System and method for executing a game process

Abstract

A 3-D imaging system for recognition and interpretation of gestures to control a computer. The system includes a 3-D imaging system that performs gesture recognition and interpretation based on a previous mapping of a plurality of hand poses and orientations to user commands for a given user. When the user is identified to the system, the imaging system images gestures presented by the user, performs a lookup for the user command associated with the captured image(s), and executes the user command(s) to effect control of the computer, programs, and connected devices.

1 . A storage medium storing a sound output control program for a sound output control apparatus that outputs a sound from an output means in accordance with manipulation of an operating means, wherein said operating means comprises an acceleration sensor for detecting accelerations in directions of at least two axes orthogonal to each other, said sound output control program allows a processor of said sound output control apparatus to execute:
 an acquisition step of acquiring the accelerations detected by said acceleration sensor;   a calculation step of calculating sum of accelerations of two axes acquired in said acquisition step;   a sound control step of generating a control signal for sound output in accordance with a change in said sum of accelerations; and   a sound output step of outputting a sound from said output means based on said control signal.   
   
   
       2 . A storage medium storing a sound output control program according to  claim 1 , wherein said sound control step includes a determination step of determining whether a change in said sum of accelerations has formed a predetermined relationship with any of a plurality of threshold values stored in a storage means, and when it is determined in said determination step that a change in said sum of accelerations has formed a predetermined relationship with said threshold value, said control signal for sound output is generated. 
   
   
       3 . A storage medium storing a sound output control program according to  claim 1 , wherein, in said sound control step, a tone of sound to be output is selected on the basis of a change in said sum of accelerations. 
   
   
       4 . A storage medium storing a sound output control program according to  claim 1 , wherein said operating means further comprises a sound emission instruction means for providing an instruction on whether or not to carry out sound output and, in said sound control step, presence or absence of the sound output is controlled in accordance with the instruction from said sound emission instruction means. 
   
   
       5 . A sound output control apparatus for outputting a sound from an output means in accordance with manipulation of an operating means having an acceleration sensor for detecting accelerations in at least two directions orthogonal to each other, comprising:
 an acquisition means for acquiring the accelerations detected by said acceleration sensor;   a calculation means for calculating sum of accelerations of two axes acquired by said acceleration means;   a sound control means for generating a control signal for sound output in accordance with a change in said sum of accelerations; and   a sound output means for outputting a sound from said output means based on said control signal.   
   
   
       6 . A storage medium storing a volume control program for a volume control device that outputs a sound from a speaker in accordance with manipulation of a pointer, wherein said pointer comprises an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration values in directions of at least two axes orthogonal to each other, said volume control program allows a processor of said volume control device to execute:
 an acquisition step of acquiring the acceleration values detected by said acceleration sensor;   a calculation step of combining the acceleration values of two axes acquired in said acquisition step;   a volume control step of generating a control signal for outputting sound in accordance with a change in said combination of acceleration values; and   a volume output step of outputting sound from said speaker based on said control signal.   
   
   
       7 . A storage medium storing a volume control program according to  claim 6 , wherein said volume control step includes a determination step of determining whether a change in said combination of acceleration values has exceeded a predetermined threshold value stored in a storage means, and when it is determined in said determination step that a change in said combination of acceleration values has exceeded said threshold value, said control signal for sound output is generated. 
   
   
       8 . A storage medium storing a volume control program according to  claim 6 , wherein, in said volume control step, a tone of sound to be output is selected on the basis of a change in said combination of acceleration values. 
   
   
       9 . A storage medium storing a volume control program according to  claim 6 , wherein said pointer further comprises a sound processing unit providing instructions on whether or not to output sound and, in said sound control step, presence or absence of the sound output is controlled in accordance with the instructions from said sound processing unit. 
   
   
       10 . A volume control device for outputting a sound from a speaker in accordance with manipulation of a pointer having an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration values in at least two directions orthogonal to each other, comprising:
 an acquisition processing unit acquiring the acceleration values detected by said acceleration sensor;   a calculation processing unit calculating a combination of acceleration values of two axes acquired by said acceleration processing unit;   a volume control processing unit generating a control signal for outputting sound in accordance with a change in said combination of acceleration values; and   a speaker outputting a sound based on said control signal.   
   
   
       11 . A game apparatus for executing a game process using acceleration data output from a multi-axis acceleration sensor included in an input device, comprising:
 an obtaining means for successively obtaining the acceleration data;   a gravity direction calculating means for calculating a gravity direction which is represented using an orientation of the input device as a reference, based on values of a plurality of pieces of acceleration data obtained during a predetermined period;   a first movement direction calculating means for calculating a first movement direction which is a movement direction of the input device which is represented using the orientation of the input device as the reference, based on the values of the plurality of pieces of acceleration data obtained during the predetermined period; and   a game processing means for executing a game process based on the first movement direction and the gravity direction.   
   
   
       12 . The game apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a second movement direction calculating means for calculating a second movement direction which is a movement direction of the input device with respect to the gravity direction, based on the first movement direction and the gravity direction,   wherein the game processing means executes a game process based on the second movement direction.   
   
   
       13 . The game apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the game processing means executes a game process for moving an object displayed on a display device in a direction corresponding to the second movement direction. 
   
   
       14 . The game apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a period detecting means for detecting a period from start to end of movement of the input device, as the predetermined period, based on the acceleration data obtained by the obtaining means.   
   
   
       15 . The game apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the first movement direction calculating means calculates the first movement direction from transition of values of an acceleration data group obtained during the predetermined period. 
   
   
       16 . A computer readable storage medium storing a game program for causing a computer in a game apparatus for executing a game process using acceleration data output from a multi-axis acceleration sensor included in an input device, to execute:
 an obtaining step of successively obtaining the acceleration data;   a gravity direction calculating step of calculating a gravity direction which is represented using an orientation of the input device as a reference, based on values of a plurality of pieces of acceleration data obtained during a predetermined period;   a first movement direction calculating step of calculating a first movement direction which is a movement direction of the input device which is represented using the orientation of the input device as the reference, based on the values of the plurality of pieces of acceleration data obtained during the predetermined period; and   a game processing step of executing a game process based on the first movement direction and the gravity direction.   
   
   
       17 . The storage medium according to  claim 16 , wherein the game program causes the computer to further execute:
 a second movement direction calculating step of calculating a second movement direction which is a movement direction of the input device with respect to the gravity direction, based on the first movement direction and the gravity direction,   wherein, in the game processing step, the computer executes a game process based on the second movement direction.   
   
   
       18 . The storage medium according to  claim 17 , wherein, in the game processing step, the computer executes a game process for moving an object displayed on a display device in a direction corresponding to the second movement direction. 
   
   
       19 . The storage medium according to  claim 16 , wherein the game program causes the computer to further execute:
 a period detecting step of detecting a period from start to end of movement of the input device, as the predetermined period, based on the acceleration data obtained by the obtaining step.   
   
   
       20 . The storage medium according to  claim 16 , wherein, in the first movement direction calculating step, the computer calculates the first movement direction from transition of values of an acceleration data group obtained during the predetermined period. 
   
   
       21 . A game device for executing a game process using acceleration data output from a multi-axis acceleration sensor included in a pointer, comprising:
 an obtaining processing unit for successively obtaining the acceleration data;   a pitch angle computing processing unit for computing a pitch angle using an orientation of the pointer as a reference, based on a plurality of acceleration values obtained during a calibration period;   a first movement direction computing processing unit for computing a first movement direction of the pointer using the orientation of the pointer as the reference, based on the plurality of acceleration values obtained during the calibration period; and   a game processing unit for executing a game process based on the first movement direction and the pitch angle.   
   
   
       22 . The game device according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a second movement direction computing processing unit for computing a second movement direction of the pointer with respect to the pitch angle, based on the first movement direction and the pitch angle,   wherein the game processing unit executes a game process based on the second movement direction.   
   
   
       23 . The game device according to  claim 22 , wherein the game processing unit executes a game process for moving an object displayed on a display in a direction corresponding to the second movement direction. 
   
   
       24 . The game device according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a period detecting processing unit for detecting a period from start to end of movement of the pointer, as the predetermined period, based on the acceleration data obtained by the obtaining processing unit.   
   
   
       25 . The game device according to  claim 21 , wherein the first movement direction computing processing unit computes the first movement direction from the acceleration data obtained during the predetermined period. 
   
   
       26 . A computer readable storage medium storing a game program for causing a computer in a game device for executing a game process using acceleration data output from a multi-axis acceleration sensor included in a pointer, to execute:
 an obtaining step of successively obtaining the acceleration data;   a pitch angle computing step of computing a pitch angle using an orientation of the pointer as a reference, based on a plurality of values of acceleration data obtained during a predetermined period;   a first movement direction computing step of computing a first movement direction which is a movement direction of the pointer using the orientation of the pointer as the reference, based on the plurality of values of the acceleration data obtained during the predetermined period; and   a game processing step of executing a game process based on the first movement direction and the pitch angle.   
   
   
       27 . The storage medium according to  claim 26 , wherein the game program causes the computer to further execute:
 a second movement direction computing step of computing a second movement direction which is a movement direction of the pointer with respect to the pitch angle, based on the first movement direction and the pitch angle,   wherein, in the game processing step, the computer executes a game process based on the second movement direction.   
   
   
       28 . The storage medium according to  claim 27 , wherein, in the game processing step, the computer executes a game process for moving an object displayed on a display in a direction corresponding to the second movement direction. 
   
   
       29 . The storage medium according to  claim 26 , wherein the game program causes the computer to further execute:
 a period detecting step of detecting a period from start to end of movement of the pointer, as the predetermined period, based on the acceleration data obtained by the obtaining step.   
   
   
       30 . The storage medium according to  claim 26 , wherein, in the first movement direction computing step, the computer computes the first movement direction from the acceleration data obtained during the predetermined period.