JPH11319316A - Method and device for detecting pointed position - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and device for detecting pointed position by which a pointed position for a monitor screen can be detected without changing the picture on the screen. SOLUTION: This gun game system consists of a game device main body 80, a monitor 100 connected to the main body 80 to display the picture of the game, and a gun type controller 1 connected to the main body 80 for a player to shoot at targets on the monitor 100. A memory card 15 is put in the gun type controller 1. A visual image including a frame 102 is displayed on the monitor screen 100, and the image to be displayed on the monitor screen 100 is taken while the gun type controller 1 is pointing at a target position for the monitor screen 100. And, the frame is detected from the taken image, and the pointed position is determined based on the position of the frame within the taken image.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pointing position detecting method and apparatus for detecting a position pointed to a monitor screen, and more particularly to shooting a character or the like projected on a monitor screen with a gun-type controller. The present invention relates to a pointing position method and apparatus suitable for a gun game.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Among various games, a gun game has long been a popular game. In order to realize reality as a gun game, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2686675 discloses a gun-type controller that models a handgun for a gun game.

A gun-type controller for this gun game is:
It has a trigger lever that touches the player's finger, just like a normal pistol.
An optical sensor for detecting flash light from the T screen is provided. When the trigger lever of the controller is pulled by the player, the CRT screen emits flash light momentarily. H when the light sensor detects flash light
Based on the value of the V counter, it is determined which position on the CRT screen the gun is aiming at. Then, it is determined by the game machine main body whether or not the impact position matches the sniper target, and the game proceeds according to hit or miss.

[0004]

However, in the conventional method, since the CRT screen is flashed every time a shot is fired, the CRT screen is continuously flashed when shooting continuously or when playing with a large number of players. The screen was difficult to see. Also, when playing with a large number of players, it is difficult to distinguish and detect the shooting position of each player.

In addition, the conventional method cannot detect the shooting position unless the monitor screen is displayed by the scanning line method, and cannot be applied to, for example, a monitor device using a liquid crystal display device. Was. Further, even in the case of the scanning line system, it cannot be applied to the case where the synchronization timing of image display is different from the synchronization timing in the game device.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pointing position detecting method and apparatus capable of detecting a pointing position on a monitor screen without changing an image. It is another object of the present invention to provide a pointing position detection method and apparatus that can detect a pointed position even if the position is pointed simultaneously from multiple directions on a monitor screen.

[0007]

An object of the present invention is to display an image including a frame on a monitor screen, and to take an image displayed on the monitor screen while indicating a position with respect to the monitor screen. The method further comprises the steps of: detecting the frame from the captured image; and determining a designated position based on the position of the frame in the captured image.

In the pointing position detecting method described above, the frame may be a frame having a predetermined luminance and surrounding the image displayed on the monitor screen. In the pointing position detection method described above, the frame may be partially missing the border frame. In the pointing position detection method described above, the frame may have only a predetermined brightness and may be only a corner of a virtual frame that surrounds an image displayed on the monitor screen.

In the pointing position detecting method described above, the frame may have white or black luminance. The above object is achieved by a position instructing means for instructing a position on a monitor screen, an imaging means provided in the position instructing means for imaging an image displayed on the monitor screen, and an image taken by the imaging means Pointing position detecting means for detecting a position of a frame from a frame, and position determining means for determining a position indicated by the position specifying means based on the position of the frame in the captured image. Achieved by the device.

In the pointing position detecting device described above, the position determining means may determine a relative position in the frame occupied by a predetermined specific position of the captured image as a pointing position. In the pointing position detection device described above, the frame detection unit captures a monitor screen in advance to detect the size of the frame in the captured image, and the position determination unit detects the size of the frame detected by the frame detection unit. The designated position may be determined based on the size of a frame.

In the pointing position detecting device described above, when at least two corner positions of the frame are detected by the frame detecting means, the position determining means determines the size of the frame detected in advance and the two corners. The designated position may be determined based on the position.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A gun game system according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG.
Shows the overall configuration of the gun game system, and FIG.
3 shows the appearance of a gun-type controller used in a gun game system. The gun game system according to the present embodiment includes:
As shown in FIG. 1, a game device body 80 and a monitor device 1 connected to the game device body 80 and displaying a game screen
00 and the monitor device 10 connected to the game device body 80.
And a gun-type controller 1 that shoots at 0. A memory card 15 is mounted on the gun-type controller 1.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the gun-type controller 1 is formed by imitating a gun comprising a barrel 2, a trigger 3 and a grip 4. An artificial retina unit 5 is provided at the tip of the barrel unit 2 as an imaging unit that captures a game image from the monitor device 100. The game screen captured here is subjected to predetermined image processing, and then is controlled by a controller control described later. Input to the circuit 6.

On the other hand, a trigger lever 7 constituting an operation unit of the present controller is movably mounted on the trigger unit 3 with respect to the controller main body 1, and can be operated by a player's finger. Above the trigger lever 7, a start switch 8 for turning on the operation of the controller itself at the start of the game is provided, and is connected to the input side of the controller control circuit 6 together with the trigger lever 7.

In the gun-type controller 1 of the present embodiment, a start switch 8, a cross key 9 and a reload switch 10 are provided above the grip portion 4 and at a position corresponding to a hammer portion in an actual gun. The start switch 8 is a switch for turning on the operation of the controller itself when starting the game. The cross direction key 9 is similar to the cross direction key provided on a general game controller, and displaces a character in a desired direction by a player's finger operation, or moves a cursor to a desired position on a selection screen. Or something to do. The reload switch 10 is used to load a bullet into the gun by depressing the switch.

The start switch 8, the cross key 9, and the reload switch 10 are connected to the controller control circuit 6 like the trigger lever 7, so that signals corresponding to key operations are input to the control circuit. As described above, in the gun-type controller of the present embodiment, in addition to the trigger lever 7, the cross key 9
By incorporating, various operations can be performed from the player side. This allows the gun game to not only simply shoot enemies on the screen, but also perform complex operations.

For example, the position of a player-side character, for example, a sheriff character, is displayed separately on a small screen in the monitor screen, and is moved in a desired direction by operating the cross key 9, and the main screen is displayed in accordance with the movement. It is possible to cope with complicated shooting game software such as changing the background and the arrangement of enemies. Further, it is also conceivable to use such a way that options are provided for the character and weapons used by the character, and the character can be arbitrarily selected by operating the cross direction key 9. As described above, the controller can be used as a game software in a role playing game, an adventure game, or the like.

Further, by providing a start switch 8, a cross key 9 and a reload switch 10 above the grip portion 4, the player can operate the trigger lever 7 with the index finger and the start switch 8 with the thumb, for example. The cross key 9 and the reload switch 10 can be operated, and the gun-type controller can be operated by a so-called single hand action.

As shown in FIG. 1C, in the gun-type controller of this embodiment, a memory card 15 with a liquid crystal, which will be described later, is inserted as a game peripheral device into the tail portion of the barrel 2 of the controller main body 1. A slot 16 is provided. The slot 16 is formed along the longitudinal direction of the barrel 2, and a connector 17 connected to the memory card 15 is provided at the bottom of the slot 16. A window 16a is formed above the slot 16. From this window 16a,
The liquid crystal display 19 of the memory card 15 inserted in the slot 16 can be seen.

The memory card 15 includes the gun-type controller 1
For example, it is used as a memory for storing hit / unsuccessful hit information from a gun-type controller, or is displayed externally to notify a player of the result. The memory card 15 can be used as a simple game device even when it is detached from the controller main body 1 by loading a mini game.

As shown in FIG. 3, the memory card 15
A small liquid crystal display unit 19 is provided on the upper surface of the case 18. Further, a cross key 20 and a plurality of operation buttons 21 are provided at a lower portion thereof. When used as the memory card 15 alone, the cross key 20 may have a function of a selection key and a function of a save key for inputting information and saving the information in the memory. An external connection terminal (not shown) for connecting to the connector 17 on the controller side is provided inside the upper part of the case 18. This external connection terminal is usually provided with a cap 22 for protection from dust and the like.
It is removed and attached when connected to the gun-type controller.

FIG. 4 shows the various operation units described above, such as a trigger lever 7, a start switch 8, a cross key 9,
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a controller control circuit 6 for inputting player operation information from a reload unit 10. This figure is a block diagram showing a state in which the memory card 14 is mounted. The controller control circuit 6 includes a CPU 6
1 and a control unit 62 which is a gate array. The CPU 61 has a ROM 61b as a basic configuration.
, A RAM 61c, a CPU 61d, and a clock generator 61f. Also, the trigger lever 7,
An input port 61a for inputting various operation signals from the start switch 8 and the cross key 9;
An A / D conversion unit 61e for converting an analog image signal from the digital camera into a digital signal is provided.

The control unit 62 connected to the CPU unit 61
It is composed of a frame controller 62a, a CPU interface 62b, a register 62c, a transfer unit 62d, a receiver 62e, and an interface 62f forming an information input / output port for the game machine main body and the memory card 15. The control circuit 23 of the memory card 15 basically includes a RAM 23b, a CPU 23
and input various operation signals from the cross key 20 and the operation buttons 21 and an LCD drive signal from the control circuit 6 and output signals to the LCD 19 and the interface 62f of the control circuit 6. I / O port 23
a is provided. The control circuit 23 and the LCD 18 are driven by a battery 23d.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by mounting the connector 17 for mounting the memory card on the controller main body 1, various functions, for example, memories are provided on the controller main body 1 via the memory card 15 described above. It can be used to add a function of saving and loading player data. Further, by using the LCD 19 of the memory card 15, for example, a simple map can be displayed here, or the position of an enemy that does not appear on the monitor screen can be displayed. Alternatively, a memory card having a built-in speaker may be used, and a game sound as well as a monitor may be output from the memory card.

Next, the principle of the position pointing method in the gun game system of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The player controls the gun-type controller 10 by using the monitor device 1.
00, aiming at the target displayed on the monitor device 100 and pulling the trigger lever 7 to shoot. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a video image displayed on the monitor device 100 is a game image 1 displaying a character or the like.
01 is an image framed by a white frame 102, which is imaged by the artificial retinal unit 5 of the gun-type controller 10.

FIG. 5A is an image captured by the artificial retinal unit 5 of the gun-type controller 10. Captured image 15
The entire image of the monitor device 100 is displayed in 0. The retinal prosthesis unit 5 detects the white frame 102 from the captured image 150 based on the difference in luminance, and extracts a frame 152 that borders the game image 101 on the monitor device 100 as shown in FIG. A specific position of the captured image 150,
For example, the center position 154 is adjusted in advance so as to be a target position of the gun-type controller 10. Frame 15 extracted
The coordinates of the captured image 150 are converted into the relative coordinates of the frame 152 based on the size and the position of the frame 152. The center position 154 is the designated position for the game image in the frame 152.

In this way, the designated position, that is, the position to which the gun-type controller 10 is directed, is always detected based on the captured image of the retinal prosthesis unit 5 of the gun-type controller 10 and the coordinate value is output. For example, regardless of the operation of the trigger lever 7, the artificial retinal unit 5 captures the game image 101 together with the white frame 102, calculates the coordinate value of the shooting position from the captured image at that time, and pulls the trigger lever 7. Outputs the coordinates of the current shooting position. Alternatively, when the trigger lever 7 is pulled, the artificial retinal unit 5 displays the game image 101 in the white frame 1 at that timing.
02 may be imaged, and the coordinate value of the shooting position may be calculated based on the image.

Next, the artificial retina unit 5 and the CPU 61d
Will be described with reference to FIG. The artificial retinal unit 5 accumulates the captured images.
The captured image is accumulated for a time of 6.7 msec. continue,
The stored captured image data is read out from the retinal prosthesis unit 5 for about 0.5 msec and saved in the RAM 61c. Subsequently, the retinal prosthesis unit 5 starts capturing the next image. On the other hand, based on the captured image data, the CPU 61 performs calculations for the above-described frame position detection processing and the designated position determination processing, and finally determines the designated position. Thus, one cycle (about 16.7 msec)
Is completed. Similarly, the designated position is determined every cycle, and the coordinate value is continuously output.

Next, details of the algorithm of the designated position detection processing will be described with reference to FIG. The image of the monitor device 100 in the image 150 captured by the retinal prosthesis unit 5
As shown in FIG. 5, the pointing position can be detected according to the above-described principle if it is included in the captured image 150 and has a certain size or more. Monitor device 100 at a predetermined size and position
Is not necessarily projected, but in reality, it is projected in various modes. In the present embodiment, the pointing position is determined in consideration of such a situation.

FIGS. 7A to 7E show the pointing position determination algorithm when the entire frame 152 is included in the captured image 150. FIG. As shown in FIG.
Includes the entire frame 152, and the frame 152
, The center position 154 is the designated position as described above. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7B and FIG. 7C, when the frame 152 is tilted, the coordinates are converted according to the tilt, and then the center position 1 is set.
54 is the designated position. As shown in FIG. 7D, when the center position 154 of the captured image 150 is out of the range of the frame 152, a specific coordinate value indicating the outside of the range, for example, FFFF is output as the designated position. As shown in FIG. 7E, the entire frame 152 is included in the captured image 150. However, if the size of the frame 152 is too small, the accuracy of the pointing position becomes too low, and the pointing cannot be performed. Outputs the specified coordinate values.

FIGS. 7F to 7I show the designated position determination algorithm when the captured image 150 includes only two corners of the frame 152. FIG. Assuming that only a part of the frame 152 is included in the captured image 150, an image for calibration in which the entire frame 152 is included in the captured image 150 is captured before starting the game. Thus, the size of the frame 152 in the captured image 150 and the ratio between the height and the width are detected. By doing so, even when only two corners of the frame 152 are included, the designated position can be determined from the information on the size of the frame 152 and the aspect ratio.

As shown in FIG. 7F, the captured image 150
Even if the left side of the frame 152 protrudes from the frame 152, the entire image of the frame 152 is predicted from the information on the size and the aspect ratio of the frame 152, and the designated position indicated by the center position 154 is determined. FIG. 8 (g),
As shown in (h) and (i), the frame 1
Even if the right side, upper side, and lower side of 52 protrude,
The entire image of the frame 152 is predicted from the information on the size of the frame 152, and the designated position indicated by the center position 154 is determined.

FIG. 7J shows a frame 152 in the captured image 150.
This is a pointing position determination algorithm when only one corner is included. Even when only one corner of the frame 152 is included in the captured image 150, the information of the size and the aspect ratio of the frame 152
As shown in FIG. 7 (j), the entire image of the frame 152 is predicted,
The designated position indicated by the center position 154 is determined. Next, various modes of an image frame displayed on the monitor device will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the above description, as shown in FIG. 8A, the game image 101 is a video framed by a white frame 102 having a high luminance, but there are various other modes.
FIG. 8B shows a game image 101 bordered by a white frame 102 similar to that shown in FIG. According to the present embodiment, even when a game image is displayed on a wide-screen television, it is possible to easily cope with the change of the aspect ratio of the frame without changing the basic algorithm.

FIG. 8 (c) shows a frame bordering the game image 101 with a white frame 102 having a high luminance, as in FIG. 8 (a).
Includes the entire frame 104. The size of the frame 104 may be made smaller so as to surround a range where shooting can be performed. Thereby, the range in which the monitor device 100 can shoot can be limited.

FIG. 8D shows the game image 101 bordered by a black frame 106 having low luminance. Game image 10
If the entire area 1 is bright, it is difficult to detect a frame from the game image 101. Therefore, the black frame 106 is used for easy detection. As the game progresses, the white frame 104 and the black frame 106 may be selectively used. FIG.
FIG. 8A shows a part 108a of the white frame 102 shown in FIG.
Is deleted to form a partially missing white frame 108. If the frame shape can be detected, the deletion area may be further enlarged. FIG. 9B shows a configuration in which a part 110a of the white frame 104 shown in FIG.

FIG. 9C shows a further enlarged view of the deletion area shown in FIG. 9B, leaving white frames 112 only at the four corners of the frame. FIG. 9D shows the white frame 112 of FIG.
4 FIG. 10A shows a case where only the lower side 116a of the white frame 104 shown in FIG.
It is what constituted. FIG. 10B is a diagram in which the lower side 118a and the right side 118b of the white frame 104 shown in FIG. By using such a white frame, a side can be specified from the thickness of the frame.

In the present specification, all frames including the above-mentioned L-shaped corner shape are called frames if the frame shape can be virtually specified. As described above, according to the present embodiment, a frame is displayed on the monitor device, the frame is imaged, and the designated position is detected from the captured image, so that the monitor screen can be displayed without changing the image during shooting. The pointing position can be detected. Further, since there is no need to change the image, it is possible to detect the pointing position on the monitor screen without any trouble even if a plurality of players shoot at the same time.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above embodiment, the frame is displayed as an image on the monitor image, but a tape of white or black may be directly attached to the monitor screen. In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to the detection of the pointing position of the gun-type controller in the gun game. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention may be applied to the detection of the pointing position of a general pointer.

Further, in the above embodiment, a frame of another color that can be distinguished from the game image using a white frame or a black frame may be used.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, an image including a frame is displayed on a monitor screen, and an image displayed on the monitor screen is captured while indicating a position with respect to the monitor screen.
Since the frame is detected from the captured image and the designated position is determined based on the position of the frame in the captured image, it is possible to detect the designated position on the monitor screen without changing the image. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a gun game system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a gun-type controller in the gun game system shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an external view of a memory card with a liquid crystal that can be mounted on the gun-type controller shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control circuit of the gun-type controller shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the principle of a position pointing method in the gun game system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flow of a designated position detection process in the gun game system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing details of an algorithm of a designated position detection process in the gun game system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a specific example of a frame bordering an image displayed on the monitor device.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a frame bordering an image displayed on the monitor device.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a frame bordering an image displayed on the monitor device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Gun type controller 2 ... Barrel part 3 ... Trigger part 4 ... Grip part 5 ... Artificial retina unit 6 ... Controller control circuit 7 ... Trigger lever 8 ... Start switch 9 ... Cross key 15 ... Memory card 16 ... Slot 17 ... Connector DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 18 ... Case 19 ... LCD 20 ... Cross-directional key 21 ... Operation button 22 ... Cap 23 ... Memory card control circuit 80 ... Game device main body 100 ... Monitor device 101 ... Game image 102-118 ... Frame 150 ... Captured image 152 ... Frame 154 … Center position

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A predetermined area on a monitor screen is specified so as to be imageable, a position is designated with respect to the monitor screen, the monitor screen is imaged based on the position, and the predetermined image is obtained from the imaged image. A designated position is determined based on the position of the predetermined region in the captured image. 2. The pointing position detecting method according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined area on the monitor screen is specified to be imageable by a frame surrounding an image displayed on the monitor screen. Detection method. 3. The pointing position detection method according to claim 2, wherein the captured image includes only a part of the frame. 4. The designated position detecting method according to claim 2, wherein the frame is displayed as an image on the monitor screen. 5. The pointing position detection method according to claim 2, wherein the frame is only a corner of a virtual frame that virtually surrounds an image displayed on the monitor screen. Characterized pointing position detection method. 6. The pointing position detecting method according to claim 2, wherein the frame has a higher luminance or a lower luminance than an image displayed on the monitor screen. Position detection method. 7. A position instructing unit for instructing a position on a monitor screen, an imaging unit provided in the position instructing unit, for capturing an image displayed on the monitor screen, and an image captured by the imaging unit Detecting means for detecting, from the image, a predetermined area specified to be imageable on the monitor screen; and a position for determining a position indicated by the position indicating means based on a position of the predetermined area in the captured image. An indication position detection device, comprising: a determination unit. 8. The pointing position detection device according to claim 7, wherein the detection unit detects a position of a frame from a captured image captured by the imaging unit, and the position determination unit determines the position of the frame in the captured image. An indicated position detecting device, wherein a position indicated by the position indicating means is determined based on a position of a frame. 9. The designated position detecting device according to claim 7, wherein the position determining means determines a relative position in the predetermined area occupied by a predetermined specific position of the captured image as a specified position. A pointing position detecting device, comprising: 10. The pointing position detecting device according to claim 7, wherein the detecting unit detects a size of the predetermined area in the captured image by capturing a monitor screen in advance. The pointing position detecting device, wherein the position determining means determines the pointing position based on a size of the predetermined area detected by the detecting means. 11. The pointing position detecting device according to claim 10, wherein when the detecting unit detects at least two corner positions of the predetermined area, the position determining unit detects the predetermined detected position. A designated position detection device, wherein the designated position is determined based on a size of a region and positions of the two corners.