JP3942942B2 - Virtual baseball game device and bat and catcher mitt used for it - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, in a virtual space composed of three-dimensional images, a virtual player throws or captures a virtual image ball thrown by a virtual image pitcher, so that a baseball game full of realism can be enjoyed. The present invention relates to a virtual baseball game device, and a bat and a catcher mitt used therein.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The batting performed at the batting center is to strike back a ball actually thrown from the pitching machine. In addition, there is a screen provided in front of the pitching machine, a pitcher's pitching form is projected onto the screen, and a ball flies along with the pitching form.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the batting center needs a vast land because it hits the ball that actually flies.
If you can experience the same baseball experience as in real space in a virtual space using 3D display technology without hitting the actual ball, you can install equipment for it in a narrow space. It is beneficial for both players and those who provide game locations.
[0004]
The object of the present invention is that even if the player does not go to the batting center, the player can have an experience similar to hitting a ball that actually flies, and can also experience a catcher that cannot be done at the batting center. The object is to provide a virtual baseball game device and a bat and a catcher mitt for use therein.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the virtual baseball game device of the present invention is controlled by a screen and a system controller, and at the time when the pitcher throws, at least the video signal of the pitching pitch and the flying ball is played by the player. At the time of hitting the flying ball with a bat , a stereoscopic video playback unit that plays back the reaction video signal three-dimensionally, and a video signal played back by the stereoscopic video playback unit is received and corresponds to the video signal A stereoscopic projector for projecting an image onto the screen in three dimensions, and how the player bounced back when the player bounced back , measuring the bat trajectory to determine the position and swing of the bat. a judgment on the direction of supplying the result of the determination to the system controller Comprising a that hitting determination unit, wherein the system controller is, in the time the pitcher is pitching, the pitch type and ball speed of the ball flies based on the customer information including the different height and right batter / left batter pre Ya At the time when the player selects a video with sound about the pitcher's throwing form and the flying ball, and the player hits the flying ball with a bat, the reaction with the sound according to the result of the determination The video is selected .
[0006]
Further, the virtual baseball game device of the present invention is characterized in that the hit determining unit makes a determination as to how to hit back immediately before the player hits the flying ball. .
[0007]
Further, the bat used in the virtual baseball game apparatus of the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives information that the ball has hit the bat, and an inner wall of the bat is hit or provided in the bat in response to the reception of the information. And means for hitting the end of the cylinder.
[0008]
The virtual baseball game device of the present invention is controlled by a screen and a system controller, and at the time when the pitcher throws, at least the pitcher's pitching form and the video signal of the flying ball, At the time of catching by the catcher mitt, a stereoscopic video playback unit that plays back the reaction video signal in three dimensions, and the video signal played back by the stereoscopic video playback unit are received, and the video corresponding to the video signal is A three-dimensional projector that three-dimensionally projects on a screen, and a position of the catcher mitt by measuring a trajectory of the catcher mitt to determine whether the player has caught or failed to catch the ball at the time when the player catches the ball a judgment by the result of the determination to the system controller Comprising a ball catching judging unit for feeding, the system controller, at the time the pitcher is pitching, determines the pitch type and ball speed of the ball flies based on the customer information including the height of pre Ya, the pitcher The video with sound about the throwing form and the flying ball is selected, and when the player catches the flying ball with the catcher mitt, the reaction video with sound according to the determination result is displayed. It is characterized by selecting .
[0009]
Further, in the virtual baseball game device of the present invention, the catching judgment unit judges whether or not the catching can be made immediately before the player catches the flying ball. It is characterized by this.
[0010]
The catcher mitt used in the virtual baseball game apparatus of the present invention comprises a receiving unit for receiving information that a ball has entered the catcher mitt, and means for vibrating the catcher mitt in response to the reception of the information. It is characterized by becoming.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In short, the virtual baseball game apparatus of the present invention projects a pitcher's pitching form three-dimensionally on the screen, and the player actually strikes the virtual ball flying by swinging the bat, and the flying virtual image. It is a virtual baseball game device that can catch the ball.
[0012]
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the virtual baseball game apparatus of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, 1 is a screen, 2 is a system controller, 3 is a 3D video playback unit, 4 is a 3D projector, 5 is 3D glasses, 6 is a virtual image ball, 7 is a bat, 8 is a hit determination unit, and 9 is input. It is an output unit.
[0013]
The operation will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, a stereoscopic image projection screen 1 is stretched in front of the player. The video of the throwing form projected onto the screen 1 in three dimensions is different between the right batter player and the left batter player. In addition, prepare different videos for each. In the production of the video, either the ball that flies with the throwing form is actually photographed, or only the throwing form is actually photographed, and the ball is drawn using computer graphics (CG) and is actually photographed. You may make it synthesize | combine.
[0014]
In the above, the image projected three-dimensionally on the screen 1 is not only the throwing form and the flying ball, but also all of the vast baseball field that the player can see while swinging the bat. An infielder, an outfielder, and a stand are also projected. Also, the video is accompanied by sound and is configured to enhance the atmosphere of the baseball field.
[0015]
The video selected by the system controller 2 (how to select will be described later) is reproduced by the stereoscopic video reproduction unit 3 and the reproduced right and left video signals are projected three-dimensionally on the screen 1 by the stereoscopic projector 4. By doing so, the entire baseball field including the pitcher's pitching form and the flying ball is generated in the virtual space. In the present invention, in the virtual space, the player strikes back the virtual image ball 6 flying with the 3D glasses 5 using the dedicated bat 7 (hereinafter referred to as hitting). Then, the image projected three-dimensionally on the screen 1 from the time of the impact changes to an impact image (hereinafter referred to as a reaction image).
[0016]
The hit determination unit 8 determines how the hit result is. The hit determination is performed by shooting the player's bat with a camera and determining an image, or by a motion capture device using a magnetic signal or the like. The result of the hit determination is input to the system controller 2. For example, when the same player visits next time, various data processing such as setting an optimal ball type and ball speed in accordance with the determination result before this time is performed. Done. Further, the input / output unit 9 can instruct the type and speed of the flying ball as described below, and also provides a storage unit for each customer in the system controller 2 and issues a player's personal card to become a member. You can also register.
[0017]
Below, this invention apparatus is demonstrated for every part.
First, the input / output unit 9 plays a game by inputting the player's name, height, right batter / left batter classification, pitching request, etc. to the system controller 2, and after the game is finished, the system controller 2 processes the game. The result (result) of the hit is taken out from the input / output unit 9. The input method is performed by a personal card, key-in, touch panel, or the like.
Personal cards are issued to customers of virtual baseball games, discounted according to the accumulated results and the number of visits, and encouraged to visit the next time.
[0018]
The system controller 2 determines whether the ball type and speed of the flying ball are random or intentional based on the customer information sent from the input / output unit 9. Here, the ball type is straight, curve, shoot, hawk or the like, and the ball speed is arbitrarily selected from high speed to low speed. Moreover, it can also be set as the random pitch programmed about any of a ball | bowl type | mold and a ball speed, or mixed them.
[0019]
In order to be able to arbitrarily select the sphere type and the sphere speed, it is necessary to prepare a large number of software for stereoscopic projection by the stereoscopic projector 4 according to the case. The software produced by adding the flying ball to the actually shot pitch form using computer graphics (CG) is better than the actual shot of the pitch form, including the flying ball. And the number of software itself can be saved depending on how it is used.
[0020]
Further, the system controller 2 selects a reaction video optimum for the spot from the batting judgment result sent from the batting judgment unit 8, and causes the stereoscopic video reproduction unit 3 to project the reaction video onto the screen 1 in a three-dimensional manner. Command.
Further, the system controller 2 calculates the player's results from the accumulation of the hit determination results, and executes a sequence of play continuation and play end.
[0021]
In the sequence in which the 3D image playback unit 3 projects the throwing form and the flying ball in a 3D manner, not only the player's bat (right or left) but also the strike zone according to the player's height, the ball such as a straight ball or a curve A lot of software is stored in the server from the seed and, for example, a super-fast sphere of 150 Km / sec to a low-speed sphere of 70 Km / sec, and one software (video with sound) selected by the system controller 2 from among them. Play.
[0022]
Further, in the sequence in which the reaction video is projected three-dimensionally, the system controller 2 receives the determination result from the hit determination unit 8 such as the hit being a home run, long hit, hit, goro, missed swing, or dead ball, and the system controller 2 Selects an optimum video to be reproduced from among a large number of software stored in the server.
[0023]
In the present embodiment, the stereoscopic projector 4 is configured to display images projected on the screen 1 (see FIG. 1) from the left-eye and right-eye separate projectors equipped with right and left polarizing filters. This projector is a so-called binocular projection system that is viewed with stereoscopic glasses equipped with a polarizing filter.
[0024]
As another embodiment of the stereoscopic projector, the time axis for projecting the left-eye video and the right-eye video sequentially in time by one projector is also required to view the stereoscopically projected video. A left and right separation projection method may be used. Further, when a stereoscopic system without glasses is put into practical use, the system may be used.
[0025]
Here, the stereoscopic vision indispensable for generating the virtual space will be briefly described.
2 (a), (b), and (c) show a mechanism in which a person recognizes the distance to the subject, a layout diagram of the subject and left and right cameras during stereoscopic shooting, and a subject projected with the left and right projectors during projection. Shows how it looks.
First, the sense of distance from the observer to the subject in stereoscopic view is related to the inward angle of both eyes of the observer, and as shown in FIG. 2 (a), both eyes are in a distant subject (clouds in this example). Is infinitely close to zero (parallel line of sight), whereas the inward angle of both eyes when viewing a close object (dango in this example) increases.
[0026]
Now, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the left and right cameras are arranged at the positions of the left and right eyes in FIG. 2 (a) so that the optical axes of these cameras cross at a middle distance (for example, a flower). To.
Images taken by the left and right cameras in this way are shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, respectively. In the left camera, the flower is in the center, the cloud is on the left, and the dango is on the right. In the right camera, the flower is in the center, the dango is on the left, and the cloud is on the right.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 2C, these captured images are projected by the left and right projectors arranged at the position of the camera at the time of shooting. At this time, the optical axis of the projection light from both projectors is the position of the screen 1 To cross over. In other words, the inward angles of both projectors are set so that the flowers seen in the center of the captured image are fused (overlapped).
[0028]
By doing so, the observer sees dango, flowers, and clouds with the same sense of distance as the actual one, and a virtual space is generated.
In the case of the binocular projection method using a polarizing filter, the screen 1 is desirably a stereoscopic screen in which the polarized light projected on the screen is less disturbed.
[0029]
In the present embodiment, at the time of image shooting, the distance from the player to the screen 1 is such that the left and right shot images merge at the position of the screen 1 (that is, the optical axes of both the left and right cameras cross at the position of the screen 1). ), Set the inward angle of the left and right cameras. If the distance from the player to the screen 1 is assumed to be 6 m, the fusion point of both cameras, that is, the point where the optical axes of both cameras intersect at the time of shooting is placed at the position of the pitcher 18 m ahead of both cameras. It must be placed at a virtual 6m point.
This setting is shown in FIG.
[0030]
The stereoscopic glasses 5 will be described.
When the stereoscopic viewing method is a binocular projection method, stereoscopic glasses (FIG. 5A) using a polarizing filter that matches the polarization of the projection light of each projector is used.
Further, in the case of the time axis left / right separation projection method, stereoscopic glasses that alternately switch between transmission and blocking of the left and right eye electronic shutter glasses in synchronization with the switching of the left and right eye images in the time axis direction (FIG. 5 ( b)) is used. In this case, by the electronic shutter control, the left-eye glasses are made transparent and the right-eye glasses are blocked during the time when the image for the left eye is projected. Further, during the time when the image for the right eye is projected, the glasses for the right eye are made transparent and the glasses for the left eye are blocked.
[0031]
In the above, as a control signal for controlling transmission and blocking of the electronic shutter glasses, a wireless control method such as wired control or infrared rays is used.
As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the 3D glasses 5 may be attached alone, but as shown in FIG. 5C, the 3D glasses are integrated with a batter's helmet. May be used.
[0032]
The hit determination unit 8 will be described.
The hit determination unit 8 uses a special bat to hit the virtual image ball that the player flies, hits it, misses it, and if it hits it, Whether it is a fly, a fly, or a goro. This determination needs to be made immediately before the bat catches the ball in order to compensate for the time difference for selecting and playing the reaction video after the determination.
[0033]
In order to solve this problem, the trajectory of the bat starts to be measured simultaneously with the start of the throwing form, and the determination is made from the position of the bat and the swing direction when the ball approaches the hitting zone. The determination result is sent to the controller 2 (see FIG. 1).
In order to measure the position and swing direction of the bat, the above-described motion capture device or the like can be used.
[0034]
However, here, a method that does not use a motion capture device or the like will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b), an infrared reflective sticker is affixed to the butt tip, and the infrared camera is placed directly above the butt tip (see FIG. 6 (a)) and in front of the butt tip ( The movement of the tip of the bat is photographed by placing it in FIG. Then, the captured image is subjected to image processing to determine whether it has been hit or missed. In the case of hitting, a specific case such as home run, pitcher goro, right foul, left foul is determined.
As described above, this determination is made from the movement of the bat immediately before hitting.
[0035]
Next, a dedicated bat 7 (see FIG. 1) used in the present invention will be described.
Since the bat actually does not fly the ball 6 (see FIG. 1), the bat 7 does not feel that the ball 6 has hit unless some measure is taken. For this reason, in the present invention, when it is determined by the hit determination unit 8 (see FIG. 1) that the ball 6 has hit the bat 7, the bat is set up so that a reaction action is generated on the bat.
[0036]
Reaction actions can range from simply generating a “Khan!” Impact sound from a speaker placed at the catcher's position to making the bat feel mechanical vibrations and gravity changes.
In any case, the bat 7 is provided with a receiver so as to receive information that the ball 6 has hit the bat 7 sent from a transmitter (for example, included in the system controller 2 (see FIG. 1)). It has become. Therefore, this information is not received when idling.
[0037]
In the first embodiment of the bat, as shown in FIG. 7, when the receiving unit 10 receives information that the ball 6 hits the bat 7, the relay 11 operates (non-lock) for a moment according to the information, A power supply 13 is supplied to the plunger coil 12. As a result, the plunger shaft 14 strikes the inner wall of the bat 7 in the direction of the arrow, causing the bat 7 to react.
[0038]
In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, a cylinder 16 loaded with an iron ring 15 is arranged in the bat 7, and the iron ring 15 can freely slide in the cylinder 16. It is like that. Initially, the iron ring 15 is fixed to one end of the cylinder (the end close to the receiving unit 18) by the stopper 17. When the receiving unit 18 receives information that the ball 6 hits the bat 7, the information is transmitted to a mechanism (not shown) of the stopper 17 and the stopper 17 is removed. As a result, the iron ring 15 slides in the direction of the arrow in the direction of the arrow due to the centrifugal force when the bat 7 is swung, hits the other end of the cylinder 16 (the end close to the tip of the bat 7), and causes a reaction action on the bat 7. Let
[0039]
In the above, a virtual baseball game device has been described in which a player actually strikes a virtual image flying by flying a bat and experiences the real feeling of playing baseball.
However, even if the player changes from a batter to a catcher, the virtual baseball game device of the present invention can enjoy, for example, a virtual image pitcher and a catch ball only by replacing the hit determination device 8 shown in FIG. 1 with a catch determination device. it can. Furthermore, by providing a ball catching determination device in addition to the hitting determination device 8, two people, a batter and a catcher, can enjoy baseball in a manner closer to the virtual image pitcher.
[0040]
As described above, when enjoying baseball as a catcher, it is convenient to prepare the 3D glasses on the eyes of the catcher mask and put the 3D glasses on when the catcher mask is applied.
[0041]
Just as the hit determination device described above determines the hit result from the position of the bat and the direction of swing, the ball catching determination device determines whether the ball has been caught from the position of the catcher mitt or whether an error has occurred.
Whether the ball has been caught or an error has occurred is determined just before the player catches the flying ball in the same manner as when the player hits the ball.
Further, in this case, an infrared reflection sticker is attached to the catching position of the catcher mitt, the photograph is taken from directly above and in front with an infrared camera, and the photographed image is processed to determine the catch.
[0042]
In order to enjoy playing as a catcher, it is necessary to cause a reaction action when a virtual image ball thrown by a virtual image pitcher enters the catcher mitt. Therefore, the catcher mitt used in the present invention has a built-in vibration device inside, and when a virtual ball enters the catcher mitt, the catcher mitt is caused to vibrate so that a real feeling of catching can be obtained.
[0043]
Finally, since the virtual baseball game apparatus of the present invention simulates actual baseball, it can be used not only as an entertainment facility but also for training for improving baseball skills.
[0044]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, since the batting center as a facility for enjoying batting requires a vast land, the virtual baseball game device of the present invention is limited from the batter to the screen. Is about 6m, and since it does not hit the actual ball, the ball may not fly (safety), so it can be installed in a room in a building, a game center, etc. it can.
[0045]
Further, the bat used in the virtual baseball game apparatus of the present invention has a reaction action, tells the hand that the player has actually hit the ball, and when it is determined that the player has swung, the bat is “bashed” from the speaker placed at the position of the catcher. You can enjoy a baseball game by developing a virtual feeling, such as generating a catching sound!
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the virtual baseball game apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a mechanism in which a person recognizes a distance to a subject, a layout diagram of the subject and the left and right cameras during stereoscopic shooting, and how the left and right projectors and the projected subject appear during projection.
FIG. 3 shows images taken by the left and right cameras.
FIG. 4 shows camera settings when shooting an object.
FIG. 5 shows three forms of stereoscopic glasses.
FIG. 6 illustrates another method for measuring the position and swing direction of the bat.
FIG. 7 shows a first embodiment of a bat used in the virtual baseball game apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of the bat used in the virtual baseball game device of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Screen 2 System controller 3 Stereoscopic image reproduction part 4 Stereoscopic projector 5 Stereoscopic glasses 6 Virtual image ball 7 Bat 8 Impact determination part 9 Input / output part 10 Receiving part 11 Relay 12 Plunger coil 13 Power supply 14 Plunger shaft 14
15 Iron ring 16 Cylinder 17 Stopper 18 Receiver

Claims (6)

Screen,
Controlled by the system controller, at least when the pitcher throws a ball, the video signal of the pitcher's throwing form and the flying ball is at least three-dimensional, and when the player hits the flying ball with the bat , the reaction video signal is three-dimensional. A 3D video playback unit
A stereoscopic projector that receives the video signal reproduced by the stereoscopic video reproduction unit and stereoscopically projects an image corresponding to the video signal on the screen;
When the player strikes back, how the player strikes back, including idling, is determined by measuring the trajectory of the bat and determining the position and swing direction of the bat , and the result of the judgment is the system. A batting judgment section to be supplied to the controller ,
When the pitcher throws, the system controller determines the ball type and speed of the flying ball based on customer information including the height of the player and the right batter / left batter distinction, and the pitcher throws A video with sound about the form and the flying ball is selected, and when the player returns the flying ball with a bat, a reaction video with sound is selected according to the result of the determination. Virtual baseball game device.   The virtual baseball game device according to claim 1, wherein the hit determination unit makes a determination as to how to hit back immediately before the player hits the flying ball. Game device. A bat for use in the virtual baseball game device according to claim 1, wherein the bat is
A receiver that receives information that the ball hits the bat;
A bat for use in a virtual baseball game device comprising means for hitting an inner wall of the bat or hitting an end of a cylinder provided in the bat in response to reception of the information. Screen,
Controlled by the system controller, at least when the pitcher throws a ball, the video signal of the pitcher's throwing form and the flying ball, and when the player catches the flying ball by the catcher mitt , the reaction video signal A stereoscopic video playback unit that plays back three-dimensionally,
A stereoscopic projector that receives the video signal reproduced by the stereoscopic video reproduction unit and stereoscopically projects an image corresponding to the video signal on the screen;
At the time when the player catches the ball, whether the player has caught or failed to catch the ball is determined by measuring the trajectory of the catcher mitt , and the result of the determination is With a catching judgment section to be supplied to the system controller ,
At the time when the pitcher throws the pitch, the system controller determines the ball type and speed of the flying ball based on customer information including the height of the player, and the pitcher throwing form and the flying ball A virtual baseball game , wherein a video with sound is selected, and when a player catches the flying ball with a catcher mitt, a reaction video with sound is selected according to the result of the determination. apparatus.   5. The virtual baseball game device according to claim 4, wherein the ball catching determination unit determines whether the ball has been caught or not just before the player catches the flying ball. A virtual baseball game device characterized by that. A catcher mitt used in the virtual baseball game device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the catcher mitt is
A receiver that receives information that a ball has entered the catcher mitt;
A catcher mitt for use in a virtual baseball game device, comprising: means for vibrating the catcher mitt in response to reception of the information.

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