Abstract:
Apparel is disclosed that can be worn to assist an interactive game in tracking the movement of the wearer. More particularly, the apparel may include one or more tracking marks formed of designs, patterns, or reflective materials that can be easily tracked by an interactive game employing one or more cameras or other detectors for detecting a change in position of an object. The apparel may take the form of, for example, hats, shirts, jackets, pants, gloves, and shoes. By providing tracking marks on apparel, rather than using a special-purpose device that must be separately worn, a player may enjoy a more natural feel when playing the interactive game. Further, the player need not don any special equipment to play the game. Instead, a user can wear the apparel for everyday purposes, and then simply begin playing the game wearing the apparel without having to put on any additional equipment. The apparel may use reflective materials, and the interactive game can employ a camera and a light source configuration where the camera is located within the observation angle of a player employing retroreflective materials reflecting light from the light source.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    Aspects of the present invention relate to apparel for the type of interactive game employing one or more cameras or detectors to track the movement of a player. Other aspects of the present invention relate to an apparatus for implementing an interactive game employing one or more cameras or detectors to track the movement of a player.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    As computer games become more and more sophisticated, some players have sought to play computer games that are more interactive. That is, some players have sought to play computer games that do not respond to simple manipulation of controls on a control console, but instead respond directly to a user&#39;s movements, such as the position of the user&#39;s body or extremities. These games employ detectors, such as cameras, infrared receivers, ultrasound receivers and the like, to detect the position of the players or, in some cases, a player&#39;s extremities. The interactive computer game then provides the appropriate feedback in response to a player&#39;s movement. For example, the interactive computer game may simulate the position of a goalie in a soccer game. If the player moves quickly from left to right, then the interactive computer game may determine that the player has “blocked” a goal, and award the player points for blocking the goal. Thus, this type of interactive computer game allows a user to control the operation of the game by changing his or her position, making gestures, or otherwise moving his or her hands, arms, or legs.  
           [0003]    This type of interactive game may employ a variety of different techniques to track a player&#39;s movements. As noted above, some games may use infrared or ultrasonic detectors to track the motion of the player. With these embodiments, the gaming device will have a sensor that transmits infrared or ultrasonic waves, and a receiver that receives the infrared or ultrasonic waves reflected from an object. The player will then typically don a reflective device that reflects the infrared or ultrasonic waves emitted by the gaming device back to its receiver.  
           [0004]    With these types of interactive games, the player must put on a special device to assist the interactive game in tracking the player&#39;s movements. These devices may be cumbersome, and interfere with the natural feel of the game. Moreover, while some interactive games may allow multiple players to play simultaneously, in actuality the number of players may be limited by the number of tracking devices available.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Various embodiments of the present invention relate to apparel that can be worn to assist an interactive game in tracking the movement of the wearer. More particularly, some embodiments of the invention relate to apparel that includes one or more tracking marks formed of designs, patterns, or reflective materials that can be easily tracked by an interactive game employing one or more cameras or detectors for detecting a change in position of an object. The apparel according to various embodiments of the invention may take the form of, for example, hats, shirts, jackets, pants, gloves, and shoes. By providing tracking marks on apparel, rather than using a special-purpose device that must be separately worn by user, a player may enjoy a more natural feel when playing the interactive game. Further, the player need not don any special equipment to play the game. Instead, a user can wear the apparel for everyday purposes, and then simply begin playing the game wearing the apparel without having to put on any additional equipment.  
           [0006]    Some embodiments of the invention also relate to the use of reflective materials and camera configurations that may be used by an interactive game in tracking the movement of a user. More particularly, some embodiments of the invention use one or more tracking markers formed with retroreflective material. Further, some of these embodiments of the invention use a camera and a light source configuration where the camera is located within the observation angle of a player employing retroreflective materials reflecting light from the light source.  
           [0007]    These and other features and aspects of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    The foregoing summary of the invention, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are included by way of example, and not by way of limitation with regard to the claimed invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 illustrates apparel employing tracking marks according to one embodiment of the invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 illustrates the use of the apparel illustrated in FIG. 1 with an interactive computer game.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a graphic illustration of the operation of retroreflectivity.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 illustrates a camera for use with an interactive computer game according to embodiments of the invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 illustrates one example of retroreflective material that may be used with embodiments of the invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 illustrates another camera for use with an interactive computer game according to embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]    Apparel Bearing Tracking Marks  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a piece of apparel employing tracking marks according to an embodiment of the invention. As seen in this figure, a shirt  101  includes a chest tracking mark  103 , a left cuff tracking mark  105 , and a right cuff tracking mark  107 . Each of these tracking marks  103 - 107  has the appearance of a lightly-colored cross shape. Moreover, each tracking mark  103 - 107  faces toward the front of the shirt  101  (that is, toward the front of a user wearing the shirt  101 ), so that the tracking marks  103 - 107  will appear in images taken by one more cameras of an interactive game played by the wearer.  
         [0017]    In the illustrated embodiment, the remainder of the shirt  101  other than the tracking marks  103 - 107  is relatively dark, providing for good contrast between the tracking marks  103 - 107  and the shirt  101  itself. For example, the tracking marks  103 - 107  may be bright white, while the remainder of the shirt  101  may be a dark blue, brown, or black. This high contrast between the tracking marks  103 - 107  and the background of the shirt  101  will assist an interactive game employing a camera to distinguish the tracking marks  103 - 107  from the background of the shirt  101 . Moreover, the distinctive cross shape of the tracking marks  103 - 107  may assist a suitably-programmed interactive game to identify and distinguish these marks  103 - 107  from the background provided by the shirt  101 . For example, the cross-shaped tracking marks  103 - 107  be useful with the interactive game is programmed to distinguish a cross shape from other shapes imaged by a camera or cameras.  
         [0018]    As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the tracking marks  103 - 107  can be applied to the shirt  101  using a variety of techniques. For example, the tracking marks  103 - 107  may be stitched to the shirt  101 , adhered to the shirt  101  using any suitable adhesive, or woven or knitted into the material of the shirt  101 . Further, the tracking marks  103 - 107  can be printed onto the shirt  101  using a pad printing technique. The tracking marks  103 - 107  also can be heat transferred onto the shirt  101 , die-sublimated onto the shirt  101 , or simply died into the material of the shirt  101 . In addition, the tracking marks  103 - 107  can be glued onto the shirt  101 , impregnated into the shirt  101  using, for example, thermoforming, or etched into the material of the shirt  101 . Still further, the tracking marks  103 - 107  can be permanently mechanically attached to the shirt  101  using any suitable fastening mechanism, such as pins or staples. It should also be appreciated that, where desired, each tracking mark  103 - 107  can be applied to the shirt  101  using a different technique. For example, the chest tracking mark  103  may be stitched to the shirt  101 , while the left cuff and right cuff tracking marks  105  and  107  may be silk screened onto the sleeves of the shirt  101 .  
         [0019]    The use of the shirt  101  according to one embodiments of the invention is shown in FIG. 2. As seen in this figure, a player  201  dons the shirt  101 , and stands before an interactive game  203 . More particularly, the player  201  stands within the playing area defined for the interactive computer game  203 . The interactive computer game  203  includes a pair of video cameras  205  and a display monitor  207 . The interactive computer game  203  also includes a processing unit  209 . The processing unit  209  has a tracking mark recognition module  211 , and a game response module  213 . The tracking mark recognition module  211  receives images from the cameras  205 . From these images, the tracking mark recognition module  211  recognizes one or more tracking marks in the visual fields of the cameras  205 , and determines the movement, if any, of the recognized tracking marks.  
         [0020]    For example, the tracking mark recognition module  211  may employ an algorithm to recognize a tracking mark by distinguishing pixels having a particular color in an image obtained by a camera  205  from pixels in that image of other colors. Alternately, the tracking mark recognition module  211  may recognize a tracking mark by distinguishing the brightness of pixels of the tracking mark from the other pixels in an image obtained by the camera  205 . Still further, the recognition module  211  may recognize a tracking mark by distinguishing pixels of a relatively uniform brightness, shade, or color that are arranged in a particular shape.  
         [0021]    Once the tracking mark recognition module  211  recognizes one or more tracking marks, it then determines the movement of the recognized tracking marks. Algorithms for determining the movement of recognized images are well known in the art, and will not be discussed here in detail. For example, the tracking mark recognition module  211  may use the “city block” method of determining the three-dimensional position of an imaged tracking mark by comparing the position of a specific location on the mark in the image from one camera  205  with the position of the same location on the tracking mark in a simultaneous image from another camera  205 , for the entire area of the tracking mark.  
         [0022]    With some embodiments of the invention, the tracking mark recognition module  211  may additionally determine movement of the user&#39;s extremities from the detected movement of the tracking marks. For example, using inverse kinematics, the tracking mark recognition module  211  may determine that a user has moved his or her right forearm based upon the detected rotation of one tracking mark (located at the user&#39;s wrist) about another stationary tracking mark (located at the user&#39;s elbow). The use of reverse kinematics is also well known in the art, and thus will not be described here in detail.  
         [0023]    Based upon the detected movement of the tracking marks, the game response module  213  then provides a corresponding response on the monitor  207 . For example, if the objective of the game is for the player to position himself or herself so as to block a virtual soccer ball from entering a virtual goal, then the game response module  213  will determine if the movement of any of the tracking marks  103 - 107  will place that tracking mark between the virtual soccer ball and the virtual goal. If the game response module  213  determines that one of the tracking marks  103 - 107  has moved to a virtual location between the virtual soccer ball and the virtual goal, then the game response module  213  may display a soccer ball moving away from the player  201 , indicating that the player has successfully blocked the ball. On the other hand, if the game response module  213  determines that the movement of the tracking marks  103 - 107  does not place a tracking mark between the virtual soccer ball and the virtual goal, then the game response module  213  may display a scoring indicator indicating that the player  201  has given up a point in a virtual soccer game.  
         [0024]    It should be noted that, with various embodiments of the invention, the tracking mark recognition module  211  may additionally or alternately-recognize qualitative information from one or more of the tracking marks. Thus, a user may wear apparel that displays a special tracking mark, such as a specific number or pattern. Upon recognizing this number of pattern, the tracking mark recognition module  211  may then provide the game with one or more special features of functions.  
         [0025]    For example, if the interactive game  203  is a virtual soccer goal-blocking game, the user may wear a shirt bearing the number of a soccer player that is particularly good at blocking high shots on the goal. When the tracking mark recognition module  211  recognizes the number, the game  203  may then relax the user&#39;s requirements for successfully blocking a “high” virtual shot on the virtual goal. Alternately, if the interactive game  203  provides a training program to assist a user in exercising with handheld or strapped-on weight, the tracking mark recognition module  211  may recognize the mass of the weight from its color, and the game  203  will then adjust the training program accordingly. With some of these embodiments, the interactive game  203  may use the tracking marks only to obtain qualitative information. The game  203  may then determine the user&#39;s position or movements using techniques other than with the tracking marks, such as by conventional infrared, visible light or sonic positioning and motion detection.  
         [0026]    In addition to passively providing qualitative information, the tracking marks may also provide qualitative information when moved. For example, the tracking mark recognition module  211  may recognize particular movements or motions of one or more tracking marks as character information or instructional information. Thus, with some embodiments of the invention, a user may make a particular motion with one or more tracking marks, and the tracking mark recognition module will recognize these motions to be an instruction to, e.g., turn off the game, change the type or characteristics of the game, input alphanumeric information, or provide other qualitative information.  
         [0027]    The method of manufacturing apparel bearing tracking marks, such as the shirt  101 , according to various embodiments of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3. As seen in this figure, in step  301 , the apparel manufacturer analyzes the interactive game  203  with which the apparel bearing the tracking marks will be employed. More particularly, the apparel manufacturer determines the type of tracking mark or marks that the apparel should have in order to allow the interactive game  203  to properly track the user&#39;s movements. This information regarding the types of suitable tracking marks may be obtained directly from the manufacture of the interactive game  203 , or it may be obtained by studying the components of the interactive game  203 , such as the software code of the interactive game  203  (for example, the software code of the tracking mark recognition module  211 ).  
         [0028]    For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the shirt  101  bears specific shapes (that is, cross shapes) that the interactive game  203  can easily identify as tracking marks. With alternate embodiments of the invention, however, the interactive game may distinguish tracking marks of specific colors rather than specific shapes. For example, with some embodiments of the invention, the interactive game may more easily identify a tracking mark having the color red from a blue background of the apparel than a tracking mark having a particular shape. Alternately, or additionally, some interactive games may better distinguish reflective tracking marks than tracking marks that simply have a high contrast with respect to the apparel on which they are placed. For example, with some embodiments of the invention, the interactive game may employ an electromagnetic wave transmitter, such as an infrared, visible light or sonic transmitter, together with one or more detectors for detecting the reflection of these electromagnetic waves. The tracking marks can then be formed of a material that is particularly reflective of the appropriate type of electromagnetic wave.  
         [0029]    Further, some interactive games may track only the player&#39;s position. With these games, the piece of apparel might require only a single tracking mark located in a central position on the apparel. Moreover, the interactive game may actually track the movement of each of the player&#39;s extremities. With this type of interactive game, the apparel might require multiple tracking marks, such as one on each sleeve of a shirt, or on each leg of a pair of pants.  
         [0030]    After the manufacturer has determined the appropriate tracking mark or marks to be applied to the apparel, the manufacture manufactures the apparel with those tracking marks in step  303 . As discussed in detail above, the manufacturer can manufacture the apparel to inherently include the tracking marks, or the manufacturer may apply the tracking marks to the apparel after the apparel is created. Next, in step  305 , the manufacturer makes the apparel available to a wearer who intends to play the interactive game studied by the manufacturer. Then, in step  307 , the player  201  obtains the apparel bearing the tracking marks from the manufacturer. In step  309 , the player  201  begins wearing the apparel bearing the tracking marks, and, in step  311 , begins playing the interactive game studied by the manufacturer while wearing the apparel with the tracking marks.  
         [0031]    As discussed above, the apparel employing the tracking marks may be of any desired type. For example, with some embodiments of the invention, the apparel can include shirts, such as long sleeve shirts and sleeve shirts, jackets, pants, shorts, socks, and hat. The apparel can also include footwear. Still further, the apparel may be a hand-held object, such as a weight or piece of sports equipment, a band, such as a band that may be worn around the player&#39;s wrist, chest or ankles, or a sticker that may be applied to apparel that the player already possesses.  
         [0032]    Retroreflective Tracking Marks  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 4 illustrates yet another embodiment of the invention, which employs one or more retroreflective tracking marks to assist an interactive game in tracking the movements of a player. As seen in this figure, the player  401  is wearing a shirt  403  that bears a chest tracking mark  405 . The tracking mark  405  is formed of retroreflective material. As is known in the art, retroreflective material is a material that reflects light back in the direction of its source.  
         [0034]    More particularly, the operation of retroreflectivity will be discussed briefly with reference to FIG. 5. As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, materials typically will reflect in one of two ways. First, a surface may diffusely reflect incident light. That is, if incident light strikes a diffusive surface at a particular angle, the surface will reflect that incident light in multiple directions, and not produce a clear reflection of the incident light. Second a surface may provide a specular or mirror reflection. With this type of surface, if incident light strikes the surface at a particular angle, the surface will reflect the incident light at the opposite angle. With retroreflective surfaces, however, the incident light is reflected in generally the same direction from which it originated.  
         [0035]    As known in the art, a retroreflective surface includes a mirrored layer  503  and a retroreflective sheeting layer over the mirrored player  503 . The retroreflective sheeting layer may be formed of tiny cube or prism elements, or it may be formed of transparent beads, such as the sphere  505  shown in FIG. 5. As seen in this figure, when an incident light ray  507  strikes the bead  505 , it is reflected toward the center axis (perpendicular to the mirrored layer  503 ) of the bead  505 . When the incident light ray  507  is then reflected from the mirrored surface  503 , it exits the bead  505  in a direction generally parallel to that of the incident light ray  507 . Thus, retroreflective surfaces will reflect incident light in generally the same direction from which it originated. Of course, there will be some deviation between the direction of the incident light ray and its corresponding reflected light ray. This deviation is referred to as the observation angle.  
         [0036]    Returning now to FIG. 4, the interactive game being used by the player  401  employs a camera  407  to take advantage of the retroreflectivity of the tracking mark  405 . The camera  407  includes a stand  409  having a light source  411  mounted thereon. When a beam of incident light  413  is directed from the light source  411 , the tracking mark  405  reflects the incident light  413  in a beam of reflected light  415 . The direction of the reflected light beam  415  is back toward the light source  411 . Because the camera lens  417  is relatively close to the light source  411 , it is within the observation angle for light reflected from the light source  411 .  
         [0037]    Thus, the camera lens  417  will image the light from the light source  411  reflected by the retroreflective tracking mark  405 . As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, however, other observers standing outside of the observation angle will not view the reflected light  415  from the retroreflective tracking mark  405 . Instead, to these observers, the tracking mark  405  will simply appear as a somewhat shiny mark. Moreover, because of the high reflectivity of the retroreflective tracking mark  405 , the image of the tracking mark  405  will be strongly distinguished from its surrounding background, such as the background provided by the shirt  403 . This will assist the interactive computer game in recognizing the tracking mark  405  from its background.  
         [0038]    Of course, it will be appreciated that the light source  411  need not be mounted on the stand  409  of the camera  407  in order for the camera  407  to be within the observation angle for light reflected from the light source  411 . Instead, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, the area encompassed by the observation angle for light reflected from the retroreflective tracking mark  405  will depend upon the distance from the light source  411  to the tracking mark  405 . Whether or not the camera  407  will be within the area encompassed by the observation angle will also depend upon the distance of the camera  407  to the retroreflective tracking mark  405 .  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a camera  601  that typically ensures that the images obtained by the camera  601  will include light from within the observation angle of light reflected from a retroreflective tracking mark. The camera  601  includes a camera lens  603  and a light source  605 . As seen in FIG. 6, the light source  605  encircles the lens  603 . Thus, any light from the light source  605  will be retroreflected back to the camera lens  603 . That is, in almost all situations, the camera lens  603  will be within the observation angle of light reflected from the light source  605 . Of course, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the radial distance between the lens  603  and the light source  605  can be modified based upon the expected distance to the retroreflective tracking mark. In most situations, the interactive computer game will typically specify a depth of a playing area. Thus, the intended depth of the playing area can be taken into account when spacing the light source  605  from the lens  603 .  
         [0040]    It should be noted that, in addition to the light source/lens configurations shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, a variety of other configurations are also possible. For example, the light source  605  may only partially encircle the camera lens  603 . Alternately, the light source  605  may be mounted with a different support than the mount for the camera. A wide variety of positioning and mounting options are separately available for the light source  605  and the camera lens  603  that will still maintain the camera lens  603  within the observation angle for light reflected by a retroreflective target from the light source  605 .  
         [0041]    Conclusion  
         [0042]    Although the invention has been defined using the appended claims, these claims are exemplary in that the invention may be intended to include the elements and steps described herein in any combination or sub combination. Accordingly, there are any number of alternative combinations for defining the invention, which incorporate one or more elements from the specification, including the description, claims, and drawings, in various combinations or sub combinations. It will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant technology, in light of the present specification, that alternate combinations of aspects of the invention, either alone or in combination with one or more elements or steps defined herein, may be utilized as modifications or alterations of the invention or as part of the invention. It may be intended that the written description of the invention contained herein covers all such modifications and alterations. For instance, in various embodiments, a certain order to the data has been shown. However, any reordering of the data is encompassed by the present invention. Also, where certain units of properties such as size (e.g., in bytes or bits) are used, any other units are also envisioned.