Information processing system, non-transitory storage medium having stored therein information processing program, information processing apparatus, and information processing method

• US 10,471,346 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2018
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamashita, Yuta, Kurihara, Tatsuya, Gohara, Shigetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hylinski, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US15/987,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20180345131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5258 by dynamically adapting the position of the virtual camera to keep a game object or game character in its viewing frustum, e.g. for tracking a character or a ball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/56 Computing the motion of game characters with respect to other game characters, game objects or elements of the game scene, e.g. for simulating the behaviour of a group of virtual soldiers or for path finding

Abstract

Provided is an example system in which a player character provided in a virtual space is caused to perform a motion including a first state and a second state, by a user operating a left controller and a right controller. When the player character is in the first state, the left controller vibrates more strongly than the right controller. When the player character is in the second state, the right controller vibrates more strongly than the left controller.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

a first vibrator configured to vibrate with a strength based on a first vibration signal;

a second vibrator configured to vibrate with a strength based on a second vibration signal; and

at least one processor configured to at least;

generate the first vibration signal for causing the first vibrator to vibrate, and generate the second vibration signal for causing the second vibrator to vibrate; and

cause an operation object to perform a motion including a first state and a second state, in a virtual space, based on an operation performed by a user, wherein the first state corresponds to a first interaction between the operation object and a vibration-enabling object and the second state corresponds to a second interaction between the operation object and the vibration-enabling object,

wherein when the operation object is in the first state of the motion, the first and second vibration signals are generated to cause the first vibrator to vibrate more strongly than the second vibrator, and

wherein when the operation object is in the second state of the motion, the first and second vibration signals are generated to cause the second vibrator to vibrate more strongly than the first vibrator.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein in the motion, the operation object repeatingly alternates between entering the first and second states.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to at least cause the operation object to be in the first or second state, according to at least one of a state of the virtual space, a state of the operation object, and an operation performed by the user.

4. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to at least generate the first and second vibration signals such that the first and second vibrators each is caused to vibrate with a strength corresponding to a positional relationship between a virtual vibration source provided in the virtual space and the operation object or a virtual camera.

5. The information processing system according to claim 4, wherein when the first vibration signal generated based on the motion of the operation object and the first vibration signal generated based on the virtual vibration source are simultaneously generated, the at least one processor is further configured to at least combine the first vibration signals, and when the second vibration signal generated based on the motion of the operation object and the second vibration signal generated based on the virtual vibration source are simultaneously generated, the at least one processor is further configured to at least combine the second vibration signals.

6. The information processing system according to claim 4, wherein the virtual vibration source is the vibration-enabling object.

7. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to at least generate the first and second vibration signals so as to vary according to a location of the operation object in the virtual space.

8. The information processing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first operating portion; and

a second operating portion, wherein;

the first vibrator is included in the first operating portion,

the second vibrator is included in the second operating portion, and

the at least one processor is further configured to at least control the operation object, based on an operation performed on the first operating portion and/or the second operating portion.

9. The information processing system according to claim 8, wherein:

the first operating portion is operable by the left hand of the user,

the second operating portion is operable by the right hand of the user,

the operation object is a player character object controllable by the user,

when an event occurs on a left portion of the player character object in the virtual space, the at least one processor is further configured to at least generate the first and second vibration signals such that the first vibrator is caused to vibrate more strongly than the second vibrator, and

when an event occurs on a right portion of the player character object in the virtual space, the at least one processor is further configured to at least generate the first and second vibration signals such that the second vibrator is caused to vibrate more strongly than the first vibrator.

10. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second interactions are independent of a location of the operation object in the virtual space.

11. A non-transitory storage medium having stored therein an information processing program executable by a computer of an information processing apparatus for controlling vibrations of a first vibrator and a second vibrator each configured to vibrate with a strength based on a vibration signal, the program when executed causing the computer to execute at least:

generating a first vibration signal for causing the first vibrator to vibrate, and generating a second vibration signal for causing the second vibrator to vibrate; and

causing an operation object to perform a motion including a first state and a second state, in a virtual space, based on an operation performed by a user, wherein the first state corresponds to a first interaction between the operation object and a vibration-enabling object and the second state corresponds to a second interaction between the operation object and the vibration-enabling object;

wherein, in the vibration signal generation;

when the operation object is in the first state of the motion, the first and second vibration signals are generated to cause the first vibrator to vibrate more strongly than the second vibrator, and

when the operation object is in the second state of the motion, the first and second vibration signals are generated to cause the second vibrator to vibrate more strongly than the first vibrator.

12. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 11, wherein in the motion, the operation object repeatingly alternates between entering the first and second states.

13. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the operation object is controlled so as to be in the first or second state, according to at least one of a state of the virtual space, a state of the operation object, and an operation performed by the user.

14. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the first and second vibration signals are generated to cause first and second vibrators each to vibrate with a strength corresponding to a positional relationship between a virtual vibration source provided in the virtual space and the operation object or a virtual camera.

15. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 14, wherein the program, when executed, further causing the computer to at least execute:

when the first vibration signal generated based on the motion of the operation object and the first vibration signal generated based on the virtual vibration source are simultaneously generated, combining the first vibration signals, and

when the second vibration signal generated based on the motion of the operation object and the second vibration signal generated based on the virtual vibration source are simultaneously generated, combining the second vibration signals.

16. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the first and second vibration signals are generated so as to vary according to a location of the operation object in the virtual space.

17. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 11, wherein:

the first vibrator is included in a first operating portion,

the second vibrator is included in a second operating portion, and

the operation object is controllable, based on an operation performed on the first operating portion and/or the second operating portion.

18. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 11, wherein:

the first operating portion is operable by the left hand of the user,

the second operating portion is operable by the right hand of the user,

the operation object is a player character object controllable by the user,

when an event occurs on a left portion of the player character object in the virtual space, the first and second vibration signals are generated to cause the first vibrator to vibrate more strongly than the second vibrator, and

when an event occurs on a right portion of the player character object in the virtual space, the first and second vibration signals are generated to cause the second vibrator to vibrate more strongly than the first vibrator.

19. An information processing apparatus for controlling a first vibrator and a second vibrator each configured to vibrate with a strength based on a vibration signal, comprising:

at least one processor configured to at least;

generate a first vibration signal for causing the first vibrator to vibrate, and generate a second vibration signal for causing the second vibrator to vibrate; and

cause an operation object to perform a motion including a first state and a second state, in a virtual space, based on an operation performed by a user, wherein the first state corresponds to a first interaction between the operation object and a vibration-related object and the second state corresponds to a second interaction between the operation object and the vibration-related object,

wherein when the operation object is in the first state of the motion, the first and second vibration signals are generated to cause the first vibrator to vibrate more strongly than the second vibrator, and

wherein when the operation object is in the second state of the motion, the first and second vibration signals are generated to cause the second vibrator to vibrate more strongly than the first vibrator.

20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein in the motion, the operation object repeatingly alternates between entering the first and second states.

21. The information processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to at least cause the operation object to be in the first or second state, according to at least one of a state of the virtual space, a state of the operation object, and an operation performed by the user.

22. The information processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to at least generate the first and second vibration signals such that the first and second vibrators each is caused to vibrate with a strength corresponding to a positional relationship between a virtual vibration source provided in the virtual space and the operation object or a virtual camera.

23. The information processing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein when the first vibration signal generated based on the motion of the operation object and the first vibration signal generated based on the virtual vibration source are simultaneously generated, the at least one processor is further configured to at least combine the first vibration signals, and when the second vibration signal generated based on the motion of the operation object and the second vibration signal generated based on the virtual vibration source are simultaneously generated, the at least one processor is further configured to at least combine the second vibration signals.

24. An information processing method for use in an information processing system having a first vibrator configured to vibrate with a strength based on a first vibration signal and a second vibrator configured to vibrate with a strength based on a second vibration signal, the method comprising:

generating the first vibration signal for causing the first vibrator to vibrate, and generating the second vibration signal for causing the second vibrator to vibrate; and

causing an operation object to perform a motion including a first state and a second state, in a virtual space, based on an operation performed by a user, wherein the first state corresponds to a first interaction between the operation object and a vibration-enabling object and the second state corresponds to a second interaction between the operation object and the vibration-enabling object;

wherein when the operation object is in the first state of the motion, the first and second vibration signals are generated to cause the first vibrator to vibrate more strongly than the second vibrator, and

wherein when the operation object is in the second state of the motion, the first and second vibration signals are generated to cause the second vibrator to vibrate more strongly than the first vibrator.

25. The information processing method according to claim 24, wherein in the motion, the operation object repeatingly alternates between entering the first and second states.

26. The information processing method according to claim 24, wherein the operation object is controlled so as to be in the first or second state, according to at least one of a state of the virtual space, a state of the operation object, and an operation performed by the user.

27. The information processing method according to claim 24, further comprising generating the first and second vibration signals such that the first and second vibrators each vibrate with a strength corresponding to a positional relationship between a virtual vibration source provided in the virtual space and the operation object or a virtual camera.

28. The information processing method according to claim 27, further comprising:

when the first vibration signal generated based on the motion of the operation object and the first vibration signal generated based on the virtual vibration source are simultaneously generated, combining the first vibration signals, and

when the second vibration signal generated based on the motion of the operation object and the second vibration signal generated based on the virtual vibration source are simultaneously generated, combining the second vibration signals.