Game apparatus, storage medium and computer program that adjust tempo of sound

• US 6,663,491 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Namco Limited (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Endo, Kyoko, Suzuki, Toshio, Onda, Akio, Watabe, Hajime
• Primary Examiner(s): ONEILL, MICHAEL W
• Application Number:
  US09/784,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20020160823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 434/250, 434/236, 463/7, 463/8, 463/30, 463/31, 463/36, 473/131, 473/221-226, 473/409
• US Class Current: 463/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• 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 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/46 Computing the game score
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/814 Musical performances, e.g. by evaluating the player's ability to follow a notation
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8005 Athletics

Abstract

A game apparatus, a storage medium and a computer program, suitable to games that can be experienced by a player using an entire body to play a game. The game apparatus comprises: a storage section for storing a predetermined assigned movement for a player; an assigned movement display section for displaying the assigned movement, thereon; a movement detection section for detecting a movement of the player; a player movement display section for displaying the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, thereon; a similarity decision section for comparing the assigned movement with the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, to decide a similarity between the assigned movement and the movement of the player; and a game operation section for processing a score on the basis of the similarity decided by the similarity decision section.

Claims

1. A game apparatus comprising:

a storage section for storing a predetermined assigned movement for a player;

an assigned movement display section for displaying the assigned movement, thereon;

a sound generation section for generating at least one of a sound, a music and a sound effect;

a movement detection section for detecting a movement of the player;

a similarity decision section for comparing the assigned movement with the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, to decide a similarity between the assigned movement and the movement of the player;

a game operation section for processing a score on the basis of the similarity decided by the similarity decision section; and

a tempo adjusting section for adjusting a tempo of the at least one of the sound, music and sound effect based on progress of a game.

3. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the assigned movement matches at least one of the sound, the music and the sound effect, generated by the sound generation section.

4. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the assigned movement matches a tempo of at least one of the sound, the music and the sound effect, generated by the sound generation section.

5. A game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a tempo display section for displaying a tempo of the assigned movement, thereon.

6. A game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a game level setting section for setting a game level of difficulty,

wherein at least one of a tempo of the assigned movement, a type of the assigned movement and the similarity decided by the similarity decision section is changed on the basis of the game level of difficulty set by the level setting section.

7. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein at least one of a tempo of the assigned movement, a type of the assigned movement and the similarity decided by the similarity decision section is changed on the basis of the similarity decided by the similarity decision section.

8. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the similarity decision section compares the assigned movement with the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, at a predetermined time of the assigned movement, to decide the similarity between the assigned movement and the movement of the player;

and

the game apparatus further comprises a timing notice section for indicating the predetermined time to the player by a visual effect or an auditory effect.

9. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the similarity decision section compares the assigned movement with the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, at a predetermined time of the assigned movement, to decide the similarity between the assigned movement and the movement of the player;

and

the game apparatus further comprises a decision display section for displaying a decision according to the similarity decided at the predetermined time by the similarity decision section.

12. A game apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the predetermined time is changed according to a tempo of at least one of the sound, the music and the sound effect, generated by the sound generation section.

13. A game apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the predetermined time is changed according to a tempo of at least one of the sound, the music and the sound effect, generated by the sound generation section.

14. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the game operation section calculates the score on the basis of the similarity decided by the similarity decision section.

15. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the game operation section calculates the score on the basis of the similarity decided by the similarity decision section, to calculate a cumulative total of the score calculated;

and

the game apparatus further comprises a score display section for displaying the cumulative total of the score, thereon.

16. A game apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the assigned movement display section displays the assigned movement before the similarity decision section decides the similarity.

17. A game apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a movement start notice section for indicating when the player starts moving to the player by a visual effect or an auditory effect.

18. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the assigned movement is a dance.

19. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement detection section comprises an artificial retina chip.

20. A game apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement detection section detects the movement of the player from a light received through a visible spectrum cut-off filter.

27. The game apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the similarity decision section deciding a similarity between the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section and the predetermined movement stored in the storage section, on a basis of at least one of a direction, a magnitude and a speed of the movement of the player.

28. A game apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the similarity decision section decides the similarity between the movement of the player and the predetermined assigned movement corresponding to a predetermined time thereof, every predetermined time of the assigned movement.

29. A game apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising:

a timing notice section for indicating a predetermined time by a visual effect or an auditory effect; and

a timing decision section for deciding whether the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section coincides with the predetermined time, or not.

30. A game apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising:

a movement specifying section for specifying the movement of the player to be decided on the similarity, wherein the movement of the player is specified from a plurality of movements of the player concurrently detected by the movement detection section, on the basis of at least one of the direction, the magnitude and the speed of each of the movements of the player;

wherein the similarity decision section decides the similarity between the movement of the player specified by the movement specifying section and the predetermined assigned movement.

31. A game apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising:

a movement specifying section for specifying the movement of the player to be decided on the similarity, wherein the movement of the player is specified from a plurality of movements of the player concurrently detected by movement detection section when being decided to coincide with the predetermined time by the timing decision section;

wherein the similarity decision section decides the similarity between the movement of the player specified by the movement specifying section and the predetermined assigned movement.

32. A game apparatus according to claim 27,

wherein the similarity decision section decides the similarity between the movement of the player and the predetermined assigned movement corresponding to each of a plurality of detection regions divided from a detection range of the movement detection section, for every detection region.

33. A game apparatus according to claim 30,

wherein the movement specifying section specifies the movement of the player to be decided on the similarity, for each of a plurality of detection regions divided from a detection range of the movement detection section, and

the similarity decision section decides the similarity between the movement of the player specified by the movement specifying section and the predetermined assigned movement corresponding to the detection region, for every detection region.

34. A game apparatus according to claim 33,

wherein the similarity decision section decides the similarity, by considering the movement of the player extended over a plurality of detection regions.

35. A game apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising a by-region decision display section for displaying a decision according to the similarity decided every the detection region by the similarity decision section.

36. A game apparatus according to claim 27,

wherein the similarity decision section changes the similarity decided according to a predetermined condition detected by the movement detection section.

37. A game apparatus according to claim 32,

wherein the detection region is changed according to a predetermined condition detected by the movement detection section.

38. A game apparatus according to claim 36,

wherein the predetermined condition relates to a body shape of the player detected by the movement detection section.

39. A game apparatus according to claim 37,

wherein the predetermined condition relates to a body shape of the player detected by the movement detection section.

40. A game apparatus according to claim 27,

wherein the movement detection section comprises an artificial retina chip for detecting the movement of the player.

2. A game apparatus comprising:

a storage section for storing a predetermined assigned movement for a player;

an assigned movement display section for displaying the assigned movement, thereon;

a sound generation section for generating at least one of a sound, a music and a sound effect;

a movement detection section for detecting a movement of the player;

a player movement display section for displaying the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, thereon;

a similarity decision section for comparing the assigned movement with the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, to decide a similarity between the assigned movement and the movement of the player;

a game operation section for processing a score on the basis of the similarity decided by the similarity decision section; and

a tempo adjusting section for adjusting a tempo of the at least one of the sound, music and sound effect based on progress of a game.

10. A game apparatus comprising:

a storage section for storing a predetermined assigned movement for a player;

an assigned movement display section for displaying the assigned movement, thereon;

a movement detection section for detecting a movement of the player;

a player movement display section for displaying the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, thereon;

a similarity decision section for comparing the assigned movement with the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, to decide a similarity between the assigned movement and the movement of the player;

a game operation section for processing a score on the basis of the similarity decided by the similarity decision section, wherein the similarity decision section compares the assigned movement with the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, at a predetermined time of the assigned movement, to decide the similarity between the assigned movement and the movement of the player; and

a decision display section for displaying a decision according to the similarity decided at the predetermined time by the similarity decision section, wherein the decision display section is a gauge display section for displaying a gauge that fluctuates according to the decision of the similarity decided at the predetermined time by the similarity decision section.

11. A game apparatus comprising:

a storage section for storing a predetermined assigned movement for a player;

an assigned movement display section for displaying the assigned movement, thereon;

a sound generation section for generating at least one of a sound, a music and a sound effect;

a movement detection section for detecting a movement of the player;

a similarity decision section for comparing the assigned movement with the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, to decide a similarity between the assigned movement and the movement of the player;

a game operation section for processing a score on the basis of the similarity decided by the similarity decision section, wherein the similarity decision section compares the assigned movement with the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, at a predetermined time of the assigned movement, to decide the similarity between the assigned movement and the movement of the player; and

a decision display section for displaying a decision according to the similarity decided at the predetermined time by the similarity decision section, wherein the decision display section is a gauge display section for displaying a gauge that fluctuates according to the decision of the similarity decided at the predetermined time by the similarity decision section.

21. A game apparatus comprising:

a storage section for storing a predetermined assigned movement for a player;

an assigned movement display section for displaying the assigned movement, thereon;

a sound generation section for generating at least one of a sound, a music and a sound effect;

a movement detection section for detecting a movement of the player;

a similarity decision section for comparing the assigned movement with the movement of the player detected by the movement detection section, to decide a similarity between the assigned movement and the movement of the player;

a game operation section for processing a score on the basis of the similarity decided by the similarity decision section; and

a wall member disposed upright in a line of the movement detection section and the player.

22. A game apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a projection suppression section for suppressing a projection of a shadow of the player on the wall member.

23. A storage medium having a computer-executable program recorded thereon, the computer comprising a movement detection section for detecting a movement of a player, wherein the program comprises:

a program code of executing a predetermined game;

a program code of storing a predetermined assigned movement;

a program code of displaying the assigned movement;

a program code of inputting an input data based on a movement of the player detected by the movement detection section;

a program code of generating at least one of a sound, a music and a sound effect;

a program code of comparing the assigned movement with the input data, to decide a similarity between the assigned movement and the input data;

a program code of processing a score on the basis of similarity decided; and

a program code of adjusting a tempo of the at least one of the sound, music and sound effect based on progress of a game.

24. A storage medium having a computer-executable program recorded thereon, the computer comprising a movement detection section for detecting a movement of a player, wherein the program comprises:

a program code of executing a predetermined game;

a program code of storing a predetermined assigned movement;

a program code of displaying the assigned movement;

a program code of inputting an input data based on a movement of the player detected by the movement detection section;

a program code of generating at least one of a sound, a music and a sound effect;

a program code of displaying the movement of the player on the basis of the input data inputted;

a program code of comparing the assigned movement with the input data, to decide a similarity between the assigned movement and the input data;

a program code of processing a score on the basis of similarity decided; and

a program code of adjusting a tempo of the at least one of the sound, music and sound effect based on progress of a game.

25. A storage medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising program code means for performing the steps of:

storing a predetermined assigned movement for a player;

displaying the assigned movement;

generating at least one of a sound, a music and a sound effect;

detecting a movement of the player;

comparing the assigned movement with the movement of the player detected, to decide a similarity between the assigned movement and the movement of the player;

processing a score on the basis of the similarity decided; and

adjusting a tempo of the at least one of the sound, music, and sound effect based on progress of a game.

26. A storage medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising program code means for performing the steps of:

storing a predetermined assigned movement for a player;

displaying the assigned movement;

generating at least one of a sound, a music and a sound effect;

detecting a movement of the player;

displaying the movement of the player detected;

comparing the assigned movement with the movement of the player detected, to decide a similarity between the assigned movement and the movement of the player;

processing a score on the basis of the similarity decided; and

adjusting a tempo of the at least one of the sound, music, and sound effect based on progress of a game.