Patent ID: 7711505
Filing Date: 2010-05-04
Classification: A63F

Abstract:
1. An orientation calculation apparatus for obtaining data from an input device comprising at least a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an image pickup device, so as to calculate an orientation of the input device, the orientation calculation apparatus comprising: orientation calculator for calculating a first orientation of the input device in accordance with an angular rate detected by the gyro sensor; first correction programmed logic circuitry for correcting the first orientation such that the closer a magnitude of an acceleration which is represented by acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor is to a magnitude of a gravitational acceleration, the more closely the first orientation approaches a second orientation, the second orientation being an orientation, of the input device, in which a direction of the acceleration which is represented by the acceleration data detected by the acceleration sensor is a vertically downward direction, and second correction programmed logic circuitry for correcting the first orientation so as to approach a third orientation at a predetermined rate, the third orientation being an orientation, of the input device, which is calculated from a direction and/or a position of a predetermined subject in an image taken by the image pickup device, the first correction programmed logic circuitry correcting the first orientation only when a difference between the magnitude of the acceleration and the magnitude of the gravitational acceleration is smaller than a predetermined reference value, and the second correction programmed logic circuitry calculating, among the third orientation, an orientation, associated with a roll direction, relative to an imaging direction of the image pickup device, based on the direction of the predetermined subject in the image taken by the image pickup device, and calculating, among the third orientation, an orientation, associated with a pitch direction and/or a yaw direction, relative to the imaging direction of the image pickup device, based on the position of the predetermined subject in the image taken by the image pickup device.