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

A method of controlling a device upon detecting an object in an environment, comprising the steps of:

• a) calibrating a controller to operate in the environment by initially receiving radiation from the environment in a self-calibration state in which the object is absent from the environment, and determining a reference parameter indicative of the radiation received from the environment in the self-calibration state;
• b) placing an object in the environment;
• c) subsequently receiving radiation from the object in an operating state, and determining a sensing parameter indicative of the radiation received from the object in the environment in the operating state;
• d) comparing the reference and sensing parameters, and responsively generating an output control signal to control the device;
• and
• e) regulating the sensitivity of the controller to the radiation received.

A video game system, comprising:

• A) a display;
• B) a game processor means for processing game data and displaying the processed data on the display;
• and
• C) a self-calibratable, video game controller for interactively controlling the game processor means in response to detection of a player in an environment, said controller including
• a) activatable radiation means for sensing radiation in the environment,
• b) means for activating the radiation means to sense radiation in the environment in a self-calibration state in which the player is absent from the environment,
• c) means for determining a reference parameter indicative of the radiation sensed in the self-calibration state,
• d) operating means for maintaining the radiation means activated to sense radiation in the environment in an operating state in which the player is present in the environment,
• e) said determining means being further operative for determining a sensing parameter indicative of the radiation sensed in the operating state, and
• f) control means for comparing the parameters, and for responsively generating an output control signal to control the game processor means.

A self-calibratable instrument for determining the presence or absence of a dynamic stimulus in a sensing space, comprising:

• sensing means for sensing radiation from said sensing space and for generating output sensing signals in response thereto, said radiation having a characteristic indicative of the presence or absence of said dynamic stimulus in said sensing space, said sensing signals having a sensing parameter which comprises a measure of said characteristic of said radiation;
• and
• processing means for receiving and processing said sensing signals;
• said processing means including self-calibration means for adapting said instrument to operate properly in various and changing environments of use in such a manner that said processing means distinguishes between those sensing signals having a sensing parameter representative of the presence of said dynamic stimulus and those sensing signals whose sensing parameters are representative solely of electronic noise or optical noise indigenous to said environment of use;
• said self-calibration means including means for initially setting the sensitivity of said processing means such that said processing means is responsive to said noise signals in the absence of a dynamic stimulus and for adjusting the sensitivity of said processing means until said responsiveness to said noise signals diminishes to a predetermined level.

A self-calibratable controller for controlling a device upon detecting an object in an environment, comprising:

• a) activatable radiation means including a plurality of radiation assemblies, each operative for sensing radiation in the environment;
• b) self-calibration means for calibrating the controller to operate in the environment, including means for sequentially activating each radiation assembly to sense radiation in the environment in a self-calibration state in which the object is absent from the environment;
• c) means for determining a reference parameter indicative of the radiation sensed in the self-calibration state for each radiation assembly;
• d) operating means for sequentially activating each radiation assembly to sense radiation in the environment in an operating state in which the object is present in the environment;
• e) said determining means being further operative for determining a sensing parameter indicative of the radiation sensed in the operating state for each radiation assembly;
• and
• f) control means for comparing the parameters for each radiation assembly, and for responsively generating an output control signal to control the device.