Game apparatus, storage medium and computer program

• US 20040005924A1
• Filed: 07/07/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Namco Limited (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Endo, Kyoko, Suzuki, Toshio, Onda, Akio, Watabe, Hajime
• Granted Patent: US 7,367,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8005 Athletics

Abstract

A game apparatus, a storage medium and a computer program, suitable to games that can be experienced by a player using an entire body to play a game. The game apparatus comprises: a storage section for storing a predetermined assigned movement for a player; an assigned movement display section for displaying the assigned movement, thereon; a movement detection section for detecting a movement of the player; a player movement display section for displaying the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, thereon; a similarity decision section for comparing the assigned movement with the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, to decide a similarity between the assigned movement and the movement of the player; and a game operation section for processing a score on the basis of the similarity decided by the similarity decision section.

Claims

1. A game apparatus for executing a predetermined game, comprising:

a storage section for storing a predetermined assigned movement;

a movement detection section for detecting a movement of a player; and

a similarity decision section for deciding a similarity between the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section and the predetermined assigned movement stored in the storage section, on the basis of more than one of a direction, a magnitude and a speed of the movement of the player.

2. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the similarity decision section decides the similarity between the movement of the player and the predetermined assigned movement corresponding to a predetermined time thereof, every the predetermined time of the assigned movement.

3. A game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a timing notice section for indicating a predetermined time by a visual effect or an auditory effect; and

a timing decision section for deciding whether the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section coincides with the predetermined time, or not.

4. A game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a movement specifying section for specifying the movement of the player to be decided on the similarity, wherein the movement of the player is specified from a plurality of movements of the player concurrently detected by the movement detection section, on the basis of at least one of the direction, the magnitude and the speed of each of the movements of the player;

wherein the similarity decision section decides the similarity between the movement of the player specified by the movement specifying section and the predetermined assigned movement.

5. A game apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a movement specifying section for specifying the movement of the player to be decided on the similarity, wherein the movement of the player is specified from a plurality of movements of the player concurrently detected by the movement detection section when being decided to coincide with the predetermined time by the timing decision section;

wherein the similarity decision section decides the similarity between the movement of the player specified by the movement specifying section and the predetermined assigned movement.

6. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the similarity decision section decides the similarity between the movement of the player and the predetermined assigned movement corresponding to each of a plurality of detection regions divided from a detection range of the movement detection section for every detection region.

7. A game apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the movement specifying section specifies the movement of the player to be decided on the similarity, for each of a plurality of detection regions divided from a detection range of the movement detection section, and

the similarity decision section decides the similarity between the movement of the player specified by the movement specifying section and the predetermined assigned movement corresponding to the detection region, for every detection region.

8. A game apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the similarity decision section decides the similarity, by considering the movement of the player extended over a plurality of detection regions.

9. A game apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a by-region decision display section for displaying a decision according to the similarity decided for every detection region by the similarity decision section.

10. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the similarity decision section changes the similarity decided according to a predetermined condition detected by the movement detection section.

11. A game apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the detection region is changed according to a predetermined condition detected by the movement detection section.

12. A game apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the predetermined condition relates to a body shape of the player detected by the movement detection section.

13. A game apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the predetermined condition relates to a body shape of the player detected by the movement detection section.

14. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the movement detection section comprises an artificial retina chip for detecting the movement of the player.

15. A storage medium having a computer-executable program recorded thereon, the computer comprising a movement detection section for detecting a movement of a player, wherein the program comprises:

a program code of executing a predetermined game;

a program code of storing a predetermined assigned movement; and

a program code of deciding a similarity between the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section and the predetermined assigned movement, on the basis of more than one of a direction, a magnitude and a speed of the movement of the player.

16. A storage medium having a computer-executable program recorded thereon, according to claim 15, wherein the program further comprises:

a program code of deciding a similarity between the movement of the player and the predetermined assigned movement corresponding to each of a plurality of detection regions divided from a detection range of the movement detection section, for every detection region.

17. A computer program comprising program code means for performing the steps of:

executing a predetermined game;

storing a predetermined assigned movement;

detecting a movement of a player; and

deciding a similarity between the movement of the player detected and the predetermined assigned movement, on the basis of more than one of a direction, a magnitude and a speed of the movement of the player.

18. A computer program according to claim 17, further comprising program code means for performing the step of:

deciding a similarity between the movement of the player and the predetermined assigned movement corresponding to each of a plurality of detection regions divided from a detection range detected, for every detection region.