Human-machine interactive virtual game control apparatus
A human-machine interactive virtual game control apparatus comprises a detector and a control box. The detector is composed of a sensing pedal and sensing lateral plates, wherein the sensing pedal comprises pressure-sensing devices to be trod on by the operator for detecting forward, backward, leftward, and rightward walking and running movements, and the photoelectric devices on the sensing lateral plates can detect the movement tracks of the operator's hands and feet and his jumping movement. Every detection signal is transmitted to the microprocessor unit mounted inside the control box to generate a corresponding signal, thereby controlling the corresponding virtual person in the game by means of a communication interface so as to substitute for the conventional arrow button of the conventional game controller or other apparatus. Accordingly, the operator is able to interact with the game to enhance the game's reality.
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The present invention relates to a human-machine interactive virtual game control apparatus, and more particularly to a control apparatus that simulates images and sounds of real environment and that utilizes a three-dimensional detector to automatically detect the limbs movements of the operator for generating a corresponding command and interact with the virtual person in the virtual game. Accordingly, the virtual game with interactive human-machine movement is obtained so as to substitute for joystick, controller, mouse, or other input apparatus, thereby increasing pleasure and reality of the virtual game.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The commonly seen game controller 10, as shown in
Besides, many conventional virtual games, for example, fishing, racing car, combat, etc, provide player with the feeling of virtual reality by use of stereo audio, gorgeous animated scenes, and fictitious story. The aforementioned game machine allows the player to merge himself into the game and to control the animated game person by use of the joystick or the controller. Accordingly, it is commonly seen that some people always press the controller excitedly in accordance with the content of the game. Besides, for the combat game, the player always must press several buttons to perform a unique skill so it is not easy to operate the game controller.
In conclusion, the operator cannot operate the game controller 10 nimbly, and the real two-way interaction is absent between the game and the operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn view of the drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention discloses a human-machine interactive virtual game control apparatus to meet the requirement for industrial usage.
It is the main object of the present invention to provide a human-machine interactive virtual game control apparatus that utilizes the detector(s) to detect the movements of the operator and generate a corresponding operation command, thereby allowing the operator to control the virtual game person without operating the conventional game controller.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a human-machine interactive virtual game control apparatus to enable the operator to merge himself with the game, thereby increasing the two-way interaction between the game and the operator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The detailed structural feature and the preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The sensing pedal 11 includes four pressure-sensing devices 111 respectively on front, rear, left, and right sides corresponding to the center of the sensing pedal 11. When the operator 30 treads on the sensing pedal 11, the triggered pressure-sensing device 111 output a corresponding digital signal with high potential H and the untriggered pressure-sensing devices 111 output their respective digital signal with low potential L. For example, the upward movement outputs “0001” and the downward movement outputs “0010”. These detection signals are compared with predetermined codes stored in the microprocessor unit 21 to identify the commands that the operator 30 issues for substituting for the conventional arrow button. Besides, it is capable of treading on the same pressure-sensing devices 111 successively, and the time interval between two detection signals is compared with the predetermined reference time stored in the microprocessor unit 21, thereby generating an operation command to allow the game person to walk or run.
Several photoelectric devices 13 for detecting the movement tracks of objects are mounted on the upper end of the sensing lateral plates 12. These photoelectric devices 13 can be divided into upper section detections 131, 131′ and lower section detections 132, 132′ for identifying the height value of the operator 30 to define the detection scope of every command, wherein the upper section detection 131 and the lower section detection 132 are set to be employed if the detection scope is higher than a predetermined value, and the upper section detection 131′ and the lower section detection 132′ are set to be employed if the detection scope is lower than the predetermined value.
Besides, the upper section detections 131, 131′ can be further subdivided into first detection sections 1311, 1311′ and second detection sections 1312, 1312′, and the lower section detections 132, 132′ can be further subdivided into third detection sections 1321, 1321′ and fourth detection sections 1322, 1322′. By means of the software, the microprocessor unit 21 utilizes the photoelectric devices 13 to automatically scan the operator 30, or the operator 30 inputs the height value manually to discriminate the detection sections. When the operator 30 is higher than the predetermined height value, the photoelectric devices 13 of the upper section detection 131 may be utilized to receive the movement tracks of the hands of the operator 30, thereby generating a corresponding operation command. In addition, it is possible to obtain further subdivided hand commands by means of the first detection section 1311 and the second detection section 1312. For example, the first detection section 1311 refers to a hacking command if the hand of the operator 30 moves from top to bottom, or the second detection section 1312 refers to a hooking command if the hand moves from bottom to top. Moreover, the photoelectric devices 13 of the lower section detection 132 are utilized to receive the movement tracks of the feet of the operator 30 for generating a corresponding operation command such as kicking or raising a leg. For the same reason, similar commands are outputted according to the above-mentioned detection method if the operator 30 is lower than the predetermined height value.
Furthermore, the sensing lateral plates 12 further comprise photoelectric switches 14 on their bottoms to detect the jumping movement. When the operator 30 jumps and leaves the detection scope of the photoelectric switches 14, the photoelectric switches 14 outputs a signal to allow the microprocessor unit 21 to issue a jumping command for controlling the jumping movement of the game person.
The control box 2 holds the microprocessor 21 and the communication interface 22 and connects to the game machine 20. The communication interface 22 may be an USB-interfaced jack, a game port, or PS/PS2 for use in different types of game machines.
In order to explain the performing method and the preferred embodiment of the present invention more explicitly, please further refer to
As shown in
Furthermore, as shown in
With regard to the above-mentioned description, the details about how the microprocessor unit controls the detector and how the detector detects the limbs' movement and generates a corresponding game command are belonged to the scope of program and software writing, and the appended claims are not intended to cover that.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments, which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A human-machine interactive virtual game control apparatus comprising at least a detector connected to a control box,
- wherein said at least a detector comprises a horizontally mounted sensing pedal and two vertically oppositely mounted sensing lateral plates on both sides of said sensing pedal, four pressure-sensing devices for detecting the applied pressure being mounted on front, rear, left, and right sides of said sensing pedal respectively corresponding to a center portion of said sensing pedal, a plurality of photoelectric devices for detecting movement tracks of objects being mounted on an upper end of said sensing lateral plates, a plurality of photoelectric switches for detecting jumping movement being mounted on a bottom end of said sensing lateral plates; and
- said control box comprises a microprocessor unit and a communication interface, thereby a signal is transmitted from said at least a detector to said microprocessor unit and compared by the software, and then transmitted to a game machine for controlling a game software through said communication interface by use of a signal wire.
2. The human-machine interactive virtual game control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising two detectors for two-man operation.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 18, 2005
Publication Date: Sep 21, 2006
Applicant:
Inventor: Jui-Hsiang Lin (Taipei)
Application Number: 11/082,811
International Classification: A63F 9/24 (20060101);