IP Library Granted Patent US 7,959,511
Granted Patent B2
US 7,959,511 · App. 11/630,749 · Granted Jun 14, 2011

Information processing device for controlling movement of a game character by using a player image and game character movement control method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,959,511
App. No.
11/630,749
Granted
Jun 14, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information processing system includes: area extraction means for extracting an area occupied by a player from the mirror moving picture containing a player; control means for generating a computer image containing a game character; and display control means for causing a display device to display a superimposed moving picture obtained by superimposing the mirror moving picture and the computer image. The control means moves the game character according to the area occupied by the player in the superimposed moving picture. Thus, in the information processing system using the player image acquired by a camera as the input interface, it is possible to improve the game entertainment.

Claims (54)

1. An information processing system comprising:

an area extraction means that extracts an area occupied by a player, from a mirrored moving image based on a reference image;

a control means that generates a computer image containing a game character; and

a display control means that allows a display device to display a superimposed moving image obtained by superimposing the mirrored moving image and the computer image; wherein

the control means moves the game character along the area occupied by the player in the superimposed moving image,

the control means makes the game character fall, if there is no area occupied by the player below the game character, and

the control means moves the game character obliquely upward in the moving direction of the game character, if there exists an area occupied by the player in front of the game character.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a player moving image accepting means that accepts input of a player moving image obtained by taking images of the player by an image pickup device; and

a mirrored moving image processing means that subjects the player moving image to mirroring.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein

the display control means allows the display device to display an image prompting the player to get out of an image frame of the image pickup device, so as to obtain the reference image.

4. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein

the control means allows the game character to appear from one or a plurality of starting points provided on one side of a screen, and to move toward one or a plurality of goals provided on the other side of the screen.

5. The information processing system according to claim 4 , wherein

the control means determines whether or not there exists an area occupied by the player in front of the game character that is moving in a forward and below the game character.

6. A non-transitory recording medium that records a program which can execute a game to move game characters by an information processing device that is connected to an image pickup device and a display device,

the program causing the information processing device to perform functions comprising:

an area extraction means that extracts an area occupied by a player, from a mirrored moving image based on a reference image;

a control means that generates a computer image containing a game character; and

a display control means that allows the display device to display a superimposed moving image obtained by superimposing the mirrored moving image and the computer image; wherein

the control means moves the game character along the area occupied by the player in the superimposed moving image,

the control means makes the game character fall, if there is no area occupied by the player below the game character, and

the control means moves the game character obliquely upward in the moving direction of the game character, if there exists an area occupied by the player in front of the game character.

7. The non-transitory recording medium according to claim 6 , wherein

the program causes the information processing device to perform functions comprising:

a player moving image accepting means that accepts input of a player moving image obtained by taking images of the player by the image pickup device; and

a mirrored moving image processing means that subjects the player moving image to mirroring.

8. The non-transitory recording medium according to claim 6 , wherein

the display control means allows the display device to display an image prompting the player to get out of an image frame of the image pickup device, so as to obtain the reference image.

9. The non-transitory recording medium according to claim 6 , wherein

the control means allows the game character to appear from one or a plurality of starting points provided on one side of a screen, and to move toward one or a plurality of goals provided on the other side of the screen.

10. The non-transitory recording medium according to claim 9 , wherein

the control means determines whether or not an area occupied by the player exists in front of the game character that is moving in a forward and below the game character.

11. A game character movement control method in an information processing device that is connected to an image pickup device and a display device, comprising:

an area extraction process that extracts an area occupied by a player, from a mirrored moving image based on a reference image;

a control process that generates a computer image containing a game character; and

a moving control process that allows the display device to display a superimposed moving image obtained by superimposing the mirrored moving image and the computer image, and moves the game character, regarding an area occupied by the player in the superimposed moving image as a route, wherein

the control process makes the game character fall, if there is no area occupied by the player below the game character, and moves the game character obliquely upward in the moving direction of the game character, if there exists an area occupied by the player in front of the game character.

12. An information processing system comprising:

an area extraction means that extracts an area occupied by a player, from a mirrored moving image based on a reference image;

a control means that generates a computer image containing a game character; and

a display control means that allows a display device to display a superimposed moving image obtained by superimposing the mirrored moving image and the computer image; wherein

the control means moves the game character along the area occupied by the player in the superimposed moving image, and further comprising detection means to detect an overlap area between a detection area provided for the game character and the area occupied by the player, wherein

when the detection means detects an area where a ratio of overlap is greater than a predetermined value, the control means determines that there is a route in the direction of the overlap area and moves the game character along the route.

13. The information processing system according to claim 12 , wherein at least more than two detection areas are provided for the game character.

14. A non-transitory recording medium that records a program which can execute a game to move game characters by an information processing device that is connected to an image pickup device and a display device,

the program causing the information processing device to perform functions comprising:

an area extraction means that extracts an area occupied by a player, from a mirrored moving image based on a reference image;

a control means that generates a computer image containing a game character; and

a display control means that allows the display device to display a superimposed moving image obtained by superimposing the mirrored moving image and the computer image; wherein

the control means moves the game character along the area occupied by the player in the superimposed moving image, and further comprising detection means to detect an overlap area between a detection area provided for the game character and an area occupied by the player, wherein

when the detection means detects an area where a ratio of overlap is greater than a predetermined value, the control means determines that there is a route in the direction of the overlap area and moves the game character along the route.

15. The non-transitory recording medium according to claim 14 , wherein at least more than two detection areas are provided for the game character.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2011
From: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 027449/0380 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 26, 2011
From: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
To: SONY NETWORK ENTERTAINMENT PLATFORM INC.
Reel/Frame 027445/0773 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2008
From: KOUNO, TSUTOMU
To: SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 020858/0710 →