Action or position triggers in a game play mode

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 10,188,938
App. No.: 15/784,154
Granted: Jan 29, 2019
Kind: B1

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Abstract

A method, apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium that, in one embodiment, interprets a user motion sequence comprises beginning a session, capturing the user motion sequence via a motion capturing device during the session, processing, via a processor, the user motion sequence into a predetermined data format, comparing the processed user motion sequence to at least one predetermined motion sequence stored in a database and determining whether to perform at least one of interpreting the user motion sequence as a universal command and registering the user motion sequence as a new command.

Claims (55)

1. A method of interpreting a user motion sequence, the method comprising:

capturing the user motion sequence as a plurality of images of a user body via a motion capturing device during a session;

during the user motion sequence, identifying the user motion sequence has stopped responsive to identifying a lack of movement of the user body for a predefined period of time;

responsive to the lack of movement of the user body, receiving the plurality of images and reducing user body position data of user arms and user legs to a plurality of data points;

identifying position changes of the user arms and the user legs based on the plurality of data points in each of the plurality of images;

processing, via a processor, the user motion sequence into a predetermined data format comprising a plurality of vector signatures;

comparing the processed user motion sequence to at least one predetermined motion sequence stored in a database comprising pre-stored vector signatures, by comparing the plurality of data points of the vector signatures of the user motion sequence to a plurality of data points of the pre-stored vector signatures to determine whether there is a match;

determining whether to perform at least one of interpreting the user motion sequence as a universal command and registering the user motion sequence as a new command;

identifying the user motion sequence as not having a match in the database responsive to the comparing of the vector signature of the user motion sequence to the pre-stored vector signatures; and

registering the user motion sequence as a new command when the user motion sequence was not discovered in the database.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the motion capturing device comprises at least one of a camera and a motion detector.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether to perform at least one of interpreting the user motion sequence as a universal command and registering the user motion sequence as a new command further comprises interpreting the user motion sequence as a universal command if the user motion sequence was discovered in the database based on the comparing operation.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user motion sequence is processed into the predetermined data format comprising the plurality of vector signatures by converting each image into a corresponding set of vector signatures each comprising lines which join the plurality of data points defining a position of the user body.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the registering the user motion sequence as the new command further comprises prompting the user to register the user motion sequence and receiving a response from the user confirming the decision to register the user motion sequence as the new command.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

determining the significance of the user motion sequence;

creating a motion significance packet comprising a command type associated with the user motion sequence and a corresponding avatar action to be performed by an avatar associated with the user motion sequence; and

transferring the motion significance packet to a motion processing module.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising determining whether to perform at least one of registering the new command as a universally available command that may be used by more than one video game and registering the command as a non-universal command that is specifically designated for one video game, and wherein the registration determination is based on a type of movement associated with the user motion sequence.

8. An apparatus configured to interpret a user motion sequence, the apparatus comprising:

a motion capturing device configured to capture the user motion sequence as a plurality of images of a user body during a session; and

a processor configured to

during the user motion sequence, identify the user motion sequence has stopped responsive to an identification of a lack of movement of the user body for a predefined period of time;

responsive to the lack of movement of the user body, receive the plurality of images and reduce user body position data of user arms and user legs to a plurality of data points;

receive a session begin command,

identify position changes of the user arms and the user legs based on the plurality of data points in each of the plurality of images;

process the user motion sequence into a predetermined data format comprising a plurality of vector signatures,

compare the processed user motion sequence to at least one predetermined motion sequence stored in a database comprising pre-stored vector signatures, by a comparison of the plurality of data points of the vector signatures of the user motion sequence to a plurality of data points of the pre-stored vector signatures to determine whether there is a match,

determine whether to perform at least one of interpret the user motion sequence as a universal command and register the user motion sequence as a new command,

identify the user motion sequence as not having a match in the database responsive to the comparison of the vector signature of the user motion sequence to the pre-stored vector signatures, and

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the motion capturing device comprises at least one of a camera and a motion detector.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to interpret the user motion sequence as a universal command if the user motion sequence was discovered in the database based on the comparison operation.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to convert each image into a corresponding set of vector signatures each comprising lines which join the plurality of data points that define a position of the user body when the user motion sequence is processed into the predetermined data format.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to prompt the user to register the user motion sequence and receive a response from the user that confirms the decision to register the user motion sequence as the new command.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the significance of the user motion sequence, and create a motion significance packet comprising a command type associated with the user motion sequence and a corresponding avatar action to be performed by an avatar associated with the user motion sequence, and transfer the motion significance packet to a motion processing module.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether to perform at least one of register the new command as a universally available command that may be used by more than one video game and register the command as a non-universal command that is specifically designated for one video game, and wherein the registration determination is based on a type of movement associated with the user motion sequence.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform interpreting a user motion sequence, the processor being further configured to perform: