Video game device and storage medium storing video game program

• US 20070213128A1
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Keizo
• Granted Patent: US 9,498,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/04 for aiming at specific areas on the displays, e.g. with photodetecting means
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/493 Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game

Abstract

A video game device successively obtains game data, which changes according to the state of the input device and is used in the game process. The video game device stores game data obtained at a point in time when the game process is paused. The video game device successively compares current game data with the stored game data, after starting to accept cancellation of the pause. The pause is canceled to resume the game process when a difference between a value of the current game data and a value of the game data stored in the storage means becomes smaller than a predetermined reference.

Claims

1. A video game device for performing a game process based on a state of an input device regarding at least one of a position and an orientation of the input device, the video game device comprising:

game data obtaining means for successively obtaining game data, which changes according to the state of the input device and is used in the game process;

pausing means for pausing the game process;

storage means for storing game data obtained at a point in time when the game process is paused;

cancel-accepting means for starting to accept cancellation of the pause while the game process is being paused;

first comparison means for successively comparing current game data, which is successively obtained by the game data obtaining means, with the game data stored in the storage means, after starting to accept cancellation of the pause; and

cancellation means for canceling the pause to resume the game process when a difference between a value of the current game data and a value of the game data stored in the storage means becomes smaller than a predetermined reference.

2. The video game device according to claim 1, further comprising image display means for displaying an image representing the value of the game data stored in the storage means and an image representing the value of the current game data on a display device, after starting to accept cancellation of the pause.

3. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein:

the input device includes image capturing means for capturing an image of a predetermined imaging target;

the video game device further comprises position calculation means for calculating coordinates of a position of the imaging target in the captured image obtained by the image capturing means; and

the game data obtaining means obtains, as the game data, data representing the coordinates, or data corresponding to a position or an orientation of the input device calculated based on the coordinates.

4. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein:

the input device includes an acceleration sensor;

the game data obtaining means obtains, as the game data, data representing an output from the acceleration sensor, or data corresponding to an orientation of the input device calculated based on the output from the acceleration sensor.

5. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein:

the input device outputs data representing a state of the input device regarding a position or an orientation thereof; and

the game data obtaining means obtains, as the game data, the data outputted from the input device.

6. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein:

the input device outputs data representing a state of the input device regarding a position or an orientation thereof; and

the game data obtaining means calculates and obtains, as the game data, data for controlling an object present in a virtual game space based on data outputted from the input device.

7. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein the cancel-accepting means starts to accept cancellation of a pause when instructed by a player.

8. The video game device according to claim 7, wherein:

the input device includes a control switch; and

the cancel-accepting means starts to accept cancellation of a pause when the control switch is operated.

9. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein the cancel-accepting means starts to accept cancellation of a pause when a predetermined amount of time elapses since when the game process is paused.

10. The video game device according to claim 1, wherein the cancel-accepting means includes:

second comparison means for comparing current game data successively obtained by the game data obtaining means with the game data stored in the storage means after the game process is paused; and

cancel-accepting means for starting to accept cancellation of the pause when the difference between the value of the current game data and the value of the game data stored in the storage means becomes larger than a predetermined reference.

11. A computer-readable storage medium storing a video game program to be executed by a computer of a video game device for performing a game process based on a state of an input device regarding at least one of a position and an orientation of the input device, the video game program instructing the computer to perform:

a game data obtaining step of successively obtaining game data, which changes according to the state of the input device and is used in the game process;

a pausing step of pausing the game process;

a storage step of storing, in a memory of the video game device, game data obtained at a point in time when the game process is paused;

a cancel-accepting step of starting to accept cancellation of the pause while the game process is being paused;

a first comparison step of successively comparing current game data, which is successively obtained in the game data obtaining step, with the game data stored in the storage means, after starting to accept cancellation of the pause; and

a pause-canceling step of canceling the pause to resume the game process when a difference between a value of the current game data and a value of the game data stored in the storage means becomes smaller than a predetermined reference.

12. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the video game program instructs the computer to further perform an image displaying step of successively displaying an image representing the value of the game data stored in the memory and an image representing the value of the current game data on a display device, after starting to accept cancellation of the pause.

13. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein

the input device includes image capturing means for capturing an image of a predetermined imaging target;

the video game program instructs the computer to further perform a position calculation step of calculating coordinates of a position of the imaging target in the captured image obtained by the image capturing means; and

in the game data obtaining step, the computer obtains, as the game data, data representing the coordinates, or data corresponding to a position or an orientation of the input device calculated based on the coordinates.

14. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein:

the input device includes an acceleration sensor; and

in the game data obtaining step, the computer obtains, as the game data, data representing an output from the acceleration sensor, or data corresponding to an orientation of the input device calculated based on the output from the acceleration sensor.

15. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein:

the input device outputs data representing a state of the input device regarding a position or an orientation thereof; and

in the game data obtaining step, the computer obtains, as the game data, the data outputted from the input device.

16. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein:

the input device outputs data representing a state of the input device regarding a position or an orientation thereof; and

in the game data obtaining step, the computer calculates and obtains, as the game data, data for controlling an object present in a virtual game space based on data outputted from the input device.

17. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein in the cancel-accepting step, the computer starts to accept cancellation of a pause when instructed by a player.

18. The storage medium according to claim 17, wherein:

the input device includes a control switch; and

in the cancel-accepting step, the computer starts to accept cancellation of a pause when the control switch is operated.

19. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein in the cancel-accepting step, the computer starts to accept cancellation of a pause when a predetermined amount of time elapses since when the game process is paused.

20. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the cancel-accepting step includes:

a second comparison step of comparing current game data successively obtained in the game data obtaining step with the game data stored in the memory after the game process is paused; and

a cancel-accepting step of starting to accept cancellation of the pause when the difference between the value of the current game data and the value of the game data stored in the memory becomes larger than a predetermined reference.