Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and toy system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9737808-B2
Application number	US-201314386080-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2013
Priority date	Jun 5, 2012
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

There is provided an information processing apparatus including an attribute management unit configured to manage a variable attribute value associated with each one or more characters existing in a real space, a detection unit configured to detect an interaction event between a first character and a real object by using an image captured by a camera that captures the real space, and a setting unit configured to set a rule for changing the attribute value of the first character depending on the interaction event. In a case where the detection unit has detected the interaction event, the attribute management unit changes the attribute value of the first character in accordance with the rule set by the setting unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
manage a variable attribute value associated with each of a plurality of characters that exist in a real space, wherein each of the plurality of characters comprises an assembly of first modularized blocks;
detect a first interaction event between a first character and a first real object based on an image captured by a camera configured to capture the real space, wherein the first interaction event includes a physical contact between the first character and the first real object;
set a rule to change the attribute value of the first character based on the first interaction event;
determine an amount of change of the attribute value of the first character based on a first kind of a first block from among the first modularized blocks involved in the first interaction event; and
change the attribute value of the first character by the determined amount based on the set rule.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
detect a second interaction event between the first character and an enemy character; and
decrease the attribute value of one of the first character or the enemy character based on the second interaction event between the first character and the enemy character.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
decrease the attribute value of the first character based on the first interaction event, and
set a friend character other than the first real object.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to change the attribute value of the first character based on the first interaction event,
wherein the first real object is a known item shown in the captured image.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
decrease the attribute value of the first character based on the known item that is a damage item; or
restore the attribute value of the first character based on the known item that is a healing item.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first real object includes a body of a user shown in the captured image, and
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to decrease the attribute value of the first character based on the first interaction event between the first character and the body of the user.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to prevent the attribute value of the first character to decrease based on a certain gesture or a certain pose of the body of the user.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to classify each of the plurality of characters into one of an enemy character class or a friend character class based on a gesture of each of the plurality of characters,
wherein the gesture of each of the plurality of characters is recognized based on the captured image.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to classify each of the plurality of characters into one of an enemy character class or a friend character class based on an appearance feature of each of the first modularized blocks included in each of the plurality of characters shown in the captured image.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein based on the change in the attribute value of the first character by the determined amount, the one or more processors are further configured to drive the first character in a manner that corresponds to the change in the attribute value.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the image is captured by one of a character camera or a non-character camera, and
wherein the first character comprises a housing that includes the character camera.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to output an augmented reality image to a display, wherein the augmented reality image is generated by an augmented reality object that is overlaid on the captured image.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the camera includes a mechanism configured to limit image capture of a second real object that is in addition to third objects that are related to a battle in which the plurality of characters participate.

14. An information processing method, comprising:
detecting an interaction event between a first character from among a plurality of characters and a real object based on an image captured by a camera configured to capture a real space,
wherein the plurality of characters exist in the real space, and
wherein the first character comprises an assembly of modularized blocks;
setting a rule for changing a variable attribute value associated with the first character based on the interaction event between the first character and the real object;
determining an amount of change of the attribute value of the first character based on a kind of a block from among the modularized blocks involved in the interaction event; and
changing the attribute value of the first character by the determined amount based on the set rule.

15. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
manage a variable attribute value associated with each of a plurality of characters that exist in a real space;
detect an interaction event between a first character that comprises an assembly of modularized blocks and a real object based on an image captured by a camera configured to capture the real space;
set a rule to change the attribute value of the first character based on the interaction event;
determine an amount of change of the attribute value based on a kind of a block from among the modularized blocks involved in the interaction event; and
change the attribute value of the first character by the determined amount based on the set rule.

16. An information processing system comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
acquire an image of a real space captured by a camera;
manage an attribute data associated with a combination of a plurality of objects in a database;
determine a kind of at least one object among the plurality of objects based on the acquired image;
determine a physical interaction event between the combination of the plurality of objects and a real object based on the acquired image; and
change the attribute data of the plurality of objects based on the kind of the at least one object and a rule associated with the physical interaction event.

17. The information processing system according to claim 16 ,
wherein the real object includes an actuator and is configured to move autonomously, and
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine the physical interaction event between the combination of the plurality of objects and the real object based on an action of the real object moved autonomously with the actuator; and
change the attribute data of the plurality of objects based on the action of the real object.

18. The information processing

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Andre Alexis
• Tanaka Akichika
• Takeda Yasuhiro
• Natsume Tetsu
• Okada Kenichi
• Nakamura Takatoshi

Classifications

• A63F3/00643

  Electric board games; Electric features of board games (electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081) · CPC title

• A63H3/50

  Frames, stands, or wheels for dolls or toy animals · CPC title

• A63F2003/00662

  with an electric sensor for playing pieces (A63F2009/2444 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A63F13/5375

  for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game · CPC title

• A63F2003/00646

  with illumination of playing field or playing piece · CPC title