Virtual Position Determining Program for Game Controller

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional control input methods in virtual environments fail to effectively utilize the position of a game controller in real space as a control input, leading to limited freedom and accuracy in associating controller movements with virtual object positions, especially with three-dimensional positions.

Innovation Solution

A storage medium storing a virtual position determining program that calculates actual position data from real-space target data, defines an effective range, and updates it to determine the position of a controlled object in a virtual space, allowing for novel control operations with high degrees of freedom by using the position of a target in the real space.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the distance between the game controller and the imaging target is used as a control input, then the range of motion is increased, but it becomes difficult to appropriately associate the large input range with significant variations in virtual object position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverange of motionVSAvoidassociation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the effective range adjustable and movable. The effective range is not fixed but can be dynamically changed based on the controller's position and game situation. This allows the system to adapt the input range to match the required precision for different virtual object positions, resolving the contradiction between large range of motion and precise association.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of effective range boundaries dynamically. By adjusting the boundaries of the effective range based on the controller's position and game context, the system can map the physical movement range to appropriate virtual position variations, maintaining both versatility and precision across different operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the player varies the control input depending on the situation, then the distance value changes, but it becomes difficult to associate it with an appropriate virtual position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol variationVSAvoidvirtual position association

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the controller's position within the effective range and using this information to determine the appropriate virtual position. The system provides feedback through the display showing the effective range boundaries, allowing the player to understand how their physical movements map to virtual positions, thereby improving association accuracy while maintaining control flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the effective range boundaries based on the game situation and controller position. This dynamic adjustment ensures that situation-dependent control variations are always mapped to appropriate virtual positions, maintaining precision regardless of how the player varies their input.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If the position of the controller in real space is used directly as a control input, then the degree of freedom is increased, but abrupt movements occur that reduce control smoothness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedegree of freedomVSAvoidcontrol smoothness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies beforehand cushioning by defining an effective range that acts as a buffer zone. The virtual position is determined based on the controller's position within this effective range, which smooths out abrupt movements. The effective range boundaries provide a cushioning effect that prevents direct transmission of sudden physical movements to the virtual object, maintaining control smoothness while preserving degree of freedom.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

4Device complexity

If the effective range is fixed, then the control mapping is simple, but it cannot adapt to different positions and situations in the game

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol mapping simplicityVSAvoidsituation adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the effective range dynamic rather than fixed. The boundaries of the effective range can move and adjust based on the controller's position and game situation. This dynamic approach maintains relative simplicity in the control mapping logic while dramatically improving adaptability to different positions and situations in the game.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS7690994B2Storage medium storing virtual position determining program

Publication Date: 2010.04.06 NINTENDO CO LTD

AI summary

A game controller includes an image-capturing section, and outputs, as control data, a captured image itself or a result of performing a predetermined operation on the captured image. Using the control data obtained from the game controller, distance data regarding the distance between the game controller and the imaging target is calculated. A predetermined game process is performed on a virtual game world based on the calculated distance data. Then, the virtual game world after the game process is displayed as an image on a display device.