Image analysis – Applications – 3-d or stereo imaging analysis
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-09
2002-11-19
Boudreau, Leo (Department: 2621)
Image analysis
Applications
3-d or stereo imaging analysis
C382S276000, C345S427000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06483939
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a image processing apparatus and method for generating pictures of objects defined in a three-dimensional virtual space as seen from a specified visual point, and to a medium with a program stored therein for realizing such picture processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A game apparatus is known with which a player watches game pictures displayed on a display, while racing cars or the like are caused to run in a course set in a virtual space in accordance with the player's operation, thereby causing the racing cars or the like to contend for precedence.
Such a game apparatus provides a so-called subjective picture which shows a scene ahead as seen from a visual point of a driver of a racing car, and a so-called objective picture which shows a scene ahead as seen from behind the racing car and which also includes the racing car itself. Concerning this type of conventional objective picture, its visual point is fixed, for example, at an elevated position behind the racing car. However, this fixed objective visual point has a problem in that when a course for the racing car to run has a slope and an angle of the slope changes suddenly, the visual point sinks beneath the course and, accordingly, strange pictures of a game space are displayed as seen from the back side of the course. Moreover, pictures of the course as seen from the fixed objective visual point are displayed as if the course is inclined constantly in the same manner, thereby lacking reality.
The Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. HEI 9-167256 discloses a game picture synthesis method which is capable of solving the above-described problems, of presenting a player's car and slopes of a course visually and effectively when the player's car is moving in the course with varied slopes, and of displaying good pictures. This technique is a game picture synthesis method for setting an objective visual point, which faces in a moving direction of the player's car, behind the player's car moving in a course set in a game object space, and for synthesizing pictures of the object space as seen from the visual point. By this method, when the player's car moves in a horizontal direction or up an ascending slope, the visual point is controlled so that it will be located at an elevated position behind the player's car at a specified position in a world coordinate system in the object space; and when the player's car moves down a downward slope, the visual point is controlled so that it will be located at an elevated position behind the player's car at a specified position in a local coordinate system of the player's car.
However, the above-described publicly known art only changes the position of the objective visual point merely mechanically by using a horizontal line as a basis, thereby lacking flexibility. The pictures obtained are unnatural, and it is impossible to expect natural pictures for a player, for example, realistic pictures like those of on-the-spot relay broadcasting of an actual car race. Moreover, although the above-described publicly known art refers to changes in the position of the objective visual point, there is no description about changes in the position of the subjective visual point. The position of the subjective visual point should be changed as appropriate in order to provide more realistic pictures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems. It is an object of this invention to provide a picture processing apparatus and method capable of providing more natural and preferred pictures by making it possible to change either the subjective visual point position or the objective visual point position, or both of them, and a medium with a program stored therein for realizing such picture processing.
A picture processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
a shape memory with shape data of an object previously stored therein;
a processor for setting a coordinate value of an object in a three-dimensional virtual space on the basis of the shape data stored in the shape memory;
transformation means for receiving the coordinate value set by the processor and transforming the coordinate value into a visual field coordinate system based on a specified visual point; and
visual point setting means for moving the visual point position from a predetermined standard position for a predetermined base object as defined in the three-dimensional virtual space on the basis of data of the base object as well as changes in the situation caused by the movement of the base object, and for sending a new position after the movement to the transformation means.
With the picture processing apparatus according to this invention, the visual point setting means sets a sight line direction in addition to the visual point position.
With the picture processing apparatus according to this invention, the visual point setting means sets the visual point position in accordance with a turning angle of the object.
An example of this invention is shown in FIG.
4
.
With the picture processing apparatus according to this invention, the visual point setting means sets the visual point position and the sight line direction in accordance with a turning angle of the object and causes a displacement corresponding to the visual point position to disagree with a displacement corresponding to the sight line direction.
With the picture processing apparatus according to this invention, a ratio of the displacement of the visual point position to the displacement of the sight line direction is 1:5.
With the picture processing apparatus according to this invention, the visual point setting means sets the visual point position according to acceleration applied to the object when it makes a turn.
Examples of this invention are shown in
FIGS. 6 through 11
.
With the picture processing apparatus according to this invention, the displacement of the visual point position is proportionate to the acceleration.
With the picture processing apparatus according to this invention, a direction of the visual point position displacement is identical to a direction of the acceleration.
With the picture processing apparatus according to this invention, a direction of the visual point position displacement is opposite to a direction of the acceleration.
With the picture processing apparatus according to this invention, the visual point setting means causes a travelling direction of the object, the sight line direction, and a course in which the object should move, to disagree with one another.
With the picture processing apparatus according to this invention, the visual point setting means sets the visual point position and the sight line direction so that the base object will be situated in the center of a picture when a displacement is small, while the base object will be situated at the edge of a picture when the displacement is large.
With the picture processing apparatus according to this invention, the visual point setting means sets the visual point position by following the movement of the base object.
With the picture processing apparatus according to this invention, the visual point setting means sets a time delay between the movement of the base object and the movement of the visual point position.
As a specific example of this invention, there is a method described below:
(a) When a camera follows a car or character, and if the character moves in a vertical or horizontal direction, the camera follows the movement of the character with some delay.
(b) The camera is caused to follow the player's character so that the camera will always provide pictures of scenes ahead as seen from behind the character.
In a specific course situation such as at the time of cornering or jumping, the camera visual point is adjusted or changed in order to show the relevant scenes of strong appeal to a player. The camera follows the movement of the play
Ao Masayuki
Hayashida Yasuhiro
Nimiya Hisaki
Ochi Ryuji
Oshida Katsu
Boudreau Leo
Keating & Bennett LLP
Patel Kanji
Sega Enterprises Ltd.
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