# US 11,027,195 B2 · Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,195 B2 - Document ID: US11027195B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/302,764 - Filed: 2017-04-06 - Published: 2019-09-26 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-12 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Ryo Yokoyama; Ikuo Yamano; Osamu Ito; Yosuke Matsuzaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027195B2 ## CPC - A63F 13/285: Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback - A63F 13/211: using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes - A63F 13/213: comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells (A63F13/219 takes precedence) - A63F 13/219: for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns - A63F 13/42: by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle - A63F 13/426: involving on-screen location information, e.g. screen coordinates of an area at which the player is aiming with a light gun - A63F 13/847: Cooperative playing, e.g. requiring coordinated actions from several players to achieve a common goal - G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)} - G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user} - G06F 3/0346: with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors - G06F 3/0386: {for light pen} - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - A63F 2300/8023: the game being played by multiple players at a common site, e.g. in an arena, theatre, shopping mall using a large public display - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract There is provided an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program that enable a predetermined haptic stimulus to be presented to a number of corresponding input devices on the basis of inputs from the input devices and thereby realize an intuitive haptic interface that gives a deeper sense of realism. The information processing apparatus includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of pieces of pointer information on the basis of one or a plurality of pieces of sensor data; a discrimination unit configured to discriminate an input device corresponding to each pointer on the basis of characteristics of the plurality of pieces of pointer information; and a generation unit configured to generate a predetermined haptic stimulation signal to be output to an input device corresponding to a pointer in a case in which a position of the pointer satisfies a predetermined condition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing apparatus comprising: circuitry configured to acquire a plurality of pieces of pointer information on a basis of one or a plurality of pieces of sensor data, discriminate a respective input device of a plurality of input devices corresponding to each respective pointer of a plurality of pointers on a basis of characteristics of the plurality of pieces of pointer information, and generate a predetermined haptic stimulation signal to be output to the respective input device corresponding to the respective pointer in a case in which a position of the respective pointer satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the characteristics of the plurality of pieces of pointer information used to discriminate each respective input device include a unique combination of one or more wavelengths of a plurality of wavelengths, the unique combination corresponding to the respective input device, wherein a number of the plurality of input devices is greater than a number of the plurality of wavelengths, wherein the circuitry discriminates the respective input device based on the plurality of pieces of sensor data acquired from a plurality of cameras, and wherein a number of the plurality of cameras is equal to the number of the plurality of wavelengths. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry generates the predetermined haptic stimulation signal in a case in which a trajectory of the respective pointer is superimposed on a specific stereoscopic object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to transmit the generated haptic stimulation signal to each corresponding input device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in the case in which the position of the respective pointer satisfies the predetermined condition, the circuitry is further configured to generate a predetermined haptic stimulation signal to be output to a haptic stimulus output device worn by a user who is carrying the respective input device corresponding to the respective pointer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor data includes information of a captured image in which a display screen being irradiated with one or more pointers of the plurality of pointers is captured. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the plurality of pieces of the pointer information include a shape of a mark corresponding to each pointer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the plurality of pieces of the pointer information include a state during a swing of one or more pointers of the plurality of pointers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the plurality of pieces of the pointer information include a state of a mark corresponding to each pointer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discriminated respective input device corresponding to each respective pointer based on the unique combination of the one or more wavelengths of the plurality of wavelengths is dynamically constructed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry discriminates the respective input device corresponding to each respective pointer with substantially same coordinates on a plurality of captured images on a basis of information of each of the captured images captured by a plurality of imaging apparatuses with band-pass filters corresponding to respective different wavelengths. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry acquires the plurality of pieces of pointer information corresponding to a timing of an input of the respective input device corresponding to each respective pointer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry discriminates the respective input device corresponding to each respective pointer on a basis of sensor information sensed by a sensor of the respective input device and the characteristics of the plurality of pieces of pointer information. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a case in which sensor information sensed by a respective sensor of the respective input device satisfies the predetermined condition, an input is performed by the respective input device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the input of the respective input device includes light emission from a light emission unit provided in the respective input device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the circuitry discriminates the respective input device corresponding to each respective pointer on a basis of at least one of motion sensor information or attitude sensor information output from the respective input device, and at least one of a trajectory or an angle of the trajectory of the respective pointer indicated by the characteristics of the pointer information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 3) The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, in a case in which it is not possible to discriminate each respective input device of the plurality of input devices corresponding to the plurality of pointers, if there is any pointer satisfying the predetermined condition among the plurality of pointers, the circuitry transmits a predetermined haptic stimulation signal to be output to each input device of the input devices of which discrimination is not possible corresponding to all of the pointers satisfying the predetermined condition. ### Claim 17 An information processing method comprising, by a processor: acquiring a plurality of pieces of pointer information on a basis of one or a plurality of pieces of sensor data; discriminating a respective input device of a plurality of input devices corresponding to each respective pointer of a plurality of pointers on a basis of characteristics of the plurality of pieces of pointer information; and generating a predetermined haptic stimulation signal to be output to the respective input device corresponding to the respective pointer in a case in which a position of the respective pointer satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the characteristics of the plurality of pieces of pointer information used to discriminate each respective input device include a unique combination of one or more of a plurality of wavelengths, the unique combination corresponding to the respective input device, wherein a number of the plurality of input devices is greater than a number of the plurality of wavelengths, wherein the respective input device is discriminated based on the plurality of pieces of sensor data acquired from a plurality of cameras, and wherein a number of the plurality of cameras is equal to the number of the plurality of wavelengths. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a program, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to execute a method, the method comprising: acquiring a plurality of pieces of pointer information on a basis of one or a plurality of pieces of sensor data; discriminating a respective input device of a plurality of input devices corresponding to each respective pointer of a plurality of pointers on a basis of characteristics of the plurality of pieces of pointer information; and generating a predetermined haptic stimulation signal to be output to the respective input device corresponding to the respective pointer in a case in which a position of the respective pointer satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the characteristics of the plurality of pieces of pointer information used to discriminate each respective input device include a unique combination of one or more of a plurality of wavelengths, the unique combination corresponding to the respective input device, wherein a number of the plurality of pointers is greater than a number of the plurality of wavelengths, wherein the respective input device is discriminated based on the plurality of pieces of sensor data acquired from a plurality of cameras, and wherein a number of the plurality of cameras is equal to the number of the plurality of wavelengths. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry generates the predetermined haptic stimulation signal based on a state of a swing of the respective input device corresponding to the respective pointer.