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Apparatus, method and recorded programmed medium for simulating driving using mirrors displayed in a game space

  • US 6,142,871 A
  • Filed: 07/28/1997
  • Issued: 11/07/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A driving game machine for simulating driving a player'"'"'s automobile on a display monitor, comprising:

  • image display processing means for displaying on the display monitor a real-time three-dimensional image of a game space varying in accordance with the player'"'"'s automobile running on a three-dimensional road established in a three-dimensional coordinate system in the game space;

    driving control input means, operable by a game player, for receiving input from the game player directing the player'"'"'s automobile on the three-dimensional road;

    player'"'"'s automobile control means for controlling the player'"'"'s automobile to run on the three-dimensional road in response to said driving control input means;

    mirror coordinate data memory means for storing coordinate data of a mirror in the three-dimensional coordinate system proximate said three-dimensional road such that an image of the three dimensional road is reflectable by the mirror; and

    mirror display processing means for displaying the mirror on the display monitor based on the coordinate data stored by said mirror coordinate data memory means;

    said mirror display processing means comprising;

    player'"'"'s automobile coordinate determining means for determining coordinate data of the player'"'"'s automobile controlled by said player'"'"'s automobile control means;

    line-of-sight calculating means for calculating a direction of a line-of-sight from a viewpoint of the player'"'"'s automobile toward the mirror based on the coordinate data of the mirror and the coordinate data of the player'"'"'s automobile;

    distance calculating means for calculating a distance from the player'"'"'s automobile to the mirror based on the coordinate data of the mirror and the coordinate data of the player'"'"'s automobile;

    reflected line-of-sight calculating means for calculating a direction of a reflected line-of-site from the mirror based on an angle between a reflecting surface of the mirror obtained from coordinate data of the mirror and said direction of the line-of-site;

    mirror viewpoint coordinate calculating means for calculating coordinates of a viewpoint of the mirror which is spaced said distance from the mirror in a direction opposite to said direction of the reflected line-of-site;

    an angle-of-view calculating means for calculating a size of the mirror displayed on the display monitor based on the coordinate data of the mirror and the coordinate data of the player'"'"'s automobile, and subsequently calculating an angle-of-view of the mirror as viewed from said viewpoint of the player'"'"'s automobile based on the calculated size of the mirror; and

    image generating means for generating an image within said angle-of-view as viewed from said viewpoint of the mirror in said direction of the reflected line-of-sight; and

    said image display processing means comprising means for horizontally inverting said image generated by said image generating means and displaying the horizontally inverted image in superposed relation to said mirror on the display monitor.

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