Information processing apparatus, information storing medium and program thereof, and operating device for game machine

• US 20050153777A1
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Koshiishi, Kazunori, Koshima, Kazuo, Nagaoka, Tomotsugu, Sasamoto, Shin'ichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,568,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/06 using player-operated means for controlling the position of a specific area display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• 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 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a controller (1), and a game machine (2) to which the controller (1) is connected, and from at least one of a plurality of switches provided on the controller (1), a digital output or an analog output is obtained in accordance-with an operating state of the switches thereof. A CPU of the game machine (2) carries out a first processing operation of game information in response to the analog output, and also carries out a second processing operation associated with the first processing operation in response to the digital output.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. An operating device for game machine for instructing an action of a character appearing in a game, comprising:

a housing;

a main switch arranged in a vicinity of one side surface on one main surface of said housing and in a vicinity of a thumb finger of one hand holding the housing; and

a plurality of sub-switches arranged to be circumferentially distributed around the main switch in an area excluding a lower area of said main switch and within an area that the thumb finger is movable, wherein

said plurality of sub-switches are constituted to include a first sub-switch arranged at an upper area of said main switch, a second sub-switch arranged at a left area of the main switch, and a third sub-switch arranged at a right area of the main switch, and each of which has a shape smaller than a shape of the main switch.

25. An operating device for game machine according to claim 24, wherein

said main switch has a shape formed to be circular,

said sub-switch is arranged on a concentric circle centering said main switch.

26. An operating device for game machine according to claim 24, wherein

said first sub-switch is arranged on a first axis which slants a longitudinal axis of said housing passing a center of said main switch toward a center of the housing by a predetermined degree.

27. An operating device for game machine according to claim 26, wherein said second sub-switch and said third sub-switch are arranged at a symmetric position with respect to said first axis.

29. An operating device for game machine according to claim 26, wherein said housing includes a grip which protrudes toward a direction approximately parallel from a lower portion of said main switch to said first axis, and has a shape to be gripped by a palm of the one hand of a player.

30. An operating device for game machine according to claim 24, wherein said first sub-switch has a key top thereof formed higher than a key top of said main switch.

31. An operating device for game machine according to claim 24, wherein a sub-switch arranged to be closer to a center side of said housing than said main switch out of a second sub-switch and a third sub-switch has a key top thereof formed lower than a key top of said main switch.

32. An operating device for game machine according to claim 24, wherein said sub-switch has a shape expanding along an outer periphery of the shape of said main switch.

33. An operating device for game machine according to claim 24, further comprising a direction designating operating portion which is arranged in a vicinity of another side surface on one main surface of said housing and in a vicinity of a position of a thumb finger of another hand holding the housing, and designates a direction of a moving direction of a character appearing in a game.

35. An operating device for game machine according to claim 33, wherein

said main switch has a shape formed to be circular, and

said plurality of sub-switches are arranged on a concentric circle centering said main switch, and in addition, have a shape extending to a circumferential direction of the concentric circle.

28. An operating device for game machine for instructing an action of a character appearing in a game, comprising:

a housing;

a main switch arranged in a vicinity of one side surface on one main surface of said housing and in a vicinity of a thumb finger of one hand holding the housing; and

a first sub-switch which is arranged in an upper portion area of said main switch on a first axis which slants a longitudinal axis of said housing passing a center of said main switch toward a center of the housing, and has a shape smaller than a shape of the main switch.

34. An operating device for game machine for instructing an action of a character appearing in a game, comprising:

a housing in an oblong shape;

a main switch arranged in a vicinity of one side surface on one main surface of said housing and in a vicinity of a thumb finger of one hand holding the housing; and

a plurality of sub-switches arranged to be circumferentially distributed around the main switch in an area excluding a lower area of said main switch within an area that the thumb finger is movable, wherein

said plurality of sub-switches are constituted to include a first sub-switch arranged at an upper portion area of said main switch, a second sub-switch arranged at a left side area of the main switch, and a third sub-switch arranged at a right side area of the main switch, and in addition, each of which has a shape smaller than a shape of the main switch, and

said first sub-switch is arranged on a first axis which slants a longitudinal axis of said housing passing a center of said main switch toward a center of the housing by a predetermined degree.