crush it, and adds the score of the player. When the predetermined time has elapsed, the multimedia processor 33 ends the game and displays the final score of the player.

  FIG. 8 is a screen view of a game arranged so that the game of FIG. 7 can be played by a large number of people. The clay object 45 moves in a trajectory as indicated by an arrow on the screen divided into four. Other than that, there is no significant difference from the game of FIG.

  In this embodiment, the player competes how many target objects 43 or clay objects can hit the bullet object, and is ranked higher according to the score added according to the number of hits.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the retroreflective sheet appears at the muzzle portion of the simulated gun 73 when the sponge bullet 7 is loaded, so that the player changes the direction of the muzzle of the simulated gun 73. The desired coordinates of the video displayed on the display device can be designated. Further, when the simulated bullet is fired, the subject disappears from the muzzle portion of the simulated gun, and the subject is not reflected on the imaging means, so that the same effect as hiding the subject can be obtained. That is, when the simulated gun 73 is shot, the bullet object can appear to fly even in the video.

Since only the warhead portion is provided with the retroreflective sheet, the retroreflective sheet 9 is not reflected in the image sensor 31 if the orientation of the warhead portion changes. Since the direction of the warhead changes immediately after firing, the time from when the sponge bullet 7 is fired until the retroreflective sheet 9 is hidden from the image sensor 31 is short. As a result, the video is shot at the moment when the player thinks that the simulated gun 73 is shot. The bullet object can appear to fly inside.
Thus, a shooting game aiming at the target object 43 or the clay object 45 can be enjoyed.

  (Embodiment 2)

  The overall configuration of the game system according to the second embodiment of the present invention is the same as that of the game system of FIG. However, in the second embodiment, the stick 61 shown in FIG. 9 is used instead of the sponge bullet 7 and the simulated gun 73 shown in FIG. The electrical configuration of the adapter 1 and the cartridge 3 according to the second embodiment is the same as that shown in FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 9, the stick 61 has a rod-like shape that can be grasped by a person (for example, 4 cm), and is made of, for example, foamed polyethylene. The stick 61 is attached with strip-like (for example, 4 cm wide) retroreflective sheets 65L and 65R at a predetermined interval (for example, 20 cm). The length of the stick 61 is, for example, 60 cm. When the user holds the stick 61 with both hands, for example, the user moves the stick 61 by holding the outside of the retroreflective sheet 65L with the left hand and the outer side of the retroreflective sheet 65R with the right hand.

When the player holds the stick 61 and stands in front of the imaging unit 5, the retroreflective sheets 65L and 65R are imaged, and images of two retroreflective sheets aligned at a predetermined interval are captured on the difference image DI.
Here, the multimedia processor 33 sets the inclination of the straight line connecting the attention point of the image of the retroreflective sheet 65 </ b> L and the attention point of the image of the retroreflective sheet 65 </ b> R as the inclination of the stick 61.
Specifically, with the upper left corner of the difference image DI as the origin, the horizontal right direction as the positive direction of the X axis, and the vertical lower direction as the positive direction of the Y axis, the Y coordinate Y1 of the point of interest shown on the left side in the difference image DI The tilt state of the stick 61 is determined by comparing the Y coordinate Y2 of the point of interest shown on the right side in the difference image DI.
If Y1> Y2 + k (k is a predetermined positive number), the multimedia processor 33 determines that the stick 61 is tilted to the right. If Y1 <Y2-k, the multimedia processor 33 determines that the stick 61 is tilted to the left. Furthermore, the multimedia processor 33 determines that the stick 61 is in a horizontal state when Y2−k ≦ Y1 ≦ Y2 + k. The tilt state of the stick 61 is used for game processing.

  Further, the multimedia processor 33 acquires the Y coordinate Y3 of the midpoint between the point of interest of the image of the retroreflective sheet 65L and the point of interest of the image of the retroreflective sheet 65R as information indicating the position of the stick 61. When the player moves the stick 61 up, Y3 decreases, and when the player moves down, Y3 increases.

  Next, the processing contents by the multimedia processor 33 will be described with reference to the drawing showing the game screen displayed on the television monitor 11 by the multimedia processor 33.

  FIG. 10 is a view showing an example of the game screen. Referring to FIG. 10, the game screen displayed by multimedia processor 33 includes operation character 81, time display unit 89 that executes a count-up from 0 seconds, and obstacle objects 83, 85, and 87. This game is a game in which an operation character 81 on a motorcycle advances along a virtual path while avoiding obstacle objects 83, 85, and 87, and aims to reach a goal point as soon as possible. In this embodiment, the multimedia processor 33 expresses how the operation character 81 advances in the virtual space by scrolling the background and other objects from the upper side to the lower side of the screen.

When both the retroreflective sheets 65L and 65R are shown on the difference image DI, the multimedia processor 33 performs the above-described scroll processing to express that the operation character 81 is moving, and in the virtual space of the operation character 81 The position parameter indicating the position of is increased and brought closer to the goal side.
When the operation character 81 hits any of the obstacle objects 83, 85, or 87, the multimedia processor 33 performs an effect that the operation character 81 can lose, even during which both retroreflective sheets 65L and 65R are shown. The scroll process and the increase of the position parameter are stopped. In other words, when the operation character 81 hits the obstacle objects 83 to 87, the player cannot move through the virtual space during that time, resulting in a time loss. Therefore, the player must advance the operation character 81 while avoiding the obstacle objects 83 to 87.

  The multimedia processor 33 tilts the operation character 81 in accordance with the tilt state of the stick 61 and moves it in the left-right direction on the screen. When determining that the stick 61 is tilted to the right, the multimedia processor 33 tilts the body of the operation character 81 to the right and moves the operation character 81 to the right side in the screen. If it is determined that the stick 61 is tilted to the left, the multimedia processor 33 tilts the body of the operation character 81 to the left and moves the operation character 81 to the left side in the screen. Further, when it is determined that the stick 61 is in a horizontal state, the multimedia processor 33 does not move the operation character 81 in the left-right direction, but advances straight.

The multimedia processor 33 also determines that the value of Y3, which is information indicating the position of the stick 61, has decreased by a predetermined amount during a predetermined number of times of imaging, that is, the stick 61 has a predetermined speed. Is moved vertically upward, the operation character 81 is caused to jump to a “jump” state for a predetermined time. When the operation character 81 is in the “jump” state, even if the display position of the operation character 81 overlaps the display position of the obstacle object 83 or 85, the multimedia processor 33 does not determine that they have collided. However, for some obstacle objects such as the obstacle object 87, even when the operation character 81 is in the “jump” state, if the display positions overlap, it is determined that they have collided.
That is, the player not only tilts the stick 61 horizontally and horizontally to move the operation character 81 left and right, but also moves some of the obstacle objects to the operation character by moving the stick 61 vertically upward and jumping. 81 can be avoided.

  When the value of the predetermined positive number k is reduced, the range in which the stick 61 is determined to be in the horizontal state is narrowed, and it is difficult to move the operation character 81 straight. With such a setting, not only the stick 61 is held over the image sensor 31 but also a game characteristic of balancing the left and right as needed is born.

  It is interesting that the operation character 81 simply moves in the direction in which the stick 61 is tilted as in the game of FIG. 10, but the virtual handle is determined by regarding the tilt of the stick 61 as the virtual bike handle of the operation character 81. The game may be such that the direction in which the operation character 81 advances is determined according to the inclination of the game character.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, since the operation character 81 moves in the direction in which the stick 61 is inclined, the operation method is intuitive and easy to understand.

  In addition, it is possible to feel that the operating character 81 is actually moved by tilting the handle. A similar game can be performed by using an inclination sensor or the like, but in that case, the sensor or the like needs to be built in the operation article from the beginning. On the other hand, according to this configuration, even if the stick 61 is not used later, the retroreflective sheets 65L and 65R can be attached to any rod-like object at a predetermined interval and used as an operation article.

  (Embodiment 3)

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a game system according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 11, the game system includes an adapter 1, a cartridge 100, a sensor unit 102, a simulated poi 104, and a television monitor 11. The cartridge 100 is electrically connected to the adapter 1. The adapter 1 is connected to the television monitor 11 by an AV cable 13. Therefore, the cartridge 100 can supply the video signal VD and the audio signal AU to the television monitor 11 via the adapter 1 and the AV cable 13. Unlike the cartridge 3, the cartridge 100 does not have the imaging unit 5.
Poi is a tool used for goldfish scooping that is a Japanese game, and it is like a net made of fiber such as paper that is easily broken when wet. Goldfish scooping is a game of scooping goldfish underwater while taking care not to break the poi due to the weight of the goldfish or the water pressure.

  FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the sensor unit 102 of FIG. Referring to FIG. 12, a power switch 112, a cancel key 114, an enter key 116, and select keys 118 and 120 are provided in a region on one side with respect to the vicinity of the center of the surface of the sensor unit 102. The enter key 116 is used for confirming selection or switching to the entire screen. The cancel key 114 is used when canceling the selection or returning to a predetermined place on the screen. The select keys 118 and 120 are used when making a selection by moving the cursor up and down or viewing the entire screen (moving up and down).

  In addition, an infrared filter 106 that transmits only infrared rays is provided in a region on the other side with respect to the vicinity of the center of the surface of the sensor unit 102. Two infrared light emitting diodes 108 for strobe photography are provided so as to sandwich the infrared filter 106. On the back side of the infrared filter 106, an image sensor 31 described later is disposed. Furthermore, on the surface of the sensor unit 102, an infrared filter 110 that transmits only infrared rays is provided slightly on the tip side from the infrared filter 106. An infrared light emitting diode 133 for infrared communication, which will be described later, is disposed on the back side of the infrared filter 110.

13A and 13B are explanatory diagrams of the simulated poi 104 in FIG. Referring to FIG. 13A, this simulated poi 104 has a shape imitating the shape of a poi, and the player can move the simulated poi 104 with a handle or turn it over. A retroreflective sheet 124 that retroreflects light is pasted only on the back side of the round part of the simulated poi 104 (the part on which paper or the like is stretched if it is an actual poi).
When the back side of the simulated poi 104 faces the sensor unit 102 side, the retroreflective sheet 124 is photographed. When the simulated poi 104 is turned upside down and the front side faces the sensor unit 102 side, the retroreflective sheet 124 is not photographed. That is, the player can switch the photographing state / non-photographing state of the retroreflective sheet 124 by moving or turning the simulated poi 104, and as a result, the input / non-input can be easily controlled.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the adapter 1, the cartridge 3, and the sensor unit 102 of FIG. Referring to FIG. 13, the sensor unit 102 includes an MCU (Micro Controller Unit) 131, an image sensor 31, an infrared light emitting diode 108 for strobe photography, and an infrared light emitting diode 133 for infrared communication.

  The MCU 131 controls the infrared light emitting diode 108. In accordance with the control of the MCU 131, the infrared light emitting diode 108 for photographing is driven intermittently and repeatedly turns on and off. By turning on the infrared light emitting diode 108, the retroreflective sheet 124 moved over the sensor unit 102 is irradiated with infrared light. The MCU 131 also controls the image sensor 31. Under the control of the MCU 131, the image sensor 31 captures the retroreflective sheet 124 that is moved over the sensor unit 102. In this case, the retroreflective sheet 124 is intermittently irradiated with infrared light, so that flash photography is performed.

  The MCU 131 calculates difference data between the image data when the infrared light emitting diode 108 is turned on and the image data when the infrared light emitting diode 108 is turned off. Then, the image of the retroreflective sheet 124 in the differential image DI based on the differential data is analyzed, and the position of the retroreflective sheet 124 on the differential image DI is calculated. In addition, the MCU 131 can obtain the difference data, so that noise due to light other than the reflected light from the retroreflective sheet 124 can be removed as much as possible, and the retroreflective sheet 124 can be detected with high accuracy.

  The MCU 131 drives the infrared light emitting diode 133 for communication, and transmits the calculated position (horizontal coordinate, vertical coordinate) information of the retroreflective sheet 124 to the IR receiver 141 of the adapter 1 by infrared communication.

  On the other hand, the cartridge 100 includes a multimedia processor 33, an external memory 35, and a bus 37. These are the same as those in FIG. The multimedia processor 33 receives the position information of the retroreflective sheet 124 transmitted from the sensor unit 102 from the IR receiver 141. The multimedia processor 33 performs various operations, graphic processing, and sound processing based on the position information of the retroreflective sheet 124, and generates a video signal VD and an audio signal AU. The video signal VD and the audio signal AU generated by the multimedia processor 33 are given to the television monitor 11 via the adapter 1 and the AV cable 13, and accordingly, an image is displayed on the television monitor 11, and the speaker ( Audio is output from (not shown). The adapter 1 supplies the video signal VD generated by the multimedia processor 33 to the AV cable 13 as it is, and also amplifies the audio signal AU and supplies it to the AV cable 13.

  Returning to FIG. 11, the sensor unit 102 is placed on the floor. Therefore, the imaging surface of the image sensor 31 is substantially parallel to the floor surface. A vertical axis (Y axis) of the image sensor 31 (captured image (difference image)) extends along the longitudinal direction of the sensor unit 102, and a horizontal axis (X axis) extends perpendicular to the vertical axis. . The horizontal coordinate axis on the image sensor 31 is parallel to the horizontal coordinate axis (x-axis) of the screen coordinates. The vertical coordinate axis on the image sensor 31 is parallel to the vertical coordinate axis (y-axis) of the screen displayed on the television monitor 11.

  The user operates the simulated poi 104 by moving it upside down or in the sky above the sensor unit 102 so that the back surface of the simulated poi 104 faces down, that is, the retroreflective sheet 124 is photographed by the image sensor 31. To do.

  Next, the processing contents by the multimedia processor 33 will be described with reference to the drawing showing the game screen displayed on the television monitor 11 by the multimedia processor 33.

  FIG. 15 is a view showing an example of the game screen. Referring to FIG. 14, the game screen displayed by multimedia processor 33 includes a state display unit 155 indicating the number of remaining challenges and the number of caught goldfishes, a goldfish object 153 swimming in water, and a poi cursor 151.

The multimedia processor 33 controls the screen coordinates of the poi cursor 151 in accordance with the position of the point of interest on the retroreflective sheet 124 that appears in the difference image DI. That is, when the player moves the back side of the simulated poi 104 over the sensor unit 102 to the front, back, left and right, the poi cursor 151 on the screen also moves up, down, left and right on the screen.
Here, when the player turns over the simulated poi 104, the retroreflective sheet 124 faces up, and the transition from the photographing state to the non-photographing state is triggered, the multimedia processor 33 enters the poi cursor 151 into the water and scoops the goldfish. Display the animation you are going to.
At this time, the multimedia processor 33 determines whether or not the goldfish object 153 is displayed under the poi cursor 151, displays an animation in which the goldfish object 153 is scooped, and increments a parameter indicating the number of caught goldfish. The display of the status display unit 155 is updated. Normally, the poi cursor 151 is displayed in a layer above the goldfish object 153 and the translucent light blue background representing the water surface, but is displayed in a layer below the goldfish object 153 and the background when a trigger occurs. When the goldfish object 153 is caught, the goldfish object 153, the poi cursor 151, and the background are displayed in this order. When displayed in this way, the poi cursor 151 enters underwater, and it appears that the goldfish object 153 has been scooped up from underwater.

The caught goldfish has different points depending on the type of goldfish, and the player competes for the number of points.
FIG. 16A is a diagram showing an example of points set for each goldfish object 153. As described above, the score varies depending on the size and pattern of the goldfish object 153. Since the multimedia processor 33 moves the goldfish object 153 having a higher score at a higher speed, it is difficult for the player to scoop the goldfish object 153 having a higher score.

  Returning to FIG. 15, the endurance value that decreases every time the poi cursor 151 enters the water or the goldfish object 153 is scooped is set in the poi cursor 151. The initial value of the endurance value is set to “10”, for example, and the multimedia processor 33 performs a display such that the poi cursor 151 is torn as the endurance value decreases, and the endurance value is “0” or less. Then, the poi cursor 151 is completely broken, the parameter indicating the number of remaining poi is decremented, and the display of the state display unit is updated. When the remaining poi becomes “0”, the game is over.

FIGS. 16B and 16C are diagrams for explaining the durability value of the poi cursor 151. Referring to FIG. 16B, the area A, the area B, the area C, and the area D (of the POI) of the circular part of the poi cursor 151 from the part near the center to the outside of the part on the circle, respectively. Outside) is set. In this embodiment, as the goldfish object 153 is scooped near the center of the poi cursor 151, the decrease in the durability value of the poi cursor 151 is reduced.
Referring to FIG. 16 (c), FIG. 16 (c) is a diagram showing the type of goldfish object and the decrease value of the endurance value when the goldfish object is to be covered with areas A to D. In the goldfish object 153 for which a high score is set in FIG. 16A, the decrease in the durability value when the position is far from the center of the poi cursor 151 is large. If the goldfish object 153 is not in the region A, the region B, or the region C when the poi cursor 151 moves underwater, the endurance value only decreases and the goldfish object 153 does not accumulate.

  As described above, according to the third embodiment, the player adjusts the position of the retroreflective sheet 124 by moving the simulated poi 104, moves the poi cursor 151 to the position of the goldfish object 153, and simulates from there. The goldfish object 153 can be caught by the poi cursor 151 by turning the poi 104 over.

  It appears to the player as if it was caught by scooping up the goldfish object 153 with the poi cursor 151.

  Input / non-input can be switched simply by turning the player simulated poi 104 over. The goldfish object 153 can be caught by the operation of turning over the simulated poi 104 so that the poi is returned with an actual goldfish scoop.

  (Embodiment 4)

  The overall configuration of the game system according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention is the same as that of the game system of FIG. However, in the second embodiment, a simulated rod 161 of FIG. 17 is used instead of the simulated poi 104 of FIG. The electrical configuration of the adapter 1, the cartridge 3, and the sensor unit 102 according to the fourth embodiment is the same as that shown in FIG.

  FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining the simulated kite 161. A retroreflective sheet 165 is provided on the surface of the front end portion 163 of the simulated basket 161 facing the floor surface. When the player moves the front end 163 of the simulated basket 161 so as to come above the sensor unit 102, the retroreflective sheet 165 is photographed. When the player pulls up the simulated rod 161 so as to pull up a real fishing rod, the tip 163 flies and the retroreflective sheet 165 is out of the imaging range of the sensor unit 102. That is, the player can move from the non-photographing state to the photographing state and then again to the non-photographing state by an operation such as fishing by moving the tip of the simulated rod 161 so as to come above the sensor unit 102 and pulling it up. The result input / non-input can be switched.

  Next, the processing contents by the multimedia processor 33 will be described with reference to the drawing showing the game screen displayed on the television monitor 11 by the multimedia processor 33.

18A and 18B are illustrations of game screens.
Referring to FIG. 18A, the game screen includes a fish shadow object 171 and a fishing rod object 173.

When the retroreflective sheet 165 is photographed, the multimedia processor 33 displays the fishing rod object 173 so that it is immersed in water as shown in FIG. When a predetermined time elapses in this state, the fish shadow object 171 approaches the fishing rod object 173, and the water surface undulates.
At this stage, when the player raises the simulated kite 161 and the shooting state of the retroreflective sheet 165 transitions to the non-shooting state, the multimedia processor 33 displays an animation in which the fish object 175 is picked up as shown in FIG. Is displayed. When the timing is early or late, the multimedia processor 33 produces an effect that the fishing line is cut or the garbage is raised.

  As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, the player adjusts the retroreflective sheet 165 to be reflected in the image sensor 31 by moving the simulated kite 161, and raises the simulated kite 161 in accordance with the timing. The retroreflective sheet 161 can be hidden from the image sensor 31 to generate an event in which the fish object 175 can be caught.

  When the player grips and moves the grip portion of the simulated scissors 161, the tip portion 163 moves greatly, so that the retroreflective sheet 165 can be instantaneously moved out of the imaging range of the image sensor 31. That is, the retroreflective sheet 165 can be easily hidden from the image sensor 31.

  Since the simulated rod 161 is like a fishing rod, it is most suitable for the fishing game as described above.

  (Embodiment 5)

  The overall configuration of the game system according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention is the same as that of the game system of FIG. However, in the fifth embodiment, a simulated racket 177 of FIG. 19 is used instead of the sponge bullet 7 and the simulated gun 6 of FIG. The electrical configurations of the adapter 1 and the cartridge 3 according to the fifth embodiment are the same as those shown in FIG.

FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining the simulated racket 177. The simulated racket 177 has a shape imitating the shape of a table tennis racket. A retroreflective sheet 179A that retroreflects light is attached to the ball striking surface of the simulated racket 177. Similarly, a recurrence reflecting sheet 179A is also attached to the back striking surface not shown in the figure. A retroreflective sheet 179B is provided on the side surface of the surface on which the retroreflective sheet 179A is provided. The retroreflective sheets 179A and 179B are the same material, and as shown in FIG. 19, only the shape and the attached position are different.
When the player holds the simulated racket 177 and stands in front of the camera unit 5, the image sensor 31 captures the retroreflective sheet 179 A and / or 179 B of the operation article 7.

  The re-reflective sheet 179B is provided so that even if the player tilts or twists the simulated racket 177, either the re-reflective sheet 179A or 179B is always captured by the image sensor 31. It is. If any one of the images is captured, the image sensor 31 extracts a point of interest from the image sensor 31, so that the multimedia processor 33 can detect the movement of the simulated racket 177. Hereinafter, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the retroreflective sheets 179A and 179B, they are collectively referred to as a retroreflective sheet 179. In addition, the structure which provides a recurrence reflection sheet in the whole side surface of the simulation racket 177 or the whole part corresponded to a braid | blade may be sufficient.

  Next, the processing contents by the multimedia processor 33 will be described with reference to the drawing showing the game screen displayed on the television monitor 11 by the multimedia processor 33.

FIG. 20 is a view showing an example of the game screen. Referring to FIG. 20, the screen displayed on multimedia monitor 33 on television monitor 11 includes ball object 181, racket cursor 183, net object 185, ping-pong table object 187, and opponent character 189. The multimedia processor 33 controls the movement of the racket cursor 1833 and the hit determination area 182 that are displayed in a translucent manner on the screen according to the detected position of the retroreflective sheet 9.
In FIG. 5A, a square hit determination area 182 drawn with a broken line is drawn for explanation, and is not displayed on the display screen viewed by the player.

The multimedia processor 33 detects the movement of the point of interest of the retroreflective sheet 179 on the difference image DI in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and the hit determination area 182 on the screen 11 and the racket cursor 183 in the x-axis direction. And the movement in the y-axis direction are linked.
On the screen 11, when the ball return condition is satisfied and the hit determination area 182 and the ball object 181 overlap with each other, the multimedia processor 33 succeeds in the player returning the ball object 181 hit by the opponent character 189. It is determined that it has been performed, and processing for displaying a return ball is executed.
In this embodiment, the ball object 181 hit by the opponent character 189 is assumed to make a single bounce on the player side court of the table tennis table object 187. For this reason, while the ball object 181 is on the opponent's court, the ball object 181 cannot be hit back even if the racket cursor 183 is overlapped.
In this way, the player returns the ball object 181 to the opponent's court side by moving the simulated racket 177 so that the blade portion of the racket cursor 183 (there is a hit determination area 182) overlaps the display position of the ball object 181. be able to.

  When the conditions that can be returned are satisfied, it is possible to visually indicate to the player from which timing the ball object 181 can be returned by changing the color of the ball object 181.

  Note that the determination of whether or not the ball object 181 has been hit back may not be the determination by the hit determination area 182 described above. For example, the sprite of the racket cursor 183 may be a hit determination area, a hit determination area larger than the sprite of the racket cursor 183 may be set, or conversely, may be set smaller. By setting the hit determination area in this way, it is possible to adjust the difficulty level of hitting the ball object 181.

  The multimedia processor 33 follows the depth direction of the screen displayed on the television monitor 11 in addition to the x coordinate and the y coordinate that are the screen coordinates of the ball object 181 as parameters representing the position of the ball object in the virtual space. The virtual z axis is set and the z coordinate of the ball object is also controlled. The multimedia processor 33 controls the size of the image of the ball object 181 according to the value of the z-coordinate so that it looks larger when it is closer to the player and smaller when it is away from the player.

The multimedia processor 33 stores the XY coordinates of the attention point of the image of the retroreflective sheet 179 on the difference image DI for the three most recent frames, and updates each frame. Here, the term “frame” refers to a period in which the multimedia processor 33 updates an image displayed on the television monitor 11, and here it is also used to mean 1 frame = 1 / 60th of a second. The multimedia processor 33 acquires the difference image DI from the frame image sensor 31.
When the multimedia processor 33 determines that the ball object 181 has been hit back, the multimedia processor 33 once determines a temporary return ball trajectory K1 according to the xyz coordinates of the ball object 181 at that time.
Next, the multimedia processor 33 checks the history of the XY coordinates of the attention point in the past three frames, and acquires the movement speed (movement amount between the three frames) and the movement direction of the attention point. The movement of the attention point in the XY coordinates is in accordance with the movement of the simulated racket 177 to which the retroreflective sheet 179 is attached, that is, the player's swing movement.
A return ball suitable for the player's realization is realized by executing the process for determining the return ball's power based on the moving speed and the moving speed and correcting the temporary return ball path K1 to the return ball path K2 taking the player's swing direction into consideration. it can.

The multimedia processor 33 checks the amount of movement of the attention point in the X-axis direction, that is, in the left-right direction. According to the amount of movement of the point of interest in the X-axis direction, seven levels of correction amounts are defined: “Left 3”, “Left 2”, “Left 1”, “Left / Right 0”, “Right 1”, “Right 2”, and “Right 3”. In accordance with the correction amount, the processor 67 corrects the left-right direction of the vector of the return ball trajectory K1. By this correction, the player can see the return ball extending in the direction in which the player swings the simulated racket 177.
Even if the point simulation racket 177 is not shaken very much and is at the level of “left and right 0”, since the return ball trajectory K1 determined according to the timing at which the ball object 181 is hit is drawn, Players who have difficulty swinging the simulated racket 177 strongly, such as children and infants, can fully enjoy this table tennis game.

Next, the multimedia processor 33 determines the sphere of the return ball according to the moving speed of the attention point. The movement speed is classified according to thresholds A1 to A3 (A1 <A2 <A3). If the movement amount is less than the threshold A1, “only hit”, “weak shot” if the threshold A1 is less than the threshold A2, and threshold A2 or more. If it is less than A3, it is determined as “strong shot”, and if it is greater than or equal to the threshold A3, it is determined as “smash”.
The multimedia processor 33 determines the speed of the return ball and the position of the opponent's court or the position falling off the court according to the determination result. If the player moves the simulated racket 177 strongly / fastly, the return ball speed also increases / fastens. In addition, if the player moves the simulated racket 177 weakly / slowly, the return speed is also weakened / slowed.
A strong return ball is hard to be hit back by the opponent character 189, but on the other hand, since the flight distance is large, it is easy to go out of the court.

When the multimedia processor 33 determines “weak shot” or “strong shot”, the multimedia processor 33 determines whether the ball type is “drive” or “cut”. Specifically, the multimedia processor 33 checks the history of the XY coordinates of the point of interest, and if the point of interest has moved from below to above (Y-axis negative direction), the player tilts the simulated racket 177 diagonally. Since there is a high possibility of swinging in a driving hitting method that pushes out upward and forward, the ball type is determined as “drive”.
Conversely, if the point of interest has moved from top to bottom (Y-axis positive direction) Y2 coordinates, there is a possibility that the player is swinging in a cut striking method that cuts the simulated racket 177 diagonally downward and forward. Since it is high, the ball type is determined as “cut”.
The multimedia processor 33 uses the determination result of the ball type as a parameter for determining how to bounce after the return ball bounces, and uses a trajectory as in the case of drive hitting or cutting hitting with an actual table tennis. Make adjustments as you draw.

When the rally ends and the player side serves, the multimedia processor 33 reciprocates the ball object 181 in the left-right direction (x-axis direction) along the end of the player-side court. When the ball object 181 comes to a position where the player wants to hit the serve, the player moves the ball object 181 so that the racket cursor 183 overlaps the ball object 181. At this time, the multimedia processor 33 moves the ball object 181 upward (y-axis negative direction) by a predetermined amount, and then moves downward (y-axis positive direction) until it returns to the original position. Move. This is a reproduction of the table tennis serve toss.
When the player brings the racket cursor 183 closer to the ball object 181 until the ball object 181 returns to the original position, the ball object 181 bounces on the player side court and then flies to the opponent side court. The ball power and the ball type are determined by the same method as described above.
In the serve, when the ball object 181 hits the net object 185 and jumps to the opponent's court, the serve is performed again.

  As described above, according to the fifth embodiment, the player can strike back the ball object 181 in the video if the position of the retroreflective sheet 179 is moved so as to satisfy the predetermined condition. Since this condition is common to all people, unlike the condition where the standard varies depending on the person, such as the strength of the swing, detection and processing by the information processing apparatus is simple.

  In addition, since the ball object 181 is returned only when the player moves the simulated racket 177 using the display position of the ball object 181 as a guide for the purpose of returning the ball object 181, the player's casual action or unintentional action The ball object 181 is rarely hit back. That is, the return ball of the ball object 181 that matches the player's intention can be displayed.

  Furthermore, the player can move the ball object 181 in the video quickly (largely) by moving the simulated racket 177 quickly (largely).

  Furthermore, the player can adjust the moving direction of the ball object 181 in the video by adjusting the direction in which the simulated racket 177 is moved.

  Furthermore, the larger the amount of movement of the simulated racket 177 in the left-right direction, the larger the correction amount of the moving fragrance to the left and right, which matches the player's intention. Further, even if the player cannot move the simulated racket 177 greatly, such return ball trajectory is displayed by the predetermined return ball trajectory K1.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various modes without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the following modifications are possible.

  (1) In each of the above embodiments, the strobe shooting (flashing of the infrared light emitting diodes 15 and 108) and the process of acquiring the difference image DI reduce noise and make it easy to detect the movement of the retroreflective sheet and the operation article. For this purpose, only a suitable example is shown, and it is not an essential element of the present invention. That is, the infrared light emitting diode 15 may not be blinked, and the infrared light emitting diode 15 may not be provided. Irradiation light is not limited to infrared light. The retroreflective sheet is only given as a suitable example that is easy to detect because it retroreflects the light emitted by the camera unit 5 or the imaging unit 102. Instead, a marker or subject of a predetermined color or a predetermined shape is used. A method of picking up an image and detecting a point of interest by image analysis may be used. The image sensor is not limited to an image sensor, and other image sensors such as a CCD can be used.

  (2) Although all the manipulation objects gripped by the player have only been provided with a retroreflective sheet, other signal output means such as a button switch, an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor are provided, and the processor 33 separately supplies the signal. You may make it the structure utilized as an input signal. However, in this case, it is necessary to provide additional communication means such as priority connection using a cable, wireless communication using infrared rays, and wireless communication using radio waves such as radio so that the operation article and the processor 33 can communicate with each other. Moreover, it is necessary to further provide power supply means such as a battery in the operation article.

(3) In each of the above embodiments, the game operation is performed by causing the image sensor to capture or hide the retroreflective sheet. That is, if the retroreflective sheet can be easily photographed or hidden by the image sensor, the shape of the operation article is free. For example, the shooting game of the first embodiment can be played using the simulated poi 104 of the third embodiment. In this case, first, the position of the cursor 41 is adjusted by directing the simulated poi 104 toward the camera unit 5. If the simulated poi 104 is turned over, the retroreflective sheet is hidden and the bullet object is fired at the position of the cursor 41.
Further, the shape of the operation article described in each of the above embodiments may not be used. For example, a modification as shown in FIG. 21 is also conceivable.

  FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the operation article. Referring to FIG. 21, the manipulation objects 191L and 191R are glove-side manipulation objects. When the player wears, retroreflective sheets 193L and 193R appear on the palm side. Since the retroreflective sheets 193L and 193R are hidden when the player holds the hand, in the game system as described in each of the above embodiments, the player can easily hold the shooting / opening state by holding / opening the hand. Can be switched and input can be controlled.

  (4) In the first, third, and fourth embodiments described above, the input / non-input is switched by switching the imaging state and the non-imaging state of the retroreflective sheet. For example, the retroreflective sheet is a predetermined distance from the image sensor. It is also possible to use a method of detecting that the distance is approaching by the size of the image and switching between input and non-input using that as a trigger. For example, in the first embodiment, when the simulated gun 73 fires the sponge bullet 7, after the sponge bullet 7 approaches the image sensor 31 for a moment, it triggers that the retroreflective sheet 9 does not appear by dropping in the ground direction. However, the trigger may be generated when the sponge bullet 7 approaches the image sensor 31.

  (5) The simulated rod 161 of the fourth embodiment has a rod portion and a yarn portion like an actual fishing rod, and has a tip portion 163 with a retroreflective sheet 165 stretched at the tip of the yarn portion. Is not an essential component, and for example, a configuration in which the tip portion 163 is provided at the tip of the heel portion may be used. In this case, the fishing quality is reduced, but it is convenient because the yarn does not get tangled. In this case, the heel portion may be made of a well-made material so that the retroreflective sheet 165 of the tip portion 163 faces the floor, or the retroreflective sheet 165 is pasted on the entire tip portion 163.

  (6) The game in each embodiment is merely an example, and can be applied to games of various subjects. For example, although the fifth embodiment is a table tennis game, it can naturally be applied to tennis games, baseball games, golf games, and the like.

It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the game system by Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a perspective view of the adapter 1 and the cartridge 3 of FIG. (A) It is explanatory drawing of the sponge bullet 7, the cord 71, and the simulation gun 73 of FIG. (B) It is an enlarged view of sponge bullet 7. FIG. It is a figure which shows the electrical structure of the adapter 1 and cartridge 3 of FIG. It is an illustration figure of a game screen. It is an illustration figure of a game screen. It is an illustration figure of a game screen. It is an illustration figure of a game screen. It is explanatory drawing of the stick 61. FIG. It is an illustration figure of a game screen. It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the game system by Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a perspective view of the sensor unit 102 of FIG. (A) (b) It is explanatory drawing of the pseudo | simulation poi 104 of FIG. It is a figure which shows the electrical constitution of the adapter 1, the cartridge 3, and the sensor unit 102 of FIG. It is an illustration figure of a game screen. (A) It is a figure which shows the example of the score set to each goldfish object 153. FIG. (B) (c) It is a figure for demonstrating the durable value of the poi cursor 151. FIG. It is a figure explaining the mushroom 161. (A) (b) It is an illustration figure of a game screen. It is a figure explaining the simulation racket 177. FIG. It is an illustration figure of a game screen. It is a figure which shows the modification of an operation thing.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Adapter, 3 ... Cartridge, 5 ... Camera unit, 11 ... Television monitor, 7 ... Sponge bullet, 73 ... Simulated gun, 9 ... Retroreflective sheet, 31 ... Image sensor, 33 ... Multimedia processor, 15 ... Infrared Light emitting diode, 102 ... Sensor unit, 61 ... Stick, 65L and 65R ... Retroreflective sheet, 104 ... Simulated poi, 124 ... Retroreflective sheet, 161 ... Simulated kite, 165 ... Retroreflective sheet, 177 ... Simulated racket, 179 ... Recursive Reflective sheet

Claims (27)

An information processing device that generates video and displays it on a display device,
Means for receiving a picked-up image obtained by picking up an operation article operated by the player in real space from the image pickup means;
Image analysis means for analyzing the captured image and detecting a position of a subject attached to the operation article;
Coordinate determining means for determining coordinates on the video according to the position of the subject;
A target object control means for controlling a target object displayed in the video;
Trigger generating means for generating a trigger when the captured image transitions from a state where the image of the subject is captured to a state where the subject is not captured;
An object control means for displaying a bullet object flying toward the coordinates when the trigger occurs;
An information processing apparatus comprising: means for determining whether or not the bullet object hits the target object according to a positional relationship between the coordinates when the trigger is generated and the target object. The operation article is a simulated gun that fires a simulated bullet loaded in the muzzle,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the subject is provided in a warhead portion of the simulated bullet.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the simulated bullet is made of a material or shape that is susceptible to air resistance, and the direction of the warhead portion changes immediately after launch. An information processing device that generates video and displays it on a display device,
Means for receiving a picked-up image obtained by picking up an operation article operated by the player in real space from the image pickup means;
Image analysis means for analyzing the captured image and detecting a position of a subject attached to the operation article;
Coordinate determining means for determining coordinates on the video according to the position of the subject;
Means for controlling a first object moving in the video according to the coordinates;
Means for controlling a second object displayed in the video;
Trigger generating means for generating a trigger when transitioning from a state in which the image of the subject is captured to a state in which the image of the subject is not captured in the captured image;
An information processing apparatus comprising: determination means for determining that the first object has caught the second object when the first object and the second object overlap when the trigger is generated.   The second object is displayed in a layer below the first object, and when the first object and the second object overlap when the trigger is generated, the second object is moved from the first object. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information is displayed on an upper layer. The operation article has a front surface and a back surface, and is an operation article for switching input / non-input to the information processing apparatus by turning the operation object upside down.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the subject is provided only on either the front surface or the back surface. An information processing device that generates video and displays it on a display device,
Means for receiving a picked-up image obtained by picking up an operation article operated by the player in real space from the image pickup means;
Image analysis means for analyzing the captured image and determining whether or not a subject attached to the operation article is captured;
Means for determining whether or not the state in which the image of the subject appears in the captured image has continued for a predetermined time;
Trigger generating means for generating a trigger when the captured image transitions from a state where the image of the subject is captured to a state where the subject is not captured;
And an event generating means for generating a predetermined event when the state in which the image of the subject is photographed continues for a predetermined time at the trigger generation stage.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the operation article is provided with a grip portion that a player grips at one end and the subject at the other end.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when the player holds the grip portion, the subject is a weight and is on the ground side. An information processing device used by connecting to a display device,
Means for receiving, from the imaging means, a captured image obtained by imaging an operation article operated by the player in real space;
Detecting means for detecting two subjects arranged at predetermined intervals of the operation article from the captured image;
Calculating means for calculating an inclination of the operation article according to an angle formed by the images of the two subjects;
An information processing apparatus comprising: a moving direction determining unit that determines a moving direction of an operation character in a screen displayed on the display device in accordance with an inclination of the operation article. The operation character is a vehicle having a virtual handle or a character riding on the vehicle,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the movement direction determination unit determines an inclination of the virtual handle according to the inclination and determines a movement direction of the operation character according to the inclination. An information processing device that generates video and displays it on a display device,
Means for receiving from the imaging means an image obtained by imaging an operation article operated by the player in real space;
Image analysis means for analyzing the captured image and detecting a position of a subject attached to the operation article;
Storage means for storing a history of the position of the subject;
Object control means for controlling a predetermined object in the video;
Means for generating a trigger when the position of the subject satisfies a predetermined condition;
History reading means for reading a history of the position of the subject in response to the trigger;
State calculating means for calculating state information of the operation article from a history of the position of the subject,
The information processing apparatus, wherein the object control means mutates the object according to the state information when the trigger occurs. Coordinate determining means for determining coordinates on the video according to the position of the subject;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined condition is that a coordinate on the video and a display position of the object satisfy a predetermined positional relationship. Means for setting a predetermined hit area in the video according to the coordinates on the video;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined condition is that all or a part of the hit area and the object overlap. The state information includes a moving amount or moving speed of the operation article,
15. The object control unit according to claim 12, wherein the object control unit moves the object in the video when the trigger is generated, and determines a movement amount or movement speed of the object according to a movement amount or movement speed of the operation article. The information processing apparatus according to any one of the above. The state information includes a moving direction of the operation article,
The object control means according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the object control means moves the object in the video when the trigger is generated, and changes the movement direction of the object according to the movement direction of the operation article. Information processing device.   The object control means moves the object in the video when the trigger occurs, determines the trajectory of the object according to the position of the object when the trigger occurs, and then according to the moving direction of the operation article The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the trajectory is corrected. The state information includes a movement amount of the operation article in a predetermined axial direction,
18. The information processing according to claim 17, wherein the object control means changes a correction amount according to a movement amount of the operation article in a predetermined axial direction when correcting the trajectory according to the movement direction of the operation article. apparatus. The operation article has a front surface and a back surface,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the subject is provided on each of the front surface, the back surface, and a side surface formed by the front surface and the back surface. Means for controlling a device for irradiating the subject with light;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the subject is a retroreflective sheet. An operation article including a subject for giving an input to an information processing apparatus that executes processing according to an imaging result from a program and imaging means,
A mock bullet,
A mock gun that fires the mock bullet loaded in the muzzle,
An operation article, wherein the subject is provided at a warhead portion of the simulated bullet.   The operation article according to claim 21, wherein the simulated bullet is made of a material or a shape that is susceptible to air resistance, and the direction of the warhead portion changes immediately after firing. An operation article including a subject for giving an input to an information processing apparatus that executes processing according to an imaging result from a program and imaging means,
Having a front surface and a back surface;
The operation object is characterized in that the subject is provided only on either the front surface or the back surface. An operation article including a subject for giving an input to an information processing apparatus that executes processing according to an imaging result from a program and imaging means,
A gripping part that the player grips at one end is
An operation article provided with the subject at the other end.   25. The operation article according to claim 24, wherein when the player holds the grip portion, the subject is a weight and is on the ground side. An operation article including a subject for giving an input to an information processing apparatus that executes processing according to an imaging result from a program and imaging means,
Having a front surface and a back surface;
The operation object is provided on each of the front surface, the back surface, and a side surface formed by the front surface and the back surface.   The operation article according to any one of claims 21 to 26, wherein the subject is a retroreflective sheet.