GAME CONTROLLER SIMULATING A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

• US 20070232374A1
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Inventors: EGOZY, Eran B., SUSSMAN, Daniel K., BROSIUS, Eric J., KAY, Robert, LOPICCOLO, Gregory B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,003,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/7
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/342 for guitar-like instruments with or without strings and with a neck on which switches or string-fret contacts are used to detect the notes being played electric guitars in which the tones are generated by the vibration of strings G10H3/18
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/368 displaying animated or moving pictures synchronized with the music or audio part
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/091 for performance evaluation, i.e. judging, grading or scoring the musical qualities or faithfulness of a performance, e.g. with respect to pitch, tempo or other timings of a reference performance
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/155 Musical effects
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/015 Musical staff, tablature or score displays, e.g. for score reading during a performance
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/135 Musical aspects of games or videogames; Musical instrument-shaped game input interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/145 Multiplayer musical games, e.g. karaoke-like multiplayer videogames
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/395 Acceleration sensing or accelerometer use, e.g. 3D movement computation by integration of accelerometer data, angle sensing with respect to the vertical, i.e. gravity sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/401 3D sensing, i.e. three-dimensional (x, y, z) position or movement sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/045 Special instrument [spint], i.e. mimicking the ergonomy, shape, sound or other characteristic of a specific acoustic musical instrument category
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/135 Spint guitar, i.e. guitar-like instruments in which the sound is not generated by vibrating strings, e.g. guitar-shaped game interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/281 Spint drum assembly, i.e. mimicking two or more drums or drumpads assembled on a common structure, e.g. drum kit
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/435 Gensound percussion, i.e. generating or synthesising the sound of a percussion instrument; Control of specific aspects of percussion sounds, e.g. harmonics, under the influence of hitting force, hitting position, settings or striking instruments such as mallet, drumstick, brush or hand
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/441 Gensound string, i.e. generating the sound of a string instrument, controlling specific features of said sound

Abstract

A simulated musical instrument may be used to alter the audio of a video game, the video aspects of video game, or both. Use of a controller simulating a musical instrument allows a rhythm-action game can be enjoyed in a manner closer to a realistic state of playing an instrument.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating interaction of a player with a music-based video game using a game controller simulating a musical instrument and having a note-producing mechanism simulating that of an instrument the controller simulates, the method comprising:

displaying to a player target musical data associated with a musical composition;

receiving first music performance input from the player via a simulated note-producing mechanism of a game controller;

c) reproducing a portion of the musical composition in response to the received first music performance;

d) receiving second music performance input from the player via a mechanism different from the simulated note-producing mechanism of the game controller, the second music performance input unassociated with target musical data; and

e) altering a characteristic of the music-based video game in response to the received second music performance input.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises displaying to a first player target musical data associated with a musical composition, the target musical data disposed along a musical time axis that does not lie in the image plane of a display associated with the first player.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises displaying to a first player target musical data associated with the guitar track of a musical composition.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises displaying to a first player target musical data associated with the percussion track of a musical composition.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises displaying to a first player target musical data associated with the bass track of a musical composition.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises displaying to a first player target musical data associated with the keyboard track of a musical composition.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) comprises receiving second music performance input from the player, the second performance input comprising tilting the game controller.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) comprises receiving second music performance input from the player, the second performance input comprising shaking the game controller.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) comprises receiving second music performance input from the player, the second performance input comprising slapping the game controller.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) comprises receiving second music performance input from the player, the second performance input comprising manipulation of a tremolo bar disposed on the game controller.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) comprises receiving second music performance input from the player, the second performance input comprising pushing a tremolo bar disposed on the game controller.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) comprises receiving second music performance input from the player, the second performance input comprising pulling a tremolo bar disposed on the game controller.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) comprises receiving second music performance input from the player, the second performance input comprising manipulation of a pitch bend wheel disposed on the game controller.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein step (e) comprises altering sound quality of the reproduced portion of the musical composition in response to the second musical performance input.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the altered sound quality is selected from the group consisting of frequency, pitch, distortion, simulated feedback, flange, fuzz, vocoder, echo, reverb, chorus, delay and volume.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein step (e) comprises altering gameplay characteristics in response to the second musical performance input.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the altered gameplay characteristic is selected from the group consisting of score bonus, star power, player score, character health, character money, in-game power-ups, and crowd excitement.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein step (e) comprises altering graphical characteristics of the game in response to the second musical performance input.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the graphical characteristic to be altered is selected form the group consisting of venue lighting, venue brightness, venue animation, crowd animation, crowd excitement, brightness, avatar animation, sustain tail, note brightness, sustain tail brightness, note size, note shape, sustain tail pulsation, sustain tail size and sustain tail brightness

20. A game controller simulating a musical instrument video game, the controller comprising:

a first one-producing mechanism simulating a note-producing mechanism of the musical instrument the controller simulates for providing first music performance input associated with target musical data displayed to the player; and

a secondary note-producing mechanism for providing second music performance input unassociated with target musical data displayed to the player.