Wireless communication apparatus and game machine using the same

• US 5,561,419 A
• Filed: 01/19/1996
• Issued: 10/01/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Capcom Company Limited (Capcom Entertainment Incorporated), Nippon Steel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Capcom Company Limited (Capcom Entertainment Incorporated), Nippon Steel Corporation
• Inventors: Sakai, Akio, Shiina, Noboru, Sasaki, Yuzuru, Itoh, Kuniharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, John W.
• Application Number:
  US08/590,109
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.06, 340/825.07, 340/825.08, 340/825.24, 340/323 R, 345/157, 345/169, 348/734, 273/438
• US Class Current: 340/2.1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/22 Setup operations, e.g. calibration, key configuration or button assignment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/40 Processing input control signals of video game devices, e.g. signals generated by the player or derived from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/843 involving concurrently two or more players on the same game device, e.g. requiring the use of a plurality of controllers or of a specific view of game data for each player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1031 using a wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, infrared connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8088 involving concurrently several players in a non-networked game, e.g. on the same game console
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A wireless communication apparatus for transmitting signals between a plurality of controllers and a master unit in a wireless fashion and a game machine using the wireless communication apparatus are disclosed, wherein different delay times are set for the respective controllers, each of the controllers comprises a first receiver for receiving a reference time signal from the master unit, an input device for inputting an operating signal by a user and a first transmitter for transmitting the operating signal to the master unit at the delay time set for the controller after receiving the reference time signal and the master unit comprises a reference time signal generator for repeatedly generating the reference time signal, a second transmitter for transmitting the reference time signal to each controller, a second receiver for receiving the operating signal transmitted from each of the controllers and a discriminator for taking out output signals from the signals received by the second receiver, respectively, at every timings corresponding to the delay times set for the controllers, respectively.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus for transmitting signals in a wireless form between a plurality of controllers and a master unit, said apparatus comprising means for setting different delay times for the controllers, respectively, such that a difference between the delay times set for any two of said controllers is no less than a predetermined time length, and wherein each of said controllers comprises:

first receiver means for receiving a reference timing signal from said master unit;

input means including a plurality of input keys for inputting an on-demand operating signal which comprises a plurality of bits responsive to activation of each input key, said input keys being allotted to specific functions, respectively, selectable by a user and said plurality of bits being associated with said input keys, respectively; and

first transmitter means for transmitting an information signal having a predetermined duration time and representing the on-demand operating signal inputted by said input means at the delay time set for the controller after receiving said reference timing signal, said plurality of bits of said on-demand operating signal being transmitted bit-by-bit serially, and said duration time being no longer than said predetermined time length; and

wherein

said master unit comprises;

reference timing signal generator means for generating repeatedly said reference timing signal;

second transmitter means for transmitting said reference timing signal to each of said controllers;

second receiver means for receiving the information signal transmitted from each of said controllers; and

discriminator means for selecting output signals from the information signals received by said second receiver means, at each of the timings corresponding to the delay times set for the respective controllers.

2. A wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein delay time setting means is provided to each of the controllers to set the delay time for the controller.

3. A wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission of the signals between said master unit and said controllers is conducted by using infrared rays.

4. A wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of storage means for storing the output signals of said discriminator means respectively, said storage means being respectively allotted to said controllers on the basis of said delay times.

5. A game machine, in which signals are transmitted in a wireless form between a plurality of controllers and a master unit, and a game program is carried out on the basis of an on-demand operating signal inputted by each of said plurality of controllers, said machine comprising means for setting different delay times for the controllers, such that a difference between the delay times set for any two of said controllers is no less than a predetermined time length, and wherein each of said controllers comprises:

first receiver means for receiving a reference timing signal from said master unit;

input means including a plurality of input keys for inputting on-demand operating signal which comprises a plurality of bits responsive to activation of each input key, said input keys being allotted to specific functions, respectively, to be carried out by said game machine, and said plurality of bits being associated with said input keys, respectively;

first transmitter means for transmitting an information signal having a predetermined duration time and representing the on-demand operating signal inputted by said input means at the delay time set for the controller after receiving said reference timing signal, said plurality of bits of said on-demand operating signal being transmitted bit-by-bit serially, and said duration time being not longer than said predetermined time length; and

wherein

said master unit comprises;

reference timing signal generator means for generating repeatedly said reference timing signal;

second transmitter means for transmitting said reference timing signal to each of said controller;

second receiver means for receiving the information signal transmitted from each of said controllers; and

discriminator means for selecting output signals from the information signals received by said second receiver means, at each of the timings corresponding to the delay times, respectively, set for the controllers.

6. A game machine according to claim 5, wherein said different delay times are set by time setting means provided to said controllers, respectively.

7. A game machine according to claim 5, wherein the transmission of the signals between said master unit and said controllers is conducted by using infrared rays.

8. A game machine according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of storage means for storing the output signals of said discriminator means, said storage means being respectively allotted to said controllers on the basis of said delay times.

9. A communication system for transmitting signals via a wireless medium, comprising:

a master unit which includes a reference timing signal generator means for generating a reference timing signal, first transmitter means for transmitting said reference timing signal, first receiver means for receiving a time delayed information signal, and discriminator means for identifying said time delayed information signal received by said first receiver means;

a plurality of controllers, wherein each controller includes second receiver means for receiving said reference timing signal from said master unit, input means including a plurality of input keys allotted to specific functions, respectively, selectable by a user for entering an on-demand operating signal which comprises a plurality of bits associated with said input keys, respectively, responsive to activation of each input key, second transmitter means for transmitting said time delayed information signal in direct response to said reference timing signal, said time delayed information signal representing said on-demand operating signal; and

delay means for setting a different delay time for each controller in said plurality of controllers, wherein said delay time is individually set for each controller to delay transmitting said information signal in direct response to said reference timing signal, and wherein a difference between two successive delay times may vary between pairs of adjacent controllers and is not less than time duration of said information signal to prevent conflict among information signals of said plurality of controllers.

10. A game machine for transmitting signals via a wireless medium, comprising:

a game program responsive to an on-demand operating signal entered by a user;

a master unit which includes a reference timing signal generator means for generating a reference timing signal, first transmitter means for transmitting said reference timing signal, first receiver means for receiving a time delayed information signal, and discriminator means for identifying said time delayed information signal received by said first receiver means;

a plurality of controllers, wherein each controller includes second receiver means for receiving said reference timing signal from said master unit, input means including a plurality of input keys allotted to specific functions, respectively, to be carried out by said game machine for entering said on-demand operating signal which comprises a plurality of bits associated with said input keys, respectively, responsive to activation of each input key, second transmitter means for transmitting said time delayed information signal in direct response to said reference timing signal, said time delayed information signal representing said on-demand operating signal; and

delay means for setting a different delay time for each controller in said plurality of controllers, wherein said delay the is individually set for each controller to delay transmitting said information signal in direct response to said reference timing signal, and wherein a difference between two successive delay times may vary between pairs of adjacent controllers and is not less than time duration of said information signal to prevent conflict among information signals of said plurality of controllers.