Image display device for displaying images responsive to number of times of selection of image data by user

• US 6,108,012 A
• Filed: 06/11/1999
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Naruki, Yukio, Okabe, Hiromi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chauhan, Ulka J.
• Application Number:
  US09/330,293
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 345/473-475, 345/501-503, 345/507, 345/509, 345/515, 345/516, 345/949, 345/952, 345/956, 345/960, 345/358, 463/1, 463/16, 463/22, 463/30-39, 463/43
• US Class Current: 345/501
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/215 comprising means for detecting acoustic signals, e.g. using a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/825 Fostering virtual characters
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8058 Virtual breeding, e.g. tamagotchi
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/025 adapted to a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0283 for data storage and retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/006 based on simulated virtual individual or collective life forms, e.g. social simulations or particle swarm optimisation [PSO]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/96 Iterative display of preconfigured images

Abstract

In an image display device, a ROM contains a plurality of image data indicative of the actions of an animal character. A RAM includes a plurality of action level registers each of which stores for each image data the state of inputs given to select and display the image data. The user gives a command corresponding to a respective image of an animal character to select and display the action of the animal character optionally. When a random-number corresponding to the command is generated, image data which does not correspond to the input command can be displayed. If the generated random number has a particular value, the value of an action level register for the image data corresponding to the command is updated. Such operation is iterated and thus the value of the action level register is updated. When the user instructs the device to display the image data for which the updated value of the action level register has reached the predetermined value, the corresponding image data is displayed, so that the user can interestingly feel as if the user actually kept a pet.

Claims

1. An image display device comprising:

image data storage means for storing a plurality of image data;

selection commanding means operable by a user for giving the device a command to select image data to be displayed from among the plurality of image data stored in the image data storage means;

selection count storage means for counting and storing a number of times of selection of each of the image data;

determining means for determining whether the number of times of selection of each image data stored in the selection count storage means is larger than a predetermined value for each of the plurality of image data stored in the image data storage means; and

display control means for displaying image data whose number of times of selection is determined by the determining means as being larger than the predetermined value and whose selection has been commanded by the selection commanding means;

wherein the selection count storage means comprises;

random number generating means for generating a random number when the selection commanding means gives the command to select the image data from among the image data stored in the image data storage means for displaying purposes; and

random number counting means for counting and storing the number of times of selection of each of the image data corresponding to the particular value only when the random number generated by the random number generating means has a particular value.

2. An image display device according to claim 1, wherein the selection commanding means comprises non-contact selection commanding means for enabling the user to command the selection of the image data without contacting the device.

3. An image display device according to claim 2, wherein the non-contact selection commanding means comprises:

sending means for sending infrared light;

receiving means for receiving a reflection of infrared light sent by the infrared light sending means, the reflection being produced by an action of the user; and

selection command executing means for executing the command to select the image data stored in the image data storage means depending on a receipt state of the reflection of the infrared light in the receiving means.

4. An image display device according to claim 2, wherein the non-contact selection commanding means comprises:

voice receiving means for receiving a voice;

voice recognizing means for recognizing the voice received by the voice receiving means; and

recognition commanding means for executing the command to select the image data stored in the image data storage means based on the recognition by the voice recognizing means.

5. An image display device according to claim 1, wherein the display control means further comprises:

random display means for selecting and displaying image data randomly from among the plurality of image data stored in the image data storage means when the selection commanding means gives the command to select the image data, the stored number of times of selection of which is determined by the determining means as not being the predetermined value.

6. An image display device according to claim 5, wherein the random display means comprises:

count checking means for checking the number of times of selection stored by the selection count storage means; and

random control means for limiting a range of the image data to be selected randomly from among the image data stored in the image data storage means in accordance with a result of the checking of the count checking means.

7. An image display device according to claim 1, wherein the random number generating means comprises:

random number control means for controlling a range of random numbers to be generated in accordance with the number of times of selection of each of the image data counted by the random number counting means, said random number control means increasing a probability of generation of the particular value as the number of times of selection counted by the random number counting means increases.

8. An image display device according to claim 1, wherein the image data storage means comprises image data storage means for storing a plurality of image data on various actions of an animal character;

and

the selection commanding means comprises selection instructing means for giving a command to an animal character, data on which is stored in the image data storage means.