COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM STORING INFORMATION PROCESSING PROGRAM AND INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS

• US 20100224420A1
• Filed: 07/28/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: MIYANAGA, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 8,079,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 177/25.120
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• 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 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/816 Athletics, e.g. track-and-field sports
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0334 Foot operated pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An information processing apparatus processes an input signal from a load controller including an input surface and a load detecting means for detecting a load value applied to the input surface. The information processing apparatus detects a center-of-gravity position of a load applied to the input surface of the load controller based on the input signal from the load detecting means. The information processing apparatus determines whether or not the load value applied to the load controller is smaller than a predetermined value, based on the load value detected by the load detecting means, and when the result of determination is positive, executes a menu operation process based on the center-of-gravity position.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium storing an information processing program executable by a computer of an information processing apparatus for processing a signal which is based on a load value output from a first input device including an input surface and a load detecting means for detecting the load value applied to the input surface, the program causing the computer to function as:

a center-of-gravity position detecting means for detecting a center-of-gravity position of a load applied to the input surface of the first input device based on the signal output from the first input device;

a load value determining means for determining whether or not the load value applied to the input surface of the first input device is smaller than a predetermined value, based on the signal output from the first input device; and

a processing means for executing a predetermined process based on the center-of-gravity position when a result of the determination by the load value determining means is positive.

2. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the first input device outputs the load value detected by the load detecting means,

the center-of-gravity position detecting means calculates the center-of-gravity position based on the load value detected by the load detecting means, and

the load value determining means determines whether or not the load value detected by the load detecting means is smaller than the predetermined value.

3. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the processing means executes one of different processes corresponding to respective areas set on the input surface, depending on in which of the areas the center-of-gravity position is located.

4. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the information processing program causes the computer to further function as:

a weight information acquiring means for acquiring weight information of a user, and

the load value determining means includes a threshold changing means for changing the predetermined value based on the weight information of the user, and determines whether or not the load value is smaller than the predetermined value changed by the threshold changing means.

5. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the first input device includes a plurality of load detecting means, and outputs a plurality of load values detected by the plurality of load detecting means,

the center-of-gravity position detecting means calculates the center-of-gravity position based on the load values detected by the plurality of load detecting means, and

the load value determining means determines whether or not a sum of the load values detected by the plurality of load detecting means is smaller than the predetermined value.

6. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the information processing apparatus processes a signal output from a second input device different from the first input device, in addition to the signal output from the first input device, and

the processing means, when the result of the determination by the load value determining means is negative, executes the predetermined process based on the signal output from the second input device.

7. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 6, wherein

the information processing program causes the computer to further function as:

an area setting means for setting on the input surface an input area corresponding to an input type of the second input device, and

the processing means, when the result of the determination by the load value determining means is positive, executes the predetermined process based on an input of the input type corresponding to the input area in which the center-of-gravity position is located.

8. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the information processing program causes the computer to further function as:

an operation displaying means for displaying on a display device a display indicating that an operation using the first input device is available, when the result of the determination by the load value determining means is positive.

9. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the processing means executes a menu operation process for selecting and deciding an item as the predetermined process.

10. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein

the information processing program causes the computer to further function as:

an area setting means for setting a first area including one or more areas and a second area including one or more areas on the input surface, and

the processing means executes a first process as the predetermined process when the center-of-gravity position is located in the first area, and executes a second process as the predetermined process when the center-of-gravity position is located in the second area.

11. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein

the area setting means sets the second area to be narrower than the first area.

12. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein

the area setting means sets a distance between a predetermined position on the input surface and the second area to be longer than a distance between the predetermined position and the first area.

13. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein

the area setting means further sets a third area on the input surface, and

the processing means executes the predetermined process when the center-of-gravity position is located in the first area or the second area, and does not execute the predetermined process when the center-of-gravity position is located in the third area.

14. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 10, wherein

the processing means executes as the first process a process of moving a cursor used to select an item, and executes as the second process a process including a process of deciding the item selected by the cursor.

15. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein

the processing means executes as the first process a process of moving a cursor used to select an item, and executes as the second process a process including a process of deciding the item selected by the cursor.

16. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 12, wherein

the processing means executes as the first process a process of moving a cursor used to select an item, and executes as the second process a process including a process of deciding the item selected by the cursor.

17. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein

the processing means executes as the first process a process of moving a cursor used to select an item, and executes as the second process a process including a process of deciding the item selected by the cursor.

18. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein

the area setting means sets as the third area a boundary between each area included in the first area and the second area.

19. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein

the area setting means sets the third area at a center portion of the input surface, the first area above, below, to the right of, and to the left of the third area in the shape of a cross, and the second area in oblique directions of the third area.

20. An information processing apparatus for processing a signal which is based on a load value output from a first input device including an input surface and a load detecting means for detecting the load value applied to the input surface, comprising:

a center-of-gravity position detecting means for detecting a center-of-gravity position of a load applied to the input surface of the first input device based on the signal output from the first input device;

a load value determining means for determining whether or not the load value applied to the input surface of the first input device is smaller than a predetermined value, based on the signal output from the first input device; and

a processing means for executing a predetermined process based on the center-of-gravity position when a result of the determination by the load value determining means is positive.