	US 7,532,211 B2
	Image processing device and image processing method
Norio Haga, Tokyo (Japan); Tadanobu Numata, Tokyo (Japan); Satoshi Mifune, Tokyo (Japan); Makoto Yamamoto, Tokyo (Japan); Kaori Yamamoto, Tokyo (Japan); and Masaki Yamashita, Kawasaki (Japan)
Assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises, Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Jun. 30, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/171,735.
Application 11/171735 is a division of application No. 09/171236, filed on Jul. 13, 1999, granted, now 6,989,829.
Claims priority of application No. 9-34089 (JP), filed on Feb. 18, 1997; and application No. 9-34163 (JP), filed on Feb. 18, 1997.
Prior Publication US 2005/0239547 A1, Oct. 27, 2005
Int. Cl. G06T 15/00 (2006.01); G09G 5/00 (2006.01); G06F 17/00 (2006.01); G06F 19/00 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 345—419 [345/619; 463/30; 463/31; 463/32; 463/33]

8 Claims

1. An image processing device comprising:

image generating means for generating a game screen representing a view seen from a virtual camera disposed in virtual space, wherein a plurality of predetermined areas are defined in said virtual space and an angle of said virtual camera is set for each of said plurality of predetermined areas;

object setting means for setting an object in said virtual space;

object behavior controlling means for controlling behavior of said object in said virtual space based on an operation of a player;

camera angle adjusting means for adjusting an angle at which said virtual camera views said object, based on positional coordinates of said virtual camera in said virtual space; and

object positional determination means for determining whether said object is located in one of said plurality of predetermined areas based on the positional coordinates of said virtual camera; wherein

said camera angle adjusting means angularly adjusts said virtual camera to 0 degrees if said object positional determination means determines that said object is not located in said plurality of predetermined areas; and

said camera angle adjusting means adjusts said virtual camera to the angle set for the area in which said object is located if said object positional determination means determines that said object is located in any of said plurality of predetermined areas.