Input device, data processing device, data processing method, game device and medium

• US 6,739,974 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2001
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sega Enterprises
• Inventors: Takasugi, Tomoya, Tohma, Kenji, Kanno, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, BINH AN DUC
• Application Number:
  US09/996,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20020094867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36, 463/1, 463/7, 463/23, 463/47, 463/6, 463/9, 463/30, 463/32, 463/37, 463/38, 463/31, 273/148.B, 273/148.R, 273/317.1, 273/460, 273/461, 273/359, 273/454, 273/380, 273/329, 273/440, 273/441, 273/442, 273/449, 273/444, 700/20, 700/91, 700/92
• 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 13/245 specially adapted to a particular type of game, e.g. steering wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/807 Gliding or sliding on surfaces, e.g. using skis, skates or boards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• 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 2300/8041 Skating using skis, skates or board
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0334 Foot operated pointing devices

Abstract

An input device comprises a board 14B whereon a player stands with both feet, and supporting the board such that it can oscillate, and it supplies oscillatory information when the player causes the board to oscillate to the game machine. In the supporting mechanism, the central axis of oscillation is positioned on the lower portion of, or below the board. The center of rotation of swinging movement in the supporting mechanism is positioned below the board 14B.

The object is to make the swinging movement of the board, when the player is standing on the board, such as skis, skateboard, or the like, and playing the game, as close as possible to a swinging movement in real life, thereby increasing realism and improving the player'"'"'s interest in the game.

Claims

1. An oscillating device comprising:

a platform whereon a player stands; and

a supporting mechanism that supports the platform and permits oscillation of said platform when said player causes said platform to oscillate;

wherein

a central axis of said oscillation of said supporting mechanism is positioned on the lower portion of said platform, or positioned below said platform;

said oscillation comprises a swing movement in the horizontal plane of said platform, a roll movement in the lateral direction of said platform, and a pitch movement in the longitudinal direction of said platform, and said supporting mechanism comprises a swing mechanism that enables said platform to swing, a roll mechanism that enables said platform to roll, and a pitch mechanism that enables said platform to pitch; and

a front and back of said platform lifts during said pitch movement.

2. The oscillating device according to claim 1, wherein said swing mechanism is arranged to support said roll mechanism from below, the roll mechanism supports the pitch mechanism from below, and the pitch mechanism is arranged to support said platform.

3. The oscillating device according to claim 2, wherein said swing mechanism, said roll mechanism, and said pitch mechanism include force applying means to apply force to said platform to return said platform to predetermined central positions in at least one of said swing, roll or pitch movements.

4. The oscillating device according to claim 1, wherein said platform is a board for a skateboarding game.

5. The oscillating device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting mechanism provides oscillatory information to a game device.

6. An input device for supplying operational information to a game machine simulating a state where a player moves through a virtual three-dimensional space, comprising:

a platform whereon said player stands;

a supporting mechanism for supporting the platform to facilitate oscillation; and

sensors for detecting pitch information and supplying the information to said game machine when said platform is pitched in a forward or backward direction in response to a shift of body weight of the player on said platform;

wherein

a front and back of said platform lifts when said platform is pitched in a forward and backward direction; and

said platform rotates freely about a bearing when said platform is pitched.

7. The input device according to claim 6, further comprising sensors for detecting and supplying oscillation angle information to said game machine in response to a shift of body weight of said player on said platform that causes the supporting mechanism to respond to at least one oscillatory movement by causing at least one type of movement of said platform including a roll in a lateral direction, and a swing across a horizontal plane of the platform.

8. A game device for conducting a simulation comprising:

a platform whereon said player stands;

a supporting mechanism for supporting the platform such that the platform can oscillate;

pitch movement sensors for detecting pitch movement information when movement of the body weight of said player on said platform causes the platform to pitch; and

a controller is arranged to control the movement of a character in a virtual three-dimensional space on the basis of the pitch movement information detected by said pitch movement sensors;

wherein

a front and back of said platform lifts during said pitch movement; and

said platform rotates freely about a bearing during said pitch movement.

9. The game device according to claim 8, further including an input device for supplying the game device operational information to calculate the movement of said character.

10. The game device according to claim 9, wherein said input device further comprises at least one of:

a swing movement sensor for detecting swing movement information when movement of the body weight of said player on said platform causes said platform to swing; and

a roll movement sensor for detecting roll movement information when movement of the body weight of said player on said platform causes said platform to roll on said platform.

11. The game device according to claim 10, wherein a central axis of said oscillation is positioned on the lower portion of, or below, said platform.

12. The game device according to claim 10, wherein said supporting mechanism comprises:

a swing mechanism for supporting said platform swingably in a horizontal plate, and said swing mechanism is arranged to provide a central axis of rotation of said swing below said platform.

13. The game device according to claim 10, wherein the controller is arranged to control the movement of said character in said virtual three-dimensional space based on movement information detected by at least one of said pitch movement sensor and said roll movement sensor.

14. The game device according to claim 9, wherein said platform is a board for a skateboarding game.