Computer-readable storage medium storing information processing program, information processing device, information processing system, and information processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9744459-B2
Application number	US-201213424701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2012
Priority date	Nov 11, 2011
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

An example game device includes a virtual camera, a localization calculation microphone, and a volume calculation microphone in a virtual space. The localization calculation microphone is provided at the location of the virtual camera, and the volume calculation microphone is located away from the virtual camera. The game device calculates a left-right position and a front-back position of a sound source as viewed from the localization calculation microphone. The game device also calculates the volume of a sound based on a distance between the volume calculation microphone and the sound source. The game device outputs the sound based on the calculated localized position and volume.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing an information processing program executable by a computer of an information processing device for outputting a sound of a sound source in a virtual space, the program, when executed, causing the computer to perform operations comprising:
displaying, on a display device, an image of the virtual space captured by a virtual camera;
calculating a direction of the sound source with reference to a first location in the virtual space, wherein the first location is set based on a location of the virtual camera;
calculating a volume of the sound based on a second location different from the first location and a location of the sound source, wherein the second location is set within an imaging range of the virtual camera; and
outputting the sound of the sound source based on the calculated direction and volume.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein
the second location is set based on a gazing point of the virtual camera.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2 , wherein
the second location is set between the gazing point of the virtual camera and the virtual camera.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2 , wherein
the second location is set in the vicinity of the gazing point of the virtual camera.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein
the program, when executed, further causes the computer to perform:
controlling the virtual camera based on a user's operation;
controlling the virtual camera without the user's operation; and
switching a control mode of the virtual camera between a first control mode in which the virtual camera is controlled based on the user's operation and a second control mode in which the virtual camera is controlled without the user's operation, and

the second location is set between a gazing point of the virtual camera and the virtual camera in the first control mode, and in the vicinity of the gazing point of the virtual camera in the second control mode.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein
an operation object set in the virtual space is controlled based on the user's operation.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein
the first location is set to a location of the virtual camera.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein
a localized position of the sound source is calculated with reference to the first location.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein
the volume of the sound is calculated so that the volume of the sound decreases with increasing distance between the second location and the sound source.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein
the program causes the computer to further execute:
calculating a relative motion of the sound source with reference to a third location fixed or movable in the virtual space, and

the sound corrected based on the relative motion is output.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein
a player object controllable based on the user's operation is provided in the virtual space, and
the first location is set based on a location of the player object.

12. An information processing device for outputting a sound of a sound source in a virtual space, comprising:
at least one processor being configured to control the information processing device to perform operations comprising:
displaying, on a display device, an image of the virtual space captured by a virtual camera;
calculating a direction of the sound source with reference to a first location in the virtual space, wherein the first location is set based on a location of the virtual camera;
calculating a volume of the sound based on a second location different from the first location and a location of the sound source, wherein the second location is set within an imaging range of the virtual camera; and
outputting the sound of the sound source based on the calculated direction and the calculated volume.

13. An information processing system for outputting a sound of a sound source in a virtual space, comprising:
at least one processor being configured to control the information processing system to perform operations comprising:
displaying, on a display device, an image of the virtual space captured by a virtual camera;
calculating a direction of the sound source with reference to a first location in the virtual space, wherein the first location is set based on a location of the virtual camera;
calculating a volume of the sound based on a second location different from the first location and a location of the sound source, wherein the second location is set within an imaging range of the virtual camera; and
outputting the sound of the sound source based on the calculated direction and the calculated volume.

14. An information processing method executable by at least one processor in an information processing system for outputting a sound of a sound source in a virtual space, comprising:
displaying, on a display device, an image of the virtual space captured by a virtual camera;
calculating a direction of the sound source with reference to a first location in the virtual space, wherein the first location is set based on a location of the virtual camera;
calculating a volume of the sound based on a second location different from the first location and a location of the sound source, wherein the second location is set within an imaging range of the virtual camera; and
outputting the sound of the sound source based on the calculated direction and volume.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the program, when executed, further causes the computer to filter the sound of the sound source when the sound source is located behind the virtual camera.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein a filter value for filtering the sound is calculated based on a distance between the sound source and the first location.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the first location is set to a location of the virtual camera and the second location is set to a location on an imaging axis of the virtual camera.

18. The information processing device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the information processing device to filter the sound of the sound source when the sound source is located behind the virtual camera.

19. The information processing device of claim 18 , wherein a filter value for filtering the sound is calculated based on a distance between the sound source and the first location.

20. The information processing device of claim 12 , wherein the first location is set to a location of the virtual camera and the second location is set to a location on an imaging axis of the virtual camera.

Assignees

• Mizuta Masato
• Nintendo Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mizuta Masato

Classifications

• A63F13/5255 Primary

  according to dedicated instructions from a player, e.g. using a secondary joystick to rotate the camera around a player's character · CPC title

• A63F13/54 Primary

  involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall · CPC title

• A63F2300/6081

  generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization · CPC title

• A63F13/822

  Strategy games; Role-playing games (A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence) · CPC title