Game device

• US 20030199316A1
• Filed: 06/09/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Inventors: Watanabe, Yasushi, Kikuchi, Tomio, Kamata, Muneoki, Itonaga, Junichi, Miyamoto, Tomoji
• Granted Patent: US 7,128,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/35
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen

Abstract

Provides a game machine with exceptional interactivity capable of ascertaining players'"'"' psychological states from player'"'"'s voices and actions. It is a game device for executing a prescribed game program in response to information input by players. Comprises a device for recognizing voices or actions made by players, and a processing board for ascertaining the condition of recognized voices and actions, and, for a given voice or given action, modifying the game device response processing operations to the voice or action in response to the condition of the voice or action.

Claims

1. A game device which executes a prescribed game program corresponding to information entered by players, comprising:

means for recognizing voices and/or actions made by the players;

means for determining conditions of recognized voices and/or actions; and

processor for performing response processing corresponding to the conditions of recognized voices and/or actions.

2. The game device according to claim 1, further comprising player-interactive game processing means.

3. A game device comprising:

voice signal conversion means for converting voices issued by players into voice signals;

voice recognition means for performing voice recognition processing on the voice signals and outputting recognition signals corresponding to a recognition result; and

processing means for producing game development content corresponding to the recognition signals.

4. The game device according to claim 3, wherein said processing means develops game picture and/or game voice in response to recognition commands.

5. The game device according to claim 3, wherein said voice recognition means performs voice signal pattern recognition and/or voice signal level recognition.

6. The game device according to claim 3, wherein said voice recognition means is provided with stored voice patterns, and determines which of said voice patterns most closely approximates a input voice signal.

7. A game device comprising:

imaging means for converting players'"'"' actions into picture signals;

image recognition means for performing image recognition on the picture signals and outputting image recognition signals; and

processor for developing the game corresponding to conditions of the image recognition signals.

8. The game device according to claim 7, wherein said imaging means and image recognition means are used through time-dividing.

9. The game device according to claim 7, wherein said imaging means acquire player hand actions.

10. The game device according to claim 7, wherein said imaging means comprises a MOS imaging element for condensing images through a lens and converting them to picture signals, and said image recognition means performs image recognition of picture signals from said MOS imaging element.

11. A game device, comprising:

input means for detecting player actions and converting them into electrical signals;

first processor for computing player actions on the basis of said electrical signals from said input means; and

second processor for developing the game corresponding to computation results from said first processor.

12. A game device according to claim 11, wherein said input means comprises:

a luminous body section for emitting infrared light into a prescribed space; and

a photoreceptor section for receiving infrared light reflected in accordance with player movements and converting said infrared light to electrical signals.

13. The game device according to claim 12, wherein said photoreceptor section comprises a dark box;

and an infrared sensor unit set in the dark box, which includes a plurality of infrared elements.

14. The game device according to claim 12, wherein said player movements mean player'"'"'s hand movements.

15. The game device according to claim 11, wherein said input means comprises a first sensor section provided with at least two sensors;

and a second sensor section provided with at least one sensor;

said second sensor section being located off the line formed by the sensors of said first sensor section, and said first processor sensing a first hand movement by the player on the basis of the output of said first sensor section and a second hand movement by the player on the basis of the output of said second sensor section.

16. The game device according to claim 15, wherein said first movement includes an action whereby the hand is moved sideways, and said second movement includes an action whereby the hand is placed over a prescribed location.

17. The game device according to claim 15, wherein a panel describing hand actions is provided over said input means, and the sensors sense player hand movements through said panel.

18. A game device, comprising:

optical input means for sensing player actions and converting these to electrical signals;

first processor for computing player action on the basis of said electrical signals from said optical input means;

control means for direct control by the players; and

second processor for developing the game corresponding to computation result from said first processor and/or control commands from said control means.

19. The game device according to claim 18, wherein said control means is arranged to the player side of said optical input means.

20. The game device according to claim 18, wherein said control means is arranged sloping downward towards the players.