Patents by Inventor Atsushi Inomata

Atsushi Inomata has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10936149
    Abstract: A method includes providing a virtual space to a first user via a head-mounted device (HMD) including a display. The virtual space includes a first avatar associated with the first user, a character object operable based on an input operation on a controller, a second avatar associated with a second user, and a virtual camera defining a field-of-view image to be provided to the HMD. The method further includes determining a viewpoint mode. In a first viewpoint mode the virtual camera is associated with a viewpoint of the first avatar. In a second viewpoint mode the virtual camera is associated with a viewpoint of the character object. The viewpoint is determined based on at least one of an input operation determined in advance on the controller or a state of the controller. The method includes providing the field-of-view image via the HMD in accordance with the determined viewpoint mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventor: Atsushi Inomata
  • Patent number: 10860089
    Abstract: A method includes defining a virtual space including a virtual camera. The method further includes displaying on a head-mounted device a field of view in the virtual space based on a location of the virtual camera in the virtual space. The method further includes moving the field of view by updating the image displayed on the head-mounted device. Moving of the field of view includes moving the field of view at a first speed. Moving of the field of view further includes moving the field of view at a second speed slower than the first speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventor: Atsushi Inomata
  • Patent number: 10668369
    Abstract: A method including acquiring positional information for identifying a position of a terminal associated with a first player. The method further includes acquiring a map corresponding to a predetermined region having the position as a center of the map. The method further includes progressing a game associated with the first player based on the positional information and the map. The method further includes acquiring facility information for identifying a facility contained in the map. The method further includes setting a game parameter corresponding to the first player based on the facility information. The method further includes progressing the game based on the game parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventor: Atsushi Inomata
  • Publication number: 20200159389
    Abstract: A method includes providing a virtual space to a first user via a head-mounted device (HMD) including a display. The virtual space includes a first avatar associated with the first user, a character object operable based on an input operation on a controller, a second avatar associated with a second user, and a virtual camera defining a field-of-view image to be provided to the HMD. The method further includes determining a viewpoint mode. In a first viewpoint mode the virtual camera is associated with a viewpoint of the first avatar. In a second viewpoint mode the virtual camera is associated with a viewpoint of the character object. The viewpoint is determined based on at least one of an input operation determined in advance on the controller or a state of the controller. The method includes providing the field-of-view image via the HMD in accordance with the determined viewpoint mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventor: Atsushi INOMATA
  • Patent number: 10599286
    Abstract: A method includes defining a virtual space. The virtual space comprises a first avatar object, a first character object, a second avatar object, and a second character object. The method includes defining a plurality of operation modes for operating the virtual space. The method includes moving, in accordance with an operation of the virtual space by the first user being executed in the first mode, the first character object in accordance with the input to the first controller. The method includes moving, in accordance with an operation of the virtual space by the first user being executed in the second mode, the first avatar object based on the input to the first controller. The method includes generating a visual-field image in accordance with a motion of a head-mounted device (HMD) associated with the first user. The method includes displaying the visual-field image on the HMD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventor: Atsushi Inomata
  • Patent number: 10546407
    Abstract: A method includes defining a virtual space including includes a first avatar object associated with a first user. The first avatar object includes a first part and a second part. The method includes moving the first avatar object in response to a first input from the first user. The first input includes a first motion information for identifying a motion of a part of a body of the first user, and the first part of the first avatar object is moved in accordance with the first motion information. The method includes acquiring supplementary information, independent of a detected movement of the first user, for defining a motion of the second part. The method includes moving the second part based on the supplementary information. The method includes identifying a visual field in the virtual space of a second user different from the first user. The method includes generating a visual-field image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventors: Atsushi Inomata, Kento Nakashima
  • Patent number: 10466775
    Abstract: A method includes generating a visual field image to be visually recognized by a user within a virtual space image, the virtual space image forming a virtual space within which the user is immersed. The method also includes generating a transitional image to be visually recognized by the user during a transitional period, the visual field image being updated during the transitional period. The method further includes displaying the visual field image and the transitional image using a head mounted display. Generating the transitional image includes one or more of updating the visual field image in synchronization with a movement of the head mounted display; or updating the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display by generating a transitional image having a reduced information amount to be visually recognized by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventors: Atsushi Inomata, Taichiro Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 10438394
    Abstract: A method includes defining a virtual space. The virtual space includes a first avatar object and a second avatar object. The first avatar object being associated with a first user terminal. The first user terminal comprising a first head-mounted device (HMD) associated with a first user. The second avatar object being associated with a second user terminal. The second user terminal comprising a second HMD associated with a second user. The method includes defining a visual field in the virtual space in association with a motion of the second HMD. The method includes generating a visual-field image that corresponds to the visual field. The method includes displaying the visual-field image on the second HMD. The method includes receiving first information indicating that the first user is not wearing the first HMD. The method includes changing the visual-field image on the second HMD in response to the first information being received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventors: Atsushi Inomata, Toshiki Ando
  • Patent number: 10409365
    Abstract: A method including generating a virtual space image for displaying on a head mounted display (HMD). The method further includes acquiring a rotational direction and a rotational speed of the HMD. The method further includes subjecting the virtual space image to blurring processing based on the rotational direction and the rotational speed, the blurring processing being performed on end regions of the virtual space image on both sides of the virtual space image in a direction corresponding to the rotational direction, a size of the end regions corresponding to the rotational speed, and an intensity of blurring of the end regions corresponding to the rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventor: Atsushi Inomata
  • Patent number: 10365784
    Abstract: A method includes defining a virtual space. The virtual space comprises a first avatar object, a first character object, a second avatar object, and a second character object. The method includes defining a plurality of operation modes for operating the virtual space. The method includes moving, in accordance with an operation of the virtual space by the first user being executed in the first mode, the first character object in accordance with the input to the first controller. The method includes moving, in accordance with an operation of the virtual space by the first user being executed in the second mode, the first avatar object based on the input to the first controller. The method includes generating a visual-field image in accordance with a motion of a head-mounted device (HMD) associated with the first user. The method includes displaying the visual-field image on the HMD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventor: Atsushi Inomata
  • Publication number: 20190196689
    Abstract: A method includes defining a virtual space. The virtual space comprises a first avatar object, a first character object, a second avatar object, and a second character object. The method includes defining a plurality of operation modes for operating the virtual space. The method includes moving, in accordance with an operation of the virtual space by the first user being executed in the first mode, the first character object in accordance with the input to the first controller. The method includes moving, in accordance with an operation of the virtual space by the first user being executed in the second mode, the first avatar object based on the input to the first controller. The method includes generating a visual-field image in accordance with a motion of a head-mounted device (HMD) associated with the first user. The method includes displaying the visual-field image on the HMD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventor: Atsushi INOMATA
  • Publication number: 20190184279
    Abstract: A method including acquiring positional information for identifying a position of a terminal associated with a first player. The method further includes acquiring a map corresponding to a predetermined region having the position as a center of the map. The method further includes progressing a game associated with the first player based on the positional information and the map. The method further includes acquiring facility information for identifying a facility contained in the map. The method further includes setting a game parameter corresponding to the first player based on the facility information. The method further includes progressing the game based on the game parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventor: Atsushi INOMATA
  • Patent number: 10319346
    Abstract: A method includes defining a virtual space to be associated with a first user. The virtual space includes a second avatar associated with a second user. The virtual space is associated with a first head-mounted device (HMD) connectable to a first computer. The method further includes receiving a signal transmitted from a second computer associated with a second user. The method further includes detecting a communication quality between the first computer and the second computer based on the signal. The method further includes displaying the second avatar in the virtual space based on the detected communication quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventors: Eita Kikuchi, Norihiro Kubo, Atsushi Inomata
  • Publication number: 20190146579
    Abstract: A method includes defining a virtual space including a virtual camera. The method further includes displaying on a head-mounted device a field of view in the virtual space based on a location of the virtual camera in the virtual space. The method further includes moving the field of view by updating the image displayed on the head-mounted device. Moving of the field of view includes moving the field of view at a first speed. Moving of the field of view further includes moving the field of view at a second speed slower than the first speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventor: Atsushi INOMATA
  • Patent number: 10232253
    Abstract: A method including acquiring positional information for identifying a position of a terminal associated with a first player. The method further includes acquiring a map corresponding to a predetermined region having the position as a center of the map. The method further includes progressing a game associated with the first player based on the positional information and the map. The method further includes acquiring facility information for identifying a facility contained in the map. The method further includes setting a game parameter corresponding to the first player based on the facility information. The method further includes progressing the game based on the game parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventor: Atsushi Inomata
  • Patent number: 10216261
    Abstract: A method includes defining a virtual space including a virtual camera. The method further includes displaying on a head-mounted device a field of view in the virtual space based on a location of the virtual camera in the virtual space. The method further includes moving the field of view by updating the image displayed on the head-mounted device. Moving of the field of view includes moving the field of view at a first speed. Moving of the field of view further includes moving the field of view at a second speed slower than the first speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: COLOPL, INC.
    Inventor: Atsushi Inomata
  • Publication number: 20190043263
    Abstract: A method of providing a virtual space according to at least one embodiment of this disclosure includes defining the virtual space comprising a virtual camera, a monitor object, and a first operation object. The method further includes defining a first field of view from the virtual camera. The method further includes generating a first field-of-view image corresponding to the first field of view. The method further includes displaying the first field-of-view image on the monitor object. The method further includes detecting a motion of a part of a body of a first user in a real space. The method further includes moving the first operation object in the virtual space in accordance with the motion of the part of the body. The method further includes detecting that a first operation by the first operation object has been performed on the first field-of-view image displayed on the monitor object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Kento NAKASHIMA, Atsushi INOMATA, Kazuaki SAWAKI
  • Publication number: 20190033963
    Abstract: A method includes generating a visual field image to be visually recognized by a user within a virtual space image, the virtual space image forming a virtual space within which the user is immersed. The method also includes generating a transitional image to be visually recognized by the user during a transitional period, the visual field image being updated during the transitional period. The method further includes displaying the visual field image and the transitional image using a head mounted display. Generating the transitional image includes one or more of updating the visual field image in synchronization with a movement of the head mounted display; or updating the visual field image without synchronization with the movement of the head mounted display by generating a transitional image having a reduced information amount to be visually recognized by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Atsushi INOMATA, Taichiro SHIRAISHI
  • Publication number: 20180374275
    Abstract: A method includes acquiring first content data. The method further includes defining a virtual space based on the first content data. The method further includes generating image data of a still image corresponding to a portion of the virtual space. The method further includes associating the image data with the first content data. The method further includes receiving instructions for replacing the first content data with second content data. The method further includes updating the image data to replace the first content data with the second content data in response to the receiving of the instructions for replacing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Atsushi INOMATA, Eita KIKUCHI, Takashi NAKABO
  • Publication number: 20180341386
    Abstract: A method includes defining a virtual space. The virtual space comprises a first avatar object, a first character object, a second avatar object, and a second character object. The method includes defining a plurality of operation modes for operating the virtual space. The method includes moving, in accordance with an operation of the virtual space by the first user being executed in the first mode, the first character object in accordance with the input to the first controller. The method includes moving, in accordance with an operation of the virtual space by the first user being executed in the second mode, the first avatar object based on the input to the first controller. The method includes generating a visual-field image in accordance with a motion of a head-mounted device (HMD) associated with the first user. The method includes displaying the visual-field image on the HMD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventor: Atsushi INOMATA