Storage medium storing sound output program, sound output apparatus and sound output control method

• US 20070265104A1
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Haga, Takayuki, Okane, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 8,801,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8047 Music games
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/348 Switches actuated by parts of the body other than fingers
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/206 Conductor baton movement detection used to adjust rhythm, tempo or expressivity of, e.g. the playback of musical pieces
• 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. conductor baton movement sensing G10H2220/206, angle sensing without reference to gravity G10H2220/391; player body joint angle sensing G10H2220/321
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/401 3D sensing, i.e. three-dimensional (x, y, z) position or movement sensing. movement pattern or gesture sensing G10H2220/201; geolocation sensing G10H2220/355, 3D sensing with accelerometer G10H2220/395
• 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, hand spint percussion G10H2230/231

Abstract

A video game apparatus as a sound output apparatus includes a CPU, and the CPU detects acceleration data included in input information data transmitted from a controller. The acceleration data is numerical value data for accelerations in three axial directions set to the controller. For example, a swinging motion of the controller in a right direction or a left direction is determined based on the acceleration in a direction of one axis (x-axis) out of three axes. In addition, a downward swinging motion of the controller and a posture of the controller at the time of end of swing are determined based on the acceleration in directions of two axes (y-axis and z-axis) other than the one axis. Accordingly, for example, a performance of a musical instrument displayed on a game screen is individually instructed.

Claims

1. A storage medium storing sound output program of

a sound output apparatus having an operating means including an acceleration sensor,

wherein said sound output program causes a processor of said sound output apparatus to function as the following means:

a swinging motion detection means for detecting a swinging motion of said operating means based on an output of said acceleration sensor;

a swinging motion end determination means for determining whether or not said swinging motion is ended based on the output of said acceleration sensor, after the swinging motion is detected by said swinging motion detection means;

a posture detection means for detecting a posture of said operating means based on the output of said acceleration sensor, when said swinging motion end determination means so determines that the swinging motion is ended; and

a sound output means for outputting sound based on tone data stored in a storage means, in accordance with a detection result of said posture detection means.

2. A storage medium storing sound output program according to claim 1, wherein

said acceleration sensor serves as a multiaxial acceleration sensor;

said sound output program causes said processor to further function as a direction determination means for determining a direction of said swinging motion based on an acceleration in directions of two axes of said multiaxial acceleration sensor;

said posture detection means includes a vertical directional inclination detection means for detecting an inclination of said operating means to a horizontal surface in a vertical direction based on the acceleration in the direction of an axis perpendicularly crossing said two axes, when a determination result of said direction determination means shows the vertical direction; and

said sound output means reads from the storage means the tone data in accordance with a position in the vertical direction following the inclination detected by said vertical directional inclination detection means.

3. A storage medium storing sound output program according to claim 1, wherein when a determination result of said direction determination means shows a right direction, said sound output means reads the tone data from the storage means in accordance with the right direction, and when the determination result of said direction determination means shows a left direction, said sound output means reads the tone data from the storage means in accordance with the left direction.

4. A storage medium storing sound output program according to claim 2, wherein

said sound output apparatus further comprises a display means;

said sound output program causes said processor to function as a guidance screen display means for displaying on said display means a guidance screen for guiding said swinging motion; and

a direction shown by a determination result of said direction determination means corresponds to the direction in said guidance screen.

5. A sound output apparatus having an operating means including an acceleration sensor, comprising:

a swinging motion detection means for detecting a swinging motion of said operating means based on an output of said acceleration sensor;

a swinging motion end determination means for determining whether or not said swinging motion is ended based on the output of said acceleration sensor, after the swinging motion is detected by said swinging motion detection means;

a posture detection means for detecting a posture of said operating means based on the output of said acceleration sensor, when said swinging motion end determination means so determines that the swinging motion is ended; and

a sound output means for outputting sound based on tone data stored in a storage means, in accordance with a detection result of said posture detection means.

6. A sound output control method of a sound output apparatus having an operating means including an acceleration sensor, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a swinging motion of said operating means based on an output of said acceleration sensor;

(b) determining whether or not said swinging motion is ended based on the output of said acceleration sensor, after the swinging motion is detected by said step (a);

(c) detecting a posture of said operating means based on the output of said acceleration sensor, when determination in said step (b) shows that the swinging motion is ended; and

(d) outputting sound based on tone data stored in a storage means in accordance with a detection result of said step (c).