Patent Publication Number: US-2021173472-A1

Title: System and method for performing constellation game using virtual reality

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0163546, filed Dec. 10, 2019, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The described technology relates to a system and method for performing a constellation game using virtual reality. 
     Description of the Related Technology 
     In general, the constellation can be easily appreciated and observed by anyone, regardless of gender, regardless of location. However, because ordinary people lack knowledge about constellations, they find it difficult to understand the constellations and easily get bored with them. In order to compensate for such shortcomings, several mechanisms have been proposed. 
     SUMMARY 
     One aspect is a system and method for performing a constellation game using virtual reality, the constellation game being played using a wearable input device in a state that a user is mounted with a head mounted display (HMD), the system and method being configured so that when a user is provided with a celestial image according to a user gaze direction to select a constellation after starting the game, an image of dots on an outline of the selected constellation is provided, and when the dots are connected to each other, a constellation image and illustration and storytelling information corresponding to the constellation are provided. 
     Another aspect is a system and method for performing a constellation game using virtual reality, the system and method being configured to be capable of enhancing learning effects by drawing interest in constellations. 
     Another aspect is a system for performing a constellation game using virtual reality including a head mounted display (HMD) that a display device worn on a user&#39;s head; a user gaze direction detection unit configured to detect a direction that a user gazes; a wearable input device worn on a user&#39;s body, provided with a game start button for inputting a game start command, and configured to select a constellation and connect dots on an outline of the constellation to each other; and a control device configured so that, when the game start button of the wearable input device is clicked, a user gaze direction is checked through the user gaze direction detection unit to provide the HMD with a celestial image according to the user gaze direction; when any one constellation is selected on the celestial image by the wearable input device, an image of dots on an outline of the selected constellation is provided with the HMD; and when the dots on the outline are connected to each other by the wearable input device, an image of the selected constellation, a mixed image obtained by inserting an illustration into the image of the constellation, and storytelling information on the constellation are provided. 
     According to an embodiment, the control device may include a celestial image providing unit configured so that a user gaze direction is checked through the user gaze direction detection unit to provide the HMD with a celestial image according to the user gaze direction; a constellation dot image providing unit configured so that when any one constellation is selected on the celestial image by the wearable input device, an image of dots on an outline of the selected constellation is provided with the HMD; a constellation image providing unit configured so that when the dots on the outline are connected to each other by the wearable input device, an image of the selected constellation is provided; an illustration providing unit configured to provide a mixed image obtained by inserting an illustration into the image of the constellation provided by the constellation image providing unit; and a constellation storytelling information providing unit configured to provide storytelling information for the mixed image provided by the illustration providing unit. 
     According to an embodiment, the storytelling information may include scientific knowledge related to the constellation and storytelling information related to the constellation in Greek mythology and legend. 
     Another aspect is a method of performing a constellation game including clicking a game start button of a wearable input device; checking, by a control device, a user gaze direction through a user gaze direction detection unit; providing, by the control device, a celestial image according to the user gaze direction to a head mounted display (HMD); selecting any one constellation on the celestial image by the wearable input device; providing, by the control device, an image of dots on an outline of the selected constellation to the HMD; determining, by the control device, whether the dots on the outline are connected to each other by the wearable input device; when the dots on the outline are determined to be connected to each other in the determining, providing, by the control device, the HME with an image of the constellation on which the dots are connected to each other; providing, by the control device, the HME with a mixed image obtained by inserting an illustration into the image of the constellation; and providing, by the control device, the HMD with storytelling information on the mixed image of the constellation. 
     A system and method for performing a constellation game using virtual reality according to an embodiment of the described technology is configured so that, when the game start button of the wearable input device is clicked, the user gaze direction is checked through the user gaze direction detection unit to provide the HMD with a celestial image according to the user gaze direction; when any one constellation on the celestial image is selected by the wearable input device, an image of dots on the outline of the selected constellation is provided with the HMD; and when the dots on the outline are connected to each other by the wearable input device, an image of the selected constellation, a mixed image obtained by inserting an illustration into the image of the corresponding constellation, and storytelling information about the corresponding constellation are provided, whereby it is possible to enhance learning effects by drawing interest in learning about constellations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the described technology will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a system for performing a constellation game using virtual reality according to an embodiment of the described technology. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram showing a celestial image displayed through an HMD in a state that the HMD of  FIG. 1  is mounted on a user. 
         FIG. 3A  is a diagram showing an image displayed through the HMD of  FIG. 1 , in which an image of dots on an outline of the constellation is provided by a constellation dot image providing unit and some of the dots are connected to each other by a wearable input device. 
         FIG. 3B  is a diagram showing a constellation image provided by a constellation image provider. 
         FIG. 3C  is a diagram showing a mixed image provided by the constellation illustration provider. 
         FIG. 3D  is a diagram showing storytelling information for the mixed image provided by a constellation storytelling information provider. 
         FIG. 4  is an operation flow chart showing a method for performing a constellation game according to an embodiment of the described technology. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     There is a method of projecting images of stars or constellations onto a constellation observation hemisphere and providing them to the user. However, since such a method is a learning method that unilaterally provides the constellation and detailed information of the constellation to a participant regardless of a participant&#39;s intention, there are problems that the participant&#39;s learning effect decreases and the participant may lose interest in learning about constellations. 
     In describing the embodiments of the described technology, when it is determined that a detailed description of known technologies related to the described technology may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the described technology, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, terms to be described later are terms defined in consideration of functions in the described technology, which may vary according to the intention or custom of users or operators. Therefore, the definition should be made on the basis of contents throughout this specification. The terms used in the detailed description are only for describing the embodiments of the described technology and should not be construed as limiting. Unless explicitly used otherwise, expressions in the singular form include the meaning of the plural form. In this description, expressions such as “comprising” or “including” are intended to refer to certain features, numbers, steps, actions, elements, and some or combination thereof, and should not be construed as excluding the presence or possibility of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, elements, and some or combination thereof other than those described. 
     In each of systems shown in the drawings, elements in some cases each have the same reference number or a different reference number, suggesting that the elements represented may be different or similar. However, the elements may have different implementations and work with some or all of the systems shown or described herein. The various elements shown in the figures may be the same or different. Which is referred to as the first element and which is referred to as the second element is arbitrary. 
     In this specification, when one component “transmits”, “delivers”, or “provides” data or signals to another component, this includes transmitting data or signals directly from one component to another, as well as transmitting data or signals to another component through at least one other component. 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the described technology will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a system for performing a constellation game using virtual reality according to an embodiment of the described technology. 
     A system for performing a constellation game using virtual reality according to an embodiment of the described technology includes a HMD  100 , a user gaze direction detection unit (or a user gaze direction detector or user gaze direction detection sensor)  110 , a wearable input device  120 , and a control device (or a controller)  200 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The HMD  100  is a display device worn on the user&#39;s head, and provides, from the control device  200 , images such as a celestial image, a dot image on an outline of a constellation, a constellation image, a mixed image obtained by inserting an illustration into the constellation image, and constellation storytelling information. 
     The user gaze direction detection unit  110  is mounted on the HMD  100  and serves to detect the direction the user gazes and provide a detection signal to the control device  200 . The user gaze direction detection unit  110  may detect a direction that the user gazes from 0 to 360 degrees. 
     The wearable input device  120  is worn on the user&#39;s body and serves to input the user&#39;s command to the control device  200 . In addition, the wearable input device  120  includes function selection buttons such as a game start button, a game end button, and a game menu selection button, and an input tool used for selecting a constellation and connecting dots on an outline of the constellation to each other. 
     The control device  200  receives a user gaze direction detection signal from the user gaze direction detection unit  110  and serves to operate according to an input signal provided by the wearable input device  120  to provide an image for a constellation game to the HMD  100 . 
     Specifically, when the game start button of the wearable input device  120  is clicked, the control device  200 : checks the user gaze direction through the user gaze direction detection unit  110  to provide the HMD  100  with a celestial image (see  FIG. 2 ) according to the user gaze direction; when any one constellation on the celestial image is selected by the wearable input device  120 , provides the HMD  100  with an image of dots on the outline of the selected constellation; and when the dots on the outline are connected to each other by the wearable input device  120 , provides the HMD  100  with an image of the selected constellation, a mixed image obtained by inserting an illustration into the image of the corresponding constellation, and storytelling information about the corresponding constellation. 
     The storytelling information may include scientific knowledge related to the constellation and storytelling information related to the constellation in Greek mythology and legend. 
     The control device  200  includes a celestial image providing unit (or a celestial image processor)  210 , a constellation dot image providing unit (or a constellation dot image processor)  220 , a constellation image providing unit (or a constellation image processor)  230 , a constellation illustration providing unit (or a constellation illustration processor)  240 , and a constellation storytelling information providing unit (a constellation storytelling information processor)  250 . 
     The celestial image providing unit  210  serves to check the user gaze direction through the user gaze direction detection unit  110  and provide the HMD  100  with a celestial image according to the user gaze direction. The celestial image providing unit  210  provides the celestial image for all angles (0 to 360 degrees) in the direction that the user gazes, whereby the user may see all the celestial bodies in the night sky. 
     When any one constellation (e.g., Orion) is selected on the celestial image by the wearable input device  120 , the constellation dot image providing unit  220  serves to provide the HMD  100  with an image of dots (see  FIG. 3A ) on an outline of the selected constellation. 
     When the dots on the outline of the constellation is connected to each other by the wearable input device  120 ,  FIG. 3A  shows some dots, that is, dots  1 ,  2 ,  3 , and  4  on the outline of the Orion constellation are connected to each other), the constellation image providing unit  230  provides an image of the selected constellation (see  FIG. 3B ) 
     The constellation illustration providing unit  240  serves to provide a mixed image (see  FIG. 3C ) obtained by inserting an illustration into the constellation image provided by the constellation image providing unit  230 . 
     The constellation storytelling information providing unit  250  serves to provide storytelling information (see  FIG. 3D ) for the mixed image provided by the constellation illustration providing unit  240 . 
     A method for performing a constellation game using a constellation system using virtual reality according to an embodiment of the described technology configured as described above will be described with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 4  is an operation flow chart showing a method for performing a constellation game according to an embodiment of the described technology, where S denotes a step. 
     First, when the user clicks the game start button of the wearable input device  120  (S 10 ), the control device  200  checks a user gaze direction through the user gaze direction detection unit  110  (S 20 ), and provides the HMD  100  with a celestial image according to the user gaze direction as shown in  FIG. 2  (S 30 ). 
     Subsequently, any one constellation on the celestial image is selected by the wearable input device  120  (S 40 ), and the control device  200  provides the HMD  100  with an image of dots on the outline of the constellation selected as shown in  FIG. 3A  (S 50 ). 
     Next, the control device  200  determines whether or not the dots on the outline are connected to each other by the wearable input device  120  (S 60 ). 
     When the dots on the outline are connected to each other in the step S 60  (YES), the control device  200  provides the HMD  100  with an image of the constellation with the dots connected as shown in  FIG. 3B  (S 70 ), provides the HMD  100  with a mixed image obtained by inserting an illustration into the constellation image as shown in  FIG. 3C  (S 80 ), and then provides the HMD  100  with storytelling information about the constellation of the mixed image as shown in  FIG. 3D . 
     Meanwhile, when the dots on the outline are not connected to each other in step S 60  (NO), the control device  200  outputs a message “Connect the dots correctly” to the HMD  100  (S 65 ), and proceeds to step S 60 . 
     A system and method for performing a constellation game using virtual reality according to an embodiment of the described technology is configured so that, when the game start button of the wearable input device is clicked, the user gaze direction is checked through the user gaze direction detection unit to provide the HMD with a celestial image according to the user gaze direction; when any one constellation on the celestial image is selected by the wearable input device, an image of dots on the outline of the selected constellation is provided with the HMD; and when the dots on the outline are connected to each other by the wearable input device, an image of the selected constellation, a mixed image obtained by inserting an illustration into the image of the corresponding constellation, and storytelling information about the corresponding constellation are provided, whereby it is possible to enhance learning effects by drawing interest in constellations. 
     In the drawings and specification, although an optimal embodiment has been disclosed, and specific terms have been used, this is used only for the purpose of describing the embodiments of the described technology, and is not used to limit the meaning or the scope of the described technology described in the claims. Therefore, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true technical scope of the described technology should be determined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.