Patent · US Expired

Dynamically-activated optical instrument for producing control signals having a self-calibration means

US5442168A · kind A · utility

141Cited by
25References
40Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 6, 1993
Grant dateAug 15, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 6, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG10H2230/055
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical controller is capable of surrounding a player with a radiation screen from a plurality of panels, and enables the player to produce control signals for interface with a controlled instrument such as a musical instrument, a video game processor, etc. The insertion of the appendage of the player can produce a functional control signal. The relative position of the insertion of the appendage can be determined, for example, as a result of the intensity of reflected radiation in the dispersing radiation screen. The video game processing unit can play either a conventional video game that usually accepts eight functional control signals, or it can utilize the full capacities of the control signals available from the optical controller. The player can simulate the movements of the video character to experience a more realistic game play action.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.