US20030195041A1 - Method and device for optical gun interaction with a computer system - Google Patents

Method and device for optical gun interaction with a computer system Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20030195041A1
US20030195041A1 US10/431,867 US43186703A US2003195041A1 US 20030195041 A1 US20030195041 A1 US 20030195041A1 US 43186703 A US43186703 A US 43186703A US 2003195041 A1 US2003195041 A1 US 2003195041A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
optical gun
gun
optical
holster
game system
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US10/431,867
Inventor
Jack McCauley
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Activision Publishing Inc
Original Assignee
Mccauley Jack Jean
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Mccauley Jack Jean filed Critical Mccauley Jack Jean
Priority to US10/431,867 priority Critical patent/US20030195041A1/en
Publication of US20030195041A1 publication Critical patent/US20030195041A1/en
Assigned to ACTIVISION PUBLISHING, INC. reassignment ACTIVISION PUBLISHING, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MCCAULEY, JACK
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/20Input arrangements for video game devices
    • A63F13/21Input arrangements for video game devices characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
    • A63F13/219Input arrangements for video game devices characterised by their sensors, purposes or types for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/20Input arrangements for video game devices
    • A63F13/23Input arrangements for video game devices for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
    • A63F13/235Input arrangements for video game devices for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/25Output arrangements for video game devices
    • A63F13/28Output arrangements for video game devices responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light
    • A63F13/285Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/50Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
    • A63F13/52Controlling the output signals based on the game progress involving aspects of the displayed game scene
    • A63F13/525Changing parameters of virtual cameras
    • A63F13/5258Changing parameters of virtual cameras by dynamically adapting the position of the virtual camera to keep a game object or game character in its viewing frustum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/50Controlling the output signals based on the game progress
    • A63F13/53Controlling the output signals based on the game progress involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
    • A63F13/537Controlling the output signals based on the game progress involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41WEAPONS
    • F41AFUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS; MOUNTINGS FOR SMALLARMS OR ORDNANCE
    • F41A33/00Adaptations for training; Gun simulators
    • F41A33/02Light- or radiation-emitting guns ; Light- or radiation-sensitive guns; Cartridges carrying light emitting sources, e.g. laser
    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06FELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/033Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor
    • G06F3/038Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
    • G06F3/0386Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry for light pen
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/20Input arrangements for video game devices
    • A63F13/21Input arrangements for video game devices characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
    • A63F13/213Input arrangements for video game devices characterised by their sensors, purposes or types comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F13/00Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions
    • A63F13/80Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
    • A63F13/837Shooting of targets
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2300/00Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
    • A63F2300/10Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
    • A63F2300/1025Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2300/00Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
    • A63F2300/10Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
    • A63F2300/1025Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
    • A63F2300/1031Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2300/00Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
    • A63F2300/10Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
    • A63F2300/1037Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2300/00Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
    • A63F2300/10Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
    • A63F2300/1043Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals being characterized by constructional details
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2300/00Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
    • A63F2300/10Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
    • A63F2300/1062Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2300/00Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
    • A63F2300/10Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
    • A63F2300/1087Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2300/00Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
    • A63F2300/30Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by output arrangements for receiving control signals generated by the game device
    • A63F2300/303Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game characterized by output arrangements for receiving control signals generated by the game device for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2300/00Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
    • A63F2300/60Methods for processing data by generating or executing the game program
    • A63F2300/66Methods for processing data by generating or executing the game program for rendering three dimensional images
    • A63F2300/6661Methods for processing data by generating or executing the game program for rendering three dimensional images for changing the position of the virtual camera
    • A63F2300/6684Methods for processing data by generating or executing the game program for rendering three dimensional images for changing the position of the virtual camera by dynamically adapting its position to keep a game object in its viewing frustrum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63FCARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2300/00Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game
    • A63F2300/80Features of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions, e.g. on a television screen, showing representations related to the game specially adapted for executing a specific type of game
    • A63F2300/8076Shooting

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to optical guns that simulate the generation of ballistic gunfire and methods of use of optical guns with computer game systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to the features of optical guns and the degree of realism provided by the methods of use of optical guns within a computer game scenario.
  • the light gun can be configured to derive the location on the screen at which the gun is pointing, when the invented light gun is used with a computer system having a VGA card and raster scanning video. Yet the field utility of Thanasack is severely limited to providing light guns that work with computer systems having particular and specific video display methodologies.
  • Prior art methods of operating optical guns with a digital television present functional difficulties when the actual image displayed on the screen is out of phase with the composite sync signal on the monitor.
  • Prior art guns expect that the composite sync signal and the displayed image on the screen are out of phase by a few billionths-of-a-radian or less. Phase angles greater than this cause the gun to loose sync with the image and thus the gun pointer will wander to a large degree and cease to be of use to the player.
  • An optical gun designed in accordance with the method of the present invention includes a body shaped substantially similar to a rifle, a machine gun, a karooka, a light projectile or missile launcher, a handgun, a pistol, a crossbow, a machine pistol, a grenade launcher, an electrical stun gun, an energy emitter, a particle beam or a light beam gun, or another suitable manually fired weapon known in the art.
  • the preferred embodiment includes an optical gun having a light sensor, a microprocessor, and a gun body shaped like a semi-automatic pistol with a handgrip, a trigger and a barrel.
  • the preferred embodiment, or invented gun has a thermal energy detector sensor that registers the proximity of a game player's hand by sensing heat generated from the hand.
  • the thermal energy detector, or hand detector may be located at or near the trigger.
  • the hand detector may include or be a micro-switch, an Infrared thermal energy detector, or another suitable hand proximity sensor known in the art.
  • the hand detector communicates with the microprocessor.
  • the microprocessor, or gun processor determines from this communication with the hand sensor, when the player's hand is proximate to the gun body.
  • the invented gun has a holster switch on the body.
  • the holster switch senses when the invented gun is placed into a holster.
  • the invented gun may react to indications from the holster switch and the hand detector to improve power management of the invented gun.
  • the invented gun further comprises a communications and electrical power interface, such as a Universal Serial Bus, a derivative of the Universal Serial Bus, or another suitable communications and electrical power interface known in the art, such as, for example, a suitable industry standard or proprietary communications bus or a game port system as stipulated by MICROSOFT CORPORATION, SONY, NINTENDO, IBM, NINTENDO CORPORATION, SEGA CORPORATION or the IEEE.
  • a communications and electrical power interface such as a Universal Serial Bus, a derivative of the Universal Serial Bus, or another suitable communications and electrical power interface known in the art, such as, for example, a suitable industry standard or proprietary communications bus or a game port system as stipulated by MICROSOFT CORPORATION, SONY, NINTENDO, IBM, NINTENDO CORPORATION, SEGA CORPORATION or the IEEE.
  • the communications and electrical power interface, or comms bus provides bi-directional communications between the invented gun and the computer game system.
  • the preferred embodiment includes a small electric motor or actuator that is used to simulate the recoil of an actual weapon.
  • the simulated recoil function is directed by the computer game system and the command to simulate a weapon's recoil is transmitted over the comms bus and from the computer game system.
  • the simulated recoil function may be used in various preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention to inform, reinforce or add to a game scenario ambience, when the computer game system determines (1) that the game player has effected a simulated hit on a target, (2) that the game player has been hit within the context of the game scenario, or (3) whenever the game player has effected a simulated firing of the invented gun.
  • the preferred embodiment includes a battery that delivers electrical energy to electric motor or actuator.
  • the energy delivered from the battery to the motor or actuator may be supplemented by electrical power provided via the comms bus to the motor or actuator.
  • the battery is recharged by comms bus and optionally under the direction of the microprocessor at times when the recoil function is not engaged.
  • the preferred embodiment includes a laser pointer that is turned on and emits light only when the invented gun is pointed at a video screen of the computer game system.
  • the comms bus is a Universal Serial Bus, or USB
  • the optical gun receives instructions from the computer game system to turn on or turn off the laser point via information enclosed in a USB OUT packet or packets.
  • the motor or control can be actuated by the comms bus, as found in certain Sony PlayStation games.
  • the preferred embodiment includes a character or avatar detector.
  • the character or avatar detector, or presence detector indicates to the game player the presence or approach of a character or avatar within the game scenario, and may indicate a characteristic of the character or avatar, such as by using colored light to indicate whether a particular avatar or character is a friend, an ally, a foe, a neutral entity or an innocent party.
  • the presence detector indicates the characteristic when the optical gun is pointed at the character or avatar.
  • the preferred embodiment includes a zoom function, whereby the orientation or simulated location of the game player within a game scenario is affected by manual manipulations of zoom control features positioned on the optical gun.
  • the zoom function may affect the field of view presented to the game player by the computer game system, whereby the game player may elect to have a more limited field of view but with a larger presentation of one or more visual elements of the game scenario.
  • the invented gun can determine the type of image presented by the video screen of the computer game system.
  • the invented gun determines if the video screen is a 50 Hz, 60 Hz, 100 Hz. television image, a 120 Hz. television image, digitally enhanced or a high definition television image.
  • the inventive technique applied by the invented gun includes the creation of a virtual time base in a software representation, and using this time base to measure the gun pointing position during a particular frame.
  • Certain alternate preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention couple the detection by the optical gun of a frame presentation on a television cathode ray tube of the computer game system.
  • a series of digital and analog signal processors embedded in the television substantially modify the input signal and alter the VIDEO timing of the video console input signal and therefrom render the console input signal out of synchronization with an image displayed on the cathode ray tube, or CRT.
  • the gun processor analyzes the video console signal, and generates a phase timing offset signal dynamically while the game is running, then compares this gun processor generated signal to the detector input and therefrom determines an accurate timing for the detector input vis-a-vis the out-of-phases video sampling cable input.
  • Referred to herein are the terms of art of “100 Hz”, “120 Hz”, “480 p”, “760 p”, “1080 il”, “Comb Filter”, “Progressive Scan”, “HDTV” and “DSP”.
  • the invented system further comprises a video sampling cable, the video sampling cable coupled with the microprocessor, and the video sampling cable provides the microprocessor with information about a video file prior to the presentation of the video file on the video screen.
  • the information provided by the video sampling cable to the microprocessor is used by the invented system to enable advanced gaming features.
  • the video sampling cable may be comprised within, added to or included with the comms bus, such as a substantially USB compliant comms bus.
  • the preferred embodiment, or invented system uses the data received from the computer game system, and via the video sampling cable, to improve the interaction of the present invention with a computer game system that includes a digital television.
  • a digital television rasterizes the composite signal.
  • the composite signal is generated by the computer game system and is transmitted to the digital television via a small signal coaxial cable, a twisted pair or other suitable signal transmission means known in the art.
  • An analog television retrieves the composite sync signal and displays the TV signal on the screen in a pure analog form.
  • PAL, NTSC and SECAM are the world-wide standards for composite signals and are roughly similar in form. The standards may dictate a maximum frame rate of 25 and 30 frames/sec for each signal, respectively.
  • analog composite sync signals are displayed on the phosphor screen at interleaved half frames to yield a resultant sync rate of 50 and 60 frames/sec (Hz) on the screen.
  • Each frame is divided into two display data sets and each set, or one half of each frame is sequentially displayed at ⁇ fraction (1/60) ⁇ (17 milliseconds) each.
  • the frame rates of 25 and 30 frames/sec correspond to the actual frame capture rate of a motion picture film camera and, for simplicity's sake, this is why these two rates may be selected when appropriate.
  • a digital television system digitizes the composite video signal and stores the digitized video data into a RAM memory.
  • the digital television then performs digital signal processing, or DSP, on the digital video file with the use of the RAM memory.
  • DSP digital signal processing
  • a DSP processor transmits a resultant video data file as output to a Digital to Analog converter, or DAC, and from the DAC to an analog video screen.
  • DAC Digital to Analog converter
  • Digital televisions are built and marketed in various forms, such as 100 Hz, 120 Hz, HiDefinition, Progressive Scan, Wide Screen HDTV, 1080 il, and HDTV, but these video display systems all work in principally the same way.
  • Most of these digital television embodiments DSP the video data file to enhance the resolution, frame rate, color brightness and provide what's know as a Comb Filter Convolution function to increase sharpness. All of these DSP operations create obstacles for using prior art optical guns in combination with computer game or entertainment systems.
  • a core problem encountered in using an optical gun with a digital television is that the actual image displayed on the digital television video screen is out of phase with the composite sync signal of the monitor.
  • a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention removes the phase angle in software from the gun by (1) recognizing that the gun and the screen are to a large degree always out of phase, (2) calculating this phase angle on a composite sync per-frame basis and then (3) mathematically reducing the offset to zero.
  • the software and high-speed digital hardware components in the gun are both employed to actualize this optional aspect of the method of the present invention. The identification and measurement of these components, the calculation of phase angles, frame rates and the resultant accuracy to a large degree depend on a physical principle in mathematics called the beat frequency.
  • the current composite sync signal (single pixel) can be represented by the function:
  • the beat frequency may be a substantially square-wave, impulse or sinusoidal function having a fundamental frequency of approximately 100 Hz.
  • the photo detector of the present invention will detect a beat frequency which is the composite of these two signals, i.e. FI(t) and FS(t).
  • the beat frequency may have a vertical or horizontal retrace signal generated by a digital television as a component.
  • the preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention is directed to find the values of w2, y and q.
  • the processor in the invented gun does not, in all preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention, attempt to solve the equation. In fact, because of the digital nature of the method of the present invention, it is often simpler and more cost effective to use a table driven method whereby the magnitude
  • phase angle y is at zero, or may be assumed to be zero, in the instant application, the value of q may be derived from these relationships:
  • the value of q is therefore determinable where two fundamental frequencies w1 and w2 are quantified.
  • the value of w1 is either supplied to the optical gun by the computer game system or derived by the optical gun by information supplied to the optical gun by the computer game system.
  • the value of w2 is determinable by detecting the time period T between peaks of maximal pixel brightening, or Pmax, of an area or pixel of the video screen.
  • the value of Pmax may be determined by multiple observations of maximal pixel brightening and by applying averaging and other suitable mathematical or statistical methods of determining an approximate value of T.
  • T 1/ w 2
  • w is expressed in hertz
  • the value of q is therefore determinable as the value of w1 is contained in the software values of the computer game system and the value of w2 can be calculated from pixel brightening detections of the optical gun.
  • all computational mathematics performed by the invented optical gun processor is executed with 32-bit, two's complement, fixed point notation.
  • the single measurement point may be taken at random.
  • the preferred embodiment further observes the number of Vsync counts that occur between the start of a frame and the detection of a particular instance of pixel or area brightening of the video display and transmits the Vsync count to the computer game system.
  • the preferred embodiment additionally detects the Hsync count of a width of an area brightening of the video display screen and transmits this Hsync count to the computer game system.
  • the Hsync count is then used to determine the center of the brightening of the area of the display screen, from which determination the orientation of the optical gun to the video display screen is more closely determined.
  • the preferred embodiment of the present invention makes use of standardized frequencies for w1 of 15 Khz by the NTSC and PAL standards for broadcast television, and that w1 can be measured from successive time bases for the SYNC signal as a further empirical method of deriving w1.
  • W2 as noted, can be measured from successive pixel brightening sequences. For that matter, w2 can be derived by making the observation that:
  • An alternate preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, or unidirectional wireless gun includes a wireless transmitter in the optical gin assembly and a wireless receiver in the computer system.
  • the transmitter sends information about the optical gun's state or detected conditions and sends the information to the receiver of the computer game system by infrared or radio frequency, or other suitable wireless transmission link or means known in the art.
  • the receiver includes a wireless receiver module, a digital logic module and a receiver-to-game system interface.
  • the receiver accepts the information transmitted from the optical gun via the wireless receiver module.
  • the digital logic module then formats a receiver data report that includes the transmitted information.
  • the receiver then sends the receiver data report to the computer game system via the receiver-to-game system interface.
  • the receiver-to-game system interface and the receiver data report may be USB compliant or substantially USB compliant, or function in accordance with a suitable industry standard or proprietary communications bus or game port system as stipulated by MICROSOFT CORPORATION, SONY, SEGA, NINTENDO, IBM or the IEEE, or another suitable communications protocol known in the art.
  • a second alternate preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention includes a transceiver in the bi-directional wireless gun and a game transceiver coupled with the computer game system.
  • the optical gun transceiver sends and receives information from and to the game transceiver.
  • the optical gun transceiver sends gun information about the optical gun's state or detected conditions and sends the gun information to the transceiver of the computer game system by infrared or radio frequency, or other suitable wireless transmission means known in the art.
  • the game transceiver includes a wireless transceiver module, a digital logic module and a receiver-to-game system interface. The game transceiver accepts the gun information transmitted from the optical gun via the wireless transceiver module.
  • the digital logic module then formats a receiver data report that includes the transmitted gun information.
  • the game transceiver then sends the receiver data report to the computer game system via the transceiver-to-game system interface.
  • the transceiver-to-game system interface and the receiver data report may be USB compliant or substantially USB compliant, or function in accordance with a suitable industry standard or proprietary communications bus or game port system as stipulated by MICROSOFT CORPORATION, SONY, SEGA, NINTENDO, IBM or the IEEE, or another suitable communications protocol or system known in the art.
  • the game transceiver may additionally transmit data or instruction to the optical gun by suitable industry standard or proprietary wireless transmission means or link known in the art, such as radio frequency or infrared transmission.
  • the unidirectional wireless gun and the bi-directional wireless gun each have a multiple channel detect to select a radio frequency for information transmission to and/or from the computer game system.
  • the detection of the wireless communications frequency may be done by an automatic function of the bi-directional or the unidirectional wireless, or may alternatively or additionally be controlled by the user by means of manual input, such as buttons, or another suitable manual input means known in the art.
  • the receiver, transmitter and transceivers may each further comprise a channel selector, whereby a user decides which channel may be used by a particular wireless optical gun to transmit or receive wireless signals to and from the computer game system.
  • This optional capability facilitates the use of two or more optical guns simultaneously with the computer game system by dedicated separate wireless transmission frequencies or band to individual optical guns.
  • the optical gun includes an interface harness that presents two or more optional hardware connectors to computer game systems.
  • the addition of more than one type of connector allows the optical gun to be electrically connected with computer game systems of differing make, model or standardized communications bus compatibility.
  • the optical gun may be mass produced with a plurality of interface connectors, where each connector is selected from a connector type that is compatible with a suitable interface standard known in the art, to include a USB, or a bus that is substantially a USB, or a derivative of a USB, or a variation of a USB, or a modified USB, or a suitable a game port system, a MICROSOFT XBOX game system compatible communications interface, or a NINTENDO game system compatible communications bus, or a SONY PLAYSTATION game system compatible communications bus, or an IBM computer system standards compatible communications bus, or an APPLE COMPUTER computer system standards compatible communications bus known in the art, or an IEEE technology society standard compatible communications bus known in the art, or another suitable standard or proprietary communications bus known in
  • the optical gun may optionally include a peripheral input module that communicates with the gun microprocessor by wired or wireless means.
  • the gun peripheral input may include a thumbpad, a thumbpad with switches, an optical wheel, a foot pedal, a mouse, or another suitable peripheral input device known in the art.
  • Certain preferred wireless embodiments of the present invention may also have a battery charger, whereby the battery of the optical gun is charged with electrical power by removably connecting a power source or outlet to the battery.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an optical gun designed and used in accordance with the method of the present invention and having a wired connection with a computer game system.
  • FIG. 2 shows an optical gun with a hand detect module of the optical gun of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 presents a holster proximity-sensing module of the optical gun of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a recoil module of the optical gun of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 5 shows a battery charging system of the optical gun of FIG. 1, and presents a laser pointer module, a character or avatar detector, and a zoom control of the optical gun of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates the optical gun of FIG. 1 in use with a digital television system.
  • FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the system operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention of the Figures and comprising optional processes.
  • FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate optical guns that alternatively support bi-directional or unidirectional wireless communication with a computer game system.
  • the invented gun 2 has a gun body 4 , a control module 6 , a light sensor 8 , a trigger circuit 10 with a trigger 12 , and a communications interface 14 to a computer game system 16 .
  • the light sensor 8 detects when a plurality of pixels 18 on a video screen 20 of the computer game system 16 brightens and informs the control module 6 of a detected pixel plurality brightening.
  • the control module 6 then processes the time occurrence of the detected pixels brightening in combination with signals received from the trigger circuit 10 and information received over the communications bus 14 , and therefrom determines, or partially determines, a relatedness, or degree of relatedness, of the detected pixels brightening detection within the context of a computer game scenario running on the computer game system 16 .
  • the communications interface 14 , or comms bus 14 , of the invented gun 2 may be a USB, or substantially a USB, or a derivative of a USB, or a variation of a USB, or a modified USB, or a suitable game port system, a MICROSOFT XBOX game system compatible communications interface, or a NINTENDO game system compatible communications bus, or a SONY PLAYSTATION game system compatible communications bus, or an IBM computer system standards compatible communications bus, or an APPLE COMPUTER computer system standards compatible communications bus known in the art, or an IEEE technology society standard compatible communications bus or game port system known in the art, or another suitable communications bus known in the art.
  • the control module 6 has a microprocessor 22 , a memory-containing gun operating instructions 24 , and a processing memory 26 that enable the control module 6 to manage information required for storage and provision to and from the microprocessor 22 , or gun processor 22 , during the operation of the invented gun.
  • the communications bus 14 provides bi-directional electrical signal communications between the control module 6 and the computer game system 16 .
  • the comms bus includes a plurality of signal lines 28 , an electrical ground line 30 , and a power line 32 .
  • the invented gun 2 optionally includes a video sampling cable 34 that captures data as this data is transmitted from a computer game system computer 36 to the computer game video screen 20 via a video signal line 38 .
  • the control module 6 processes this data in view of trigger actuation signals received from the trigger circuit 10 and pixel brightening detection signals received from the light sensor 8 .
  • the control module 6 thereby determines where within the video screen 20 the invented gun 2 is pointed proximate to the time that the trigger 12 of the invented gun 2 is manually pulled, depressed or actuated by a game system player.
  • the video sampling cable 34 may be included in the comms bus 14 or may be a separate input signal line 34 from the computer game system 16 and to the control module 6 in certain alternate preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention.
  • the invented gun 2 further comprises a hand detector 40 that senses the proximity of the game player's hand to a handle 42 of the gun body, or additionally or alternatively, senses the proximity of the game player's hand or finger to the trigger 12 of the gun body 4 .
  • Manual actuation of the trigger 12 causes the trigger circuit 10 to inform the control module 6 that the game player has chosen to fire or release a simulated round or a simulated burst of rounds within the context of the role of the invented gun 2 within the computer game scenario.
  • the hand detector 40 thereby alerts the control module 6 to a grasping of the invented gun 2 by the game player, and of the possibility of an imminent actuation of the trigger 12 by the game player.
  • the control module 6 may therefrom select a more appropriate readiness state for the optical gun 2 and thereby more efficiently operate the invented gun 2 .
  • the invented gun 2 further comprises a peripheral input module 43 that communicates with the optical gun 2 , or optionally and more specifically with the gun control module 6 , by a communications link 43 A.
  • the gun peripheral input 43 includes a data input peripheral 43 B, such as a thumbpad, a thumbpad with switches, a foot pedal, an optical wheel or other suitable data or signal input peripheral known in the art.
  • the game player uses the peripheral 43 B to indicate choices and selections within the context of a computer game scenario, or to provide information to the optical gun 2 or the computer game system 16 .
  • the invented optical gun 2 includes a holster 44 and a holster proximity-sensing module 46 .
  • the invented gun 2 has a small switch 48 of the holster proximity detector 46 attached to the gun body 4 .
  • the switch 48 fits into a corresponding slot or receptacle 50 in the holster.
  • the invented gun 2 detects the state of the switch 48 and may inform the computer game system 16 that the gun 2 is holstered.
  • the optical gun 2 includes an interface harness 51 that presents two or more optional hardware connectors 51 A, 51 B to computer game systems 16 .
  • each connector 51 A, 51 B is selected from a connector type that is compatible with a suitable interface standard known in the art, to include a USB, or a bus that is substantially a USB, or a derivative of a USB, or a variation of a USB, or a modified USB, or a suitable game port system, or a MICROSOFT XBOX game system compatible communications interface, or a NINTENDO game system compatible communications bus, or a SONY PLAYSTATION game system compatible communications bus, or an IBM computer system standards compatible communications bus, or an APPLE COMPUTER computer system standards compatible communications bus known in the art, or an IEEE technology society standard compatible communications bus known in the art, or another suitable standard or proprietary communications bus or game port system known in the art.
  • the invented gun further optionally comprises a recoil simulator 52 .
  • the recoil simulator 52 may be or may include a small electric motor or actuator that is used to generate a mechanical force.
  • the mechanical force is intended to simulate the recoil of an actual weapon to the game player.
  • the simulated recoil function may be directed by the computer game system 16 or the gun processor 22 , and the command to simulate a weapon's recoil may be transmitted over the comms bus 14 and from the computer game system 16 .
  • the simulated recoil function may be used in various preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention to inform, reinforce or add to a game scenario ambience when the control module 6 and/or computer game system 16 determines (1) that the game player has effected a simulated hit on a target, (2) that the game player has been hit within the context of the game scenario, or (3) whenever the game player has effected a simulated firing of the invented gun.
  • the invented gun includes a battery 54 and a battery charging system 56 .
  • the battery 54 supplies electrical power to the invented gun 2 and to the recoil simulator 52 .
  • the battery 54 enables the optical gun 2 to provide a quantity of electrical power to elements of the invented gun 2 in excess of the amount of energy that the communications bus, such as a USB or USB-like communications bus, can instantaneously provide from the game system 16 and to the optical gun 2 .
  • the battery charging system 56 recharges the battery 54 by channeling electrical power received from the communications bus 14 into the battery.
  • the invented gun 2 may particularly direct the battery charging system 56 to recharge the battery 54 when the gun 2 is sensed to be holstered.
  • a laser pointer module 58 of the invented gun provides a laser indicator on the screen of the video screen by generating a laser beam that travels from the invented gun 2 and to the screen 20 .
  • the invented gun 2 fires the laser beam when the optical sensor 8 indicates that the gun 2 is pointed at the screen 20 such that the beam will hit the screen.
  • the invented gun 2 will turn off the laser, or cause the laser beam to not exit from the invented gun 2 , when the optical sensor 8 indicates that the gun 2 is not pointed at the screen 20 .
  • This optional inventive feature of the method of the present invention enables the invented gun 2 to reduce or eliminate the intersection of the laser beam with objects, person or surfaces other than the video screen 20 .
  • the location of the intersection of the laser beam with the video screen 20 may be used to aid the player in orienting within a game scenario or in improving the accuracy of simulated firing of the invented gun 2 .
  • the invented gun 2 receives instructions from the computer game system 16 to turn on or turn off the laser point via information enclosed in messages, such as in a USB OUT packet or packets, comms bus commands or other communication methods.
  • the invented gun 2 includes a character or avatar detection indicator 60 .
  • the character or avatar detection indicator, or presence indicator 60 indicates to the game player the presence or approach of a character or avatar within the game scenario, and may indicate a characteristic or state of the character or avatar, such as by using colored lighted to indicate the state of the character or avatar, e.g., wounded, angry, or sleeping, or whether a particular avatar or character is a friend, an ally, a foe, a neutral entity or an innocent or unidentified party.
  • the presence indicator 60 indicates the characteristic when the optical gun is pointed at the character or avatar.
  • the invented gun further includes a zoom control that activates a zoom function, whereby the interaction of the game player within a computer game scenario is affected by manual manipulations of the zoom control 62 , and a screen image of the video display 20 of the computer game system 16 is affected.
  • the orientation or simulated location of the game player within a game scenario is affected by manual manipulations of zoom control features 62 positioned on the optical gun 2 .
  • the zoom function may affect the field of view presented to the game player by the computer game system 16 , whereby the game player may elect to have a more limited field of view but with a larger presentation of one or more visual elements of the game scenario.
  • the actuation and manipulation of the zoom control feature 62 is reported to the computer game system 16 via the comms bus 14 .
  • the invented system 2 uses the data received from the computer game system 16 and via the video sampling cable 34 to improve the interaction of the present invention with a computer game system 16 that includes a digital television 64 .
  • the preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention as actualized in the invented gun 2 removes the phase angle of a digital television image calculation in an optional software technique by (1) recognizing that the invented gun 2 and the screen 20 are to a large degree always out of phase, (2) calculating this phase angle on a composite sync per-frame basis and then (3) mathematically reducing the offset to zero.
  • the software and high-speed digital hardware elements of the gun 2 are both employed to actualize this optional aspect of the method of the present invention.
  • the identification and measurement of certain mathematical values, the calculation of phase angles, frame rates and the resultant accuracy to a large degree depend on a physical principle in mathematics called the beat frequency.
  • the current composite sync signal (single pixel) can be represented by the function:
  • the photo detector 8 of the invented gun 2 observes a beat frequency which is the composite of these two signals, i.e. FI(t) and FS(t).
  • the preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention is directed to find the values of w2 and q.
  • the instantaneous phase angle of these two functions as composed to P(t) is the solution.
  • the processor in the invented optical gun 2 does not attempt to solve the equation.
  • the invented optical gun 2 employs a table driven method whereby the magnitude
  • T 1 /w 2, where w2 is expressed in hertz.
  • the optical gun 2 transmits the value of q and/or T to the computer game system 16 , whereby the computer game system 16 can calculate the time offset imposed by a digital television and the images displayed on the video screen 20 .
  • the optical gun 2 further observes the number of Vsync counts that occur between the start of a frame and the detection of a particular instance of pixel or area brightening of the video screen 20 and transmits the Vsync count to the computer game system 16 via the communications interface 14 .
  • the preferred embodiment additionally detects the Hsync count of a width of an area brightening of the video screen 20 and transmits this Hsync count to the computer game system 16 via the communications interface 14 .
  • the Hsync count is then used to determine the center of the brightening of the area of the video screen 20 , from which determination the orientation of the optical gun 2 to the video screen 20 is more closely determined.
  • Certain preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention resolves the true offset T where two fundamental frequencies w1 and w2 are quantified. Additionally and optionally, having derived the fundamental beat frequency of these two functions, this optional aspect of the method of the present invention can pick any point in a measurement range to produce a desired result by recognizing and accommodating for a change, and an instantaneous value, of the phase angle y.
  • all computational mathematics performed by the invented optical gun processor 22 are executed with 32-bit, two's complement, fixed point notation.
  • the single measurement point may be taken at random.
  • the preferred embodiment of the present invention optionally makes use of standardized frequencies for w1 of 15 Khz by the NTSC and PAL standards for broadcast television, and that w1 can be measured from successive time bases for the SYNC signal as a further empirical method of deriving w1.
  • W2 as noted, can be measured from successive pixel brightening sequences. For that matter, w2 can derived by making the observation that:
  • alternative preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention may comprise bi-directional or unidirectional wireless communication with the computer game system 16 .
  • the alternate preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention of FIG. 8A, or unidirectional wireless gun 66 includes a wireless transmitter 68
  • the computer game system 16 includes a wireless receiver 70 .
  • the transmitter 68 sends information about the optical gun's 66 state or detected conditions and sends the information to the receiver 70 of the computer game system 16 by infrared or radio frequency 71 , or other suitable wireless transmission means known in the art.
  • the receiver includes a wireless receiver module 70 A, a digital logic module 70 B and a receiver-to-game system interface 70 C.
  • the receiver 70 accepts the information transmitted from the optical gun 66 via the wireless receiver module 70 A.
  • the digital logic module 70 B then formats a receiver data report that includes the transmitted information.
  • the receiver 70 then sends the receiver data report to the computer game system 16 via the receiver-to-game system interface 70 C.
  • the receiver-to-game system interface 70 C and the receiver data report may be USB compliant or substantially USB compliant, or be configured or function in accordance with a suitable industry standard or proprietary communications bus as stipulated by MICROSOFT CORPORATION, SONY, SEGA, NINTENDO, IBM or the IEEE, or another suitable communications protocol or game port system known in the art.
  • a second alternate preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, or bi-directional wireless gun 72 , of FIG. 8B, includes a gun transceiver 74 in the bi-directional wireless gun 72 and a game transceiver 76 coupled with the computer game system 16 .
  • the optical gun transceiver 74 sends and receives information from and to the game transceiver 76 .
  • the optical gun transceiver 74 sends gun information about the optical gun's 72 state or detected conditions and sends the gun information to the transceiver 76 of the computer game system 16 by infrared or radio frequency 75 , or other suitable wireless transmission means known in the art.
  • the game transceiver 76 includes a wireless transceiver module 76 A, a digital logic module 76 B and a receiver-to-game system interface 76 C.
  • the game transceiver 76 accepts the gun information transmitted from the optical gun 72 via the wireless transceiver module 76 A.
  • the digital logic module 76 B then formats a receiver data report that includes the transmitted gun information.
  • the game transceiver 76 then sends the receiver data report to the computer game system 16 via the transceiver-to-game system interface 76 C.
  • the transceiver-to-game system interface 76 C and the receiver data report may be USB compliant or substantially USB compliant, or be configured and function in accordance with a suitable industry standard or proprietary communications bus as stipulated by MICROSOFT CORPORATION, SONY, SEGA, NINTENDO, IBM or the IEEE, or another suitable communications protocol or game port system known in the art.
  • the game transceiver may additionally transmit data or instruction to the optical gun by suitable wireless transmission means known in the art, such as radio frequency or infrared transmission.
  • the receiver 70 , transmitter 68 and transceivers 74 , 76 may each further comprise a channel selector 77 , whereby a user decides which channel may be used by a particular wireless optical gun 66 , 72 to transmit or receive wireless signals to and from the computer game system 16 .
  • This optional capability facilitates the use of two or more optical guns 66 , 72 simultaneously with the computer game system 16 by dedicated separate wireless transmission frequencies or band to individual optical guns 66 , 72 .
  • the channel selector may be a manual selector, whereby the game player manually selects the channel for use by the gun 2 by moving a manual switch to a pre-established position.
  • the unidirectional wireless gun 66 and the bi-directional wireless gun 72 each have a multiple channel auto detect, or a channel select switch, to select a radio frequency for information transmission.
  • These wireless embodiments 66 , 72 may also have a battery charger 78 , whereby the battery 54 of the optical gun is charged with electrical power by removably connecting a power source or outlet to the battery 54 via the battery charger 78 .
  • the gun control module 6 may be integrated in a single chip solution that comprises a suitable semiconductor processor device, such as a Microchip 16C745/16C765, or a Cypress 630001A, or suitable derivatives thereof, or another suitable electronic device known in the art.
  • a suitable semiconductor processor device such as a Microchip 16C745/16C765, or a Cypress 630001A, or suitable derivatives thereof, or another suitable electronic device known in the art.
  • Certain preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention having a single chip, device or multi-chip module comprised by gun control module 6 include the following elements and features within or associated with the gun control module 6 :
  • Capture/Compare registers Two CCP first in first out arrays, or FIFO arrays, each FIFO array having 24 bits that are 16 deep.
  • the CCP structure communicates with an interrupt signal when a next to last capture has been completed.
  • the source clock for the CCP is a 24 MHz clock.
  • the clock size is also 24 bits and is captured into the FIFO array after an event.
  • the gun control module 6 includes a hold-off counter which is settable by an 8-bit register. The hold off counter holds the capture event until an IRQ occurs.
  • the 16 deep FIFO arrays are readable and writeable;

Abstract

A device and a method for integrating an optical gun with a computer game system and within a computer game scenario are provided. The preferred embodiment includes an optical gun, or gun, with a communications interface, such as a USB interface, with the computer game system. The gun has sensors that sense when (1) a player is grasping a gun handle, or (2) the gun is holstered. The gun simulates a recoil force when a simulated round is fired. A battery is charged between game periods and drawn down during play. A laser beam is emitted from the gun only when the gun is pointed at a game video screen. Green and red LED's on the gun indicate the presence of a friend or foe character or avatar. The gun includes a zoom control that affects the screen representation of the player's view and visibility in the game scenario. The gun may have bi-directional or unidirectional wireless communications with the computer game system, a battery charger and multi-channel radio carrier frequency auto detect. The gun can determine the nature of the game video screen. A video sampling or tapping wire may enable further enhanced features of the gun.

Description

    CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS
  • This application is a Continuation to application Ser. No. 09/947,479 filed on Sep. 6, 2001 and claims the benefit of the priority date of application Ser. No. 09/366,390, filed on Aug. 3, 1999.[0001]
  • FIELD OF INVENTION
  • The present invention relates to optical guns that simulate the generation of ballistic gunfire and methods of use of optical guns with computer game systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to the features of optical guns and the degree of realism provided by the methods of use of optical guns within a computer game scenario. [0002]
  • BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
  • The market for computer game systems is now well established and growing. Improvements in the design and performance of computer game system peripherals can provide significant competitive and economic benefits to several large multinational corporations, such as IBM, SEGA, SONY and MICROSOFT. Inventive work in the area of optical gun design and performance increases as the computer game industry matures. U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,190, Thanasack, Jan. 9, 2001, for example, discloses a light gun to be used with a conventional personal computer without having to modify the computer with additional circuit boards and operating system changes. The invention of Thanasack, et al. teaches that the light gun can be configured to derive the location on the screen at which the gun is pointing, when the invented light gun is used with a computer system having a VGA card and raster scanning video. Yet the field utility of Thanasack is severely limited to providing light guns that work with computer systems having particular and specific video display methodologies. [0003]
  • Additional features that add to the uniqueness of game play are also of interest to game system manufacturers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,085, Igarashi, et al., Oct. 29, 1996 describes an articulating cover on a model gun that is powered to move during game play. Yet the invention of Igarashi, et al. is limited to gun models that have covers driven towards the player during simulated firing of the gun, and directly in response to each trigger actuation or firing session generated by the game player. [0004]
  • Prior art methods of operating optical guns with a digital television present functional difficulties when the actual image displayed on the screen is out of phase with the composite sync signal on the monitor. Prior art guns expect that the composite sync signal and the displayed image on the screen are out of phase by a few billionths-of-a-radian or less. Phase angles greater than this cause the gun to loose sync with the image and thus the gun pointer will wander to a large degree and cease to be of use to the player. [0005]
  • There is, therefore, a long felt need in the computer gaming industry to provide a method and apparatus that improve the enjoyment of a player using an optical gun within a computer game scenario and increases the adaptability of the optical gun for use with digital televisions. There is a further long felt need to provide an optical apparatus and method of design and use thereof that enables a computer game designer to introduce novel features and aspects of peripheral systems that can enhance the novelty and enjoyment of the game player. [0006]
  • OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
  • It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical gun that interacts with a computer game system. [0007]
  • It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of use of an optical gun within a computer game scenario. [0008]
  • It is an object of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide an optical gun that senses when a player's hand is grasping or proximate to a gun handle or gun trigger. [0009]
  • It is a further object of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide an optical gun that sense when the gun is substantially placed into a holster. [0010]
  • It is another object of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a gun that simulates a recoil force to the user when a simulated round is fired from the gun. [0011]
  • It is still another object of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a battery that may be used by the gun during game play and optionally refreshed during a relatively quiet time of gun use. [0012]
  • It is yet another object of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide one or more LED's that indicate the presence of characters or avatars in a game scenario, such as may be categorized as friend or foe or by other qualities or distinctions. [0013]
  • It is a further object of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a zoom control on the gun, whereby the player's virtual position within a game scenario may be altered, or the field of view presented on a game video screen is affected. [0014]
  • It is yet a further object of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a wireless communications method and system whereby the gun may unidirectionally communicate with a computer game system. [0015]
  • It is still a further object of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a wireless communications method and system whereby the gun may bi-directionally communicate with a computer game system. [0016]
  • It is yet another object of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a wireless communications method and system whereby the system has a multiple radio frequency auto detect for integrating communications with a computer game system. [0017]
  • It is still another object of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a method and system whereby the gun may determine the type of video screen of the computer game system with which the gun is interacting, i.e. distinguishing a 100 Hertz television screen output, or a 120 Hertz television screen output, 1080I line output television, or a high definition television screen output. [0018]
  • It is yet another further object of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a video sampling cable whereby the gun may actualize enhanced features in interaction with the computer game system, composite video, VGA, SVGA, RGB, S-video or other analog or digital transmission means. [0019]
  • It is an additional object of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a method to increase the performance of the optical gun with computer games that include digital television [0020]
  • SUMMARY OF INVENTION
  • An optical gun designed in accordance with the method of the present invention includes a body shaped substantially similar to a rifle, a machine gun, a bazooka, a light projectile or missile launcher, a handgun, a pistol, a crossbow, a machine pistol, a grenade launcher, an electrical stun gun, an energy emitter, a particle beam or a light beam gun, or another suitable manually fired weapon known in the art. The preferred embodiment includes an optical gun having a light sensor, a microprocessor, and a gun body shaped like a semi-automatic pistol with a handgrip, a trigger and a barrel. The preferred embodiment, or invented gun, has a thermal energy detector sensor that registers the proximity of a game player's hand by sensing heat generated from the hand. The thermal energy detector, or hand detector, may be located at or near the trigger. The hand detector may include or be a micro-switch, an Infrared thermal energy detector, or another suitable hand proximity sensor known in the art. The hand detector communicates with the microprocessor. The microprocessor, or gun processor, determines from this communication with the hand sensor, when the player's hand is proximate to the gun body. [0021]
  • The invented gun has a holster switch on the body. The holster switch senses when the invented gun is placed into a holster. The invented gun may react to indications from the holster switch and the hand detector to improve power management of the invented gun. [0022]
  • The invented gun further comprises a communications and electrical power interface, such as a Universal Serial Bus, a derivative of the Universal Serial Bus, or another suitable communications and electrical power interface known in the art, such as, for example, a suitable industry standard or proprietary communications bus or a game port system as stipulated by MICROSOFT CORPORATION, SONY, NINTENDO, IBM, NINTENDO CORPORATION, SEGA CORPORATION or the IEEE. The communications and electrical power interface, or comms bus, provides bi-directional communications between the invented gun and the computer game system. [0023]
  • The preferred embodiment includes a small electric motor or actuator that is used to simulate the recoil of an actual weapon. The simulated recoil function is directed by the computer game system and the command to simulate a weapon's recoil is transmitted over the comms bus and from the computer game system. The simulated recoil function may be used in various preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention to inform, reinforce or add to a game scenario ambience, when the computer game system determines (1) that the game player has effected a simulated hit on a target, (2) that the game player has been hit within the context of the game scenario, or (3) whenever the game player has effected a simulated firing of the invented gun. [0024]
  • The preferred embodiment includes a battery that delivers electrical energy to electric motor or actuator. The energy delivered from the battery to the motor or actuator may be supplemented by electrical power provided via the comms bus to the motor or actuator. The battery is recharged by comms bus and optionally under the direction of the microprocessor at times when the recoil function is not engaged. [0025]
  • The preferred embodiment includes a laser pointer that is turned on and emits light only when the invented gun is pointed at a video screen of the computer game system. In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention the comms bus is a Universal Serial Bus, or USB, and the optical gun receives instructions from the computer game system to turn on or turn off the laser point via information enclosed in a USB OUT packet or packets. Additionally or alternatively, the motor or control can be actuated by the comms bus, as found in certain Sony PlayStation games. [0026]
  • The preferred embodiment includes a character or avatar detector. The character or avatar detector, or presence detector, indicates to the game player the presence or approach of a character or avatar within the game scenario, and may indicate a characteristic of the character or avatar, such as by using colored light to indicate whether a particular avatar or character is a friend, an ally, a foe, a neutral entity or an innocent party. In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention the presence detector indicates the characteristic when the optical gun is pointed at the character or avatar. [0027]
  • The preferred embodiment includes a zoom function, whereby the orientation or simulated location of the game player within a game scenario is affected by manual manipulations of zoom control features positioned on the optical gun. Alternatively or additionally, the zoom function may affect the field of view presented to the game player by the computer game system, whereby the game player may elect to have a more limited field of view but with a larger presentation of one or more visual elements of the game scenario. [0028]
  • The invented gun can determine the type of image presented by the video screen of the computer game system. The invented gun determines if the video screen is a 50 Hz, 60 Hz, 100 Hz. television image, a 120 Hz. television image, digitally enhanced or a high definition television image. The inventive technique applied by the invented gun includes the creation of a virtual time base in a software representation, and using this time base to measure the gun pointing position during a particular frame. [0029]
  • Certain alternate preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention couple the detection by the optical gun of a frame presentation on a television cathode ray tube of the computer game system. A series of digital and analog signal processors embedded in the television substantially modify the input signal and alter the VIDEO timing of the video console input signal and therefrom render the console input signal out of synchronization with an image displayed on the cathode ray tube, or CRT. The gun processor analyzes the video console signal, and generates a phase timing offset signal dynamically while the game is running, then compares this gun processor generated signal to the detector input and therefrom determines an accurate timing for the detector input vis-a-vis the out-of-phases video sampling cable input. Referred to herein are the terms of art of “100 Hz”, “120 Hz”, “480 p”, “760 p”, “1080 il”, “Comb Filter”, “Progressive Scan”, “HDTV” and “DSP”. [0030]
  • The invented system further comprises a video sampling cable, the video sampling cable coupled with the microprocessor, and the video sampling cable provides the microprocessor with information about a video file prior to the presentation of the video file on the video screen. The information provided by the video sampling cable to the microprocessor is used by the invented system to enable advanced gaming features. The video sampling cable may be comprised within, added to or included with the comms bus, such as a substantially USB compliant comms bus. [0031]
  • The preferred embodiment, or invented system uses the data received from the computer game system, and via the video sampling cable, to improve the interaction of the present invention with a computer game system that includes a digital television. A digital television rasterizes the composite signal. The composite signal is generated by the computer game system and is transmitted to the digital television via a small signal coaxial cable, a twisted pair or other suitable signal transmission means known in the art. An analog television retrieves the composite sync signal and displays the TV signal on the screen in a pure analog form. PAL, NTSC and SECAM are the world-wide standards for composite signals and are roughly similar in form. The standards may dictate a maximum frame rate of 25 and 30 frames/sec for each signal, respectively. To reduce flicker, analog composite sync signals are displayed on the phosphor screen at interleaved half frames to yield a resultant sync rate of 50 and 60 frames/sec (Hz) on the screen. Each frame is divided into two display data sets and each set, or one half of each frame is sequentially displayed at {fraction (1/60)} (17 milliseconds) each. The frame rates of 25 and 30 frames/sec correspond to the actual frame capture rate of a motion picture film camera and, for simplicity's sake, this is why these two rates may be selected when appropriate. [0032]
  • Alternatively, a digital television system digitizes the composite video signal and stores the digitized video data into a RAM memory. The digital television then performs digital signal processing, or DSP, on the digital video file with the use of the RAM memory. After DSP actions on the RAM memory are executed, a DSP processor transmits a resultant video data file as output to a Digital to Analog converter, or DAC, and from the DAC to an analog video screen. One can think of the DSP circuitry of the digital TV as the brain within the television. [0033]
  • Digital televisions are built and marketed in various forms, such as 100 Hz, 120 Hz, HiDefinition, Progressive Scan, Wide Screen HDTV, 1080 il, and HDTV, but these video display systems all work in principally the same way. Most of these digital television embodiments DSP the video data file to enhance the resolution, frame rate, color brightness and provide what's know as a Comb Filter Convolution function to increase sharpness. All of these DSP operations create obstacles for using prior art optical guns in combination with computer game or entertainment systems. A core problem encountered in using an optical gun with a digital television is that the actual image displayed on the digital television video screen is out of phase with the composite sync signal of the monitor. Prior art guns expect that the composite sync signal and the displayed image on the screen are out of phase by a few billionths-of-a-radian or less. Phase angles greater than this cause prior art optical guns to lose sync with the image and thus the gun pointer will wander to a large degree and cease to be of use to the player. A preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention removes the phase angle in software from the gun by (1) recognizing that the gun and the screen are to a large degree always out of phase, (2) calculating this phase angle on a composite sync per-frame basis and then (3) mathematically reducing the offset to zero. The software and high-speed digital hardware components in the gun are both employed to actualize this optional aspect of the method of the present invention. The identification and measurement of these components, the calculation of phase angles, frame rates and the resultant accuracy to a large degree depend on a physical principle in mathematics called the beat frequency. [0034]
  • The following discussion explores the calculation of the phase angle according to a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention. The current composite sync signal (single pixel) can be represented by the function:[0035]
  • FS(t)=k*Sin(w1*t+y) where f=w/2Pi or 17 ms (60Hz) and y is the phase angle.
  • And let the image on the digital television video screen (single pixel) be represented by the function:[0036]
  • FI(t)=p*Sin(w2*t+q) where f=w/2Pi could equal 60 Hz, 100 Hz, 120 Hz, etc., and q is the phase angle.
  • And let the photo detector of the optical gun of the present invention observe the following:[0037]
  • P(t)=FI(t)+FS(t).
  • The beat frequency may be a substantially square-wave, impulse or sinusoidal function having a fundamental frequency of approximately 100 Hz. [0038]
  • The photo detector of the present invention will detect a beat frequency which is the composite of these two signals, i.e. FI(t) and FS(t). The beat frequency may have a vertical or horizontal retrace signal generated by a digital television as a component. The preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention is directed to find the values of w2, y and q. The processor in the invented gun does not, in all preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention, attempt to solve the equation. In fact, because of the digital nature of the method of the present invention, it is often simpler and more cost effective to use a table driven method whereby the magnitude |P| peak is collected across a period of one frame. The highest point of this peak is the pointed position on the screen of the gun. The table contains time offsets from the start of the frame (w1*t)=0. [0039]
  • As the value of phase angle y is at zero, or may be assumed to be zero, in the instant application, the value of q may be derived from these relationships:[0040]
  • P(t)=2*sin(t*(w1-w2)*cos(−q/2)
  • q=−2*csec(1/(2*sin(t*(w1−w2)))
  • The value of q is therefore determinable where two fundamental frequencies w1 and w2 are quantified. The value of w1 is either supplied to the optical gun by the computer game system or derived by the optical gun by information supplied to the optical gun by the computer game system. The value of w2 is determinable by detecting the time period T between peaks of maximal pixel brightening, or Pmax, of an area or pixel of the video screen. The value of Pmax may be determined by multiple observations of maximal pixel brightening and by applying averaging and other suitable mathematical or statistical methods of determining an approximate value of T. [0041]
  • The preferred embodiment takes the following relationship into account:[0042]
  • T=1/w2, where w is expressed in hertz.
  • The value of q is therefore determinable as the value of w1 is contained in the software values of the computer game system and the value of w2 can be calculated from pixel brightening detections of the optical gun. [0043]
  • In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, all computational mathematics performed by the invented optical gun processor is executed with 32-bit, two's complement, fixed point notation. The single measurement point may be taken at random. [0044]
  • The preferred embodiment further observes the number of Vsync counts that occur between the start of a frame and the detection of a particular instance of pixel or area brightening of the video display and transmits the Vsync count to the computer game system. The preferred embodiment additionally detects the Hsync count of a width of an area brightening of the video display screen and transmits this Hsync count to the computer game system. The Hsync count is then used to determine the center of the brightening of the area of the display screen, from which determination the orientation of the optical gun to the video display screen is more closely determined. [0045]
  • In addition, the preferred embodiment of the present invention, makes use of standardized frequencies for w1 of 15 Khz by the NTSC and PAL standards for broadcast television, and that w1 can be measured from successive time bases for the SYNC signal as a further empirical method of deriving w1. W2 as noted, can be measured from successive pixel brightening sequences. For that matter, w2 can be derived by making the observation that:[0046]
  • w2=w1/2.
  • An alternate preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, or unidirectional wireless gun, includes a wireless transmitter in the optical gin assembly and a wireless receiver in the computer system. The transmitter sends information about the optical gun's state or detected conditions and sends the information to the receiver of the computer game system by infrared or radio frequency, or other suitable wireless transmission link or means known in the art. The receiver includes a wireless receiver module, a digital logic module and a receiver-to-game system interface. The receiver accepts the information transmitted from the optical gun via the wireless receiver module. The digital logic module then formats a receiver data report that includes the transmitted information. The receiver then sends the receiver data report to the computer game system via the receiver-to-game system interface. The receiver-to-game system interface and the receiver data report may be USB compliant or substantially USB compliant, or function in accordance with a suitable industry standard or proprietary communications bus or game port system as stipulated by MICROSOFT CORPORATION, SONY, SEGA, NINTENDO, IBM or the IEEE, or another suitable communications protocol known in the art. [0047]
  • A second alternate preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, or bi-directional wireless gun, includes a transceiver in the bi-directional wireless gun and a game transceiver coupled with the computer game system. The optical gun transceiver sends and receives information from and to the game transceiver. The optical gun transceiver sends gun information about the optical gun's state or detected conditions and sends the gun information to the transceiver of the computer game system by infrared or radio frequency, or other suitable wireless transmission means known in the art. The game transceiver includes a wireless transceiver module, a digital logic module and a receiver-to-game system interface. The game transceiver accepts the gun information transmitted from the optical gun via the wireless transceiver module. The digital logic module then formats a receiver data report that includes the transmitted gun information. The game transceiver then sends the receiver data report to the computer game system via the transceiver-to-game system interface. The transceiver-to-game system interface and the receiver data report may be USB compliant or substantially USB compliant, or function in accordance with a suitable industry standard or proprietary communications bus or game port system as stipulated by MICROSOFT CORPORATION, SONY, SEGA, NINTENDO, IBM or the IEEE, or another suitable communications protocol or system known in the art. The game transceiver may additionally transmit data or instruction to the optical gun by suitable industry standard or proprietary wireless transmission means or link known in the art, such as radio frequency or infrared transmission. [0048]
  • The unidirectional wireless gun and the bi-directional wireless gun each have a multiple channel detect to select a radio frequency for information transmission to and/or from the computer game system. The detection of the wireless communications frequency may be done by an automatic function of the bi-directional or the unidirectional wireless, or may alternatively or additionally be controlled by the user by means of manual input, such as buttons, or another suitable manual input means known in the art. [0049]
  • The receiver, transmitter and transceivers may each further comprise a channel selector, whereby a user decides which channel may be used by a particular wireless optical gun to transmit or receive wireless signals to and from the computer game system. This optional capability facilitates the use of two or more optical guns simultaneously with the computer game system by dedicated separate wireless transmission frequencies or band to individual optical guns. [0050]
  • The optical gun includes an interface harness that presents two or more optional hardware connectors to computer game systems. The addition of more than one type of connector allows the optical gun to be electrically connected with computer game systems of differing make, model or standardized communications bus compatibility. For example, the optical gun may be mass produced with a plurality of interface connectors, where each connector is selected from a connector type that is compatible with a suitable interface standard known in the art, to include a USB, or a bus that is substantially a USB, or a derivative of a USB, or a variation of a USB, or a modified USB, or a suitable a game port system, a MICROSOFT XBOX game system compatible communications interface, or a NINTENDO game system compatible communications bus, or a SONY PLAYSTATION game system compatible communications bus, or an IBM computer system standards compatible communications bus, or an APPLE COMPUTER computer system standards compatible communications bus known in the art, or an IEEE technology society standard compatible communications bus known in the art, or another suitable standard or proprietary communications bus known in the art. The inclusion of one or more additional interface connectors with the mass-produced optical gun raises the economic value of the optical gun above the prior art by causing the optical gun to have a more ubiquitous range of application and compatibility with commercially available computer game systems. [0051]
  • The optical gun may optionally include a peripheral input module that communicates with the gun microprocessor by wired or wireless means. The gun peripheral input may include a thumbpad, a thumbpad with switches, an optical wheel, a foot pedal, a mouse, or another suitable peripheral input device known in the art. [0052]
  • Certain preferred wireless embodiments of the present invention may also have a battery charger, whereby the battery of the optical gun is charged with electrical power by removably connecting a power source or outlet to the battery. [0053]
  • The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.[0054]
  • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
  • These, and further features of the invention, may be better understood with reference to the accompanying specification and drawings depicting the preferred embodiment, in which: [0055]
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an optical gun designed and used in accordance with the method of the present invention and having a wired connection with a computer game system. [0056]
  • FIG. 2 shows an optical gun with a hand detect module of the optical gun of FIG. 1. [0057]
  • FIG. 3 presents a holster proximity-sensing module of the optical gun of FIG. 1. [0058]
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a recoil module of the optical gun of FIG. 1. [0059]
  • FIG. 5 shows a battery charging system of the optical gun of FIG. 1, and presents a laser pointer module, a character or avatar detector, and a zoom control of the optical gun of FIG. 1. [0060]
  • FIG. 6 illustrates the optical gun of FIG. 1 in use with a digital television system. [0061]
  • FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the system operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention of the Figures and comprising optional processes. [0062]
  • FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate optical guns that alternatively support bi-directional or unidirectional wireless communication with a computer game system.[0063]
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
  • The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his or her invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein. [0064]
  • Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the present invention, or invented [0065] gun 2, is presented. The invented gun 2 has a gun body 4, a control module 6, a light sensor 8, a trigger circuit 10 with a trigger 12, and a communications interface 14 to a computer game system 16. The light sensor 8 detects when a plurality of pixels 18 on a video screen 20 of the computer game system 16 brightens and informs the control module 6 of a detected pixel plurality brightening. The control module 6 then processes the time occurrence of the detected pixels brightening in combination with signals received from the trigger circuit 10 and information received over the communications bus 14, and therefrom determines, or partially determines, a relatedness, or degree of relatedness, of the detected pixels brightening detection within the context of a computer game scenario running on the computer game system 16.
  • The [0066] communications interface 14, or comms bus 14, of the invented gun 2 may be a USB, or substantially a USB, or a derivative of a USB, or a variation of a USB, or a modified USB, or a suitable game port system, a MICROSOFT XBOX game system compatible communications interface, or a NINTENDO game system compatible communications bus, or a SONY PLAYSTATION game system compatible communications bus, or an IBM computer system standards compatible communications bus, or an APPLE COMPUTER computer system standards compatible communications bus known in the art, or an IEEE technology society standard compatible communications bus or game port system known in the art, or another suitable communications bus known in the art.
  • The [0067] control module 6 has a microprocessor 22, a memory-containing gun operating instructions 24, and a processing memory 26 that enable the control module 6 to manage information required for storage and provision to and from the microprocessor 22, or gun processor 22, during the operation of the invented gun.
  • The [0068] communications bus 14, or comms bus, provides bi-directional electrical signal communications between the control module 6 and the computer game system 16. The comms bus includes a plurality of signal lines 28, an electrical ground line 30, and a power line 32. The invented gun 2 optionally includes a video sampling cable 34 that captures data as this data is transmitted from a computer game system computer 36 to the computer game video screen 20 via a video signal line 38. The control module 6 processes this data in view of trigger actuation signals received from the trigger circuit 10 and pixel brightening detection signals received from the light sensor 8. The control module 6 thereby determines where within the video screen 20 the invented gun 2 is pointed proximate to the time that the trigger 12 of the invented gun 2 is manually pulled, depressed or actuated by a game system player.
  • The [0069] video sampling cable 34 may be included in the comms bus 14 or may be a separate input signal line 34 from the computer game system 16 and to the control module 6 in certain alternate preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention.
  • Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 2 the invented [0070] gun 2 further comprises a hand detector 40 that senses the proximity of the game player's hand to a handle 42 of the gun body, or additionally or alternatively, senses the proximity of the game player's hand or finger to the trigger 12 of the gun body 4. Manual actuation of the trigger 12 causes the trigger circuit 10 to inform the control module 6 that the game player has chosen to fire or release a simulated round or a simulated burst of rounds within the context of the role of the invented gun 2 within the computer game scenario. The hand detector 40 thereby alerts the control module 6 to a grasping of the invented gun 2 by the game player, and of the possibility of an imminent actuation of the trigger 12 by the game player. The control module 6 may therefrom select a more appropriate readiness state for the optical gun 2 and thereby more efficiently operate the invented gun 2. The invented gun 2 further comprises a peripheral input module 43 that communicates with the optical gun 2, or optionally and more specifically with the gun control module 6, by a communications link 43A. The gun peripheral input 43 includes a data input peripheral 43B, such as a thumbpad, a thumbpad with switches, a foot pedal, an optical wheel or other suitable data or signal input peripheral known in the art. The game player uses the peripheral 43B to indicate choices and selections within the context of a computer game scenario, or to provide information to the optical gun 2 or the computer game system 16.
  • Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 3 the invented [0071] optical gun 2 includes a holster 44 and a holster proximity-sensing module 46. The invented gun 2 has a small switch 48 of the holster proximity detector 46 attached to the gun body 4. The switch 48 fits into a corresponding slot or receptacle 50 in the holster. The invented gun 2 detects the state of the switch 48 and may inform the computer game system 16 that the gun 2 is holstered. The optical gun 2 includes an interface harness 51 that presents two or more optional hardware connectors 51A, 51B to computer game systems 16. The addition of more than one type connector 51A, 51B allows the optical gun 2 to be electrically connected with computer game systems 16 of differing make, model or standardized communications bus compatibility. For example, the optical gun 2 may be mass produced with a plurality of interface connectors 51A, 51B, where each connector 51A, 51B is selected from a connector type that is compatible with a suitable interface standard known in the art, to include a USB, or a bus that is substantially a USB, or a derivative of a USB, or a variation of a USB, or a modified USB, or a suitable game port system, or a MICROSOFT XBOX game system compatible communications interface, or a NINTENDO game system compatible communications bus, or a SONY PLAYSTATION game system compatible communications bus, or an IBM computer system standards compatible communications bus, or an APPLE COMPUTER computer system standards compatible communications bus known in the art, or an IEEE technology society standard compatible communications bus known in the art, or another suitable standard or proprietary communications bus or game port system known in the art. The inclusion of one or more additional interface connectors 51A, 51B with the mass-produced optical gun 2 raises the economic value of the optical gun above the prior art by causing the optical gun to have a more ubiquitous range of application and compatibility with commercially available computer game systems.
  • Referring generally to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 4, the invented gun further optionally comprises a [0072] recoil simulator 52. The recoil simulator 52 may be or may include a small electric motor or actuator that is used to generate a mechanical force. The mechanical force is intended to simulate the recoil of an actual weapon to the game player. The simulated recoil function may be directed by the computer game system 16 or the gun processor 22, and the command to simulate a weapon's recoil may be transmitted over the comms bus 14 and from the computer game system 16. The simulated recoil function may be used in various preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention to inform, reinforce or add to a game scenario ambience when the control module 6 and/or computer game system 16 determines (1) that the game player has effected a simulated hit on a target, (2) that the game player has been hit within the context of the game scenario, or (3) whenever the game player has effected a simulated firing of the invented gun.
  • Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to FIG. 5 the invented gun includes a [0073] battery 54 and a battery charging system 56. The battery 54 supplies electrical power to the invented gun 2 and to the recoil simulator 52. The battery 54 enables the optical gun 2 to provide a quantity of electrical power to elements of the invented gun 2 in excess of the amount of energy that the communications bus, such as a USB or USB-like communications bus, can instantaneously provide from the game system 16 and to the optical gun 2. The battery charging system 56 recharges the battery 54 by channeling electrical power received from the communications bus 14 into the battery. The invented gun 2 may particularly direct the battery charging system 56 to recharge the battery 54 when the gun 2 is sensed to be holstered.
  • Continuing to refer now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 5 a [0074] laser pointer module 58 of the invented gun provides a laser indicator on the screen of the video screen by generating a laser beam that travels from the invented gun 2 and to the screen 20. The invented gun 2 fires the laser beam when the optical sensor 8 indicates that the gun 2 is pointed at the screen 20 such that the beam will hit the screen. The invented gun 2 will turn off the laser, or cause the laser beam to not exit from the invented gun 2, when the optical sensor 8 indicates that the gun 2 is not pointed at the screen 20. This optional inventive feature of the method of the present invention enables the invented gun 2 to reduce or eliminate the intersection of the laser beam with objects, person or surfaces other than the video screen 20. In game play, the location of the intersection of the laser beam with the video screen 20 may be used to aid the player in orienting within a game scenario or in improving the accuracy of simulated firing of the invented gun 2. The invented gun 2 receives instructions from the computer game system 16 to turn on or turn off the laser point via information enclosed in messages, such as in a USB OUT packet or packets, comms bus commands or other communication methods.
  • Continuing to refer now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 5 the invented [0075] gun 2 includes a character or avatar detection indicator 60. The character or avatar detection indicator, or presence indicator 60, indicates to the game player the presence or approach of a character or avatar within the game scenario, and may indicate a characteristic or state of the character or avatar, such as by using colored lighted to indicate the state of the character or avatar, e.g., wounded, angry, or sleeping, or whether a particular avatar or character is a friend, an ally, a foe, a neutral entity or an innocent or unidentified party. In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention the presence indicator 60 indicates the characteristic when the optical gun is pointed at the character or avatar.
  • Continuing to refer now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 5 the invented gun further includes a zoom control that activates a zoom function, whereby the interaction of the game player within a computer game scenario is affected by manual manipulations of the [0076] zoom control 62, and a screen image of the video display 20 of the computer game system 16 is affected. The orientation or simulated location of the game player within a game scenario is affected by manual manipulations of zoom control features 62 positioned on the optical gun 2. Alternatively or additionally, the zoom function may affect the field of view presented to the game player by the computer game system 16, whereby the game player may elect to have a more limited field of view but with a larger presentation of one or more visual elements of the game scenario. The actuation and manipulation of the zoom control feature 62 is reported to the computer game system 16 via the comms bus 14.
  • Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 6, the invented [0077] system 2 uses the data received from the computer game system 16 and via the video sampling cable 34 to improve the interaction of the present invention with a computer game system 16 that includes a digital television 64. The preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention as actualized in the invented gun 2 removes the phase angle of a digital television image calculation in an optional software technique by (1) recognizing that the invented gun 2 and the screen 20 are to a large degree always out of phase, (2) calculating this phase angle on a composite sync per-frame basis and then (3) mathematically reducing the offset to zero. The software and high-speed digital hardware elements of the gun 2 are both employed to actualize this optional aspect of the method of the present invention. The identification and measurement of certain mathematical values, the calculation of phase angles, frame rates and the resultant accuracy to a large degree depend on a physical principle in mathematics called the beat frequency.
  • The following discussion explores the calculation of the phase angle according to a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention. The current composite sync signal (single pixel) can be represented by the function:[0078]
  • FS(t)=k*Sin(w1*t+y) where f=w/2Pi or 17 ms (60 Hz) and y is the phase angle.
  • And let the image on the digital television video screen (single pixel) be represented by the function:[0079]
  • FI(t)=p*Sin(w2*t+q) where f=w/2Pi could equal 60 Hz, 100 Hz, 120 Hz, etc., and q is the phase angle.
  • And let the [0080] photo detector 8 of the invented optical gun 2 of the present invention observe the following:
  • P(t)=FI(t)+FS(t).
  • The [0081] photo detector 8 of the invented gun 2 observes a beat frequency which is the composite of these two signals, i.e. FI(t) and FS(t). The preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention is directed to find the values of w2 and q. The instantaneous phase angle of these two functions as composed to P(t) is the solution. The processor in the invented optical gun 2 does not attempt to solve the equation. The invented optical gun 2 employs a table driven method whereby the magnitude |P| peak is collected across a period or a plurality of periods of one or a plurality of frames. The highest point of this peak is the pointed position on the screen 20 of the gun 2. The table contains time offsets from the start of the frame (w1*t)=0.
  • Solving then for q, the true offset of time from the beginning of the screen time is contained in this expression:[0082]
  • q=−2*csec(1/(2*sin(t*(w1−w2)))
  • And, given the following relationship:[0083]
  • T=1/w2, where w2 is expressed in hertz.
  • The [0084] optical gun 2 transmits the value of q and/or T to the computer game system 16, whereby the computer game system 16 can calculate the time offset imposed by a digital television and the images displayed on the video screen 20.
  • The [0085] optical gun 2 further observes the number of Vsync counts that occur between the start of a frame and the detection of a particular instance of pixel or area brightening of the video screen 20 and transmits the Vsync count to the computer game system 16 via the communications interface 14. The preferred embodiment additionally detects the Hsync count of a width of an area brightening of the video screen 20 and transmits this Hsync count to the computer game system 16 via the communications interface 14. The Hsync count is then used to determine the center of the brightening of the area of the video screen 20, from which determination the orientation of the optical gun 2 to the video screen 20 is more closely determined.
  • Certain preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention resolves the true offset T where two fundamental frequencies w1 and w2 are quantified. Additionally and optionally, having derived the fundamental beat frequency of these two functions, this optional aspect of the method of the present invention can pick any point in a measurement range to produce a desired result by recognizing and accommodating for a change, and an instantaneous value, of the phase angle y. [0086]
  • In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, all computational mathematics performed by the invented [0087] optical gun processor 22 are executed with 32-bit, two's complement, fixed point notation. The single measurement point may be taken at random.
  • In addition, the preferred embodiment of the present invention, optionally makes use of standardized frequencies for w1 of 15 Khz by the NTSC and PAL standards for broadcast television, and that w1 can be measured from successive time bases for the SYNC signal as a further empirical method of deriving w1. W2 as noted, can be measured from successive pixel brightening sequences. For that matter, w2 can derived by making the observation that:[0088]
  • w2=w1/2.
  • Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly FIGS. 8A and 8B, alternative preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention may comprise bi-directional or unidirectional wireless communication with the [0089] computer game system 16. The alternate preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention of FIG. 8A, or unidirectional wireless gun 66, includes a wireless transmitter 68, and the computer game system 16 includes a wireless receiver 70. The transmitter 68 sends information about the optical gun's 66 state or detected conditions and sends the information to the receiver 70 of the computer game system 16 by infrared or radio frequency 71, or other suitable wireless transmission means known in the art. The receiver includes a wireless receiver module 70A, a digital logic module 70B and a receiver-to-game system interface 70C. The receiver 70 accepts the information transmitted from the optical gun 66 via the wireless receiver module 70A. The digital logic module 70B then formats a receiver data report that includes the transmitted information. The receiver 70 then sends the receiver data report to the computer game system 16 via the receiver-to-game system interface 70C. The receiver-to-game system interface 70C and the receiver data report may be USB compliant or substantially USB compliant, or be configured or function in accordance with a suitable industry standard or proprietary communications bus as stipulated by MICROSOFT CORPORATION, SONY, SEGA, NINTENDO, IBM or the IEEE, or another suitable communications protocol or game port system known in the art.
  • A second alternate preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, or [0090] bi-directional wireless gun 72, of FIG. 8B, includes a gun transceiver 74 in the bi-directional wireless gun 72 and a game transceiver 76 coupled with the computer game system 16. The optical gun transceiver 74 sends and receives information from and to the game transceiver 76. The optical gun transceiver 74 sends gun information about the optical gun's 72 state or detected conditions and sends the gun information to the transceiver 76 of the computer game system 16 by infrared or radio frequency 75, or other suitable wireless transmission means known in the art. The game transceiver 76 includes a wireless transceiver module 76A, a digital logic module 76B and a receiver-to-game system interface 76C. The game transceiver 76 accepts the gun information transmitted from the optical gun 72 via the wireless transceiver module 76A. The digital logic module 76B then formats a receiver data report that includes the transmitted gun information. The game transceiver 76 then sends the receiver data report to the computer game system 16 via the transceiver-to-game system interface 76C. The transceiver-to-game system interface 76C and the receiver data report may be USB compliant or substantially USB compliant, or be configured and function in accordance with a suitable industry standard or proprietary communications bus as stipulated by MICROSOFT CORPORATION, SONY, SEGA, NINTENDO, IBM or the IEEE, or another suitable communications protocol or game port system known in the art. The game transceiver may additionally transmit data or instruction to the optical gun by suitable wireless transmission means known in the art, such as radio frequency or infrared transmission.
  • The [0091] receiver 70, transmitter 68 and transceivers 74, 76 may each further comprise a channel selector 77, whereby a user decides which channel may be used by a particular wireless optical gun 66, 72 to transmit or receive wireless signals to and from the computer game system 16. This optional capability facilitates the use of two or more optical guns 66, 72 simultaneously with the computer game system 16 by dedicated separate wireless transmission frequencies or band to individual optical guns 66, 72. The channel selector may be a manual selector, whereby the game player manually selects the channel for use by the gun 2 by moving a manual switch to a pre-established position.
  • The [0092] unidirectional wireless gun 66 and the bi-directional wireless gun 72 each have a multiple channel auto detect, or a channel select switch, to select a radio frequency for information transmission. These wireless embodiments 66, 72 may also have a battery charger 78, whereby the battery 54 of the optical gun is charged with electrical power by removably connecting a power source or outlet to the battery 54 via the battery charger 78.
  • The [0093] gun control module 6 may be integrated in a single chip solution that comprises a suitable semiconductor processor device, such as a Microchip 16C745/16C765, or a Cypress 630001A, or suitable derivatives thereof, or another suitable electronic device known in the art. Certain preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention having a single chip, device or multi-chip module comprised by gun control module 6 include the following elements and features within or associated with the gun control module 6:
  • 1) Capture/Compare registers, or CCP. Two CCP first in first out arrays, or FIFO arrays, each FIFO array having 24 bits that are 16 deep. The CCP structure communicates with an interrupt signal when a next to last capture has been completed. The source clock for the CCP is a 24 MHz clock. The clock size is also 24 bits and is captured into the FIFO array after an event. In addition, the [0094] gun control module 6 includes a hold-off counter which is settable by an 8-bit register. The hold off counter holds the capture event until an IRQ occurs. The 16 deep FIFO arrays are readable and writeable;
  • 2) Prioritized interrupt structure. The highest IRQ should be the RESET, followed by CCPIRQ; [0095]
  • 3) High speed RISK based CPU core. The core should execute instructions at 24 Mhz, CPU mathematics at 24 bits; and [0096]
  • 4) Analog to Digital converters. The thumbpad requires an 8-bit A/D converter. [0097]
  • Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just described preferred embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein. The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the knowledge of one skilled in the art and in light of the disclosures presented above. [0098]

Claims (47)

I claim:
1. An optical gun for use with a computer game system, the computer game system having a game computer, a video display and a video signal bus coupling the game computer and the video display, the optical gun comprising:
a control module, the control module having a processor and a memory; and
a serial interface, the serial interface coupling the control module and the computer game system.
2. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the serial interface comprises a voltage power line, a ground line, and at least one signal line.
3. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the serial interface comprises a USB.
4. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the serial interface comprises a USB compatible communications bus.
5. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the serial interface comprises a bi-directional communications bus.
6. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the serial interface comprises a substantially USB compliant bus.
7. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the serial interface comprises a communications bus selected from the group consisting of a MICROSOFT XBOX game system compatible communications interface, a MICROSOFT XUSB compatible communications interface, a NINTENDO game system compatible communications bus, an IBM computer system standards compatible communications bus, an APPLE COMPUTER computer system standards compatible communications bus, a SONY CORPORATION PLAYSTATION computer system standards compatible communications bus, a NINTENDO CORPORATION GAME CUBE computer system standards compatible communications bus, a SEGA CORPORATION DREAMCAST computer system standards compatible communications bus, and an IEEE technology society standard compatible communications bus.
8. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the optical gun further comprises a hand detect sensor, the hand detect sensor for detecting a proximity of a human hand to the optical gun and informing the processor of the hand detection.
9. The optical gun of claim 8, wherein the hand detect sensor is selected from the group consisting of a thermal sensor, a pressure sensor, an infrared detector, a motion detector, a light detector and an electro-mechanical switch.
10. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the optical gun further comprises:
a holster, the holster sized to substantially house a barrel of the optical gun; and
a holster sensor, the holster detect sensor for detecting an insertion of the barrel of the optical gun into the holster, and the holster sensor informing the processor of the holster insertion.
11. The optical gun of claim 10, wherein the holster sensor is selected from the group consisting of a thermal sensor, a pressure sensor, an infrared detector, a motion detector, a light detector and an electro-mechanical switch.
12. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the optical gun further comprises a recoil simulator generator, the recoil simulator generator for delivering a simulated recoil to a game player as directed by the computer game system.
13. The optical gun of claim 12, wherein the optical gun further comprises a battery, the battery for delivering power to the recoil simulator generator.
14. The optical gun of claim 13, wherein the serial interface comprises a power line, the power line for delivering power to the battery.
15. The optical gun of claim 14, the optical gun further comprising:
a holster, the holster sized to substantially house a barrel of the optical gun;
a holster sensor, the holster detect sensor for detecting an insertion of the optical gun into the holster, and the holster sensor informing the processor of the holster insertion; and
wherein the battery is charged when the holster sensor informs the processor of an insertion of the barrel into the holster.
16. The optical gun of claim 15, wherein the holster sensor is selected from the group consisting of a thermal sensor, a pressure sensor, an infrared detector, a motion detector, a light detector and an electro-mechanical switch.
17. The optical gun of claim1, wherein the optical gun further comprises a laser pointer, the laser emitting light when the optical gun determines that the optical gun is pointed at the video screen.
18. The optical gun of claim1, wherein the optical gun further comprises a visual indicator, the visual indicator informing the user when the optical gun determines that the optical gun is pointed at a friend character.
19. The optical gun of claim1, wherein the optical gun further comprises a visual indicator, the visual indicator informing the user when the optical gun determines that the optical gun is pointed at a foe character.
20. The optical gun of claim 19, wherein the visual indicator informs the user when the optical gun determines that the optical gun is pointed at a friend character.
21. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the optical gun further comprises a zoom control, whereby the user directs the computer game system to increase a magnification of the visual display as presented to the user.
22. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the serial interface includes a wireless communications link between the optical gun and the computer game system.
23. The optical gun of claim 22, wherein the optical gun further comprises a multiple wireless communications channel auto detect.
24. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the serial interface comprises a wireless uni-directional communications link, whereby the optical gun provides data to the computer game system.
25. The optical gun of claim 24, wherein the optical gun further comprises a multiple channel auto detect.
26. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the optical gun further comprises a video sampling cable, the video sampling cable for providing a video frames as sent to the video display to the optical gun.
27. The optical gun of claim 22, wherein the optical gun further comprises a battery and a battery charger, whereby the battery provide power to the optical gun and the battery charger transmits power to the battery.
28. The optical gun of claim 27, the optical gun further comprising:
a holster, the holster sized to substantially house a barrel of the optical gun;
a holster sensor, the holster detect sensor for detecting an insertion of the optical gun into the holster, and the holster sensor informing the processor of the holster insertion; and
wherein the battery is charged when the holster sensor informs the processor of an insertion of the barrel into the holster.
29. The optical gun of claim 28, wherein the holster sensor is selected from the group consisting of a thermal sensor, a pressure sensor, an infrared detector, a motion detector, a light detector and an electro-mechanical switch.
30. The optical gun of claim 4, wherein the optical gun further comprises a battery and a battery charger, whereby the battery provide power to the optical gun and the battery charger transmits power to the battery.
31. The optical gun of claim 30, the optical gun further comprising:
a holster, the holster sized to substantially house a barrel of the optical gun;
a holster sensor, the holster detect sensor for detecting an insertion of the optical gun into the holster, and the holster sensor informing the processor of the holster insertion; and
wherein the battery is charged when the holster sensor informs the processor of an insertion of the barrel into the holster.
32. The optical gun of claim 31, wherein the holster sensor is selected from the group consisting of a thermal sensor, a pressure sensor, an infrared detector, a motion detector, a light detector and an electro-mechanical switch.
33. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the serial interface further comprises at least a first connector and a second connector, and where the first connector and the second connector are configured to enable a hardware communication connection with a communications bus.
34. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the gun further comprises a peripheral input module, the peripheral input module operatively connected with the optical gun and the peripheral input module for providing a game player a means to transmit information to the optical gun.
35. The optical gun of claim 34, wherein the peripheral input module further comprises an input device selected from the group consisting of a thumbpad, a foot pedal an optical wheel and a mouse.
36. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the optical gun further comprises a laser pointer, the laser emitting light as directed by the computer game system and as the computer game system determines that the optical gun is pointed at the video screen.
37. The optical gun of claim 22, wherein the optical gun further comprises at least two wireless communications channel selections and manual switch to select one of the at least two wireless communications channel selections for use in wireless communications between the optical gun and the computer game system.
38. The optical gun of claim 37, wherein the at least two wireless communications channel selections comprise unidirectional communications channel selections for use in wireless communications from the optical gun and to the computer game system.
39. The optical gun of claim 37, wherein the at least two wireless communications channel selections comprise bi-directional communications channel selections for use in wireless communications between the optical gun and to the computer game system.
40. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the serial further comprises a cable bundle, the cable bundle having at least two hardware connectors, each hardware connector for connection with a computer game system.
41. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the serial further comprises a cable bundle, the cable bundle having at least two hardware connectors, each hardware connector for connection with a computer game system, and each connector selected from the group consisting of a MICROSOFT XBOX game system compatible communications interface, a MICROSOFT XUSB compatible communications interface, a NINTENDO game system compatible communications bus, an IBM computer system standards compatible communications bus, an APPLE COMPUTER computer system standards compatible communications bus, a SONY CORPORATION PLAYSTATION computer system standards compatible communications bus, a NINTENDO CORPORATION GAME CUBE computer system standards compatible communications bus, a SEGA CORPORATION DREAMCAST computer system standards compatible communications bus, and an IEEE technology society standard compatible communications bus.
42. The optical gun of claim 1, further comprising a zoom control, wherein the zoom control activates a zoom function, whereby the interaction of the game player within a computer game scenario is affected by manual manipulations of the zoom control.
43. The optical gun of claim 42, wherein a screen image of the video display of the computer game system is affected by manual manipulations of the zoom control.
44. The optical gun of claim 22, wherein the optical gun further comprises a battery and a battery charger, the battery for storing electrical power and providing electrical power to the optical gun, and the battery charger for providing electrical power to the battery, and the battery charger is detachably attached to the battery, whereby the optical gun is detachably attached to the battery charger to recharge the battery and detached from the battery charger for use in game play.
45. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the control module is integrated on a single substrate.
46. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the control module is an integrated semiconductor device.
47. The optical gun of claim 1, wherein the control module is a multi-chip module.
US10/431,867 2001-09-06 2003-05-08 Method and device for optical gun interaction with a computer system Abandoned US20030195041A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/431,867 US20030195041A1 (en) 2001-09-06 2003-05-08 Method and device for optical gun interaction with a computer system

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US09/947,479 US20020010021A1 (en) 1999-08-03 2001-09-06 Method and device for optical gun interaction with a computer game system
US10/431,867 US20030195041A1 (en) 2001-09-06 2003-05-08 Method and device for optical gun interaction with a computer system

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US09/947,479 Division US20020010021A1 (en) 1999-08-03 2001-09-06 Method and device for optical gun interaction with a computer game system

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20030195041A1 true US20030195041A1 (en) 2003-10-16

Family

ID=25486202

Family Applications (3)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US09/947,479 Abandoned US20020010021A1 (en) 1999-08-03 2001-09-06 Method and device for optical gun interaction with a computer game system
US10/431,867 Abandoned US20030195041A1 (en) 2001-09-06 2003-05-08 Method and device for optical gun interaction with a computer system
US10/431,866 Abandoned US20030199317A1 (en) 2001-09-06 2003-05-08 Method and device for timing offset in an optical gun interaction with a computer game system

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US09/947,479 Abandoned US20020010021A1 (en) 1999-08-03 2001-09-06 Method and device for optical gun interaction with a computer game system

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/431,866 Abandoned US20030199317A1 (en) 2001-09-06 2003-05-08 Method and device for timing offset in an optical gun interaction with a computer game system

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (3) US20020010021A1 (en)
EP (1) EP1293237A3 (en)

Cited By (32)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050130739A1 (en) * 2003-12-11 2005-06-16 Argentar Eric J. Control apparatus for use with a computer or video game system
US20050174337A1 (en) * 2004-02-11 2005-08-11 Nielsen Paul S. Electronic handheld drawing and gaming system using television monitor
US20070271831A1 (en) * 2004-06-18 2007-11-29 Newkirk Reginald H Gun with user notification
US20080311989A1 (en) * 2005-08-24 2008-12-18 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game controller and game system
US20090181737A1 (en) * 2003-12-11 2009-07-16 Eric Argentar Video Game Controller
US20100261526A1 (en) * 2005-05-13 2010-10-14 Anderson Thomas G Human-computer user interaction
US7927216B2 (en) 2005-09-15 2011-04-19 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Video game system with wireless modular handheld controller
CN1919390B (en) * 2005-08-24 2011-06-08 任天堂株式会社 Video game controller and video game system
US8089458B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2012-01-03 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Toy devices and methods for providing an interactive play experience
US8157651B2 (en) 2005-09-12 2012-04-17 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Information processing program
US8226493B2 (en) 2002-08-01 2012-07-24 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Interactive play devices for water play attractions
US8267786B2 (en) 2005-08-24 2012-09-18 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game controller and game system
US8308563B2 (en) 2005-08-30 2012-11-13 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game system and storage medium having game program stored thereon
US8313379B2 (en) 2005-08-22 2012-11-20 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Video game system with wireless modular handheld controller
US8439733B2 (en) 2007-06-14 2013-05-14 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Systems and methods for reinstating a player within a rhythm-action game
US8444464B2 (en) 2010-06-11 2013-05-21 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Prompting a player of a dance game
US8449360B2 (en) 2009-05-29 2013-05-28 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Displaying song lyrics and vocal cues
US8475275B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2013-07-02 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Interactive toys and games connecting physical and virtual play environments
US8550908B2 (en) 2010-03-16 2013-10-08 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Simulating musical instruments
US8608535B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2013-12-17 Mq Gaming, Llc Systems and methods for providing an interactive game
US8663013B2 (en) 2008-07-08 2014-03-04 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Systems and methods for simulating a rock band experience
US8686269B2 (en) 2006-03-29 2014-04-01 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Providing realistic interaction to a player of a music-based video game
US8702485B2 (en) 2010-06-11 2014-04-22 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Dance game and tutorial
US8702515B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2014-04-22 Mq Gaming, Llc Multi-platform gaming system using RFID-tagged toys
US8708821B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2014-04-29 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Systems and methods for providing interactive game play
US8753165B2 (en) 2000-10-20 2014-06-17 Mq Gaming, Llc Wireless toy systems and methods for interactive entertainment
US8758136B2 (en) 1999-02-26 2014-06-24 Mq Gaming, Llc Multi-platform gaming systems and methods
US9011248B2 (en) 2005-08-22 2015-04-21 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game operating device
US9024166B2 (en) 2010-09-09 2015-05-05 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Preventing subtractive track separation
US9446319B2 (en) 2003-03-25 2016-09-20 Mq Gaming, Llc Interactive gaming toy
US9981193B2 (en) 2009-10-27 2018-05-29 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Movement based recognition and evaluation
US10357714B2 (en) 2009-10-27 2019-07-23 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Gesture-based user interface for navigating a menu

Families Citing this family (34)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN1098719C (en) * 1999-12-03 2003-01-15 北京康体休闲设备开发中心 Simulative laser shooting system
JP2002058874A (en) * 2000-08-15 2002-02-26 Mitsumi Electric Co Ltd Control adapter
FI20002841A (en) * 2000-12-22 2002-06-23 Nokia Corp Procedure for checking a computer terminal's display
KR20020093291A (en) * 2001-06-08 2002-12-16 김범 Apparatus for sensing the location of an object on a screen
JP2004008559A (en) * 2002-06-07 2004-01-15 Nec Corp Electronic game network system, electronic game method, as well as server and computer program
JP3902513B2 (en) * 2002-06-07 2007-04-11 日本電気株式会社 Light gun
US7291014B2 (en) * 2002-08-08 2007-11-06 Fats, Inc. Wireless data communication link embedded in simulated weapon systems
JP4179162B2 (en) * 2003-12-26 2008-11-12 株式会社セガ Information processing device, game device, image generation method, and game image generation method
TWI261525B (en) * 2004-12-24 2006-09-11 Giga Byte Tech Co Ltd Motion analyzing device and method for mobile product
US7796116B2 (en) 2005-01-12 2010-09-14 Thinkoptics, Inc. Electronic equipment for handheld vision based absolute pointing system
US20060172801A1 (en) * 2005-01-31 2006-08-03 Saied Hussaini Video game controller with rechargeable battery system
US20070202950A1 (en) * 2005-03-04 2007-08-30 Saied Hussaini Wireless game controller with integrated audio system
US8651964B2 (en) * 2005-04-29 2014-02-18 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army Advanced video controller system
US7942745B2 (en) 2005-08-22 2011-05-17 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game operating device
JP4907128B2 (en) 2005-08-30 2012-03-28 任天堂株式会社 Game system and game program
JP4151982B2 (en) 2006-03-10 2008-09-17 任天堂株式会社 Motion discrimination device and motion discrimination program
US7976387B2 (en) * 2006-04-11 2011-07-12 Avago Technologies General Ip (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. Free-standing input device
US9958934B1 (en) * 2006-05-01 2018-05-01 Jeffrey D. Mullen Home and portable augmented reality and virtual reality video game consoles
US8913003B2 (en) 2006-07-17 2014-12-16 Thinkoptics, Inc. Free-space multi-dimensional absolute pointer using a projection marker system
JP5153122B2 (en) * 2006-11-15 2013-02-27 任天堂株式会社 GAME PROGRAM AND GAME DEVICE
GB2446636A (en) * 2007-02-13 2008-08-20 David Andrew Morris Infra-red tag identification / communication system
GB2446637B (en) * 2007-02-13 2011-08-10 David Andrew Morris Range control for communications systems
US9176598B2 (en) 2007-05-08 2015-11-03 Thinkoptics, Inc. Free-space multi-dimensional absolute pointer with improved performance
JP5224832B2 (en) 2008-01-21 2013-07-03 任天堂株式会社 Information processing program and information processing apparatus
WO2010080766A2 (en) * 2009-01-06 2010-07-15 Immersion Corporation Programmable game-based haptic enabled gun controller
US9180365B2 (en) * 2010-05-10 2015-11-10 Sony Computer Entertainment America Llc Polymorphic firearm controller
JP5622447B2 (en) * 2010-06-11 2014-11-12 任天堂株式会社 Information processing program, information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method
US9358456B1 (en) 2010-06-11 2016-06-07 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Dance competition game
JP5986738B2 (en) * 2011-11-30 2016-09-06 株式会社スクウェア・エニックス Video game processing apparatus and video game processing program
CN102935288B (en) * 2012-10-31 2015-04-22 深圳市德力信科技有限公司 Man-machine interaction game implementing device and method
US20140162584A1 (en) * 2012-12-09 2014-06-12 Sammy Cope Safety gun holster
US10451376B2 (en) 2014-12-16 2019-10-22 Kurt S. SCHULZ Firearm simulators
CN104573664A (en) * 2015-01-21 2015-04-29 深圳华侨城文化旅游科技有限公司 Reconstruction system and method of 3D scene of shooting path
JP2021532326A (en) * 2018-07-02 2021-11-25 ドリームスケイプ・イマーシブ・インコーポレイテッド Firearm simulation placement configuration for virtual reality systems

Citations (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5026158A (en) * 1988-07-15 1991-06-25 Golubic Victor G Apparatus and method for displaying and storing impact points of firearm projectiles on a sight field of view
US5224860A (en) * 1991-03-01 1993-07-06 Electronics & Space Corp. Hardware-in-the-loop tow missile system simulator
US5569085A (en) * 1994-07-29 1996-10-29 Namco Limited Gun game machine having a sliding gun barrel cover for simulating the impact of a fired gun
US5880709A (en) * 1994-08-30 1999-03-09 Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises Image processing devices and methods
US5995112A (en) * 1997-06-19 1999-11-30 Vlsi Technology, Inc. Color signature detection of objects on a computer display
US6012980A (en) * 1995-12-01 2000-01-11 Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises Coordinates detecting device, method for same and game device
US6146278A (en) * 1997-01-10 2000-11-14 Konami Co., Ltd. Shooting video game machine
US6171190B1 (en) * 1998-05-27 2001-01-09 Act Labs, Ltd. Photosensitive input peripheral device in a personal computer-based video gaming platform
US6261180B1 (en) * 1998-02-06 2001-07-17 Toymax Inc. Computer programmable interactive toy for a shooting game
US6280323B1 (en) * 1996-11-21 2001-08-28 Konami Co., Ltd. Device, method and storage medium for displaying penalty kick match cursors in a video soccer game
US6328650B1 (en) * 1996-10-17 2001-12-11 Namco Ltd. Game controller and information storage medium
US6328651B1 (en) * 1999-02-03 2001-12-11 Toymax Inc. Projected image target shooting toy
US6346938B1 (en) * 1999-04-27 2002-02-12 Harris Corporation Computer-resident mechanism for manipulating, navigating through and mensurating displayed image of three-dimensional geometric model
US6379249B1 (en) * 1997-12-12 2002-04-30 Namco Ltd. Image generation device and information storage medium
US20030027640A1 (en) * 2001-07-27 2003-02-06 Jeffway Robert W. eTroops infrared shooting game
US6545661B1 (en) * 1999-06-21 2003-04-08 Midway Amusement Games, Llc Video game system having a control unit with an accelerometer for controlling a video game
US20030078105A1 (en) * 2001-10-19 2003-04-24 Zeroplus Technology Co., L.T.D. Visual feedback system for optical guns
US6582299B1 (en) * 1998-12-17 2003-06-24 Konami Corporation Target shooting video game device, and method of displaying result of target shooting video game
US20040046736A1 (en) * 1997-08-22 2004-03-11 Pryor Timothy R. Novel man machine interfaces and applications
US6850689B1 (en) * 1998-01-16 2005-02-01 Hitachi, Ltd. Video apparatus with zoom-in magnifying function

Family Cites Families (23)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2312274A1 (en) * 1975-05-30 1976-12-24 Laurenti Edmond Game of shooting skill using toy revolver - with time to draw gun from holster and hit target with fired projectile recorded by counter
US4157182A (en) * 1977-01-10 1979-06-05 Levine Alfred B Falling target light game and target practice device
JPS61156405A (en) * 1984-12-28 1986-07-16 Nintendo Co Ltd Robot composite system
US4813682A (en) * 1985-08-09 1989-03-21 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Video target control and sensing circuit for photosensitive gun
CA1284225C (en) * 1986-07-23 1991-05-14 Katsuya Nakagawa Game software service system
JPH04259482A (en) * 1991-02-14 1992-09-16 Taito Corp Target position detection device
US5544338A (en) * 1992-12-31 1996-08-06 International Business Machines Corporation Apparatus and method for raster generation from sparse area array output
US5602932A (en) * 1994-03-04 1997-02-11 International Business Machines Corporation Photodetector array based image analysis apparatus
US5926168A (en) * 1994-09-30 1999-07-20 Fan; Nong-Qiang Remote pointers for interactive televisions
US5638085A (en) * 1995-01-13 1997-06-10 Micron Display Technology, Inc. Timing control for a matrixed scanned array
US5999171A (en) * 1997-06-19 1999-12-07 Vlsi Technology, Inc. Detection of objects on a computer display
US5958020A (en) * 1997-10-29 1999-09-28 Vlsi Technology, Inc. Real time event determination in a universal serial bus system
DE19801732A1 (en) * 1998-01-19 1999-07-22 Thomson Brandt Gmbh Circuit for processing synchronous signals
KR100564132B1 (en) * 1998-05-13 2006-03-27 가부시키가이샤 세가 Gun-shaped controller and game machine
US6178514B1 (en) * 1998-07-31 2001-01-23 Bradley C. Wood Method and apparatus for connecting a device to a bus carrying power and a signal
GB2340589A (en) * 1998-08-07 2000-02-23 Hilary Barbara Cannon Weapon security system
EP0985899B1 (en) * 1998-09-09 2004-02-04 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Video recording device for a targetable weapon
US6287198B1 (en) * 1999-08-03 2001-09-11 Mccauley Jack J. Optical gun for use with computer games
US6592461B1 (en) * 2000-02-04 2003-07-15 Roni Raviv Multifunctional computer interactive play system
JP3527676B2 (en) * 2000-02-16 2004-05-17 株式会社ナムコ Position indicating device and information storage medium
US6899539B1 (en) * 2000-02-17 2005-05-31 Exponent, Inc. Infantry wearable information and weapon system
US6386879B1 (en) * 2000-03-24 2002-05-14 Cubic Defense Systems, Inc. Precision gunnery simulator system and method
US6902483B2 (en) * 2002-04-01 2005-06-07 Xiao Lin Handheld electronic game device having the shape of a gun

Patent Citations (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5026158A (en) * 1988-07-15 1991-06-25 Golubic Victor G Apparatus and method for displaying and storing impact points of firearm projectiles on a sight field of view
US5224860A (en) * 1991-03-01 1993-07-06 Electronics & Space Corp. Hardware-in-the-loop tow missile system simulator
US5569085A (en) * 1994-07-29 1996-10-29 Namco Limited Gun game machine having a sliding gun barrel cover for simulating the impact of a fired gun
US5880709A (en) * 1994-08-30 1999-03-09 Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises Image processing devices and methods
US6556204B1 (en) * 1994-08-30 2003-04-29 Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises Image processing devices and methods
US6012980A (en) * 1995-12-01 2000-01-11 Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises Coordinates detecting device, method for same and game device
US6328650B1 (en) * 1996-10-17 2001-12-11 Namco Ltd. Game controller and information storage medium
US6280323B1 (en) * 1996-11-21 2001-08-28 Konami Co., Ltd. Device, method and storage medium for displaying penalty kick match cursors in a video soccer game
US6146278A (en) * 1997-01-10 2000-11-14 Konami Co., Ltd. Shooting video game machine
US5995112A (en) * 1997-06-19 1999-11-30 Vlsi Technology, Inc. Color signature detection of objects on a computer display
US20040046736A1 (en) * 1997-08-22 2004-03-11 Pryor Timothy R. Novel man machine interfaces and applications
US6379249B1 (en) * 1997-12-12 2002-04-30 Namco Ltd. Image generation device and information storage medium
US6850689B1 (en) * 1998-01-16 2005-02-01 Hitachi, Ltd. Video apparatus with zoom-in magnifying function
US6261180B1 (en) * 1998-02-06 2001-07-17 Toymax Inc. Computer programmable interactive toy for a shooting game
US6171190B1 (en) * 1998-05-27 2001-01-09 Act Labs, Ltd. Photosensitive input peripheral device in a personal computer-based video gaming platform
US6582299B1 (en) * 1998-12-17 2003-06-24 Konami Corporation Target shooting video game device, and method of displaying result of target shooting video game
US6328651B1 (en) * 1999-02-03 2001-12-11 Toymax Inc. Projected image target shooting toy
US6346938B1 (en) * 1999-04-27 2002-02-12 Harris Corporation Computer-resident mechanism for manipulating, navigating through and mensurating displayed image of three-dimensional geometric model
US6545661B1 (en) * 1999-06-21 2003-04-08 Midway Amusement Games, Llc Video game system having a control unit with an accelerometer for controlling a video game
US20030027640A1 (en) * 2001-07-27 2003-02-06 Jeffway Robert W. eTroops infrared shooting game
US20030078105A1 (en) * 2001-10-19 2003-04-24 Zeroplus Technology Co., L.T.D. Visual feedback system for optical guns

Cited By (119)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10300374B2 (en) 1999-02-26 2019-05-28 Mq Gaming, Llc Multi-platform gaming systems and methods
US8758136B2 (en) 1999-02-26 2014-06-24 Mq Gaming, Llc Multi-platform gaming systems and methods
US8888576B2 (en) 1999-02-26 2014-11-18 Mq Gaming, Llc Multi-media interactive play system
US9186585B2 (en) 1999-02-26 2015-11-17 Mq Gaming, Llc Multi-platform gaming systems and methods
US9468854B2 (en) 1999-02-26 2016-10-18 Mq Gaming, Llc Multi-platform gaming systems and methods
US9731194B2 (en) 1999-02-26 2017-08-15 Mq Gaming, Llc Multi-platform gaming systems and methods
US9861887B1 (en) 1999-02-26 2018-01-09 Mq Gaming, Llc Multi-platform gaming systems and methods
US9149717B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2015-10-06 Mq Gaming, Llc Dual-range wireless interactive entertainment device
US9474962B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2016-10-25 Mq Gaming, Llc Interactive entertainment system
US8814688B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2014-08-26 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Customizable toy for playing a wireless interactive game having both physical and virtual elements
US8790180B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2014-07-29 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Interactive game and associated wireless toy
US8708821B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2014-04-29 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Systems and methods for providing interactive game play
US8089458B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2012-01-03 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Toy devices and methods for providing an interactive play experience
US10307671B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2019-06-04 Mq Gaming, Llc Interactive entertainment system
US8164567B1 (en) 2000-02-22 2012-04-24 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Motion-sensitive game controller with optional display screen
US8169406B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2012-05-01 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Motion-sensitive wand controller for a game
US8184097B1 (en) 2000-02-22 2012-05-22 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Interactive gaming system and method using motion-sensitive input device
US8915785B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2014-12-23 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Interactive entertainment system
US8686579B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2014-04-01 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Dual-range wireless controller
US9814973B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2017-11-14 Mq Gaming, Llc Interactive entertainment system
US10188953B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2019-01-29 Mq Gaming, Llc Dual-range wireless interactive entertainment device
US8531050B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2013-09-10 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Wirelessly powered gaming device
US8368648B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2013-02-05 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Portable interactive toy with radio frequency tracking device
US9713766B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2017-07-25 Mq Gaming, Llc Dual-range wireless interactive entertainment device
US8491389B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2013-07-23 Creative Kingdoms, Llc. Motion-sensitive input device and interactive gaming system
US8475275B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2013-07-02 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Interactive toys and games connecting physical and virtual play environments
US9579568B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2017-02-28 Mq Gaming, Llc Dual-range wireless interactive entertainment device
US8961260B2 (en) 2000-10-20 2015-02-24 Mq Gaming, Llc Toy incorporating RFID tracking device
US10307683B2 (en) 2000-10-20 2019-06-04 Mq Gaming, Llc Toy incorporating RFID tag
US8753165B2 (en) 2000-10-20 2014-06-17 Mq Gaming, Llc Wireless toy systems and methods for interactive entertainment
US9931578B2 (en) 2000-10-20 2018-04-03 Mq Gaming, Llc Toy incorporating RFID tag
US9480929B2 (en) 2000-10-20 2016-11-01 Mq Gaming, Llc Toy incorporating RFID tag
US9320976B2 (en) 2000-10-20 2016-04-26 Mq Gaming, Llc Wireless toy systems and methods for interactive entertainment
US8711094B2 (en) 2001-02-22 2014-04-29 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Portable gaming device and gaming system combining both physical and virtual play elements
US8248367B1 (en) 2001-02-22 2012-08-21 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Wireless gaming system combining both physical and virtual play elements
US8384668B2 (en) 2001-02-22 2013-02-26 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Portable gaming device and gaming system combining both physical and virtual play elements
US10179283B2 (en) 2001-02-22 2019-01-15 Mq Gaming, Llc Wireless entertainment device, system, and method
US10758818B2 (en) 2001-02-22 2020-09-01 Mq Gaming, Llc Wireless entertainment device, system, and method
US9393491B2 (en) 2001-02-22 2016-07-19 Mq Gaming, Llc Wireless entertainment device, system, and method
US9162148B2 (en) 2001-02-22 2015-10-20 Mq Gaming, Llc Wireless entertainment device, system, and method
US8913011B2 (en) 2001-02-22 2014-12-16 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Wireless entertainment device, system, and method
US9737797B2 (en) 2001-02-22 2017-08-22 Mq Gaming, Llc Wireless entertainment device, system, and method
US10507387B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2019-12-17 Mq Gaming, Llc System and method for playing an interactive game
US8827810B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2014-09-09 Mq Gaming, Llc Methods for providing interactive entertainment
US8702515B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2014-04-22 Mq Gaming, Llc Multi-platform gaming system using RFID-tagged toys
US9616334B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2017-04-11 Mq Gaming, Llc Multi-platform gaming system using RFID-tagged toys
US8608535B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2013-12-17 Mq Gaming, Llc Systems and methods for providing an interactive game
US9463380B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2016-10-11 Mq Gaming, Llc System and method for playing an interactive game
US10478719B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2019-11-19 Mq Gaming, Llc Methods and systems for providing personalized interactive entertainment
US11278796B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2022-03-22 Mq Gaming, Llc Methods and systems for providing personalized interactive entertainment
US10010790B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2018-07-03 Mq Gaming, Llc System and method for playing an interactive game
US9272206B2 (en) 2002-04-05 2016-03-01 Mq Gaming, Llc System and method for playing an interactive game
US8226493B2 (en) 2002-08-01 2012-07-24 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Interactive play devices for water play attractions
US9707478B2 (en) 2003-03-25 2017-07-18 Mq Gaming, Llc Motion-sensitive controller and associated gaming applications
US10022624B2 (en) 2003-03-25 2018-07-17 Mq Gaming, Llc Wireless interactive game having both physical and virtual elements
US9393500B2 (en) 2003-03-25 2016-07-19 Mq Gaming, Llc Wireless interactive game having both physical and virtual elements
US11052309B2 (en) 2003-03-25 2021-07-06 Mq Gaming, Llc Wireless interactive game having both physical and virtual elements
US8373659B2 (en) 2003-03-25 2013-02-12 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Wirelessly-powered toy for gaming
US10583357B2 (en) 2003-03-25 2020-03-10 Mq Gaming, Llc Interactive gaming toy
US9770652B2 (en) 2003-03-25 2017-09-26 Mq Gaming, Llc Wireless interactive game having both physical and virtual elements
US10369463B2 (en) 2003-03-25 2019-08-06 Mq Gaming, Llc Wireless interactive game having both physical and virtual elements
US8961312B2 (en) 2003-03-25 2015-02-24 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Motion-sensitive controller and associated gaming applications
US9446319B2 (en) 2003-03-25 2016-09-20 Mq Gaming, Llc Interactive gaming toy
US9993724B2 (en) 2003-03-25 2018-06-12 Mq Gaming, Llc Interactive gaming toy
US9039533B2 (en) 2003-03-25 2015-05-26 Creative Kingdoms, Llc Wireless interactive game having both physical and virtual elements
US8070571B2 (en) * 2003-12-11 2011-12-06 Eric Argentar Video game controller
US7736230B2 (en) * 2003-12-11 2010-06-15 Argentar Eric J Control apparatus for use with a computer or video game system
US20090181737A1 (en) * 2003-12-11 2009-07-16 Eric Argentar Video Game Controller
US7510477B2 (en) * 2003-12-11 2009-03-31 Argentar Eric J Control apparatus for use with a computer or video game system
US20050130739A1 (en) * 2003-12-11 2005-06-16 Argentar Eric J. Control apparatus for use with a computer or video game system
US20050174337A1 (en) * 2004-02-11 2005-08-11 Nielsen Paul S. Electronic handheld drawing and gaming system using television monitor
US7389604B2 (en) * 2004-06-18 2008-06-24 Reginald Hill Newkirk Gun with user notification
US20070271831A1 (en) * 2004-06-18 2007-11-29 Newkirk Reginald H Gun with user notification
US9675878B2 (en) 2004-09-29 2017-06-13 Mq Gaming, Llc System and method for playing a virtual game by sensing physical movements
US20100261526A1 (en) * 2005-05-13 2010-10-14 Anderson Thomas G Human-computer user interaction
US9804672B2 (en) * 2005-05-13 2017-10-31 Facebook, Inc. Human-computer user interaction
US10155170B2 (en) 2005-08-22 2018-12-18 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game operating device with holding portion detachably holding an electronic device
US9700806B2 (en) 2005-08-22 2017-07-11 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game operating device
US9011248B2 (en) 2005-08-22 2015-04-21 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game operating device
US10238978B2 (en) 2005-08-22 2019-03-26 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game operating device
US8313379B2 (en) 2005-08-22 2012-11-20 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Video game system with wireless modular handheld controller
US9498728B2 (en) 2005-08-22 2016-11-22 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game operating device
US10661183B2 (en) 2005-08-22 2020-05-26 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game operating device
US8267786B2 (en) 2005-08-24 2012-09-18 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game controller and game system
US9227138B2 (en) 2005-08-24 2016-01-05 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game controller and game system
US11027190B2 (en) 2005-08-24 2021-06-08 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game controller and game system
US20080311989A1 (en) * 2005-08-24 2008-12-18 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game controller and game system
US10137365B2 (en) 2005-08-24 2018-11-27 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game controller and game system
US9498709B2 (en) 2005-08-24 2016-11-22 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game controller and game system
US9044671B2 (en) 2005-08-24 2015-06-02 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game controller and game system
CN1919390B (en) * 2005-08-24 2011-06-08 任天堂株式会社 Video game controller and video game system
US8870655B2 (en) 2005-08-24 2014-10-28 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Wireless game controllers
US8409003B2 (en) 2005-08-24 2013-04-02 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game controller and game system
US8834271B2 (en) 2005-08-24 2014-09-16 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game controller and game system
US8308563B2 (en) 2005-08-30 2012-11-13 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Game system and storage medium having game program stored thereon
US8157651B2 (en) 2005-09-12 2012-04-17 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Information processing program
US8708824B2 (en) 2005-09-12 2014-04-29 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Information processing program
US7927216B2 (en) 2005-09-15 2011-04-19 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Video game system with wireless modular handheld controller
USRE45905E1 (en) 2005-09-15 2016-03-01 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Video game system with wireless modular handheld controller
US8430753B2 (en) 2005-09-15 2013-04-30 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Video game system with wireless modular handheld controller
US8686269B2 (en) 2006-03-29 2014-04-01 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Providing realistic interaction to a player of a music-based video game
US8690670B2 (en) 2007-06-14 2014-04-08 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Systems and methods for simulating a rock band experience
US8678895B2 (en) 2007-06-14 2014-03-25 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Systems and methods for online band matching in a rhythm action game
US8439733B2 (en) 2007-06-14 2013-05-14 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Systems and methods for reinstating a player within a rhythm-action game
US8444486B2 (en) 2007-06-14 2013-05-21 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Systems and methods for indicating input actions in a rhythm-action game
US8663013B2 (en) 2008-07-08 2014-03-04 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Systems and methods for simulating a rock band experience
US8449360B2 (en) 2009-05-29 2013-05-28 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Displaying song lyrics and vocal cues
US9981193B2 (en) 2009-10-27 2018-05-29 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Movement based recognition and evaluation
US10421013B2 (en) 2009-10-27 2019-09-24 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Gesture-based user interface
US10357714B2 (en) 2009-10-27 2019-07-23 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Gesture-based user interface for navigating a menu
US8636572B2 (en) 2010-03-16 2014-01-28 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Simulating musical instruments
US8568234B2 (en) 2010-03-16 2013-10-29 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Simulating musical instruments
US9278286B2 (en) 2010-03-16 2016-03-08 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Simulating musical instruments
US8550908B2 (en) 2010-03-16 2013-10-08 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Simulating musical instruments
US8874243B2 (en) 2010-03-16 2014-10-28 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Simulating musical instruments
US8702485B2 (en) 2010-06-11 2014-04-22 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Dance game and tutorial
US8562403B2 (en) 2010-06-11 2013-10-22 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Prompting a player of a dance game
US8444464B2 (en) 2010-06-11 2013-05-21 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Prompting a player of a dance game
US9024166B2 (en) 2010-09-09 2015-05-05 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Preventing subtractive track separation

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1293237A2 (en) 2003-03-19
US20020010021A1 (en) 2002-01-24
US20030199317A1 (en) 2003-10-23
EP1293237A3 (en) 2004-04-14

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US20030195041A1 (en) Method and device for optical gun interaction with a computer system
US20040259644A1 (en) Method and device for optical gun interaction with a computer system
US6171190B1 (en) Photosensitive input peripheral device in a personal computer-based video gaming platform
JP3140971B2 (en) Game controller
US6287198B1 (en) Optical gun for use with computer games
US8740705B2 (en) Game controller, storage medium storing game program, and game apparatus
US9566507B2 (en) Game controller using a plurality of light-emitting elements
US6890262B2 (en) Video game apparatus, method and recording medium storing program for controlling viewpoint movement of simulated camera in video game
US7140962B2 (en) Video game apparatus, image processing method and program
US9046927B2 (en) Control device for communicating visual information
CN103337111B (en) For transmitting the opertaing device of visual information
JP5389162B2 (en) GAME DEVICE, GAME CONTROL METHOD, AND GAME CONTROL PROGRAM
WO1999058214A1 (en) Gun-shaped controller and game machine
JP2010259611A (en) Information processing program and information processor
WO2007129432A1 (en) Game device
US20130172081A1 (en) Game device, game control method, and game control program, for controlling picture drawing game
JP3893743B2 (en) Pointed position detection method and apparatus
CN209820257U (en) Setting device for shooting game
JP3068487B2 (en) Shooting video game equipment
JP3212240B2 (en) Game device and command input method
JP2003181138A (en) Visual feedback system for optical gun
KR20130116663A (en) Apparatus of controll for pc game
US20120056802A1 (en) Program, Object Control Method, And Game Device
JP2002018126A (en) Game system and information storage medium
JP3120328U (en) Game radio controller suitable for all display devices

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: ACTIVISION PUBLISHING, INC., CALIFORNIA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MCCAULEY, JACK;REEL/FRAME:018247/0572

Effective date: 20060829

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION