Storage medium storing image display program, image display processing apparatus and image display method

• US 20060109259A1
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Keizo
• Application Number:
  US11/274,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20060109259A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/301 using an additional display connected to the game console, e.g. on the controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller

Abstract

A game apparatus includes an LCD, a touch panel is provided in association with the LCD. On the LCD, a game screen of a game such as a puzzle game is displayed. It is noted that a part of the puzzle (virtual space) is displayed on the LCD. During the game, a user inputs a character, instructs a desired icon, moves the desired icon on the game screen by performing a touch-input on a first operation area of the touch panel by use of a stick. In addition, the user performs a touch-on operation on the second operation area of the touch panel by use of the stick and according to a drag operation to allow the screen displayed on the LCD to be scrolled in the dragged operation.

Claims

1. A storage medium storing an image displaying processing program of an image display processing apparatus that is provided with a display for displaying a partial area of a virtual space, and renders, according to an operation input, an image or performs a predetermined process set in advance on a displayed image,

said image display processing program causes a processor of said image display processing apparatus to execute:

an operation position detecting step for detecting an operation position on a screen of said display on the basis of said operation input,

a determining step for determining in which area the operation position detected by said operation position detecting step is included, a first display area or a second display area that is included in a display area of said display,

an image processing step for, when it is determined that said operation position is included in said first display area by said determining step, rendering an image on the basis of said operation position, or performing a predetermined process set in advance on the image corresponding to said operation position, and

a display area moving step for, when it is determined that said operation position is included in said second display area by said determining step, moving an area displayed on said display area out of said virtual space according to the movement of said operation position.

2. A storage medium storing an image display processing program according to claim 1, wherein

said display area moving step determines a moving amount of the area displayed on said display area according to a moving amount of said operation position.

3. A storage medium storing an image display processing program according to claim 1, wherein

said display area moving step moves the area displayed on said display area in a direction reverse to a moving direction of said operation position.

4. A storage medium storing an image display processing program according to claim 1, wherein

said display area moving step moves the area displayed on said display area according to the movement of said operation position only when said operation position at a start of the operation input is included in said second display area.

5. A storage medium storing an image display processing program according to claim 4, wherein

said display area moving step, while the presence of said operation input continues, continues to move the area displayed on said display area according to the movement of said operation position even if said operation position is included in said first display area.

6. A storage medium storing an image display processing program according to claim 1, wherein

a screen relating to an image processing is changeably displayed on said first display area, and

a specific image is fixedly displayed on said second display area.

7. A storage medium storing an image display processing program according to claim 1, wherein

a screen relating to an image processing is changeably displayed on said first display area and said second display area, and

a specific image is displayed on said second display area in a translucent manner.

8. A storage medium storing an image display processing program according to claim 1, wherein

said first display area is set in a certain definite range including a center of the display surface of said display, and

said second display area is set so as to surround said first display area.

9. A storage medium storing an image display processing program according to claim 1, wherein

said image display processing apparatus is further provided with a touch panel provided in association with said display, and

said operation position detecting step detects said operation position corresponding to a touched coordinate detected on the basis of an output from said touch panel.

10. A storage medium storing an image display processing program according to claim 9, wherein

to said touch panel, a first operation area is fixedly set in correspondence to said first display area, and a second operation area is fixedly set in correspondence to said second display area, and

said determining step determines that said operation position is included in said first display area when said touched coordinate is included in said first operation area, and determines that said operation position is included in said second display area when said touched coordinate is included in said second operation area.

11. A storage medium storing an image display processing program of an image display processing apparatus that is provided with a display to display a partial area of a virtual space and a touch panel provided in association with the display, and renders, according to a touch input, an image or performs a predetermined process set in advance on a displayed image,

said image display processing program causes a processor of said image display processing apparatus to execute:

a touched coordinate detecting step for detecting a touched coordinate on the basis of the output from said touch panel,

a determining step for determining in which area the touched coordinate detected by said touched coordinate detecting step is included, a first operation area or a second operation area that is set to said touch panel,

an image processing step for, when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said first operation area by said determining step, rendering an image on the basis of said touched coordinate, or performing a predetermined process set in advance on the image corresponding to said touched coordinate, and

a display area moving step for, when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said second operation area by said determining step, moving an area displayed on the display area of said display in said virtual space according to the movement of said touched coordinate.

12. A storage medium storing an image display processing program of an image display processing apparatus that is provided with a display to display a partial area of a virtual space and a touch panel provided in association with the display, and renders, according to a touch input, an image in said virtual space or performs a predetermined process set in advance on a displayed image in said virtual space,

said image display processing program causes a processor of said image display processing apparatus to execute:

a first data storing and updating step for storing or updating first data defining a range to be displayed on said display out of said virtual space,

a display data output step for outputting display data to display the partial area of said virtual space on the basis of image data to display said virtual space and said first data,

a display control step for displaying the partial area of said virtual space on said display on the basis of the display data output by said display data output step,

a touched coordinate detecting step for detecting a touched coordinate on the basis of an output from said touch panel,

a determining step for determining in which area the touched coordinate detected by said touched coordinate detecting step is included, a first operation area or second operation area that is set to said touch panel,

an image processing step for, when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said first operation area by said determining step, rendering an image on the basis of said touched coordinate in said virtual space by updating the image data to display said virtual space, or performing a predetermined process set in advance on the image corresponding to said touched coordinate within said virtual space, and

a display area moving step for, when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said second operation area by said determining step, moving said partial area to be displayed on said display out of said virtual space according to the movement of said touched coordinate by updating said first data by said first data storing and updating step.

13. A storage medium storing an image display processing program of an image display processing apparatus that is provided with a display to display a partial screen in a virtual space in which at least a first object and a second object are arranged, and a touch panel provided in association with said display, and renders, according to a touch input, an image or performs a predetermined process set in advance on a displayed image,

said image display processing program causes a processor of said image display processing apparatus to execute:

a touched coordinate detecting step for detecting a touched coordinate on the basis of an output from said touch panel,

a determining step for determining in which area the touched coordinate detected by said touched coordinate detecting step is included, a first display area arranging said first object or a second display area arranging said second object,

an image processing step for, when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said first display area by said determining step, rendering an image on the basis of said touched coordinate, or performing a predetermined process set in advance on the image corresponding to said touched coordinate, and

a display area moving step for, when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said second display area by said determining step, moving an area to be displayed on a display area of said display out of said virtual space according to the movement of said touched coordinate.

14. An image display processing apparatus provided with a display to display a partial area of a virtual space, and renders, according to an operation input, an image or performs a predetermined process set in advance on a displayed image comprising:

an operation position detecting means for detecting an operation position on a screen of said display on the basis of said operation input,

a determining means for determining in which area the operation position detected by said operation position detecting means is included, a first display area or a second display area that is included in a display area of said display,

an image processing means for, when it is determined that said operation position is included in said first display area by said determining means, rendering an image on the basis of said operation position, or performing a predetermined process set in advance on the image corresponding to said operation position, and

a display area moving means for, when it is determined that said operation position is included in said second display area by said determining means, moving an area displayed on said display area out of said virtual space according to the movement of said operation position.

15. An image display processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

said display area moving means determines a moving amount of the area displayed on said display area according to a moving amount of said operation position.

16. An image display processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

said display area moving means moves the area displayed on said display area in a direction reverse to the moving direction of said operation position.

17. An image display processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

said display area moving means moves the area displayed on said display area according to the movement of said operation position only when said operation position at a start of the operation input is included in said second display area.

18. An image display processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

said display area moving step, while the presence of said operation input continues, continues to move the area displayed on said display area according to the movement of said operation position even if said operation position is included in said first display area.

19. An image display processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

an image relating to an image processing is changeably displayed on said first display area, and

a specific image is fixedly displayed on said second display area.

20. An image display processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

a screen relating to the image processing is changeably displayed on said first display area and said second display area, and

a specific screen is displayed on said second display area in a translucent manner.

21. An image display processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

said first display area is set in a certain definite range including a center of the display surface of said display, and said second display area is set so as to surround said first display area.

22. An image display processing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising

a touch panel provided in association with said display, wherein

said operation position detecting means detects said operation position corresponding to a touched coordinate detected on the basis of an output from said touch panel.

23. An image display processing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein

to said touch panel, a first operation area is fixedly set in correspondence to said first display area, and a second operation area is fixedly set in correspondence to said second display area, and

said determining means determines that said operation position is included in said first display area when said touched coordinate is included in said first operation area, and determines that said operation position is included in said second display area when said touched coordinate is included in said second operation area.

24. An image display processing apparatus that is provided with a display to display a partial area of a virtual space and a touch panel provided in association with the display, and renders, according to a touch input, an image or performs a predetermined process set in advance on a displayed image, comprising:

a touched coordinate detecting means for detecting a touched coordinate on the basis of the output from said touch panel,

a determining means for determining in which area the touched coordinate detected by said touched coordinate detecting means is included, a first operation area or a second operation area that is set to said touch panel,

an image processing means for, when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said first operation area by said determining means, rendering an image on the basis of said touched coordinate, or performing a predetermined process set in advance on the image corresponding to said touched coordinate, and

a display area moving means for, when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said second operation area by said determining means, moving an area displayed on the display area of said display in said virtual space according to the movement of said touched coordinate.

25. An image display processing apparatus that is provided with a display to display a partial area of a virtual space and a touch panel provided in association with the display, and renders, according to a touch input, an image in said virtual space or performs a predetermined process set in advance on the displayed image in said virtual space, comprising:

a first data storing and updating means for storing or updating first data defining a range to be displayed on said display out of said virtual space,

a display data output means for outputting display data to display a partial area of said virtual space on the basis of the image data to display said virtual space and said first data,

a display control means for displaying the partial area of said virtual space on said display on the basis of the display data output by said display data output means,

a touched coordinate detecting means for detecting a touched coordinate on the basis of the output from said touch panel,

a determining means for determining in which area the touched coordinate detected by said touched coordinate detecting means is included, a first operation area or a second operation area that is set to said touch panel,

an image processing means for, when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said first operation area by said determining means, rendering an image in said virtual space on the basis of said touched coordinate by updating the image data to display said virtual space, or performing a predetermined process set in advance on the image corresponding to said touched coordinate within said virtual space, and

a display area moving means for, when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said second operation area by said determining means, moving said partial area to be displayed on said display out of said virtual space according to the movement of said touched coordinate by updating said first data by said first data storing and updating means.

26. An image display processing apparatus that is provided with a display to display a partial screen in a virtual space in which at least a first object and a second object are arranged and a touch panel provided in association with said display, and renders, according to a touch input, an image or performs a predetermined process set in advance on a displayed image, comprising:

a touched coordinate detecting means for detecting a touched coordinate on the basis of an output from said touch panel,

a determining means for determining in which area the touched coordinate detected by said touched coordinate detecting means is included, a first display area arranging said first object or a second display area arranging said second object,

an image processing means for, when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said first display area by said determining means, rendering an image on the basis of said touched coordinate, or performing a predetermined process set in advance the image corresponding to said touched coordinate, and

a display area moving means for, when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said second display area by said determining means, moving an area to be displayed on a display area of said display out of said virtual space according to the movement of said touched coordinate.

27. An image displaying method of an image display processing apparatus that is provided with a display for displaying a partial area of a virtual space, and renders, according to an operation input, an image or performs a predetermined process set in advance on a displayed image, comprising following steps of:

(a) detecting an operation position on a screen of said display on the basis of said operation input,

(b) determining in which area the operation position detected by said step (a) is included, a first display area or a second display area that is included in a display area of said display,

(c) rendering an image on the basis of said operation position, or performing a predetermined process set in advance on the image corresponding to said operation position when said operation position is included in said first display area by said step (b), and

(d) moving an area displayed on said display area out of said virtual space according to the movement of said operation position when said operation position is included in said second display area by said step (b).

28. An image display method according to claim 27, wherein

said step (d) determines a moving amount of the area displayed on said display area according to a moving amount of said operation position.

29. An image display method according to claim 27, wherein

said step (d) moves the area displayed on said display area in a direction reverse to the moving direction of said operation position.

30. An image display method according to claim 27, wherein

said display area moving step moves the area displayed on said display area according to the movement of said operation position only when said operation position at a start of the operation input is included in said second display area.

31. An image display method according to claim 30, wherein

said step (d) continues, while the presence of said operation input continues, to move the area displayed on said display area according to the movement of said operation position even if said operation position is included in said first display area.

32. An image display method according to claim 27, wherein

an image relating to an image processing is changeably displayed on said first display area, and

a specific image is fixedly displayed on said second display area.

33. An image display method according to claim 27, wherein

a screen relating to the image processing is changeably displayed on said first display area and said second display area, and

a specific screen is displayed on said second display area in a translucent manner.

34. An image display method according to claim 27, wherein

said first display area is set in a certain definite range including a center of the display surface of said display, and said second display area is set so as to surround said first display area.

35. An image display method according to claim 27, wherein

said image display processing apparatus is further provided with a touch panel provided in association with said display, and

said step (a) detects said operation position corresponding to a touched coordinate detected on the basis of an output from said touch panel.

36. An image display method according to claim 35, wherein

to said touch panel, a first operation area is fixedly set in correspondence to said first display area, and a second operation area is fixedly set in correspondence to said second display area, and

said step (b) determines that said display position is included in said first operation area when said touched coordinate is included in said first operation area, and determines that said operation position is included in said second display area when said touched coordinate is included in said second operation area.

37. An image display method of an image display processing apparatus that is provided with a display to display a partial area of a virtual space and a touch panel provided in association with the display, and renders, according to a touch input, an image or performs a predetermined process set in advance on a displayed image, comprising following steps of:

(a) detecting a touched coordinate on the basis of an output from said touch panel,

(b) determining in which area the touched coordinate detected by said step (a) is included, a first operation area or a second operation area that is set to said touch panel,

(c) rendering an image on the basis of said touched coordinate, or performing a predetermined process set in advance on the image corresponding to said touched coordinate when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said first operation area by said step (b), and

(d) moving an area displayed on the display area of said display in said virtual space according to the movement of said touched coordinate when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said second operation area by said step (b).

38. An image display method of an image display processing apparatus that is provided with a display to display a partial area of a virtual space and a touch panel provided in association with the display, and renders, according to a touch input, an image in said virtual space or performs a predetermined process set in advance on the displayed image in said virtual space, comprising following steps of:

(a) storing and updating first data defining a range to be displayed on said display out of said virtual space,

(b) outputting display data to display the partial area of said virtual space on the basis of image data to display said virtual space and said first data,

(c) displaying the partial area of said virtual space on said display on the basis of the display data output by said step (b),

(d) detecting a touched coordinate on the basis of the output from said touch panel,

(e) determining in which area the touched coordinate detected by said step (d) is included, a first operation area or a second operation area that is set to said touch panel,

(f) rendering an image in said virtual space on the basis of said touched coordinate by updating the image data to display said virtual space, or performing a predetermined process set in advance on the image corresponding to said touched coordinate within said virtual space when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said first operation area by said step (e), and

(g) moving said partial area to be displayed on said display out of said virtual space according to the movement of said touched coordinate by updating said first data by said first data storing and updating step when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said second operation area by said step (e).

39. An image display method of an image display processing apparatus that is provided with a display to display a partial screen of a virtual space in which at least a first object and a second object are arranged and a touch panel provided in association with said display, and renders, according to a touch input, an image or performs a predetermined process set in advance on the displayed image, comprising following steps of:

(a) detecting a touched coordinate on the basis of an output from said touch panel,

(b) determining in which area the touched coordinate detected by said step (a) is included, a first display area arranging said first object and a second display area arranging said second object,

(c) rendering an image on the basis of said touched coordinate, or performing a predetermined process set in advance on the image corresponding to said touched coordinate when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said first display area by said step (b), and

(d) moving an area to be displayed on a display area of said display out of said virtual space according to the movement of said touched coordinate when it is determined that said touched coordinate is included in said second display area by said step (b).