Storage medium having input processing program stored thereon and nput processing device

Abstract

An input processing device including a display screen and a pointing device for inputting corresponding 2-dimensional coordinates on the display screen. A 3-dimensional space is displayed on the display screen and the 2-dimensional coordinates inputted from the pointing device are detected. Next, shift amounts, per unit of time, of the detected 2-dimensional coordinates are calculated based on a predetermined calculation start condition. And the calculated shift amounts are converted to 3-dimensional coordinate shift amounts in the 3-dimensional space.

1 . A storage medium having stored thereon a program to be executed by a computer in an input processing device including a display screen and a pointing device for inputting corresponding 2-dimensional coordinates on the display screen, the input processing program causing the computer to execute;
 a display control step for displaying a virtual 3-dimensional space on the display screen;   a 2-dimensional coordinate detection step for detecting the 2-dimensional coordinates inputted from the pointing device;   a 2-dimensional coordinate shift amount calculation step for calculating shift amounts of the 2-dimensional coordinates that are detected in the 2-dimensional coordinate detection step before a change from a status where an input from the pointing device is continuously being conducted to a status where there is no input is produced, and   a 3-dimensional coordinate shift amount utilization step for converting the shift amounts calculated in the 2-dimensional coordinate shift amount calculation step, to 3-dimensional coordinate shift amounts in the virtual 3-dimensional space, and for utilizing the 3-dimensional coordinate shift amounts after the change is produced.   
   
   
       2 . The storage medium having stored thereon the input processing program according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the 2-dimensional coordinate shift amount calculation step calculates first and second shift amounts of first and second axis of the 2-dimensional coordinates, respectively; and   the 3-dimensional coordinate shift amount utilization step calculates a first shift amount of a first axis of the 3-dimensional coordinates from at least the first shift amount of the first axis of the 2-dimensional coordinates; a second shift amount of a second axis of the 3-dimensional coordinates from at least the second shift amount of the second axis of the 2-dimensional coordinates; and a third shift amount of a third axis of the 3-dimensional coordinates from at least one of the first and the second shift amounts of the first and second axis of the 2-dimensional coordinates, to convert the 2-dimensional coordinates into the 3-dimensional coordinates in the virtual 3-dimensional space.   
   
   
       3 . The storage medium having stored thereon the input processing program according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the input processing program further causes the computer to execute an input status determination step for determining an input status from the pointing device;   in the display control step, a predetermined virtual plane is set in the virtual 3-dimensional space and when in the input status determination step, an input from the pointing device is determined as being continuously conducted, a predetermined object is displayed at a position where the 2-dimensional coordinates detected in the 2-dimensional coordinate detection step are projected on the virtual plane; and   when the input status determination step determines a change produced from a status where an input from the pointing device is continuously being conducted to a status where there is no input, the object is lifted off the virtual plane, moved in the virtual 3-dimensional space, based on the 3-dimensional coordinate shift amounts converted in the 3-dimensional coordinate shift amount utilization step, and displayed therein.   
   
   
       4 . The storage medium having stored thereon the input processing program according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 in the display control step, when in the input status determination step, an input from the pointing device is determined as being continuously conducted, a display angle of the object to be projected on the virtual plane is controlled based on the 2-dimensional coordinates detected in the 2-dimensional coordinate detection step.   
   
   
       5 . The storage medium having stored thereon the input processing program according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the input processing program further causes the computer to execute a motion trajectory calculation step for calculating a motion trajectory, per unit of time, in the virtual 3-dimensional space by setting the 3-dimensional coordinate shift amounts converted in the 3-dimensional coordinate shift amount conversion step, as an initial motion vector of the object in the virtual 3-dimensional space; and   in the display control step, based on the motion trajectory calculated in the motion trajectory calculation step, the object is lifted off the virtual plane, moved in the virtual 3-dimensional space, and displayed therein.   
   
   
       6 . The storage medium having stored thereon the input processing program according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 in the display control step, when in the input status determination step, an input from the pointing device is determined as being continuously conducted, a display angle of the object to be projected on the virtual plane is controlled based on the 2-dimensional coordinates detected in the 2-dimensional coordinate detection step; and   in the motion trajectory calculation step, an initial normal vector of the object is set according to the display angle, and a motion trajectory, per unit of time, in the virtual 3-dimensional space is calculated based on the motion vector and the normal vector.   
   
   
       7 . The storage medium having stored thereon the input processing program according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 in the 3-dimensional coordinate shift amount conversion step, based on the shift amounts of a first axis and a second axis, calculated in the 2-dimensional coordinate shift amount calculation step, a shift amount of a third axis perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis is calculated.   
   
   
       8 . The storage medium having stored thereon the input processing program according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 in the 3-dimensional coordinate shift amount conversion step, when the shift amounts of the first axis and the second axis calculated in the 2-dimensional coordinate shift amount calculation step are vx and vy, respectively, and predetermined constants are a, b, c, d, e, and f, a shift amount Vx of the first axis, a shift amount Vy of the second axis, and a shift amount Vz of the third axis, which are represented as the 3-dimensional coordinate shift amounts, are calculated using:   
     
       
         
           
             
               ( 
               
                 
                   
                     Vx 
                   
                 
                 
                   
                     Vy 
                   
                 
                 
                   
                     Vz 
                   
                 
               
               ) 
             
             = 
             
               
                 ( 
                 
                   
                     
                       ab 
                     
                   
                   
                     
                       
                         c 
                          
                         
                             
                         
                          
                         d 
                       
                     
                   
                   
                     
                       ef 
                     
                   
                 
                 ) 
               
                
               
                 
                   
                     vx 
                   
                 
                 
                   
                     vy 
                   
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
   
   
       9 . The storage medium having stored thereon the input processing program according to  claim 8 , wherein the constants a, b, c, d, e, and f respectively vary according to each kind of the objects. 
   
   
       10 . An input processing device comprising:
 a display screen;   a pointing device for inputting corresponding 2-dimensional coordinates on the display screen;   a display control means for displaying a virtual 3-dimensional space on the display screen;   a 2-dimensional coordinate detection means for detecting the 2-dimensional coordinates inputted from the pointing device;   a 2-dimensional coordinate shift amount calculation means for calculating shift amounts of the 2-dimensional coordinates that are detected in the 2-dimensional coordinate detection step before a change is produced from a status where an input from the pointing device is continuously being conducted to a status where there is no input, and   a 3-dimensional coordinate shift amount conversion means for converting the shift amounts calculated in the 2-dimensional coordinate shift amount calculation means, to 3-dimensional coordinate shift amounts in the virtual 3-dimensional space, and for utilizing the 3-dimensional coordinate shift amounts after the change is produced.   
   
   
       11 . The input processing device according to  claim 10 , wherein the pointing device includes a touch panel covering the display screen. 
   
   
       12 . A storage medium storing an input processing program to be executed by a computer in communication with a display screen and a pointing device, the input processing program causing the computer to:
 display a virtual object in 3-dimensional (3D) virtual space on the display screen;   detecting a 2-dimensional (2D) coordinates inputted by the pointing device, wherein the 2D coordinates correspond to positions shown on the display screen;   calculating a 2D shift in the 2D coordinates inputted while the pointing continuously inputs 2D coordinates;   converting the calculated 2D shift to a shift in 3D coordinates, and   applying the shift in 3D coordinates to move the virtual object in 3D virtual space.   
   
   
       13 . The storage medium according to  claim 12  wherein:
 the calculation of the 2D shift includes calculating a first shift along a first axis of the 2D coordinates and a second shift along a second axis of the 2D coordinates, and   the conversion of the calculated 2D shift includes calculating a first shift amount along a first axis of the 3D coordinates using the first shift amount along the first axis of the 2-dimensional coordinates, calculating a second shift amount along a second axis of the 3D coordinates using the second shift along the second axis of the 2D coordinates and calculating a third shift amount of a third axis of the 3D coordinates using one of the first and the second shift amounts of the first and second axis of the 2D coordinates.   
   
   
       14 . The storage medium according to  claim 12 , wherein the input processing program further causes the computer to:
 while the 2D coordinates are being continuously inputted by the pointing device, the displayed virtual object is displayed at the positions on the display screen corresponding to the 2D coordinates, and   the calculation of the 2D shift occurs after the pointing device stops inputting 2D coordinates.   
   
   
       15 . The storage medium according to  claim 14  wherein, while the 2D coordinates are being continuously inputted, the displayed virtual object is moved on a virtual plane in 3D virtual and the movement of the virtual objects corresponds to the inputted 2D coordinates. 
   
   
       16 . The storage medium according to  claim 15  wherein the input processing program further causes the computer to:
 calculating a motion trajectory for the virtual object by setting the shift in 3D coordinates as a motion vector of the object in the virtual 3D, and   displaying the virtual object moving along a trajectory corresponding to the motion trajectory and away from the virtual plane.   
   
   
       17 . The storage medium according to  claim 16 , wherein, while the 2D coordinates are being continuously inputted, a display angle of the object to be projected on the virtual plane is determined based on the detected 2D coordinates, and
 a normal vector of the virtual object is determined based on the display angle, and the motion trajectory is calculated based the normal vector.   
   
   
       18 . The storage medium according to  claim 12  wherein:
 the calculation of the 2D shift determines a 2D shift amount (vx) of the 2D coordinates along a first axis in the 2D coordinates and a shift amount (vy) of the 2D coordinates along a y axis in the 2D coordinates, and   in the conversion of the calculated 2D shift determines as the 3D shift a shift amount Vx along a first axis in the 3D coordinates, a shift amount Vy along a second axis in the 3D coordinates, and a shift amount Vz along a third axis in the 3D coordinates, wherein Vx, Vy and Vz are calculated using:   
     
       
         
           
             
               ( 
               
                 
                   
                     Vx 
                   
                 
                 
                   
                     Vy 
                   
                 
                 
                   
                     Vz 
                   
                 
               
               ) 
             
             = 
             
               
                 ( 
                 
                   
                     
                       ab 
                     
                   
                   
                     
                       
                         c 
                          
                         
                             
                         
                          
                         d 
                       
                     
                   
                   
                     
                       ef 
                     
                   
                 
                 ) 
               
                
               
                 
                   
                     vx 
                   
                 
                 
                   
                     vy 
                   
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     wherein a, b, c, d, e, and f predetermined constants. 
   
   
       19 . The storage medium according to  claim 18  wherein the predetermined constants a, b, c, d, e, and f have values dependent on a type of the virtual object, wherein the virtual object is one of a group of available object types.