GAME DEVICE

• US 20090104955A1
• Filed: 08/04/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toshiba America Information Systems Incorporated (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba America Information Systems Incorporated (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Seki, Takao, Yamamoto, Sohei, Sugai, Taiji, Ogata, Masayoshi
• Application Number:
  US12/185,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20090104955A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/6
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00157 Casino or betting games horse races A63F3/00082
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 18/00 Highways or trackways for toys railway permanent way A63H19/30; for special railways A63H21/00; Propulsion by special interaction between vehicle and track
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3272 Games involving multiple players

Abstract

A game device including: a first running surface; a second running surface positioned below the first running surface; a plurality of running objects which run on a track of the second running surface, each of the plurality of running objects including capturing unit for capturing an image; and a plurality of model objects which run on the first running surface following each of the plurality of running objects is provided. The game device further includes: a plurality of two-dimensional codes arranged in an information arrangement surface extending in parallel to the second running surface and capturable from the capturing units with sizes and a sequence in which one or more of the plurality of two-dimensional codes are always included in a field angle of the capturing unit of each of the plurality of running objects disposed in optional positions on the track of the second running surface; and a position detection unit for detecting positions of the plurality of running objects based on positional information recorded in the two-dimensional codes captured by the capturing unit. Thus, costs for position detection of the model objects in the game device in which the plurality of model objects run are reduced, accuracy of the position detection is enhanced, and time period required for the position detection is shortened.

Claims

1. A game device, in which a game progresses as a plurality of model objects run, comprising:

a first running surface;

a second running surface positioned below the first running surface;

a plurality of running objects which run on a track of the second running surface, each of the plurality of running objects including capturing means for capturing an image; and

the plurality of model objects each of which runs on the first running surface following any of the running objects;

a plurality of two-dimensional codes for recording positional information in the second running surface, the plurality of two-dimensional codes being arranged in an information arrangement surface extending in parallel to the second running surface and capturable from the capturing means; and

a position detection means for detecting a position of the running object based on the positional information recorded in the two-dimensional code captured by the capturing means;

wherein;

the plurality of two-dimensional codes are arranged with sizes and a sequence in which, irrespective of the position of any of the plurality of running objects on the track of the second running surface, at least one or more of the plurality of two-dimensional codes are included in a field angle of the capturing means thereof.

2. A game device according to claim 1, wherein the position detection means detects the position of the running object, based on a position and an angle of the two-dimensional code in the image captured by the capturing means and the positional information recorded in the two-dimensional code.

3. A game device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the plurality of running objects includes:

the position detection means; and

driving control means for controlling running of the running object based on the position of the running object detected by the position detection means.

4. A game device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the plurality of running objects further includes lighting means for lighting the field angle of the capturing means.

5. A game device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein:

the plurality of two-dimensional codes are arranged in the information arrangement surface with sizes and a sequence in which, irrespective of the positions of any of the plurality of running objects on the track of the second running surface, at least two of the plurality of two-dimensional codes are included in the field angle of the capturing means thereof; and

the position detection means executes, when position detection of any of the running objects based on one of the two-dimensional codes in the image captured by the capturing means fails, position detection of the running object based on another of the two-dimensional codes in the captured image.