Object direction using video input combined with tilt angle information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE48417-E
Application number	US-201615210816-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Jul 14, 2016
Priority date	Sep 28, 2006
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A method for use in obtaining input data from an object includes capturing a live image of the object with an image capture device, receiving information related to a tilt angle of the object from one or more sensors other than the image capture device, using the information related to a tilt angle of the object to obtain at least one rotated reference image of the object, comparing the live image of the object with the rotated reference image of the object, and generating an indication in response to the live image matching the rotated reference image. An apparatus and a storage medium storing a computer program executable by a processor based system are also disclosed

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for use in obtaining input data from an object, comprising:
capturing a live image of the object with an image capture device;
receiving information related to a tilt angle of the object from one or more sensors other than the image capture device;
using the information related to a tilt angle of the object to obtain at least one rotated reference image of the object;
comparing the live image of the object with the rotated reference image of the object; and
generating an indication in response to the live image matching the rotated reference image.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors other than the image capture device comprises a gyro sensor used in the object.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors other than the image capture device comprises an accelerometer used in the object.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the rotated reference image of the object is obtained by retrieving it from storage.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the rotated reference image of the object is obtained by rotating a reference image of the object.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:
passing the live image of the object and the rotated reference image of the object through a normalizing filter.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the image capture device comprises functions as a camera.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the image capture device comprises functions as a Z-camera.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the object comprises functions as a hand-held controller.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the information relating to the tilt angle of the object is used to obtain a plurality of rotated reference images of the object, and the live image of the object is compared with each of the plurality of rotated reference images of the object.

11. An apparatus for use in obtaining input data from an object, comprising:
an image capture device configured to capture a live image of the object; and
a processor based system configured to receive information related to a tilt angle of the object from one or more sensors other than the image capture device, use the information related to a tilt angle of the object to obtain at least one rotated reference image of the object, compare the live image of the object with the rotated reference image of the object, and generate an indication in response to the live image matching the rotated reference image.

12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors other than the image capture device comprises a gyro sensor in the object.

13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors other than the image capture device comprises an accelerometer in the object.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the rotated reference image of the object is obtained by retrieving it from storage.

15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the rotated reference image of the object is obtained by rotating a reference image of the object.

16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the processor based system is further configured to pass the live image of the object and the rotated reference image of the object through a normalizing filter.

17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the image capture device comprises a camera.

18. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the object comprises a hand-held controller.

19. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the information relating to the tilt angle of the object is used to obtain a plurality of rotated reference images of the object, and the live image of the object is compared with each of the plurality of rotated reference images of the object.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program executable by a processor based system, the computer program causing the processor based system to execute steps comprising:
receiving a captured live image of an object from an image capture device;
receiving information related to a tilt angle of the object from one or more sensors other than the image capture device;
using the information related to a tilt angle of the object to obtain at least one rotated reference image of the object;
comparing the live image of the object with the rotated reference image of the object; and
generating an indication in response to the live image matching the rotated reference image.

21. A storage medium in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the one or more sensors other than the image capture device comprises a gyro sensor used in the object.

22. A storage medium in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the one or more sensors other than the image capture device comprises an accelerometer used in the object.

23. A storage medium in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the rotated reference image of the object is obtained by retrieving it from storage.

24. A storage medium in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the rotated reference image of the object is obtained by rotating a reference image of the object.

25. A storage medium in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the computer program is further configured to cause the processor based system to execute a step comprising:
passing the live image of the object and the rotated reference image of the object through a normalizing filter.

26. A storage medium in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the image capture device comprises functions as a camera.

27. A storage medium in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the image capture device comprises functions as a Z-camera.

28. A storage medium in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the object comprises functions as a hand-held controller.

29. A storage medium in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the information relating to the tilt angle of the object is used to obtain a plurality of rotated reference images of the object, and the live image of the object is compared with each of the plurality of rotated reference images of the object.

30. A method for tracking a device having a body to be worn by a user to produce input data, comprising:
capturing a plurality of images of the body with an image capture device, the body including infrared (IR) light emitting diodes (LEDs) and the images captured of the body including at least one or more of the IR LEDs for detecting changes in position or orientation of the body in three-dimensional space; receiving information related to motion of the body from one or more sensors other than the image capture device while capturing said plurality of images of the body, the information related to motion of the body used to identify three-dimensional movements of the body and a tilt angle of the body; using the images of the body that include the one or more IR LEDs to identify a first part of the tracking information of the body and using the information related to the motion of the body to identify a second part of the tracking information, the second part of the tracking information includes at least one rotated reference image; and determining the input data based on a combination of both the first part of the tracking information an

Assignees

• Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc

Inventors

• Marks Richard
• Zalewski Gary M

Classifications

• G06F3/0346 Primary

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• G06V40/107

  Static hand or arm · CPC title

• G06V10/255

  Detecting or recognising potential candidate objects based on visual cues, e.g. shapes · CPC title

• A63F13/42 Primary

  by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle · CPC title

• G08C2201/32

  Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device · CPC title