Body-acoustic device, playing apparatus and its control method, light-beam utilizing playing apparatus, and acoustic apparatus

• US 6,004,209 A
• Filed: 11/29/1996
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Capcon Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Capcom Company Limited (Capcom Entertainment Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Akira, Kurokawa, Masahiko, Fujimoto, Keiji, Katsumoto, Atsushi, Fujiwara, Tokurou, Takenouchi, Nobuo, Miura, Koji, Seri, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US08/750,233
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 463/5, 463/30, 463/35, 463/52, 463/51, 463/2, 463/53, 463/50, 434/21, 434/22, 434/20, 434/18, 273/148 B, 273/121 A, 181/171, 181/172, 181/166
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/219 for aiming at specific areas on the display, e.g. light-guns
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/28 responding to control signals received from the game device for affecting ambient conditions, e.g. for vibrating players' seats, activating scent dispensers or affecting temperature or light controlling the output signals based on the game progress A63F13/50
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/285 Generating tactile feedback signals via the game input device, e.g. force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/424 involving acoustic input signals, e.g. by using the results of pitch or rhythm extraction or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/57 Simulating properties, behaviour or motion of objects in the game world, e.g. computing tyre load in a car race game A63F13/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6072 of an input signal, e.g. pitch and rhythm extraction, voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6081 generating an output signal, e.g. under timing constraints, for spatialization
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/64 for computing dynamical parameters of game objects, e.g. motion determination or computation of frictional forces for a virtual car
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8076 Shooting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/021 incorporating only one transducer
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/023 Transducers incorporated in garment, rucksacks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 23/00 : Transducers other than those covered by groups H04R9/00 - H04R21/00 diaphragms for transducers of the distributed-mode type H04R7/045

Abstract

A sound feeling device (1) having a case main body (4) which is constituted of, at least, a case (3) having a bottom (3x) in contact with the body when the device (1) is used and a partition plate (5) which is mounted with a loudspeaker (6), and, together with the case (3), defines a sound producing space. The bottom (3x) vibrates upon receiving sounds from the loudspeaker (6), and is curved at least, at the part which is in contact with the body when used, along the shape of the body.

Claims

1. A playing apparatus comprising:

input means operated by a player;

a game progression control means for determining or controlling a progression state of a game in response to signals from the input means;

output means for generating image information signals in response to signals from the game progression means;

a display for displaying an image in response to the image information signals from the output means, the image including at least a character manipulated in response to operation of the input means by a player;

specific state determining means for determining, in response to signals from the game progression control means, whether or not the character manipulated by the operator is in a specific state which is invisible on the display;

vibration information control means for transmitting vibration information signals upon detection of the specific state by the specific state determining means; and

vibration generating means for generating vibrations in response to the vibration information signals from the vibration information control means.

2. The playing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specific state is a dangerous state.

3. The playing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the dangerous state is an approach of the character toward a mine which is invisible on the display.

4. The playing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vibration generating means comprises a body-acoustic device which causes an outer wall of a container to vibrate in accordance with sound generated by a speaker, the vibration information signals from the vibration information control means comprising acoustic signals transmitted to the speaker.

5. The playing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the acoustic signals transmitted to the speaker are in a predetermined low frequency region.

6. A playing apparatus comprising:

input means operated by a player;

a game progression control means for determining or controlling a progression state of a game in response to signals from the input means;

vibration information control means for transmitting vibration information signals under control of the game progression means; and

vibration generating means for generating vibrations in response to the vibration information signals from the vibration information control means;

wherein the vibration generating means comprises a body-acoustic device including a container internally provided with a partitioning plate which is fitted with a speaker, at least a portion of the partitioning plate comprising a wave plate portion which flexibly vibrates with the speaker.

7. The playing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the wave plate portion of the partitioning plate comprises a plurality of annular serrations which are concentric with an opening formed in the partitioning plate for attachment to the speaker.