Game input means to replicate how object is handled by character

• US 6,524,186 B2
• Filed: 05/28/1999
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shimooka, Kenkichi, Takatsuka, Susumu, Yamada, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US09/322,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20020068628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/2, 463/4, 463/5, 463/6, 463/7, 463/8, 463/23, 463/31, 463/35, 463/36, 463/37, 463/38, 463/39, 463/40, 463/41, 463/42, 463/43, 463/44, 463/46, 463/50, 463/52, 434/21, 434/22, 434/69
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• 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 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• 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 2300/807 Role playing or strategy games
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

An entertainment system and a recording medium on which a system is recorded that makes it possible for a character in a game space to handle an object so that a player can make with respect to an operation device of the entertainment system a movement that is related to the actual way an object is handled. A game is played in the entertainment system in accordance with this program. Commands by a player are input from an input operation system. Mounted in an optical disk device built into an optical disk controller of the entertainment system is a CD-ROM on which is recorded a program by which, using his fingers, the player moves operation parts of the input operation device with movements which are related to the way in which objects are actually handled by characters in a game space, thereby analogously moving the object of the character in the game space in two directions. A control system controls the actions of player characters on a display screen based on the program from the CD-ROM and commands from the input operation system.

Claims

1. The entertainment system in which a player plays a game by causing a prescribed character handling an object on a display screen of the entertainment system to act as intended,

the entertainment system comprising:

an input operation means by which commands by the player are inputted;

a memory medium for storing a program, said program further composing a character handling an object, said program enabling moving of the object of the character in a game space by having the player replicate on said input operation means a movement which is related to how the object is actually handled, so as to operate said character;

a control means for controlling actions of said object handled by the character prescribed on the display screen based on said program stored in said memory medium and commands from said input operation means,

wherein said input operation means has at least two operation parts,

wherein one of said at least two operation parts is a first operation part that controls the movement of the character; and

wherein another of said at least two operation parts is a second operation part that controls the object being held by the character.

2. The entertainment system as described in claim 1, wherein said control means detects the quantity of two-dimensional movement of an operation part of said input operation means and analogously moves said object.

3. The entertainment system as described in claim 1, wherein said input operation means has two operation parts.

4. The entertainment system as described in claim 1, wherein said memory medium reads said program from a recording medium on which said program is recorded and stores it.

5. The entertainment system as described in claim 1, wherein said memory medium takes in said program via a communication means and stores it.

6. The entertainment system according to claim 1, wherein said input operation means further comprises an operation unit that controls the movement of the character.

7. The entertainment system according to claim 6, wherein said operation unit further comprises four switching parts which are arranged mutually perpendicularly.

8. The entertainment system according to claim 7, wherein at least one of said four switching parts is selectively switched so that a direction of the movement of the character corresponds to the arrangement of said switching pans when one of said four switching parts is pushed.

9. The entertainment system according to claim 1, wherein said input operation means further comprises an operation unit having four push operation parts which are arranged mutually perpendicularly and switch elements as signal input elements that respectively correspond to each of said push operation parts;

and

wherein the operation unit sets the function of the character allocated to each of said push operation pans by tuning on said switch elements that correspond to each of said push operation pans.

10. The entertainment system according to claim 9, wherein said operation unit executes the function that the character has by turning on said switch elements that correspond to each of said push operation parts.

11. The entertainment system according to claim 1, wherein said input operation means further comprises an operation unit having four push operation parts which are arranged mutually perpendicularly and switch elements as signal input elements that respectively correspond to each of said push operation parts;

and

wherein the operation unit executes the function that the character has by turning on said switch elements that correspond to each of said push operation parts.

12. The entertainment system according to claim 1, wherein said input operation means further comprises:

a first operation unit,

a second operation unit,

said first operation unit functions as a direction instruction controller that controls the movement of the character and has four push operation parts which are arranged mutually perpendicularly, and

switch elements as signal input elements that respectively correspond to each of said push operation parts,

wherein by selectively pressing each of said push operation parts and turning on and off said switch elements that respectively correspond to said push operation parts, the character is caused to move in the direction of the arrangement of the pressed said push operation parts, and

wherein said second operation unit has four push operation parts which are arranged mutually perpendicularly and switch elements as signal input elements that respectively correspond to each of said push operation parts, and

wherein said second operation unit is used as a function setting execution unit that sets the function of the character allocated to each of said push operation parts, or that executes the function that the character has, by turning on said switch elements that respectively correspond to said push operation parts.

13. The entertainment system according to claim 1, wherein said input operation means further comprises a rotation operation part that controls the movement of the character.

14. The entertainment system according to claim 1, wherein said input operation means further comprises a rotation operation part that controls the movement of the character and which can be rotated 360 degrees about an operation axis.

15. The entertainment system according to claim 14, wherein said control means detects a variation in the movement of said rotation operation part, and determines the action pattern according to the variation of the movement, and controls the character.

16. The entertainment system according to claim 1, wherein said input operation means further comprises a rotation operation part that controls the object being held by the character.

17. The entertainment system according to claim 1, wherein said input operation means further comprises a rotation operation pan that controls the object being held by the character and which can be rotated 360 degrees about an operation axis.

18. The entertainment system according to claim 17, wherein said control means detects a variation in the movement of said rotation operation part, and determines the action pattern according to the variation of the movement, and controls the character.

19. The entertainment system according to claim 1, wherein said control means changes an operation of the object.