Method of moving objects on TV monitor, the computer and recording medium for executing the method

• US 20010013858A1
• Filed: 01/10/2001
• Published: 08/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Komata, Nobuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,027,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/159
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1056 involving pressure sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038

Abstract

The movement of an object due to the continuous pushing of a simple ON/OFF switch is made an easier-to-use interface for users by a method of moving an object displayed on a screen of a TV monitor of a computer having a controller which has a pressure-sensitive unit. In the method, the pushing by a user on the controller is sensed by the pressure-sensitive unit, a pressure-sensing output signal is determined depending on the pushing pressure, and the object is moved within the screen of the TV monitor depending on the magnitude of the pressure-sensing output signal of the controller.

Claims

1. A recording medium on which is recorded a computer-readable and executable software program that performs processing by taking as instructions an output from a controller of a computer said controller having pressure-sensitive means, wherein

said software program comprises a processing program that moves an object within a screen of a TV monitor of the computer depending on the output of said controller.

2. The recording medium according to

claim 1

, wherein a distance of movement of an object on the screen of TV monitor is determined depending on a rate of change per unit time of the output value of said controller.

3. The recording medium according to

claim 1

, wherein a distance of movement of the object is determined depending on a rate of change per unit time of an output value of said controller, according to the results of multiplying said rate of change coefficient by a current position of said object.

4. A method of moving an object displayed on a screen of a TV monitor of a computer having a controller which has pressure-sensitive means, comprising the steps of:

sensing a pushing pressure of a user on said controller of the computer by said pressure-sensitive means;

determining a pressure-sensed output signal depending on said pushing pressure; and

moving the object within the screen depending on the magnitude of said pressure-sensing output signal.

5. The method of moving an object according to

claim 4

, wherein

in said step of moving the object within the screen depending on the magnitude of said pressure-sensing output signal,

a distance of movement of the object is determined depending on the rate of change per unit time of an output value of said controller.

6. The method of moving an object according to

claim 4

, wherein

in said step of moving the object within the screen depending on the magnitude of said pressure-sensing output signal,

a position of movement of said object is determined according to the results of multiplication of a velocity coefficient that depends on the magnitude of said pressure-sensing signal and a current position of said object.

7. A computer comprising a controller which has pressure-sensitive means;

a monitor having a screen;

means for sensing a pushing pressure by a user on said controller;

means for determining a pressure-sensing output signal depending on said pushing pressure; and

means for moving an object within said screen displayed on said monitor depending on the magnitude of said pressure-sensing output signal.

8. The computer according to

claim 7

further comprising:

means for determining a distance of movement of the object depending on a rate of change per unit time of an output value of said controller.

9. The computer according to

claim 7

, further comprising:

means for determining a distance of movement of the object depending on a rate of change per unit time of an output value of said controller, according to the results of multiplying said rate of change coefficient by a current position of said object.