Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Three-dimension
Reexamination Certificate
1997-05-22
2001-05-29
Vo, Cliff N. (Department: 2772)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Three-dimension
C345S419000, C345S474000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06239806
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to three-dimensional image processing systems. More particularly, this invention is concerned with a three-dimensional image processing system for video game machines or the like, which is adapted to display an object in a realistic manner in a three-dimensional space on a display such that the object is moved in accordance with the direction and amount of inclination of an operating member, such as an analog joystick, of an operating device, e.g., a video game controller.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The conventional video game machine has a cross-shaped key which is provided on a controller so that the object displayed on the display is moved by a player's operation of the cross key. Such a cross key is a so-called digital joystick, by which only the direction of movement is designated for the object. With such a cross key, the speed of movement is impossible to designate.
There also is a prior art method where moving speed of the object is varied depending upon the length of the time period over which a cross key is depressed. In such a method, acceleration or deceleration is determined for the object at a constant acceleration rate or a constant deceleration rate by each constant depression time period. Although, in this method, the moving direction and the moving speed of the object can be controlled even by using a digital joystick, there are disadvantages using this approach. That is, the moving speed for the object is merely varied at a constant rate of acceleration or deceleration as determined by software calculations, so that is impossible to arbitrarily control the speed of movement. Furthermore, the speed is determined by the period of key depression time, which requires that the cross key has to be kept depressed for a certain period or longer, resulting in poor responsiveness.
Under such circumstances, the present applicant has proposed by Japanese Provisional Utility Model Publication No. H2-41342, laid open to public on Mar. 22, 1990, a controller which has three contacts arranged in one direction on a cross key thereof so that the moving speed, besides the moving direction, is varied for the object by utilization of changing turning-on of contacts depending upon depression amount of the cross key.
In this prior art, however, the direction of movement is limited to four directions of upper, lower, left and right (and intermediate directions thereof), and the speed of movement is varied only between three stages of speed. That is, in this prior art there still exists limitations on the moving direction and the moving speed.
Although there are already known game machines employing an analog joystick for a control lever of an aircraft, such an analog joystick of the game machines are typically utilized for controlling, for example, the inclination of the aircraft, and wherein control is impossible for the moving direction or the moving speed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide an image processing system which is high in responsiveness and is capable of controlling the moving direction and the moving speed of a player controlled object.
The present invention is directed to a three-dimensional image processing system, including an image processing apparatus connected to a display to generate image data for displaying an object existing in a three-dimensional space on the display according to a stored program, and an operating device including an operating member having a base end rotatably supported and a free end operable by an operator, so that the image data is varied in accordance with movement of the operating member. The operating device includes inclination amount data output circuitry which detects an inclination amount of the operating member to output inclination amount data. The exemplary image processing apparatus includes direction determining hardware and software which determines a moving direction of the object in the three-dimensional space based on the inclination amount data; moving amount determining hardware and software which determines a moving amount of the objection within one display frame; position determining hardware and software which determines object position in the three-dimensional space in accordance with the moving direction and the moving amount; and an image data output circuitry which outputs image data for displaying the object on the display at a position controlled by the position determining hardware and software.
The operating device is, for example, an analog joystick, which includes a base end supported rotatably with a given angle range and a free end for being operated by an operator so that the operating member is inclined to arbitrary directions in accordance with operator operation. For example, an inclination amount data output circuitry such as an X counter and a Y counter detects the amount of inclination of the operating member to output inclination amount data.
The image processing apparatus includes a program storing memory, wherein the program storing memory is preferably an external storage device detachably attached to the image processing apparatus main body. Direction determining circuitry and moving amount determining circuitry comprised, for example, of a CPU under control of the stored program respectively determine moving direction of the object in the three-dimensional space and moving amount of the object to be moved in one display frame, based on the inclination amount data from the operating device.
Specifically, count values of an X counter and the Y counter are converted by normalizing into a UV coordinate frame. The CPU determines the inclination amount (L) and the inclination direction (tan
31 1
) by the UV coordinate value (u, v). The direction determining circuitry is, for example, the CPU, which determines under program control the moving direction of the object based on the inclination direction (tan
−1
) thereof and the point of view (camera angle) at which the object is considered to be “photographed” in the three-dimensional space. The moving amount determining circuitry is, for example, the CPU, which determines under the program control the moving amount of the object within one display frame, i.e., the moving speed, based on the inclination amount (L) and the maximum speed (max-speed).
Therefore the position determining circuitry determines the position of the object in three-dimensional space in dependence upon the moving direction and the moving amount. Consequently, the image data output circuitry outputs image data for display of the object at the position thus determined.
In accordance with the present invention, the operation of one operating device such as an analog joystick provides control of the moving direction and the moving amount (moving speed) of the object.
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Koshima Kazuo
Miyamoto Shigeru
Nishida Yasunari
Nishiumi Satoshi
Nintendo Co. Ltd.
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
Vo Cliff N.
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