Virtual pet device and control program recording medium therefor

• US 6,772,121 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2000
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Namco Limited (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaneko, Yasumichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Kinari
• Application Number:
  US09/694,819
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 704/246, 704/270, 704/231, 704/232, 704/243, 704/272, 446/175
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1081 Input via voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/302 specially adapted for receiving control signals not targeted to a display device or game input means, e.g. vibrating driver's seat, scent dispenser
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8058 Virtual breeding, e.g. tamagotchi
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls

Abstract

A special relation is formed between an owner and a virtual pet and a sense for feeling a pet more similar to a true pet is produced.

Voice inputted from a microphone 22 is recognized by a recognizing part 20. Then, a speaker data base 12 is referred to to identify a speaking individual. In the data base 12, prescribed words and phrases are registered and events corresponding to the words and phrases are stored in an event list 31. If the words and phrases spoken by the individual to a pet satisfy an event generating condition, events (crying, swinging a tail, etc.) corresponding to the recognized words and phrases will be performed.

Claims

1. A virtual pet device adapted to suitably respond to an external stimulation comprising:

an input means for externally inputting a stimulation;

a recognizing means for recognizing the stimulation inputted by the input means and a control means for controlling response operation of the device on the basis of the recognized result by the recognizing means,

said control means analyzing the inputted stimulation and identifying an individual who input the stimulation, further comprising a memory means provided so as to identify unspecified many persons who input stimulations for storing the value of degree of recognition of each person who inputs the stimulation corresponding to the input and only a person high in his recognition frequency being answered.

6. A virtual pet device according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein said input means is a voice input device.

7. A virtual pet device according to claim 6, wherein there are provided a plurality of preset basic actions and the combination of words and phrases corresponding to each action and the relation between a series of actions obtained by combining the basic actions together and the words and phrases corresponding thereto can be newly set.

8. A virtual pet device according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein said input means is an image input device.

2. A virtual pet device adapted to suitably respond to an external stimulation comprising:

an input mean for externally inputting stimulation;

a recognizing means for recognizing the stimulation inputted by the input means and a control means for controlling response operation of the device on the basis of the recognized result by the recognizing means,

said control means analyzing the inputted stimulation and identifying an individual who inputs the stimulation, further comprising a memory means provided so as to identify unspecified many persons who input stimulations for storing the value of degree of recognition of each person who inputs the stimulation corresponding to the input and a response being not given to the input the value of degree of recognition of which is relatively lowered.

3. A virtual pet device adapted to suitably respond to an external stimulation comprising:

an input means for externally inputting a stimulation;

a recognizing means for recognizing the stimulation inputted by the input means and a control means for controlling response operation of the device on the basis of the recognized result by the recognizing means,

said control means analyzing the inputted stimulation and identifying an individual who inputs the stimulation, further comprising a memory means provided so as to identify unspecified many persons who input stipulations for storing the value of degree of recognition of each person who inputs the stimulation corresponding to the input and the inputs whose values of degree of recognition are relatively lowered being sequentially deleted.

4. A virtual pet device adapted to suitably respond to an external stimulation comprising;

an input means for externally inputting a stimulation;

a recognizing means for recognizing the stimulation inputted by the input means and a control means for controlling response operation of the device on the basis of the recognized result by the recognizing means,

said control means analyzing the inputted stimulation and identifying an individual who inputs the stimulation, further comprising a memory means provided so as to identify unspecified many persons who input stimulations for storing the value of degree of recognition of each person who inputs the stimulation corresponding to the input and a response action to the same input being capable of being changed depending on a person who inputs the stimulation and the value of degree of recognition.

5. A virtual pet device adapted to suitably respond to an external stimulation comprising:

an input means for externally inputting a stimulation;

a recognizing means for recognizing the stimulation inputted by the input means and a control means for controlling response operation of the device on the basis of the recognized result by the recognizing means,

said control means analyzing the inputted stimulation and identifying an individual who inputs the stimulation, further comprising a memory means for storing the date of an input for each person who inputs the stimulation and a response action being capable of being changed depending on the lapse of time from the date of a final input.

9. A recording medium storing a control program of a virtual pet suitably responding to an external stimulation, said control program being adapted to recognize a signal inputted from a stimulation inputting means as a stimulation, control a response action on the basis of the recognized result, analyze the stimulation thus recognized and identify and individual who inputs the stimulation, in which a program is stored for controlling to identify unspecified many persons who input stimulations by analyzing the stimulations, store the value of degree of recognition of each person who inputs the stimulation corresponding to the input and respond only to a person who inputs the stimulation high in his recognition frequency.

10. A recording medium storing a control program of a virtual pet suitably responding to an external stimulation, said control program being adapted to recognize a signal inputted from a stimulation inputting means as a stimulation, control a response action on the basis of the recognized result, analyze the stimulation thus recognized and identify and individual who inputs the stimulation, in which a program is stored for controlling to identify unspecified many persons who input stimulations by analyzing the stimulations, store the value of degree of recognition of each person who inputs the stimulation corresponding to the input and not to respond to the input whose value of degree of recognition is relatively lowered.

14. A recording medium according to any one of claims 9-13, in which is stored a program for controlling to recognize a voice signal as the input signal as a stimulation.

15. A recording medium according to claim 14, in which is stored a program including a plurality of preset basic actions and the combination of words and phrases corresponding to each action and controlling to newly set the relation between a series of actions obtained by combining the basic actions together and the words and phrases corresponding thereto.

16. A recording medium according to any one of claims 9-13, in which a program is stored for controlling to recognize an image signal as the input signal as a stimulation.

11. A recording medium storing a control program of a virtual pet suitably responding to an external stimulation, said control program being adapted to recognize a signal inputted from a stimulation inputting means as a stimulation, control a response action on the basis of the recognized result, analyze the stimulation thus recognized and identify and individual who inputs the stimulation, in which a program is stored for controlling to identify unspecified many persons who input stimulations by analyzing the stimulations, store the value of degree of recognition of each person who inputs the stimulation corresponding to the input and sequentially delete inputs whose values of degrees of recognition are relatively lowered.

12. A recording medium storing a control program of a virtual pet suitably responding to an external stimulation, said control program being adapted to recognize a signal inputted from a stimulation inputting means as a stimulation, control a response action on the basis of the recognized result, analyze the stimulation thus recognized and identify and individual who inputs the stimulation, in which a program is stored for controlling to identify unspecified many person who input stimulations by analyzing the stimulations store the value of degree of recognition of each person who inputs the stimulation corresponding to the input and change a response action to the same input depending on persons who input the stimulations and the values of degrees of recognition.

13. A recording medium storing a control program of a virtual pet suitably responding to an external stimulation, said control program being adapted to recognize a signal inputted from a stimulation inputting means as a stimulation, control a response action on the basis of the recognized result, analyze the stimulation thus recognized and identify and individual who inputs the stimulation, in which a program is stored for controlling to identify unspecified many persons who input stimulations by analyzing the stimulations, store an input data of each person who inputs the stimulation corresponding to the input and change a response action depending on the lapse of time from the date of a final input.