method of defining a common frame of reference for a video game system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of defining a common frame of reference for a video game system. The system comprises at least two remotely-controlled vehicles ( 1 ), a first vehicle and a second vehicle, each comprising a video sensor ( 19 ), and a reference element ( 69 ) with recognizable zones ( 71 ). The method comprises the following steps: positioning the first vehicle relative to the reference element ( 69 ) in such a manner that the recognizable zones ( 71 ) are in the field of view of the video sensor ( 19 ) of the first vehicle; processing the image delivered by the video sensor ( 19 ) of the positioned first vehicle in order to identify the recognizable zones ( 71 ) in the image; deducing the position of the first vehicle relative to the reference element ( 69 ) by identifying the recognizable zones ( 71 ); and transmitting the position of the first vehicle to the second vehicle.

1 . A method of defining a common frame of reference for a video game system ( 1 ,  3 ), the system comprising:
 at least two remotely-controlled vehicles ( 1 ), a first vehicle and a second vehicle, each having a video sensor ( 19 ); and   a reference element ( 69 ) with recognizable zones ( 71 );   the method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:   positioning the first vehicle relative to the reference element ( 69 ) in such a manner that the recognizable zones ( 71 ) are in the field of view of the video sensor ( 19 ) of the first vehicle;   processing the image delivered by the video sensor ( 19 ) of the positioned first vehicle in order to identify the recognizable zones ( 71 ) in the image;   deducing the position of the first vehicle relative to the reference element ( 69 ) by identifying the recognizable zones ( 71 ); and   transmitting the position of the first vehicle to the second vehicle.   
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , the reference element ( 69 ) being a real object that is distinct from and independent of the two vehicles, in particular a bridge or a pylon, and serving to define a starting point for a race game between the two vehicles. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , the reference element ( 69 ) being incorporated in the second vehicle in the form of an arrangement of optical elements. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the recognizable zones ( 71 ) comprise optical elements, in particular LEDs flashing at known frequencies, or reflective targets. 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the position of the first vehicle relative to the reference element ( 69 ) is deduced by triangulation. 
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the video game system ( 1 ,  3 ) further comprises at least two electronic entities ( 3 ), in particular two portable consoles, each serving to control a respective one of the two vehicles ( 1 ) remotely. 
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1 , the two remotely-controlled vehicles being land vehicles, in particular racing cars or tanks, or aerial vehicles, in particular quadricopters. 
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 6 , communication between the electronic entities ( 3 ) and the remotely-controlled vehicles ( 1 ), and communication between the vehicles themselves, being performed by short-range radio transmission ( 5 ), in particular using Bluetooth or WiFi protocol. 
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the remotely-controlled vehicles ( 1 ) have means for estimating their movements and/or their positions. 
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the movement and/or position estimating means comprise the video sensor ( 19 ). 
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the movement and/or position estimation means comprise an inertial unit made up of one or more accelerometers and/or one or more gyros. 
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the movement and/or position estimation means comprise analog-to-digital electronic converters measuring the electricity consumption of electric motors of the remotely-controlled vehicles ( 1 ) in order to estimate their speeds. 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the movement and/or position estimation means comprise pressure sensors, in particular Pitot tubes. 
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the movement and/or position estimation means comprise a GPS sensor. 
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claims 9 , wherein each remotely-controlled vehicle ( 1 ) has a computer provided with data filtering and merging algorithms so as to enable the most likely magnitudes to be estimated from the data coming from all of the sensors. 
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein radio transmission takes place in real time to enable all of the other remotely-controlled vehicles ( 1 ) to estimate their movements and/or positions. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the radio transmission comprises updating movement and/or position estimates at the same frequency as video image encoding, in particular 25 times per second. 
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the remotely-controlled vehicles ( 1 ) have means for estimating their movements and/or their positions. 
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the movement and/or position estimation means comprise an inertial unit made up of one or more accelerometers and/or one or more gyros. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the movement and/or position estimation means comprise analog-to-digital electronic converters measuring the electricity consumption of electric motors of the remotely-controlled vehicles ( 1 ) in order to estimate their speeds. 
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the movement and/or position estimation means comprise analog-to-digital electronic converters measuring the electricity consumption of electric motors of the remotely-controlled vehicles ( 1 ) in order to estimate their speeds.