Graphical control of a time-based set-up feature for a video game

• US 6,563,523 B1
• Filed: 10/28/1999
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warner Bros Entertainment Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Midway Amusement Games, LLC (Midway Games Inc.)
• Inventors: Steele, Christopher M., Suchocki, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, DAVID LEE
• Application Number:
  US09/428,355
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 345/333, 345/334, 345/716, 345/719, 345/718, 345/727, 345/730-732, 345/867, 345/2, 345/326, 345/156, 345/833, 345/835, 345/856, 345/440, 345/440.2, 345/968, 345/967, 345/722, 345/974, 345/970, 345/963, 348/5.5, 364/145, 463/37, 705/14, 705/8, 705/9
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/2145 the surface being also a display device, e.g. touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/97 Instrumentation and component modelling, e.g. interactive control panel

Abstract

In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a graphical control of a time-based set-up feature for a video game. The graphical control including a graphical interface for visually displaying a plurality of symbols of the set-up feature along a first axis and a plurality of time periods along a second axis. The graphical control further including a selector for interacting with the graphical interface to select one or more of the symbols during one or more of the time periods.

Claims

1. A video game, comprising:

an interfacing structure for receiving inputs from a player and for displaying a set-up feature having a first axis divided into time periods and a second axis indicating feature magnitudes, said set-up feature further displaying a plurality of movable symbols, each of said movable symbols corresponding to one of said time periods;

a display for displaying visual symbols viewed by said player;

a processor for receiving said inputs from said interfacing structure and developing display signals for displaying said visual symbols on said display, said processor monitoring time signals from a clock;

a memory device coupled to said processor and storing at least two data sets for producing at least two different magnitudes of a certain one of said visual symbols, said processor selecting one of said at least two data sets in response to said processor monitoring a time signal corresponding to a predetermined time and further in response to positions of said movable symbols of said set-up feature.

2. The video game of claim 1 wherein said interfacing structure is a touch screen.

3. The video game of claim 1 wherein said interfacing structure is a mechanical interfacing structure.

4. A method of operating a video game, comprising:

displaying a set-up feature having a first axis divided into time periods and a second axis indicating magnitudes of erotic content, said set-up feature further having a plurality of movable symbols, each of said movable symbols being movable in the direction of said second axis and being associated with one of said time periods;

displaying a plurality of standard visual symbols;

monitoring real time; and

displaying a plurality of modified visual symbols in response to said real time being a predetermined time and further in response to positions of said movable symbols, said plurality of modified visual symbols having a more erotic theme than said standard visual symbols, said modified visual symbols being appropriate for displaying at said predetermined time as defined by said movable symbols.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising altering said predetermined time in response to input into a graphical interface.

6. A graphical control of a time-based set-up feature for a video game comprising:

a graphical interface for visually displaying a plurality of movable symbols of the set-up feature along a first axis and a plurality of time periods along a second axis, each of said movable symbols being associated with a separate time period along said second axis; and

a selector for interacting with the graphical interface to select one or more of the symbols during one or more of the time periods, each of said plurality of symbols representing a level of volume.

7. A method of graphically controlling a time-based set-up feature for a video game comprising:

visually displaying a plurality of movable symbols of the set-up feature along a first axis and a plurality of time periods along a second axis, said symbols representing magnitudes controlling different levels of erotica that can be used in the video game, the different levels of erotica including no erotica, bikini, and nude, each of said movable symbols being associated with a separate time period along said second axis; and

receiving inputs from the graphical interface to select one or more of the symbols during one or more of the time periods.

8. A method of graphically controlling a time-based set-up feature for a video game comprising:

visually displaying a plurality of movable symbols of the set-up feature along a first axis and a plurality of time periods along a second axis, said symbols representing a plurality of levels of volume, each of said movable symbols being associated with a separate time period along said second axis; and

receiving inputs from the graphical interface to select one or more of the symbols during one or more of the time periods.

9. A method of controlling levels of game audio volume over time, said method comprising:

displaying a graphical image having a first axis denoting time and a second axis denoting levels of game audio volume, said first axis indicating time periods;

displaying a plurality of movable symbols in said graphical image, said movable symbols being continuously movable in the direction of said second axis and corresponding to said levels of game audio volume, each of said movable symbols being associated with a separate one of said time periods;

receiving input from a user;

moving said movable symbols in response to said input; and

controlling said levels of game audio volume over time in response to positions of said movable symbols along said second axis.

10. A method of controlling levels of game erotic content over time, said method comprising:

displaying a graphical image having a first axis denoting time and a second axis denoting levels of game erotic content, said first axis indicating time periods;

displaying a plurality of movable symbols in said graphical image, said movable symbols being continuously movable in the direction of said second axis and corresponding to said levels of game erotic content, each of said movable symbols being associated with a separate one of said time periods;

receiving input from a user;

moving said movable symbols in response to said input; and

controlling said levels of game erotic content over time in response to positions of said movable symbols along said second axis.

11. A system for temporally controlling audio volume of a video game comprising:

a graphical display displaying a first axis corresponding to time, a second axis corresponding to audio volume, and a plurality of movable symbols, said first axis being divided into a plurality of time periods, each of said movable symbols being associated with a separate one of said time periods;

a control device for receiving inputs moving said symbols and emitting control signals; and

a central processing unit translating the input from the control device and temporally controlling said audio volume of said video game in response to positions of said movable symbols.

12. A system for temporally controlling erotic content of a video game comprising:

a graphical display displaying a first axis corresponding to time, a second axis corresponding to erotic content, and a plurality of movable symbols, said first axis being divided into a plurality of time periods, each of said movable symbols being associated with a separate one of said time periods;

a control device for receiving inputs moving said symbols and emitting control signals; and

a central processing unit translating the input from the control device and temporally controlling said erotic content of said video game in response to positions of said movable symbols.