Amusement system having type practice function, typing practice system, and computer readable storage medium

• US 6,634,886 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Konami Digital Entertainment Company Limited (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Konami Corporation (Konami Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Oyama, Sakumi, Obana, Isato
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John
• Application Number:
  US09/772,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20010014440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 434/227, 434/307.R
• US Class Current: 434/227
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 13/00 Teaching typing

Abstract

An amusement system includes a keyboard having a plurality of keys and a main control portion capable of instructing operation of the keyboard through a predetermined display device, an operation instructive portion at which a plurality of regions associated with the user'"'"'s fingers are provided in a visually identifiable mode is displayed on a screen of a display device. An instructive mark for specifying a key to be operated by the finger associated with each region is displayed in the regions, respectively. The instructive mark and a predetermined reference mark are scrolled relatively in a predetermined direction, and the operation time of the key specified by each instructive mark is indicated based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark.

Claims

1. An amusement system comprising:

a keyboard having a plurality of keys to be operated for typing, to which specific characters are assigned one by one, the keyboard being capable of outputting a signal that corresponds to an operation state of each of the operating portions;

a display device capable of displaying an image that corresponds to an inputted video signal; and

a control device capable of instructing an operation of the keyboard through the display device, wherein the control device comprises;

a device for displaying on a screen of the display device an operation instructing portion at which a plurality of regions associated with each finger of a user are provided in a visually identifiable mode to instruct operations for each finger;

a device for displaying in the respective regions an instructive mark for specifying the key to be operated by a finger associated with each of the regions, the instructive mark including a mark indicative of each character assigned to the key to be operated; and

a device for relatively scrolling the instructive mark and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, instructing an operation time of the key specified by each instructive mark based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark.

2. The amusement system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of regions extend in parallel to each other in the predetermined direction on the screen of the display device, and the scroll is performed along the predetermined direction.

3. The amusement system according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined direction is a vertical direction.

4. The amusement system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of regions extend in parallel to each other in a vertical direction of the screen of the display device, a display position of the reference mark is fixed to a lower end of the operation instructing portion, and the instructive mark is scrolled from the top to the bottom toward the reference mark.

5. The amusement system according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of regions are arranged in a same order as an arrangement order of each finger.

6. The amusement system according to claim 1, wherein an image for identifying a finger associated with each region is included in the plurality of regions, respectively.

7. The amusement system according to claim 1, wherein an image simulating at least tip end of a finger associated with each region is displayed on the plurality of regions, respectively.

8. The amusement system according to claim 1, wherein, when the key of the keyboard is operated, at least a part of a region of said plurality of regions associated with each finger of a user corresponding to the operated key of the plurality of regions is displayed in a mode different from another region.

9. The amusement system according to claim 7, wherein, when the key of the keyboard is operated, the image simulating at least a tip end of the finger displayed in a region that corresponds to the operated key of the plurality of regions is changed.

10. The amusement system according to claim 1, wherein the control device compares an operation to be instructed via the display device with an actual operation of a user to evaluate the operation of the user, and causes the display device to display information indicative of the evaluation result.

11. The amusement system according to claim 10, wherein the control device determines an evaluation for each finger in a predetermined practice range, and causes the display device to display information according to the evaluation.

12. The amusement system according to claim 11, wherein the control device causes the display device to display information for specifying a lowest evaluated finger in the practice range as the information according to the summation result.

13. The amusement system according to claim 1, comprising:

a sound output device capable of producing a sound that corresponds to an input of a sound signal; and

a storage medium storing a music number data for reproducing a predetermined music via the sound output device,

wherein the control device reproduces by the sound output device a music that corresponds to the music number data on the storage medium, and executes the scroll according to a tempo of the music in synchronism with the music.

14. The amusement system according to claim 13, wherein, when the key of the keyboard is operated, the control device superimposes on the music a sound effect to be harmonized therewith, and causes such sound to be outputted from the sound output device.

15. The amusement system according to claim 1, comprising a sound output device capable of producing a sound that corresponds to an input of a sound signal, wherein, when the key of the keyboard is operated, the control device causes the sound output device to output a sound corresponding to a character assigned to the operated key.

16. An amusement system comprising:

a keyboard having a plurality of keys to which specific characters are assigned one by one, the keyboard being capable of outputting a signal that corresponds to an operation state of each key;

a display device capable of displaying an image that corresponds to an inputted video signal; and

a control device capable of instructing an operation of the keyboard through the display device, wherein the control device comprises;

a device for selecting a first practice mode or a second practice mode in accordance with a predetermined condition;

a device for, in the case where the first practice mode is selected, displaying on a screen of the display device an operation instructing portion at which a plurality of regions associated with each finger of a user are provided in a visually identifiable mode to instruct operations for each finger;

a device for displaying in the respective regions an instructive mark for specifying a character to be inputted by a finger associated with each of the regions, one by one;

a device for relatively scrolling the instructive mark for specifying the character and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating a time when the character specified for each instructive mark is to be inputted based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark;

a device for, in the case where the second practice mode is selected, displaying on the screen of the display device an instructive mark for specifying a word to be inputted by operating a key of the keyboard several times; and

a device for relatively scrolling an indicative mark for specifying the word and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating a time limit by when the word specified by the instructive mark is to be inputted based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark.

17. The amusement system according to claim 16, wherein the instructive mark for specifying the character and the instructive mark for specifying the word are respectively scrolled in a vertical direction of the screen of the display device.

18. The amusement system according to claim 16, comprising:

a sound output device capable of producing a sound that corresponds to an input of a sound signal; and

a storage medium storing a music number data for reproducing a predetermined music via the sound output device,

wherein, in each of the first practice mode and the second practice mode, a music corresponding to the music number data on the storage medium is reproduced by the sound output device, and the scroll is executed according to a tempo of the music in synchronism with the reproduction of the music.

19. The amusement system according to claim 18, wherein the first practice mode and the second practice mode are switched to each other during reproduction of one music number.

20. A computer readable storage medium applied to an amusement system configured as a computer that comprises:

a keyboard having a plurality of keys to be operated for typing, to which specific characters are assigned one by one, the keyboard being capable of outputting a signal that corresponds to an operation state of each key;

a display device capable of displaying an image that corresponds to an inputted video signal; and

a control device capable of instructing an operation of the keyboard through the display device, wherein a program is recorded to cause the control device to execute the steps of;

displaying on a screen of the display device an operation instructing portion at which a plurality of regions associated with each finger of a user are provided in a visually identifiable mode to instruct operations for each finger;

displaying in the respective regions an instructive mark for specifying the key to be operated by a finger associated with each of the regions, the instructive mark including a mark indicative of each character assigned to the key to be operated; and

relatively scrolling the instructive mark and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating an operation time of the key specified by each instructive mark based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark.

21. A computer readable storage medium applied to an amusement system configured as a computer that comprises:

a keyboard an input device having a plurality of keys to which specific characters are assigned one by one, the keyboard being capable of outputting a signal that corresponds to an operation state of each key;

a display device capable of displaying an image that corresponds to an inputted video signal; and

a control device capable of instructing an operation of the keyboard through the display device, wherein a program is recorded to cause the control device to execute the steps of;

selecting a first practice mode or a second practice mode in accordance with a predetermined condition;

displaying, in the case where the first practice mode is selected, on a screen of the display device an operation instructing portion at which a plurality of regions associated with each finger of a user are provided in a visually identifiable mode to instruct operations for each finger;

displaying in the respective regions an instructive mark for specifying a character to be inputted by a finger associated with each of the regions, one by one;

relatively scrolling an instructive mark for specifying the character and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating a time when a character specified for each instructive mark is to be inputted based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark;

displaying, in the case where the second practice mode is selected, on the screen of the display device an instructive mark for specifying a word to be inputted by operating a key of the keyboard several times; and

relatively scrolling the instructive mark for specifying the word and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating a time limit by when the word specified by the instructive mark is to be inputted based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark.

22. A typing practice system comprising:

a keyboard having a plurality of keys to be operated for typing, to which specific characters are assigned one by one the keyboard being capable of outputting a signal that corresponds to an operation state of each key;

a display device capable of displaying an image that corresponds to an inputted video signal; and

a control device capable of instructing an operation of the keyboard through the display device, characterized in that the control device comprises;

a device for displaying on a screen of the display device an operation instructing portion at which a plurality of regions associated with each finger of a user are provided in a visually identifiable mode to instruct operations for each finger;

a device for displaying in the respective regions an instructive mark for specifying the key to be operated by a finger associated with each of the regions, the instructive mark including a mark indicative of each character assigned to the key to be operated; and

a device for relatively scrolling the instructive mark and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating an operation time of the key specified by each instructive mark based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark.

23. A typing practice system comprising:

a keyboard having a plurality of keys to which specific characters are assigned one by one, the keyboard being capable of outputting a signal that corresponds to an operation state of each key;

a display device capable of displaying an image that corresponds to an inputted video signal; and

a control device capable of instructing an operation of the keyboard through the display device, wherein the control device comprises;

a device for selecting a first practice mode or a second practice mode in accordance with a predetermined condition;

a device for, in the case where the first practice mode is selected, displaying on a screen of the display device an operation instructing portion at which a plurality of regions associated with each finger of a user are provided a visually identifiable mode to instruct operations for each finger;

a device for displaying in the respective regions an instructive mark for specifying a character to be inputted by a finger associated with each of the regions, one by one;

a device for relatively scrolling the instructive mark for specifying the character and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating a time when the character specified for each instructive mark is to be inputted based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark;

a device for, in the case where the second practice mode is selected, displaying on the screen of the display device an instructive mark for specifying a word to be inputted by operating a key of the keyboard several times; and

a device for relatively scrolling the instructive mark for specifying the word and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then indicating a time limit by when the word specified by the instructive mark is to be inputted based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark.

24. An amusement system comprising:

a keyboard receiving input from an operator and outputting a keyboard signal corresponding to the received input;

a display device displaying an image corresponding to the keyboard signal; and

a control device instructing an operation of the keyboard through the display device, said control device including;

a first device displaying an the display device an operation instructing portion at which a plurality of regions individually associated wit a respective finger of the operator are provided in a visually identifiable mode to instruct operations for each respective finger;

a second device respectively displaying in the regions an instructive mark for specifying the key to be operated by a finger associated with each of the regions, the instructive mark including a mark indicative of each character assigned to the key to be operated; and

a third device relatively scrolling the instructive mark and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, instructing an operation time of the key specified by each instructive mark based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark.

25. The amusement system according to claim 24, wherein the plurality of regions extend in parallel to each other in the predetermined direction on the screen of the display device, and the scroll is performed along the predetermined direction.

26. The amusement system according to claim 25, wherein the predetermined direction is a vertical direction.

27. The amusement system according to claim 24, wherein the plurality of regions extend in parallel to each other in a vertical direction of the screen of the display device, a display position of the reference mark is fixed to a lower end of the operation instructing portion, and the instructive mark is scrolled from the top to the bottom toward the reference mark.

28. The amusement system according to claim 25, wherein the plurality of regions are arranged in a same order as an arrangement order of each finger.

29. The amusement system according to claim 24, wherein an image for identifying a finger associated with each region is included in the plurality of regions, respectively.

30. The amusement system according to claim 24, wherein an image simulating at least tip end of a finger associated with each region is displayed on the plurality of regions, respectively.

31. The amusement system according to claim 24, wherein, when a key of the keyboard is operated, at least a part of a region of said plurality of regions associated with each finger of a user corresponding to the operated key of the plurality of regions is displayed in a mode different from another region.

32. The amusement system according to claim 30, wherein, when a key of the keyboard is operated, the image simulating at least a tip end of the finger displayed in a region that corresponds to the operated key of the plurality of regions is changed.

33. The amusement system according to claim 24, wherein the control device compares an operation to be instructed via the display device with an actual operation of a user to evaluate the operation of the user, and causes the display device to display information indicative of the evaluation result.

34. The amusement system according to claim 33, wherein the control device determines an evaluation for each finger in a predetermined practice range, and causes the display device to display information according to the evaluation.

35. The amusement system according to claim 34, wherein the control device causes the display device to display information for specifying a lowest evaluated finger in the practice range as the information according to the summation result.

36. The amusement system according to claim 24, comprising:

a sound output device producing a sound that corresponds to an input of a sound signal; and

a storage medium storing a music number data for reproducing a predetermined music via the sound output device,

wherein the control device reproduces by the sound output device a music that corresponds to the music number data on the storage medium, and executes the scroll according to a tempo of the music in synchronism with the music.

37. The amusement system according to claim 36, wherein, when a key of the keyboard is operated the control device superimposes on the music a sound effect to be harmonized therewith, and causes such sound to be outputted from the sound output device.

38. The amusement system according to claim 24, further comprising a sound output device for producing a sound that corresponds to an input of a sound signal, wherein, when the key of the keyboard is operated, the control device causes the sound output device to output a sound corresponding to a character assigned to the operated key.

39. An amusement system comprising:

a keyboard receiving input from an operator and outputting a keyboard signal corresponding to the received input;

a display device displaying an image corresponding to the keyboard signal; and

a control device instructing an operation of the keyboard through the display device, said control device including;

a first device selecting a first practice mode or a second practice mode in accordance with a predetermined condition;

a second device, in the case where the first practice mode is selected, displaying on the display device an operation instructing portion at which a plurality of regions individually associated with a respective finger of the operator are provided in a visually identifiable mode to instruct operations for each respective finger;

a third device respectively displaying in the regions an instructive mark for specifying a character to be inputted by a finger associated with each of the regions, one by one;

a fourth device relatively scrolling the instructive mark for specifying the character and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating a time when the character specified for each instructive mark is to be inputted based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark;

a fifth device, in the case where the second practice mode is selected, displaying on the display device an instructive mark for specifying a word to be inputted by operating a key of the keyboard several times; and

a sixth device for relatively scrolling an indicative mark for specifying the word and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating a time limit by when the word specified by the instructive mark is to be inputted based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark.

40. The amusement system according to claim 39, wherein the instructive mark for specifying the character and the instructive mark for specifying the word are respectively strolled in a vertical direction of the screen of the display device.

41. The amusement system according to claim 39, further comprising:

a sound output device producing a sound that corresponds to an input of a sound signal; and

a storage medium storing a music number data for reproducing a predetermined music via the sound output device,

wherein, in each of the first practice mode and the second practice mode, a music corresponding to the music number data on the storage medium is reproduced by the sound output device, and the scroll is executed according to a tempo of the music in synchronism with the reproduction of the music.

42. The amusement system according to claim 41, wherein the first practice mode and the second practice mode are switched to each other during reproduction of one music number.

43. A computer readable storage medium applied to an amusement system configured as a computer that comprises:

a keyboard receiving input from an operator and outputting a keyboard signal corresponding to the received input;

a display device displaying an image corresponding to the keyboard signal; and

a control device instructing an operation of the keyboard through the display device, wherein a program is recorded to cause the control device to execute the steps of;

displaying on the display device an operation instructing portion at which a plurality of regions individually associated with a respective finger of the operator are provided in a visually identifiable mode to instruct operations for each finger;

respectively displaying in the regions an instructive mark for specifying the key to be operated by a finger associated with each of the regions, the instructive mark including a mark indicative of each character assigned to the key to be operated; and

relatively scrolling the instructive mark and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating an operation time of the key specified by each instructive mark based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark.

44. A computer readable storage medium applied to an amusement system configured as a computer that comprises:

a keyboard for receiving input from an operator and outputting a keyboard signal corresponding to the received input;

a display device displaying an image that corresponds to the keyboard signal; and

a control device instructing an operation of the keyboard through the display device, wherein a program is recorded to cause the control device to execute the steps of;

selecting a first practice mode or a second practice made in accordance with a predetermined condition;

displaying, in the case where the first practice mode is selected, on the display device an operation instructing portion at which a plurality of regions individually associated with each respective finger of the operator are provided in a visually identifiable mode to instruct operations for each finger;

respectively displaying in the regions an instructive mark for specifying a character to be inputted by a finger associated with each of the regions, one by one;

relatively scrolling an instructive mark far specifying the character and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating a time when a character specified for each instructive mark is to be inputted based on a positional relationship between the instinctive mark and the reference mark;

displaying, in the case where the second practice mode is selected, on the display device an instructive mark for specifying a word to be inputted by operating a key of the keyboard several times; and

relatively scrolling the instructive mark for specifying the word and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating a time limit by when the word specified by the instructive mark is to be inputted based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark.

45. A typing practice system comprising:

a keyboard receiving input rom an operator and outputting a keyboard signal corresponding to the received input;

a display device displaying an image corresponding to the keyboard signal; and

a control device instructing an operation of the keyboard through the display device, said control device including;

a first device for displaying on the display device an operation instructing portion at which a plurality of regions individually associated with each respective finger of the operator are provided in a visually identifiable mode to instruct operations for each finger;

a second device respectively displaying in the regions an instructive mark for specifying a key to be operated by a finger associated with each of the regions, the instructive mark including a mark indicative of each character assigned to the key to be operated; and

a third device relatively scrolling the instructive mark and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating an operation time of the key specified by each instructive mark based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark.

46. A typing practice system comprising:

a keyboard for receiving input from an operator and outputting a keyboard signal corresponding to the received input;

a display device displaying an image corresponding to the keyboard signal; and

a control device instructing an operation of the keyboard through the display device, said control device including;

a first device for selecting a first practice mode or a second practice mode in accordance with a predetermined condition;

a second device, in the case where the first practice mode is selected, displaying on the display device an operation instructing portion at which a plurality of regions individually associated with each respective finger of the operator are provided a visually identifiable made to instruct operations for each finger;

a third device respectively displaying in the regions an instructive mark for specifying a character to be inputted by a finger associated with each of the regions, one by one;

a fourth device relatively scrolling the instructive mark for specifying the character and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then, indicating a time when the character specified for each instructive mark is to be inputted based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark;

a fifth device, in the case where the second practice mode is selected, displaying on the display device an instructive mark for specifying a word to be inputted by operating a key of the keyboard several times; and

a sixth device relatively scrolling the instructive mark for specifying the word and a predetermined reference mark in a predetermined direction, and then indicating a time limit by when the word specified by the instructive mark is to be inputted based on a positional relationship between the instructive mark and the reference mark.