Apparatus, methods, and systems for viewing and manipulating a virtual environment

An apparatus comprising:

• a camera control input device configured to provide a camera control input device signal in response to user actions;
• a horizontal movement sensor configured to provide a horizontal movement signal in accordance with a horizontal movement of the apparatus, the horizontal movement sensor comprising any one of a horizontal angular acceleration sensor configured to provide the horizontal movement signal in accordance with a horizontal acceleration of the apparatus and a horizontal angular rate sensor configured to provide the horizontal movement signal in accordance with a horizontal rate of movement of the apparatus;
• a vertical movement sensor configured to provide a vertical movement signal in accordance with a vertical movement of the apparatus, the vertical movement sensor comprising any one of a vertical angular rate sensor configured to provide the vertical movement signal in accordance with a vertical rate of movement of the apparatus and a vertical angular rate sensor configured to provide the vertical movement signal in accordance with a vertical acceleration of the apparatus;
• and
• a control signal generator configured to generate a virtual camera control signal based on at least one of a plurality of signals comprising the horizontal movement signal, the vertical movement signal, and the camera control input device signal and interpretable by a software application as an instruction for changing a view within a virtual environment that is entirely generated by the software application, the virtual environment being generated without images captured by a camera with an image sensor.

A camera simulating device for controlling a virtual camera capturing a view within a virtual environment that is entirely generated by a video software application, the virtual environment being generated without images captured by a camera with an image sensor, the camera simulating device comprising:

• a horizontal sensor configured to provide a horizontal movement signal in accordance with a horizontal movement of the camera simulating device, the horizontal sensor comprising any one of a horizontal angular acceleration sensor configured to provide the horizontal movement signal in accordance with a horizontal acceleration of the apparatus and a horizontal angular rate sensor configured to provide the horizontal movement signal in accordance with a horizontal rate of movement of the apparatus;
• a vertical sensor configured to provide a vertical movement signal in accordance with a vertical movement of the camera simulating device, the vertical sensor comprising any one of a vertical angular rate sensor configured to provide the vertical movement signal in accordance with a vertical rate of movement of the apparatus and a vertical angular rate sensor configured to provide the vertical movement signal in accordance with a vertical acceleration of the apparatus;
• a camera control input device configured to provide a camera control input device signal in response to user actions;
• a control signal generator configured to generate a virtual camera control signal based on at least one of a plurality of signals comprising the vertical movement signal, the horizontal movement signal, and the camera control input device signal, the virtual camera control signal recognizable by the video software application as at least one of a plurality of commands to change the view captured by the virtual camera of the virtual environment.

A method comprising:

• receiving a camera control input device signal from a camera control input device;
• receiving a movement sensor signal based on a movement of the user input device, the movement sensor signal comprising any one of a vertical rate signal, a vertical acceleration signal, a horizontal rate signal, and a horizontal acceleration signal;
• and
• generating a camera control signal comprising generating a virtual camera control signal for controlling a virtual camera capturing a view within a virtual environment that is entirely generated by a software application, the virtual environment being generated without images captured by a camera with an image sensor, and the generating a virtual camera control signal being based on the camera control input device signal and the movement sensor signal.

A method comprising:

• receiving a horizontal movement signal in accordance with a horizontal movement of a control apparatus, the horizontal movement signal comprising any one of a horizontal rate signal and a horizontal acceleration signal;
• receiving a vertical movement signal in accordance with a vertical movement of the control apparatus, the vertical movement signal comprising any one of a vertical rate signal, and a vertical acceleration signal;
• receiving a camera control signal;
• generating a virtual camera control signal based on at least one of a plurality of signals comprising the vertical movement signal, the horizontal movement signal, and the camera control signal, the virtual camera control signal interpretable by a software application as an instruction for changing a view within a virtual environment that is entirely generated by the software application, the virtual environment being generated without images captured by a camera with an image sensor.

A method performed in a camera simulating device for generating a virtual camera control signal for controlling a virtual camera capturing a view within a virtual environment that is entirely generated by a video software application, the virtual environment being generated without images captured by a camera with an image sensor, the method comprising:

• receiving a horizontal movement signal of the camera simulating device, the horizontal movement signal comprising any one of a horizontal rate signal and a horizontal acceleration signal;
• receiving a vertical movement signal in accordance with a vertical movement of the camera simulating device, the vertical movement signal comprising any one of a vertical rate signal, and a vertical acceleration signal;
• receiving a camera control signal generated by a camera control input in response to user actions;
• generating a virtual camera control signal based on at least one of a plurality of signals comprising the vertical movement signal, the horizontal movement signal, and the camera control signal, the virtual camera control signal recognizable by the video software application as at least one of a plurality of camera commands to change the view captured by the virtual camera within the virtual environment.