Entertainment system and supply medium

• US 6,409,601 B2
• Filed: 07/26/1999
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Komata, Nobuhiro, Ogata, Hiroki, Miyasaka, Shigehisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROCKETTI, JULIE K
• Application Number:
  US09/361,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20020006827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 273/148.B, 463/30, 463/31, 463/36, 463/37, 463/38, 463/47
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/20 Input arrangements for video game devices
• 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 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/10 characterized by input arrangements for converting player-generated signals into game device control signals
• 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 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser

Abstract

A main memory stores an operating guidance program for displaying operating guidance on a display monitor and enabling control members of a manual control input device to emit continuous or flickering light in relating to the operating guidance. Based on a command from the manual control input device, a CPU executes the operating guidance program stored in the main memory. The operating guidance program enables the control members to emit continuous or flickering light sequentially and displays operating guidance for at least the control members which are emitting continuous or flickering light on the display monitor. Not only the operating guidance is displayed on the display monitor, but also visual sensations are given to the game player by controlling the control members to emit continuous or flickering light on the manual control input device.

Claims

1. An entertainment system, comprising:

a manual control input device for entering control commands, said manual control input device having a plurality of control members;

a display monitor for displaying an image of said manual control input device;

a video game machine for generating an image of a game character to be displayed on said display monitor; and

a controller responsive to a signal sent from said video game machine to said manual control input device and to emission of continuous or flickering light from one or more of said control members in said displayed image of said manual control input device, for energizing a corresponding one or more of said control members of said manual control input device to emit continuous or flickering light in synchronization with said emission of continuous or flickering light from said displayed image.

2. An entertainment system according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises means for controlling said display monitor to display, in addition to said image of said manual control input device, an operating guide for said one or more of said control members which emit continuous or flickering light.

3. An entertainment system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more of said control members in said displayed image of said manual control input device which emit continuous or flickering light are selected by a user via said manual control input device.

4. An entertainment system according to claim 3, wherein said controller comprises means for controlling said display monitor to display a plurality of commands and an operating sequence for said control members to execute one of said plurality of commands selected by a user, and for enabling ones of said control members in said displayed image of said manual control input device and corresponding ones of said control members of said manual control input device to emit continuous or flickering light in synchronization with each other.

5. An entertainment system according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises means for controlling said display monitor to display an operating sequence for executing a program as an operating guide based on a selection made by a user, and for enabling ones of said control members in said displayed image of said manual control input device and corresponding ones of said control members of said manual control input device to emit continuous or flickering light in synchronization with each other according to said operating sequence.

6. An entertainment system, comprising:

a manual control input device for entering control commands, said manual control input device having a plurality of control members;

a display monitor for displaying a game image;

a video game machine for generating an image of a game character to be displayed on said display monitor in response to control commands entered by said manual control input device for proceeding with a video game;

an operating guidance program for displaying an operating guide on said display monitor and for enabling said control members of said manual control input device to emit continuous or flickering light;

a memory medium storing said operating guidance program; and

a processor for executing said operating guidance program based on control commands entered by said manual control input device, wherein said processor includes means for producing a control signal to enable said control members of said manual control input device to emit said continuous or flickering light in response to a signal sent from said video game machine to said manual control input device and to emission of continuous or flickering light from one or more of said control members in said displayed image of said manual control input device.

7. An entertainment system according to claim 6, further comprising a recording medium storing said operating guidance program, wherein said memory medium reads said operating guidance program from said recording medium and stores said read operating guidance program.

8. An entertainment system according to claim 6, further comprising communication means for communicating with a source, wherein said memory medium reads said operating guidance program via said communication means and stores said read operating guidance program.

9. An entertainment system according to claim 6, wherein said memory medium stores a program for enabling said control members to emit continuous or flickering light sequentially and for displaying said operating guide for at least said one or more of said control members which are emitting continuous or flickering light on said display monitor.

10. An entertainment system according to claim 6, wherein said memory medium stores a program for displaying only said control members on said display monitor and for displaying said operating guide for at least one of said control members which is selected by a user on said display monitor.

11. An entertainment system according to claim 6, wherein said memory medium stores a program for displaying on said display monitor a plurality of commands and an operating sequence for said control members to execute one of said plurality of commands selected by a user.

12. A supply medium recorded with an operating guidance program and data for operating an entertainment system including a manual control input device having a plurality of control members for entering control commands, a display monitor for displaying an image of the manual control input device, and a video game machine for generating an image of a game character to be displayed on the display monitor, the program comprising:

detecting a signal sent from the video game machine to the manual control input device;

detecting emission of continuous or flickering light from one or more of the control members in the displayed image of the manual control input device; and

in response to detecting the signal and the emission of continuous or flickering light from the displayed image, energizing a corresponding one or more of the control members of the manual control input device to emit continuous or flickering light in synchronization with the emission of continuous or flickering light from the displayed image.

13. A supply medium according to claim 12, wherein the operating guidance program enables the display monitor to display, in addition of the image of the manual control input device, an operating guide for the one or more of the control members which emit continuous or flickering light.

14. A supply medium according to claim 12, wherein the one or more of the control members in the displayed image of the manual control input device which emit continuous or flickering light are selected by a user via the manual control input device.

15. A supply medium according to claim 14, wherein the operating guidance program enables the display monitor to display a plurality of commands and an operating sequence for the control members to execute one of the plurality of commands selected by a user, and for enabling ones of the control members in the displayed image of the manual control input device and corresponding ones of the control members of the manual control input device to emit continuous or flickering light in synchronization with each other.

16. A supply medium according to claim 12, wherein the operating guidance program enables the display monitor to display an operating sequence for executing a program as an operating guide based on a selection made by a user, and enables ones of the control members in the displayed image of the manual control input device and corresponding control members of the manual control input device to emit continuous or flickering light in synchronization with each other according to the operating sequence.

17. A supply medium recorded with an operating guidance program and data for an entertainment system including a video game machine for playing a video game, a manual control input device having a plurality of control members for entering control commands to the video game machine, and a display monitor for displaying a game character in response to the control commands entered by the manual control input device, the operating guidance program comprising:

displaying an operating guide on the display monitor; and

enabling the control members of said manual control input device to emit continuous or flickering light in relation to the operating guide.

18. A supply medium according to claim 17, wherein the operating guidance program further includes:

enabling the control members to emit the continuous or flickering light sequentially; and

displaying on the display monitor the operating guide for at least the control members which are emitting the continuous or flickering light.

19. A supply medium according to claim 17, wherein the operating guidance program further includes:

displaying only the control members on the display monitor; and

displaying the operating guide for at least one of the control members which is selected by a user on the display monitor.

20. A supply medium according to claim 17, wherein the operating guidance program further includes:

displaying on the display monitor a plurality of commands and an operating sequence for the control members to execute one of the plurality of commands selected by a user.