Electronic apparatus

• US 20030134665A1
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Goto, Michihiko, Kato, Hirokazu, Sato, Hideki, Muramatsu, Toshihiko
• Granted Patent: US 6,957,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• 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 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/28 Electromagnetic compasses with north seeking magnetic elements and having electric pick-offs G01C17/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/32 Electron compasses
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A cellular phone includes an X-axis magnetic sensor for outputting a first value corresponding to a component of an external magnetic field along the direction of a transverse axis of the main body, and a Y-axis magnetic sensor for outputting a second value corresponding to a component of the external magnetic field along the direction of a longitudinal axis of the main body. The cellular phone includes a ROM which stores a conversion table defining the relation between the first and second values and values of azimuth and inclination angle of the longitudinal axis of the main body. The cellular phone determines the azimuth and inclination angle on the basis of the first and second values actually output from the X-axis and Y-axis magnetic sensors and with reference to the conversion table.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a main body;

a first-axis magnetic sensor fixedly disposed within the main body and outputting a value corresponding to a component of an external magnetic field along a direction of a first axis of the main body;

a second-axis magnetic sensor fixedly disposed within the main body and outputting a value corresponding to a component of the external magnetic field along a direction of a second axis of the main body, the second axis intersecting the first axis at a predetermined angle; and

inclination angle determination means for determining an inclination angle of a third axis of the main body relative to a reference plane on the basis of values actually output from the first-axis and second-axis magnetic sensors and with reference to a conversion table defining a relation between values output from the first-axis and second-axis magnetic sensors and inclination angle of the third axis.

2. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display section for displaying a screen on the basis of various data; and

display control means for changing the displayed screen on the basis of the determined inclination angle.

5. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a longitudinal axis in the state of use and a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis are defined for the main body, the first axis corresponding to the transverse axis, and the second and third axes corresponding to the longitudinal axis;

and

the electronic apparatus further comprises longitudinal-axis change angle calculation means for saving, as a reference inclination angle, the inclination angle determined by the inclination angle determination means, and for calculating a change in the inclination angle of the longitudinal axis from the reference inclination angle on the basis of the reference inclination angle and an inclination angle presently determined by the inclination angle determination means.

3. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a main body;

a first-axis magnetic sensor fixedly disposed within the main body and outputting a value corresponding to a component of an external magnetic field along a direction of a first axis of the main body;

a second-axis magnetic sensor fixedly disposed within the main body and outputting a value corresponding to a component of the external magnetic field along a direction of a second axis of the main body, the second axis intersecting the first axis at a predetermined angle; and

azimuth-inclination angle determination means for determining an azimuth of a third axis of the main body and an inclination angle of the third axis relative to a reference plane on the basis of values actually output from the first-axis and second-axis magnetic sensors and with reference to a conversion table defining relations between values output from the first-axis and second-axis magnetic sensors and azimuth of the third axis and between the values and inclination angle of the third axis.

4. An electronic apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

game execution means for executing a game program to thereby provide a game and for changing the progress of the game on the basis of the determined azimuth and inclination angle.

6. An electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

a longitudinal axis in the state of use and a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis are defined for the main body, the first axis corresponding to the transverse axis, and the second and third axes corresponding to the longitudinal axis;

and

the electronic apparatus further comprises longitudinal-axis change angle calculation means for saving, as a reference azimuth and a reference inclination angle, the azimuth and inclination angle determined by the azimuth-inclination angle determination means, and for calculating a change in the inclination angle of the longitudinal axis from the reference inclination angle on the basis of the reference azimuth, the reference inclination angle, and the value output from the second-axis magnetic sensor.

7. An electronic apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a display section for displaying a screen on the basis of various data; and

display control means for scrolling the displayed screen along the direction of the longitudinal axis when the calculated change in the inclination angle is non-zero.

8. An electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display control means is configured to change the scroll speed of the screen in accordance with the magnitude of the calculated change in the inclination angle.

9. An electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display control means is configured not to scroll the screen when the calculated change in the inclination angle falls below a predetermined level.

10. An electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

a longitudinal axis in the state of use and a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis are defined for the main body, the first axis corresponding to the transverse axis, and the second and third axes corresponding to the longitudinal axis;

and

the electronic apparatus further comprises transverse-axis change angle calculation means for saving, as a reference azimuth and a reference inclination angle, the azimuth and inclination angle determined by the azimuth-inclination angle determination means, and for calculating a change in the angular position of the transverse axis about the longitudinal axis on the basis of the reference azimuth, the reference inclination angle, and the value output from the first-axis magnetic sensor.

11. An electronic apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a display section for displaying a screen on the basis of various data; and

display control means for scrolling the displayed screen along the direction of the transverse axis when the calculated change in the angular position of the transverse axis about the longitudinal axis is non-zero.

12. An electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the display control means is configured to change the scroll speed of the screen in accordance with the magnitude of the calculated change in the angular position of the transverse axis about the longitudinal axis.

13. An electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the display control means is configured not to scroll the screen when the calculated change in the angular position of the transverse axis about the longitudinal axis falls below a predetermined level.

14. An electronic apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

communication means for effecting communications with the outside; and

conversion table obtaining means for obtaining values of the conversion table via the communication means.

15. An electronic apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising position data obtaining means for obtaining position data indicating the position of the main body, and wherein

the conversion table obtaining means being configured to obtain values of the conversion table corresponding to the position of the main body represented by the obtained position data.

16. An electronic apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

azimuth display means for displaying the determined azimuth by use of a predetermined image when the determined inclination angle is a predetermined angle, and for displaying the determined azimuth while distorting the predetermined image to an increasing degree in response to an increase in the determined inclination angle.

17. An electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

a longitudinal axis in the state of use and a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis are defined for the main body, the first axis corresponding to the transverse axis, and the second and third axes corresponding to the longitudinal axis;

and

the electronic apparatus further comprises longitudinal-axis change angle calculation means for saving, as a reference inclination angle, the inclination angle determined by the azimuth-inclination angle determination means, and for calculating a change in the inclination angle of the longitudinal axis from the reference inclination angle on the basis of the reference inclination angle and an inclination angle presently determined by the azimuth-inclination angle determination means.

18. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a main body;

a first-axis magnetic sensor fixedly disposed within the main body and outputting a value corresponding to a component of an external magnetic field along a direction of a first axis of the main body;

a second-axis magnetic sensor fixedly disposed within the main body and outputting a value corresponding to a component of the external magnetic field along a direction of a second axis of the main body, the second axis intersecting the first axis at a predetermined angle;

position data obtaining means for obtaining position data indicating the position of the main body;

communication means for communicating with a center;

conversion table obtaining means for transmitting the obtained position data to the center via the communication means and for receiving table values of a first conversion table from the center when the center determines that the main body is present within an inclination correctable area in which the geomagnetic field is known, and receiving table values of a second conversion table or a signal from the center when the center determines that the main body is not present within the inclination correctable area, the first conversion table defining relations between values output from the first-axis and second-axis magnetic sensors and an azimuth of a third axis of the main body and between the values and an inclination angle of the third axis relative to a reference plane, the second conversion table defining a relation between values output from the first-axis and second-axis magnetic sensors and azimuth of the third axis on the assumption that the inclination angle of the third axis relative to the reference plane is a predetermined constant angle, the signal indicating to the effect that the inclination angle must be assumed to be the predetermined constant angle; and

azimuth-inclination angle determination means for determining the azimuth and inclination angle of the third axis on the basis of values actually output from the first-axis and second-axis magnetic sensors and with reference to the obtained table values or the signal indicating to the effect that the inclination angle must be assumed to be the predetermined constant angle.