INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20100137063A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited, Vitei Inc.
• Inventors: Goddard, Giles, SHIRAKAWA, Mari
• Granted Patent: US 8,152,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/105 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1068 being specially adapted to detect the point of contact of the player on a surface, e.g. floor mat, touch pad
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8005 Athletics

Abstract

A player can change the direction of the right hand of a character object, or extend and retract the right arm of the character object, by changing the direction of the core unit 70. The player can change the direction of the left hand of the character object, or extend and retract the left arm of the character object by changing the direction of the subunit 76. The player can retract and extend a leg of the character object, by shifting the center of gravity in the front-back direction when the player is standing on the load controller 36.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising, a display apparatus, first operating means;

second operating means; and

third operating means;

the information processing apparatus further comprising;

display control means for displaying a character object on the display apparatus;

first attitude calculation means for calculating the attitude of the first operating means;

second attitude calculation means for calculating the attitude of the second operating means;

load detection means For detecting a load applied to the third operating means;

first motion instructing means for causing the character object to conduct at least one motion among a plurality of motions, in response to the attitude of the first operating means calculated by the first attitude calculation means;

second motion instructing means for causing the character object to conduct at least one motion among a plurality of motions, in response to the attitude of the second operating means calculated by the second attitude calculation means; and

third motion instructing means for causing the character object to conduct at least one motion among a plurality of motions, in response to a load applied to the third operating means detected by the load detection means.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first attitude calculation means calculates an inclination direction of the first operating means based on a value obtained by an acceleration sensor built into the first operating means;

the second attitude calculation means calculates an inclination direction of the second operating means based on a value obtained an acceleration sensor built into the second operating means;

the first motion instructing means causes the character object to conduct different motions in cases when the inclination direction of the first operating means is an inclination direction about a first axis, and when the inclination direction of the first operating means is an inclination direction about a second axis which is different from the inclination direction about the first axis; and

the second motion instructing means causes the character object to conduct different motions in cases when the inclination direction of the second operating means is an inclination direction about the third axis, and when the inclination direction of the second operating means is an inclination direction about a fourth axis which is different from the inclination direction about the third axis.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the load detection means comprises at least three load sensors;

and

the third motion instructing means causes the character object to conduct different motions in cases when load values detected by the at least three load sensors are in a first state, and when load values detected by the at least three load sensors are in a second state.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the load detection means comprises at least three load sensors,

the third motion instructing means:

selects at least one group that includes at least one load sensor from among the at least three load sensors;

calculates a sum of load values detected by the load sensors included in each group; and

controls a fourth motion of the character object based on a sum of load values of the selected at least one group; and

wherein

the third motion instructing means further;

selects, from among the at least three load sensors, at least one group which is different from the group;

calculates each sum of load values detected by the load sensors included in each of the selected groups; and

controls a fifth motion of the character object, which is a motion different from the fourth motion, based on at least one sum of a selected group.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first attitude calculation means, the second attitude calculation means, and the load detection means causes the character object to conduct another additional motion in combination with operation buttons.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a motion conducted by the first motion instructing means is a motion associated with a first part of the character object;

a motion conducted by the second motion instructing means is a motion associated with a second part of the character object; and

a motion conducted by the third motion instructing means is a motion associated with a third part of the character object.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the first operating means is operated by a right hand of a player,

the second operating means is operated by a left hand of the player,

the third operating means is operated by at least one foot of the player,

the first motion instructing means is associated with a motion of a right hand of the character object,

the second motion instructing means is associated with a motion of a left hand of the character object, and

the third motion instructing means is associated with a motion of at least one foot of the character object.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

first compensation means for compensating the attitude of the first operating means calculated by the first attitude calculation means, in response to a load applied to the third operating means and detected by the load detection means; and

second compensation means for compensating the attitude of the second operating means calculated by the second attitude calculation means, in response to a load applied to the third operating means and detected by the load detection means.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising third compensation means for compensating a load applied to the third operating means and detected by the load detection means, in response to an attitude calculated by the first attitude calculation means and/or the second attitude calculation means.

10. A computer readable storage medium that stores a computer program capable of causing, a computer, of an in formation processing apparatus that comprises a display apparatus, first operating means, second operating means, and third operating means, to function as:

display control means for displaying a character object on the display apparatus;

first attitude calculation means for calculating the attitude of the first operating means;

second attitude calculation means for calculating the attitude of the second operating means;

load detection means for detecting a load applied to the third operating means;

first motion instructing means for causing the character object to conduct at least one motion among a plurality of motions, in response to the attitude of the first operating means calculated by the first attitude calculation means;

second motion instructing means for causing the character object to conduct at least one motion among a plurality of motions, in response to the attitude of the second operating means calculated by the second attitude calculation means; and

third motion instructing means for causing the character object to conduct at least one motion among a plurality of motions, in response to a load applied to the third operating means detected by the load detection means.