Computer, method and recording medium for executing games using a pressure-sensitive controller

• US 6,524,187 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2001
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Komata, Nobuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Neill, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Enatsky, Aaron L
• Application Number:
  US09/758,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20010008851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36, 463/37, 463/1, 463/3-4, 463/7-8, 345/161, 345/162, 345/184
• US Class Current: 463/37
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/218 using pressure sensors, e.g. generating a signal proportional to the pressure applied by the player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• 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 13/812 Ball games, e.g. soccer or baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1056 involving pressure sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• 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 2300/8017 Driving on land or water; Flying
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting

Abstract

The adjustment of hitting power or the like by pushing or continuous pushing of a simple ON/OFF switch by a user is provided by a computer which is able to execute a program that performs processing by taking as instructions an output from a controller which has a pressure-sensitive unit and a processing unit which applies force that acts on objects on a screen of the computer, depending on the output of the controller.

Claims

1. A computer which is able to execute a game program wherein characters perform stipulated actions by taking as instructions an output from a controller which has pressure-sensitive means, comprising:

means for sensing a pushing pressure of a user on the controller by said pressure-sensitive means and generating a pressure-sensing output corresponding to said pushing pressure;

means for comparing the point in time at which the maximum value of said pressure-sensing signal was generated with a standard timing for said stipulated actions determined in advance in said game program, and generating a time differential, and

means for evaluating a stipulated action that a character had performed from the maximum value of said pressure-sensing signal and said time differential.

2. A method, using a computer to execute a game program wherein characters perform stipulated actions by taking as instructions an output from a controller which has pressure-sensitive means, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing a pushing pressure of a user on the controller by said pressure-sensitive means and generating a pressure-sensing output corresponding to said pushing pressure;

comparing the point in time at which the maximum value of said pressure-sensing signal was generated with a standard timing for said stipulated actions determined in advance in said game program, and generating a time differential; and

evaluating a stipulated action that a character had performed from the maximum value of said pressure-sensing signal and said time differential.