Driving game machine and computer-readable medium storing driving game program

• US 6,217,445 B1
• Filed: 02/20/1997
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Inoue, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARADISO, JOHN ROGER
• Application Number:
  US08/803,099
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 463/6, 463/58, 463/59, 463/60, 463/62, 434/61, 434/62, 434/63, 434/64, 434/68, 434/69, 434/307.R, 273/459, 273/460, 273/461, 273/246, 345/418, 345/419
• US Class Current: 463/6
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/577 using determination of contact between game characters or objects, e.g. to avoid collision between virtual racing cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/803 Driving vehicles or craft, e.g. cars, airplanes, ships, robots or tanks
• 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 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/203 Image generating hardware
• 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 2300/643 by determining the impact between objects, e.g. collision detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• 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: G09B 9/048 a model being viewed and manoeuvred from a remote point G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/05 the view from a vehicle being simulated G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence

Abstract

A driving game machine includes an image display processor for displaying on a display monitor a real-time three-dimensional image including a simulated player'"'"'s automobile, general automobiles, and a three-dimensional road established in a game space in a three-dimensional coordinate system. The three-dimensional road has a running lane and an oncoming lane for the player'"'"'s and general automobiles to run therealong. The player of the driving game machine operates a driving control assembly including a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a gear change lever to instruct the player'"'"'s automobile to run on the three-dimensional road. A player'"'"'s automobile control unit controls the player'"'"'s automobile to run on the three-dimensional road in response to instructions from the driving control assembly. The image display processor displays general automobiles on the running lane and the oncoming lane within a visible range of the player'"'"'s automobile.

Claims

1. A driving game machine comprising:

image display processing means for displaying a real-time three-dimensional image including a simulated player'"'"'s automobile, general automobiles, and a three-dimensional road established in a game space in a three-dimensional coordinate system on a display monitor, said three-dimensional road having a running lane and an oncoming lane for the player'"'"'s and general automobiles to run therealong;

driving control means operable by a player for entering instructions pertaining to the player'"'"'s automobile; and

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

said image display processing means comprising means for displaying general automobiles on the running lane and the oncoming lane within a visible range of the player'"'"'s automobile.

2. A driving game machine according to claim 1, wherein said image display processing means comprises means for displaying general automobiles to run in the running lane in the same direction as said player'"'"'s automobile and general automobiles to run in the oncoming lane in a direction opposite to said player'"'"'s automobile.

3. A driving game machine according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

three-dimensional data memory means for storing coordinate data of said three-dimensional road;

two-dimensional data memory means for storing coordinate data of a straight road established in a two-dimensional coordinate system in association with said three-dimensional road, said straight road having a running lane and an oncoming lane for the player'"'"'s and general automobiles to run therealong;

general automobile control means for controlling general automobiles on the running and oncoming lanes of said straight road;

two-dimensional coordinate transforming means for transforming coordinate data of said player'"'"'s automobile on said three-dimensional road into coordinate data on said straight road in said two-dimensional coordinate system;

position deciding means for determining general automobiles positioned in the visible range of the player'"'"'s automobile based on the coordinate data on said straight road in said two-dimensional coordinate system; and

three-dimensional coordinate transforming means for transforming coordinate data of said general automobiles which are determined as being positioned in said visible range into coordinate data on said three-dimensional road in said three-dimensional coordinate system.

4. A driving game machine according to claim 3, further comprising:

lane selecting means for selecting a left-side lane or a right-side lane for use in the three-dimensional road; and

coordinate switching means for switching between coordinate data of the running and oncoming lanes transversely across the straight road, which are stored in said two-dimensional data memory means, depending on the selected left-side or right-side lane.

5. A driving game machine according to claim 3, further comprising:

counting means for counting general automobiles positioned within a predetermined range from the player'"'"'s automobile based on the coordinate data on said straight road in the two-dimensional coordinate system;

said general automobile control means comprising means for introducing a new general automobile into said predetermined range when the number of counted general automobiles is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

6. A driving game machine according to claim 3, further comprising:

rival automobile control means for controlling a rival automobile to run on said three-dimensional road;

said two-dimensional coordinate transforming means comprising means for transforming coordinate data of said rival automobile on said three-dimensional road into coordinate data on said straight road in said two-dimensional coordinate system;

said position deciding means comprising means for determining whether said rival automobile is positioned within said visible range based on the coordinate data on said straight road in said two-dimensional coordinate system.

7. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a driving game program comprising computer software instructions for execution by a computer processor, the driving game program for driving a simulated player'"'"'s automobile on a three-dimensional road established in a game space in a three-dimensional coordinate system as instructed by a game player, said three-dimensional road having a running lane and an oncoming lane for the player'"'"'s automobile and general automobiles to run therealong, said software instructions including program code causing said computer processor to perform the step of displaying on a display monitor a real-time three-dimensional image, which includes generally automobiles on the running lane and the oncoming lane, within a visible range of the player'"'"'s automobile.

8. A computer-readable medium according to claim 7, wherein said step of displaying comprises the steps of:

transforming coordinate data of the player'"'"'s automobile on the three-dimensional road in the three-dimensional coordinate system into coordinate data on a straight road in a two-dimensional coordinate system;

determining a general automobile positioned in the visible range of the player'"'"'s automobile based on the coordinate data on the straight road in the two-dimensional coordinate system; and

transforming coordinate data of the determined general automobile into coordinate data on the three-dimensional road in the three-dimensional coordinate system.

9. A driving game machine comprising:

an image display processor which displays a real-time three-dimensional image including a simulated player'"'"'s automobile, general automobiles, and a three-dimensional road established in a game space in a three-dimensional coordinate system on a display monitor, said three-dimensional road having a running lane and an oncoming lane for the player'"'"'s and general automobiles to run therealong, said image display processor displaying general automobiles on the running lane and the oncoming lane within a visible range of the player'"'"'s automobile;

a driving control operable by a player by which said player can enter instructions pertaining to the player'"'"'s automobile; and

a controller which controls running of the player'"'"'s automobile on the three-dimensional road in response to the instructions from said driving control.

10. A driving game machine according to claim 9, wherein said image display processor displays general automobiles to run in the running lane in the same direction as said player'"'"'s automobile and general automobiles to run in the oncoming lane in a direction opposite to said player'"'"'s automobile.

11. A driving game machine according to claim 9, further comprising:

a three-dimensional data memory for storing coordinate data of said three-dimensional road;

a two-dimensional data memory for storing coordinate data of a straight road established in a two-dimensional coordinate system in association with said three-dimensional road, said straight road having a running lane and an oncoming lane for the player'"'"'s and general automobiles to run therealong;

a general automobile controller which permits control of general automobiles on the running and oncoming lanes of said straight road;

two-dimensional coordinate transforming means for transforming coordinate data of said player'"'"'s automobile on said three-dimensional road into coordinate data on said straight road in said two-dimensional coordinate system;

position deciding means for determining general automobiles positioned in the visible range of the player'"'"'s automobile based on the coordinate data on said straight road in said two-dimensional coordinate system; and

three-dimensional coordinate transforming means for transforming coordinate data of said general automobiles which are determined as being positioned in said visible range into coordinate data on said three-dimensional road in said three-dimensional coordinate system.

12. A driving game machine according to claim 11, further comprising:

a lane selector which permits selection of one of a left-side lane and a right-side lane for use in the three-dimensional road; and

coordinate switching means for switching between coordinate data of the running and oncoming lanes transversely across the straight road, which are stored in said two-dimensional data memory, depending on the selected left-side or right-side lane.

13. A driving game machine according to claim 11, further comprising:

a counter for counting general automobiles positioned within a predetermined range from the player'"'"'s automobile based on the coordinate data on said straight road in the two-dimensional coordinate system; and

said general automobile controller introducing a new general automobile into said predetermined range when the number of counted general automobiles is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

14. A driving game machine according to claim 11, further comprising:

a rival automobile controller which permits control of a rival automobile to run on said three-dimensional road;

said two-dimensional coordinate transforming means comprising means for tranforming coordinate data of said rival automobile on said three-dimensional road into coordinate data on said straight road in said two-dimensional coordinate system;

said position deciding means comprising means for determining whether said rival automobile is positioned within said visible range based on the coordinate data on said straight road in said two-dimensional coordinate system.