Sony Files Patent On "Any-Object" Motion Control

Oracle Goddess writes "Sony filed a patent for a system where a camera can dynamically map any real world object for use in a video game. The patent states that the objects 'include items such as coffee mugs, drinking glasses, books, bottles, etc.' While these are given as examples, the object mapping system is not limited to those objects; it can identify any three dimensional object. The system looks similar to Microsoft's Project Natal, but instead of driving with an imaginary steering wheel, players can use an everyday item like a plate. Although this may seem a bit silly at first, the eventual uses for such a system could be wide-ranging and lead to novel and useful controllers for all sorts of systems and applications."

Comments

What is Japanese for...

[kulakovich]

"Prior Art"?

kulakovich

Re:What is Japanese for...

[Rebelgecko]

Hmmm that was easier to find than I thought. It's called camspace. http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/06/16/1326238 and http://www.camspace.com/ are the relevant links. Apparently a mac version is in the works as well.

I hope they make money on the patent...

[Anonymous Coward]

'cause they sure won't make much selling special controllers anymore.

I got your controller right here!

[192939495969798999]

As with all inventions, this will lead to ungodly adult game uses.

Not even oxiclean

[BillyMays]

can take the stains out of patent law that allows things like this. What if a user wants to use a wiimote as their motion device of choice with Sony's system? At that point does it fall under Sony's blanket patent? This is like carpet bombing - no specific target, just try and cover as much ground as you can.

Re:Not even oxiclean

[clone53421]

The patent covers the method for detecting and tracking the object. It has nothing to do with patenting the object itself. I see no reason there would be any legal issue with using a Wiimote as a visually-tracked controller – although I'm quite sure that none of the buttons would work, since it's basically just tracking the movement of the rectangular white object.

Re:Common objects

[JCSoRocks]

Yeah, a wiimote hitting your TV is nothing in comparison to a bullet.

Already Available: CamSpace

[fpgaprogrammer]

you can download camspace and use your webcam to track objects and control games right now:

http://www.camspace.com/

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:Patent number?

[mercosmique]

The application number is 20090158220, not sure if that is what you mean or if it helps.

Prior Art

[Gumshoe]

The system looks similar to Microsoft's Project Natal, but instead of driving with an imaginary steering wheel, players can use an everyday item like a plate.

You can hold "everyday item's like a plate" with Natal too. The difference is that you don't have to for it to work.

Another trollish patent

[rollingcalf]

This is yet another patent where they haven't actually gotten the specified technology to work as described; they just patent it ahead of time so when somebody else gets it to work they can sue them. The USPTO needs to bring back the requirement for a working prototype.