JP2005032268A - Input position detecting device and entertainment system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an input position detecting device capable of accurately and easily detecting an input position by an input device, and to provide an entertainment system capable of detecting a position of a slave machine, displaying, on a view centering the foregoing position, an image generated by the execution of a program and allowing the player to set an optimum view. <P>SOLUTION: A portable game terminal 3 is held by an operator 7. The portable game terminal 3 comprises an infrared input/output part 8 for sending an infrared signal to an infrared input/output device 4, according to the operation of the operator 7. The infrared input/output device 4 connected to a monitor device 6, and a CCD camera 5 are arranged adjacent each other towards the direction of the operator 7 holding the portable game terminal 3. A game device body 2 detects the position of the portable game terminal 3 based on a difference between an input image entered by the CCD camera 5 just before the operator 7 emits an infrared signal from the infrared input/output part 8 of the portable game terminal 3 towards the infrared input/output device 4, and an input image when the infrared signal is emitted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an input position detection device for detecting an input position from an input device having infrared transmission / reception means, a parent device having a program execution function, and a child device having an interface for connecting to the parent device. It is related with the entertainment system which has.

  In a video game device that is a specific example of an entertainment system, a player character or object is displayed on a monitor device such as a television receiver connected to the game machine body, and the character or object is displayed using an input operation device. For example, a role playing game or a racing game is advanced while jumping, moving, and the like.

  Normally, the game is advanced on the assumption that the player is looking at the monitor device from the front. For this reason, the player needs to be positioned in front of the monitor device.

  By the way, depending on the condition of the room where the monitor device is placed, it may be difficult for the player to be positioned in front of the monitor device.

  In addition, for example, when a two-person game is performed using an input operation device, for example, it is difficult for both of them to be positioned in front of the monitor device.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an input position detection device that can accurately and easily detect an input position by an input device and a position of a slave unit are detected, and the position is centered. It is an object of the present invention to provide an entertainment system that can display an image generated by executing a program on the viewpoint, and allows a player to set an optimal viewpoint.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, an entertainment system according to the present invention is an input position detection device for detecting an input position from an input device having infrared transmission / reception means, wherein an infrared signal is transmitted to the infrared transmission / reception means of the input device. Infrared transmission / reception means for transmitting and receiving and imaging means for imaging an image in a predetermined direction, the imaging means and the infrared transmission / reception means are arranged adjacent to each other in a predetermined direction, and the imaging means images Based on a difference between an image including an infrared signal for position detection from an infrared transmission / reception unit of the input device in or near a predetermined direction and an image not including an infrared signal for position detection immediately before the input An input position in the predetermined direction of the apparatus or in the vicinity thereof is detected.

  In addition, in order to solve the above-described problems, the entertainment system according to the present invention includes a master unit having a program execution function, an interface for connecting to the master unit, and a slave unit including infrared transmission / reception means. In the entertainment system configured as described above, the base unit has an infrared transmission / reception unit that transmits / receives an infrared signal to / from the infrared transmission / reception unit of the slave unit, and an imaging unit that captures an image in a predetermined direction, adjacent to each other in a predetermined direction. The image including the infrared signal for position detection from the infrared transmission / reception means of the slave unit in the predetermined direction or in the vicinity thereof, and the infrared signal for position detection immediately before the image captured by the imaging means. Based on a difference from an image not included, an input position of the slave unit in the predetermined direction or in the vicinity thereof is detected.

  Here, the master unit is connected to display means for displaying an image generated by executing the program, and the infrared transmission / reception means and the imaging means are arranged in the vicinity of the display means.

  Further, the slave unit has a unique identification number, and the identification number information is included in the infrared light emitted toward the master unit. Further, the slave unit has a unique identification number, and when the identification number is sent from the master unit to the slave unit by an infrared signal, whether or not the identification number is equal to the unique identification number. Determine whether. The slave unit includes a plurality of the infrared transmission means.

  According to the present invention, an input position detection device that can accurately and easily detect an input position from an input device, and a position of a slave unit are detected. The entertainment system which can display the image produced | generated by execution and can make a player set the optimal viewpoint can be provided.

  Embodiments of an input position detection device and an entertainment system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is a video game device comprising a game machine main body having a program execution function and a portable game terminal having an interface for wireless connection to the game machine main body. It has a function as an input position detection device for detecting the input position.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the video game apparatus 1 includes a game machine body 2 and a portable game terminal 3. The game machine body 2 is connected to an infrared input / output device 4, a CCD camera 5 serving as an image capturing means, and a monitor device 6 such as a television receiver.

  The portable game terminal 3 is held by the operator 7. The portable game terminal 3 includes an infrared input / output unit 8, and transmits an infrared signal corresponding to the operation of the operator 7 to the infrared input / output device 4.

  Here, the infrared input / output device 4 connected to the monitor device 6 and the CCD camera 5 are arranged adjacent to each other toward the operator 7 holding the portable game terminal 3. Then, the game machine main body 2 emits infrared light and an input image from the CCD camera 5 immediately before the operator 7 emits an infrared signal from the infrared input / output unit 8 of the portable game terminal 3 toward the infrared input / output device 4. The position of the mobile game terminal 3 is detected based on the difference from the input image at the time. The portable game terminal 3 has a unique identification number, and this identification number information is included in the infrared light emitted toward the game machine body 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the game machine body 2 is supplied with an A / D converter 10 that converts a captured image from the CCD camera 5 into a digital signal and infrared rays for position detection from the infrared input / output device 4. A switching device 11, two frame buffers 12 and 13, a reading circuit 14, a comparator 15, and an image address calculator 16.

  Next, the operation of the video game apparatus 1 will be described below using the flowchart of FIG. First, it is assumed that the operator 7 presses the infrared light emission button of the portable game terminal 3 in step S1. Then, the portable game terminal 3 emits an infrared signal including its own identification number from the infrared input / output unit 8 in step S3.

  The infrared input / output device 4 connected to the game machine body 2 detects the infrared signal from the infrared input / output unit 8 in step S3. Then, from the identification number included in the infrared signal detected in step S4, it is determined that the signal is from the portable game terminal 3, and after the captured image from the CCD camera 5 is converted into a digital image signal by the A / D converter 10, One frame is stored in the frame buffer 12.

  When the portable game terminal 3 emits the infrared signal for position detection for one frame time or more in step S5, the game machine body 2 captures the image during the infrared signal emission for position detection with the CCD camera 5 in step S6. One frame is stored in the frame buffer 13 via the A / D converter 10 and the switch 11.

  Finally, in step S7, the image address calculator 16 reads the digital image signal from the frame buffers 12 and 13 via the read circuit 14, compares the difference by the comparator 15, and performs image processing on the position of the light emitting point. Ask for.

  That is, the image input from the CCD camera 5 is held in advance in the frame buffer 12 for one frame, and when the infrared signal for position detection is detected, the input of the CCD camera stored in the frame buffer 12 before infrared emission is input. The position of the portable game terminal 3 is detected by taking the difference between the image and the input image of the CCD camera 5 after infrared light emission stored in the frame buffer 13.

  Moreover, since the identification number of the portable game terminal 3 is included in the infrared signal, it is possible to recognize which portable game terminal is located at which position.

The image address calculator 16 estimates real space coordinates from the image coordinates of the CCD camera by an algorithm that can be described with reference to FIG. Here, a description will be given using a television coordinate system in which the center of the screen of the monitor device (television) 6 is the origin, the direction toward the television 6 is the Tz axis in the vertical front direction, the Tx axis is in the right hand direction, and the Ty axis is in the upward direction. To do.

It is assumed that the screen direction of the television 6 and the line-of-sight direction of the CCD camera 5 are parallel, and the CCD camera 5 is directly above the origin of the television coordinate system. The center of the lens of the CCD camera 5 is set as the origin, the direction toward the CCD camera 5 is the Cz axis, the right hand direction is the Cx axis, and the upward direction is the Cy axis. The distance between the origin of the CCD camera coordinate system and the origin of the television coordinate system is d.

  In the case of one CCD camera, since only the two-dimensional position of the portable game terminal 3 is known, it is assumed that the portable game terminal 3 exists on a plane a away from the television in order to limit the degree of freedom.

  In general, if lens distortion is ignored, the position on the plane perpendicular to the z-axis of the camera 5 is linearly mapped on the CCD. Thereby, when the portable game machine moves in the plane, the coordinate system of the television 6 and the coordinate system of the CCD camera 5 are linearly mapped. In the case of FIG. 4, it is only necessary to perform the translation of d with respect to the y coordinate.

  For this reason, the image address calculator 16 can calculate Tx = Cz, Ty = Cy + d, and Tx = Cx. Therefore, the video game apparatus 1 can detect the position of the player holding the portable game terminal 3. An image generated by executing the program can be displayed on the viewpoint centered on the position, and an optimal viewpoint can be given to the player.

  Note that the input position detection device and the entertainment system according to the present invention are not limited to the video game apparatus 1 described above, and the game machine body 2 that is the parent machine as shown in FIG. You may apply to the video game apparatus 20 which transmits the identification number of the portable game terminal 3 to know by an infrared signal.

  The video game apparatus 20 operates according to the flowchart shown in FIG. That is, when the game machine body 21 transmits the identification number of the portable game terminal 3 whose position is desired to be known and the light emission command by an infrared signal in step S11, the portable game terminal 3 that has received the infrared signal in step S12 uses its own CPU. The signal is deciphered and it is checked whether or not the identification number being queried is equal to its own identification number. If the identification number is included in the inquiry signal by infrared in step S12, the portable game terminal 3 emits the infrared signal including the identification number as a response signal in step S13.

  In step S14, the infrared input / output device 4 connected to the game machine body 2 detects the infrared signal.

  Then, from the identification number included in the infrared signal detected in step S15, it is determined as a signal from the portable game terminal 3, and after the captured image from the CCD camera 5 is converted into a digital image signal by the A / D converter 10, One frame is stored in the frame buffer 12.

  When the portable game terminal 3 emits the infrared signal for position detection for one frame time or more in step S16, the game machine body 2 captures the image during the infrared signal emission for position detection with the CCD camera 5 in step S17. One frame is stored in the frame buffer 13 via the A / D converter 10 and the switch 11.

  Finally, in step S18, the image address calculator 16 reads the digital image signal from the frame buffers 12 and 13 via the read circuit 14, compares the difference by the comparator 15, and performs image processing on the position of the light emitting point. Ask for.

  That is, the image input from the CCD camera 5 is held in advance in the frame buffer 12 for one frame, and when the infrared signal for position detection is detected, the input of the CCD camera stored in the frame buffer 12 before infrared emission is input. The position of the portable game terminal 3 is detected by taking the difference between the image and the input image of the CCD camera 5 after infrared light emission stored in the frame buffer 13.

  Here, if there is one light emitting element 8 attached to the portable game terminal 3, the two-dimensional position can be detected. Further, if the two light emitting elements are located at a distance, it is possible to estimate the distance from the CCD camera 5 and to detect the rotation angle around the screen. Further, if the three or more light emitting elements are located at a distance, it is possible to estimate the three-dimensional position and posture of the portable game terminal. If necessary, the light emitting elements can be identified by shifting the light emission timing of each light emitting element so as to be included in another frame.

  In the video game apparatuses 1 and 20, the position of the game player is detected using the input position detection result of the portable game terminal 3 calculated by the image address calculator 16, and the program is displayed on the viewpoint centered on the position. The image generated by executing is displayed.

  The normal game is based on the premise that the player is watching the screen of the television 6 from the front. By converting to a viewpoint centered on the position of the player, it is possible to set an optimal viewpoint when playing on a large screen.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the optimal viewpoint can be set also when the operator A and B (21 and 22) play a battle play. In FIG. 7, the screen 23 </ b> A of the operator A <b> 21 and the screen 23 </ b> B of the operator B <b> 22 give an optimal viewpoint to each operator on the screen of the television 6.

  In addition, by using the input position detected by the present invention, a realistic line of sight can be expressed by directing the direction of the line of sight of the character to the position of the portable game terminal. Further, since the movement can be input by supplementing the movement of the portable game terminal, for example, it can be used instead of a keypad or a joystick.

  As described above, according to the video game apparatuses 1 and 20 according to the above-described embodiment and the system using a plurality of portable game terminals using the video game apparatuses 1 and 20, Know the location and give various feedback.

  Also, by putting an identification number in the infrared signal, it is possible to identify which input device is there at the same time as the position.

  Furthermore, the position can be accurately measured with simple processing by taking the difference between the images. If necessary, if a filter that passes infrared rays is attached in front of the CCD camera, measurement can be performed with a higher S / N.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the video game device used as embodiment of the input position detection apparatus and entertainment system which concern on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the detailed structure of the principal part of the said video game device. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the said video game device. It is a figure for demonstrating the calculation algorithm of the image address computer which comprises the said video game device. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the modification of the said video game device. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of the modification shown in the said FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement with the video game device provided with two portable game terminals.

Explanation of symbols

  1 video game device, 2 game machine body, 3 portable game terminal, 4 infrared input / output device, 5 CCD camera, 6 TV

Claims (6)

In an input position detection device for detecting an input position by an input device provided with infrared transmission / reception means,
Infrared transmission / reception means for transmitting / receiving an infrared signal to / from the infrared transmission / reception means of the input device;
Imaging means for imaging an image in a predetermined direction,
The imaging means and the infrared transmission / reception means are arranged adjacent to each other in a predetermined direction, and the infrared rays for position detection from the infrared transmission / reception means of the input device in the predetermined direction or in the vicinity thereof, taken by the imaging means. An input characterized by detecting an input position in or near the predetermined direction of the input device based on a difference between an image including a signal and an image not including an immediately preceding position detection infrared signal. Position detection device. In an entertainment system comprising a master unit having a program execution function, a slave unit equipped with an interface for connecting to the master unit and infrared transmission / reception means,
The above base unit is
Infrared transmission / reception means for transmitting / receiving infrared signals to / from the infrared transmission / reception means of the slave unit;
An image pickup means for picking up an image in a predetermined direction is arranged adjacent to the predetermined direction,
An image including an infrared signal for position detection from the infrared transmission / reception means of the slave unit in or near the predetermined direction, and an image not including an infrared signal for position detection immediately before the image captured by the imaging unit; An entertainment system for detecting an input position of the slave unit in the predetermined direction or in the vicinity thereof based on the difference between the slave units.   3. The entertainment according to claim 2, wherein the base unit is connected to display means for displaying an image generated by executing the program, and the infrared transmission / reception means and the imaging means are arranged in the vicinity of the display means. system.   3. The entertainment system according to claim 2, wherein the slave unit has a unique identification number, and the identification number information is included in infrared light emitted toward the master unit.   The slave unit has a unique identification number. When an identification number is sent from the master unit to the slave unit by an infrared signal, it is determined whether the identification number is equal to the unique identification number. The entertainment system according to claim 2, wherein the entertainment system is determined.   3. The entertainment system according to claim 2, wherein the slave unit includes a plurality of infrared transmission means.

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